At night, Damien and Winston dug a very wide pit around the bird’s shelter according to Irina’s design. They then placed a thin layer of branches and leaves and scattered some dirt on top.

Snowflakes gradually fell from the sky, perfectly hiding the trap the next day. Now, they just hoped that there wouldn’t be hail.

The cubs didn’t show up for more than ten days, possibly because they were genuinely afraid of the cold.

One night after temperatures just barely rose, Irina was asleep when she heard a few vague and muffled thuds.

She tentatively perked up her ears and tried to listen out. She softly asked Damien, “Did...