Nilah's new canine friend

There was a brown dog that had started sleeping near Nilah’s gate. It didn’t bark or chase hens. It just lay curled up on the mud, near the hibiscus bush, its nose tucked under its tail. Every day, Nilah saw it as she left for school and again when she returned. It never came close. It didn’t look hungry, just tired.
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One morning, Nilah filled a small steel bowl with water and placed it quietly near the gate. The dog didn’t move. The next day, she added a piece of dosa she had saved from breakfast. That evening, the bowl was empty, and the dosa was gone. Still, the dog didn’t wag its tail or come any closer. It simply stayed.
After a few days, Nilah noticed the dog limped slightly when it walked. She told Paati, who said, “Some dogs just need a little rest. Let it be, kanna.” So Nilah continued her quiet care — water on hot days, a bit of curd rice sometimes. She never touched the dog. She just sat nearby, drawing in her notebook or talking softly to the wind, pretending not to watch.
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One afternoon, as Nilah returned from school and reached the gate, she paused. The dog was there, as usual. But this time, its ears perked up. Slowly, it stood, stretched its legs, and looked at her. Its tail gave a single slow wag. Nilah smiled, sat down near the hibiscus bush, and just stayed there, saying nothing. That small tail wag felt like a whole conversation.