Legoshi's phone buzzed with an urgent message from Gohin. His heart froze as he read the words.

"Riz is gone."

He didn't waste a second. His mind immediately raced. Riz was dangerous—violent, cunning, and far too intelligent to have been taken easily. But he also knew something. Maybe that something was the key to unraveling this tangled web of disappearances.

The streets flew past him as he ran, his heart pounding in sync with his steps. The cold night air bit at his fur, but he barely noticed. His thoughts were consumed with the one question he couldn't shake: Why would Riz be taken? And how?

The local jail was dimly lit, its gray concrete walls a stark contrast to the buzzing tension that filled the air. As Legoshi pushed through the front doors, the guard at the desk looked up with a startled expression.

"Hey, wait a minute, you can't—"

"I'm here for Riz," Legoshi interrupted, his voice low but firm. "I just got word. What happened?"

The guard's confusion only deepened. "Riz? He was just… He was just in his cell. But… when we checked on him… he's gone. No sign of him anywhere."

Legoshi's stomach dropped. The words hit him harder than he expected. Riz, a bear known for his twisted mind and unpredictable nature, had somehow disappeared while under 24-hour surveillance. How was that even possible?

Without waiting for another word, Legoshi walked past the guard, heading down the hallway toward Riz's cell. The dim fluorescent lights flickered overhead, and the silence of the empty hallway seemed deafening.

When he reached the cell, Legoshi's eyes immediately locked onto the disarray. The once-neatly ordered space was a mess—metal bars bent outward, the cot overturned, and papers scattered across the floor. The sight was enough to make his fur stand on end.

A guard stood near the door, scratching his head in confusion. "We don't know what happened. One minute he was there, and the next... gone. We checked every inch of the place. Nothing was tampered with. No one heard anything unusual."

Legoshi nodded, his gaze already scanning the scene for clues. His ears flicked as he took in the details: the bent bars, the disordered cot. And then, on the floor, something caught his attention.

A black stain. At first, it seemed like nothing more than a simple spill—perhaps ink. But as Legoshi moved closer, he realized with a sickening twist that it wasn't ink at all. The stain had a darker, more unsettling consistency. Blood, and at the center of the stain...Riz's heart.

The officers finally caught up as Legoshi ordered, "Open it! Open the door!" They hesitated, but finally opened the cell. They probably remembered Legoshi working with Gohin before.

Legoshi knelt down, his hand trembling slightly as he reached out... It was severed cleanly, as if it had been taken out with laser-like precision. The blood surrounding it had long since dried, leaving only the blackened remnants behind.

His mind whirled. Whoever was behind these abductions had access to places they shouldn't. This wasn't just a simple kidnapping. This was something far darker.

Legoshi stood up, carefully placing the heart back. This wasn't just a message—it was a warning. Whoever was doing this wasn't playing by the rules.

His gaze moved over the scene once more, his mind racing with possibilities. He had to find out who was behind this. This was no longer just about finding the missing. It was about stopping something that could rip apart everything they'd fought for.

As he turned to leave, Legoshi caught the eyes of the guards. The fear in the men's gaze mirrored his own.

"Whoever did this… they're still out there," Legoshi muttered, his voice tight with resolve. "And they won't stop until we find them."

Without waiting for a reply, Legoshi stormed out of the jail, the cold night air biting at his fur once more. But this time, it didn't matter. His thoughts were far from the world around him. They were focused only on one thing: finding the answers, and stopping whoever was behind these horrible crimes.

Because if he didn't, the city—his friends, his loved ones—would be lost. And the terror of the disappearing animals would only grow.

...

The wolf paced his room, the image of Riz's heart burned into his mind. With each disappearance, the pattern grew, but the implications were terrifying. It wasn't just a random series of abductions; it was a deliberate act, one designed to instill fear and uncertainty.

But why? What could they possibly gain from such a plan?

Legoshi's thoughts drifted to Haru. She was always on his mind, a constant worry. But now, with Riz's disappearance and the growing number of victims, his concern was amplified.

She was smart and strong, but she was still vulnerable.

He needed to do something. He couldn't let her become another victim to add to the growing list. He had to keep her safe, no matter what.

Legoshi's phone buzzed, and his heart leaped into his throat.

"Haru..."

The rabbit's familiar voice greeted him. "Hey, Lego—"

"Haru, listen. I need you to stay where you are. Don't leave the building."

"What's going on?"

"Something happened. It's not safe out there."

"Wait, what's not safe?"

"There's... been another disappearance. Another animal's gone missing."

"Oh god, not again..."

"I know, but this time, it's personal. They took...Riz..."

"Riz? But he's—"

"I know. And that's why we can't take any chances. We have to assume they're watching. We can't let our guard down. Not for a second."

"Who is it? Who's taking them?"

"We don't know, but the police are investigating."

"Legoshi, I..."

"Listen. You need to be careful. Keep the doors locked and stay away from the windows."

"You think they'd try in my home?"

"I don't know, but we can't take any chances."

"Should I call someone?"

"No. Not yet. Not until we know more."

"What are you gonna do?"

"I'm going to get some answers."

"Promise me, Legoshi. Promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise. But I need you to do the same."

"Okay. I will."

"Good. I'll see you soon. Stay safe."

"You too."

The call ended, and Legoshi let out a deep breath. His mind was a jumble of thoughts and emotions, but one thing was certain: He had to protect Haru. She was too important. And right now, she was at the top of the list.

"I won't let anything happen to you," he whispered, his words hanging in the air.

It was a promise he intended to keep.