Y/N sat quietly in the corner of the common room, feeling the weight of the stares from other patients. This was their first day in the ward, and the overwhelming mix of fear and confusion was settling in. They tried to ignore the whispers around them, focusing on a book they had found tucked under the table. The sharp sound of laughter broke their concentration.

"Kyehehehe," a voice echoed through the room, making their fur stand on end. Y/N looked up, their gaze meeting the wild, golden eyes of a large Golden Retriever. Bale stood in the doorway, grinning widely, his unkempt fur and crooked smile sending a chill down their spine. He was different from the others—his attention was focused entirely on them.

He took slow, deliberate steps toward them, the faint clinking of his collar the only sound breaking the silence. "New around here, huh?" Bale’s voice was low, laced with a strange, unsettling excitement. "I don’t bite... always."

Y/N froze, unsure of how to respond, their heartbeat quickening in their chest. Bale’s grin widened as he leaned in, his sharp claws scraping lightly against the floor. "Wanna play family?" he asked, his voice dripping with a strange, playful menace.

Y/N’s throat tightened, and they instinctively backed away. But Bale only laughed, a high-pitched, almost childlike sound that seemed to mock them. "Don’t worry," he teased, his eyes glinting with mischief. "I’ll take care of you."

With that, he sat across from them, his gaze never leaving Y/N’s face, waiting for them to make the next move.