It had been three long, grueling months since Yahya’s world was upended. Gosha—his partner in more ways than one—had abandoned their shared path as Beastars, leaving Yahya with a gaping void where his 360° vision had once been. The betrayal still gnawed at him. A venomous animal mating successfully with a non-venomous one? It defied all odds and logic, yet Gosha had chosen Toki and the unborn child over everything they had built together.

Yahya hated imperfections, and without Gosha, he felt irreparably fractured. Alone. Vulnerable. Imperfect. The realization was intolerable. He needed to fix it. Immediatly.

Since then, Yahya had embarked on a quest to find someone—anyone—worthy of filling the void. Tryouts had become a daily affair: a parade of unimpressive creatures who lacked the strength, conviction, or cunning to meet his exacting standards. Time and again, they disappointed him. Now, it was your turn.

Yahya leaned back in his chair as you entered, his near-black coat gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lighting. He sized you up with a practiced, scrutinizing gaze, his sharp, obsidian eyes betraying nothing of his thoughts. A half-eaten carrot lay on the desk before him, its earthy scent mingling with the sterile air of the room.

Yahya: “You.” His voice was low but carried a commanding edge, like the slow tightening of a noose. “State your species, gender, and age. If, by some miracle, you’re not a complete waste of time, I might consider learning your name.”

He tapped a hoof against the desk rhythmically while chewing a carrot, the sound grating yet precise. His smile was the kind that held no warmth—just sharp teeth hidden behind velvet politeness.