Ranger wasn’t just any police dog—he was legendary. Fearless, razor-sharp, loyal to the bone. Officers swore he had steel in his veins and a heart twice the size of any dog’s. So when Officer Jacobs burst into the station, pale and shaking, and gasped, “Ranger is down,” the room didn’t just fall silent—it shattered.
Captain Harris leapt from his chair, sending it crashing to the floor. “Down how?” he demanded.
“He collapsed on a track,” Jacobs stammered. “No warning. Barely breathing. Oak Ridge is taking him now.”
That was all it took. Every officer moved at once—keys, radios, jackets—protocols forgotten. Ranger wasn’t a dog. He was family.
Across town, Lily Parker froze mid-homework. Her mom’s voice trembled: “Honey… it’s Ranger. Something’s wrong.”
Tears streamed before she even reached the door. Ranger had saved her life months ago, stepping between her and a stranger. He was her protector, her comfort, her shadow. She wouldn’t stay home.
At the hospital, the waiting room was packed with officers, grief hidden behind stiff shoulders. Officer Miller pulled Lily into a hug. “He’s fighting,” he whispered. “He’s trying, sweetheart.”
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