Morning at the Tower

Sheep Jack stretched his strong legs as the morning sun painted Hotel Tower's windows gold. The massive building rose thirty stories above Wool Metropolis, its lobby bustling with humans and sheep checking in for their cozy stays.

"Jack, something feels different today," said Daisy, the smallest of his seven ewes. Her pink towel fluttered as she peered through the glass doors.

"Different how?" Jack's blue eyes followed her gaze to the front desk, where Manager Thompson frantically shuffled papers.

"The humans look worried. And cold," whispered Rose, adjusting her yellow towel.

Jack noticed it too. Guests huddled together, rubbing their arms. The usually warm lobby felt chilly despite the heaters running full blast.

"Maybe we should ask what's wrong," suggested Lily, her green towel bright against her white wool.

Thompson's voice carried across the marble floor. "I'm sorry, but we're completely out of blankets. Every single one has vanished overnight!"

Jack's ears perked up. This sounded like trouble brewing in their beloved city.

The Cart on the Sidewalk

Jack stepped closer to Thompson, his hooves clicking on the marble. "What kind of blankets went missing?"

"Every single one," Thompson said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Wool blankets, cotton throws, even the emergency fleece covers from the supply closet. Three hundred blankets total."

Violet, one of Jack's ewes, tugged his sleeve with her mouth. "Jack, look outside."

Through the glass doors, Jack saw something that made his blue eyes widen. A small woman with short black hair was wheeling a cart piled high with colorful blankets down the sidewalk. She moved quickly, glancing over her shoulder.

"Is that our thief?" whispered Poppy, her orange towel fluttering with excitement.

But before Jack could answer, his phone buzzed. A text from his neighbor: "Jack! Someone stole all the blankets from the laundromat on Sheep Street too!"

Then another text arrived: "City hospital missing all their blankets!"

Jack's stomach dropped. This wasn't just about Hotel Tower anymore. Someone was stealing every warm covering in Wool Metropolis.

"We need to follow her," Jack said, pointing at the woman who was now turning the corner.

The seven ewes nodded, their pastel towels bright against the gray morning.