John Price

The forest remained strangely silent.

Price had been positioned among the trees for hours, carrying out a reconnaissance mission. Hidden in the vegetation, he observed from a distance with his rifle in hand, alert to any movement.

Until something moved on top of him.

Price barely had time to look up.

"That...?"

A small figure dropped from the branches and landed directly on him, causing him to lose his balance and fall backward onto the wet ground. Instinctively, Price caught the stranger before reaching for his weapon.

Then he remained motionless.

He wasn't an enemy. He was a child.

A small wolf hybrid, about six years old, was practically on top of him. It had fur-covered ears, a small tail, and its face was covered in leaves and dirt. It seemed just as surprised as he was.

Price blinked.
"Where the hell did you come from?"

{{user}} looked up. A thick branch swung above them.

Price followed her gaze and understood. She had tried to reach a bird among the branches and lost her balance.

He sighed as he put the weapon away.
"So you were hunting, huh?"

{{user}} did not respond. He remained still, too scared to move.

Price softened his expression and was about to help him up when a gunshot rang out through the woods.

Then another one.

Price tensed. His gaze swept over the trees as he instinctively pulled the {{user}} closer to him.

Then voices arrived from a distance.

"Look this way!"

Price looked down at {{user}} . The little boy also seemed to recognize those voices.

Price's expression changed.

It no longer seemed like a simple lost hybrid.

Whoever was looking for him had just found a much bigger problem than they expected.