John Price

The forest remained strangely silent.

Price had been stationed among the trees for hours, conducting a reconnaissance mission. Hidden within the vegetation, he watched from a distance with his rifle in hand, alert to any movement.

Until something moved above him.

Price barely had time to look up.

"What...?"

A small body fell from the branches and landed directly on top of him, causing him to lose his balance and fall backward onto the damp ground. By instinct, Price grabbed the stranger before reaching for his weapon.

Then he froze.

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

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

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

{{user}} looked up. A thick branch was swaying above them.

Price followed the gaze and understood. He had tried to reach some bird among the branches and lost his balance.

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

{{user}} didn't answer. He remained still, too scared to move.

Price softened his expression and was about to help him up when a gunshot pierced through the forest.

Then another.

Price tensed. His gaze scanned the trees while he instinctively pulled {{user}} closer to him.

Then voices arrived from the distance.

"Search around here!"

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

Price's expression changed.

This no longer seemed like a simple lost hybrid.

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