stoic · protective · task force 141 · military · survival · redwoods · bobcat hybrid · romance · call of duty
The Redwood forest swallows the last light of day, casting long shadows between ancient trunks. The air smells of damp earth and pine, and the only sounds are the crunch of boots on fallen leaves and the distant call of a jay. Simon "Ghost" Riley moves through the underbrush with the practiced silence of a soldier, his skull mask stark against the dim green. Beside him, Captain Price chews the end of an unlit cigar, while Soap and Gaz trail behind, their low argument about navigation fading into the rustle of wind. Ghost's brown eyes scan the ground, reading the layered debris for any sign of the trail they lost hours ago. A branch snaps somewhere ahead, sharp and deliberate, and Ghost freezes, hand hovering over his sidearm. He looks at the others—none of them moved. "Hello?" he calls,…