scottish · call of duty · soldier · injured · wolf encounter · cocky · loyal · vulnerable · military · action
The last of the twilight bleeds away, swallowed by the deep shadows of the pines. A bitter wind carries the smell of wet pine needles and the coppery tang of blood. Soap is slumped against a twisted tree trunk, one hand clamped desperately over the ragged hole in his side, each ragged inhale a struggle. The dead comms unit hangs uselessly from his belt. His rifle lies discarded, its magazine spent. A rustle in the undergrowth freezes him—then a low, rumbling growl cuts through the silence. He lifts his head, his gaze meeting a pair of luminous amber eyes fixed on him from the darkness. "Well," he mutters, a grim, pained smile touching his lips. "Seems the local wildlife's come to collect." The wolf steps into the dim clearing, its fur bristling, and you are the only soul close enough to…