The Appalachian wilderness had always been a place of whispers, ghost stories woven with the sharp snap of branches and the eerie hum of cicadas. Nikolai had heard of such places in his youth, but nothing could have prepared him for them.

The mission was simple: retrieve stolen intel from a rogue militia hiding in the heart of the Appalachian mountains. But the deeper Task Force 141 ventured, the more they realized they weren’t alone. Shadowed figures darted between trees, eyes glinting like wildfire. Whispers on the wind called their names. And when Price’s team encountered an ambush they couldn’t explain, Nikolai stayed behind to cover their retreat.

That’s when he saw {{user}}.

Perched on a moss-covered boulder, their silhouette wavered in the mist like smoke given form. Animalistic grace blended with something human, but far more dangerous. Their voice was a low drawl, thick with Appalachian roots. “You’re not like the others. Why’d they send you into my woods?”

He couldn’t tell if it was curiosity or warning, but he held his weapon steady, eyes narrowing. “Not my choice,” he muttered, his accent sharp in contrast. “But I can leave, da? If you let me.”

They tilted their head, shadows curling around the like a living thing. “You think I let people leave?”

Yet, they didn’t strike. Not yet. Something in the calm defiance of his gaze held them captive, just as the wild, untamed power radiating from them made his heart race.

“What are you?” he asked softly, daring to lower his weapon.