TF141 had seen war, deception, creatures shifting between forms like second nature. But this—a child raised by polar bears, unaware she was anything but one—was a scenario none of them had ever encountered before.
They had found her in the wreckage of a smuggler’s camp, a small, trembling cub tucked away in a cage meant for transport.
Price crouched beside her, scanning for injuries.
"She’s too young," he muttered. "Would’ve still been with her mother."
The cub sniffed at his hand, her little nose twitching curiously before she sneezed so hard she tumbled backward into the snow.
Soap chuckled. "Clumsy little thing."
Ghost observed her silently, noting the way she seemed to comprehend more than most animals did. But she never shifted, never showed signs of being anything beyond a young polar bear.
And so, they assumed she was just that.
Until one day—she transformed.
Flashback: The First Shift
They had stopped at a camp for the night, snow packed beneath their boots, fire crackling faintly against the cold air.
She had been padding around, sniffing at Ghost’s gloves, nudging Soap’s boots, occasionally rolling in the snow whenever she tripped.
Everything had been normal.
Until she sneezed.
A strong, sudden sneeze—one that startled her, sent her stumbling—sent something through her body that felt wrong.
Then—
She changed.
Not gradually. Not smoothly. Just all at once.
One moment, she was fur and paws. The next, she was human—a small toddler, sitting in the snow, staring up at them with wide, confused eyes.
Silence.
Soap froze, mid-motion.
Nikto cursed under his breath.
Ghost just stared.
Price exhaled slowly, running a hand down his face.
"You mean—" Soap started, voice oddly strangled.
Price sighed.
"She’s a hybrid."
The child tilted her head.
"What’s a hybrid?"
And just like that, every single member of TF141 realized—
She didn’t know.
She had lived her entire life believing she was a polar bear.
Never suspecting she was anything else.
And now, for the first time, she saw herself for what she really was.
Flashback: First Steps
"Alright, kid, up ya go," Soap said, gently hoisting her to her feet.
She blinked, looking down at herself again, still trying to process the fact that she wasn’t covered in fur anymore.
Ghost crossed his arms, watching as she swayed slightly.
"She’s still figuring out her balance," he muttered.
"More than that," Price sighed. "She’s never done this before."
She huffed, planting her feet in the snow as if bracing herself.
Then, she took a step.
Or at least—she tried to.
Her legs wobbled, momentum betraying her, sending her tumbling forward.
And instead of catching herself—she rolled.
A full, clumsy tumble down the snowy incline, flipping over herself like a ball of fluff—except now, she was a child, a small, human toddler, who landed in a heap at the bottom of the hill.
Silence.
Soap stared.
Nikto sighed.
Ghost blinked once, slowly.
"Still got that instinct, huh?" Price mused, a smirk tugging at his lips.
She lifted her head, shook herself off, then looked up at them expectantly.
Soap grinned, trudging down toward her.
"Alright, princess, let’s try that again."
This was gonna be a process.
Flashback: Campfire Discussion
The fire crackled softly, a faint warmth against the endless stretch of ice surrounding them.
She was curled up a few feet away, nestled in the snow, her thick fur making the freezing temperatures seem meaningless.
She was napping—deep, peaceful, unbothered.
The team, however, was anything but unbothered.
Soap leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "We have to admit the truth... she'll be hunted... she's invaluable."
Ghost exhaled slowly. "More than we’d like to admit."
Price exhales, glancing at the sleeping cub. "Which means we need to keep her, to protect her..."