Found in Winter (Sergei Dragunov x OC)

White Angel of Death

A group of rescuers riding a jeepney were finally nearing to the inn, a man leading them stops and looks closely, "There's no smoke." Soon after, they arrived at the porch and calls for Claudia, but there was no answer. They suspected something must have happened since the door was already ajar when they got in and several snow tracks could be seen around the vicinity.

"Hey! Look over here!!" One of the men called their attention and the group gathered at the woods. They eyed at the corpse of the bear that was beyond their understanding of its physical appearance. All of their eyes were riddled.

"What the heck is that?"

"I don't know, but something is not right here." The leader murmurs, looking around the area. Then a sound of a distant helicopter had caught their attention, it stopped right above them, and they looked at its emblem that was embedded at the side of the aircraft. "What is the military doing here?" One questioned.

"I heard that the wounded man was a soldier, perhaps they've already got the word and are now rescuing him."

A soldier then went down from the aircraft with a wire line, he lands and approaches the rescuers, asking them with a loud voice for them to hear since the propellers of the helicopter were too noisy, "Are you the rescuers in this area?!"

"Yes! We were looking for the wounded soldier with the innkeeper, but they are nowhere to be found!" The leader answered.

"There's a strange looking bear over there! What is that!!" A woman asks from the group.

"That is none of your concern! We will be taking over from here!!" The soldier says before walking away. He was then called to stop by the leader of the rescuers, "Wait! There's an old house in the deep woods! I think you should start looking for them there!!"

The soldier looks at him and nods, considering his suggestion. Then he climbs to a rope ladder to the midair flying helicopter. Not long after, the aircraft took off and left the rescuers at the inn.

"Geez, couldn't they ask for our help at least? We've already come this far up." The woman said.

The leader turns to them, "You heard him, they'll handle the situation themselves. I believe the soldier that they're rescuing is someone important."

...

Between the frames of the slightly opened window, Claudia's rifle muzzle was placed. Claudia kneeled and leaned her torso a bit forward while pulling the rifle to her shoulder, her cheek resting firmly against her weapon. She was scoping to find any awaited enemies in her range, patiently. Sergei on the other hand was at the ground floor, next to the main door. It was planned that they would shoot separately, Claudia sniping from above and him shooting from below to eliminate whoever had gone near to the house with his shotgun.

As expected, armed men had made it to the vicinity and Claudia had aimed at one of the unknowing men. Claudia exhales and slowly reaches her finger to the trigger, however, she was hesitant. Sergei had now seen their visibility and was confused and worried as to why Claudia has not shot any bullets yet. He wishes to run upstairs, but he knows he cannot, it'll only leave his position open.

Claudia's eyes were shaken, terrified to kill a man that she never met. She wonders if the man she had aimed was perhaps good, having a family that he loves and cares for. She shuts her eyes and contemplates her decisions before having a realization, recalling the image of the inhumane experimentation of the bear "You men are the real monsters! You are nothing but enemy of our Motherland!"