Cool blue eyes blinked open, catching the morning light like shards of a frozen lake. A small white creature lay sprawled on her belly, her snowy fur shimmering faintly in the sunlight that trickled through the canopy above. She stretched lazily, her tiny claws kneading the ground as she stared dreamily up at the golden sun.

A shadow loomed over her, and a larger black beast padded silently into view. Her scales shimmered like polished obsidian, her presence as commanding as the rising tide. A warm, toothy smile spread across her face as she lowered her snout. "Hello, my little darling," Vyralith said, her voice a low, velvety rumble filled with affection.

The smaller creature, Solraya, tilted her head and purred, a soft, melodic sound that spoke of her contentment. Her mother's tongue swept over her head in a gentle lick, leaving her fur glistening as though it had been polished by moonlight.

"Will we be going anywhere today, Mother?" Solraya asked, her voice light and curious, her cool eyes glinting with the eagerness of the young. She shifted her weight, her paws pressing into the soft earth as if ready to leap up at a moment's notice.

Vyralith chuckled softly, a sound like distant thunder rolling across a stormy sea. She licked her daughter's head again, her massive claws idly scratching at the ground beside them. "Yes," she said, her voice laced with an air of mystery and excitement. "Today, we're going to the abandoned human city in the jungle."

Solraya's eyes widened, her tail swishing excitedly behind her. "The one with the towers that touch the sky?" she asked, her voice tinged with awe.

"The very same," Vyralith confirmed, her lips curling into a smirk. "There's much to see, little one. Ruins of their ambitions, treasures forgotten, and secrets they hoped to bury. But today, they belong to us."

The young creature's heart raced with anticipation. She leapt to her feet, her small wings fluttering briefly. "I can't wait!" she exclaimed, bouncing on her paws.

Vyralith's eyes gleamed with pride as she watched her daughter. "Then let's go, my Solraya. Adventure waits for no one." With that, she turned and began striding toward the dense foliage, her daughter bounding happily at her side.

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Ghost let out a long, theatrical sigh as he rifled through the ration pack, pulling out a collection of culinary disappointments: dry, crumbly biscuits that looked like they'd been forged in a prehistoric oven, strips of dried turkey that resembled old shoe leather, and a couple of shots of ale that might as well have been water for all the comfort they promised. He let the pack drop to the ground with a thud, muttering something incomprehensible but clearly annoyed.

John Price, ever the dependable leader, walked over, his gaze calm and questioning. "You all right, Ghost?" he asked, his voice steady but laced with concern.

The masked man tilted his head slightly and hummed in thought, folding his arms over his chest. "Ah, I'll be fine once we're out of this cursed place. Honestly, Cap, did the higher-ups even give us a reason for being out here, or was it just the usual 'we said so'?"

Before Price could respond, Soap appeared with another teammate in tow, a sly grin plastered across his face. "Aye, they did," Soap chimed in, his Scottish accent giving the explanation a peculiar levity. "Apparently, there's been... how'd they put it? Creatures lurking in the ruins." He wiggled his fingers dramatically. "And no just any creatures—gamma-radiated ones, mind ye."

Ghost's shoulders squared, his hefty arms flexing as he loomed over the group. "Gamma-radiated creatures?" he scoffed, his voice dripping with disbelief. "You're telling me, out of all the specialized units and top-tier military personnel they have at their disposal, they send us? What do we even have to fight gamma monsters? Humble British wit and stale biscuits?"

Price, who had been suspiciously quiet, cleared his throat. "Actually, we've got gear."

Ghost turned to him, the holes of his skeletal mask narrowing as if he were glaring. "Oh, do we now? Let me guess, some radioactive-proof socks?"

Price, unbothered, reached into his bag and triumphantly pulled out a bright yellow hazmat suit. The fabric crinkled audibly as he shook it out, the attached helmet dangling like a deranged mascot's head. "This," he declared, holding it up like a trophy, "is what's going to protect us if we get attacked."

The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by Soap's barely contained laughter. "Oh, brilliant," Ghost finally said, his voice oozing sarcasm. "Nothing says 'elite special forces' quite like a budget Halloween costume."

Soap doubled over, slapping his knee, while the other teammate quietly muttered, "We're doomed."

Price, as calm as ever, shoved the suit back into his bag. "You'll be thanking me when it saves your hide."

Ghost let out another sigh, crouching to scoop up his abandoned ration pack. "If it comes to that, I'll be sure to leave you a glowing review. Assuming we don't start glowing first."

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Solraya sniffed at the shriveled rat lying in the underbrush, her delicate white snout wrinkling in disgust. "Yuck, Mom," she groaned, flicking the tiny corpse away with a claw. "There's nothing here to eat!"

Vyralith chuckled, the sound rolling from deep within her chest like distant thunder. "Oh, but there is," she said with an amused gleam in her fiery eyes. With one swift movement, she swept aside a thick curtain of ferns and vines, revealing a grim tableau: a cluster of human bodies sprawled in various states of decay. Dust clung to their tattered uniforms, and flies buzzed in lazy loops above the festering remains.

"Humans?" Solraya blinked in surprise, her icy blue eyes widening. "I thought they all ran away."

"So did I," Vyralith admitted, stepping closer to the grisly feast. She reached out with a taloned paw, grabbing one limp leg of a soldier. With minimal effort, she dragged the body forward, its decomposing flesh peeling slightly as it moved. The smell of damp rot intensified, a heady mix of earth and sour decay. "But look here. They left us a gift. There's still good meat on them."

Solraya wrinkled her nose, hesitating as she peered at the corpse. The sight didn't bother her nearly as much as the smell did. "It's... damp," she said skeptically, inching closer but not quite committing. She sniffed again and glanced up at her mother. "What if it's infected, Mom?"

Vyralith smirked, her sharp teeth glinting in the dim light. "Infected with what? Human arrogance? A bit of illness won't hurt you, my darling." She leaned down, ripping a chunk of meat from the soldier's thigh with a practiced ease and chewing it thoughtfully. "Besides," she said around a mouthful, "we're dragons. Our stomachs could digest stones if we wanted them to. A bit of rot is nothing to us."

Solraya still seemed unconvinced, poking tentatively at the body with a claw. "But it's slimy..."

"It's flavor, my dear!" Vyralith said, laughing. "The richness of decay, the subtle seasoning of nature's process! You'll appreciate it when you're older." She nudged the body toward her daughter. "Go on, Solraya. Try it."

Reluctantly, Solraya leaned forward, closing her eyes as she took a tiny bite. She chewed slowly, her expression shifting from disgust to mild surprise. "It's... kind of salty."

"There, you see?" Vyralith said, reclining against a nearby tree with a satisfied sigh. "Humans. Always good for something, even if it's just dinner."

Solraya licked her snout and took another cautious bite. "I guess they're not so bad after all. But next time, can we find something fresh? This still feels weird."

Vyralith chuckled again, her eyes glowing with amusement. "One day, little one, you'll understand that even the oddest meals have their charm."