Sgt. Schuller stepped over the fallen tree trunk slow and carefully. These particular Xenos had a habit of setting traps. After a few minutes of scoping out the dense foliage ahead he waved his squad forward. The sweep team responded and advanced from concealed positions. Men materialized from bushes and guns from branches. This was not their first time out and the high command quickly learned the value of such skills on Korsk.

Specialist Knollas stopped alongside the Sergeant.

"Eh sarge, Vallen just made it back from the airstrip. It's gone. Looks like the 48th won't be relieving us anytime soon. Damn blues' are keeping us out of the sky."

Sgt. Shuller nodded. "Scout up and watch for those damn punji. I don't need another benediction today."

As Knollas made his way ahead of the squad they looked on him with a mixture of awe and curiosity. Knollas and the sarge were the only two who had stayed alive after the ambush at Ar'Demlok, and yet Schuller kept sending him on every dangerous and suicidal assignment he could think of. It was always "Knolls! Job opportunity!" or "Specialist clear that hut." But they all just kept their mouths shut and wondered, marching on into the dense woods.

The squad marched in dead silence for most of the day, always keeping rank and always keeping an eye peeled to the tree-tops.

Shots rang out. The first few were Xeno tech , their charges had plenty of stopping power but depending on the weapon firing it the penetration could be devastating or a little worse than a las.

Everyone had already taken cover as the familiar sound of las fire answered back.

Tense minutes passed, and then through the trees ahead there was Knollas, running at a dead sprint hurdling over fallen branches and screaming "FIRE FIRE FIRE!!!" at the top of his lungs.

Everyone looked to sergeant Schuller. "Well you heard the man. Fire at will!"

As one the unit rose up just in time to see a hulking Xenos beast come charging through the flora. On it's massive back rode two Kroot warriors, one steering and one manning a primitive yet dangerous bolt thrower. Each adorn in blue and red warpaint. The green skin of these avian warriors made them hard to see in the dense foliage and only their dark and predatory eyes gave any hint to the cunning they were known for.

The team opened up, Trooper Graf fired several rounds in rapid succession from his grenade launcher. Knollas got lost somewhere in the firestorm of explosions and the Kroot gunner fired back. Each bolt landing dangerously close-by while trees on both sides shattered and exploded.

Trooper Stallis caught shrapnel in the eyes and began to scream aloud "MEDIC!" His friend since basic training, Trooper Dalth, turned to help his comrade up only to be blown in half from the impact of a Kroot Bolt. Dalth's torso sailed out of view and no one could hear Stallis anymore.

Sgt. Schuller drew his bolt pistol with his left hand and then his chainsword with his right. He had fought these disgusting Kroot before and had seen what they do to dead guardsmen. "The Xeno filth will get close if they can, they'll want some fresh meat for dinner." Schuller reminded himself.

The hulking Kroot beast charged through the guard line snapping up two guardsmen with its enormous beak. Blood soaked the ground in its wake and Trooper Graf loaded a fresh magazine.

With all eyes focused on the rampaging Knarloc an un-noticed Kroot squad rushed out from cover. "AT OUR 8!!!" Schuller screamed out. Trooper Vallen spun on his heel and immediately began to fire at the charging Kroot Warriors. Killing one as it lept over a burning log. And as another leapt over its dead kindred, Sergeant Schuller deftly fired off a burst of shells from his bolt-pistol. It's deadly bark spelling death for the agile alien.

The Guardsmen took a defensive formation now. Circling up with unthinking precision memorized from experience and training.

As the giant Knarloc began to wheel for another pass Trooper Fenk hurled a frag grenade at the beast. It landed short but the timing fuse went off just as the Knarloc passed over it sending the riders hurtling into the guardsmen lines. The first landed at sergeant Schuller's feet, the second barreled into Graf and discharged his grenade launcher into two other guardsmen giving supporting fire to Vallen and the sergeant. The explosion threw Vallen and Schuller into the dirt.

The world seemed to quake and everything sounded so far away. The sergeant couldn't even hear himself screaming "Bayonets!" Turning his head he could see Vallen on his back raising his lasgun to block the wicked scythe like blade attached to a Kroot rifle. The force of the alien's attack threw Vallen's lasgun back into his gut and the blade-scythe straight into his face. The sarge raised his bolt-pistol and let loose the last of his clip blowing off the Kroot's arm and cratering his chest. Schuller began to reach out for his chain-sword as another Kroot warrior kicked it off into the brush. The alien and the veteran guardsmen locked eyes. The Kroot had its head tilted like he was trying to decide what to do with the human. In that cold and calculating moment Knollas' long-las blew a hole straight through the warrior's face. Schuller spun and as everything seemed to catch up with him he bellowed "FOR THE EMPEROR!"

Knollas began moving quickly behind the Kroot line picking off a warrior and then another. Fenk was on the ground grappling a Kroot who had stabbed him in the hand and was biting off a few fingers when Knollas shot it, blowing off its beak. The creature let loose an inhuman shriek when a second round put it down for good. Trooper Fenk sat up and shoved the xeno off him.

Someone shouted, "Sarge behind you!" One of the Knarloc riders had awoken and was about to stab Schuller in the back. Graf leapt forward and tackled him. His anger had taken control as he began to beat the dazed rider with his bare knuckles. The sarge lifted himself up and grabbed Vallen's lasgun. After executing the second Knarloc rider Schuller helped Knollas drag Graf off of the last Kroot warrior. Fenk wrapped his bleeding hand up in his jacket and hobbled over to his teammates.

"What do ya wanna do with 'em sarge?" Knollas asked while staring inquisitively at the wounded xeno.

"Fraking cut it's quills off then hang it from an ash tree!" shouted Trooper Graf.

Sergent Schuller looked over at Fenk.

"Make em bury the boys. And then hang his ass" Fenk said with grimace.

Then the Kroot wearily creaked "Fin... Finissssh Kroot. Kill."

Jovially sergeant Schuller spoke "By the throne... you speak the Emperor's tongue? Well lets put it to good use then. Knolls find my chainsword. Graf, get some rope out of Vallen's bag and his nine-seventies too. Fenk, get me a map. And after we get the boys resting comfortably I'm gonna make this bird sing for me."

"YOU HEAR ME!" The sergeant yelled at the Kroot. "And I'm in the mood for a tune by the name of Where are all of the Tau AA platforms at, in C sharp... real sharp."