The First Onslaught

Here the Wolves meet their first foe in battle, except since they completely skipped the Tryanids emergence into the galaxy they have no idea what they actually are... not the first time thats going to happen in the campaign either... anyway on with the story

Emerging from the blizzard the wolves trudged into the remains of a deserted cluster manufactorums. The snow beneath their feet crunched until one foot fall was met with a gruesome, far more solid crunching noise. Brother Skarl lifted his foot to see a human skull, now shattered into many pieces under the marine’s foot. Ferrus placed a hand on Skarl’s shoulder.
“Careful lad, we’re hunting some vicious predators, not a pack of mindless drones.” He glanced to the skull then turned back to walking. Skarl grunted an affirmative, steadying his bolter in his hands, thumbing the fire mode switch to full auto and followed suit.

The wolves advanced towards what they thought was the centre of the cluster, the buildings towering over them on all sides, coming to a fork Ferrus gestured to one of the Grey Hunter packs and pointed down the left most fork. With a low growl the squad acknowledged and disappeared down the fork. Occasionally an electronic beep would ring through Ferrus’ helm as the squad signalled ‘all clear’. Ferrus scowled, he could smell a dangerous foe, a worthy challenge and yet they seemed to be alone.
Once more the wolves came to another division in their path, Ferrus halted, removing his helmet and taking a deep sniff of the air. The left path was covered in debris and looked impassable, leving the central and right paths available. For a second he paused on the central path, but before he took so much as a step towards it an ominous voice whistled through the air.
“The right path brother, take the right path.” Ferrus shifted his gaze to the rightmost path and started walking towards it, his remaining Grey Hunter pack began to follow.
“Wait.” The pack stopped in their tracks. “Circle round and catch them by the flank.” Turning to face the pack he glanced at each of them in turn, grinning ever so slightly, revealing his fangs in doing so. “We shall show them the true power of the sons of Russ.” The younger pack members looked at Skarvald, who in turn met with Ferrus’ gaze. For a moment their eyes locked almost like predator and prey, then Skarvald broke off, nodding and gesturing for the squad to advance down the centre pathway. Ferrus waited until the pack disappeared down the fork looking around and sniffing deeply. A howl grew rising up through his throat, frustrated he turned and faced the path and ran headlong into the unknown.

Skarl held his bolter ready, slowly edging around the corner, peering round as he did. The sight that he saw made him recoil at first, looking once more he sized up the aberrations snacking on the corpses. The creatures were small at least relative to the wolf, it’s hide was a colour akin to bone with blue shell like armour, at least comparable to that worn by the scouts of the chapter in thickness bound to it’s flesh and in place of it’s form arms were a pair of two deep blood red appendages, currently tearing the remains of what Skarl could only presume were human corpses. Looking back at the rest of the pack, he brought his bolter level with his chest, while signalling for another Grey Hunter to move up and take position. The pack’s flamer bearing brother Gungir strode up and took up position, the others swiftly followed suit. With everyone in position Skarl raised his chain sword as the rest of the pack took aim. Suddenly the small creatures heads came up from the corpses, turning their attention to the wolves and began stalking towards them. It was in this moment that Skarl lowered his chain sword and the wolves opened fire, the creatures exploded as bolter rounds ruptured their armour then exploded or burnt as the river of liquid promethium washed over them, yet a great number still charged through the sea of fire, lashing out with their bladed arms at the nearest Grey Hunter. Skarl let loose a feral howl as he swung with his chain sword cutting one creature in two as three more took it’s place. At last he thought battle is joined.

Skarvald stopped along with the rest of the squad, the sound of bolter shots, chains swords and some alien noises unlike anything they had ever heard suddenly echoed all around them. The lead Grey Hunter loosed a snarl and ran for the nearest building, Skarvald nearly called for him to stop, holding himself from doing so he instead followed, figuring that it was better to get a better view of the field before they too were ambushed. Swiftly ascending the building the squad spread out as they reached the rooftop, some taking over watch positions, some sniffing at the air trying to locate their new foes racing from one spot to another hoping to get a better scent. A shout rang out as Skarvald spotted their brothers fighting off some strange creatures. The battle seemed to be relatively even despite the wolves being greatly outnumbered, with a great many creatures falling before a wolf disappeared from view. The pace of battle suddenly intensified followed by a loud roar coming from the same direction as the battle. For a second nothing changed, then large numbers of the creatures and wolves were cast aside and thrown into the air by a force unseen by the wolves. Slowly the source of the force became clear, a far larger creature with four bladed appendages stood proud amongst the melee, slicing left and right many fell before it, yet some wolves still held the fight. Russ’ beard Skarvald was taken aback by the creature, this disturbed him as he had fought far larger and fearsome creatures yet this, this thing felt like it was getting inside his head and crawling around. Shaking himself, he steadied his weapon and ordered the rest to ready their weapons, no matter the foe, we shall bring it down.
Ferrus stormed through the ruins, picking up pace as he went. The sound of battle was echoing around him, his hearts were racing and yet he could not find his quarry. Loosing a howl in his frustration, he kept running in the direction he thought the battle was taking place.

“Can you feel it brother? The rush of battle is all around you, how is it that you can lose your way in a place such as this?” Ferrus ignored the voice, focusing on the scent he could now follow with certainty that he was on the right track. “This world, this is your crucible Ferrus, it shall make you or destroy you. The choice is in your hands however.” The voice laughed and Ferrus drew his Frostblade, swinging round and slashing at where he thought the voice was coming from only to cut through nothing but air. The voice turned to laughter and faded away. By the All Father I shall not break, Ferrus quietly thought reciting a prayer in his head as he forged his way forward.

Elsewhere Skarl and his squad found themselves fighting a losing battle, the smaller creatures lay dead heaped upon the snow, however the larger creature and it’s slightly smaller companion still cut swathes through the wolves. His brothers lay battered and broken around him, steeling his heart he swung his chainsword at the larger of the two foes. It cast aside the blow as if it was nothing, Skarl snarled in defiant fury as the creature swung two of it’s blades directly at him. Dodging the first blow the second caught him squarely in the chest slicing through the ceramite plate, cutting through the carapace in his chest. Skarl screamed in pain, dropping his chainsword as he fell to his knees, the creature lumbered forwards bringing down another blade, just as Skarl brought his bolter level and squeezed a shot off, widely missing. I shall enter the jaws of Morkai proudly Skarl thought as the blade cut through his shoulder.
Skarvald watched as the last of the Grey hunter pack fell, gripping his bolter tighter. Across the roof top a shout came up across the roof, sprinting to his fellow Grey Hunter he quickly noticed something moving amongst the shadows, then spotted Ferrus sprinting in the direction of the remaining creatures. Skarvald opened fire on the new threat, which stepped out from the shadows of the building, causing the rest of the Grey Hunters to open fire also. The creature fell in a shower of bolter fire and plasma bolts, leaving Ferrus to charge the larger creature.

Ferrus charged across the debris, as a creature exploded to his right. Lunging at the largest of the creatures, his frostblade slicing large cuts in it’s torso. In turn the creature lashed out repeatedly striking Ferrus, mostly Ferrus caught them with his storm shield though several blows got through wounding him several times. The creature caught Ferrus’ helm with a back swing causing him to spin and fall on his back, the creature was about to deal the death blow as the creature howled. Looking up at the creature Ferrus saw it swinging it’s arms wildly, noticing two grey blurs attached to each, blinking the blurs became shapes and slowly resembled wolves, each having sunk it’s jaws into an arm in an act of defiance. Behind him came a ferocious howling cry as the second Grey Hunter squad ran between Ferrus and the creatures.
“See how your brothers would lay down their lives for you?” The voice once more echoed around him. “Will they still be so devoted once your choice is made?” The rapport of bolters once more filled the air and the creature flung the wolves out of sight, it’s cry curdling with rage, it charged at the Grey Hunters flattening one too slow to dodge with a sickening crunch as it stepped on him. Once more the dance of blades began until only Skarvald remained on his feet. Staring the creature down Skarvald drew back his sword, recalling what he had seen just a few minutes before.

“I will not die on my knees!” He screamed as he brought his sword to bear, only to find that the creature had lost interest in him, and was walking away. Skarvald just stood ready for a second before running over to Ferrus. “Are you ok, My lord?” Ferrus, shook himself and stood surveying the battlefield, the majority of the downed wolves were moving though somewhere dead beyond doubt. Sheathing his sword he turned to Skarvald.
“I’m bloodied, but not beaten brother.” He turned back to the creature lumbering away from them. “We shall meet this foe in battle again, this I know and when we do I shall claim victory in the name of the All Father.”