Untamed Wilderness

Corporal Hastings, on the gun, whistled appreciatively at the fireball. The rest of the squad, watching his turret camera enviously in the buttoned-up infantry compartment, clapped and swore.

"That is a fine fucking sight. Half a tonne of American whupass. Who called that in, sir?"

Lieutenant Mountbatten was familiar with the high spirits of his men and knew when to indulge a bit of harmless curiosity.

"That was a Force Recon element, lads. The Marines are pulling their weight tonight."

"Yeah? Tell them to save some for us, eh?"

General laughter rolled around the tight confines of the armoured vehicle while it made its way along the narrow wooded path. British and German armoured vehicles, French conscripts in trucks. They'd been on the road for most of a day, rolling further and further into contested territory.

Without warning two lycans leapt from the forest. Claws found purchase on steel. The vehicle veered off the road and into an unyielding tree.