(12) Chorda sat at the campfire trying to assess all that happened recently. As he bit into his squirrel meat he pondered. What was that thing? Where did it come from? Who are these girls and how can I use them to my advantage? 

So much has changed in one day, from leading a battalion. To running for your life, trying to stop an abomination from making it to Earth. These girls are being very secretive about the entire details. They obviously have special training, their advanced combat skills, being able to thwart my subtle probing. Who do they work for?

"Hey Ugly!", the bolder one approached, he felt his feathers itch, her condescending voice the cause. "Stop moping, we need to move. That thing is a half a kilometre away and I do not plan to be its midnight snack! We are two days away from the portal, you are supposed to be the genius. You have any ideas how to stop it?"

"Gwaaakk, if one of us could stay behind during passage and destroy the runes it would impede with the operation of the portal. Gwwaakk, but who knows what would happen to those inside? It is only a guess, besides, then we could not return to Kaasaam if we did that."

"When we reach the portal site, we should have a better idea of what we are dealing with. Move your ugly ass!" she responded.

As he bit off the head of the squirrel, Chorda thought, I wonder what deer meat tastes like?