Cirrus fired another bolt from his hand crossbow into the orcish ranks.  “Another greenskin joins their stinking gods.”  An eagle screech tore the sky as a dozen more of the rearguard swooped in from the clouds and unleashed a torrent of bolts into the ranks.  The orcs were momentarily confused but Cirrus knew it took a lot more than that to keep their puny minds off of bloodletting.  He watched as one of his brethren fell into the trees as an arrow ripped into his tender wing membrane.   Cirrus was saddened but smiling.  It took quite a lot of killing to put an avian warrior down for good.  He was sure his friend would stay in the trees picking off orcs till they burned the forest down around him.  Cirrus let fly another bolt and backed up into the clearing.  A part of him was angry that he could not stay.  As he saw the rest of the rearguard land in the clearing readying their javelins and shields he fired his last bolt and backed up to take off.  He stayed long enough to hear the shriek of twenty war cries.  “Even stupid orcs have to give pause!” he laughed.  That was what they were waiting for.  The avians released their javelins.   Some tore into a second body from shear strength of arm before burying themselves in green flesh.  Drawing swords the rearguard countercharged into the oncoming orcs.  Flesh and blood flew in all directions as they carved their way into them.  It was a turn that only lasted moments as the numbers of the enemy began to tell.  One by one avians fell to the pile of bodies.  Normally they would have regrouped and flown away by now.   However, they were buying time.  Cirrus wept as he leapt into the sky.  Letting his powerful wings carry him he let fly his own javelin as a last spiteful shot then flew strongly into the east.  Their blood will save hundreds of lives.   And he knew they would take not a few orcs with them as a final price.