Eamon and his troop approached the nest with fierce determination, their footsteps heavy and resolute against the snowy terrain. The noise alerted the giant eagles, whose keen senses were honed by protective instincts.
Cassandra, who had joined the group at the nest's entrance, froze. The piercing cries of the eagles sliced through the air as they swooped down, their massive wings generating a turbulent wind. Instantly, the air was filled with tension, the promise of violence hanging thick in the frigid atmosphere.
Roxy, with her massive frame and ferocious demeanor, took the lead, her muscles coiled like springs, ready to unleash their deadly force. With a primal roar, she charged at the largest eagle, her teeth bared in a fearsome snarl. The eagle met her head-on, talons slashing through the air with deadly precision.
Roxy, towering and powerful, braced herself to confront him. With calculated focus, she awaited the bird's approach, timing her evasion with precision. As the eagle lunged towards her, she gracefully sidestepped, launching herself into the air. Her claws aimed unerringly for a vital target.
She instinctively targeted the brachial plexus, a nexus of nerves nestled beneath the eagle's wing, where vulnerability lay bare. With surgical precision, she struck, incapacitating the eagle's wing and sending it crashing to the ground. With a final lunge, she sank her teeth into the eagle's throat, tearing out great gouts of flesh with each savage bite.
Meanwhile, Eamon and the others fought with desperate fury against the smaller adult eagle, their spears flashing as they struck out at it. As the largest eagle fell, its lifeblood staining the pristine snow crimson, the other eagle let out a mournful cry, its rage and frustration palpable in the icy air. With one final, defiant screech, it spread its wings and took flight, disappearing into the darkness of the night sky.
The mountain fell silent once more, the only sound being the breath of Eamon and the faint chirping of the eaglets. Eamon congratulated the group, singling out Roxy for her exceptional prowess in battle.
"Well done, Roxy," he said.
Roxy, with a proud gleam in her eyes, tilted her head expectantly. "Treat?" she asked, her voice rough yet filled with anticipation.
Eamon nodded, a smile playing at the corners of his lips as he stroked Roxy's fur. Then, he reached out to the fallen eagle, intending to summon it forth as an ally. However, as his hand neared, he felt a strange resistance, as if another force was at play.
Frowning in confusion, Eamon recalled Roxy's unique abilities. "Will the eagle become a ghoul?" he asked, his brow furrowed with concern.
Roxy nodded, a simple yet affirmative gesture. "Yes, ghoul," she replied, her words echoing in his mind.
Eamon withdrew his hand. "Stay at the entrance of the nest and keep watch. The other eagle may return," he instructed her.
With the rest of the group surrounding him, he moved forward into the nest. Shadows danced across the walls as they advanced. In a corner, Eamon spotted the three eaglets huddled together. He commanded the zombies to seize them. Fred quickly grabbed two of the eaglets while Cassandra secured the third. Their struggles proved futile against the superior strength of their captors.
Compared to the largest adult eagle, which was almost as large as Roxy herself, the eaglets were mere fledglings, barely the size of puppies. Their small, fragile forms trembled in fear as they were lifted from the nest, their plaintive cries echoing in the confined space. As Eamon gazed upon the eagles, he pondered the prospect of taming them.
He turned to Malakai. "Malakai," he began, "I've been thinking about the potential of these eaglets. As they grow, they could become valuable assets for our operations. Imagine having aerial scouts or even mounted fighters in our ranks."
Malakai nodded thoughtfully, his expression reflecting Eamon's contemplation. "It's a wise plan, Eamon. Preserving these creatures could offer us advantages we've never had before."
Eamon then turned to Roxy, who had been listening intently. "Roxy," he addressed her, "I'm considering starting a breeding program if we encounter more eagles in the future. It would be a way to sustain their numbers and maximize their utility."
"Roxy help catch more birds," Roxy declared, her voice determined. "Not hurt birds, keep safe."
Their attention was then drawn to the movements of the large eagle's body. The massive body convulsed in spasms, its muscles contorting uncontrollably. The eagle appeared to return to life, a flicker of vitality briefly illuminated its glassy eyes, hinting at a resurgence of life. However, this feeble spark was quickly extinguished by the overwhelming agony that contorted its body, leaving only the haunting echo of its suffering.
Gaping wounds opened on its torn skin, spewing forth a putrid flow of pus and blood. Rotted flesh ruptured under the pressure of its convulsions, exposing shattered bones and tainted entrails. An unspeakable horror pervaded the scene, a noxious stench filling the air. Suddenly, the eagle's body lurched upright, its twisted limbs unfolding with supernatural force. A powerful and unnaturally discordant cry erupted from its gaping beak, a sound that defied all natural logic. Then, with a strange and unexpected devotion, the eagle prostrated itself before Roxy, its eyes burning with a malevolent gleam.
Now that the eagle was part of his troops, Eamon could sense that it was male. He decided to observe the attributes of the ghoul eagle. He focused his concentration, summoning forth its status.
**Eagle Ghoul (Low-Level Undead)**
- **Strength**: 10
- **Stamina**: 13
- **Agility**: 9
- **Intelligence**: 2 (Low)
- **Charisma**: 1 (Weak)
- **Special Power**: Necrotic Bite and Scratch (Low)
The specifics about the special power materialized before him.
**Necrotic Bite and Scratch (Low)**: The bite or scratch of a lesser ghoul imparts a necrotic curse. There exists a slight probability that the afflicted individual may transmute into a lesser ghoul, subservient to the progenitor ghoul responsible for the initial transformation.
Eamon was satisfied with the eagle's strength and understood that if the eagle were to create a ghoul, it would be under Roxy's direct command. He then ordered his troop to set out. As they descended from the mountain peak towards the cave, their path illuminated solely by the celestial canopy above, a stark contrast against the darkened landscape, they prepared to re-enter the cavern's depths.
Just as they approached the cave's entrance, a sudden rush of wind heralded the return of the eagle that had fled earlier. With a primal shriek, it dove towards them, driven by a desperate maternal instinct, its massive wings slicing through the air with ferocious determination. Before Eamon could react, Roxy leaped into action. She intercepted the diving eagle, crashing into it mid-air with a thunderous impact. With unmatched strength, she wrestled the creature to the ground, her grip firm and unyielding as she immobilized its thrashing wings.
"Roxy catch bird!" she declared.
Simultaneously, the territory token was dislodged from Eamon's body, and torrents of energy surged from the mountain, the cave, and a valley below, converging upon the token.
A message appeared within his field of vision.