Outside the city walls, the golden eagles swept across the night sky, their sharp eyes scanning the ground below.
One of them dipped lower, its shadow stretching long over the forest. A faint movement caught its attention, dust rising where there shouldn't be any.
Through its keen vision, the outline of armed men came into focus. Dozens of them, moving in loose formation, half-hidden by the tree line.
The eagle's head twitched, wings tilting as it banked hard and turned back toward the city.
Far below, a single scout in ragged armor looked up at the sound of beating wings and froze. He saw the shadow pass overhead… then hurried to alert the rest of his group.
Back in the city, a soldier from the archer unit stiffened as the eagle landed on the perch, letting out a low, urgent cry.
He didn't waste a second, word was sent straight to the captains.
The enemy was on the move.
…..
