Chapter 907: The Downed Thunderbird
Chapter 907: The Downed Thunderbird
"Didn't expect you to be an Animagus too..." Rolf said in surprise.
"It's no big deal, aren't you one too?" Ivan flapped his wings and landed on Leopard's head, replying.
How could it be the same? Rolf rolled his eyes. He had gone through a lot of hardship to master the Animagus transformation... Moreover, Ivan transformed into a flying creature, which was far superior in stealth and reconnaissance compared to his Leopard form. The only drawback was lower combat strength.
However, while feeling a bit envious, Rolf didn't forget his main task. Since Ivan was an Animagus, hiding their presence would be much easier, and they wouldn't have to worry about being spotted and ruining everything.
"By the way, Hals, when the Thunderbird appears, remember to follow my orders and don't act on your own. If we're unlucky and run into those poachers, don't try to confront them. I'll assess their numbers and strength to decide whether to abandon this mission", Rolf warned seriously.
Ivan gave him a strange look but eventually nodded. "Alright, you're the expert, so we'll do it your way..."
Having reached an agreement, the eagle and the leopard darted into the woods together.
The delay had given the young Goat enough time to vanish without a trace. Even with Ivan's advantage of a high vantage point, it was impossible to find the Goat's tracks in the dense jungle.
Fortunately, Rolf, a seasoned veteran, was undaunted. He moved like a true leopard, crouching low and sniffing the scent of the prey while advancing quickly. In just a few minutes, he successfully located the Goat's position.
Rolf stopped and deliberately kept a moderate distance, using low growls to drive the Goat towards the mountaintop, making it easier for the Thunderbird to spot it.
Ivan followed at a leisurely pace, not daring to fly too high to avoid becoming the Thunderbird's first target.
This chase continued for over half an hour. Rolf had accurately gauged the Goat's stamina, and by the time they reached the mountaintop, the Goat was exhausted, sitting helplessly on a patch of open ground.
"What do we do next?" Ivan glided down from the air, looking at the pitiful, bleating Goat, and asked.
"Wait!" Rolf dug his claws into the ground, hiding his body in the dense undergrowth, and whispered. "We need to outlast the Thunderbird. If we can keep our cool, this plan will be half successful."
"Half? What about the other half?" Ivan was curious.
" Luck! We can only hope the Thunderbird hasn't successfully caught any prey during this time. Otherwise, it might choose to stay in its nest, and we'll have wasted our efforts today", Rolf explained, his face calm.
In his years of studying and exploring magical creatures, he had seen many well-prepared missions end in failure. So he always kept a level head.
Ivan nodded, understanding the same logic, and perched on a low branch nearby.
Taking advantage of the downtime, Rolf, in a rare moment of enthusiasm, shared his thrilling adventures and survival knowledge from years of experience with Ivan.
The wait was longer than Ivan had expected. They hid from morning until midnight without seeing any sign of the Thunderbird.
The half-grown Goat had regained its vigor, leisurely hopping around the grassland and occasionally bending its head to nibble on a few blades of grass, looking quite content.
Ivan turned his head and looked at Rolf, who was lying in the bushes with his eyes half-closed, pretending to nap, remaining incredibly calm.
Seeing this, Ivan also flipped his body and hung upside down from a branch, closing his eyes to rest…
…
In the early hours of the morning, Ivan was jolted awake by a shrill thunderclap. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw flashes of lightning cutting through the dense clouds, and faint golden light points could be seen within the cloud layer.
Thunderbird?
Ivan instantly snapped out of his daze, his gaze immediately focusing on the grassland ahead. The half-grown Goat had clearly sensed the danger and let out a series of terrified bleats, dashing frantically into the woods.
Ivan instinctively moved to fly out and chase it, but Rolf's voice rang out before he could.
"Don't move. The goat won't get far, and it's not time to act yet!"
Rolf had already woken up before the Thunderbird arrived and, like Ivan, was intently watching the movements of the Goat and the Thunderbird. However, he made no move, as he was well aware of the Thunderbird's hunting habits.
Sure enough, shortly after he spoke, a bolt of lightning suddenly shot out from the clouds, striking the path ahead of the Goat. The dazed lamb was so frightened that it stumbled and fell to the ground, lying there trembling and motionless.
Ivan held his breath, his eyes shifting to the sky. Now that the prey had lost its will to fight, the hunter should make its appearance!
A golden bird emerged from the clouds, moving as fast as a beam of light. With a few swoops, it dove from the clouds, its sharp talons outstretched, and with a gentle scoop, it firmly grasped the half-grown Goat.
Ivan finally got a full view of the Thunderbird. It was as large as a Muggle car, covered in pure golden feathers. Most peculiarly, it had three pairs of wings, the largest with a wingspan exceeding five meters, and blue lightning could be seen swirling around its tail feathers.
After a successful hunt, the Thunderbird didn't seem to have any intention of enjoying its meal on the spot. With another powerful wingbeat, it flew off into the distance.
"Follow it! But remember to keep your distance. Our goal is to find its nest, so don't take any rash actions!" Rolf shouted and then darted out of the bushes.
A Leopard's speed was already extremely fast, and with the added boost of magic, Rolf was able to keep up with the Thunderbird's movements.
Ivan was no less swift, closely following behind Rolf.
After flying for about ten minutes, a towering cliff came into view. The Thunderbird stopped flying forward and began circling above the cliff.
A broad smile spread across Rolf's face; it seemed the Thunderbird's nest was here!
However, his joy was short-lived. Rolf soon noticed something was amiss; the Thunderbird appeared agitated and showed no signs of returning to its nest.
Just as both of them were puzzled, several dazzling spell beams shot out from the cliff, aimed directly at the Thunderbird in the sky…
(End of Chapter)
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