But Shaun Cole was even faster.
In the blink of an eye, he reached the ground, landed on his back, and plunged into a pile of snow. A second later, he climbed back out.
Seeing him completely unharmed, Snow and Aquila spread their wings, slowed, and landed beside him, staring in amazement.
"Hehe, I'm fine,"
Shaun Cole said with a smile, gently patting their heads.
"Let's go. We'll bring your children back now."
Hearing this, the two eagles flapped their wings and flew off into the distance, while Shaun Cole sprinted across the snow below.
A gyrfalcon's dive speed could reach three hundred and fifty kilometers per hour, and its cruising speed around one hundred and eighty.
Snow and Aquila flew at full speed, while Shaun Cole kept pace beneath them. Snow was blasted upward by his movement, making it look as though a white dragon was racing through the Himalayas.
Ten minutes later, one man and two eagles arrived at their destination.
The two eagles flew toward a small cave set into the side of a cliff.
Shaun Cole leapt upward, planting his feet against the sheer rock face as he climbed toward the cave.
The cave was small—barely large enough for a single person.
Clinging to the cliff, Shaun Cole looked inside and smiled softly.
Inside were three white eaglets.
Seeing Shaun Cole, the three chicks immediately began chirping in panic. But once he spoke the ancient language again, they quickly calmed down, their gazes turning warm and trusting.
Shaun Cole gently tucked the three eaglets into his robe and carefully climbed back down.
He could have jumped straight down—but with three fragile lives in his arms, it was better to be cautious.
Snow and Aquila watched everything silently.
Though they were not human, they could clearly tell—
Shaun Cole did not treat them or their children lightly just because they were animals.
"Keey!"
With a cry, the two eagles took flight, heading back toward Shaun Cole's palace—this time flying much more slowly, because below them Shaun Cole was carrying their children.
An hour later, Shaun Cole returned to the palace and gently placed the three eaglets into the newly built nest.
The nest was woven from dry branches and lined thickly with dried leaves. Its diameter reached five meters.
It was built on the third level of the palace. That entire level spanned nearly ten thousand square meters, making the massive nest seem almost small by comparison.
The three eaglets looked around their new home and immediately began chirping excitedly.
Their new home was far larger than the old one—
and much safer, too.