Impact Turtle and Bomber Bird
Two peculiar symbiotic species inhabiting Avernus' Spine and other mountainous areas, also sometimes nesting in crones of tallest trees in some other regions. The Bomber Bird is a light gray bird of prey with big sharp curved beak, prolonged sleek body, strong legs about 20 cm in length and wingspan of about 2-2.5 meters. The Impact Turtle is a turtle with dark gray carapace, 20-50 cm in length and weighting from 3 to 15 kg, with strong beaked mouth and short legs. Their bodies has streamlined, aerodynamic shape. Bomber Birds are well known for their unique preferred method of attack: they are dropping the Impact Turtles on their prey with extreme efficiency.
Both species posses peculiar sets of different powers. The birds are able to effectively distribute targets between members of hunting pack or summon them from rather big distances using telepathy, and it seems that they are also probably able to communicate with the turtles. Attacking from beyond or inside of clouds and precision of their attacks even against fast moving targets or against targets, view on which is obstructed, indicates some divination ability. Their precise but short ranged telekinesis allow them to greatly enhance their speed, maneuverability and carried weight. Bomber birds are able to create field that makes most methods of detection, including optical, much less effective, but as they use it from time to time rather than constantly, it probably puts some strain on them. Some researchers theorize that it may be an effect of their telekinesis applied to the air around them on molecular level. They possess very sharp sight, which may or may not be a manifestation of psychic powers. Also, it seems that they are able to act as beacons for Impact Turtles' teleportation.
The Impact Turtles have incredible durability achieved through biomancy. Telekinesis allows them to greatly increase their velocity and also slightly change trajectory. Their impact shields are similar to ones of Thundabeasts but somehow more effective for their much lower weight and much higher speed. They have an ability to teleport back in proximity of 1-3 meters of the Bomber Birds. They are able to penetrate psychic shields, phase through obstacles and use pyromantic powers, usually in form of explosions on impact, but unlike their common powers, this ones vary between populations of different regions. The older and bigger turtles have stronger psychic potential, allowing the largest ones to strike at hypersonic speeds and pose a threat to heavy vehicles.
Bomber Birds live in colonies of 5-20 adult specimen, 10 on average, led by a matriarch. They are very smart animals, noticeable surpassing dogs in intelligence. Bomber Birds build massive nests reaching up to 3 tonnes in weight. The number of Impact Turtles are about 2-2.5 times more than the number of adult birds.
Colonies that suffered from Impact Turtle losses often try to steal Impact Turtles from more successful ones and resort to dropping other objects, including animals, on their prey. They may also do it in some other situations as well.
Bomber Bird flights are known to sometimes exchange their turtles, though exact details about such behavior are unknown.
A pack of about three to six bomber birds hunts while the rest are sleeping in the nest or guarding it's vicinity. They are attacking their target or targets simultaneously, usually leaving no time to react. In case that prey somehow survived, the turtles usually teleport back for the next salvo, but sometimes try to finish their dying victim on their own, mainly using biting and ramming as methods of attack, as their self-telekinesis and biomancy make them surprisingly fast and dangerous combatants, especially for their size. When the prey is dead, bomber birds eat in hurry and/or carry the pieces with best nutritional value per back to the nest.
Bomber Birds prefer to not attack groups that they can't reliably destroy in one salvo unless they are protecting their nest, so as they almost never hunt in packs bigger than about half dozen specimens makes groups of the same size and higher virtually safe from their attacks. They never attack vehicles unless threatened. A lone Avernite may attempt to cross the dangerous area in night, though it's a very dangerous strategy which brings many other problems. Otherwise it's recommended to stay vigilant and move from cover when sky is clear to increase chance of noticing them, as well as other dangerous aerial fauna and flora.
It's necessary to remember that getting too close to their nest will probably result in a fierce attack, but as their nests are usually hard to reach, it's unlikely to happen.
Some Biologis speculate that social nature, high intelligence and versatile powers of Bomber Birds make them a good choice for domestication. Possible applications include military use for scouting and precision pinpoint strikes. A few psykers already bonded with Bomber Birds as familiars.
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how did I forget it, I thought of it days ago.
