The Eagle & The Dove

 Over the following years, there developed a game of cat and mouse between eagles and humans. The guards in the fields took to arming themselves. At first their weapons were both primitive and clumsy (very much like the eagles saw their owners). The birds would dive and be away with their prize before the men could reach them. At first, the guards were not anxious to try physical combat. They simply threw their missiles and spears in the hope of hitting and killing the giant predators. They had little chance. The eagle was master of the air. In his natural element, he had no trouble avoiding these clumsy efforts.
  Despite his seemingly stupid attempts to destroy everything around him (his fellow man included), man is still one of the most intelligent life forms on this planet. It was not long before he learned to improve on his defences. Dogs, although domesticated and dependent on their human masters, still retain the natural senses' nature has given them. Their strong powers of smell and acute hearing were utilised by their masters as an early warning system. The dogs would be chained to a post in the field with the livestock, where their hysterical and frightened barking would give the farmers warning of an impending attack by the eagles. Arming themselves, the farmers would rush to defend their animals.

  The Great Eagle is a wild and magnificent bird, with only two things to live for. He loves both these things and will be denied neither.
   One is the flight. That magic world of the sky, when his wings are spread and he is soaring among the clouds, there is nothing to describe the elation he feels. His beauty and grace as he sails the heavens, make him undisputed king of the wild blue yonder.
  His second passion is the hunt. To circle over the land, his powerful eyes watching and waiting for the moment he can hurtle down on his prey. He loves the feel of the wind rushing through his feathers, as he is diving onto the unsuspecting victim. He is elated, when his mighty talons rip through flesh and hold it fast. And finally there is the exhilaration of soaring back up in the sky clutching his prize beneath him.
   There is very little chance the eagle will release his prey, once it is in his talons. He will fight to the death, before he allows another creature to rob his trophy. In this way, man and eagle were similar. Farmers will also fight to protect that what they consider their own.
  

  Many a fierce battle was fought between eagles and farmers, down in the fields of that scenic valley. Many were fought to the death. A lot of eagles died, but the cost in human lives were greater. And with each death, their hatred for each other grew stronger.
  Farmers are not soldiers. They do not like to fight, and more so when there is a strong chance that they may have to die. Yet they require their livestock to survive, and they will not allow it to be just taken from them.
  Over the following years, mans' weapons became more lethal. Bows and crossbows were used, with arrowheads dipped in poison, so as the farmers themselves could avoid physical combat with these dangerous creatures.

To counter the ever increasing threat, the eagles took to hunting in pairs.  The first eagle would dive at the flock, not actually to attack, simply to taunt and scare them.  The terrified animals would scatter in panic, running in all directions.  The farmers in their anger would quickly retaliate, shooting their deadly arrows at the swooping bird.  As long the raptor was in flight there was little chance the missiles would make contact.  Meanwhile, the second eagle would be high up circling, waiting for the moment their enemy would be sufficiently distracted.  The moment he saw the farmer busy trying to kill its mate, it would attack.  Seeking out the animal the greatest distance away from the action it would strike. Down the eagle would plummet.  It would lock onto its target and be away before the farmer could counteract this new threat.

  There were many farmers in the valley by now, each with their own livestock to protect.  Most farmers in the Guadalquivir were not very rich.  They could not afford to have armed guards around their animals all day and every day.  It was never known where and when the eagles would strike next.  Each family had to protect their own livestock, where and when they could. In reality, a stalemate had finally been reached between the two deadly foes. This stalemate was to last for hundreds of years. Deaths between the two sides still occurred, although much less frequently.  When it was at last broken, the eagles found out what is was to feel fear for the first time. 

  Man had developed his latest weapon.  There was no way the eagles could counter this new device.  To the Great Eagles, it was a stick of death.  A stick which when pointed at them sent out a ball of fire.  A killing flame that could travel faster than they could over great distances.

  The balance of power had changed.  The eagles, even with their powerful eyes could not see this fireball; and thereby, even with their remarkable agility could not avoid it.  They only knew that upon hitting the body it would send a tearing, burning pain which seemed to rip them apart.  Death soon followed.  Sometimes it was a slow painful death; if they were lucky, death would come quickly.

  The Great Eagles days in the valley were numbered.  Man was a vengeful creature.  He had neither forgotten nor forgiven the deaths the eagles had caused.  Now the power lay in his hands and he became a hunter again.  He began to search out and destroy the eagles, where ever and whenever he found the chance. 

 This was why most of the birds had now been destroyed.  It was the reason the remaining survivors had flown from their ancient lands, in search of new homes.  Remera and her family were now the only remaining eagles in the valley, and it was her intention to leave as soon as her offspring had been trained in flight. There was nothing left in this valley now to hold her or her young.  Men had seen to that.

   All this Remera recalled, while still searching for game.  The livestock of the humans, she would leave well alone.  She knew if she was to raid there, it was possible she to would feel the deadly burn of the firestick.  This was not a chance she was prepared to take.  It would mean her death, and without her, the death of her eaglets. 

  As she continued her search, she looked down in distaste on the fortified town of Ubeda.  Her thoughts now turned to a similar flight made two summers ago.  It was a painful remembrance for her. It was here at this place her mate had died, shortly before her chicks had hatched.  He to had died by the hand of mans evil weapons.  The memory of that fateful day was still fresh in her mind, as if it were only yesterday.