Metalhowls got attacked by a roc. Lost two military dwarves. The roc literally swooped down from the sky, about 5 zlevels up, snatched at one axedwarf in the head with its first toe on the right foot and the force of the blow knocked her unconscious, twisted her neck, and drove her upper spine into her body, leaving an unrecognizeable mass. She actually survived the hit, but blood was spraying from her neck. The roc also snatched at another axedwarf's left cheek, again with its first toe on the right foot, and the force of the blow twisted his neck and split his skull into gore, killing him instantly.
Once the hammerdwarves and speardwarves arrived on the scene and the roc was mobbed by ~18 skilled military dwarves the fight turned to the dwarves' favor. The roc was slain by a speardwarf stabbing into its brain with an exceptional adamantine spear.
The injured axedwarf, with her crushed spine and neck, managed to regain consciousness and began to return to the fortress. As she stepped over the threshold and into the fortress keep, following behind her squadmates, she dropped dead. Guess she ran out of breath, or blood. She was the dwarf I had assigned the artifact great axe to. Didn't even get an opportunity to use it. Looks like another axedwarf gets the honors.
Man, that is some brutal imagery. A gigantic bird swooping down from the sky and practically landing on you, crushing your head and neck into your body with its feet. No chance to fight back, just squished.