"Poor Diaglo. He was so worried about us," Vivian had murmured to herself as she flew on, completely out of Diaglo's view by now. The deeper she went into the grove, the darker it became for the canopy became thicker, meaning less moonlight passing through. She didn't intend to go this deep, but she couldn't find Orton anywhere in the well-lit places. This prompted her to go deeper as she's not willing to give into hopelessness.

'I hope he hasn't left yet. Oh mom, dad, Varian. Please give me sign that he's still here.' She reached up with her talon to scratch an itchy spot on her neck before she flew on only for a sudden movement below her to occur.

She looked down, only managing to hear some faint rustling below the canopy. "H-Hello? Is somebird there?" Concern filled Vivian's violet eyes and she found herself going down through the leafy canopy. It was dark, but there was still some moonlight seeping through the thick tree leaves like sunlight seeping through holes in the ground.

She landed, looking around for the source of the rustling until her eyes landed on something near some shrubs not far from her. It was a feather; One splashed with light toffee brown and green. Vivian's eyes widened. Only Orton had that kind of color and she immediately took the feather in her talon. She realized the feather seemed freshly moulted, meaning its owner could still be present. "Orton? Are you here?"

Vivian looked around expecting the friendly kakapo/kea hybrid to be closeby and respond. She even went close to the shrubs only to find none. But then she spotted another feather after squinting through some bushes. And not far from that there was another entwined in the twigs of another branch. Vivian picked up all the feathers and she was stunned to see more feathers in sight - She realized that the feathers are going through a straight line. Causing her young mind to get the idea that Orton must have been flying past.

'But why so close to the bushes?' A voice asked in Vivian's head, causing her to stop. Now she couldn't help but think why. Yet she continued on. Soon the feather trail seemed to stop and Vivian saw no more. By now her talon is full of brown and green feathers but no sign of Orton. Vivian started to get worried. "Orton where are you? Are you still here? It's me, Vivian!" She called out at last in futile attempt. Her voice had rang throughout the jungle around as she called out several times for the second leader as she flew on.

As she did, her voice had drowned out the sounds of frantic flapping and the loud padding on paws against ground. The flapping figure swooped up through the canopy leaving the predator on the ground. And just when the creature realized, Vivian's calls were loud, meaning her close distance and the golden-green eyes dilated with eagerness; The claws being unsheathed as their owner stalked on. Its silence soon didn't get to last for long as the creature stepped on a branch...

Vivian stiffened in hearing that and she jumped. "W-Who's there?!"

She yelped and looked frantically around. Following her cry was silence. And then there was a low growling. Vivian didn't get to scream as she was suddenly greeted by a large spotted feline that jumped right before her. The spix macaw was inches close to getting caught and she had stumbled back, her pupils shrunken with intense fear and panic. "Zira…" She mouthed the jaguar's name. 'What is she doing here?!'

The young spix macaw had never met Zira face to face before and she never dreamt of it after hearing stories about her from the other birds. Varian used to tell her exaggerated stories of him giving that she-jaguar a piece of his mind and Vivian had also heard of rumors from birds saying that Nicholas and Orton had dealt with her in defense of the territory and Orton had clawed the jaguar hard in the face. She was too frightened to give those any deeper thought and she is certainly just as frightened right now.

Vivian let out a shrill scream of terror and she was flying for her life. Zira followed not far behind and her greenish gold eyes were filled with malicious hunger...

Diaglo perked up in feeling an unexplainable chill run through his spine and he was glancing around in alarm. He had heard Vivian's voice and his beak hung open in shock. "Viv?" This word is the only one to leave his beak before a frenzied lapis blue bird burst out of the leaves with extreme terror in her violet eyes. "Fly! Fly away!" She didn't get to look at Diaglo in her panic. The male spix macaw looked confused and then there was a snarl. The boy had stiffened for he realized why Vivian was so terrified.

The huge jaguar that Diaglo automatically assumed was Zira, had pounced at the spot where Vivian had been seconds before and her cold, hungry gaze had landed on Diaglo. The moonlight had illuminated the scene and Diaglo's glasses had picked up the details of the feline.

Zira was coated in beautiful spots like any other jaguar and she appeared to be eating well judging by her slender yet physically fit shape. Her claws were protruding like hooked razors and her eyes were glowing with extreme excitement as she settled on her new prey. If one looks closer, a trio of marks can be made out on the center of Zira's face and going across one of her eyes; The middle scar appearing to have been much deeper than the other two beside it. They have definitely faded with healing, but Diaglo refused to spend a moment looking at these for he too started to fly for his life, screaming.

The chase for his life had just begun. Diaglo was flapping frantically all the while trying not to look behind. His gaze was up ahead for he was trying to spot even a hint of lapis blue. Where was Vivian? Diaglo was well aware she had flown off ahead of him. But.. What if she didn't make it? What if another predator had caught her? Thoughts like these swarmed Diaglo's head; He didn't notice Zira getting really close with her jaws widening…

A searing pain was felt at his tail end and Diaglo's shriek was cut off as he was brutally swung back and against a tree. He groaned from the impact as he laid in a heap against the tree, his glasses had fallen off from the swing and Diaglo's vision was blurred. His ears had picked up the horrified cry of Vivian and her lapis blue and brown headed figure came his way. "Diaglo? Diaglo speak to me!"

Vivian's wings desperately held Diaglo's cheeks as her panicked mind thought that Zira had made a fatal blow. To her relief, Diaglo was just stunned and she felt her feathers smoothen just a miniscule. There was still the bigger threat on wing and Vivian found herself facing Zira who was stalking up to them.

In the jaguar's jaws was a bit of blood and dark cerulean feathers ripped out from Diaglo's rear and the female teenager was repulsed. She was rooted to the ground and she couldn't speak. Her body cowered over Diaglo as she huddled close in fear. She swore she could see her life flash before her eyes with ever menacing step of Zira.

'Mom. Dad. Varian. I think I'll be seeing you soon.' This despairing thought was in Vivian's mind and she heard Zira roar and raise her paw. She let out a noiseless sob as she waited for the killing blow…

It never came. Instead there was a shrill squawk of rage and a surprised growl from Zira. Vivian opened an eye and both snapped open when she saw Orton lunge straight for Zira from the trees; A heavily bristled ball of light brown and green with red, white and blue speckled wings, screeching with grey eyes full of fire.