She was pregnant and alone—in the darkest hours of the night.

Jewel nestled herself into her nest, trembling, tucking a wing over herself in a desperation for warmth. Her beak was clattering as the violent winds drifted mist into the entrance and onto her plumage, her crest and wings.

She tucked further into herself, shivering, badly, her breath clouding in front of her.

It was the fourth season of the year, the coldest time for any bird in Rio, especially Jewel. The temperatures—as the humans called it—weren't low enough for the water to freeze and for snow to drift from the clouds, but just enough to make the rain and the wind unbearably cold.

Another gust of wind and mist was blown onto her, enough to have her feather droop against her body. Still, she puffed out her feathers as best she could, running her wings over her plump stomach, feeling the three lumps there.

Based on her own instincts, it wouldn't be long before she lay her eggs. But… something told her that she could possibly lay them tonight. And in any other situation, she would've been joyous at the thought of it, but not tonight.

She was alone and very vulnerable. If she were to begin laying her eggs right now, and was too vocal while doing it—

Jewel had heard stories about predators mauling and eating female macaws while they were laying eggs, even in raging storms, even in the darkest hours.

Dread began to pool in her gut, her heart pulsing a few beats faster as she watched the porthole of her hollow closely. She shouldn't be letting thoughts like that enter her mind, making her fearful and paranoid. If she were to start laying her eggs right now, she would have to remain calm, collective, so she wouldn't fall into a panic, so she wouldn't become stressed.

If you feel the eggs are coming, make sure you're in a place where you feel calm, relaxed. Stress can make laying the eggs more difficult and too much of it can result in death. It was something her mother, the best healer in the tribe, told every young, newly pregnant female macaw when it came close for the eggs to come.

Jewel smiled warmly at the memory, at the sound of her mother's voice. It was that voice that gave her strength when she felt weak, made her triumph over her fears.

But that was a year ago, when she was alone and lost in the jungle with really no one to depend on but herself. Now, her life had changed.

Slowly, so slowly, Jewel looked down at her belly with that warm smile, stroking a wing over her belly. Blu had changed her life, for the better. Blu, the bird from Minnesota that saved her from having to live alone and scared all her life. And gave her the greatest gift she could ever have: a family.

She raised her head, looking out to that storm with a smile. "I love you, Blu." She said, softly, the words making something within her flutter with joy. He gave her this joy with his kind, loving heart. "I hope you make it back safe."

A feeling of tranquility seeped through her, singing a song of love and joy and peace in her mind. She imagined how Blu would caress her once they were reunited, how he would kiss her and comfort her, as if she were a true, rare jewel. And she imagined how she would return that love to him with her own kisses, with her own strokes.

Those loving thoughts had her relaxing in her nest, sleep slowly claiming her.

But then…

Thunder rumbled across the sky.

And the soft voice of sleep left Jewel's mind as she sat up in her nest, going on high alert.

The only sound heard in that moment was the pouring of the rain.

Thunder rumbled once more—this time, louder. It reverberated through the birdhouse, through the tree it sat in. A warning.

Her heart began to beat just a few beats faster as her eyes went to the porthole of the birdhouse once more. She felt it then, that clawing sensation within her, that went up her spine and made her feathers stand on end. It was a sensation that saved her from being ripped apart by a predator or molested by a strange bird.

Her instincts—it was the one thing she trusted more than Blu, more than her mother.

Dread began to coil inside her, having her eyes darting in every direction of the birdhouse. Her once steady breathing became rapid.

She felt some invisible force pushing her but not moving her, as if the ghost of her mother was now trying to guide her to safety.

Run! It was saying to her. Run! RUN!

Jewel wasn't going to wait another second, because now, it no longer her life that was at risk. But her children's', too.

But she didn't know how she could escape to safety. She didn't have time to think about that.

With the eggs near-fully developed in her belly, it was a challenge to stand to her talons. She wasn't sure if she could glide, she wasn't sure if she could even walk properly.

It had been Blu who'd helped her walked, carried her when they had to fly—even though she hated it when he did, always resistant against it, but knew he did it because he loved her that much.

But… she was going to have to take the risk. Her instincts were raging louder, clawing more violently.

But when she took that first difficult step out the nest—

THUMP!

The whole birdhouse shook with the impact.

The blood in her veins went cold as death, her heart skipping a beat, pounding in her chest. Something, that was too massive to be Blu, too heavy, had landed on the platform outside.

Jewel went still, her breathing coming to a halt.

Slowly, gracefully, it stalked closer to the porthole of the birdhouse—closer and closer.

Then…

Maybe it was the fear she felt in that moment, the fear of her unborn children being killed, ripped apart, that caused some reaction in her body. Because only seconds later, Jewel felt a pain that was vicious and cruel and merciless shoot through her like an arrow.

She clamped her beak shut, her eyes shut as she trembled from the pain, as a small, meek sob slipped out of her and a tear streamed down her cheek.

In that moment, she knew.

The eggs were coming.

He'd lived in Minnesota for a large part of his live, playing in the snow, and even now, the rain and the wind made it feel as if his wings would snap off from the cold. Still, Blu flew through the storm as fast as he could, his heart racing in his chest, his body screaming with exhaustion.

But it was his instinct, instincts that he'd learned to listen to and trust while living in the jungle, that drove him through the wind and rain and the cold. His male, protective instincts that he'd gained the moment Jewel became pregnant.

And now, those protective instincts were raging, roaring, a constant thumping inside his head. His mate, his unborn children, his family, was in danger. All because of him.

He was an idiot. God, he was such an idiot for flying out so far, for leaving her alone for so long.

Blu banked left, swiftly, merely missing a low-hanging branch that was barely visible in the darkness.

He had just wanted to do something special for her, had wanted her to feel loved, since today was her birthday. For the two years he'd known her, she always talked about how much she loved Brazil Nuts, how eating one reminded her of her mother, her father—her tribe. She'd always go teary eyed while explaining it, and he was always there to comfort her whenever she did.

But Brazil Nuts were rare to find in Rio, very rare. It was talk around Pedro and Rico's club that helped him locate some—on the other side of the island, nearly an hour away from their hollow. The most he'd ever seen in Rio.

He'd moved some of those Brazil Nuts to an abounded hollow about ten minutes away from theirs. And when her birthday day came, he wanted to wait until the evening—since Jewel told him that's when her and her mother would usually leave out to get Brazil Nuts. And when the evening came around, he was so excited to get her present, so excited to see the look of joy on her face that he didn't take in the dark clouds above, didn't take in the chilly wind, the smell of rain in the air. The hollow wasn't that far anyways, he had thought.

Blu had kissed Jewel goodbye before taking his routinely leave to get dinner, but this time, it was her present, in this case.

But just a few minutes after he'd left, the storm struck Rio, hard, with barely a warning.

He was forced to stay in that hollow for three hours because of the rain. And the whole time, his instincts had bit at him, nudging him, just slightly, to go to Jewel. But he hadn't listened, was too stupid to listen.

Seems he hadn't completely learned to trust his instincts.

He was such an idiot. When the jungle was dipped into complete darkness, when the wind was howling at its loudest and clawing at the sighing trees with all its might… when that slight nudge of his instinct turned into a full-on shove, he decided to listen, decided to take off after Jewel.

The wind began to howl once more, blowing in his direction. Blu felt the strain in his wings as he flapped and flapped against that wind, advancing slowly.

He was such an idiot.

If Jewel was dead when he got there, gutted and ripped apart by some predator, it would be all his fault. No one else's. He would never be able to forgive himself for it.

Some logical, foolish part of him whispered that he was worrying too much, that there was nothing wrong. That when he got there, Jewel would be safe. But he knew—he just knew that something wasn't right..

Please be safe, Jewel. He prayed, his eyes beginning to burn. I'll be there soon. I'm almost there.

Even in the darkest hours, she saw the white and gray plumage, saw those hulking legs in one glance at the porthole and knew what stood outside her birdhouse.

A harpy eagle. One that was desperate enough, hungry enough, to hunt in a raging storm like this.

She felt every reverberation of its steps as it stalked along the platform, searching for any signs of life inside.

Jewel placed a wing over her beak, knowing exactly how precise their senses were.

The rain, the storm was silenced by the sound of her roaring blood, her pounding heart. But not because of the predator lurking outside her home—not entirely. No, it was the realization that her eggs were coming, and she wouldn't be able to hold it in for long. That's what terrified her more than anything: that her unborn children's lives would be taken before they could breathe their first breathes.

One peak into the entrance—all it took was one peak and the eagle would began ripping the birdhouse apart.

She prayed, begged to whatever great force watched her from above to spare her, spare her children. And her mate. She prayed that Blu wouldn't come for her, that he would let the storm keep him stationed wherever he was taking shelter, because…

Another tear streamed down her cheek.

She knew that if Blu came, that if he saw the harpy eagle outside the birdhouse, searching for her, he would tear into it. She knew that he would give his life for her to escape, would fight to the death for her. Because he loved her that much.

And a life without the love of her life was a life she could not endure—not again.

But then—

The eye staring at her through the porthole was wholly black, as if the soul inside it had been swallowed up by an abyss of death and misery.

Jewel only stared right back, unmoving, her entire body going cold under its piercing gaze. Another tear escaped, despair tearing at her gut.

She was trapped. She was going to die.

One moment, that eye vanished as the eagle stood to its full height—and the next, the birdhouse began shaking and groaning as the eagle struck it again and again with its claws and peak, hunger driving its every strike.

The only thing standing between her and death was a few pieces of metal along the roof and planks of wood along the sides of the wall and the entrance.

"Please," Jewel whimpered to nothing and no one.

One of the metal pieces on the roof dented in, revealing its face, reveling the sharp-tipped beak chipped and worn with age.

A sob cracked through her throat.

She could only sit there and watch as the metal roof slowly gave in, as dent after dent let water leak in, let weak, streams of light show through.

There was no way out for her. She was trapped—

Look, something mighty and powerful said from within her. Look. And she did.

Her gaze went to the embrasure.

The metal roof trembled.

The harpy eagle was standing on the roof…

Her only opening, her only way of escaping, her only thread of hope—

She had to hurry. She didn't have time to waste.

But her eggs began to move within her and the pain of laying eggs shot through her—worse this time. Worse. She couldn't stop the yelp that broke out of her, couldn't stop the trembling of her body or the tears that came.

Her wings were clutched beneath her belly, in between her legs, a failing attempt to ease the pain.

She wanted to scream and sob as it worsened and worsened. But Jewel breathed… breathed, breathed, breathed, breathed—

As she stood to her talons and took one agonizing step after the other. The whole time, the eagle continued its vicious attack on the roof, denting and scratching the metal, its beak being able to reach deeper into the birdhouse.

She kept moving, kept pushing. She wasn't going to stop.

But the weight of her pregnant body, the pain of labor, had her wanting to give up. She wasn't, though. For fourteen years of her life, she'd survived, in hope that one day she would be able to regain her happiness.

She had—and she wasn't going to let it be taken away from her. Never again.

Never again.

So, Jewel counted every step until she reached the entrance, counted every second she spent and making sure not one was wasted.

It only took her two hops and a step.

Thunder roared as she glided through the rain and darkness.

Jewel's eyes were locked onto Linda's and Tulio's house as she glided, as she tried to ignore the constant thrum of pain and anxiety.

Her gaze went to the small window, which lead straight into the kitchen. It was closed, but Tulio had made to where they could unlock it from the outside.

She could still hear the harpy eagle shredding the metal roof apart. It would only be a matter of time before it realized she wasn't there.

That window was like a beacon in the thickest fog. And it grew closer and closer.

She was almost there, almost to safety.

Suddenly, the tearing and denting of metal stopped. And a screech echoed through the night.

And then there was the flapping of long, large wings. Coming straight for her.

Fast. Too fast.

I'd seen her, it knew where she was going.

Jewel began flapping her wings, flapping them as hard as she could, the pain like fire running through her.

She didn't dare look behind her as she flapped and flapped.

But the beating sound of those ginormous wings grew only closer and closer.

Another sob came out of her.

She wasn't going to make it to the window in time—

Jewel glanced behind her—

She saw the harpy eagle diving for her, its talons outstretched, its wing wide.

And she outright screamed as she banked left, steering completely away from that window and into the thick foliage.

There was another gust of wind, so strong that it made her lose her balance in mid-air. And for the first time in eight years, Jewel began to panic as she fell, spinning in the air.

She fell through twigs, leaves and vines, before she hit the muddy ground, back first.

Covered in mud, the wind stolen from her lungs, her world began swimming as her ears ringed. Still, she forced herself to stand to her talons as fast as she could—

But then, her legs gave out from under her. She fell to her wings. And then the pain came at her full force.

Jewel screamed as the eggs continued to move, as her body prepared to lay them.

The pain… she couldn't move.

She couldn't move

She couldn't move

I'm going to die. My children are going to die.

There was a heavy brush of wind as the harpy eagle landed before her, tucking its wings in as it looked down at her.

Jewel looked into those black eyes, her vision blurry from the rain and the tears.

She couldn't move. She couldn't escape.

"Please." She begged. "It least let me lay my eggs first, at least let me get them to safety."

The harpy eagle, she realized, was female.

Maybe… Just maybe…

"Please. I'm begging you, don't take the lives of my children."

But the hunger never let it eyes.

The eagle spread its wings, its talons tensing in preparation to grab her, and fly away.

Jewel looked to those talons, and then the wings. "Please."

But there was no compassion in the female's expression, no sympathy or guilt—just hunger. Her please had fell on deaf ears.

There was pain. Jewel began screaming again.

If you feel the eggs are coming, make sure you're in a place where you feel calm, relaxed. Stress can make laying the eggs more difficult and too much of it can result in death.

She could feel her heart pounding, could hear it in her ears, as her labor pains became greater, as she felt death lurk closer and closer.

She didn't care about her own life, didn't care if she survived or no.

Stress can make laying the eggs more difficult and too much of it can result in death.

She would die, either way. And she knew what that meant. She knew it would mean leaving Blu alone with their kids, she knew it would mean never seeing him again, never seeing the precious, beautiful faces of her kids.

She just wanted her kids to live.

Jewel didn't remember when she started crawling away from the eagle, tears and rain pouring down her face as she refused to give up, as she willed herself to fight a little longer.

Her plumage was caked in mud, her body trembling in agony as her eggs shifted, coming closer and closer to being birthed as she crawled through the mud and plants.

She couldn't give up; she couldn't accept this fate.

She'd fought and survived for too long for it to end like this.

But still, the sound of those flapping wings grew closer and she could feel those flesh-shredding talons closing in on her, like the inescapable grip of death.

She crawled and crawled. For her children—for her children, she had to resist, to fight a little longer.

Jewel began sobbing.

Let my children live, she begged, silently. Prayed.

"Let my children live!"

She felt those talons close around her, piercing her skin, her belly—

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Both Jewel and the female eagle looked up at the blue streak that bolted through the air—

The harpy eagle screamed as its face—no, its eye—was slashed, droplets of blood being sprinkled on the mud, the small ferns.

The eagle fell on its back, hard, mud flying everywhere on impact. She screamed as that blue figure continued its assault, attacking its face, its neck.

The female eagle was flinging her wings out in every direction as she cried out in pain, mud already coating its plumage, its wings and talons.

Jewel had flipped over on her back, propping herself up with shaky wings. She saw the eagle crying out, saw it squirming violently beneath its attacker.

She knew who it was before her swimming vision clamed itself. She felt relief and fear run through her simultaneously. The fear of loss, the fear of her mate being killed.

His name came out as nothing but a breath. "Blu."

"JEWEL, GET INSIDE LINDA'S HOUSE! NOW!"

Blu roared, over the rain and thunder, over the agonized screams of the eagle beneath him and the bounding of his heart in his ears.

Blu hated fighting, hating hurting people, for as long as he could remember. But when he arrived at the birdhouse him and Jewel shared, when saw the metal roof dented in and scarred, something within him snapped. Some—feral side of him took over.

And then he heard the scream—the multiple screams. A second later, he was blasting through the foliage, flying faster than he ever had in his whole life.

That's when he saw the harpy eagle, gripping its talons around his pregnant mate.

That was the last thing he remembered clearly. In those short seconds, he only heard screaming and sobbing… and his name being breathed out, barely audible.

The sound of his name from his most loved brought him back, had his mind softening the feral haze enveloping it.

He realized what he was doing, then. He felt the blood on his talons, heard the screams of the predator beneath him, and did not feel any fear as ran his talons across its face once more.

That's when he glanced back at his mate and barked the order for her to hide inside Linda's house.

Time, for him, nearly stopped when he saw her beautiful face.

Panic, hesitation, and pain—so much pain—was there, in her expression.

Blu then felt it, saw it. And only one thought crossed his mind: the eggs were coming.

Time resumed its natural flow.

The words came out before he could even realize what they meant. "JEWEL, GO!"

Blu dug his talons into the other side of the eagle's face.

It screamed.

When he was little, he heard beliefs that when two birds truly fell in love, their souls and minds bind together into one, connecting.

And maybe that was true, because in the deep crevices of his mind, Blu heard a voice. No.

It was…

I don't want to lose you.

Jewel's voice.

I love you.

Inwardly, Blu smiled. If he were near her, he would kiss her and caress her.

He said back to her, for our kids, Jewel. So they can live.

Blu struck the eagle with all his might, again and again. But in the corner of his vision, he saw Jewel spread her wings and wearily fly off, the storming having calmed.

A little mercy.

That voice echoed through his head once more. Come back to me, Blu.

Those words lingered, seeping deep into his soul, into his heart and mind. And he let them seep deeper and deeper.

For her, for their children, he would. He would come back to her, even if it meant going through hell itself.

Blu clawed and clawed at the eagle, again and again. He had to give Jewel time to get into the house, then he could escape. Just a little longer, and then he could escape to the house as well. Just a little—

Something heavy slammed into the side of his head, sending him flying. Blu screamed as he hit a rock back-first, falling into the mud.

His head was aching, pounding as his ears rung, as white spots appeared in his vision. His wing, though—he wasn't sure if it was broken or not.

His feathers soaked and heavy with rainwater and mud, his body slowly giving into exhaustion, he stood to his talons.

He spotted the female eagle standing to her talons, slowly, its own plumage caked with mud. And when the eagle stood to its full height—

Blu cursed softly. There was blood pouring down the side of her face, neck and breast where the eye was slashed.

And the deep cuts he'd left with his talons along her whole face and neck… it looked as if the eagle had barely survived being eaten alive by a pack of dogs.

The female eagle gave Blu a glare that promised death for what he'd done.

And Blu, unconsciously, took a step back, his body hissing with the movement.

This eagle was longer here to hunt prey, it was here to kill him in the worst way possible.

The harpy eagle screeched as it charged at Blu, its wings wide, talons outstretched.

It took effort for him to dodge the eagle, his wing crying in pain, as was the rest of his body. He wouldn't be able to fly away, but he knew he was fast on his feet—thanks to all those years of being flightless.

Blu dodged left, in the eagle's blind spot, sprinting into the bushes and ferns. And in the corner of his vision, he saw the female stumble and fall flat on her face in the mud. He would've laughed at the sight, if it wasn't for the life-death situation he was in.

Instead, Blu took it as a sign that the eagle was still disorientated, from the impact of falling on its back and the loss of her eye.

But so was he, he realized, when he tripped over his foot and fell.

There was another screech—

The eagle was on top of him faster than he thought possible, diving for him.

He rolled to the side, pain biting his wing. He stood to his talons as fast as he could—

But then, he was pinned down to the ground, the eagle above him, its talons piercing deep into his back.

No. No.

He was able to turn his head enough to see the harpy eagle looking down at him with an unholy smile, its blood dripping on him.

The female was slow, so slow when she bent down and took one of Blu's wings in its beak, his bad wing, and turned and twisted in a gruesomely wrong direction. There was a snap.

Blu began screaming, his voice cracking, breaking.

The female smile widened as it stomped on that broken wing, again and again. And again.

And Blu's voice began to give out from the screaming.

A tear escaped his eye. Suddenly, he stopped feeling the pain, stopped feeling the coldness of the rain drenching his feathers, stopped feeling the mud crusting his plumage—and he started remembering. He remembered the love him and Jewel shared, every morning, every night, every second, cherishing it. He remembered the passion they shared—he remembered the look of joy on his mate's precious face when he told her he wanted a family—he remembered seeing the tears in her eyes, tears of joy, when Jewel looked at him and told him that he was the reason why she was able to find her happiness again—he remembered feeling the tears in his own eyes when he heard that Jewel was pregnant, he remembered how he exploded with happiness, and Jewel along with him. In such short seconds, every single loving and passionate moment he shared with the love of his life, his beautiful, dazzling jewel, flashed before him.

A reminder for him to not give up, to never give up. Because he wasn't ready to go, and he was going to be there for Jewel, even if he had to face the greatest horrors on earth

He would be there for her.

Blu's gaze went directly to the eagle's talons, which were pinning him down by his chest.

Blu bit into that talon with all his damn might, tasting blood. But he bit harder and harder.

The female screamed—screamed so loud that Blu felt his eardrum buzz.

He bit the eagle's talon long enough for it to fall on her back, completely losing her grip on him.

Blu stood to his talons, but this time, he did not run.

No fear infested his veins as he got on top of the eagle with five swift movements.

Those instincts to protect, those instincts to get back to his mate and comfort her completely took over as he stared at the one obstacle standing before him. Standing between him and his mate.

Blu's mind went black.

It was terrifying.

There was no kindness, no sympathy, no fear in the blue macaw's hazel eyes as he glared down at the harpy eagle, directly into its one eye.

The female eagle sat up, regaining her bearings. And when she did, the first thing she spotted was the blue macaw standing on her breast with deadly stillness. She saw it then, as the wind continued to howl, as the rain continued to pour, as the thunder continued to rage, she saw the look in those hazel eyes—that were seemingly glowing in the darkness of the jungle.

Pure feral, bloodlust.

The female began trembling in fear, began regretting everything she'd done. She felt it, that ominous sense of death, lurking, nearing, its smile wide and thirsty.

She knew she was wrong for torturing this macaw. He was only trying to protect his pregnant mate, who'd begged her to spare the lives of her children. Begged.

But she'd been so hungry from not eating for days and days that she barely heard the female macaw's pleas.

The blue spix macaw standing on top of her took a step closer, its talons piercing her skin, those vicious eyes pinning her down.

She couldn't move, couldn't breathe as she watched the macaw take one step after the other.

For what she did to that pregnant female, for what she did to this macaw before her, she deserved this fear—

And when the blue macaw took that final step, its talons at her neck, the eagle only managed to utter one word. "Please."

The blue macaw lunged.

He gripped her throat in his beak.

The female outright screamed in terror as her wings shot up, as her talons curled into the mud—

Blood sprayed as a large chunk of her throat was ripped out. She began squirming, clawing at her throat, her screams turning into gurgles. A failing attempt to take in air.

Blood pouring on the ground, pooling in her beak, her body began to still.

A tear escaped her eye as her world began to darken, as her body went cold. For what she did, she deserved this.

And then, her heart took its final pulse before it stopped.

Blu awoke with the taste of blood and flesh in his beak. He wasn't sure how long he was out, but since the storm was still raging, tearing at the canopy with violent gusts of wind, it must've not have been too long. The last thing he remembered was seeing the eagle falling on its back, writhing in pain—

Then, everything came back to him—Jewel escaping to Linda's house, him attacking the harpy eagle, the harpy eagle nearly killing him, breaking his wing…

Blu shot to his talons, swallowing the pain that flared in his wing. His eyes began darting in every direction before going to the hulking silhouette before him.

It was the harpy eagle, he realized, lying still in the mud, too still.

Blu neared the predator with a few, careful steps, the mud squelching beneath his talons.

And with every step he took, he could feel his heart pulse just a little faster.

He should just go straight to Jewel, comfort her while she lay their eggs, he shouldn't be worrying whether the harpy eagle was dead or not, but—

In the darkness of the storm, only small streams of light shown through the canopy. But… but it was just enough for Blu to see the female's corpse, to see the large chunk of her throat missing, the lingering expression of horror on her face… and the blood staining her plumage, painting it a red-black.

His eyes widened with horror, his beak gaping wide. It was then that he began to taste the blood in his mouth. It was then that he realized what he'd done.

The missing chunk of the female's throat—

Blu emptied his stomach in the mud, clutching his belly, retching.

He killed the eagle. He killed when he didn't have to, when he didn't want to.

The female could've been a mother, a mate, with a family waiting for her to return.

Blu vomited again.

A few minutes later, the harsh sounds of his retching began to calm. He glanced at the female harpy eagle one more time, his body shaking.

"I'm sorry," he said. And meant it.

His wing broken, his body aching, Blu turned his back and walked in the direction of Linda's house. And with every painful step he took, he prayed that Jewel was okay.

Jewel couldn't stop the tears that streamed down her face, couldn't stop the sobs slipping through her quivering beak as she flew, flew as fast as she could.

Linda's house was only a few yards away.

In the moment Blu saved her, attacked the female harpy eagle, pinning it down and shredding its face apart, she couldn't move.

She'd heard her instincts wailing at her, slamming itself into the walls of her mind, screaming, fly away now get to safety.

But she didn't listen.

For the first time in her life, she completely ignored her instincts. She wasn't going to leave her mate behind; she wasn't going to leave him to die.

And that was when her mate looked back at her and ordered her to run, to hide, to get to safety—to Linda's house.

No. No.

She didn't want to leave him. Jewel had tried to force a word out of her beak, tried to beg him to not do this. But it was as if something had wrapped itself around her beak and clamped it shut.

But something within her fought and clawed at whatever was keeping her silent. Fought until it broke through some barrier and reach out of her mind and body, reach out for him. And that thing she realized was her soul, reached out grabbed onto his.

Grabbed onto his soul and refused to let go.

Jewel felt the rage he felt, felt the panic, felt his instincts roaring at him to protect her, to protect their unborn kids. In those short seconds, Blu and Jewel were connected as one, in their hearts and minds.

And then the words she'd so desperately tried to say snaked through that tie between their souls, the bond.

No. I don't want to lose you. I love you.

A warmth came over her, as if he were right there, by her side, blanketing his wing around her, comforting her.

Despite the storm, despite the predator before her, despite the threat to both of their lives, Jewel calmed.

For our kids, Jewel. So, they can live.

And she understood, then. She understood the sacrifices they'd both have to make.

For their kids. For their kids, so they could live.

And then, she was spreading her wings, her feathers drenched and crusted with mud. Still, she took off with two beats of her wings, and she was flying through the rain and the wind, her mind only on getting herself, and her unborn kids to safety.

Pain still laced her body, pulsing with every flap of her wings, with every movement of her body. And by the time she made to it Linda's house, by the time she clumsily perched herself on the outer frame of the kitchen window sheal, her entire body was trembling.

It took effort for her to unlock the window, doing it the way Blu had taught her to by lifting the notch, and glided into the house. She didn't bother shutting the window, she knew she couldn't.

Jewel landed on the kitchen counter, dripping with rainwater—and blood. She looked down between her legs to see blood dripping from there. She felt it. The eggs were close, too close. She wouldn't be be able to hold it for long.

A scream sounded in the distance. Jewel whipped around, looking towards that open window, tears brimming at her eyes as she felt something in her chest go completely hollow. Because she recognized that scream, recognized that voice.

Blu…

The scream sounded again, but this time it was strained, breaking. His voice was giving out.

Jewel placed a wing over her beak and closed her eyes as a sob came out of her. For a moment, she stopped feeling her labor pains.

Blu, her mate… her everything… he was gone.

She began to feel a new kind of pain, a pain she knew she would feel whenever she woke up in the morning to see the other side of her nest empty, cold.

For our kids, Jewel, so they can live.

Later, she told herself. She would be able to mourn his death later. For now, all that mattered was her kids, if she died from laboring them or no.

Pain shot through her again.

Her eyes began darting, looking for anything—anything she could use to lay her eggs safely.

Blu is gone. I'm never going to see him again. I'll never be able to tell him how much I love him…

It was painful to push that thought aside.

Another tear streamed down her cheek.

For Blu, she would try her hardest to.

Jewel suddenly remembered the nest Linda had crafted for her and Blu—made with a little, wooden basket and a white cloth—in case they ever wanted to sleep over.

Blu is gone.

The living room was right across from the kitchen.

Jewel looked towards it and spotted the nest on an oak wood coffee table that sat right in front of the fireplace—which was still going (Tulio must've left it on, being too tired from work to turn it off)—a blue couch on either side of it.

She was relieved that the fireplace was on. None of the other lights in the house were on, and she was sure she didn't have the strength to reach for one of the light switches.

Jewel clamped her beak shut as she felt that burning sensation between her legs flare. She almost fell over from the pain.

He's dead, he's gone.

Blood drippled onto the kitchen counter.

The eggs were too close.

Always keep steady, deep breaths, was something she'd heard her mother say a million times over to female macaws.

Jewel breathed and breathed; her eyes closed tight as she waited for the pain to simmer down.

A minute later, and it did.

Jewel was still shaking as she looked to the living room, to the nest sitting on that coffee table. She wasn't far, only a few yards away.

She spread her wings once more, one final time, feeling her whole body screaming with the motion.

Blu is gone. Blu is gone.

A sob caught her throat as she ran as fast as she could towards the edge of the kitchen counter and took off, gliding unsteadily.

The kids will never be able to see their father.

Her vision went blurry as she flew, as her eyes beginning to burn once more. This emptiness within her, it was something that lashed at her like a whip, bringing pain to her that was unfeeling to anything.

The one she most loved in this world, the one who brought her happiness and joy after fifteen years of being lost, was gone. Dead.

A tear streamed down her cheek. Jewel banked left, gliding past a lantern. A sob escaped her.

I loved him, I loved him with all my heart.

Jewel tilted forward, slowing herself as she landed on the coffee table. When her talons touched the dark, wooden surface, she realized she hadn't slowed herself down enough to land properly.

She lost her balance, but she twisted herself around, falling on her back. It was agony to pick herself up again, but she did.

Blood began dripping on the wooden surface.

She breathed heavily as she clutched her belly. She waited for the pain to go away, but it didn't. It continued to pulse, becoming heavier, becoming unbearable, so much so that Jewel couldn't move.

The basket/nest was right in front of her, but she couldn't move. She could feel her heart ripping at her chest, her entire body shaking.

A small puddle of blood was forming beneath her.

She couldn't move, and the pain was becoming worse—and worse and worse and worse

Jewel screamed.

SCREAMED

She couldn't take it anymore. She was going to die.

…She was going to die…

She could feel it, with the wobbling of her legs and the pounding in her skull.

For our kids, Jewel, so they can live.

She had to make it, for their kids. She had to keep going, she couldn't give up.

She refused to give up.

Jewel breathed—breathed, breathed, breathed, breathed, breathed, breathed, breathed, breathed, breathed, breathed, breathed, breathed and breathed.

She willed one step forward through the pain. The basket was right in front of her. She could make it, if she just pushed—

But then—

Without warning, the first egg slid out of her. And the pain that came next—

Jewel's world went black.

Blu scaled up the wooden siding of Linda's house, his talons and beak hooking, gripping onto every crack in the wood. His gaze was locked onto the kitchen window the whole time.

He was exhausted, so damn exhausted—from flying at full speed in the rain and fighting for his life against the harpy eagle. Some weak, pathetic part of him wanted to give up, to lose his grip on the siding and fall.

But…

Come back to me, Blu.

Those words she had spoken to him, soul to soul, mind to mind, gave him strength, gave him a reason to push forward.

But his broken wing hung slack at his side, throbbing terribly, leaving him unbalanced as he climbed. It was like carrying a heavy weight.

He had to keep going, he had to keep pushing.

Blu reached for the next siding, a small chip in its surface. But the rain and the wind—

Blu let out a yelp as he lost his grip, as he began to fall.

But he managed to hook his beak on a siding, catching himself.

He let out a relieved breath.

But he was so exhausted, so, so tired.

Come back to me, Blu.

A tear streamed down his cheek.

He had to keep going.

Blu lifted his talons, gripping onto the next small crack he could find. Years of climbing had him spotting the next chip in the siding easily. He'd hook his beak on the crack first and then bring his talons up.

He repeated that motion, over and over.

The wind let out a howl, but he didn't lose his grip on the siding, not for a second.

Come back to me, Blu.

He kept going, kept climbing and climbing, until he finally reached the outer frame of the window seal.

He was panting, his vision swimming, his heart racing, his legs wobbling.

The window had been left wide open, allowing for the wind to blow leafs and twigs into the kitchen.

Blu took a step forward. There were no lights on inside the house, save for the fireplace burning inside the living room. Tulio must've left it on again.

He took another step inside.

He was scanning the living room, looking at the two twin couches and the oak wood coffee table, all placed in front of the fire.

But what Blu saw next…

He didn't want to believe it, didn't want to accept it.

Jewel lay still on the coffee table, a small portion of her feathers stained in crimson from the small puddle of blood beneath her.

And the egg laying beside her, its shell crusted with blood—

In that moment, Blu forgot he had a broken wing as he outstretched them both, his flight feathers spreading wide.

The next second, he was gliding through the kitchen and to the living room.

He landed on the coffee table with an impact that had him crying out in pain, but he picked himself back up and ran to her.

Ran to her with the little strength he had left before he fell on his knees and took his mate in his wing.

He held her close to his chest with his wing, tucking his beak into her crest. It was awhile before Blu dared lowered her head down to her chest and listened.

He sobbed when he heard the beating of her heart.

A tear dripped onto the oak wood surface.

He whispered 'thank you' repeatedly, holding her close to him.

She was alive. She was alive.

But –

Blu looked over to the egg laying only inches from them.

They weren't done yet.

With his broken wing, he knew there was no way he could get Jewel inside the basket without hurting her.

He suddenly clenched his beak, his injuries throbbing with pain. And fatigue hit him full force, the one wing holding Jewel trembling.

No, he wouldn't be able to move Jewel into the basket. He wasn't even sure if he would be able to move himself into the basket—or the egg.

He was too bruised, too cut up, too damaged to move anymore.

Still, if he had to, he was sure he could.

Blu let out a grunt as he prepared to outstretch his broken wing again. Just one more time. He moved it just an inch and the bone popped, groaned. '

A yelp of pain escaped him, but he didn't allow himself to give up. He continued to move it, inch by inch, the agony of it like a butcher's knife.

Then, the living room light flicked on, bright and blinding.

Blu blinked a few times, regaining his bearings.

In the corner of his vision, he saw a large figure standing behind them. He whirled as best he could, tightening his grip on Jewel as those protective instincts came to life. But he calmed when he saw the human standing at the other end of the living room, right in the entrance that lead to the dinning room.

Linda.

Linda was completely silent as she stiffly walked up to the two macaws, her eyes wide and her mouth gaped.

She looked over his drenched and muddy feathers, the small blood stains in them. She looked over his broken, disfigured wing, looked over the scratch marks on the coffee table and the small puddle of blood beneath them.

Linda took a few more steps and tilted her head. She clamped her hands over her mouth when she saw Jewel unconscious in his wings.

"Oh my god," she gasped.

"Tulio," Linda yelled, whirling. "Tulio, it's Jewel and Blu."

Seconds later, there were light footsteps racing through the house, right to the living room.

And when Tulio got to them, when he saw Blu's wing, Jewel's unconscious body and the egg laying beside them, he only said, "Linda, get the car started."

Linda raced out the house, snatching her coat from the coatrack beside the font door before racing out into the raging storm.

Tulio eyes stayed locked onto the spix macaws as he got on his knees and took the egg in his hand, carefully placing it in the basket.

He took Blu in his hands next, placing him in the basket. And Blu didn't waste a second before he gingerly sat on the egg, keeping it warm.

Tulio placed Jewel in the basket, right beside her mate.

Blu placed her head on his chest, draping his good wing over her, resting his head on hers. He gave Tulio a look that said, 'thank you'.

He must've understood what that look meant, because he nodded, a smile on his face. "I'll make sure to get to work on your wing as soon as I can, Blu."

Blu let out a small squawk of thanks before closing his eyes, his body finally giving into exhaustion.

Tulio could only stare at the sleeping forms of the two spix macaws, his expression filled with shock—and sympathy. The mud and the blood and the scratch marks on their bodies… He could only imagine what they'd just been through.

"You're both safe now," was all he said, getting back to his feet.

Quickly, he grabbed a small blanket sprawled out on the couch, putting it over the basket, a perfect cover from the rain.

Tulio was thankful for the tall, looping handle on the basket, which kept the blanket elevated.

He took the basket in two hands to the front door, grabbing his coat before walking out the house and into the rain.

He was awoken by the familiar reverberations of a moving car and the pattering of rain on a windshield. He opened his eyes enough to see he was in the passenger seat of a car.

It was painful, but he managed to look down at the sleeping form of his mate, cuddled beneath his wing. He could feel her entire body quivering, badly, and he could hear her whimpering in her sleep.

He rested his head on top of his mate's once more, blackness slowly engulfing his vision.

"His wing is completely broken, Tulio," he heard a feminine voice say—Linda. The voice seemed very close as well. She was probably holding them in her lap.

"I know, Linda." A male voice said. He couldn't identify it. "I just hope the injury isn't as bad as it looks."

He awoke inside a building that was mostly painted white, bird cages and medical tools everywhere. He looked down to his slumbering mate, making sure she was still there, beneath his wing, safe.

Her shivering had stopped, but the whimpers hadn't.

He suddenly felt a pair of soft hands squeeze around his body and pick him up. When he realized the hands were carrying him away from his mate, his eggs, he began squawking and squirming violently.

Every movement hurt, but he could see his mate beginning to shiver, could see her expression scrunch up into one of fear and terror at his absence. The sight of it tore at him.

"She's going to be alright, Blu." That same male voice said. "We need to treat your wing first."

An unfamiliar female voice sounded. "Tulio… Jewel... the eggs! She laid them in her sleep."

He didn't remember passing out.

He awoke to see a bright light shining directly in his eyes. He saw dark-skinned females and males dressed in white clothes, wearing white mask over their mouths probing at his wing.

His entire body felt numb, weak. He couldn't move a limb, couldn't even speak.

Fear spread through him—

His world went black.

She was someplace where everything, but nothing existed, she was in a place where her nightmares lurked in the darkness, anxious to get its grip on her. And it had.

It was straggling her with a grip that was iron, unforgiving as it made her hear the screams of her mate, made her look into the yellow eyes of the harpy eagle, as it made her smell blood and tears constantly, again and again.

She was nothing, she was no one. She had no physical body, yet she could feel and hear and smell and taste her nightmares. She couldn't fight against whatever was holding her here. She could only scream, scream as that thing pulled her deeper and deeper into the pit of her nightmares, laughing as she screamed and sobbed and cried for anyone to help her.

Her mate's screams sounded again.

And she screamed as well, screamed as the pain in her heart swelled, as the realization dawned upon her over and over.

Her mate was dead.

Blu. He was gone. He was never coming back.

Then, she heard a whisper come from everywhere and nowhere. Look. Look. Look!

She looked, and what she saw broke her. It was an image—no, a vision—of her sleeping, tucked beneath her mate's wing, a smile of contentment on her face.

The whispers turned to laughter as her heart continued to swell and swell.

She saw Blu looking down at her sleeping form, the smile curved on his beak was full of warmth and love. He whispered something that she couldn't hear—that she wasn't allowed to hear—before he planted a kiss on her crest.

Blu rested his head on top of hers, falling into the sweet embrace of sleep.

She could nothing but sob and sob, and the thing inside her only laughed and laughed.

The vision vanished as fast as it came, replaced by those hounding nightmares, which slowly devoured her.

A taunt—the vison she'd seen was a taunt, a reminder of what she'd lost and would never get back.

Alone. She was alone again, and the nightmares, the pain and the sorrow were the only things she had left.

So, Jewel continued to scream, continued to let herself be dragged deeper into that pit until she knew there was no escaping—not now, not ever.

And the thing inside her continued to laugh and mock her, taught her how to envelope herself in her nightmares, to find comfort in them.

She had nothing left, she was alone.

Before she even awoke, everything came back to her. The harpy eagle, her labor pains, the eggs, her mate—it all came to her in a flash of memory.

Jewel's eyes shot open; she didn't dare move. She scanned her surroundings and immediately knew where she was.

It was the hollow of the artificial jungle, where she first met Blu. Every emotion she'd felt that night, it all came back to her.

And for a moment, Jewel truly thought that her mate was gone, that he'd died giving his life for his family—

But then, she felt him.

The calm, soothing rhythm of his heart, the feeling of his soft, rich feathers entwining with hers, the fresh, delightful scent of him and the wing enveloping her, keeping her safe, warm. She didn't have to look at him to know.

She nuzzled her head into his chest, a soft sob coming out of her as she did.

Blu—he was alive.

Come back to me, Blu.

It had been a plea, a plea to keep that promise. A promise that he would come back to her. And he kept that promise, must've clung onto it with every inch of his being.

A tear escaped her eye, staining her mate's feathery chest. A smile curved on her beak. Blu was alive, he had survived—for her, for their family.

Still, some part of her didn't want to believe this was real, that everything she was feeling right now was a dream, and nothing else. She half waited for the feel, for the smell of her mate to disappear and be replaced by the cold, unforgiving grip of loneliness.

But when she felt Blu plant a kiss on her crest and whispered, "I'm here, Jewel," as if he'd heard her sob, as if he'd seen her tears, she knew.

He was alive.

Slowly, so slowly, she lifted her head from his chest, titling her head up to look at him, to truly look at him—

Turquoise met hazel. And Jewel said, in a mewling voice, "I know." And then she kissed him, kissed him with all the love she could give. Blu pulled her in tighter with his wing, deepening the kiss, slipping his tongue into her beak.

Jewel unconsciously moaned, her body calmed, loosening, giving her mate permission to lead, to pleasure her however he wanted to—

Her eyes went wide with terror as she pulled away from the kiss. "Blu," she breathed. "The eggs… where are the eggs."

Blu, who, for a second, was majorly confused, smiled. He stood to his talons, revealing the three, white orbs beneath him. "I took the pleasure of keeping our eggs warm while you were asleep."

She gasped, her expression filled with happiness, with joy. "They're beautiful," was all she could say. Their kids, their family.

It was a dream she had since the day she lost her home, a little glimmer of hope that she held onto day after day of being alone in the jungle: to find a mate who loved ber for all of her flaws, for all of her best qualities, and start a life together.

Blu had given that to her whole heartily. He gave her that dream to her, even sacrificed his life for it, so she and the kids could live happy, peacefully. Tears were forming in her eyes again, and one even escaped.

She looked up at Blu, her mate. This handsome, selfless bird… what did she do to deserve him.

And to think, only a few hours ago, she had almost lost him.

Blu sat back down on the eggs, seeing her expression. There was concern on his handsome face, concern for her.

But Jewel didn't let him say one word before she kissed him again, practically throwing herself on him.

Her mate's body tensed as a sound of surprise came out of him, his body tensing as he fought to keep himself from falling out the nest, taking her with him.

Still, despite the rough start, the kiss was soft, gentle… caring.

She shivered as her mate ran his wing up her back and to her crest, stroking them with that same gentleness.

A soft sound came out of her at his touch, her body snuggling closer to his, wanting to feel every inch of him against her.

I love you, Jewel. His words echoed through her mind, through her soul. Maybe some part of her was still connected to him, linking their minds.

But in this moment, she didn't care.

She strapped her wings around her mate's neck, further deepening the kiss, slipping her tongue into her mate's beak.

She moaned deeply as Blu did the same to her, tasting every inch of her beak.

Even if I were to die right here, even if this world were to end, I would still love you, I would cherish you for everything that you are to the end—and beyond.

God, what did she do to deserve a bird with such a beautiful heart?

Slowly, gracefully, she broke the kiss, nuzzling her beak against his, eyes closed. She rested her head on his chest, taking in a deep breath.

But then, she opened her eyes, and it was then that she saw the white cast on Blu's other wing.

Blu's screams rang in the back of her head, sending shivers down her back.

Dread pooled in her stomach, whirling.

She was on the verge of sobbing when she nuzzled his chest, her beak quivering. And after a long moment of silence, she said, her voice cracking, "you came back to me." It was the only words she could say, the only words she could think of.

He'd came back to her and had probably fought like hell to do it.

And then, "I killed her."

Turquoise eyes shot up.

He must've seen her glancing at his cast. Her mate continued, staring out blankly as he said, "That eagle… she could've had a mate and chicks waiting for her to return home, the same way you had me, and I—"

His beak began quivering. "And I—I killed her."

There was a look of complete shock on Jewel's face, and just a small amount of horror. Blu—her Blu, who wouldn't harm a single soul—had killed. No, he had killed an apex predator. Any other male of her once-tribe would've boasted about the kill for the rest of their years, would've worn its talons as trophy.

She could already name a few males who would've.

But Blu was different. He was so much more different than all the males she knew in her life, including her father.

He was humble and compassionate and selfless and brave; it was why she fell in so deeply in love with him.

He was everything she wanted in life. He proved that to her a long time ago, when she was falling towards the ocean with a broken wing, with no hope of surviving. In that moment, her only regret was that she would never be able to have a family with Blu, would never be able to have children of her own. And she prayed, prayed with all her heart that she would get a second chance, she prayed that she would be able to live out the rest of her days happy with a family. And then suddenly he was there, his wings wrapped around her, holding her close to him in mid-air.

She didn't even remember what she said to him in the moment she realized he was willing to die with her. She only remember the words he spoke to her that day, the words that bonded their souls together for eternity.

We're chained-to-each-other birds, remember?

Blu hung his head low, his expression in one of agony. "I killed her." She wasn't sure if he was talking to her or musing.

But she said, "For our family, Blu, so they can live."

She felt him raise his head just slightly.

She lifted her own head from his chest, gazing up at him, putting a wingtip on his chin to meet his gaze. "You're not a killer, Blu. You're not a murderer. You did what any father should do and protect his family."

He went silent, his eyes never leaving hers.

"You protected us, Blu." Her eyes went down to the eggs he sat on. "And you made sure we made it out of there safely." She extended her neck, kissing her mate on the beak. "I couldn't have asked for a better mate, a better father for our children. Because I know you'll protect us, even if it means giving your own life."

A small smile curved on his beak.

Jewel lay her head on his chest. She took in a deep breath, exhaling. "Though, I would like it if you left that last part out," she said in a brighter tone. "Someone is going to have to keep me warm at night, you know."

A small chuckle.

Jewel smiled at the sound.

"Then I'll be sure to skip the self-sacrificing part next time and get straight to the rescuing."

A chuckle from her as well. "I love you, Blu."

He rested his head on top of hers, a wide, contempt smile on his beak. "I love you, too, Jewel."

Tears formed in her eyes at the sound of those words, words she thought would never be spoken to her again.

Blu was alive. He was alive.

Fragments of her nightmare conjured in the deep crevices of her mind, but she burned them away with the hope that was restored to her. Hope that she could truly have a family, hope that she would never be alone, hope that she would always be loved.

She wanted to make love to him, she wanted to kiss him and feel every inch of him, wanted to moan his name. But now, what she truly wanted, was to sleep with him by her side, knowing that he was alive, knowing that her eggs were warm and healthy. So, Jewel said, "now shut your big beak and cuddle me, handsome."

He gave her a gentle kiss on her curly crest. "I would be more than happy to, my angel."

They held each other close the hours they slept, peacefully, small smiles curved on their beaks.

The horrors they had faced that night would remain with them for the rest of their lives, but they both knew it would only serve in making them stronger as mates.

Despite all that, their dreams were calm and bright, dreams of each other, and the family they would eventually share.

The next morning, Jewel woke up to Blu preening her crest feathers smoothly, gingerly. She preened the feathers on his neck, and right below his beak, showing her own love for him. Soon, they were on the ground of the artificial jungle, ravaging each other with their wings.

Then, Jewel moaned. And that morning, they made love to each other, twice. Passionate, true—that was what their lovemaking had been. A reminder that they had made it through together, a reminder that they would always be together. And as they lay in their nest, holding each other in their wings, a single thought passed between that link in their souls.

You came back to me.