Everything that happened next was a blur. Orton's claws had swiped at Zira's eyes causing the jaguar to yelp and try to rub the discomfort away with a paw the moment Orton pulled away. The kakapo/kea hybrid swiftly landed to see to the two spix teenagers with worry. "Are you two alright? Did she hurt you?"

His alarmed gaze fell on Diaglo who was just starting to regain consciousness. Vivian had given him back his glasses and Diaglo tried to stand, with effort due to his freshly wounded lower back. "I'm okay," He affirmed, taking a look at his back with a cringe.

Zira's teeth hadn't sunk into Diaglo's flesh but rather it caught his plumage. In the brutal swing, she had torn the unlucky feathers of the region straight off and the bald patch left behind had some reddening and a bit of bleeding from feathers being harshly torn off. Vivian gasped at the injury but Orton had remained calm. "Don't worry. Our healers can help with that," The elder second leader consoled before the peace was interrupted by the recovered Zira.

Orton narrowed his eyes at the predator and he had urged the two teenagers to go into the leafy shrubs near them. He can't let them get in what he's about to do next. "Viv. You and Diaglo, get out of here. Now." His feathers were rising and his eyes suddenly appeared dangerous as he glared at the jaguar. "Leave while you still can. I'll deal with Zira from here."

Vivian and Diaglo looked confused, and then it dawned upon them was Orton was about to do with the advancing leopard. Vivian's face especially darkened as she remembered a past moment; One that had happened recently with Vinnie and Balthazar, even though she had her doubts. "We can't… Orton! No!" Her protest came too late for Zira had roared and Orton screeched; The two colliding into each other head on with talons to claws, beak to jaws.

Not long after that came a mix of growling and squawking in the air. But most of it was squawking as Orton attacked Zira from the air with his bare three-toed talons. The bird's aim and attacks were sharper and quicker, but Zira's attacks were strong. Every single hit or swipe from her paws were enough to cause Orton to shed some feathers and some of them are even falling off as he still fought mercilessly against the jaguar.

The longer this went on, the more badly Vivian wanted to get in there and fight. But Diaglo in his state of panic, held her back. "We can't fight him.. We can't let him fight alone but the two of you can't either! Zira will kill you both!" Diaglo cried, referencing the recent deaths of Vinnie and Balthazar. Vivian stared at him in despair. "How would you know that Zira really killed them? You saw their bodies - It doesn't look like she's eaten them!" She protested.

But Diaglo refused to let her go. "Well true or not, I'm not letting you go. I can't lose you!" He cried this out, and Vivian stiffened, a bit of emotion filling in her eyes. 'I can't lose you.' They had only known each other for days and Diaglo was already attached to her. Vivian let out a quiet sigh and was about to speak. But was interrupted by a cry of agony followed by feathers in the air. Zira had gotten the chance to grab Orton by the tail feathers with her jaws and swung the kakapo/kea hybrid against a tree; The exact maneuver she used on Diaglo.

Orton was stunned from the blow and he was so close to breaking his neck from the throw. Fortunately it was his side that smacked against the tree trunk but the force of Zira's swing knocked the wind out of him. The second leader slid down the trunk and laid sprawled against it - Zira saw her downed kill and roared in hungered victory. This time her movements were quick as she was determined to get her prey this time.

The two teenagers looked on in extreme horror and they knew they had to act fast. Vivian was wailing for the second leader. "Orton!" She tried to go to him and Diaglo, instinct to defend washing over him, had spread his wings in readying to spring at Zira to get her away from the downed parrot. She stopped just before Orton and opened her jaws in readying to break his neck for the killing blow; Making Vivian even more hysterical and Diaglo extremely angry. For the first time, he let out a hiss and was about to attack the jaguar. But something happened.

A huge, dark navy blue macaw that's greatly bigger than Diaglo and Vivian combined, had seen his dear friend get attacked and he released a screech of pure fury. This noise made Zira stiffen and she looked petrified. She didn't react in time and was howling in pain the moment the hyacinth macaw got to her.

Diaglo and Vivian gasped and backed away when Zira had stumbled in their direction as she was viciously attacked even more so than when Orton did earlier. The hyacinth macaw that fought was near black and matching the night sky and his eyes were icy blue surrounded with pale yellow rings that sagged beneath from age and lack of sleep.

Vivian knew only one such hyacinth with feathers as dark and she mouthed in a whisper. "Nicholas.." She didn't get to say more because of Diaglo tugging her urgently. The both of them paused to Zira and Nicholas bringing their fight away from them and got to reach Orton, who was groaning and sliding a wing to his head. "Orton.. Are you okay?" Vivian whispered.

The older parrot opened his eyes at Vivian's words and he nodded feebly. "I'm fine.." He got up with the two blue teenagers helping him up. Diaglo had scanned Orton's tail for any harsh plucking but found none, which relieved him. His own wound stung like it should and he's glad Orton didn't have that.

"We were so worried.. We couldn't leave you to fight against Zira." Diaglo murmured and gazed at Vivian who had visible distraught in her eyes. "You were almost.. I was about to attack Zira myself but still, had Nicholas not arrived…" He averted his gaze and Orton comprehended things. He stood in emotional silence as his eyes swelled with gratefulness.. And guilt. "Nicky... He came here, and saved me? And after I yelled at him.."

The two spixes were about to answer, but a fierce roar sounded from near them and there was the sound of impact and a pained squawk. That agonized voice reached Orton's ears and it sent his feathers on an end. Silence came after that. But there was the sound of paws padding against ground as Zira ran off.