Fight or Flight (InfiniteChaos & JJRose)

[InfiniteChaos]

A Roleplay involving me, and JJRose


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For every animal there is a story...


Some begin at the beginning of their life, where they are always destined to be something with their life... Like a star...


Rio De Janeiro Zoo November 30th 2012

"Everybody put your wings together, for the most rarest of all Macaws." An announcer called out as the audience cheered on. "How rare, do you ask?" the announced asked. "How does being the last one sound?" he once again questioned. "For we have a real treat for you..." he began.


A door opened near the top of a small cliffwall and a large Macaw took off from it spreading it's wings wide as you can see the white feathers with golden tips flying around the audience in a circle. "Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting. Diego!" The announcer called out, and the audience cheered on louder as Diego, a White and Gold Macaw landed on the announcers arm spreading his wings wide.


Diego was the star of a Bird show at the Rio De Janeiro Zoo. Though that wasn't where his story began... His story, began later that evening.

All Macaw species live under the same building, with a large vast artificial jungle inside of it. This is what Diego called home... Sure it wasn't real. But it was better than a white walled room that just made his golden feathers compliment him more. 


The Macaw was one of the most liked, in the human world, and in the bird world. Any and everyone that have heard about the city of Rio have heard about Diego at one point or another. He is the Icon of the city. The star. One of the most famous birds in the world. 


It comes with a price though... As he is one of the rarest birds in the world, he is also the most priced bird in the bird smuggling world. Anyone who could manage to capture Diego, uninjured could end up getting upwards of thousands, if not, even a few million United States dollars. Diego is one of those. 'Last of His Species' birds. Where as for Humans, he is the last White and Gold Macaw to be known to exist as of November of 2012. And it was the last day that the White and Gold Macaw was known to exist (for now...)


After the late night hours of the Zoo being closed, the city still bustling with traffic and sales of merchants on the streets. Two men managed to break into the Macaw habitat and took Diego away without anyone noticing. Not one Macaw. Not one human. Not even a Zoo camera captured the theft of the beloved bird of Rio. These bird nappers knew what they were doing... They took Diego by the beak , holding it shut. He couldn't screech out for help, he couldn't fuss as they also took hold of his wings around his body. He wasn't able to move. Wasn't able to ask for help as he was taken away from his only home of 16 years... 

A 35 minute drive from the Rio Zoo to the Airport and Diego was leaving the city of Rio. His forever home now disappearing behind the mountains and jungles surrounding the city. Another 4 hour flight in the Cargo bay of an Airplane. Cold, shivering. Diego was nervous. What was happening to him? Had the stories finally come true and he was now apart of the bird smuggling ring? He looked at his wings and sighed. He was the last one. That was the only thing running through his mind. He was the only one left. There was no way he would find someone like him ever again... 


Once the plane had landed, he was taken away from an unknown city. Into the jungle. Wherever he was going, it was far away from anywhere he ever knew. The best Diego could see was from a small hole in the grey fabric hiding him from the outside world...

They drove, and drove. The sun was beginning to come up before the vehicle was finally coming to a slow stop. Chainsaws can be heard. the rumbling of Diesel fueled equipment and backing up sirens filled the air. Soon Diego's cage started to move causing him to loose balance and fall over... He regained his balance though, and stood up in the cage looking out through the hole trying to see what was going on. All he could see was a vehicle that he was once in moving away from him, with a large forest behind that.

"Boss." a voice stated from one of the men walking with Diego. "We got him." He stated with a smirk as he placed Diego's cage onto a table in front of a man with a Black suit on. He looked at the grey fabric hiding Diego from him and he then looked at the two men. "Excellent..." He stated, his voice almost rash from years of smoking cigars. The boss grabbed the fabric and threw it off. and Diego's world went white as the light shined against him. 


His golden feathers glistened in the sunlight like glitter as he hid his face from the light for a moment before looking up at the man that was looking down at him with a very evil smirk like he's a child getting his favourite Christmas toy of all time. "Very excellent...." He spoke looking into Diego's eyes. 


The two men that took Diego to begin with were standing close to each other a little bit away to allow the boss some room to look over Diego. 


Fight... or Fly away... What should Diego do... Well, he couldn't really fly away right now. He looked at the lock of the cage and then back up at the boss as he kept looking over Diego before the Boss placed his hand onto the lock and was ready to grab Diego. Diego moved closer to the cage door before backing up a bit looking at the boss again. This was his chance... His only chance. He had to take it...

As soon as the boss tossed the door open and tried to grab Diego, he missed and Diego urgently got him self out of the cage and took off into the air, his heart racing. Fight or flight, fight or Flight... His response was kicking in, his only move was flight. 


White and Gold Macaws... the largest, tallest, and fastest Macaws in the world... Diego certainly showed them. He took off north of the camp they were in. Which was a large tree-logging company in the Amazon. 

The Boss and the men were yelling at Diego to come back. There was no way in that happening. Even when the boss threw his hat down in a fit of rage and looked at the two men. "You BETTER find him!" He yelled to them and they both backed up a little bit. "NOW!" he yelled even louder and the men scrambled quickly to get back to the car.


Diego kept flying, and flying. Getting away from the camp. An explosion came from nearly in front of him that startled him. It sounded like it came from behind him, but it wasn't. It was in front of him. As he looked back to try to find it, he couldn't see what it was. Then he looked forward and saw a tree coming down right near him. He scrambled to try to make a right winged bank but the branches of the tree caught him and he went down with the tree. Landing about 45 feet away from where the tree fell. He was in pain. And a lot of it. The tree hit his wing causing it to fracture in two places.

He was in the most vulnerable place too. The Amazon forest floor. Where predators are everywhere... Diego was lost now. In the middle of the largest rainforest in the world 

 

[TheMysticNymph]

Sunbeams streamed down through the large leafy trees of the rainforest. The rays could not even make it to the forest floor below, leaving the ground cold and almost dark enough to be considered night. But it wasn't night, this could be told by the sounds amongst the trees. Bugs whirring around the large flowers, that bloomed leaving pungent perfumes around the entire forest. Frogs leaped from tree to tree looking for such bugs to feast upon. Then there were the birds, squawking, cawing and chirping. Fluttering their wings to release the morning dew that had fallen on their still forms in the night. 


One such bird had been awake for some time, listening, always listening. Zuramae was perched high in the tree tops bathing in the morning rays of sun. She witnessed the others of her little flock begin to awaken and stretch out their wings, soon to take flight into the new day. 


Her flock consisted of many different bird types, driven away from their homes. Trees were falling every day in the forest, and more and more and time went on. Leaving dozens of birds with no homes, no families. 


Zura was different from these birds, something that used to disturb her, but no longer plagued her mind. She was a macaw, a beautiful white and gold macaw. The bird was not aware that her species was extremely rare, she had no family to explain to her such things. The only family she really had, was her crazy auntie who could also be very wise when Zura needed it the most. 


She lifted her wings to shake herself and stretch out. She always took a morning fly over her small territory. Territory away from the falling trees and it was growing smaller and smaller. 


She leaped off her wooden perch and soared into the air, she could not imagine being flightless the air and the wind made this bird feel so free it was exhilarating. 


Zura flapped and swooped through the trees enjoying herself, she swopped further down near to the forest floor. This time of day was the best time to look for breakfast beetles and worms were ripe for the picking. She found a safe log to land on and began her search for some grubs. 

 

[InfiniteChaos]

Of course the day would get worse. Diego thought to himself as he looked around. You and your big mouth just had to think about it. Lost a home, and now you can't fly. Look at you. Look at where you are. You're not built for this type of conditions... At least, well. You're suppose too but you haven't lived in a jungle at all in your sad miserable showbird life. He grunted slightly as he felt the pain returning to his wing again as he tried to get moving again. He just needed to get away from the area. He lost where he was going too, so hopefully he was still going the right way.


You're on the ground level of a jungle floor. The only things that are going to find you, are things that are wanting to eat you. He thought again. Just adding insult to injury for him. He needed to get off the floor, onto higher ground so he could get help maybe. Who's going to help him. Do they even speak a different language here? He wasn't that great with geography after all. Not the best navigator, unless it's nighttime where he can see the stars. That was it...

He felt his stomach growl lightly at him. Just another thing to add to his ever growing list of issues that have happened in the last 12 hours. Home lost, wing broken, hunger growin'. 

 

[TheMysticNymph]

It was slim pickings in this area. Even with the recent rainfall, there were barely any grubs here. Zura decided it would be better to try elsewhere. 


It was pretty risky to be close to the floor like this, but she liked taking risks. To her loving a safe easy life was no life at all. But with the trees beginning to fall, life would almost become impossible. 


She hopped up and started flapping her beautiful gold tipped wings, if there wasn't food to be found in here she could always try the beach on the outskirts of the jungle. 


Most of the birds feared the water. They also feared the wide open space without a place fly and hide it. The river was full of undesirable danger, but the snails and worms that burrowed there always grew fatter than anything else in the jungle. 


Taking flight she scanned around once more, from her peripheral she caught a glimpse of something glinting. She thought she was mistaken at first but then it happened a second time. 


Hoping for some sort of food, she flew over and landed in the dirt gracefully. When her gaze fully focused she realized it wasn't food at all. It was another bird, and it looked exactly like her. 

 

[InfiniteChaos]

Diego grumbled lightly as he tried to get him self comfortable with his fractured wing. Hopefully it'll heal quick, and that he can be on his way... though who knows how long that would be. 

He looked around at the ground, he may as well try to figure out something to eat, that'll take one thing off his mind. As well as everything else... He moved to a slightly more open area to the sky as he looked around at the ground quietly. He heard what he believed to be wings flapping higher into the sky, but he paid no mind to it. Probably one of those smaller birds looking around. 

Soon he heard them come closer and then they stopped. He raised an eyebrow and then looked back behind him, and just watched. He looked, looked over the entire bird that landed in front of him. White feathers... Golden wing tips.... White tail features though, but the bird had more gold on it's chest and face area. It was another one. He didn't say anything. Didn't think anything. He just looked. All this time, he thought he was the only one... He wasn't...

 

[TheMysticNymph]

Zura had always been the off bird out in this jungle, there were birds of all colors, all shapes, all sizes. But none had ever looked like her that she'd come across. She cocked her head to one side and clicked her beak together. 


The bird before her was obviously injured, she couldn't think of any other reason a great animal like them would want to be laying on the ground. Unless they had a severe death wish. She took a small step forward and extended her neck eyeing the bird. 


Where did it come from? Did its home get destroyed like the many others she had taken in? 


Zura took another small step forward and fluttered her wings a bit. Maybe she could help it, at least get the poor thing to some sort of shelter until it was healed properly.  


Two more steps and she was in pecking distance, she had no desire to harm the largest bird and she had her wings at the ready for a speedy escape. 


"Do you need any assistance?" She asked calmly. Her voice was heavy, like someone speaking with a prominent accent. Specifically a South American accent, it was soothing however and very sweet. 


Zura shifted on her scaly feet assessing the other bird with mild caution. 

 

[InfiniteChaos]

Diego watched as the bird came closer to him. He took one small step back when the Macaw was closer to him. Then the bird spoke. It was a female. That may explain why she was similar to him, but also a little bit different...

He looked at his fractured wing before looking back up at her. "Yes..." He spoke kind of softly. He usually didn't like being out of control of things that happen... but... He looked behind her as he heard a very distant blast and then looked back at her. "I do." He stated. His accent, similar to hers. But his voice was a bit deep. 

He shifted his feet slightly looking over her a bit more. What was she even doing here to begin with? Was she going to help him out, or just leave him to let nature take care of him? He'd rather the help. But that doesn't matter to him...


There was more flapping in the distance. He looked up to the sky to see a Scarlet Macaw flying near by, and then suddenly diving down and landing next to the female White and Gold Macaw in front of him and then looked at here "There ye'are Zura!" The voice rang out as the Macaw breathed a bit heavily and then she looked at another White and Gold Macaw, that looked just like Zura. "Oh my..." She then stated. Her voice, almost British like in accent. The Scarlet Macaw's name was Aunt Clara. (Or Just Clara to those she isn't the Aunt too.)

 

[TheMysticNymph]

Zura couldn't take her eyes off of the bird in front of her. She was still trying to process how amazing it was to not be the odd bird out anymore. 


After a moment she realized her gawking at him might be a tad uncomfortable. He cleared her throat in embarrassment and sifted her talons through the dirt. 


"Did your tree fall too?" She asked her voice filled with the upmkst sympathy. 


It was the same story over and over, more birds every day flocked for shelter as their homes were torn away from them and no one had an answer as to why. 


Hearing the flap if wings, Zura looked up to see the Scarlet feather of Aunt Clara swooping down to her side. The Scarlet macaw had the same reaction she did. Everyone knew how different Zura was but they didn't treat her any less for it they just felt bad for her. 


"I found him while looking for breakfast, it looks like he dropped really far." She commented looking back at the macaw. 

 

[InfiniteChaos]

Diego looked at Zura when she asked the question. He wondered if he should tell the truth, that a tree fell on him. Or if he should say he lost his home. Well, really both happened. So he may as well state what happened. "No. a tree fell on me. One that was falling." He stated and looked behind them. He could see the tree that hit him laying on the ground. 


The Scarlet Macaw looked to Zura and then back at the male bird saying "you poor thing." She took a few steps closer and looked really close at his bad wing.  Diego didn't know wether to back up or not. 

 

[TheMysticNymph]

"Don't worry, she's harmless. Some of the time." Zura jested as Aunt Clara moved closer to him. 
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Zura examined the fallen tree nearby not understanding how it fell. The trees of this forest were healthy and full, each with a spirit of their own. They let the birds nest in their branches and raise their young amongst the leaves. The bark always held many insects that also used the trees as a home. "They don't deserve this." she mumbled sadly. 
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She turned her feathered head back over to the new macaw.
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"Are you from here then? I've never seen you before. Or any one like you." She couldn't help but ask, were there more where he came from? She had no memory of her family thus far, and she hoped that if there were more like him she could discover what had happened to her, and  why she was the oddball of the forest. 
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[InfiniteChaos]

(I like the style, I'm sticking with it. xD)

She asked him if he was from here. Diego had to answer that honestly. "No, I am not." He wondered for a bit. How could he keep his zoo life private? How can he completely keep the entire idea that he is not built for the jungle due to his captivity? He looked at her again and then said "I do not no anyone like me. You're the first one, besides me. That I've ever seen."
The Scarlet Macaw was listening, but was mainly looking over his bad wing. She went to reach out for it to look at it better, but Diego backed up a bit. "Ohh, no no no." he quickly stated and Aunt Clara huffed 
"Boy if you don't give me your wing right now I'll show you more pain." She said and gave him a death glare.
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Diego drew back a little bit from her comment and then looked at Zura before sighing and allowing Clara to look him over.
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[TheMysticNymph]

Zura could not hide her disappointment as he told her he knew no one else. To add insult to injury, he wasn't even from here. 
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In that moment her head popped up "If you aren't from here then where did you come from?" She asked quickly. Just because he had never seen others like them didn't mean they weren't out there, she could go there and find them. She had searched all over this jungle, the exploration had taken her months she was not afraid for another expedition. The idea of discovering a new place, to investigate where someone like her came from was all too appealing. 
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She couldn't contain a little chuckle as Aunt Clara examined the poor birds wing, she covered her face with her own wing and snickered quietly. "I think you are scaring him Auntie." 
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She looked at him with a smile "It's just easier to do what she says, I promise you."  The bird stepped closer to look over the wing as well, "Looks nasty, but I so not think it is something we can not help you with."
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[InfiniteChaos]

Diego watched Zura for a moment, and wondered about her question. He may as well just tell the straight truth. Don't say anything about the zoo. "I'm from the Rio De Janeiro area... If you've heard of that." He stated 
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Aunt Clara looked over at Zura with a smirk before looking back at Diego's wing to look at it more. "Give this poor lad a few weeks, maybe a month or two, and the wing will be good as new. It isn't broken or anything." She stated and thought for a moment before looking back at Zura. She hopped over to her and then whispered into Zura's ear... "We can bring him back to the tribe ya'know? You two can get to know each other while his wing gets fixed up... Who knows when you might find another one.." she whispered even quieter into hear ear "Especially a male..." She winked and smiled at Zura before looking back at Diego. 
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Diego simply tilted his head wondering what Aunt Clara was whispering into Zura's ear. and then stated "Oh. My name is Diego by the way..." 
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[TheMysticNymph]

Zura swatted Clara away embarrassed, if birds could blush she would have been a lovely shade of red. That was the absolute last thing on her mind. 
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She cleared her throat giving her Auntie a look before turning back to Diego. 
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"No, I have never heard of such a place, is that around this area?" She asked curiously. 
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"My name is Zuramae, it is good to meet you. This-" she gestured with a wing to the Scarlet Macaw "-is my Aunt Clara, and yes she is as crazy as she seems."
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[InfiniteChaos]

Aunt Clara giggled with a bit of delight as she looked back at Diego with a smile again and then felt a bit proud with Zuramae mentioned her. "Please, to meet ya Diego." She spoke
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Diego smiled, a bit happily, but also a bit confused. Almost like he couldn't trust her, but could at the same time? He wasn't sure how he felt about it. He looked towards Zura and nodded with a smile. "Rio is... This is the Amazon right?"
"Right" Aunt Clara responded back.
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"Right... It's a few thousand miles away.. Suicide to fly there pretty much." Diego stated and shrugged.
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Aunt Clara looked at Zura and then back at Diego. "Well, Maybe you should bring her there on a honeymoon."
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Diego took a quick step back from her comment and looked at Zura quickly then back at Aunt Clara. "Nooooo, no no no no no."
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[TheMysticNymph]

Zura nodded in thought. She couldn't stifle the feeling of excitement building up in her. He had said it was suicide to fly there, but she would risk it. She was a daredevil after all. 
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She hadn't fully registered Clara's comment until after Diego was backing away in shock. She held a wing to her head and shook it. "Oh blessed me"
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"Please excuse her, she obviously has not taken her medicinal seeds this morning." She shot a look at her. 
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"Anyway, we will care for your wing as much as we are able and then when your well enough we will get you flying again" 
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She smiled warmly. She had to admit he was a handsome bird, but she was not very interested in beginning a courtship. She loved her freedom way too much. 
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"We should find him some shelter, we don't want him being eaten by the predators that prowl down this way." 
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[InfiniteChaos]

"Nonsense. Bring him to the tribe." Aunt Clara stated looking at Zura. She smiled at her and then looked back at Zura "He has never been to the Anazon before. Why not show him around. You have explored a lot of the amazon after all." She spoke to Zura and then looked at Diego. 


Diego simply shrugged at the idea. Not really sure about it yet. Heck he probably could barely fly if he even could. Should he risk looking at the jungle?


"I tell ya what. I'll leave you two be and you can look around the place and get to know each other. He is going to be here for a while after all." Aunt Clara stated and then took off into the sky without any warning and left the two macaws be. 

 

[TheMysticNymph]

Zura wanted to protest but the macaw was already gone. She looked at Diego and felt tension creep over her. 
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"Right, Uhm, I guess I'll show you the sights." 
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She turned and flapped slightly to get a bit off the ground "I'll show you where the best place to find grub is." 
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Zura fluttered a bit ahead to our some distance between her self and Diego, she made a mental note to have some words with Clara when she got back. "You should try stretching out your wing so it does not get stiff!" She called out behind her. A bird without wings was not a bird at all. Zura searched the area where she had landed again for something to clean the blood off of his wing so he wouldn't attract hungry predators. 
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[InfiniteChaos]

Diego watched the Macaw fly away, and then watched Zura fly a bit ahead of him and he started to walk after her. He listened to her words about stretching out his wings to make sure they don't get stiff. He tried to move his one bad wing, but it hurt a bit to do so. Yet he still powered through it to stretch it fully out, even if it really hurt to do so before he continued on after Zura.
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What was he suppose to do now. He was just left alone with... a quite beautiful macaw... But nothing was ever going to happen. Even if he was the last male bird of their species. She would look for a Scarlet Macaw like Aunt Clara was probably. Or a Spix Macaw, if those are still around. He had to make some small talk at least. "Lived out here all your life then?" He questioned her as he looked around carefully.
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[TheMysticNymph]

Zura watched a few birds that soared by clicking her beak in the usual greeting, they squawked back to her and looked at Diego in curiosity. and turned back to Diego watching him catch up to her. She felt nothing but sympathy, not being able to fly and spread your wings in freedom was almost a claustrophobic feeling, like the jungle would close in around you. 
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"I have been here here for as long as I can remember, so yes I guess all my life. I do not know anything other than this jungle." She hopped down from her perch and met him on the jungle floor.  What about you, have you always been native to Rio?"
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[InfiniteChaos]

Diego looked up at the birds flying freely and looked at his own wing right at Zura looked at him. His eyes soon met up with hers again when she began to speak. She's basically only known the jungle... At least she knows her way around. Then her questioned popped up. a full native? Yeah, I guess he could say that. He's been in the zoo for as long as he could remember. "Yeah. You can say that pretty much. It's the only place I've known for the last 14 ish years." He stated with a shrug before looking at the sky again. Wishing he could fly on still...
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A snapping stick caught his attention and he turned around quickly. There wasn't anything behind him other than forests, but he definitely heard the branch snapping sound. He looked at Zura and then back towards where he heard the sound. "Quick, Go... Fly!" He stated trying to move into some leaves to hid from cover. He could hear them... them. The humans.
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[TheMysticNymph]

Zura stared at him, he was a tad older than she, but that didn't matter.
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 Her head snapped up at the sound and she puffed her feathers slightly in surprise. He told her to go, to get away. Her eyes widened, she couldn't leave him, what kind of bird would that make her?She watched him trying to move for cover, she fluttered down to help him. Zura grabbed as much as she could of a bigger leaf that came from the falling trees over top of him. She could not believe she was putting herself in danger for a stranger, but at the same time it was who she was. She flapped her wings and swooped into a tree quickly, hiding among it's brambles she waited. Her heart was beating ferociously, if they found Diego he was dead, he couldn't fly and hopping wouldn't be quick enough. In that moment an idea came to her, she dared move a few edges close to the the end of the branch and waited silently. 
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[InfiniteChaos]

"shh" a voice rang out in the jungle as one of the men was being careful and slowly moving through the vines he moved a leaf softly to show the slightly open area, and running water of a stream and looked around quietly. 

Diego could slightly see the men through the leaves, but if he could see them, they will most definitely see his bright features. He tried to cover up a little bit more, being as silent as he could, watching his ever step as he moved under the shadows and into the leaves more. Hopefully they don't find him, please hope they don't find him... Those were the same men that he escaped from before he injured his wing. Please do not find him...
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"Hey Alejandro! Think he found follow the stream?" The one closer to them yelled back and then a voice responded. "Probably! Stay near the water, where food will most likely be." The other voice responded as he emerged next to the other men and they both walked up towards the stream looking down it. 
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[TheMysticNymph]

Zura's heart was pounding, she had never seen such things before. They were tall and featherless, they moved clumsily making a lot of sound through the brush. Were they not worried about the predators? Maybe the predators were scared of them as she was. The thought petrified her. They went near to the scream, she couldn't understand what they were saying but it was very loud and grating. She peeked through the leaves at Diego, this was his chance. She clicked her beak together, low enough that hopefully they wouldn't hear but he would. He needed to run, get away and find better cover. Without the ability to fly he was doomed. "Come on, run." She whispered fervently. "Go."  She looked back over to the creatures as they looked down the stream. What on Earth were they looking for?
​

 

[InfiniteChaos]

Diego jumped a little bit at her beak click "What are you still doing here?" he frantically whispered, but he looked back up at the men. He knew exactly what they were saying... He couldn't show her that he knew that... He slowly started to move away from the stream, and more towards where they came from. Trying his best to be silent, trying to not disturb them so he doesn't get caught by them. He looked at the ground and saw a large branch, but one he could toss... If he just had the right leverage. He looked at the stream, it was big enough to cause them to fall and roll around and get wet. Maybe loose their balance? 

Diego quickly looked at Zura and used his good wing to point at the stick, hoping she would look back at him. He clicked his beak twice quickly to get her attention still pointing at the stick. Once her attention was brought he would visually show his plan of knocking them down into the stream with the stick.
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