The crew of the Longhorn decide to go with Jorus into the Jungle to rescue Picus. Val puts Tsubatchchark in his cage with food before he leaves the ship, the creature falls asleep in short order.
The Crew venture deep into the Dinoahan jungle, at several points Lorne, Val or Aayla feel like they are being watched. As jungle warms moisture condenses on the moss-palm leaves above and drips down frequently driping on them or getting uncomfortably inside their clothes. The ground is uneven and covered in moss and the ground level foliage is thick slows progress, without any cutting tools they are reliant on MNs limited cutting tools.
During their hike through the moss-jungle the crew is best by various trials. They nearly wander into a so called death pool. Spotting the spoor filled air and the bones of previous victims, they skirt around it. MN loses Picus's trail but with Jorus's help is able to pick it up again.
After a gruelling morning of hiking the crew stop to rest and eat the supplies Jorus had the forethought to bring with him from the Longhorn. As they are resting, Aayla catches sight of something low and quick in the underbrush. It turns out to be the same pack of Dinoahan Spine Rapka's from last night that have been hunting them through the Moss-Jungle. The Rapkas trigger their ambush but the Crew and MN manage to fight them off. The Rapka's flee after three of there number are taken down. This time they won't be back.
During the fight Val's fancy cameo outfit is ripped to shreds (only to be repaired by Jorus's needlecraft skills later, and Lorne gets one of the creatures long quills stuck in his flesh, something Jorus also treats before they move on.
The crew follow MN on and come across another Jungle Hazard, a patch of Villow Tail Moss-Palms, they make it across but Jorus and Aayla are nearly caught but the dangerous barbed vines.
The Jungle begins to cool as the sun dips, mist starts to hug the jungle floor. MN becomes quitter and seemingly less sure as the crew press on .They follow MN to a dell where a great Moss-Palm has been broken and lies on the jungle floor. MN's repulsor sled lies upside down on one side of the Dell and two of Picus's crates lie scattered 15 and 10 meters further ahead. Aayla remarks that they have been thrown around "as if like something big has been through here". The Crew also notice patches of flattened foliage. They see a knot in the moss-palm about half way along it's length, MN heads straight towards it. Lorne Sneaks after him, followed by a less stealthy Jorus, Aayla and Val hunker down.
At the fallen moss palm, Lorne and Jorus can see it is partly hollow, Picus has crawled inside but he is badly wounded, both his legs are broken and he has passed out from blood loss. Jorus also notices the tell tales residue of a scent suppressant spray that would conceal him from wild animals. Jorus realises that must have come from MN, he asks to be sprayed as well, MN sprays him with the last does, he doesn’t have any more left.
From the mist on the other side of the Dell a giant albino Rancor emerges it's terrifying roars echoing through the moss-jungle.