A/N: Some of you may know me by my various former pen names, and some of you may not. I've decided to change it, now that I've leaped into the Rio 2 universe and the next phase of my writing career has begun.
That being said, here's the opener to my first multi-chapter tale of my favorite macaw family. I'll need to devise some new ideas for future chapters, so this won't be updated for a short while.
Reviews are highly appreciated. I'd love to know what you guys liked, what I did well, and where I can improve.
Without further ado, enjoy!
Chapter 1: Full Circle
Jewel had recently flown off to grab some fresh, all-natural fruit to eat. We aren't humans, but starting the day off right with a nutritious meal was only beneficial.
She'd left me in charge of the kids, an important fatherly role I was eager to play. It presented me with the opportunity to observe them while they napped.
All three of them were huddled up together in the nest they shared, Tiago and Bia flanking their older sister, Carla. Tulio swore he'd build each of them their own room, but only when they were a little bit older and bigger.
A small fraction of my mind wanted to believe that they didn't belong to me, and that I couldn't have contributed to their creation. I ignored whatever dissent that part of my psyche fabricated, because I unconditionally knew that those three bundles of feathers were my offspring.
My social dysfunction and domestication hadn't been completely cured, but it didn't matter to my life partner, the queen of the jungle.
I was insecure when they hatched, since I was unquestionably lacking in the parenting skills department. I was frightened of letting Jewel down and jeopardizing the well-being of my then-delicate children.
In spite of my dismal level of confidence, she drilled into me a profound truth. That truth was this: if I obeyed my instincts, I would figure out what worked and what didn't, and ultimately become a brilliant father.
What few mistakes I did make I learned from, and I adapted my parenting style accordingly. The kids are three weeks old now, thriving and growing stronger every day; sometimes I want to smack myself for being so paranoid and self-conscious.
Hindsight is always 20/20 though, so it's best I not beat myself up and enjoy this cool, relaxing morning. I felt a sneeze coming on, the pressure building in my airways; I covered my beak my wings and muffled the burst of sound as best I could.
It disturbed my children, regrettably, and they began to stir.
Tiago sat up and rubbed his eyes, his tail brushing Carla's cheek. She uttered a soft, bothered groan and rolled towards Bia, her plump chest rubbing against her sister's back.
Bia sensed this and wriggled away an inch, and then woke up. She wiped the blurriness from her eyes and stared down at Carla's sleeping form, giving her sibling a nudge on the belly.
Carla roused, stretching her sizable wings and yawning at the same time. It was then that their three pairs of eyes, gleaming with elation and good health, locked onto me.
"Good morning, Daddy," Bia managed to say in her heart-rendingly cute voice.
Jewel and I were training them to speak and comprehend words at a conservative pace, for their developing minds were easily overloaded. So far Bia and Tiago were able to say a select few phrases, and Carla a couple more due to the fact that she'd hatched before them.
"Good morning," I replied softly as I strode over to their nest. I kissed each of them gently on their foreheads, and the trio of pleased smiles nearly succeeded in bringing tears to my eyes.
Carla looked around for a few brief seconds and then asked, "Where… is Mommy?"
"She's getting some food for us to eat."
I paused and rubbed my belly with my wing.
"Yummy, delicious food."
"Is Mommy coming back soon?"
"I'm sure she is, Tiago."
"Okay," he replied simply.
Being the adventurous son he was – due in no small part to the injection of his mother's determined genes into his DNA – he climbed over the edge of the nest, his back to me.
Realizing his intentions and opting to provide him with a slight challenge, I retreated a foot or so. I partially unfurled my wings in an inviting manner and said, "Can you walk over here and give Daddy a hug?"
"I don't know."
"Give it a try, son. I know you can do it."
He nodded his head, driven to make his father proud – even if he didn't understand what that was yet.
He took one tentative step and then another, thankful he hadn't lost his balance. Walking on his own two feet was a new concept for him to grasp, but he was making steady progress.
Three-quarters of the way to me, he swayed and plopped somewhat hard onto the floor in a sitting position, his feet sticking out in front and his tail projecting out behind.
"It's alright, Tiago. Better luck next time, little buddy," I said cheerfully.
"I'm okay, Daddy," he chirped.
I closed the remaining gap between us and patted him on the back for his valiant effort. He chuckled, gazing up at me with chocolate-brown eyes that were exact clones of mine.
For no apparent reason, he inserted his left wing into his beak and began sucking on it.
It was a very humorous display, and I had no choice but to chuckle myself.
Cheerfully, I quipped, "Oh Tiago, the things you do make me so happy. Too bad Mommy isn't here to see this."
He grinned, the corners of his beak rising upwards.
Bia vacated the nest and hobbled unsteadily to the entrance hole.
She was just tall enough that her eyes cleared the edge and she could peer out, but no taller. Performing a short jump, she grasped the rim with her wings and pulled herself up.
From there she hopped down onto the platform, and I lost sight of her. Quickly I jogged over to the hole and found her in an unsafe spot, as she was unable to glide, let alone fly.
"Don't stand so close to the edge, sweetie. Come closer to Daddy."
She backed away until she was within wing-reach, her eyes still scanning the jungle foliage. I clambered out and stood beside her, watching her as she tracked a butterfly that floated erratically past.
"Pretty…" she said, mesmerized.
Fascinated by the world she had been born into, I could tell she was going to be the intelligent, book-smart daughter of the bunch. I couldn't say which one of my children was my favorite, but her similarity to my nature was something I revered.
"Daddy?" Carla and Tiago called from behind.
I turned and saw them waiting by the doorway, and through their expressions I recognized what they wanted.
I helped her out and then him, and they thanked me by hugging my midsection. Carla's stomach gurgled, and her siblings chuckled.
Bringing to bear her pleading eyes, she said, "I'm hungry."
"Mommy will be back soon. Can you wait a little longer?"
"Mmm hmm."
Tiago carelessly wandered dangerously close to the edge and looked down. The drop was eleven feet at least and would prove fatal for such a fragile creature.
I felt a spike of panic and dashed towards him, sweeping him up in my wings. He was surprised at first, but he giggled as I spun him around.
I set him down in the middle of the wooden porch and declared, "Please don't scare me like that again, Tiago. If I don't keep you safe, Mommy will rip my tail feathers out."
"Sorry," he mumbled, hanging his head in shame. Running a primary under his chin I lifted his head up, our eyes making contact.
"I'm not mad at you, son. I just don't want you to get hurt."
I guessed he partially understood what I was saying, because he nuzzled my wing.
An airborne aqua streak emerged from the predominantly-green foliage in the near distance, its shape and color instantly recognizable. It was Jewel, the empress of Rio and my eternal lover.
She descended at a shallow angle and landed gracefully, setting aside the two ripe mangoes she'd collected on her foray. She embraced me tenderly and kissed me on the beak.
"I missed you, honey."
"I missed you too, so I tried to hurry back."
"Mommy!" the kids cheered.
"Hey there, kids! It's so nice to see you again."
Carla squeezed her waist in a great big hug, while Bia and Tiago tucked themselves under her wings.
"Are you three ready to eat?"
"Yes!" they burst out.
"Well then what are you waiting for? Have a mango!"
They abandoned her and surrounded one of the rotund fruits, scooping out small mouthfuls with their beaks. Jewel picked up the other and offered it to me.
"Want to take the first bite?"
"No no, ladies first," I countered.
"You're too kind," she replied, digging out a clump of its juicy innards.
She chewed vigorously and then swallowed, licking off a drop of juice snaking down the side of her beak.
"Mmm… it's so delicious, Blu. You have to try some."
"It would be my pleasure, Jewel."
I took a bite, and immediately a fiesta of tangy-sweet goodness sprang to life on my tongue.
"Wow, you were right. It's fantastic."
"I picked the best ones I could find. It looks like my expertise paid off."
"Thank you very much for the delivery."
"Anytime, Blu."
Switching her focus from me to them, she asked gleefully, "Does it taste good, kids?"
They bobbed their heads enthusiastically, and then went back to devouring it wholesale. I grasped our mango and held it up, and we stole a bite simultaneously.
After the lump slid down her throat, she professed, "Ah, I never dreamed I'd ever have a morning like this. Breakfast with my family… it's so amazing."
"Me neither."
She glued her wing to my cheek and stroked it up and down.
"I used to be alone, with no one to keep me company but myself. I was lucky enough to find you, and eventually, everything changed. You fell in love with me, and you gave me them…"
Flattered, I gulped down the contents of my beak rather loudly.
"Oh… well… you're welcome. It was the least I could do, since I-"
She treated me to a mango-infused kiss, interrupting me mid-sentence. It was so deep and exquisite I thought was going to melt from the ecstasy.
I felt her place her other wing on my back, and she pulled me closer until our chests touched. Our beaks stayed locked until our lungs ran out of oxygen.
She unhooked hers from mine, and we both gasped.
At a loss for words, I muttered, "Wow…"
She gazed at me with passion in her eyes, her icy blue irises that much more gorgeous.
"You were saying?" she inquired softly.
"I love you… with all my heart."
"I love you too."
Out of the blue, I felt feathers upon my back and scaly feet digging into my skin.
Tiago and Bia manifested on the edges of my vision, peeking over my left and right shoulder respectively. Moments later, Carla's head rose above her mother's left wing joint.
"Hi Daddy," my brown-eyed children said jovially.
"Hi Mommy," their elder sister repeated.
"How was the mango?"
"Yummy!" Tiago chirped.
"Yummy in my tummy!" Bia added.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it."
Jewel and I each downed another beakful of the fruit, the kids poking our swollen cheeks. My son squirmed and burped right next to my ear.
"Excuse you, Tiago," I announced.
We had a good laugh.
When the noise died down, I remarked, "An extraordinary mate? Check. Three marvelous children? Check. A bright future? Check!"
Jewel crossed her wings.
"You've got it made, huh Blu?"
"You bet I do. I could get used to this lifestyle. Oh wait… I already am!"
One month later…
As my serene dream came to an end, I awoke, blinking my eyes repeatedly to clear the blurriness away.
The first things I registered were the sliding of her wings against my chest as I breathed, the steady warmth she poured over me, and the gentle weight of her head on my neck.
I remember lying beak-to-beak with her before falling asleep, but I must have rolled over sometime during the night.
As carefully as I could manage I crawled out of her embrace, hoping that I wouldn't disturb her slumbers. I escaped without incident, lowering her head onto the edge of the nest.
I bent over and kissed her cheek, to which she responded by squirming and exhaling deeply. I froze, thinking I had inadvertently woken her up.
I relaxed when she fell still again, a subconscious smile forming on her beak. I, too, smiled, and then wandered over to the circular exit hole.
Hopping up onto the rim, I closed my eyes and let the serene predawn atmosphere enfold me. The sun had yet to rise, and so a peach-colored glow painted a narrow band of the sky above the horizon.
The rainforest as a whole was peaceful at this early hour, the silence unbroken except by the sound of my breathing.
Ever since Jewel and I settled down, forged a stable relationship, and had the kids, everything changed and my life took on a whole new meaning.
Sometimes I feel like I'm living a dream that's so divine it can't be real. It's actually a dream come true, and I'm so grateful that it will never end.
I used to think that I was an outcast and that I didn't belong in Rio, but I've since been proven wrong. Rio gave the love of my life to me, if not anything else, and it's the perfect city to raise our family in.
A wave of bliss swept through me as I thought of Jewel and our very special children, and I sighed happily.
I heard shuffling coming from behind me, and I turned around where I stood. Jewel was searching drowsily for me with her wing but I wasn't there.
She regained consciousness, and her rich blue eyes met mine.
"Good morning, Blu," she whispered silkily, batting her eyes.
"Good morning, honey."
She yawned and stated, "You're up earlier than usual."
"I don't really know why. No sleeping in for me."
Cheerfully she replied, "That's not a bad thing. Now, get your clumsy butt over here and snuggle with me, Blu."
She beckoned to me with her right wing, and I couldn't resist the invitation. I closed the distance between us and lay down in the nest with her.
She pressed her beak against mine, cloaking me with her wing.
"Ah, that's better. I love it when you're this close to me," she said passionately.
Intense memories of our most romantic, intimate night flashed in my mind, and I felt a flare of heat inside me.
"I could say the same thing, Jewel. You're the most attractive companion I could ever ask for."
Seductively she announced, "I appreciate the compliment. Looks like I owe you…"
She kissed me briefly once, drew her beak back, and then kissed me more fervently the second time. The world faded away around me as she took me away, the pounding of my heart the only thing I could hear.
When it finally came to a close many seconds later, we pulled our beaks apart and sighed pleasurably at the same time.
"You're a great kisser, Blu," she complimented suavely.
With a dreamy expression, I answered, "Thanks Jewel. You know, I never had any experience until I met you."
Tickled by my confession, she giggled an infectious giggle.
"That's a shame. Practice makes perfect though, right?"
"Yes, yes it does."
Stroking the side of my face with the tips of her feathers, she asked, "How long were you up? Did you check on the kids?"
"I've only been up for a few minutes. And no, I didn't check on them. Maybe I should go and do that."
I tried to wriggle free, but she gripped me tighter.
"No, just stay here with me. I'm sure they're alright."
"If you say so," I conceded.
"A mother's instinct is never wrong."
She nuzzled my neck with her head, and I nuzzled her back.
Closing her eyes, she muttered tenderly, "Isn't life just amazing, Blu? We're deeply in love, happily married, and the parents of three adorable kids…"
"Yeah, it sure is."
We heard a dull thud and the pattering of small feet on the roof, which meant that one of the kids was awake. Jewel and I separated and stood up in the nest, still side-by-side.
We heard a second thud, and an oval-shaped head popped into view.
"Good morning, Mom and Dad," Bia greeted drowsily, rubbing her eyes.
"Good morning, sweetie. Did you have a good night's sleep?" Jewel inquired.
Fully alert, she replied, "Yes, I did."
She climbed inside and strode up to us.
"Do you want to know why?"
"Why, Bia?"
"Because I dreamed that all five of us were perched in a palm tree on the beach, watching a vivid sunset. It was magical."
I smiled down at her and said, "That certainly sound like a magical dream."
Bia lowered her voice and put in, "Don't tell Carla and Tiago, but according to my calculations, my love for you and Mom is about two times higher than theirs."
"Awww, that's sweet of you to say," Jewel cooed, touched.
She enfolded Bia with her wings and pecked her daintily on her forehead.
"But really, I'm sure your brother and sister love us just as much."
Jewel folded her wings and Bia stepped back a few paces.
"You got that right, Mom," a precocious voice put in. It was Carla's.
Our eldest daughter tried to squeeze through the opening; her head was easily small enough to fit, but her plump lower body wasn't. She tried to free herself by pushing against the walls, grunting all the while, but to no avail.
She gave up, supporting her head with one wing and tapping on the wood with the other.
"Yeah… looks like Tulio needs to make the hole bigger. I've already outgrown it… again."
I couldn't help but chuckle at her misfortune. She shot a flustered stare at me, not appreciating my opinion one bit.
"Ha ha, very funny, Dad."
Jewel reprimanded me with a nudge in the side, but out of the corner of my eye I could see she was having trouble containing her laughter.
"Move out of the way, Carla! There's only one way in, and you're blocking it!" Tiago exclaimed from outside.
"I can't, bird-brain! I'm stuck!" she retorted.
"Guess I'll just have to make you move! Let's do this!"
She flinched twice as he supposedly rammed into her.
"Ow! Stop it, Tiago! Why don't you push me instead?" she squawked.
There was a pause, and I noticed she was slowly inching forwards.
"Almost… there!" he said, his voice strained from the effort.
All of a sudden she came loose, emitting a surprised cry as she fell.
Tiago leaped onto the rim and celebrated, his array of head feathers doing a dance of their own.
"Oh yeah, who's the bird? I'm the bird!"
He sprang into the air like a grasshopper, executing a perfectly-timed somersault when he hit the floor. As expected, he finished on his feet.
Carla got up and brushed herself off, waiting for Tiago to spin around. When he did, she stuck her tongue out at him.
He returned the favor, but went the extra mile. Yanking the corners of his mouth back he made an amusing face, wiggling his tongue like a worm while making the appropriate sound effect.
"Alright, settle down you two. That's enough sibling rivalry for today," Jewel warned politely-yet-firmly.
Tiago composed himself and Carla shrugged.
"He started it," she said nonchalantly.
Jewel raised an eyebrow at her, and she merely batted her green eyes cutely.
Carla hugged her mother's waist, and Tiago bolted straight for me. I opened my wings and he jumped, hitting my chest with no more force than a speeding marshmallow.
"Did you see my super-awesome trick, Dad?"
"I sure did, little buddy. You're a natural."
I glanced at Jewel and added, "If I had half your athletic talent, your mother would've fallen in love with me way before I dived out of that plane."
"Don't even go there, Blu. You're perfect just the way you are," she chided.
"I know, I know," I answered, grinning widely.
As Carla and Bia finished hugging, Jewel intoned, "Why don't we all fly into the jungle and gather some fruit to eat?"
Gesturing with my wing, I replied, "Uh, yeah, sure. Lead the way, Jewel."
Our eldest daughter cleared her throat rather loudly, and I noticed three pairs of eyes staring at me pointedly.
"It's Saturday. Forgetting something, Dad?" Carla pressed.
I didn't immediately get the hint, but then it struck me. I knew I was about to plunge headfirst into hot water, but it was too late.
"Um, Jewel, I kind of promised the kids I'd make them pancakes for breakfast today."
She narrowed her eyes in irritation, skewering me with her trademark "You're in trouble" glare.
"Sorry, honey," I said demurely, rubbing my wings together.
I couldn't hold her gaze and instead peered down at the kids; her sapphire eyes were beautiful most of the time, but when she was angry, they became cold and calculating.
They turned to face her, and Carla asked, "So… do we still get to have pancakes? Why go out into the jungle when we can eat in Linda and Tulio's kitchen?"
"Yeah, what she said. It's so hard getting food on our own," Tiago seconded.
He started breathing heavily, flopping onto his back in mock exhaustion for dramatic effect.
Oh great, I've spoiled them. Not only that, but I've ignited Jewel's temper. Cheese and sprinkles…
"I don't reward laziness," she professed, her wings crossed.
Undaunted, they brandished puppy dog eyes and chanted, "Pretty pleeeeease?"
I dared to glance up at Jewel, affecting as tempting an expression as I could muster for their sake. She rolled her eyes, her body sagging as if a huge weight had been dropped on her head.
"Ugh, fine. But for the rest of the week, we will be having breakfast in the jungle, even if I have to carry every one of you by your tails."
The kids perked up, enthusiastic that they had triumphed.
"Thanks so much, Mom!"
"You're welcome, but don't count on this happening often."
"What about me?" I asked.
"I won't hesitate to drag you off by your tail too," she fired back, one-hundred percent serious.
Our son spouted, "Can we go now? Huh? Can we?"
"Sure, you can go. We'll be there in a few minutes."
Tapping into their stored jubilation, they took off like feathered missiles. Carla became jammed a second time, but her siblings cooperated to shove her out.
"Come on, let's race! Last one there is a rotten egg!" Carla challenged.
"But you always win! Your wings are bigger than ours…" Tiago protested, his voice dying out.
"Get everything ready, but don't turn on the stove!" I squawked after them.
I sensed Jewel approach and almost intrude into my personal space bubble. The last thing I wanted was to antagonize her further, so I held my ground and gave her my undivided attention.
"Blu, we've talked about this issue already."
Her tone was mellower than before, but she still meant business.
"We have? Oh right, we have. I remember now," I said cheekily, rubbing my nape.
"I'm just concerned that you're teaching them to behave more like people instead of birds."
I sighed and pieced together what I thought was a logical answer and/or defense.
"I just want the kids to be happy. My methods may be different than yours, but that doesn't mean they're wrong."
"You have a point, I'll admit. Look, how about we make a deal?"
"I was hoping you'd say that. What are the terms and conditions?"
"I'll let the kids eat pancakes twice a month. They can have some on back-to-back days, if they want. But once they reach the limit, that's it until the next month begins. Fair enough?"
I nodded multiple times.
"Good. Now come on, we should get down there before Tiago draws on the windows with blueberry juice again."
She made to leave, but I stopped her short.
"Hold on. Can I add one tiny exception?" I asked meekly.
"What is it?"
"Can they have pancakes on special occasions and holidays?"
She considered my request in silence, her expression tense.
Ultimately she responded, "I guess so. From now on, let's not bring this up anymore, okay?"
"You got it, Jewel. My beak is sealed."
As we swooped down towards the kitchen, I saw an empty space to the east of the observation tower where Tulio's truck was usually parked.
Hm, I wonder where they went. Oh well, maybe I'll find out later.
Jewel and I flew through the open-window and alighted on the central island. I quickly scanned around, relieved that there were no blue smears on the windows.
As I'd asked them to, the kids had brought out the necessary supplies and laid the skillet on top of the unlit burners.
Both of our daughters were situated at the far end, too engrossed with the television to pay attention to us. Bia manned the remote, tapping a button with her toe and flipping through the channels.
"Keep going… keep going…" Carla suddenly pointed at the screen and said, "Stop! Ooh, it's a soccer game! Neat!"
Meanwhile, Tiago was pushing a clean plate across the countertop.
"What took you so long?" he asked, letting go of it.
"Oh, your father and I just had a little discussion," she said.
"About what?"
"I'll tell you after breakfast."
"Alright."
Without warning, he grabbed hold of the ignition knob for one of the burners. He gave it a sharp twist and the flame burst to life; I jumped backwards as the pulse of heat washed over me.
"Tiago! What did I tell you about playing with fire?" I scolded.
"No worries, Dad! I have everything under control. Just relax," he replied coolly.
"Relax? How am I supposed to relax knowing that my son could end up turning himself into a piece of charcoal?"
Perplexed, he replied, "What's charcoal?"
"That's not important right now," I said, frustrated. "No more messing with the knobs, understood?"
"Okay, okay, I get it," he said, annoyance evident in his footsteps as he slogged towards his sisters.
"You handled that well. You're less timid than you used to be."
"Every day he stirs up trouble of some kind, and I have to deal with it. I'm going to grow gray feathers before the year is over."
"I love you too, Dad!" he hollered.
I shifted my gaze and saw him smiling and waving at me innocently.
I looked back at Jewel as she corrected gleefully, "Not exactly."
I ignited the other burner, and she huddled with the kids. While the skillet heated up, I prepared the batter and mixed it thoroughly.
The semi-thick liquid sizzled as it spread across the searing metal, and all my troubles melted away.
After counting to thirty in my head, I lifted one side of the first pancake up with a spatula and checked the color. It was golden brown, a sign that it was cooked to perfection.
I flipped it over, waited another thirty seconds, and did a final quality check.
That's what I call scrumptious!
I tossed it onto the plate and immediately poured another puddle of batter onto the skillet. Jewel would rather go hungry than dine on a pancake, so I only cooked a stack of three.
I convinced her to take a bite of one in the recent past, and sadly that was the only one she's taken since.
"It's too sweet and fluffy. I hate to break it to you Blu, but a wild bird like me isn't built to handle human food," she told me, and that was the end of that.
I crowned the uppermost pancake with a mound of whipped cream and decorated it with ten blueberries.
Shutting off the burners, I tapped on the plate with my claw and squawked, "Come get your breakfast, kids!"
They spun like tops, their faces lighting up.
"Woo hoo!" Tiago yelled as he charged across the counter.
He skidded to a halt and chomped down on the top pancake, ripping a chunk free and stuffing it into beak. Much more inclined to use their manners than their brother, Carla and Bia took decent-sized bites, chewing deliberately.
Tiago gulped down his mouthful and exclaimed, "That was delicious! You're the best, Dad!"
"And a very skilled cook," Bia added graciously.
Flattered by their praise, I blushed.
"Thanks so much, kids. I'm glad you appreciate the things I do for you."
I squished them together and compressed them against my chest in a group hug.
"Whoa!" they blurted simultaneously.
"I want you all to know that you mean the world to me, and I love you so much."
"Right back atcha… Dad…" Carla struggled to say.
"Not so tight… I might… throw up…" Tiago groaned.
I promptly set them back down.
"Sorry, sorry. I got a bit carried away."
Carla patted my wing with hers and chimed, "You don't have to apologize. We understand."
I nodded and bent over to grab a bite of my creation, but a prying question popped into my head.
"Carla, where's your iPod? I thought you never left the house without it."
"Oh, the battery's dead, and I let Fernando borrow my charger. He hasn't given it back yet."
"Well that explains it. I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving!"
I scooped a blob of whipped cream into my beak, licked up a blueberry, and took a big bite of the pancake. I hummed in delight as the tart blueberry juice squirted out, blending with the sweetness of the whipped cream.
"Mmm… it's so tasty. Bia was right… I am a good cook…"
I swallowed everything at once, only to realize Jewel was staring at me.
"Uh, Blu, you have a little something on your beak there."
I hastily swiped my tongue over the edges of both halves of my beak, removing some extra whipped cream.
"How's that? Did I get it all?"
"You sure did."
She blinked endearingly and leaned in, and we shared a luscious kiss.
"Ugh, that's not something I want to see when I'm eating," a displeased Carla complained.
Tiago cheered, "Way to go, Dad! Score!"
When our passionate exchange drew to a close, Jewel and I fixed our eyes on our eldest daughter.
She held up her wings defensively.
"What?"
"We're mates, sweetie. Give us a break, will you?" Jewel insisted.
"Sure, whatever," she replied, rolling her eyes with as much attitude as her mother did.
After the pancakes performed their disappearing act – and we cleaned up and put everything away – Jewel revealed the bad news.
The kids didn't take too kindly to having another restriction placed on them. But when she unleashed her stern glare, they were smart enough to silence their complaints.
Jewel then proposed we venture into the rain forest and do some exploring.
Tiago and Bia's eyes gleamed; no one loved going on adventures more than he did, and her thirst for learning and discovery could not be quenched.
Carla, however, didn't seem too interested in the proposition.
"Do I have to go? My iPod is my only distraction, and without it, I'll just be bored the whole time."
"If the rest of the family is going, so are you."
She took a step closer to Carla and said smugly, "If you really want to stay home all by yourself, I can ground you. Then you won't be going anywhere for the rest of the day."
This distressed our daughter, and she unfurled her wings in a pleading manner.
"But Mom-"
"No buts, Carla."
"Except her fat, feathery one," Tiago interjected, bursting into laughter. He collapsed face-up onto the counter, grabbing his feet with his wings and rocking from side to side.
"You're not helping," she grumbled.
"Before we go, I'll need my jungle wildlife guide."
Her brother said, "I'll need to get my goggles so I can go swimming or play in the mud!"
I deadpanned, "Sorry, Tiago, but no mud for you. I spent fifteen minutes washing that gross stuff from your feathers last time, and you gave me my own bath in the process."
"Awww, man."
We vacated the spotless kitchen and ascended to our treetop home.
Bia flew into her room and sailed out with her trusty field guide in hand. Tiago streaked into his and reappeared in a flash, tossing his goggles into the air and strapping them on.
"Is everyone ready to go?"
My son tapped one side of his protective eyewear with his curled-up foot.
"I'm totally protected and ready to rock."
"I'm all set, Dad."
"Carla?"
"Yeah, Mom?"
"Please behave so you don't spoil this for them."
"I promise I'll behave. I'm not that mean of a big sister."
Despite her previous disdain, she smiled an honest smile and hugged both her siblings at once.
"I'll find some way to entertain myself. You know I love you guys."
"We love you too, sis."
Moments later we were off, Jewel in the lead while I brought up the rear of our formation. We made a beeline for the eastern sector of the Sanctuary, a swath I recalled us visiting before.
I called out to Jewel and suggested a course correction; she obeyed and banked hard to the left. We, in turn, oriented ourselves to the north.
The density of the foliage increased as we traveled on, trunks and vines and leaves seemingly closing in from all sides.
There was a strange-yet-soothing magic in the air, and I felt as if the plants were lending me their vitality. This sensation, coupled with the heady scent of damp soil and swirling aromas of blooming flowers, refreshed my body and soul.
We scouted around for a suitable location to begin our expedition, and it wasn't long until we found one – or should I say, Carla found one.
Pursuing her echoing voice, we spiraled down to the ground. The earth was spongy and cool beneath my feet, slanting beams of golden sunlight piercing the canopy high above.
"What a glorious morning this is, huh kids?"
Carla answered, "It sure is, Dad. It's not too hot, not too cold, and there's no rain to deal with."
"Can we explore until noon, Dad? There are a few organisms I'd like to find and study further, but it might take a while."
"I don't see anything wrong with that. What about you, honey?"
"Not at all. It's time we let the kids have some fun, and in Bia's case, learn a thing or two about the rain forest."
Bia skimmed through her book until she found the page she was looking for. Carla marched over and read along with her.
"Hey, check out that shiny butterfly!"
I looked where Tiago was pointing, and sure enough, a butterfly was perched on a pink orchid, fanning its iridescent blue wings.
"Wow, that's a blue morpho," Bia explained dutifully, fascinated.
"I wonder what it tastes like. Can I eat it?"
She replied, "That's probably not a good idea."
He crouched down and jumped, trying but failing to swat it with his wing. Alerted to his presence by the unsuccessful attack, it beat a hasty retreat deeper into the jungle.
"Why don't you leave it alone? What did it ever do to you?" Bia asked.
Her words fell on deaf ears.
"You think you can get away from me? We'll see about that!"
Our trailblazer of a son gave chase, vanishing as he ran through a wall of ferns.
"Tiago, stay close. Tiago!"
Jewel dashed off in hot pursuit of him.
"Come on girls, we should stick with your mother."
The path they took was clearly marked, as they had left behind two sets of tracks in the dirt and a sort-of tunnel through the foliage. Detecting both their voices, we walked slightly faster.
Fighting our way through a low-hanging net of vines, we emerged near the bank of a healthy stream. The notorious butterfly was perched on a fallen tree trunk that spanned the stream, and Tiago was slinking towards it like a snake.
I sauntered up alongside Jewel and said coolly, "That was... exciting."
"A year ago, chasing my determined son through the rain forest is not something I imagined myself doing."
"Life is full of pleasant surprises."
"It's game over for you. Tiago one, butterfly zero," he declared in a stealthy tone.
Just as he came within striking distance, he lunged. The butterfly's superior reaction time enabled it to dodge; it escaped and wandered upstream with carefree wing beats.
Too bad for Tiago, he slipped on the moss that coated the trunk where the butterfly had just been sitting. He scrambled to find purchase, but his wings and claws could not establish any amount of grip on the slick moss.
He tumbled into the water with a ploosh sound, sending miniature waves up onto both banks.
His sisters chuckled, and Jewel and I were compelled to emulate them. Unfazed and not willing to admit defeat, he waded out and jabbed his soggy wing in the direction of his long-gone nemesis.
"Don't think I won't find you again. When I do, it's payback time."
His parting speech delivered, he shook his wet body and flapped his wings vigorously. I shielded Jewel and the girls from the droplets that arced towards us.
"Had enough 'fun' yet, bro?"
"Not even close, big sis. I'm just getting started."
Jewel wanted to take a short break, so the trek was momentarily put on hold.
Tiago resorted to basking in a stationary ray of sun to dry off. Carla reclined belly-up on a flat chunk of rock and basked in the sun's warmth too.
Jewel and I perched on the low branch of a tree, and she helped herself to a mango.
Our middle child was dedicated; she searched for and soon identified a native flowering plant in the genus Heliconia. Proud of herself and intrigued by the vibrant blossoms, she sat down next to it and consulted her guide for more information.
Around the time Jewel devoured the last piece of her mango, Bia spotted another showy plant. She crossed the stream to study it, the foliage swallowing her up.
Concerned for her well-being now that she was invisible, Jewel and I rounded up her siblings and relocated. She was unharmed thank the stars, her head buried in her quintessential manual.
I wanted to believe that no predator would dare harm someone as benevolent and charming as her, but mortal danger was ever-present in the jungle.
High up in a Brazil nut tree was a trio of scarlet macaws, two males and a female. I could hear and see them, but they were absorbed in their conversation and oblivious to us.
As I began strolling towards Bia, a greenish-white substance splatted on the ground a few inches to my right.
"Ahh!" I squawked, startled.
When I realized what it was and connected the dots, I cringed and distanced myself from it.
"Sinto muito sobre isso! Eu não vi você lá embaixo!" called one of the males, his voice richly-accented.
"What did he say?"
"He said he's very sorry, and that he didn't see you down here," Jewel translated.
"It's okay! Don't worry!" I squawked.
"Not really," I concluded under my breath.
"What's the matter, Dad? Bird droppings are an important source of nitrogen that helps sustain plant communities, and they also contribute to seed dispersal so that plant species can spread," Bia articulated knowledgeably.
"Lighten up, Blu. It's only natural," Jewel tacked on.
"It almost landed on me though. That would've been so gross."
"You were lucky it didn't, and that's what matters."
I nodded, but thought to myself, Well, that was awkward.
Trekking north, we happened upon the corpse of a recently-deceased emerald tree boa, a juvenile judging by its short length. It was sprawled out on the earth, the last 1/3 of its length gone and its gray eyes unblinking.
The resplendent creature hadn't even reached adulthood before meeting a cruel end; Bia's high spirits were dampened, and we were reminded of the fragility of life.
No one felt like talking much after the encounter, and so we continued on in pensive silence.
Lethargy was creeping up on Carla and Tiago; they lagged behind multiple times and we had to wait for them to catch up. Bia's energy reserves were steadily depleting as well, her former enthusiasm waning by the minute.
She educated herself on a tree frog and a pitcher plant, and then closed her book resolutely. She waddled up to me and yawned, her eyelids drooping.
"Dad… I'm tired…"
Her brother and sister appeared, flanking her on either side.
"Me too," he mumbled.
"Me three," she concluded.
"I think we could all use a nap," Jewel ordained. "Let's look around for a place to stay."
There was a smattering of tall trees in the vicinity, but only the fourth one we inspected bore a chamber that, as far as we could tell, was vacant. It was tidy and roomy enough to accommodate us all, which we were thankful for.
A mat of leafy vines dangled in front of the aperture in the trunk; I wove them more tightly together, essentially forming a screen that provided us with more privacy and more efficient protection.
The lack of a nest to get comfortable in meant that Jewel and I were the only alternative.
We reclined at an angle against the rear wall of the hollow, and the kids curled up beside one another at our feet. Jewel's plump midsection served as the pillow for Carla's head, and my belly area was Bia and Tiago's personal cushion.
Nothing I had ever felt before could compare to the sensation of my son and daughter snuggling into me, and a heavenly sigh flowed out of my beak.
I entwined my right wing with Jewel's left similar to how humans hold hands, and she rested her head on my shoulder.
On the verge of succumbing to fatigue and the prospect of a peaceful nap, they murmured, "We love you, Mom and Dad."
"I love you too," I whispered.
Almost inaudibly, Jewel said, "Sweet dreams, my precious angels…"
I managed to stay awake until the other members of my family were fast asleep. Satisfied, I closed my eyes and sank into the realm of my golden slumbers.
X-X-X
"Wow, what a beautiful sunset…" Jewel proclaimed in a reverent voice.
I locked eyes with her, the reflected images of the horizon on their surfaces snatching my breath away.
"Any sunset is second place compared to a certain someone…"
"Thank you so much, Blu. Thank you for your compliment, for being with me… for everything."
"I would do anything for you, you know that right?"
She affected an elated expression, the colors of dusk playing on her lustrous face.
"Of course I do."
No more words passed between us as she dragged me down to the sand, the grains cool to my skin. I felt the heat of the sun in her kiss, scarlet tongues of warmth wrapping around my soul and warming every corner of my being.
Her love had never felt more real, more powerful, and I swore I'd be with her forever.
X-X-X
"Dad, it's time to get up. Hello, Earth to Dad."
The youthful voice and nudges I received in my side stirred me awake.
"Huh? Wh-what's going on? Where's… where's the fire?"
Regaining control of my muscles, I forced myself into an upright position. Still groggy and my vision horribly blurred, my family was a cluster of misshapen blue blobs.
I rubbed my eyes vigorously and they came into sharp focus.
"There's no fire, Dad," Carla said with a chuckle.
"You were talking in your sleep. We heard you," Bia commented.
"I was? Huh, I never knew I did that."
Jewel clarified, "Now you do. You said some touching things about me that I won't forget anytime soon."
She pecked me on the cheek, boosting my alertness.
"Is it just me, or did it get a lot cooler in here?" I asked, fluffing up my feathers.
Carla replied, "When we woke up, it was all cloudy and gloomy outside."
"Oh. I thought it would be nice all day, but I guess the weather had other plans."
Strangely, Bia squinted and then gasped. "Does anyone feel that?"
"Feel what?" Tiago inquired, scratching his head.
Our younger daughter spun and darted through the net without entangling herself. I hustled over to the screen and picked it apart, poking my head out.
"Where are you, Bia?"
"I'm way up here, Dad. There's something you need to see."
I gestured to my family and ascended, maneuvering between the branches until I broke free of them altogether. We had reached the top of the canopy layer, as evidenced by the sparse trees of the emergent layer scattered here and there and the nearly-unobstructed view in all directions.
Bia was facing south, the distant bay no more than a lackluster pool of water. When the others joined us, she pointed towards the southern horizon with her slender toe.
A foreboding, dark gray wall of towering clouds was floating just beyond the bay, a mountain suspended in the sky. It was advancing slowly-but-surely, clearly on a collision course with the city.
It was then my innate biological senses registered the tempest, and I could feel its waterlogged weight bearing down on me.
Our eldest daughter intoned, "Uh oh, we've got trouble incoming."
In her intelligent voice, Bia said, "I predict plenty of thunder, lightning, and very heavy rain."
"My instincts are telling me you're probably right, sweetie. Here in Rio, there's no such thing as a 'weak' storm," Jewel stated.
"We should probably head home and take shelter. Time is running out."
Tiago positioned his goggles over his eyes and strapped them down snugly.
"I'll be right behind you, Dad."
I propelled myself into the air, my family clustering around my tail.
"Oh no, I forgot my book!" Bia cried out. "Don't leave. I'll be right back."
We slowed down drastically, and she returned ten seconds later.
"Got it, Dad."
I looked over my shoulder and saw her gliding behind her mother, the book dangling beneath her.
"Good. Now let's make like a banana and split."
And split we did, driven to arrive home before being assaulted by the imminent downpour.
The clouds picked up speed, progressing inland roughly twice as fast as they were earlier. The air temperature decreased a few more degrees ahead of the squall, and we quickened our pace.
I restrained my sigh of relief as our home came into view, because things were about to turn nasty. Carla, Tiago, and I landed on the platform and Bia stashed her book in her room.
"Hurry, Mom! Faster, faster, faster!" Tiago urged, bouncing up and down.
A rumble of thunder shook the sky as we piled into my and Jewel's quarters, heralding the beginning of the downpour. The individual droplets were minute and infrequent at first, but their size and density increased as much as tenfold in no more than three minutes.
They battered every surface, detonating like liquid bombs. The low-pitched drumming on the roof of our home was incessant, but thanks to its adequate construction there were no leaks.
It was ominously dark outside, every brilliant bolt illuminating the surrounding area for a stark moment. A loud crack preceded every booming peal of thunder, as if an earthquake was destroying the heavens.
Mother Nature's exhibition was a mighty one, and we birds were humbled.
"Are we safe? What if the tree gets struck by lightning, or even worse, our home?" Carla asked worriedly.
Downplaying the seriousness of such an event, Tiago joked, "I bet the house would go ka-boom! That would be the coolest thing ever!"
"No it wouldn't!" she retorted.
She tried to shove him, but he leaped out of the way.
Bia remarked gravely, "Considering that lightning can be as hot as 50,000 degrees, the water inside the wood will vaporize and cause it to explode. Our chances of survival would be highly unlikely."
"As scary as that sounds, she's right. But remember, our tree isn't the tallest thing around, so lightning will find other places to strike."
"That's another scientific fact," Bia commented.
"See? I'm a smart bird too. We'll be just fine."
"I'm not scared of lightning. I'm gonna go play in the rain!"
Tiago barreled for the exit and jumped, but Jewel swiftly intervened. She clamped her right foot around his tail and pulled, plucking him out of the air.
"Ouch!"
"Absolutely not, Tiago."
He flopped to the floor and stood up rapidly, whipping his tail away when she released her grip.
"You wanna fight, Mom? Let's go! I can take you on!"
Our son adopted an offensive stance and threw a flurry of harmless punches at his mother's belly, barely ruffling her plumage. She rolled her eyes and playfully grabbed his wings, hoisting him off the ground.
She squished him against her chest and kissed him repeatedly on his face.
"Aw Mom! Yuck! C'mon, I'm too cool for this!"
Having administered plenty of affectionate torture, she set him down. He batted his face to dislodge her love stains.
A flash of light threw our sharp shadows onto the wall, and the ensuing snap of thunder made the house vibrate.
"Ahhh!" he screamed, cowering under his wings.
"Not scared, huh?" his older sister taunted. "Yeah right."
Eager to distract them from the tempest's wrath, I intoned, "Want to hear about some other things that happened while I was in Rio?"
"We've already heard a bunch of your stories though, Dad."
"Yes, but not all of them, Carla."
"In that case, sure," Bia said.
"I-I guess s-so," her brother put in shakily.
We moved to the rear of the room, and they seated themselves comfortably in a line.
"Let's see, which one should I pick… ah yes, that's a good one."
I cleared my throat and began, "After escaping from Nigel's henchmen, we hitched a ride on a tram to Luiz's garage…"
The kids were riveted to me, forgetting all about the storm raging all around. They laughed heartily when I reiterated the flower petal mishap, and it would have been foolish of me not to do the same.
The second tale I extracted from my memory was the hair-raising – feather-raising, to be exact – encounter Jewel and I had with Luiz's power tool. Next was the tense argument between us in which I announced my hate of samba, and then my crusade through the Carnaval parade.
I recounted two more, saving the most inspiring saga for last.
I retold the harrowing events on the smuggler's plane and my fall from grace to be with Jewel one last time – or so I'd thought.
My middle child tilted her head and declared, "That is so wonderful…"
"The night is always darkest before dawn, kids," Jewel stated.
"I was willing to do what my heart, not my head, told me was right. I put my faith in your mother because I knew she was the one for me, and what would have been our tragic end became our happily ever after."
"Our love grew deeper and deeper, and we realized that something was missing in our lives. That was when we brought you three into the world," Jewel said proudly.
Betraying a hint of drowsiness, Carla inquired, "About that… where did we come from? I'm really curious."
Jewel answered, "When you're older, I'll let you know."
"Much older," I corrected.
"But-" she started, only to be interrupted by her brother.
"Hey, I think the storm's over."
We crowded around the hole and peered out. Every inch of the jungle was soaked and the skies were a murky gray, but the deluge had dwindled into an insignificant sprinkle.
In spite of its relentless fury, the squall had dumped the copious amounts of water that the jungle at large needed for survival.
The ends justify the means, I mused.
It was the middle of the evening according to my internal timekeeping mechanism, the hidden sun an hour or so away from setting.
"What a crazy end to a crazy day…" Carla said in a relaxed tone.
Bia looked at us and muttered, "It's getting late, and I'm running on empty. I think it's time… for me to go to bed…"
Her words dissipated, and she yawned. She spread the pathogen to her siblings, and they yawned too.
Tiago lazily removed his goggles and asked quietly, "Mom… can you sing us… our favorite lullaby?"
"I'd be glad to." She placed her wings upon their backs, and her soothing voice saturated the air.
"Moonbeams and starlight, magical twilight, the warmest rain… hear it whispering your names. Rainbows at midnight, sparkling night skies, don't go away, stay another day…"
They swayed a bit, almost lulled to sleep by the lullaby's becalming rhythm. She kissed each of them once on their foreheads and retracted her wings.
"Good night, my sweet children. See you in the morning."
"Good night, Mom. We love you..."
Being the caring father that I am, I kissed them too.
"Sweet dreams, kids."
"Sweet dreams, Dad."
One by one they filed out, the heavy flapping of their wings proof of their fatigue. I was once again alone with my Jewel.
"I'm just about as exhausted as they are," she said, exhaling.
"So am I."
She grasped my wing and guided me to our nest, where we lay down together.
"We've earned a good night's sleep, haven't we?"
I signaled my agreement with a few mellow nods. We touched beaks, and I spiraled into the depths of her majestic teal eyes.
Draping her wing over me to block out the cold, she whispered, "You're my one and only, Blu."
"I'll always be here… with you and for you. I promise."
"And that's why I love you…"
"I love you too, honey."
We closed our eyes, and in the deafening silence we cuddled. She and I were two individuals, but it was through our unbreakable bond of companionship that we were unified as one.
I could never go back to a time before her, a time when I knew nothing about true love. My ignorance was my bliss, but for the rest of my days, only my bliss will remain.
X-X-X
A tiny male macaw was ejected from his dream soon after it manifested. Though he was bathed in unrelenting darkness, his sense of hearing was able to detect the disturbance that had awoken him.
"You drive me wild, Blu."
"Cheese and sprinkles… that feels so good. It should be illegal…"
The macaw was confused.
What are they talking about? What are Mom and Dad doing?
"C'mon handsome, impress me. The kids are asleep, so why don't we have some fun?"
"I'll do whatever you want, Jewel…"
Alright, now I'm really curious. I better find out what's going on down there… he thought steadfastly.
The youngster vacated his room, floating down to the landing zone. His height was an issue, so he stood on the tips of his toes and peeked into his parents' room.
His eyes widened and his cheeks grew red-hot. Unnerved and embarrassed to the max, he rocketed into the air and dashed into his living quarters.
Little Tiago realized that spying on his parents had been a very bad idea.
Whatever it is they're doing… it's definitely not something I was meant to see!
He flung himself into his nest and curled up.
His efforts to banish the images were in vain, as they were seared into his memory and remarkably vivid. For exactly how long they would persist he wasn't able to measure.
What he did know, however, is that the chance to snooze peacefully that night was out of the question.
