Hello, readers. This is for a charecter I designed myself, for the story, "Overdone meal" by the author "From Darkness and Light" She used my charecter in her story, involving the penguins and friends to enter an underground animal sanctuary. On their arrival, they meet many different animals, one being a young girl toucan named Kiki. This is the story of how she got to the city thyat rests on the outskirts of New York, and it all begins on the Amazon riverside, of the Amazon rainforest, in Manaus, Brazil.

Gain and Loss chapter 1

by

Mastermindhunter

"Come on Kikiana, my love. Just one more push!" I was screeching at the top of my lungs. Sweat was pouring off my face, and my body was in shock. What a painful chore this was. I thought that it couldn't get any worse than this. I looked outside at the other toucans of the group. Thirty pairs of anticipating eyes were focused on me, including my mate, Runako. He was so excited, and helping me every step of the way. My mother, who was also queen of our flock, Makeeda was watching me with a warm calm face. She knew that if anybody could do this, it was me. I braced my wings against the walls of the hollow hole in the tree. I could hardly take it anymore. I don't know why Runako said it, but it was definitely NOT just one more push. I was huffing trying to push these final eggs out. Finally in one final scream, I felt the last two eggs rest in the bottom of the tree. I slumpt against the side of the hole, and smiled at Runako. The thirty pairs of eyes were slowly starting to smile, when they figured out that I was done. Runako kissed me gently, and nuzzled his head against mine, knowing I had done an acceptional job laying our first ever clutch of eggs. I was so exhausted, I could barely stand. Runako smiled and helped me stand up. He grabbed my wing in his, and pulled me to my natural blue feet. I wobbled a bit, but regained my stance. When I made it over to the edge of the hole, I got on the rim of the hollowed out tree trunk so I could take a look at my eggs. I was surprised at how many there were. Five eggs! Most toucans layed an average of three. The usual number was from two to four, but five? Well the number for me didn't matter that much. The more eggs I had, the better, I thought.

I smiled down at them, and ran my wing over them. They were simply the most beautiful things I had ever laid my eyes on. I hugged Runako close, and smiled. It was the first time I ever laid an egg before, and was proud. I smiled over at my mother, and nodded. My mother was by tradition the first one to see all eggs. As queen, it was her job to see all laid eggs before anyone else, granted the parents of course. I waved over for her, and she hopped from her tall tree branch down to my branch. She hopped over to the hole, and we moved aside, so she could give her royal blessing. She turned to me, and laid a wing on my shoulder and smiled. "Well done my princess." She hugged me in a motherly hug, and she gave Runako a mother in law hug. She hopped up to the hole, and looked inside.

My eggs layed there warm, and young. She looked at each one carefully. She picked each one up, and held them up to her closely. When she had inspected, and blessed them all. She waved her wing slowly over the the hollowed out hole in the tree, blessing our nest site, for a bountifull and healthy family. She smiled at me, and I knew the next step to the ceremony. She held out her wings. I laid my wing in hers, and Runako laid his wing in her other wing. She led me over to the branch that was positioned slightly over the toucans, so they could have a clear view of me, Runako, and her. She knew that I was very weak after me laying my first ever clutch of eggs, and not to mention their size. She was very carefull with me, making sure I didn't geet hurt. She nodded to both of us, and we nodded back.

"My people" My mother boomed in her royalty voice. "My daughter, Princess Kikiana has layed her first batch of five eggs." She declared. She held our wings above her head, and as it was done for all parent toucans, the flock cheered for us. They smiled, and jumped excitedly on the branches for us. The cheer was thunder in the canopies. I could swear the the whole rainforest could hear us.

The toucans bowed their heads in unison, and it was the greatest honor I ever felt. My mother brought our wings together to bless us as a couple. Our wings were brought together, and she said the lines that she had said many times to many toucans. " May your future for these babies be a bountiful one full of teamwork, love, compassion, and understanding. I pray for a prosperous life for you, and your eggs. May you all eccept this blessing." We nodded, and kissed as done by the toucans before us.

The ceremony had been over for about an hour, but we were still being watched by the entire flock. I was sitting on my eggs to keep them warm. I knew I was dirty hungry, and tired, but I wanted to keep my babies safe. Runako was watching me carefully as well. "You do understand, darling that we are supposed to work as a team to watch our babies. We are supposed to take turns. You haven't eaten in a while, my love. Go get some fruits. I will watch the eggs." I looked at him, a bit nervously. They were after all a whole nest of five eggs, but then again, he was bigger than I was, so he could keep them under him safer.

My mother flew over to our hole, and stared at me with a mother's look. I looked at her sneering in a playful manner. Runako smiled at my mother. "Oh thank heavens your highness. Could you tell Kikiana to go get some food? She isn't going to eat, and she hasn't had food in I don't know how long." My mother looked at me with her eyebrows raised. I blushed a bit, but didn't want to let my eggs out of my sight.

"Is that so?" She stared at me annoyed. I looked away stubbornly.

"Yes." Runako said with playfull smile in my direction.

My mother straightened her back, in order to look taller than me, which she did to assert her authority. "As queen of this flock, and your mother, I command you calm down, and let Runako have his turn to incubate the eggs." I huffed loudly, and carefully got up. I manuevered over the eggs, and Runako easily slipped in, and layed himself down on them perfectly. I smiled, but didn't want to fly away to leave him there.

I was very worrysome for my eggs. I suppose this is how mother felt when she had me and my brothers. Finally Runako waved his wings. "Go, Kiki. Go. It's my turn." I rolled my eyes, and flew off after my mother.

We went above the tree tops, and canopies, so that we could head to the river. It was late spring, so I knew that it wouldn't be too difficult to find a fruit tree along the river during wet season. We found an acerola tree. The fruit it held was delicious. I grabbed it with my beak and swallowed the juice filled fruit. my mother and I loved to forage for fruit together as mother and child, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to do that so much now that I had a batch, and a mate. She made her way over to a nearby guava tree. The tree provided excellent protection from prey. We both perched upon the top. She landed right beside me.

"Now doesn't this seem better?" She smiled in a carefree tone.

I felt a bit better, but not carefree. All my thoughts were on my family. "Not really, but I can always pretend with you, mom." I snickered.

She sighed, and shook her head. "You know Kikiana, just because you worry about these problems, doesn't solve them. You must have faith in Runako. He will not hurt your eggs." I sighed and nodded. She smiled, and hugged me close. "I am so proud of you. Having a clutch of of your very own. It feels like you are just a year old." I smiled at her as she hugged me closely, and raised an eyebrow.

"But I am a year old, mother." I giggled.

"And such a wonderous year it has been so far. My first egg I ever laid in my life, having eggs of her very own. She smiled, and her face turned to one of surprise. "Oh that remids me. I want to talk to you about the flock." That was when I knew she had stopped her mother instincts, and kicked into her queen instincts. "As you well know, I will not be around forever. I will need to have an heir to the flock's throne." I seriously did not like the direction this discussion was going. "Being my only daugher as well as my first ever layed egg, I feel that the best choice would be you to carry on my work as queen."

"Me? but I'm just a simple toucan. I cannot carry on the flock as a queen!" I was totally stunned at the thought of being queen. I knew there was possibility I could be it, but I never imagined it would happen. "Can't you get one of the boys to take over?"

She shot me a glance. "Now Kikiana, you know you were my first egg ever to be born into my first ever clutch, as was I in my mothers first, and her in her mother's first. You come from a long line of first eggs. Now I know that the decisions seem demanding, and the pressures are frustrating, but I want you to know that it isn't so awfull. You and I both know that your father was by my side the whole way through, and I did a good job. Don't you think?"

"But that's just it, mother. You are the queen of queens. I don't think I'll ever fill your shoes."

She laughed, and looked at me smiling warmly. "Well, I don't recall you acting so scared when you found out you were pregnant. It's just like taking care of children. You learn while you work." She said confidentally. "Trust me. You will do wonders for our flock, and in your nest the heir to your throne is being cared for by the future king, and they will carry on your work as will their children." I shrugged.

"But what if I fail?" I said worrisome. "What if the flock falls apart?"

She spread her wings wide. "Trust me. It won't. Now let's head back to the flock. I'm sure you will be happy to be in your tree for some well deserved rest."