Chapter 1

Blu POV

I stepped out of my hollow and stared at the silent Amazon night sky, waiting for the incoming Brazilian helicopter. It was coming closer now, I could hear the rotating of its propellers. But I still couldn't see its shape yet. I looked around the macaw village. Although it was already midnight, most of the hollows were still bright with the newly-fitted electric lamps. Just as I was about to fly back into my hollow, a slurred voice called out my name

"Blllluuu…".

It was Roberto. After the incident with the loggers, he two had actually grown close…. and finally, became friends, with him passing on the role of soccer captain to me, and me…. well.. you won't want to know. I laughed as I flew into his hollow. He was watching a late night soccer match on TV, and was drinking…well, you should know.

"Beeeeerrr…" he said again.

"Yeah ...Yeah.." I said, as I grabbed a can and threw it to him "You're really getting addicted".

"Maaannn.." he slurred on " Those humans really got it going". I laughed again. "Blu?" a voice behind me interrupted. I glanced behind my back. It was Jewel.

"Beto…you" she continued.

"Uhh.." Roberto said as he held up one of his wings "Just this last can…" "

"You always say that!" .

I chuckled at this argument, thinking of how I used to be just like that with Linda. LINDA! I rushed out of my hollow. I could see the helicopter landing now, onto the "H" we so elaborately made on the meadow. 'Must be Fernando" I thought. The whirring of the propellers stopped, and the woman who took care of me for 15 years stepped out. Instinctively, I flew down and embraced her She hugged me back. There was no need for words. This was enough.

"Ready to go, Blu?" she asked me as she tickled my chin.

I closed my eyes, feeling young once again for a moment. Then I opened them and yelled out "Kids…Come out now!" "Awww" the kids moaned, just as expected, then half a second later, they came flying out (forced by Jewel), carrying their things-Bia a book, Carla an I-Pod, and Tiago a football. "Get in, guys" I said as I slid opened the helicopter doors. At the pilot's seat. sat Fernando, just as I thought. "Hey Blu" he said, high-fiving my talon as he greeted me. "I passed my flying exam." I grinned and wrote "Then say thanks to me." It seemed strange teaching a human how to fly a helicopter but hey—flying is flying.

We both laughed our heads off.

"Hey Stu!" someone yelled out.

It was Eduardo. Ever since the day we met, (which was not very nice) "Stu" had become my PERMANENT nickname. My father-in-law flew down to me and whispered

" May I have a word with Tulio please?"

Ever since the day they met (which also was not very nice), they both had realized the importance of preserving the Spix's Macaw Tribe and had worked together since, despite the language barrier. Just then, Tulio came over and they hurriedly walked over to a corner, talking quietly but urgently. I decided to walk over and listen, but something in my body instinctively told me not to. Fernando yelled "Time for take-off!". I hurried inside, together with Tulio who had just wrapped up the chat with Eddie.

"Eddie's not going." He told me suddenly.

"Strange" I thought "How come he suddenly said that. I already knew…"

But I barely had any time to think more, the rotor blades began to spin again, disrupting the usual silence in the village. Just as the helicopter left the ground, someone yelled out "Hey guys! Wait up!" Blu sighed, and turned his head around, expecting Luiz with his spit drooling. But it wasn't Luiz…it was Aunt Mimi.

"Guys wait up!" she yelled.

Somehow, Fernando seemed to understand her and landed the helicopter again.

"What now, Aunt Mimi?" asked Blu angrily, who wanted to be back at Rio ASAP.

"I want to go with you guys." The elderly macaw replied.

"WHAT!?" bellowed Eduardo, running towards the chopper. "Sis," He continued 'You can't go"

"Come on, Ed!" she yelled. "I haven't been out of this hellhole for like, 40 years!"

"I never knew Aunt Mimi was that old…"Tiago whispered to Bia.

Eduardo groaned. He loved his sister, but he knew that sometimes…sometimes.. that she was just so.. stubborn. He folded his wings and said

"Okay, Mimi, just this time. But keep in contact, ok?" He held up his PHONE.

Jewel swore out loud. Blu looked at him in shock. Aunt Mimi hassled herself onto the chopper and whispered to Blu

'I used to push him around when we were young, you know."

Blu had to resist the temptation to laugh. Fernando wiped his forehead with his handkerchief and closed the cockpit door for one last time. Then the rotors spun and lifted its cargo of 3 humans and 6 macaws into the black Amazon sky, flying the 1000 miles back to Rio.