A/N: This story is an expository writing that I've been working on for the past year. I've spent the past several months planning out the plot and making sure that it could work. It takes place just after Rio 2 in case you were wondering. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have had in writing it.

One final thing. I'd like to thank Bluetech in helping me proofread and providing helpful pointers to make this chapter perfect. Thanks bro.

It had been about three weeks since my family and I willingly vacated Rio, the comforts of which I loved so much, and moved to the Amazon to find the long lost Spix's Macaw tribe. Wait, was it three weeks? I think so... Well, living in Rio, I always had human tools such as alarm clocks and calendars to help me determine the passage of time. Here in the Amazon however, where technology is non-existent, I have to rely on my biological clock to tell me what time and day it is. For clarity's sake, let's just say it was three weeks.

Anyways, a lot has happened since we've moved here. I'd rather not go into the first day or two, as you probably already know what happened. If you don't, you should probably look into it. After the whole logger incident, Eduardo and the clan really softened up towards me. I wasn't treated like a social outcast anymore, and I was actually accepted by everyone. Eduardo even said that he's proud to call me his son-in-law, which I think is a crowning achievement for me.

Overall, things are really starting to look up for me and my family. Maybe Jewel was right. Maybe all our family needed was to get a little fresh air under our wings. I hate to say it, but I think this untamed jungle is our home. It seems like things can only get better from here...

I awoke from my deep slumber a bit earlier than I would've liked, but the ample amount of sleep that I had gotten the night before ensured that the drowsiness accompanied with waking up early was not present.

I took a deep breath through my nostrils, inhaling the sublime early morning air. It was humid and pristine, smelling of a recent rain, wet leaves and flowers, and nutrient-rich earth. Slowly, I exhaled the air out of my lungs and through my beak, and soon after I restarted my usual respiratory cycle.

Looking to my left, I could see Jewel and our three wonderful kids sleeping together. Careful to not make any unnecessary noises, I slowly made my way to the entrance of our hollow. Thankfully, I had succeeded in not rousing them from their quiet slumbers.

Once I had made it to the rim, I stepped out into the branch that projected out into the open air. Our hollow was on prime real estate, a cliffside dwelling with an unhindered view of the waterfalls and the canyons around it. Any macaw would be exceedingly lucky to have a home in this location. Eduardo repaid me for his uncouth treatment by declaring it ours, and I was ever-grateful of his charity.

To the east, I could see the reddened disk of the early morning sun, its copious radiation showering the planet in life giving heat. The dust and moisture in the atmosphere tinged the sky around the sun a deep scarlet color. The azimuth of the sky was a lighter shade of blue due to the sun's longitudinal position, and the zenith was still somewhat dark, indicating that the sun had not fully risen yet. Even though the atmospheric phenomenon created an ethereal view, I knew that the red sky was a bad omen. I took note of the possibility for an afternoon thunderstorm.

I turned to the east, where the sun's glow was being refracted by the countless droplets that made up the cataracts, splitting into the basic hues of the rainbow. All of it combined to create a surreal environment similar to what one would find in a fairy tale.

Looking back at the rainforest, one could see a multitude of golden shafts dancing amongst the trees, the illuminated patches constantly shifting and relocating. Further off in the jungle, the cacophonous sounds of a menagerie of birds and other wildlife could be heard. The blend of noises bounced repeatedly off the myriad of trunks, the resultant echo amplified by the jungle's natural harmonics.

"I know, it's beautiful isn't it? I don't know what I like more, the way the Rayleigh Effect diffuses the sun's light, or the prismatic abilities of water droplets that allow them to give rise to rainbows. Oh, and I can't forget how the sounds of the jungle resonate so perfectly that not one is drowned out by the other," Bia chimed in as she slowly walked up beside me.

I was mildly surprised that Bia would already be explaining the scientific processes of the jungle so early in the morning, but I really couldn't put it past her. She is a near-perfect clone of me, and I couldn't be more proud of her.

"Personally, I think the rainbow in front of the waterfall is the prettiest," Carla stated from behind me.

"Waterfall? Is it something we can ride?" Tiago inquired as he barreled out of the hollow.

"Honestly, no," Jewel said, indicating that our entire family was awake.

"Aww man..."

"Well, it looks like everyone is up and ready to take on the day. Right Jewel?" I asked before giving Jewel a peck on the beak.

"It hasn't even been 5 minutes and they're already kissing..." Carla said dully.

"You can say that again," her brother commented.

"Give us a break, kids. You're expecting us to never kiss when we wake up?"

"Frankly, yes," the eldest female countered.

"I suggest you get used to it. One day, when you three find your special someones, you won't be able to resist the urge to smooch."

"I don't think so," Tiago said flatly.

"Just wait and see, son. It happened to me when I came to Rio, so it's a reasonable possibility."

That last statement really made me think for a second. A steady flashback of my first day in Rio, and the weeks after the plane crash came to my head. Had it really already been three years since I moved to Rio and met Jewel? It seems like just last week I dove after her to be with her in our final seconds on the earth, only to save us both at the very last second. I couldn't imagine what would've happened had we plunged into the Atlantic...

"Hey, that reminds me. If my memory is correct, and it usually is, you never told us how you and mom met."

"Huh. Care to hear it now, sweetie?"

"Well, it doesn't seem like we have any other commitments, so why not?"

"Okay, you guys might want to sit down, because it's pretty lengthy. Do you want to tell it, honey?"

"No, this is your story of how you came to Rio, not me. I'll just correct anything that's not true."

"Don't worry, I won't embellish anything."

I began recalling as best I could the events from three years ago, when my life had changed forever. The day that I met Jewel.

"Unfortunately I'm not gonna explain my earliest memories as they were quite... painful to remember, so I'll start off three years ago the day before I left for Rio."

"Why? What happened?"

"Yeah Blu. You never told me what happened before you moved to Minnesota."

Part of me really wished that they hadn't tried to pry that information out of me, but I guess in all things being fair, I never did tell them. It's not that I didn't want them to know, so much that it was such a horrible experience for me, even at that young age. Even though I was only weeks old, I can remember most of it in vivid detail.

"I... I didn't move to Minnesota..."

"Then what happened?"

I did not want to relive the traumatic events of that fateful day, but at the same time, I felt it necessary to enlighten them to my troubled beginnings. After much consideration, I knew I would be better off telling them what had happened to me that day.

"From what I can actually remember, I remember my parents had left early in the morning while I was asleep, so I was alone for a little while. Soon after, I heard the birds living around me singing and dancing, and I decided to check it out. Suddenly, what I now know to have been smugglers arrived and captured all of the birds around me. I looked desperately for my parents, but to no avail. Almost immediately after, I found myself locked in a cage, alone, being shipped off to Minnesota. I still haven't seen my parents since..."

I could feel a few tears coming from my eyes, as I knew they would after retelling such a story. However, the reaction the kids and especially Jewel got were very surprising to say the least. They weren't shocked, but rather saddened by my story. I could tell that they felt my pain, as my loving companion walked over to me and brought me into her embrace.

"I'm so sorry Blu. I never knew that happened to you. Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I... I guess I never really wanted to. It was too heartbreaking to bring up."

"Again, I'm sorry that you had to go through that."

"It's okay, it's not your fault."

We spent a couple of minutes in dead silence, the mood taking a while to restore itself. I had made a prior commitment to retell the thrilling story behind Jewel and I meeting, and I had every intention of finishing it.

"Anyway, lets get on with the story, okay?" I declared, hoping to change the subject that had brought the mood down.

"Alright," Carla said while Bia and Tiago solemnly nodded their heads.

"Linda and I had just finished our morning routine when Túlio appears, claiming that I'm the last male of our kind."

"Well, obviously he was wrong," Tiago stated.

"Obviously. He said that we needed to travel to Rio so I could meet Jewel and we could hopefully save the species. So after a ton of convincing from Linda, we decided to make the trip here."

"We arrived in Rio after a good 16 hour flight, but apparently my status as 'sole surviving male of the species' allowed me ride in the passenger cabin instead of the cargo hold, which was great."

"In Tulio's aviary is where your mother and I first laid eyes on each other... under less than ideal circumstances."

"I should've introduced myself more agreeably than that, but I was always wary of strangers."

I could still remember her barreling into me like a linebacker, and the awful sensation of her claws constricting my throat.

"Uh-oh. What happened?" Carla asked.

"Well, after she roughed me up a bit, I uh... made a silly mistake that I'd rather not reveal. Is it alright if I omit that exchange?"

I hoped she'd say no, so I wouldn't have to embarrass myself in front of our kids.

"Fine by me."

Relieved, I exhaled sharply.

"Later that night, we were captured by Fernando, who was homeless at the time and was working for the smugglers. He brought us to their hideout in a wire cage, and the head smuggler clamped metal rings onto our legs that were joined by chains. We were then stashed in a dingy room packed with other birds they'd stolen from the wild. We argued before deciding to escape, and at which point your mother found out my most secret secret."

"Which was..." Tiago pressed.

"Uh..."

"He couldn't fly," my mate declared bluntly.

"Smooth move, honey," I said, miffed that she would reveal such a fact to our kids.

"Ha, you're welcome, Blu. You said that you'd retell the story, and I'm just filling in the blanks. Besides, it was gonna come up sooner or later."

"It's because you were never taught, isn't it?"

Having witnessed my aerial acrobatics during the Pit of Doom match, there was only one explanation as to why I was formerly ground-bound.

"Correct, sweetie. Anyhow, Nigel, that big scary cockatoo that we saw a few weeks back, chased us through the favelas, but we barely managed to slip out of his grasp."

I can vividly remember Nigel charging at us, his scimitar-like claws poised to snatch us by the necks.

"That night, we walked through the jungle and happened upon the Vista Chinesa lookout tower. We camped out there and things calmed down between us, as we had our first amicable conversation. The following day, your mother was eager to regain her freedom and I wanted nothing but to find Linda. So I tried to break the chain with a simplified gravity powered wedge."

"Which was a total failure," she taunted, giggling her infectious giggle.

"Hey, it would've worked if my beak didn't get snagged on that vine!"

"Whatever," Jewel said playfully.

"Ugh. Anyway, after that, we acquainted ourselves with Rafael, Eva, and his kids. That wasn't fun. After we talked for a bit, he told us that Luiz could help remove it, but he and your mother insisted I learn to fly."

"We navigated to the Pedra Bonita hang gliding ramp. Apparently Rafael's plan was us hurtling ourselves off a mountain and basically hoping for the best. So, against my better judgement, we did. But unfortunately, I hesitated at the last second, and we went tumbling down the cliff, when thank Cristo Redentor we landed on a passing hang glider."

"Wow, that sounds awesome!" Tiago chirped excitedly.

"I was terrified and botched the attempt, and we fell like stones. Thankfully we landed on a passing glider, and I received my first true taste of flight. It was exuberant and felt every bit as invigorating as Jewel described. Unfortunately, I got caught up in the moment and opened my wings, and we were flung off the glider. We eventually landed on the beach, though our doing so caused a small catastrophe."

"Nico and Pedro, who I met when I first arrived in Rio, ran into us. The trolley that was our ride to Luiz left without us, so they insisted we spend some time at their club. This was when we opened up to each other. The duet that we performed was incredible, and her singing was simply impeccable."

She said bashfully, "Oh stop it. You're heaping way too much praise on me."

"But you deserve it, my precious Jewel."

"And you'll always be my one and only, Blu."

I took a moment from recapping the story to give Jewel a loving hug and a kiss on the beak to profess my undying and unyielding love toward her, which she graciously accepted.

"Blech!" Tiago sputtered.

I shot him a sly look and resumed speaking.

"Mesmerized, she and I were inches away from kissing like that, we were attacked by marmosets sent by Nigel to capture us. It was birds versus monkeys in an all-out duel, and they were defeated. We began a slow, romantic tram ride, and thanks to a falling petal, couldn't say what I wanted to say to her.

"Once we made it to Luiz's filthy shop, we found out his plan was to cut it with a circular table saw."

I was supremely glad they didn't try to pry the details of the incident out of me. It was too intense for them to hear at their young age. It was one of the few instances I feared for my very life.

"It was a bittersweet separation, as I was torn that she was going to leave me behind. We had a bit of a falling out. She jetted off and I stalked away into the night. A breathless Nico and Pedro tracked me down and informed me that Nigel had essentially bird-napped her. I hitched a ride on Luiz's fruit hat, and all five of us headed for the heart of Carnival as fast as we could."

Tiago burst out, "A fruit hat? Seriously? Man, you gotta get me one of those."

"I'll look into it, son."

I paused to preen an itch on my lower back and then continued.

"We searched high and low and found the float that she was on, but it was a trap that I foolishly fell for. Nigel shoved me into a cage and secured it with a padlock. Marcel drove us to an unnamed airstrip, and his henchmen loaded us onto a cargo plane."

"Who busted you out?"

"I did, Carla, very cleverly I might add."

Jewel admitted, "If he hadn't been a braniac, well... who's to say what would've become of us."

"I attached a fire extinguisher to the cage with a few elastic cords and knocked it off the wall. It was so heavy it yanked part of the cage roof open, and we slipped out. We unlocked the other cages, using them to block the door to the cockpit. I located the controls lever in the hold and opened the main hatch. While our enemies were trying to get in, everyone but us abandoned the cruel plane."

I breathed in and out, replenishing my oxygen supply.

"I didn't know what to do, as we were over the Atlantic Ocean and I was flightless. She tried to assure me it was going to be okay, but I was so scared and felt so helpless. 'We'll figure this out together,' she said encouragingly, but Nigel did what he's best at: ruining everything. That heartless cockatoo came from behind and tried to suffocate me. Jewel tried to help me, but Nigel threw her into the side wall of the plane and caused a cage to fall onto her wing, fracturing it."

When I mentioned her injury, she cringed and touched her right wing with her left, still acutely remembering the agony she endured that day.

Motivated to appease her, I wrapped my left wing around her and brought her up beside me. Her tense muscles relaxed and she was at ease once again.

"I was so angry that he had the audacity to hurt her, but he had me pinned to the floor. The extinguisher had been damaged by the fall and was leaking. I barely was able to grab it and hook the bungee cord to his leg. When I withdrew the pressure pin, it shot clean through the cockpit window like a rocket, dragging him along with it."

"Serves him right! He shouldn't have messed with ya."

"What became of him?" Bia asked.

"He hit the propeller and it malfunctioned. The plane lost lift and spiraled towards the water. Things grew dire when Jewel slid towards the cargo ramp."

"Don't tell me she fell out..."

"Unfortunately, she did, Carla," I confessed.

Our kids gasped in unison, covering their beaks with their wings.

"I decided to put everything on the line to save her. I jumped from the plane and caught up to her. As we were plummeting, I finally admitted my love for her. Overwhelmed, she kissed me more passionately than I thought possible. The gentle heat flowed through me, awakening the rhythm of my heart. I spread my wings and soared, ferrying her safely back to the airstrip where Linda and Túlio were stationed."

"Uh... wow, that is sure some way to meet. And especially in the span of one day." Bia stated.

"I know, right? It was so crazy you could turn it into a movie," Carla added.

A familiar silence befell us again, leaving us to look and think. All around us, various members of the Spix's Macaw tribe roused from their slumbers, each and every one of them performing their own usual morning routines. The sentries created and applied their camouflage, the many parents awoke their children, and in general, the entire flock prepared to tackle the day head-on.

Curiosity seized me like a clawed foot, and I stated calmly, "You know kids, I've been meaning to ask you something."

"And what would that be?" my plump daughter inquired benevolently.

"What's your current opinion on life in the Amazon?"

"I find it rather fascinating. I can actually study the flora and fauna of the Amazon's ecosystems from right outside our home. It's a picturesque paradise and treasure trove of knowledge that can't be rivaled," Bia replied.

"This place is spectacular. The colors are so rich, and the jungle's natural music is something I love waking up to," Carla said.

"It's awesome! There's so much to do and so many places to explore. I wish you and Mom would let me strike out on my own more often," Tiago finished.

"That's not gonna happen until you're more mature and mindful of your surroundings, not to mention less reckless. The jungle's very dangerous and you need to be extremely careful," I cautioned.

"What's your interpretation, honey?"

"Oh Blu, it's everything that I could've hoped for and more. We found more of us, and I get to be with my dad again. I can't thank you enough for doing this, and for all the sacrifices you've made."

"Remember what I said on the riverboat? I'd do anything for you. I meant every word of it."

I know you would, Mr. fancy feathers, but enough about me. What's your opinion?"

"I love it here, a lot."

I sighed and went on, my voice more unsteady than before.

"But there's always that small part of me that says I don't belong here. It just gnaws away at me. It's like a slight ache that's never enough to bother you, yet it affects you enough that you take notice of it. I don't know if it's my domestication, or my own natural paranoia about being in the rainforest. I don't know whether I should ignore it or not."

"It most likely is you adjusting to a new environment. No matter what, I'm not going anywhere. I might not be able to stand in for your parents, but I'll try my hardest to make sure that you're comfortable. You're my one and only, and your happiness is my happiness. I won't let anyone or anything hurt you, I promise."

Jewel's words reached into me like a divine hand and caressed my soul. Never before had anyone graced my ears with such a profound oath. Linda may have similar things in Moose Lake, but within the confines of her bookstore, I was immune to all sources of danger. Inside I was stifling the urge to shed a tear.

I embraced her lovingly and said softly, "Thank you."

"Don't forget about us," Carla professed, her and her siblings clustering up next to me.

"We got your back, Dad. We'll help ya turn your frowns upside down," my son declared boldly.

"Thanks so much, kids. I appreciate it."

Jewel and I cuddled for a few minutes, savoring our proximity to one another and allowing the sounds of the rainforest symphony to soothe our spirits. Out of nowhere, we detected the rushing sounds spawned by resolute wing strokes of a muscular bird. Soon enough, none other than Eduardo had alighted on the rim of our hollow.

"May I come in?" he questioned respectably.

"Sure, sure. You're always welcome in our home."

He grinned and strolled inside, his footsteps heavy and deliberate.

"Great to see all of you already up and at 'em."

"Morning, Daddy. Great to see you too."

She and her grizzled old father hugged tenderly – though I would never label him as such out loud.

"Hiya, Pop-Pop!" the kids greeted, their tones bubbly.

"If it isn't my adorable grandkids. Come give your Pop-Pop some love."

They complied eagerly, barreling into his thick body with no effect.

"We just finished telling the story of how we ended up madly in love."

"Did you now? It's one of the most impressive tales I've ever heard."

"I'm super glad it happened, or me and my sisters wouldn't be here," Tiago chirped.

"I am too, or I probably never would have seen my precious daughter ever again."

Despite the existential pain of his loss, he displayed no outward despair and his cheerful expression remained unchanged.

He patted the kids on their heads, and they scurried back to us.

He cleared his throat with a gruff cough and addressed me directly, our eyes making contact.

"Blu, I was wondering if you could help me and the rest of the tribe, your tribe, complete a certain task."

"Me?"

"Yes, you," Eduardo replied, poking me in the chest firmly with his wing.

"If you say so. What do you need?"

"Me and some of the other tribe members will be scouting the perimeter of our territory. Are you interested in joining us?"

I looked to Jewel for help deciding on what to do. Her response was surprising to say the least.

"You should tag along, Blu. Daddy only takes his most-valued sentries on patrol, which means you're important to him."

Seeing this was an opening to bolster my relationship with my peers further, I heartily accepted the offer.

"I'd be honored to come, sir."

He laughed his trademark restrained laugh, the sound amplified in the depths of his burly chest.

"You're my son-in-law now. Please, call me Eduardo."

"Understood. Are you ready to go, Eduardo?"

"Only if you are."

"You two have a good time together. I'll show the kids around some more while you're gone. We'll continue our conversation later, okay?"

"Sounds great, Jewel. I'll see you when I get back. Love you."

"Love you too. Be safe."

With that, Eduardo, the sentries, and I sailed off to scan the border for any evidence of intrusion. I wasn't the least bit worried, as nothing could escape our dozens of eyes and ears. I wondered if we would encounter anything unusual...