Alright guys! Here we go with chapter two!

And I would like to thank Cats 'n' Cheese and nightfly123 for reviewing and jugalpratimdas for being the only one to fav and follow this story as well as putting his review!

And now for the reason why you are here!

Chapter 2: Desertion

A few days passed since Alex and the company has burned the village and killed all the men in it, and it has not been easy on Alex at all. He couldn't sleep at night, nightmares of what happened flooded his head and during the day just thinking about it made Alex feel sick to his stomach. And life in the army continued on for Alex and for him, that meant being shouted at by his officers and being bullied by his fellow soldiers. Alex really wanted an opportunity to run away and that would come much sooner than he expected.

One day, during the middle of the day, Alex was walking in the army camp the company resided in for now, catching some fresh air when a couple of officers were walking by. They were talking about news of the American army nearby and Alex kept his distance, but listened carefully to what the officers were talking about.

"I heard there are rebel forces nearby, blocking our way to Albany." One of the officers told the other.

"It doesn't matter, we'll push them back in a day, they'll run like the cowards they are." The other officer laughed, the other joining him.

"Yeah, this war will be over in less than a year at this rate, can't wait to go home for Christmas." The first officer chuckled.

"Maybe bring home the head of a Blue American as a present." The second officer laughed even harder.

Alex, hearing the conversation tried to keep his anger in and focused on the real news, that his opportunity was present. Now he only needed a plan to escape and that would not be easy, his fellow soldiers being ordered to fire at any deserter. If Alex would escape, he would have to wait until night fell. And the waiting was the worst part, but night eventually came.

Alex pretended to fall asleep when night came until all the soldiers in his tent were fully asleep. When Alex heard all the snoring, he carefully got up, still wearing his army uniform, and walked with quietness, not waking up his fellow soldiers to the entrance of the tent. Peeking his head out, he made sure there were no guards present around to see him, which luckily there weren't.

Calmly taking his musket in wing, he made it seem like he was on guard duty and made his way to the edge of the camp, which was the most heavily guarded. Sweating and breathing a little loud, Alex arrived at the edge of the camp, where several soldiers were there, keeping guard in case an attack should come.

"Stop!" The leader of the soldiers said, pointing his musket at Alex. "Where are you going?"

"I'm just on guard duty, no need to worry." Alex said as calmly as he could.

"I don't recall seeing you walking before on guard duty this night." The soldier replied, staring at Alex.

"That's because I just started my shift." Alex answered, the sweat present. "Hey what's that?" Alex pointed his wing in a direction and all the soldiers looked in the direction.

Alex took that moment to make his move and he made a run for it. He ran as fast as his legs carried him as he heard the soldiers yell at him.

"Hey! Stop or we'll fire!" The leader shouted.

Alex didn't stop or turn around, he just kept running away and he heard the shots from the muskets open up. Bullets whizzed past Alex's head as he ran in the deep woods, the trees providing cover for him as he ran. Alex felt his lungs were on fire and his legs start to tire out, but he kept going. He heard the shouts from his fellow soldiers and they were chasing after him, firing shots from time to time, but missing Alex as he ran on.

Eventually the British soldiers gave up trying to hunt down Alex and they returned back to camp. Alex didn't hear any shots or shouts and risked looking back to see he has successfully escaped and could now find the nearest American forces. Alex sat down for a few minutes to rest and get some fresh breath back as he still couldn't believe he escaped. After he felt rested enough he made his way south, hopeful to run into any American.

The woods were dark and the only light offered was the moon, which didn't provide any warmth to Alex, who was a bit cold from the chilly night air.

"Come on, keep going, you came this far not to give up." Alex told himself as he walked over fallen trees and through bushes.

Everything was quiet as Alex walked on, so quiet that Alex could hear his own breathing and he was focused on what was ahead that he wasn't paying attention to what was to the sides. He should have, for suddenly several armed men came and surrounded Alex, muskets with bayonets raised at Alex's neck.

"Don't make any sudden moves, you dirty brit." One of the men said.

Alex had his wings raised and looked at the men surrounding him. They were all Blue macaws wearing the Blue uniforms of the Continental Army, and they were clearly angry at Alex. An older, gruff looking Blue macaw walked up, with harsh looking eyes as he came to Alex.

"Lower your weapons men." The older macaw ordered and the Blue macaw men all did so. "How did you find us and are there more of you?" The older macaw said in an intimidating manner to Alex.

"I'm alone, I ran from the army, I want to redeem myself, please give me a chance." Alex pleaded.

The older macaw looked at Alex with careful eyes, not trusting this Scarlet one bit, surely he must be a spy just dressed as a regular soldier, the older macaw thought.

"Men, tie his wings up." The older macaw ordered.

"Wait, what?" Alex replied, confused. "What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing yet, we're going to the general to see what we'll do with you." The older macaw said with a smirk. "Maybe you'll be lucky and he'll make you a cook." The older macaw chuckled with the other soldiers joining in.

After a soldier tied up Alex's wings together, Alex was forced to walk, a soldier with bayonet pointed at Alex's back, prompting Alex to walk froward. Alex couldn't believe he was being treated this way, but he really couldn't blame the Americans, he was after all a Scarlet British soldier, of course they would like nothing better than to treat a brit this way.

After a short walking distance, the group came to a large clearing in the woods, where tent after tent were lined up. it was the tenets of the American army and Alex stopped walking to stare in amazement at the large number of tents, not even thinking the Americans could have such a large number of men. Alex was snapped out of his trance by being hit hard by the butt of a musket in the back.

"Move it you brit!" The soldier behind him shouted.

Alex went back to walking and he had to follow the older macaw leader to the biggest tent in the American camp, clearly where the general in command of the whole army resided.

"General, sorry to bother you like this, but we have an issue here." The older macaw said as he came and stood at attention in front of small desk.

Sitting behind the desk was a Blue macaw just as old as the leader of the soldiers, busy looking at maps and planning strategies. The macaw sitting down looked up at the other old macaw and got up out of his chair.

"What is it, Colonel Eduardo?" The general said.

"General Gates, we have an enemy soldier we captured on our patrol, he claims he ran away from the brits and wants to redeem himself by joining us." Eduardo reported.

"I see…" General Gates said slowly as he walked face to face with Alex.

Alex prepared himself as now his fate would be decided, would he be accepted and given a chance to prove himself or will he just be a prisoner now or even worse, hanged on the charge of being a spy.

Will Alex have his chance? Or not?

You guys have to wait to find that out!