"Well, I guess the Amazon Rain Forest didn't get its name for nothing." Carla said with disdain as she watched the rain pour outside. Her siblings Tiago and Bia were sitting to her left and right respectively. The sky, as if in response, grumbled. A slight vibration was felt throughout the Gunderson tree hollow as a result. The rotund chick sighed and sat down facing the outside world with Bia on her right, and Tiago on her left. Blu looked at his family, and then glanced at his and Jewel's nest.

"As long as this whether keeps up, we aren't going to be leaving anytime soon." Blu stated lacking any emotion in his voice. He then look at his mate.

"Jewel, you want to get some rest?" Blu inquired.

"Yeah, it's not like there's anything else to do." Jewel replied before holding one of Blu's wings in her own. She looked lovingly into his eyes.

"Come on lovehawk." She said with a smile.

After the two lovebirds left to get some sleep together, their chicks were now alone to entertain themselves.

"According to my calculations, this multicell storm should ease up in about 40 minutes based on the coloration, size..." Bia licked her wing and stuck it in the air to feel the breeze.

"...and the current wind velocity."

Carla narrowed her eyes without losing focus on the storm.

"Don't you every get tired of being such a know it all?" She grumbled.

"At least I'm not molting." Bia snorted.

Carla's eyes widened and she lashed her head towards her little sister.

"You little…"

"Hey guys, as much as I would loooove to hear the rest of this conversation I kinda, uh, don't." Tiago interrupted from across the hollow.

Carla and Bia were momentarily confused as to how their brother managed to slip away without them noticing, but quickly shrugged it off. Instead they were more interested in what their little troublemaking sibling was up to. Seeing as there wasn't anything else to do, the two decided they would check up on what their bro was doing. Carla and Bia got up and made their way to the other side of the hollow, to find their brother rummaging through their father's fanny pack. His head was buried in the small nap sack as he pulled out various items.

"Hey Tiago!" Carla said in a yelling whisper.

"What?" Tiago replied in a casual, yet slightly irritated tone.

"Get out of dad's fanny pack! He'll kill you if he se-"

"Don't worry sis, it's called borrowing. Besides, dad will never know. I'll put everything I don't use back later." Tiago responded calmly.

Bia rolled her eyes. "I don't think you understand the definition of 'borrow' Tiago."

She soon noticed that Tiago wasn't paying any attention.

"Tiago, are you even listening?" The brainy little bird pestered.

"Ah, perfect!" Tiago excitedly exhaled as he pulled out a pack of matches. He then walked past his two sisters and up to a small leaf he rolled up into a tube. The little trouble maker ripped out some matches from the pack with his beak. He leaned over and dropped them into the tube along with some other items he "borrowed" from his father. Tiago attached a vine to his crude carrying pack and put it over his back as if he were an archer carrying arrows. He walked back in front of his siblings and slapped goggles over his face.

"Ok, I'm ready." Tiago proudly stated as his chest puffed out.

Bia and Carla slowly turned towards each other with baffled expressions. After a second, they simultaneously broke out in laughter. The young male chick was caught off guard by his sisters' reaction.

"Ti-tiago...hehe...what do you think you're doing?" Carla inquired as she recovered from laughing.

"What am I doing? I'm finding something to do today, and what better than an adventure!" He happily explained.

"Who do you think you are, Indiana Jones? Besides, mom and dad-"

"Mom and dad won't know I'm gone. And if something goes wrong, you guys will have ratted me out and everyone will be looking for me." Tiago interrupted.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What makes you think me and Bia were just gonna sit by and let you have the rainforest to yourself!?" Carla lashed as he stepped forward towards her brother.

"Um, actually staying home doesn't sound like a bad idea." Bia inserted herself with a wing raised. However, her comment fell on deaf ears as her brother and sister continued their conversation.

"Oh come on Carla, I don't think adventuring is safe for you girls. Just leave the action to birds like me, pop-pop, and Roberto." Tiago countered.

"Actually, dad was an instrumental player in the battle between us and the loggers, so you should add him to the list." Bia interjected once more.

"Wait a second, did you just say we couldn't handle a little action!? We girls can do whatever you boys can do!" Carla angrily rebutted.

"Oh yeah? And who says I'll let you come?" The male blue bird snorted with a smirk.


15 Minutes later...

The mini monsoon had finally ceased, and the Amazon rain forest was a humidness. The air was so thick, one could choke on it. Yet, there was a beauty to this. The flowers and leaves on all of the vegetation sparkled from the drops of water.

"So where did you say this cave we were going to explore was bro?" Carla queried as she flew next to her brother over the amazon.

Tiago rubbed the back of his neck with his talon trying to recollect where said cave was. "Hm, I remember Roberto saying it was somewhere west of the great pond...or something like that."

Carla narrowed her eyes. "Hold on a second bro. You don't even know where this place is!?"

"Weeeeell, uh, actually...no." The male bird answered, changing his expression to a nervous one.

"I don't believe this. You drag me and Bia out here, and you don't even know where we're supposed to go!" Carla growled. Unconsciously, the two birds were slowly increasing their velocity.

"In my defense it's not easy spying on pop-pop's secret meetings." Tiago defended.

"Wait guys, let's land for a sec!" Bia called from behind. Carla sighed and made a U-turn.

"Whatever" Tiago grumbled to himself before following his sister towards a nearby branch.

"What? Can't you see we're trying to find the cave?" Carla snapped at her sister, still mad a little at her brother's incompetence, as she landed to the right of her sister. However, Bia paid no attention to Carla's attitude and instead pointed forwards. The rotund female redirected her gaze to where her sister's wing was pointing. A second later, Tiago landed on Carla's right.

"Hey, what did you...guys...find?" His words slowed down and eventually came to a stop as he let the sight of his surroundings flood into his eyes. Before the three small birds, was one of the most impressive sights that any of them had seen. Tiago's eyes dilated while the thought of what exploration and adventure was yet to come flourished in his mind.

"Man, that's a big cave." He chuckled euphorically.


In The Void

The void was a dark, desolate, bleak, and cold, the list could go on forever. It was the antithesis of life, and one the favorite places for a certain nether bird. This bird the king of this emptiness, yet he was also a prisoner of it. He was pure darkness, and considered deplorable by most. As he paced, his outline absorbed even the most insignificant levels of ambient light found in the void. The vile serum that was his blood became poisoned by his corrupted soul as it pulsed through his body. The only light that he generated came from his eyes. This bird's red pupils pierced through the fog of desolation in the void. He mumbled to himself as he paced.

"Memories…they are the most powerful and influential component of a living entity. They are what comprises the very fabric of an individual, and differentiate one being from the next. Yet, ironically, they are the most easily manipulable part of an intelligent being." He dark bird held a monologue aimed, seemingly, towards no one. He moved over to another portion of the void before he stopped and spread his wings out in front of him. The bird closed his execrable eyes and mumbled some words. Suddenly a bright light shined in the form of a sphere.

"Hm, let's take a look at your mind my child. Maybe I can alleviate you of your…your burden." The dark bird sneered as he pressed his wings into the ball of light.

I'm sorry dad. I'm sorry for being rebellious. But you shunned me, remember? I never felt welcomed by my own blood. My siblings were fine, sure…but me? I was the runt. And you never forgave me for something I couldn't control! So fine, be that way. I belong with Inselator now. He...he is my new father.


And so the plot thickens! I'll be updating Rhythm of the Jungle next before I continue this story. Your reviews are greatly appreciated! See you all later,

Egil out