Here is chapter 4 enjoy!
Another couple of weeks had passed and Nico's chicks had flourished. They were developing their unique personalities and today was the day when they would learn how to fly. "Alright, these last couple of weeks you have been travelling on my or your mother's back and now it is time to take it to the next level" Nico explained as he quickly worked his way along the branch to exit their hollow. Following their father the chicks whispered between themselves. "The next level?" Salsa asked, confusion in his bright, amber coloured eyes. "Flying, to put it in a nutshell" Nico chuckled as his children's eyes almost popped out of their heads. "Flying!" they all chorused together at once and began jumping up and down on the branch. "Who's first?" Nico inquired and wasn't surprised to see Ria push her way forward. Ria was the adventurous one and she was incredibly bold. However, she had a kind and considerate heart and Nico couldn't help but melt when she batted her eyes filled with adoration for him. "Okay Ria spread your wings and move with the wind." Nico prepared Ria and showed her how to position her tail feathers. "Try to glide to the next branch or land on that rock down there" Nico suggested and secretly hoped Ria would listen to him instead of defying him. Ria took a deep breath and focused. Springing from the branch she spread her little wings as wide as physically possible. Everything was going great until Ria began to panic, she felt out of control and she was aware that her body was getting battered, harshly by the wind. Suddenly, she started to torpedo down towards the ground... She was going to crash! Without warning, Ria was jolted upwards and she felt a gentle pinching sensation around the back of her neck. Safely landing on the branch Nico let go of his daughter. "We all learn from our mistakes Ria, you were doing fine until you let your head take over" Nico smiled encouragingly at his daughter, praying that it wouldn't put her off. Zumba and Salsa started to laugh and Nico shot them a threatening look making them instantly fall silent. Ria's eyes narrowed in annoyance "What do you mean by let my head take over?!" Ria asked hotly, folding her wings across her chest defensively. "Like your uncle Rafael always says 'It's not what's in here, but what you feel in here'." Nico answered softly as he touched Ria's head and then her heart that was pumping furiously. "Whatever" Ria muttered crossly stumbling backwards and entering the hollow. Nico re-directed his attention to his sons. Salsa and Zumba jumped off the branch and after a small shaky start they were both flying with ease. "Yeah check us out!" Zumba cried happily. "Were air-borne!" Salsa stated and hi-winged his brother. Ria watched with a jealous expression and Nico approached her "Do you want to try again. I know you will get it this time." Nico attempted to coax his daughter out and when she refused a thought popped in to his head. Nico started to sing "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller..." but Ria sighed and said in a matter of fact tone "No, dad singing only works on mum". Nico questioned his daughter flatly "So when the going gets tough... you end up sulking...". "Easy for you to say, you can fly and dance and sing. Heck, you can do anything!" Ria defended herself. How could she ever dare to fly again when she had a near to death experience?! "I'm not a superhero Ria..." Nico pointed out and was shocked at her daughter's view, he needed to become a better role model! "You are to all of your female fans..." Ria muttered under her breath, but Nico's sharp earholes picked up the quietest of sounds. "Excuse me..." Nico arched his eyebrows and gave Ria a warning look. Ria returned his stare, but she hopped in to the nest and began to shake. With fear or anger Nico could not phathom... Honey appeared with fruit and she called everyone in to the hollow for lunch. "So how is it going?" Honey asked brightly as everyone tucked in to the fruit with gusto, except for Ria, who held a blank expression on her face. Nico tactfully said "We will talk later baby bird..." as he noticed Zumba and Salsa were about to make a huge fuss of how they were flying and their sister wasn't. He didn't want to make Honey anxious or make Ria feel even worse about herself. After lunch, Nico and Honey sent the kids out to play and Ria had to hold on to Zumba as they flew down to the ground. Honey noticed this and looked at Nico with a serious expression of concern on her face. "She lost her confidence... She was the first to go and I'll tell you something she was going to be an amazing flyer. Ria has those natural instincts you know... Unfortunately, she panicked and now she doesn't even want to try!" Nico explain with an exasperated tone, placing a wing dramatically across his face. "Nico... what are we going to do." Honey asked uncertainly as she place a comforting wing on his back. Whilst they discussed possible options on how to deal with this situation, Zumba and Salsa were picking up Ria and flying her high in to the crystal clear skies. It took all of Ria's mustered courage to not scream and allow her brothers to see how they were petrifying her. At one point Zumba even went as far and soaring high in to the sky before dropping Ria "Have a nice trip sis!" he laughed jokingly, knowing Salsa was waiting to catch her. Ria couldn't help it the compressed air escaped from her lungs as she let out a high-pitched squeak of terror. Alerted, Honey and Nico simultaneously darted out of the hollow in response to one of their chicks' distress calls. Honey grabbed Ria and held her close once they were back on the branch. Ria cried in to her mother's feathers and began to shake, leaving Nico to deal with the boys. "What kind of ideas hae you got in your heads! Your sister needs to learn how to fly, yeah I know it is cool and fun, but ultimately you actually need it to survive. That was too cruel." Nico began trying to remain firm without flying of the handle and ending up shouting. "We were trying to help her... She might have actually tried to save herself if you let her" Zumba muttered, slightly shamed face, but one look at the thunder on the face of his dad made him gulp. Fear sprouted in Salsa's eyes and he was afraid of what his dad might do to them. Releasing his anger by breathing deeply, Nico addressed his son's sternly "You watch yourself, you hear?! I won't have you bully your sister, she needs you to be more supportive then ever. Alright... Now go apologise to her and don't even think about saying no!" Nico warned his sons, who solemnly nodded their heads. "Ria were are so sorry!" Salsa said and he felt guilty as he realised Ria was crying, which he had never seen before. "It was my fault Ria... I thought you were strong enough to handle it. I was only joking!" Zumba pointed out and smiled, trying to defend his actions. Honey glared at him and Zumba shivered and held a wing to his sister "We cool?" and Salsa quickly copied his brother. Ria held both of her brother's wings and gave them a watery smile, before pulling down hard on them. Zumba and Salsa protested as they clutched their wings in pain. "Now were even!" Ria said this with delight as she skipped around the hollow and laughed as her brothers started to chase after her. Honey and Nico sighed and shared a knowing look... the sooner Ria learnt how to fly the more peace and quiet they would have!
Me: Poor Ria, but Nico and Honey have a point! Ria, Zumba and Salsa can then take their squabbles to the air! Anyway, please feel free to review.