The morning sun shined down onto the jungle, lighting up this new day. The birds chirped throughout the jungle. The rushing water could be heard by those sleeping in neighboring trees.
Jalin was up, admiring this scenic view from the branch. He was the first one up. Blu and everyone else were still sleeping, adventuring in their dreams. Usually, they would sleep past eight, so this didn't alarm Jalin on anything new. He smiled as the sun bathed him with Vitamin D.
A growl from his stomach was heard. Jalin had forgotten he didn't eat dinner. He looked back at his friends and family. Probably today, he could do something nice. He screwed mostly everything else up. Fetching food might help him redeem his relationship with his father; it might even brighten up his brotherly relationship with Leoncio. He got to his feet and walked towards the plastic bags. He emptied the one with only the lighter and grabbed it with his talons. He walked to the edge of the branch and flapped his wings. He jumped off the branch and took flight.
What he did was probably not the best idea. He was flying in unfamiliar territory. He wasn't sure who was in charge or what animals could prey on him, but as long as he could escape in dire situations. He would survive. He soared through the air above the trees. The cool breeze brushed against his wing, giving him some drag, but not to the point he had to fight against it. The air to a bird was like the rapid waters that a salmon had to overcome. Sure, it seemed hard, but it was easy if you were built for it.
Jalin saw a potential tree and flew down to it. He landed on the branch of this green tree and looked around. The forest floor below him was filled with life, and possibly danger. Large-leafed, small plants and growing trees provided shelter for nocturnal animals, which were usually predators of birds and other animals. As long as he was on the tree branches, he was safe.
Jalin caught a glimpse of something in the corner of his left amber eye. He turned around and saw some green fruit hanging near him. A few Brazil Plums were hutched together in a nearby branch. Jalin smiled and reached for one of them. He plucked it off its stem and examined the fruit.
"Mm. I never had this before."
Jalin shrugged and took a bite out of it. His eyes widened as the taste of it danced on his tongue. He smiled happily and took a second bite quickly after he swallowed the first piece down his throat. This time, he savored the taste, being more of a critic than a hungry bird. He swallowed his second bite of the plum.
"Good, I believe. Well, not the best thing I've tasted, but it's still edible."
He stored the plum inside the plastic bag and got four more plums inside the bag. With a firm talon grip around the bag, he took to the sky and back to Blu and the rest.
He soared through the sky. The morning sky was high in the sky now. The jungle seemed a little more active as he saw birds flying about, gathering food. By now, his dad had to be awake. He picked up his speed and flew in hast, hoping to beat his dad before he took off. Luckily, he saw the tree they slept in. He also noticed three standing objects. He landed on the branch of the tree. The three birds turned around and took notice of him. Blu sighed in relief.
"Where were you?" asked Blu.
Jalin presented them with the bag of Brazil Plums.
"Getting food. I got these green-"
"Jalin," interrupted Pepito. "You should've told us. We were organizing a search party for you."
"Yeah, but nothing bad happened."
"But this is unfamiliar territory," said Blu.
"Dad, I'm pretty sure I would be safe as long as I stay in the trees. Besides, how else are we going to eat?"
The three birds looked at each other and then faced back at Jalin. Pepito pointed up with his right wing. Jalin looked up and saw green gavasteen hanging above him. He looked down at the three birds. He smiled shyly.
"We kind of already ate," said Luis.
"Oh."
The wind picked up again. A gavasteen stem broke off and fell down. It bounced off of Jalin's head and fell to the ground of the jungle. The impact was severe enough that Jalin fell face-first to the floor of the branch. Pepito and Luis looked at Jalin and back at Blu, then back at Jalin. They heard Blu sighed and faced him.
"Wow, Blu," said Luis. "I thought you were the only unlucky clumsy one."
"It runs in the family," Pepito whispered low so only his stepfather could hear.
Blu half-closed his eyes.
"Just help me Luis."
Luis shrugged. Blu and Luis walked over to Jalin and each picked up one wing. They dragged him over to the jumbo sleeping leaves. They left him next to Leoncio on a leaf and walked back to Pepito.
"Well, this sucks," said Pepito.
"It's not all bad," said Blu. "Jalin will wake up soon."
"How soon?" asked Luis.
"Um… Not sure."
They soon heard some rustling of a leaf. They looked back and saw Leoncio stirring up from his sleep. Leoncio lazily opened his eyes and noticed that Jalin was still sleeping. He half-closed his eyes and faced the three birds.
"Alright. Who brought the beer and didn't tell me?"
"No one brought beer, you drunk."
Leoncio half-closed his eyes at Pepito.
"I'm not a drunk. I just like drinking a lot. There's a difference."
Blu looked at Leoncio.
"Let's just drop it. You want to eat?"
"Yeah, I'm starving."
Blu looked behind him and pointed at the plastic bag that Jalin brought.
"Well, there are some plums that Jalin brought."
"Jalin? Mm, I guess there's nothing else to eat, so it will have to do."
Leoncio walked over to the plastic bag and dug into it for the green fruit. He pulled it out of the bag and walked back to his leaf. He set it down on the leaf and munched away on it. By this time, Jalin was slowly opening his eyes. He awoke to see Leoncio eating the plum greedily.
"Okay. First thing I see after getting knocked is something gross. This is going to be a great day."
Leoncio stopped and narrowed his eyes at Jalin.
"Well, exxxxccccuuuuusssee me, Jalin. I didn't know my appetite would disgust you."
Jalin picked himself from the leaf and walked over to Blu, Pepito, and Luis. He passed Blu and looked into the bag that had the plums. He crooked his head a little in confusion. He looked at his father.
"Where is my plum? It was the one I ate a little of."
Leoncio heard Jalin and stopped eating. He looked at the plum he was eating and turned it around. He quickly spotted that some of it in the bottom of it was eaten. With a disturbed face, he started to gag. He stopped after a few moments and spat out something. A little portion of Leoncio's saliva contained some eaten plum. He looked at Jalin, who was looking back at him.
"Hey, it isn't my fault you picked my eaten fruit."
"You should've told me."
"I couldn't."
"Why not?"
"… Because I was passed out."
Leoncio relaxed his irritated face and lowered his voice a bit.
"Oh, yeah."
Pepito clapped his wings together.
"Alright, so what's today's plan?"
Luis looked down at from the branch and noticed that some parts of the river were calm. He smiled. The Lear's Macaw faced his stepson and the Spix's Macaws.
"Well, the river's always fun."
"The river?" wondered Blu nervously. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea."
"C'mon, Blu. It's just some water."
Jalin sighed.
"Sorry, Luis. Dad is a little phobic towards the river ever since he almost got stampeded by a flock of landing flamingos."
Leoncio secretly grinned, remembering that day.
"Then how do you take a shower?" asked Pepito.
"At Linda's."
Luis just shook his head.
"Don't worry, Blu. It'll be fine. I promise."
"Yeah, Dad," assured Jalin.
"C'mon, Papa," encouraged Leoncio. "You brought us here to supposedly have fun, but you're being a party pooper, just like Mama."
Blu narrowed his eyes at Leoncio. Leoncio's eyes widened, knowing Blu was a bit ticked off with him.
"Boy-"
"Well, we should probably get going," said Luis, hopefully stopping the argument.
"Fine," said Blu.
Leoncio slightly smirked. Blu heard him and looked at him in the corner of his right eye.
Watch it, boy.
The birds flapped their wings and flew to a settled part of the river. Hopefully, no flamingos would interfere their fun.