Chapter 10:

Jewel's Painful Decision!

The first few rays of the morning sun painted the sky a soft scarlet amongst the clouds of leaden grey. The wind shrieked as it picked up momentum, whispering across the grounds of the aviary as if it were a phantom. The day promised to be a scorcher, with a record breaking high for the summer time. However with the heat came the very real possibility of an afternoon thundershower. Thunder rumbled far off in the distance, proving that the probability seemed almost certain.

Tulio and Linda had seated themselves in the aviary's garden. With the same scenery growing tiresome, they thought the different variety of flowers, herbs, and bushes growing could liven things up a bit. The smell of nature embraced Linda's nostrils as she breathed inwards. She turned her head and studied the different plants.

"Wow," She mused, "I've never seen anything like it."

"We've got all different kinds of herbs growing in this room." Tulio explained. "There are medical herbs, different spices for the cafeteria, lots of vegetables for both human and the wildlife, and there's even the occasional decorative piece."

Linda nodded her head. She clasped her hands together and turned to face Tulio.

"I don't think I have ever met a man so involved in his work." She giggled. "Not that that is a bad thing. I became pretty involved in running my book store."

Tulio raised a cup of hot cocoa to his mouth and sipped the dark brown liquid. He licked his lips and smiled at the young woman across from him.

"So Linda..." He began shyly. "Have you given any more consideration to my proposal from the other day?"

"Do you mean your idea about the sanctuary? And the idea that Blu would become the mascot?"

Tulio nodded his head.

"Yes, that's the one. Please tell me you'll accept this task. I want you to know I won't proceed without first getting your approval."

Linda straightened her glasses and forced a smile. She placed her hand upon Tulio's and nodded sweetly.

"I think it is a really good idea, and I would be for it one hundred percent except Jewel's condition. We shouldn't move her out to the wild just yet."

"I completely agree." Tulio smiled, "We can wait till after the eggs hatch. Then we can set up the sanctuary."

Linda nodded her head.

"Sounds like a plan to me. I'd be doing so much for the environment and I'd still get to see Blu."

Linda and Tulio shook hands.

"So it's official. Once Jewel has her kids, we'll be setting up the Blue Bird Sanctuary. But right now we had best get you set up for citizenship."

# # #

Meanwhile at the exact same moment, the first few rays of sunlight began to stir Jewel from her peaceful slumber. Despite the circumstances which had transpired the previous day, the female found herself completely relaxed. Rising up onto her talons, she looked to where Blu sat, watching her sleep.

He appeared to be drawing something along the dirt. He nodded to himself every so often as his tongue prodded from his beak. He mumbled to himself, though Jewel couldn't really make out what he was saying.

"You're watching me again?" She asked raising a curious eyebrow. "It is just after dawn. You should be here sleeping next to me."

"I would like too," he admitted, looking up from what he was doing. His talon traced along the dirt. "But I've been doing some math in order to form a plan. That way we can deal with our current situation."

Jewel flew towards the bird and placed a gentle wing upon his shoulder. Her sapphire eyes peered into his.

"Blu, I have made a decision." She said. "I don't want you getting involved in any of my family problems."

Blu rose to his talons and kissed her on the side of the beak.

"What affects you, affects me too." He explained, "I can't let you go running off to face your demons alone. We're a team, and we do everything right together."

Jewel placed a wing upon her stomach. She didn't really want to argue with Blu. She simply wanted to enjoy his company.

"You have a different role to play," She smiled a little sheepishly, her tail feathers drooped downwards. "You still have so much that you need to do. I have something I really need to share with you."

Blu shook his head. He spread his wings to their full length and eyed her in the most serious stare she had ever seen on his face.

"I'm going whether you like it or not. I didn't travel six thousand miles to mate with you, only to have you run off and face your insane sister. Let me go, Jewel. I will protect you. You have my word."

"You don't understand, Pet." She protested. "I can't let you go! You need to stay here and watch our children. No harm will come to me, I am a Hunter remember."

Blu's eyes widened as two words sank into his mind. His jaw dropped as he lowered his gaze to Jewel's stomach region. He thought back to what Amber had said during her previous visit.

"How could I not see it before?"

Not it all made sense. He held a wing up to his beak, taken aback by the sudden realisation.

"I'm going to be a father?"

Jewel nodded her head.
"Yes, Blu. You're going to be a papa."

Blu could barely hold back his excitement. Picking up Jewel, he spun her around in his wings. Tears of joy crept down his cheeks leaving damp impressions across his cerulean fur. He couldn't help but smile cheerfully as he forgot his troubles. He just embraced Jewel as tight as he could.

"You made me the happiest bird in the world." He squawked. "I always wanted to be a father."

Jewel laughed as Blu lowered her to the ground. She wrapped her wings around him tightly and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

"Thank you," She smiled. "For understanding why you can't go with me in three days."

Blu's eyes narrowed. His eyes peered away from the female. It became quite clear that Jewel didn't need him.

"I'll think about it," he sighed.

"I am afraid that isn't an acceptable answer." A voice cackled from the artificial jungle. Both macaws froze and stared out at the newcomer. He was a scarlet macaw dressed entirely in a black robe. His dark bloodshot eyes watched them as he stepped forward.

"W-w-who are you?" Blu asked. "And where did you get that cloak from?"

Jewel slapped the blue macaw in the back of the head to silence him from asking any further questions. Her eyes hardened, her feathers bristled instinctively.

There's something about him. Jewel warned herself. He's the very definition of evil.

The scarlet macaw held a wing to his left side and pulled his robe aside. He revealed his mark which was nothing more than a purplish outline of a dog. Jewel shuddered at the sight of it. She couldn't explain why but it gave her the creeps.

"Allow me to introduce myself." He smiled. "I am Roger and I hold the mark of the dog."

"The mark of the dog?" Blu arched a curious eyebrow. He couldn't take his eyes away from the strange birthmark.

"So what!" Jewel spit with disgust. "Why are you here?"

The scarlet macaw pointed a wing at Blu and began to speak.

"I'm here to make sure that the male doesn't interfere with your battle. Your sister has been looking forward to it, my dear."
The macaw eyed Blu for a moment, and smiled.

"But I am also here to make sure you don't talk him out of coming. You see, there is something he would probably like to see... the truth."

Before Blu or Jewel could reply, the macaw had vanished from sight. Both birds sat confounded by their strange visitor.

"Blu?" She asked a little uneasily.

"Yes, Jewel?" Blu smiled reassuringly holding her in his wings.

"If the worst should happen in three days, and I should not return. My only regret would be that I never had the chance to become your wife."

"There's a way to change that." Blu smiled, "We can hold a ceremony this morning. That way no matter what happens, neither one of us has any regrets."

Jewel nodded her head.

"I would like nothing more, Blu." She smiled. "Let this be the last shred of happiness before our world comes crashing down."

# # #

"Little flower, Jewel of the forest

I want you to meet your friend.

I'll put you in water, and give you some sun.

That way your life won't end.

One day soon, I'll come back to you

And pick you for my wedding.

I'll tell things to you, and hand them to you.

My dear, when I say I do!"

Jewel sang her childhood song to greet the beautiful morning air that greeted her. The sun shined bright amongst a cloudless blue sky. Birdsong filtered through the trees in a harmonious accompaniment.

Jewel smiled as she watched Nico and Pedro approached her. Nico was dressed with a little black bowtie. Pedro too had straightened his feathers. His eyes filled with the romantic intention the day seemed to bring into his heart.

"Blu is waiting for you, hot wing." Pedro smiled, waving a wing through the air like a rapper.

"I can't believe today is the big day." Nico grinned swinging his soda cap hat from wing to wing.

"I can't believe they didn't wait for us to prepare it for them." Pedro grinned, "I can see why though. Sometimes the simple way is best."

Jewel's heart skipped a beat as she peered at the gathering crowd. Even Luiz the bulldog had shown up. Others were birds she didn't recognise.

"I wonder if he is nervous."

Nico and Pedro exchanged a confident glance. Their smiles deepened.

"What, Blu? Never... he has been looking forward to this almost as much as you have." Pedro squawked.

"Yeah don't worry those pretty little feathers of yours. Just get your dance on, and be happy. Remember this is your day."

"I know," Jewel frowned. "But the only reason we're doing this is because of my sister, and that other robed weirdo, Roger."

Jewel clicked her beak together and eyed herself in a small piece of glass.

"How do I look?" She asked.

"Very nice," Nico grinned.

"Yeah, you look like a real hot wing." Pedro agreed. "But if you'll excuse us, we should probably be checking up on Blu."

# # #

Blu paced back and forth on the opposite side of the clearing. He eyed the gathering storm clouds just off the horizon and shook his head. He shuddered as he imagined what Jewel would think about the ominous warning of rain.

"Hey, homey, what's popping?"

Blu looked up and smiled as Nico and Pedro came in for a landing. He ruffled his feathers and peered at Jewel who hid carefully out of sight.

"Do you think she is nervous?" He asked. "I don't want her to be nervous."

"Relax, bird." Pedro patted his wing reassuringly. "She's fine. In fact we just saw her. She wants you to just have fun today."

Blu nodded. His confidence began to rise.

"Oh, she's good." He smiled. "I think we should probably get this over with."

# # #

Sweet wedding music sounded through the small jungle clearing. Nico had seen that the samba club quartet could perform for the occasion. Jewel walked out, her feathers brightly decorated with different sparkly trinkets. A flower was appropriately fastened to both her neck and the side of her head. She smiled as she stared past the crowd to the blue macaw waiting for her.

Rafael acted as the reverend, his black feathers and cheerful smile greeted the two macaws.

"Good morning, love birds." He teased, "Or should I say, chained to each other birds."

The two macaws eyed each other with their peripheral vision, their smiles never fading.

"I'm kidding, Amigos." He sighed, "It's a joke between friends."

"We know," Blu admitted. "We just want to get on with this. Can we hurry up a little bit?"

Rafael nodded his head.

"Right, now where was I?" He asked flipping through his little script. "Ummmm... Welcome, welcome, everyone. You must know me, my name is Rafael, and Rafael knows everyone. We are gathered here this morning to mark the occasion of love and commitment between these two love birds... I mean who would have thought they would have made it this long eh?"

The toucan eyed Jewel who narrowed her eyes in a mocking yet amused look. Her beak formed a twisted smile.

"Who would have thought? Well look who is showing their true feathers all of a sudden."

Rafael nodded and held up his wings.

"I'm kidding amigos. These two are the closest creatures Rafael has ever met. Excusing me and Eva of course..."

Blu nodded his agreement and shuffled his wings together in anticipation. "Can we please just get on with this, Rafael?" he asked.

"Of course, Blu... I'm sure you're super anxious to get this over with," He leaned in close. "especially with what you told me about those robed weirdoes lurking through the jungle."

Blu nodded his head, his only reply to the toucan's remark. He turned to Jewel and smiled. "Not that I want to get this wedding over with... I just am not good with a large crowd."

Rafael cleared his throat and raised his beak.

"We are gathered here in the beautiful city, state, jungle, and country of Rio, too join these two love birds in holy matrimony. Do you Blu, accept this macaw to be your mate, to love and cherish for as long as you shall live."

Blu nodded his head.

"Very good... now do you Jewel, accept Blu to be your mate. To love and cherish him for as long as you shall live?"

"We'll see..." Jewel teased winking at Blu sarcastically, "But seriously, yes I do."

"The two lovebirds have written their own vows. Blu you may start."

Blu cleared his throat and took out a scrap of paper. With a nervous grin he started to read what he had written.

"Jewel, the past few months have been some of the most stressful moments of my life. I was captured by Smugglers, I was brought six thousand miles from the place I called home, and we have been in more life threatening situations than I can count. In fact when I met you I wasn't even sure if you liked me. You made fun of the fact that I was a pet, but somehow I won your heart. I leapt from a plane for you, and I would like to think that that was a start for us. Not just as a couple, not just as a relationship, but as a companionship, I take you today as my wife, and whether we can save our species or not, I am just glad to have you by my side for life."

Rafael stood dumbstruck, his jaw dropped at what he had heard. He held up a paw and pointed to the macaw.

"Wait, you jumped from a plane? Why wasn't I around for this?"

"It was a spare of the moment kind of thing," Blu admitted, "You had already escaped the plane by that point."

Rafael turned his attention to Jewel. "Did you know he did such a thing?"

Jewel nodded.

"Ay Corumba!" Rafael sighed, "I miss all the good stuff. Ok Jewel it's your turn."

Jewel smiled and twitched her tail. She eyed her mate and began to rehearse her speech.

"Blu, we may not have always seen eye to eye, but I never doubted that you cared for me. It was brought to my attention the first time in the Samba club, and you tried to tell me that day on the trolley. If it hadn't been for that cherry blossom going down and blocking your wind pipe, I am sure you would have told me that day. You have risked your life to save me, and I could thank you every day of my life. We move forward today as a team, and though I am sure you will occasionally annoy me, I can't see myself with anyone other than you by my side."

Rafael smiled and focused on what had been said. He wiped a tear from his eye and held his wings closer together.

"I guess that's our cue." Jewel smiled.

"Shouldn't we wait until he gives the command?" Blu suggested, "I mean won't it be legally binding if he says..."

Jewel pulled him into a passionate kiss. Her wings wrapped tightly around him. Finally she could call Blu her husband.

"Thank you, Pet." She smiled. "Now I can face my sister without any regrets."

"And I'll be by your side." Blu admitted, "In case that Roger decides to jump in. Who knows how many creatures will be there."