Chapter 11- the damage has been done, dealing with it but it goes horribly wrong

A few minutes later

Blu and company stood on either the roof or the ledge of an open window of Tulio's Aviary, very worried expressions lacing their faces. Carla and Justin stood with Sonia, Melody and Spica as did Bia and Virgil with Sirius, Miles and Einstein, Tiago and Matilda with Bellatrix and Bartholomew and Charlotte and Músculo with Petunia and Jason. Accompanying these four families were Zephyr, Roberto, Brisa and Jojo and Kira and their chicks Winona and Vega, Felix and Turquesa with Austin and Diego, Lavender and Garrett with Deneb, Lilac and Polaris. Next to the Spix macaws stood Mars and Chiquitita accompanied by Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre with his mate Estelle and chicks Kayley and Xander, Io and Sheldon with Betelgeuse and Rigel, Europa and Byron with Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka, Ganymede and Mimas with Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine and Thymine, and Callisto and Athos with Canopus and Katniss. Jupiter and Ruby were at the window with Blu, Jewel and Venus. The red and Catalina chicks apart from Betelgeuse, Rigel and Alnitak and his brother and sister wore very ashamed facial expressions for participating in the naughtiness with some of Rafael and Eva's rambunctious descendants, and their parents glared at them with angry looks on their faces. When Adenine gazed up at his scarlet father Ganymede, he cringed at his glare and bowed his head again.

Next to the red macaws stood Orquidea and Esmeralda, Saturn and Uranus being at the window. With the female blue-and-gold macaw and great green or Buffon's macaw stood Dione and Porthos with their sons Procyon and Peter; Titan and Brooke with their two sons Castor and Pollux and daughter Poppy; Enceladus and his hyacinth mate Trixie and their hybrid daughter Mira; Tethys and her great green mate Oberon and their hybrid chicks Cressida and Fomalhaut; Miranda and Aramis with Capella and Achernar; Titania and her military mate Ash and their sons Basil and Antares; Umbriel and her scarlet mate Benjamin and their hybrid chicks Perdita, Aldebaran and Cecil, and Rhea, Iapetus and Ariel stood with Esmeralda and Orquidea. Nearby, Neptune and Ultramarine stood with Triton and Iris, Indigo, Victor and Violet and Indigo and Victor's daughter Gertie. The hyacinth macaws were accompanied by Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli and Ceres, Mercury, Pluto and Cobalto having gone to the window with Blu and some others, and Phoebe, Squaw'tagnan and Arcturus; Blueberry, Aiden, Saiph, Charon, Neytiri, Regulus and Denebola, Azul, Fernanda, Oceano and Carmen. Also there were Travis, Sunset, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena, Yolanda, Oscar, Peach and Bruno the cockatoos, Rafael, Eva, Diantha, Tom, Gladion, Lillie and Aurora the toucans; the toucan chicks having been taken back to their parents' hollow including Rafael and Eva's own in the case of their new chicks, by Rafael and Eva who then rushed off to join Blu's group; Orion, Hermione, Velocity, Merlin and the latter two's daughter Zelda, and Cometa and Lightning and their chick Spike the falcons (or merlin in Hermione's case), Frodo, Ellie and their five kids, two biological kids Olivia and Sylvester and three adopted kids Alegria, Achilles and Pitaya; Andromeda, Eragon, Spyro, Marella, Altair and Bambi the archaeobirds and their bat-bird mounts, and Sebastian, Anabelle, Ferdinand and Acerola the flying foxes. Augustus, Melissa, Stella and Soren were on the ground at a safe distance from the Aviary entrance with Sandalwood for he did not want to be on the roof with the others.

All the birds and flying foxes wore a mix of devastated, guilty, stunned, distressed, angry and disgusted looks on their faces. The past few minutes had gone by like a whirlwind but it had been utterly frightening and devastating for everyone: Luna had to be rushed to the Aviary as the venom from the snake began to work its sinister effect on her body, sending her into a state of shock while Vincent and Hunter had to be carefully carried to protect the former's broken wing and the thorns embedded in the latter's body, and Sandalwood kept screaming and crying as he was carried by his parents, constantly shouting at Soren and Stella to put him down and crying in fear at the height below him as Stella flew along with him clutched to her breast. He was only relieved when the group had arrived at Tulio's Aviary. After Luna, Vincent and Hunter's emergency admission and things had settled down, Bellatrix had come forward to explain everything to the group including the adults that had happened, such as when one of the toucan chicks had knocked Sandalwood off the end of the branch when she rushed forwards upon seeing him tied up with Isabella and her comrades taunting him with sticks, how Hunter ended up crashing into the thorn bush while he tried to save Sandalwood but had to tackle the flying fox away from it for he did not have time to snatch Sandalwood and pull himself out of the fall into it in time or both he and Sandalwood would have been badly injured, particularly Sandalwood's membranous wings. She also told how Vincent, who had managed to pull himself out of the dive to avoid the thorn bush, ended up crashing into a tree trunk and breaking his wing. Furthermore, Bellatrix had explained her daring rescue of Sandalwood in the lake by diving into the water and hauling him ashore, much to Tiago and Matilda and the others' alarm. Bellatrix had been harshly rebuked by her parents for diving into water and told that it was a very foolish thing to do and that she could have drowned, though Tiago remembered saving Matilda from a similar predicament years ago. After Bellatrix had explained her part of the story, Sandalwood came forward to explain his part leading up to the incident, including how the toucan chicks had attempted to talk him into wreaking havoc for a family of blue-and-gold macaws dressed as pirates, which lead to his being tied up and put on the end of the branch.

As Bellatrix and Sandalwood were explaining every single detail of the accident to the group, Andromeda and Rouge had turned up with Orion, Velocity, Hermione, Merlin, Zelda and also Cometa, Lightning, Spike, Travis and Sunset and when these cockatoos and falcons had heard the news of what had happened, they had been utterly horrified. Furthermore, Broccoli and Daisy had tagged along and had also heard the news. Now Travis, Cometa and their company brought in by Andromeda had been utterly gripped by worry and concern, especially Orion and Hermione for Hunter was their only son and also Spike, Velocity and Merlin's nephew, Zelda's cousin and Cometa and Lightning's grandson. It truly was a devastating time for everyone.

Neytiri and Charon gazed worriedly from the roof at Augustus, Melissa, Soren, Stella and Sandalwood as they continued to comfort him, Regulus and Denebola flanking them.

"Will Sandalwood be alright?" asked Neytiri in a low voice.

"I hope so," said Charon, "But he didn't seem very happy about joining the rest of us up here."

As he said this, the green macaws came in. Aramis, accompanied with Miranda, Capella and Achernar, wore a look of thunder on his face.

"I can NOT believe what those toucan kids have done to that poor flying fox pup," he growled.

"He could have drowned," added Miranda.

"Not to mention the domino effect it had on Orion and Hermione's son and the son of Eustace and Serena," put in Ariel and with that, she flashed a sympathetic gaze at the cockatoos and falcons and saw the concerned looks on Orion, Hermione, Eustace and Serena's faces. Then Umbriel and Benjamin glared at Adenine and his three siblings, and Kayley, Xander, Canopus and Katniss as they stood with Ganymede, Mimas, Estelle, Alexandre, Athos and Callisto as they continued to bow their heads in shame.

"And I hope those eight over there will learn a very important lesson from all this as well," growled Benjamin fiercely, "If I, Regina and Alfonso were ever caught pelting other birds with seeds or fruit or scaring other chicks, our mother Pearl and father Felipe would surely burn up."

He shuddered as he remembered the previous times Felipe exploded, and Felipe, similar to Eduardo did sometimes sport a fiery temper.

"Those toucan chicks are honestly very naughty and out of control," said Umbriel in disgust, before her gaze changed to a look of concern as she gazed down at Sandalwood as he cried in his mother's chest, "But I sure hope that Sandalwood is alright."

As she said this, Titania and Ash came in and leaped from the roof's rim.

"Where are you going?" asked Charon.

"To check on him," replied Ash as he and his Buffon's mate descended towards Sandalwood, his parents and maternal grandparents. Basil and Antares, not wanting to crowd the flying foxes on the ground, stayed with their relatives but they, like every other chick and also Acerola and Ferdinand, Sandalwood's cousins, were very concerned for him.

"How's he doing, Augustus?" asked Titania as she and Ash touched down near the flying foxes. Augustus and Melissa looked up at the great green/military couple with saddened looks on their faces.

"Not good, I'm afraid," murmured Augustus, "Though he hasn't sustained any injuries from the fall," his gaze returned to Sandalwood as he continued weeping into Stella's chest, Stella gazing down at him and Soren draping her with his wing, "He's refusing to be lifted off the ground."

"And every time we try to do that," said Melissa, "He always enters a serious panic attack and we have to return him to the ground again."

Nearby, Broccoli and Daisy walked up to the group while Titania and Ash gazed at Sandalwood worriedly. As the two cats approached the group, Titania glared at them.

"I have a question for you two about the toucan chicks," she said, "Augustus here has been asking us about them on the way to here."

"Yes," said Broccoli.

"Have those toucan gangs always been very naughty and out of control?" asked Titania.

"According to Neptune and his family…" began Daisy but she was suddenly cut off by the sounds of wing flaps. At this, the cats, flying foxes and two green macaws turned and saw Porthos and Dione flutter down to them.

"Guys," said Porthos, "We've just received a report from Blu and the other observers about Hunter, Vincent and Luna. We have some good news and we have some bad news."

"How are they?" asked Daisy urgently. Dione and Porthos touched down.

"The good news is, Vincent's fractured wing is treatable, as is Hunter's injuries since Tulio and his team are specialist bird surgeons besides ornithologists," said Dione. When Augustus, Melissa, Stella and Soren gave a confused look, Broccoli said, "Bird studiers."

"Also, there's a specialist flying fox vet present who is able to treat Luna's venom poisoning," said Porthos. Relief surged through the group.

"Oh, that's excellent news," gasped Melissa.

"She's been admitted just in time, otherwise it would have been too late with fatal results," said Dione.

"What's the bad news?" asked Soren, extinguishing the relief in the others. Dione and Porthos's faces fell.

"The bad news is," said Dione, "I'm afraid those three casualties are going to have to stay in Tulio's Aviary for quite some time."

"Also, Hunter's health is uncertain," said Porthos, "His body has been so badly lacerated by the thorns from the fall into that thorn bush that the ornithologists aren't sure of his survival chance in surgery."

"What's 'lacerated' mean?" asked Augustus, confusion at another human term flashing within him.

"It means slashed and cut by sharp objects or needles," explained Daisy, "In this case, thorns."

At this, horror flared within the bats and also in Titania and Ash. Then another thought came to the green macaws' minds.

"Orion and Hermione," murmured Titania worriedly. Back on the roof, there was weeping and sobbing from a certain female merlin bird. Hermione had her face buried in her wings, weeping hard and sobbing loudly while Orion, her peregrine mate, stood with a disbelieving, devastated look on his face. Blu, Jupiter and Ruby stood before them while Cometa, Velocity, Lightning who held Spike, Merlin and Zelda stood around Hunter's parents comforting them. Around the falcons, the macaws, cockatoos, archaeobirds and toucans, and Sebastian, Anabelle, Acerola and Ferdinand looked on with sympathetic eyes, some even hugging each other. Rafael and Eva also looked on as Hermione fell to her knees, crying loudly and shedding tears like rain, speechless. However, the toco/keel-billed toucan couple soon found themselves on the receiving end of an extremely bitter glare from one of the falcons. Orion pierced the toucans with that glare, and Rafael could see that the bulbous eyes surrounded by yellow rings of skin read, "You're REALLY in trouble now, you pair of irresponsible rabbit toucans!"

Cometa, Lightning, Velocity, Merlin, Travis, Sunset, Eustace and Serena then glared at Rafael and Eva with the same acidic looks, making the two toucans wince and shudder. Diantha and Tom also glared at the couple, but their looks were laced with tears besides disgust. Gladion, Lillie and Aurora, however, shuddered and felt sick to the stomach, clearly ashamed to be part of a MASSIVE family of toucans, many of which were rambunctious gangsters who loved to cause masses amounts of trouble.

Later

Evening had fallen on Rio and the Blu Bird Sanctuary, and it was nearing bedtime for the chicks and pups. Blu and company had considered looking for some hollows to sleep in but Tulio and Linda, after being alerted of their presence and seeing their grandkids, offered them to stay in some birdhouses they had constructed and nailed to trees outside their cottage if Blu and company ever decided to come and stay in Rio. Though Blu and company were glad for Tulio and Linda's generosity, some, such as Zephyr and Jewel, still insisted that some of the group members sleep in natural hollows. Andromeda, Augustus, Frodo and their families were amazed by how much Tulio and Linda, along with Fernando, their adopted son and former smuggler like Jack and Jill, cared for the animals much like Susan, Lucy, Bernardo, Jack and Jill and had begun to establish a trust in the trio like how they had done to Mercury and company's former owners.

Sandalwood lay in a bed of moss in a hollowed out base of a tree, the entrance concealed by rocks to prevent ground predators like margays from accessing the hollow. Since he had refused to be carried by Stella and Soren to a tree hollow higher up through the canopy with the rest of the flying fox family, Stella and Soren had been forced to look for a ground alternative. Outside the entrance, the rock pile partially disassembled to allow an opening for entry, the evening sunlight bathed the jungle outside, drenching it in a beautiful golden colour. Sandalwood felt excruciating guilt boil within him. He felt sorry with himself for deciding to go with Isabella and her comrades in the first place. 'If only I hadn't gone along with them, I wouldn't have been tied up, Hunter and Vincent wouldn't have been hurt, Aunt Luna wouldn't have been bitten by a snake and Bellatrix wouldn't have drowned,' he thought tearfully. A great tear welled in the corner of his eye and ran down the amber fur of his cheek and a sob escaped his throat. Guilt-ridden, the young flying fox pup rolled over onto his back. He had heard what had happened to Vincent and Hunter, and had witnessed his aunt get bitten by the snake that would have turned him and Bellatrix into dinner had she, along with Matilda, Tiago, Blu, Stella and Soren, as well as some of the others including Augustus and Melissa, had not intervened in time. Now Luna was being cared for in Tulio's Aviary by that flying fox specialist who was by now working to get rid of the poisons of the snake venom from her body while Vincent's damaged wing was being fixed. However, Sandalwood's biggest concern was for Hunter who, according to Blu and the other observers, had a chance that he may not survive surgery to remove the thorns embedded in his body due to how they were embedded and the number. Some vital organs may have been pierced and Sandalwood shuddered violently at the thought of Hunter passing away and the subsequent heartbreak of Orion and Hermione and their relatives. Hunter was a young falcon with his whole life ahead of him. Furthermore, he was the only son of Orion and Hermione who will not have another clutch until they were sure that he was capable of taking care of himself.

Sandalwood's mind then wandered to the whole incident of his fall itself including how Hunter had pushed him out of the thorn bush's path and into the water and how Bellatrix had to dive in to save him. This incident was remarkably similar to how Tiago had rescued Matilda from drowning. Matilda had been tied up and bound to a rock and shoved into a deep puddle by a deranged member of a bird gang led by a frigatebird whom Carla and some others had encounter in Guyana during their Indiana Jones-like quest for Jurassic Jungle and its natural reserve of treasure dangerously guarded by a flock of predatory bat-birds. Ruby's incident in the dreaded flying fox colony's territory was also along those branches but she had not been tied up like how Matilda was, with another key difference being the fact that she had been almost completely stripped of her plumage, the feathers painfully torn out by her interrogators as part of their sadistic torture process to extract information from her. Sandalwood and other flying fox pups of his generation including Acerola and Ferdinand, his cousins, only understood the gist of how the flying fox colony lived and how they viewed and treated birds, but since it was a grownup topic, he had only been told part of the story.

Sandalwood's mind then moved on to the thought of flight and being lifted off the ground. The thought of being taken into the air greatly terrified him and seeing the macaws, cockatoos, falcons, the archaeobirds on their bat-birds and the other flying foxes fly high in the air and land in the tree branches sent shivers down Sandalwood's spine. Looking up at the high branches of the trees above his head, as well as the upper edges of the artificial buildings humans called houses and cottages made Sandalwood's head spin and bring back the traumatising memories of his fall from a high branch when the toucan chicks led by Isabella scattered, one of them accidentally knocking him off the branch. Memories of his wings being stuck to his sides, unable to spread out to pull him out of the fall also made Sandalwood shake violently. 'Those toucan chicks had bound me with my wings tied to my sides and threatened to throw me off that branch end,' Sandalwood thought, 'They thought it was funny and perhaps didn't think of the consequences that would follow especially when Bellatrix rushed in to save me…'

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Stella's voice reached his ears.

"Hey, son," said his albino mother, pulling his attention out of his thoughts towards her. Stella entered the tree hollow with some fruit in her wings. "I've brought you dinner."

She came up to the moss bedding and sat it down by Sandalwood's head. Sandalwood gazed at it and breathed a sigh, before extending a wing and picking up a bunch of berries. However, when Stella saw tears fall from her son's eyes, her heartstrings were strained. 'I can't believe those toucan chicks would be so irresponsible,' she murmured in her mind. Outside Stella and her family's makeshift ground hollow, Soren was standing with Augustus, Melissa and some of the macaws, among them Blu, Jewel, Mercury, Sapphire and also Diantha and Tom, Gladion, Lillie and Aurora's parents, talking. The four macaws and toucan couple comforted Soren who was clearly upset over the whole incident.

"Is it my fault that Hunter had fallen in a thorn bush, Vincent had broken his wing, and Aunt Luna has been bitten by a snake?" asked Sandalwood to Stella as he began eating, "Also is Bellatrix to blame?"

He shuddered at the thought of Bellatrix bearing masses amount of shame for the whole incident. Stella, tears in her eyes, extended a chalky grey wing to her son's cheek and rubbed it.

"No," she said, much to Sandalwood's relief, "According to her grandparents Blu, Jewel, Venus and Zephyr, you, along with her, had been blatantly honest about what has happened." Stella's gaze then morphed into a frown, "However, we're gonna try and sort this. Jupiter, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto's father, has suggested that we visit the parents of the toucan chicks that had been with us and have a word with them, starting with Isabella's parents…"

Just then, she heard her mate's voice.

"Are you ready, Stella?" asked Soren. Stella looked up at her mate as Sebastian came in.

"I'll take care of Sandalwood, sis," said Sebastian kindly, "You go and visit Isabella's parents with some of the others."

"We've confronted Rafael and Eva about whose Isabella and her siblings were and they had told us that Marco, one of their older sons and his mate Anastasia are them," said Soren. Stella then stood up to leave the ground hollow but not before turning to Sandalwood to give him a goodnight's kiss and a hug.

"I'll be right back after we have dealt with this, honey," she said affectionately. Sandalwood relished the comfort of his mother's warm embrace and shed a tear. Then after she broke the hug with her son, Stella left with Soren and exited the ground hollow, leaving Sebastian to care for his nephew and lull him to sleep with a bedtime story, hoping it would make him feel better.

Later

Stella and Soren, together with Jupiter, Tiago, Matilda (who had left Bellatrix and Bartholomew with Bia and Virgil), Jewel, Travis, Augustus and Cometa, flew through the jungle. The sun had almost completely set and the darkness of the night was slowly eating away at the sun's light in the sky above. Faint glitter points indicating stars were slowly emerging out of the sun's light. Around the group, diurnal (day active) birds and other animals had turned in for the night in their nests and hollows and the air was rather quiet. In the daytime, the canopy was alive with the sounds of birdsong and flashes of various colours of feathers but at night, there was almost no sound save for that from the activities of the nocturnal animals living on the Blu Bird Sanctuary as they prepared for the night ahead. However, Stella kept her focus on flying to Isabella's family's hollow where one of Rafael and Eva's many, many sons, Marco, lived. Stella was glad to have company come with her, including her own mate, for arguments were not her thing at all and since Bellatrix, Hunter and Vincent had been involved, Tiago and Matilda, along with the former's mother and latter's mother-in-law and paternal grandmother of Bellatrix and her brother, Jewel; Hunter's paternal grandmother and Orion's mother Cometa and Vincent's paternal grandfather and Eustace's father, Travis, had decided to come along to serve as backup for Stella and Soren. As they passed through the quiet canopy, the moonbeams bathing it in a sea of silver, Jewel wore a look of thunder on her face.

"You know, when we meet those parents of Isabella and her siblings," she growled, "I'm gonna give them a piece of my mind."

"Well, you're gonna have to restrain that urge, Jewel," said Jupiter firmly.

"Yes," said Travis, "Otherwise it could destroy the friendship between you guys and Rafael and Eva."

"Well, whether that's gonna happen or not," said Augustus firmly, "We've got to resolve this. That's more important than the friendship you folks have with those two toucans."

As he said this, the target hollow emerged out of some adjacent trees. Travis and Cometa recognised it having been here before.

"There it is," Travis said. Stella and Soren gazed at the size of the tree.

"It's massive," murmured Soren, "A hyacinth macaw family could live in it."

"Never mind about its size," muttered Jewel, "Let's just get this over with."

"Yes," put in Cometa angrily. She was clearly livid at Isabella's parents for what had happened and wanted to get this thing sorted ASAP. Soren then refocussed on the task as the group touched down onto the branch leading to the hollow which was covered by a curtain of flowery vines. As they did, they heard the sounds of a female toucan singing some sort of lullaby from the inside. The nine exchanged glances until Stella decided to make the first move by knocking. As she stepped towards the hollow entrance, Travis wore a stern facial expression.

"Marco can at times be very arrogant and obnoxious, so be careful," he said.

"Okay, here we go," Stella said and with that, she knocked onto the wood with a membrane wing. At first, there was no answer until finally, a male voice said, "I'll get that, my darling Anastasia."

Then within seconds, the sound of talon-steps on wood was heard and the vine curtain was lifted, revealing a black Rafael-lookalike toucan with a black-tipped orange beak and reddish-cream facial patch and belly like his mother Eva's. When his brown eyes spotted Stella, Soren, Cometa, Jupiter, Matilda, Tiago, Jewel, Augustus and Travis his orange beak widened into a smile.

"Well, hello-o-o, my peregrine falcon, scarlet, Spix and cockatoo friends," he crooned cheekily, ignoring the three flying foxes, "What brings you to my lovely hollow filled with my and Anastasia's forty-one beautiful offspring at this time of afternoon?"

As he said this, Travis mouthed the word 'forty-one' in disbelief. It was obvious that Marco and his mate had been having more chicks, as had some of Marco's many, many siblings. Then another black toucan with an orange beak with a black tip, white front and green eyes appeared. She was slender and had a cluster of spiky feathers behind her head. Her gaze was as cheeky as her mate Marco's as it scanned the group.

"I guess you must be Jewel, Tiago, Matilda, Jupiter, Cometa and Travis," she said, "We heard all about you guys and that great fight between you birds and a colony of deranged flying foxes for the Sanctuary de Amazon from my lovely mate Marco's parents Rafael and Eva, is that true?"

Jewel, Jupiter, Cometa, Matilda, Tiago and Travis exchanged glances while Stella, Soren and Augustus just stood there, surprised at Anastasia and Marco's knowledge of the Great Battle. However, Jupiter firmly stepped forward.

"That subject's not important," he said, "We've got an issue here regarding your kids such as Isabella and some of her siblings."

Marco and Anastasia's heads tipped to one side. Behind them, Isabella and her siblings that had participated in the cruel prank on Sandalwood leading to his accident slowly peered from behind their parents, wary and fearful looks on their faces. Jupiter then nodded to Stella, Soren and Augustus, "These are Sandalwood's parents and grandfather and they have come to have a word with you."

With that, the hulking scarlet macaw backed away to allow Stella, Soren and Augustus to speak. As the three flying foxes came forward, Marco and Anastasia made condescending smiles.

"I believe you three are from that colony of deranged bats that almost took over the macaws' territories, am I right?" asked Marco obnoxiously. Augustus, Soren and Stella's eyes flashed with disgust at the attitude of the toucan and his mate. Jupiter, Cometa, Jewel, Travis, Tiago and Matilda exchanged glances. They clearly didn't like this couple's attitude either.

"We were but we don't have time to discuss this," snapped Augustus, ignoring Marco's obnoxiousness, "We're here to talk about what your chicks have done to my grandson and also my daughter and son-in-law's son Sandalwood."

"Amongst other domino effects their deeds have had following that," put in Soren.

"Such as what happened to Vincent, the grandson of Travis, my grandson Hunter and also Luna, Stella's sister and Augustus's other daughter," added Cometa. Marco and Anastasia rose one of their eyebrows.

"Oh, and what's that?" inquired Marco. Augustus nodded to Stella who stepped forward to explain. Anastasia smiled as she examined Stella's white fur and reddish eyes, but it was not a nice smile. 'She looks like she had not slept a wink for months based on those bloodshot eyes, and she looked as though she had seen a massive monster based on her white fur,' she thought insensitively. However, Stella did not notice her mockery of her albinism. Neither did Soren and Augustus for they were too focussed on sorting the issue out.

"Your daughter Isabella and some of your other daughters and sons have put our son Sandalwood through a very traumatising ordeal," explained Stella, barely able to restrain her anger, "They tied him up with his wings bound to his sides and then shoved him off the end of a branch right into a lake."

"However, he almost fell into a thorn bush," added Soren, "If it wasn't for the son of Cometa's son Orion and his merlin mate who intervened and shoved that flying fox out of the way and landing him in the lake," he nodded to Cometa, "Sandalwood would have been seriously injured."

"Like how my grandson Hunter was," said Cometa, backing Soren's explanation up.

"And our daughter Bellatrix had to dive right into the lake to rescue him," put in Tiago, "Which in of itself is a very dangerous move as she could have drowned alongside Sandalwood."

"Sandalwood is badly traumatised as a result," said Stella. Anastasia and Marco listened to the story, but their faces were rather nonchalant, much to the disgust of the three flying foxes, the scarlet macaw, three Spix macaws, sulfur-crested cockatoo and peregrine falcon. Then Tiago came forward, a look of outrage on his face.

"Aren't you at all horrified at that?" he growled, his feathers bristling.

"If our kids did something horrible like that to another chick or flying fox pup," said Jewel, making Tiago and Matilda look her way, "I'd have fainted from sheer shock and disbelief and would have given our kids a serious punishment."

"Same here," put in Jupiter. Travis, Tiago, Matilda, Cometa, Augustus, Stella and Soren nodded in agreement. However, the seriousness of the situation did not budge the nonchalant looks on Marco and Anastasia's faces, but they did feel a flash of sympathy for what has happened.

"Oh, we're ever so sorry about the whole thing, you nine," said Anastasia in a not-very-serious tone of voice, "Is that flying fox pup alright?"

All six birds and three flying foxes' heads, marked by cross faces, shook from side to side.

"No, he is not," snapped Augustus, "He's now very afraid of heights."

"Thanks to your kids including Isabella," added Stella, "He's refusing to be picked up off the ground, much less climb onto an overhang for take-off now."

Marco and Anastasia gazed at each other and then back at the three bats and six birds. Isabella and her siblings continue to gaze fearfully at the visitors at the entrance.

"Oh, our kids were just playing," said Marco, "Nothing wrong with that. Kids will always get up to mischief," he gaze then travelled to Tiago and Matilda, "Kind of like how you both got up to mischief when you were chicks."

As he said this, Jupiter folded his wings, a look of disgust marking his face.

"I don't like his nonchalant attitude," he muttered.

"It's true that Tiago and Matilda got up to mischief from time to time when they were kids," said Jewel, "But they never ever did anything very serious such as pitfall traps or anything that is injurious to their victims, and they never will."

"Look, kids do at times get mischievous but what your kids have done to Stella and Soren's son goes beyond vandalism or even bullying," snarled Tiago, his mother's fiery streak beginning to show itself.

"They could have killed Sandalwood," out in Matilda, "And what's worse, Vincent, the son of Eustace and Serena and Travis's grandson has suffered a broken wing while Hunter, Cometa's grandson and Orion and Hermione's son, has been badly lacerated or slashed by thorns when he fell into a thorn bush saving Sandalwood… because of your kids!"

"His life might be on the line in the Aviary based on how the horrible needles have become embedded in his body," put in Cometa, "Orion and Hermione might lose their son as a result."

"And Bellatrix could have drowned for another thing," added Jewel, "Not to mention Stella's sister being in a critical condition after getting bitten by a snake after Bellatrix had rescued Sandalwood."

"And as a result," added Jupiter, "it has left the rest of us totally devastated and heartbroken with a lot of shattered pieces to clean up," a sigh escaped his beak, "We didn't come to Rio for it to turn into a total disaster at the wings of your irresponsible, careless kids."

"Especially for Augustus and his family," said Jewel, gesturing to Augustus and his daughter and son-in-law, "We came here to give our grandkids a tour of Rio, not for it to be shattered into pieces thanks to your kids and the kids of your siblings."

"Speaking of that, some of my grandkids have already been in dire trouble for participating in the seriously naughty pranks with another group of toucan kids," put in Jupiter. Marco and Anastasia continued to listen, their facial expressions unchanged. Jupiter, Jewel, Travis, Tiago, Matilda, Cometa, Augustus, Stella and Soren glared back in utter disgust at the couple at their indifference to the seriousness of the consequences. There was a moment of tense silence hanging over the group but then finally, Marco broke it but to the utter surprise of Stella and Soren's group, it was a look of thunder.

"Look, are you accusing our kids of being attempted MURDERERS!?" snarled the toucan at the top of his voice, making the three flying foxes, three Spix macaws, scarlet macaw, peregrine falcon and sulfur-crested cockatoo jump back and flinch. Marco then gestured to his kids, among them Isabella and her siblings that had knocked Sandalwood off the end of the branch. "Our kids may be rascals but they are NOT MURDERERS!"

"They may be rambunctious, but they WOULD NEVER DO SUCH A THING!" added Anastasia. The nine visitors glared back at the couple with taken aback faces but Marco swept on.

"If there's anyone who was an attempted MURDERER," he bellowed, before his eyes settled accusingly onto Tiago, Matilda and Jewel, "It is your DAUGHTER!"

"SHE was the one who bound that poor pup and shoved him off the end of a branch, according to Isabella here," said Anastasia, much to Tiago and Matilda's extreme disbelief, "YOUR DAUGHTER was the one who intentionally had that young cockatoo slam into that tree and break his wing, that peregrine falcon boy crash land into that thorn bush and almost drown that flying fox pup, not our kids."

"They never HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT!" shouted Marco. The colour drained from the skins under the feathers and fur of the birds and flying foxes, and Tiago and Matilda felt lightheaded and unstable. Jewel, Jupiter, Cometa, Augustus, Stella, Soren and Travis also glared back at the couple, stunned. THAT was what Isabella and her siblings had told their parents, that Bellatrix was an attempted murderer!? SHE was the one who tied Sandalwood up and shoved him off the branch end on purpose!? Isabella and her siblings weren't INVOLVED, they say!? Stella and Soren then shot Isabella and her siblings behind Marco and Anastasia an astonished glare. It was obvious that these toucan chicks had been telling their parents that fabricated pack of lies that Tiago and Matilda's daughter was the one who set off that chain reaction of events leading to Sandalwood's fear of heights and flying, Vincent's broken wing, Hunter's critical situation with the thorns and Luna's snakebite, and as the ridiculous information that had come out of Marco and Anastasia's beaks were absorbed by the nine's brains, more force applied from the smug smiles on Marco and Anastasia's beaks, Jewel, Tiago, Matilda, Cometa, Travis, Jupiter, Soren, Augustus and Stella continued standing there, still as statues until finally, Matilda was pushed to breaking point. Overcome with dizziness and disbelief, the Venus lookalike swayed and then toppled. Jewel, Travis, Augustus and Cometa, at this, caught her and then laid her down onto the branch while Tiago felt his stomach lurch. As Jewel and the other three lowered the fainted Matilda down onto her back, Tiago shot Marco and Anastasia an outraged glare but the two toucans' beaks kept the smug smiles.

"I should think so as well," said Marco meanly, "You oughta question your skills as parents."

"What kind of parents are you two, to have a daughter that loves tying up bat pups or even bird chicks for that matter," added Anastasia, "and then shoving them off the end of a branch and watching them get badly injured for the fun of it?"

That did it. The fiery streak Tiago got from his mother Jewel reached critical. Without thinking, the young male macaw and only first-brood son of Blu and Jewel advanced towards Marco and Anastasia, raised a wing and without hesitation; he slammed it hard into Marco's face, much to the horror of the others. Marco, a cry of shock, toppled from the hollow entrance and fell off the branch from the impact. Tiago, still fuelled by wrath, jumped off the branch and pounced onto Marco.

"I'm gonna RIP YA FEATHERS OUT!" he bellowed and with that, a vicious brawl ensued. Anastasia, startled by Tiago's violent temper, ordered her many, many kids to stay inside the hollow before leaping off the branch to help her mate. Jewel, Jupiter, Augustus, Stella and Soren also leaped off the branch, leaving Travis and Cometa to tend to the fainted Matilda.

"Stay with Matilda while we deal with this," commanded Jupiter. Cometa and Travis nodded and continued to tend to the fainted Spix macaw while the others went to deal with the brawl between Marco and Tiago.

Tiago and Marco spun along a branch, a blurred barrel of blue, black, orange and cream-white. Both the toucan and the Spix macaw had their talons on each other's throats and their beaks were snapping wildly to tear out feathers. As their pursuers followed them, Jupiter shouted at the two to break it up.

"STOP IT, YOU TWO!" he barked. Tiago and Marco fell off the edge of the branch and plummeted through the canopy. Anastasia, Jupiter, Jewel, Soren, Augustus and Stella followed. The brawling Spix macaw and toucan continued hurtling through the canopy until they crashed into a patch of ferns. Several pairs of eyes from on-looking nocturnal animals gazed at the fighters in fear. Marco heaved Tiago off his front and stood up but Tiago jumped up and attempted to slash his talons across Marco's face just as Jupiter, Jewel and the three flying foxes, and Anastasia landed.

"HOW DARE YOU CALL BELLATRIX A MURDERER!" screeched Tiago as he lashed at Marco in an attempt to scratch him again, only for the toucan to dodge, "HOW DARE YOU DESCRIBE HER A SADISTIC PSYCHO CHICK WHEN SHE'S NOTHING OF THE SORT! YOU THINK ENDANGERING SOMEONE'S LIFE IS SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT!?"

He slashed his talons across Marco's chest and this time, his talons hit home. Marco bellowed loudly as Tiago's talons opened a small wound on his chest, tearing out some red-cream feathers in the process. Jupiter drew in a horrified gasp at the escalating violence between the two males. If intervention didn't happen soon, Tiago and Marco's fight would escalate into a savage, bloody battle. Tiago was about to lunge at Marco to scratch his face when suddenly, three pairs of membranous wings latched onto his wings and restrained him. Augustus, Stella and Soren pulled him back despite his fiery protests while Jupiter, Jewel and Anastasia restrained Marco.

"LET ME GO AT ONCE!" bellowed Tiago, his eyes still brown volcanoes but the three bats refused to.

"Look, SNAP OUT OF IT and PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER!" barked Augustus. When he saw Tiago refusing to respond or lessen the fire in his eyes, he commanded Soren and Stella to restrain his wings while he went round to the front of the enraged Spix macaw. Augustus then clasped his wings onto Tiago's cheeks and yanked his beak close to his muzzle.

"TIAGO!" cried the flying fox at the top of his voice. Behind Augustus, Jewel, Jupiter and Anastasia had managed to quench Marco's wrath. Tiago continued writhing in the wings of Augustus, Soren and Stella, his eyes still ablaze with brown flames but when he found himself looking into Augustus's stern eyes, his membranous wings clasped onto his cheeks, he let his anger fizzle out and clamed down. As Tiago went slack, Augustus released his head. However, the Spix macaw's wrathful eyes remain fixated on Marco. As soon as things had calmed down, Jewel, without hesitation, went straight over to Anastasia and Marco and slapped the couple hard across the faces.

"Jewel!" barked Jupiter but Jewel ignored him. After inflicting Marco and Anastasia sharp pain with her slaps, Jewel glared at them with fiery teal eyes.

"Now listen, you PAIR OF IRRESPONSIBLE, PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR PARENTS!" she bellowed, "I want you to do US ALL A favour, especially Bellatrix, Sandalwood, and also Cometa and Travis's families!"

In the canopy above, Cometa and Travis flew by, a limp and still-fainted Matilda in their talons. Marco and Anastasia glared back at the fiery teal-eyed macaw as she screeched, "YOU ARE TO STAY WELL AWAY FROM OUR FAMILIES AND GET THOSE KIDS OF YOURS UTTERLY DISCIPLINED! IS THAT CLEAR!?"

Marco and Anastasia, at this, glared at Jewel before opening their wings and taking off to return to the hollow.

"If there's ANY CHICK THAT NEEDS DISCIPLINING," retorted Marco as he and Anastasia left, "It's THAT CHICK OF YOURS, BELLATRIX! SHE SHOULD BE THE ONE WHO NEEDS DISCIPLINING, NOT OUR KIDS!"

"And TELL HER TO STAY WELL AWAY FROM OUR HOLLOW AND KIDS TOO!" screeched Anastasia and with that, she and her mate disappeared through the canopy. Jupiter, Jewel, Tiago, Soren, Augustus and Stella, at this, prepared to return to the place where they and the others were staying by following Cometa and Travis who waited for them in the canopy with Matilda in their talons.

"That went well (!)," muttered Soren flatly as he climbed onto a rock ledge to jump off and take flight, Augustus and Stella following him. Jupiter, Jewel and a very outraged and distressed Tiago followed.

"Let's just get back to our places of stay," said Jupiter in a low voice. Jewel then flashed a fierce glance at Anastasia and Marco's hollow and followed the others. She could not believe that those two toucans had the audacity to call one of her granddaughters a murderer and describe her as a psychotic chick. Outraged, she left the scene, wanting to get away from the arrogant pair of toucans and their many, many chicks as quickly as possible.