Alright here's the next chapter, sorry for making you guys wait an eon to read it, but in my opinion it was worth it. So pleas review what you think of it because I worked really damn hard on all the details and etc. So enjoy the chapter :)

"I'm sorry Val... there was nothing I could do alone. There were to many of the Iona scientists." Crexis apologized

"It's fine Crexis... I understand, you couldn't do anything and I understand." Val sighed,

"I just feel so guilty, like I caused it, like I left you a widow, your children fatherless."

"Crexis stop. Let's not talk about it right now,"

"I'm sorry Auntie, I'm sorry."

"I-I could have done something!" he shouted as tears began falling from his eyes.

"How could you dear? You are but a mere chick."

"But you were all alone this whole time and I cant help but feel like it was my fault."

"I wasn't alone, I had Audrey and Lyze to help me brave through it, with the occasional Roberto, god has he been a pain."

"Well that's good to hear, I'd hate for you to be abandoned."

"Wait Roberto?!" Mika chimed in, they looked at her strangely. "What?! We go way back... as friends and I'd love to see him again."

"Well if I know him at all, he'll come around sometime for his usual pester round." Val stated looking out of the hollow that they all stood in.

"Actually speaking of Mr. Fancy Feathers, here he comes now." Carla peeped from behind Mika.

Roberto couldn't figure Valerie out, she just couldn't take a hint when a guy was trying to 'help out'. It was like she couldn't accept a new mate after Jake was 'crossed off', "Why can't you take a hint Val?" he asked himself. Roberto stopped mid-flight, something seemed different, like the cloud of sadness and grief had been lifted off the entire tribe.

A small gasp exasperated through the air.

"ROBERTO!" it screamed, Roberto look genuinely surprised as a red comet struck his chest.

He fell to the floor with a thud, "Ow... Who or what was that?" he asked himself. And surprisingly a voice answered him, "A long lost companion." the feminine voiced called out from atop his chest.

"M-mika?...H-how?" He stammered.

"Words can't even express my joy right now! I've finally found you! After all those months, I'm here with you!" Mika exclaimed, her eyes sparkling like stars.

Roberto was at a loss of words, he truly couldn't say anything, he had been paralyzed with shock. He hadn't seen Mika in months, how did she find him now? Why not some other time? Roberto just stared at her his eyes wide and his heart thumping. Mika touched her beak with Roberto, bringing back a fond memory of Roberto's past. He was about to say something when Val, Carla, and Crexis flew down to where they had settled. "Ahem!" Crexis grunted, getting there attention. "Touching, really it is, but I came back only to repay a debt to Jake. Not to rekindle old flames." he said in a tone that neither Mika, Val, or Carla had ever heard before. It was as if Crexis had fully matured. Mika got off of Roberto and nervously preened her feathers, "Let's get started, shall we?"

Val went back to Roberto's hollow with Mika and Roberto in tow, they had decided to let Carla and Crexis catch up. After all, it had been a long time of absence. Val had landed in Roberto's and began to tend to her chicks, while Roberto and Mika found a comfortable perch to conspire about the past.

When they seemed to be done with their conversation, Val asked something that took them completely off guard,

"You're married aren't you?" she asked.

"What!? How did you know? No one knows!" Mika exclaimed surprised

"Once you have loved someone, you can just feel when there is a bond that strong." Val said, with a depressed expression.

"Oh, I understand... I know what you mean. I sensed it in Crexis the moment I saw him. I could tell that he loved someone."

"And that was Carla, wasn't it?"

"Yes, yes it was." Mika responded slowly.

"How did you two meet? Poachers?" Val asked changing the subject, trying her hardest to hold back her tears as she looked at Audrey and Lyze.

"Actually, no. It wasn't poachers, it was, from what Crexis tells me, the Scientists that have your husband." Mika replied, shuddering as the memories came back to her. The memories of the needles and the endless experiments.

Val simply replied with an, "Oh..."

But Mika went on, "When we first got there we hated each other, despised each other."

"Really? I couldn't imagine a woman hating Roberto." Val said testily, as she glared a Roberto, thinking of the countless times that he tried to flirt with her.

"Yeah, but after a while we fell in love, we became intertwined with each other's personalities." Mika said dreamily.

"What was your take on everything, Roberto?" Val asked,

"Mika is the most gentle, emotional and passionate female, that I have ever met. Yet she is also somewhat shy and fragile. Oh! And don't forget that she is very, very judgmental to newcomers." he said, whilst gazing into Mika's eyes. At that response, Mika sighed happily and laid her head on Roberto's chest.

Val stared at them enviously, she wished that Jake was here, she wished that she could feel his warmth.

"Is this a dream? Are you really here?" Roberto asked looking down at Mika with wide eyes. "Yes my lovehawk, I am truly here and here I will always be, with you." Mika sighed. "And I must ask. Did any off our eggs survive?" Roberto asked expectantly, but dreading the answer.

"Yes..." Mika whispered softly.

"Wait... what!? Where is it?" he asked,

"Here..." Mika whispered again, pointing down.

"Where is here?" Roberto asked, almost hopping up and down.

"He's here, in the Amazon."

"Wait! 'He'! It's a boy?!" Roberto questioned,

But than Val butted in, "It's him isn't it?" she asked.

Mika's forehead had become soaked in sweat, she nervously responded.

"Yes... it is," she said her body trembling.

"What!? How does she know and I don't?!" Roberto whined,

"Will you be mad if I tell you?" Mika asked, still trembling.

"I promise that I won't get mad, now just tell me." he whined again.

Mika took a deep breath and stretched her talons to reach Roberto's eardrums.

"It's ..."

"And that's what had happened." Crexis said, looking on the branch that he and Carla were perched on. Carla scooted towards Crexis, she looked at his expression, she could tell that he thought this was his fault. She sighed and looked at him lovingly, "Crexis, its not your fault. You can't keep kicking yourself in the leg. You're a great guy and you need to know that you alone give me and a lot of other birds hope." Carla said moving closer to Crexis, "No, you've got it twisted, I'm the reason why Jake is at Iona as we speak." Crexis denied.

"Stop it! I wont allow you to beat yourself up like this, you need to be strong! For me, Val, Audrey, Lyze, and especially the tribe!" Carla said, wrapping her wings around Crexis and squeezing him tight. "Oof! Fine Carla, I'll stay strong," he said, looking off into the night sky. "For you..." he added silently.

The sun beamed through the hollow that Crexis slept in the previous night, he looked down to see Carla hugging him. He managed to produce a smile, seeing Carla in such a peaceful position. But his mind shifted to more urgent matters, like that of Iona, he took a deep breath and gazed over the horizon. Today is the day, the day that Iona falls, the day that our family is restored, today is that day, Crexis thought as he gazed into the sun. He went to leave but was tugged down by Carla, who was fully awake now. "You're not leaving are you?" she asked looking up at him. "No, I'm going to get everyone ready." he said, taking his eyes off her and looking towards the sun again, "Today is that day, the day that Iona falls." Crexis said with a harsh tone. "Okay..." Carla sighed, she desperately wanted Crexis to forget about Iona, they were near Rio, not the Amazon. Crexis made a irritated sigh. "I know what you're gonna say..." he stated, Carla looked at him with saddened eyes, "You don't want me to go back, do you?" he said, half stating, half asking. Carla took a deep breath, "You're right, I don't want you to go back, I'm afraid that you'll get hurt, or-or even worse, get killed." she admitted, looking Crexis strait in the eyes. "I'm sorry Carla, but it must be done. Even if I go alone, I'll still go after Iona, no matter what." he replied, as he loosened Carla's grip on his torso. "And if I don't convince the Amazonians of the jungle, then I will be going alone." Crexis stated, prepping himself for flight. "That's it! If we can convince the Spix and the Scarlet tribes, then we could carry out the plan!" Carla exclaimed, pulling Crexis back into a hug, almost squeezing the life out of him. "That's a great idea... but I'd like to live to see come through." Crexis wheezed as Carla's grip tightened, "Oh...oh! Ha ha... sorry." Carla laughed nervously, releasing Crexis and pushing her fallen crest feathers behind her head and back into a bundle.

It was decided, Crexis would try to convince the tribes of the Amazon together to fight Iona.

"I'll gather up the Scarlets." Mika said, stepping up to Crexis, "They'll listen to me." Crexis looked at her, he couldn't help but feel like he had some bond with her. Strange. "I can gather up the Spixs, they'll definitely listen to me." Roberto said, trying to pitch in.

"They better..." Crexis replied.

Roberto stepped back from Crexis, he had a changed a lot since the last time they had met.

Mika and Roberto flew off, ready to assemble the tribes.

Crexis stood on a branch overlooking the massive gathering of macaws, he took a deep breath,

This was the beginning of the end
Iona would fall for good
Jake would be rescued.
Everything would be fine.

"Tribes! Scarlets and Spixs! I had you gathered here today for an issue of great importance! As some of you know, a member of our family has been taken! Captured! And I believe that the two of the tribes, no, I have brought our family together, to rescue Jake, a beloved Father, a dear Brother, and a splendid Uncle! And you Scarlets may want to know why you're here, it's because being in different tribes doesn't mean that you can't help each other out, didn't you figure that out when the loggers came? We all fought together, blue or red, it doesn't matter! We are a family! And families stick together! And if you think that this isn't your fight, that it's complete nonsense, go ahead and leave, it'll be like leaving a brother of sister to die. So leave if you want, be the cowards that you truly are!"

There was a long pause of silence, and finally Felipe broke it. He stepped cautiously out of the crowd, "I agree to help. You're right, we don't leave family behind, that's cruel and unfair to their spouses, friends,kids, etc. But anyway you get my point, I'm in." Crexis smiled at the response. He was then startled when Eduardo landed on the branch next to him, Crexis jumped back in surprise, half expecting him to attack, but instead Eduardo put a wing around him, "Son, that was a brilliant speech, and I'd be happy to aid you in anyway possible." he said, smiling, and then i a low voice he spoke again, "I'm sorry that I misjudged you, I admit it, I was an arrogant fool who was to blind to see who you really were."

"T-thank you sir..."

"Don't mention it Crexis."

Crexis felt that things were getting a bit awkward so he jokingly asked Eduardo a question, "Did Carla put you up to this?" he asked. At first he thought that Eduardo was mad by the means of his facial expression, but unexpectedly he burst out laughing, "Ha ha ha, you're strong, confident, and humorous, you're like the whole package!" he bellowed. "But sir when do you think we should leave? Crexis asked, Eduardo took a moment to think, "Hmmm, I'd say we leave in the morrow". Crexis nodded in agreement, that sounded like a great idea.

After the entire speech, Crexis found Val, he needed to talk to her.