Chapter 49- the clean-up continues, not everyone is happy
After dealing with Voldemort and his minions, Jewel and company, along with Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Chilro, Ophelia, Kira, Garrett and Turquesa, and also Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, Estelle and Gabrielle, now free and reunited with Mars and Roberto, journeyed back towards the Spix tribe's ravine. Some of the birds rushed Roberto and several other injured birds to the hospital to be treated, especially Roberto for he had been bitten by Voldemort and his injured foot might get infected since Voldemort was a highly unhygienic bat. Venus remembered suffering infection when the dirty bat slashed her down the back during his chase of her on the night of the most recent fire and how she had almost died from it.
As the casualties were taken away, Augustus, together with Melissa, Stella (who clung onto Melissa's back), Luna and Sebastian watched on, especially Roberto as he and his family flew off in the direction of the hospital. Then Felipe, Pearl, Mars, Jupiter and their families flew in.
"Was it common for your colony-mates to leave birds to their fate when the latter are caught by poachers?" asked Felipe with a frown.
"It's quite uncommon actually but yes," said Augustus, "And it seems that poor Roberto was one such unfortunate victim…" he breathed a sad sigh, "It's depressing really, especially when I think about how my cousin-in-law Lily was rescued from a poacher's trap by some birds when she was a pup…"
"Rescuing a baby from the enemy," said Pearl, "That's one of the hardest things to do. I'd have just abandoned her to her fate if I had seen her caught in a poacher's net."
"That would be very wrong," said Jupiter firmly.
"Yes," said Mars, "It would be just as bad as what those flying foxes did to countless birds over so many generations…"
Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, Estelle, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Byron and Sheldon nodded in agreement.
"Two wrongs never make a right anyway," said Phobos. Augustus and Melissa gazed at the scarlet and green-winged macaws.
"It absolutely wouldn't," said Augustus to Phobos, "But that event in Lily's life was the starting point for the flying foxes that had been against the lie-based teachings about the Amazon birds in their rebellion against the rest of the colony, especially what those bats had put the innocent birds they had killed and/or driven out to grab their land or earn trophies through."
Jupiter put a comforting talon onto Augustus's shoulder. "At least it's all over now," he said with a smile. Augustus and Melissa returned the smile.
"Let's just get back to the Spix tribe's ravine and report that we've dealt with the last of Cicatriz's minions," said Augustus. And with that, the group continued their flight to the Spix macaws' ravine.
Some time later
Jewel's group, apart from the casualties and some of the birds that had gone to the hospital, entered the Spix tribe's ravine. As they entered, Jewel, Carla, Bia and Tiago looked up to see the Spix macaws preparing to move back into their trees with the help of Marcus's group, the tidying almost completed. Any stocked food remaining during the war was being handed back to the birds from the other tribes and clans to return to their home areas in order to save them from going to waste while Spix parents with eggs and under flight aged chicks continued to leave the waterfall cave. Carla gazed longingly at the bundles of downy blue feathers and the white orbs as they were transported in the special leaf and twig bags when Sebastian flew in.
"You know, Carla," he said, "When I have my own family, I'm going to give my pups a tour of the sanctuary and when they are old enough, explain to them about the history of the flying foxes' relationship with the birds and how it changed from enmity to peace…"
"Well, when I have my own chicks with Justin," said Carla, "I'm gonna consider taking them to our birthplace of Rio de Janeiro…"
"Same here," said Bia and Tiago together. Sebastian gazed at the trio.
"Rio?" he asked confused.
"It's a city where we were born," said Io as she flew in with Europa, Byron and Sheldon. Ganymede had left to find Mimas in the blue-and-gold macaws' territory while Callisto had gone to the hospital to meet Athos.
"It's got a grey human figure with his arms stretched out and there's the sea and a beach bordering it," said Europa. Sebastian smiled as fascination took hold.
"I would like to come with you to see that city," he said, "In all my life I have never seen a human city before. What is it like? Dull and drab coloured compared to here, I believe…"
"Dull and drab yes," said Tiago, "But it's a fun place as well. You'll love it when we go there together."
"It also harbours some dangers as well," said Orion as he and Velocity flew in. Velocity had washed her talons of Voldemort's blood, not wanting to bear the traces of the wicked bat any longer.
"Dangers?" asked Sebastian curiously. Luna flew in to listen.
"Yes," said Velocity firmly, "It's a city and it's a concentration of human settlement." She then paused and stole a glance at Augustus and Melissa as they told Eduardo and Mimi the report of Voldemort's demise. "Also, I don't think your parents would approve of you and your sisters going to a place with so many humans since they might have the same reputation among the flying foxes like they sometimes do the jungle birds…"
"Especially after hearing how Lily was caught in a human trap when she was young," said Bia. Sebastian gazed back at the Spix and red macaws and the two falcons.
"We could talk this over with your parents if you would like," said Carla, "But don't be surprised if they turn down your decision of coming with us to a human city."
"It's for your safety," said Bia. The others nodded in agreement. Sebastian's face fell for a few seconds but then it lightened up again.
"Well, I suppose I'd be safer if I go with you birds and stay with you at all times," he said, "I'm sure Mom and Dad would approve of you keeping me safe while we are there."
Carla was about to reply when suddenly, Venus's voice rang out, jolting the group and turning their attention to the pigtailed macaw. It was then that they saw her in an embrace with another macaw and Carla could see that both of them had tears streaming down their faces.
"Looks like Aunt Venus has reunited with someone," she said. Bia, Tiago, Velocity, Orion, Sebastian, Io, Europa, Sheldon and Byron continued watching Venus and the other macaw, which was female as they continued crying into each other's shoulders.
The female macaw Venus was embracing had maya blue feathers like Venus and also like Venus; she had a blue-white patch around each eye connected by a band over the beak's top. Her body build was stocky and her eyes were a shade of blue. Unlike Venus who had a set of pigtails, this macaw's crest was a feather ruffle. To Carla and the others' surprise, the two macaws looked rather different but then Sheldon heard the female macaw call Venus 'Sister'.
"Sister?" repeated he in a whisper.
"Isn't that one of Venus's long lost relatives?" asked Byron. Then Tiago remembered something.
"Uncle Zephyr, Justin, Charlotte and Matilda are at the hospital helping Uncle Beto get treatment for his almost mangled foot," he said, "Looks like they are going to be in for a real surprise when they see this."
"Look, she has her own mate and two offspring as well," said Io. The others looked and saw that the maya blue macaw had a darker blue macaw and two smaller birds, one of them a maya blue male and the other a dark blue female. The female had a pair of pigtails like Venus and Matilda, but the feathers in them were around two or three times longer, reaching down to her shoulders. She, her brother and father hovered around Venus and greeted her.
"Venus is an aunt," said Byron with a smile.
"She and her family must be one of the hidden Spix macaws rescued and looked after by Mr Marcus and his group," said Luna. Sebastian then looked on and saw Marcus fly up to Venus and talk to her. It was then that Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena flew up to the group.
"That's Izzy, Aunt Venus's sister," said Milo, a talon pointing to the macaw hovering next to Venus, "Her mate's called Phoebus and they have a son named Erico."
"Erico?" repeated Io in surprise.
"That name sounds familiar," said Europa as her mind mulled it over. Then after a few seconds, it clicked into place.
"That's it," she said, "Erico was Aunt Venus's father!"
"Izzy must have named her son after him," said Rosa with a smile, "What an honourable way to remember their father."
Sebastian smiled. "Well, when I have pups, I'm gonna name one of my daughters after my first-cousin, once-removed, Lily, in her honour, after her efforts in protecting those birds from the rest of the savage colony."
"That's a great idea," said Carla. Bia then smiled.
"Well, I'm gonna name one of our sons after the star Sirius when Virgil and I have chicks," she said, "That name has always been one of my favourites."
"I like Sonia," said Carla dreamily.
"And I like Bellatrix," said Tiago. The others smiled. Then the group turned to Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena.
"So how did Izzy manage to survive all this time?" asked Carla, "Did you hear her backstory?"
"I thought she would have died when those poachers attacked when she and Venus were chicks," said Io. Milo then fluttered forward.
"Well, from what we've heard," he said, his gaze on Izzy as she talked with Venus, "Izzy and her and Venus's outer sister, Flo, had managed to escape capture from those cats that retrieved the fallen and netted birds and were rescued by Lola, Mercury's mother, after she had fled a savage white bird," Carla, Bia and Tiago immediately identified this as Nigel, "She had been unable to rescue Thomas or her chicks as they were either killed by the white bird or captured by the cats. Anyway, after rescuing Izzy and Flo, she disappeared deep into the jungle," the listeners' ears cocked to hear the story, interesting seizing their bearers, "Lola then raised Izzy and Flo as her own chicks and took them deeper into the Amazon rainforest to get as far away from any human as possible and had settled in with a mixed group of various birds where they lived for several years. But then one day, that group was attacked by flying foxes and Lola, Izzy and Flo barely made it out but tragically, Flo died of her injuries. Lola and Izzy were then rescued by a group of hidden birds led by Lily who took them under their wing. There, Lola met another Lear's macaw, a male and Izzy met Phoebus," then Milo nodded to Izzy and her family, "And there they are."
"Mercury's mother is alive as well?" asked Io. Clemont, Serena and Rosa nodded.
"She's been escorted to the Lear's tribe's ravine to meet her son," said Clemont.
"There's gonna be a tearful reunion waiting for Mercury that's for sure," said Serena. Carla, Bia, Tiago, Velocity and Orion, together with Io, Europa, Sheldon and Byron, Sebastian and Luna then gazed at Venus's sister, brother-in-law and nephew and niece as they sat on one of the lilypads talking together and smiled. Meanwhile, Jewel, Augustus and Melissa had finished delivering their report to Eduardo and Mimi of Voldemort's demise.
"That's excellent news," said Eduardo gladly, "Let's hope that Roberto's injury isn't too serious."
"Marcus and the other allied flying foxes have promised to help keep an eye out for anything suspicious like revenge plots," said Mimi, much to the gladness of Augustus, his mate and Jewel.
"That's excellent," said Augustus, "We don't want any trace of my deranged brother's colony and their teachings left behind to grow and replace what was uprooted and removed."
Melissa nodded in agreement. Just then, a female brown flying fox flew in.
"Um, excuse me?" she said.
"What is it, Ana?" asked Melissa. The bat, named Ana, moved aside and revealed a young blue macaw chick.
"This young chick is all that's left of a family of a Spix macaw named Mertle and her daughter named Aguamarina," explained Ana, "This is that Spix macaw's grandson. He's the only surviving chick of that little group which, unfortunately, were brutally murdered by a gang of flying foxes when they strayed too close to the colony's border in an unprovoked attack. We found him wandering through the jungle and had rescued him."
At this, the heartstrings of Mimi, Eduardo and Jewel were pulled as they gazed at the little chick, his eyes flooded with devastation. Although he was the grandson of her greatest and bratty rival who insulted her at every opportunity she got, Jewel couldn't bear to see this little chick to go without a set of parents. Reaching out her wings, she took the timid chick and gently held him gently close to her chest feathers.
"I know," Jewel said, gazing into the chick's lime green eyes, the same shade of green as Mertle, "I'm gonna adopt him as one of my own alongside Linda and Luke. As much as I hated Mertle, I can't let her grandson grow up without a mother and father."
"While Mertle, Aguamarina and the rest of those macaws will be remembered in our funeral as well," said Eduardo, "Though they had been utterly bratty, they are still macaws."
"Thanks for salvaging that chick, Ana," said Augustus. Ana smiled and left to help some macaws move out of the waterfall cave. As Ana left, Linda and Luke flew over to Jewel with Aquamarine and Azurite, Gael following close behind for she had been looking after these four chicks the whole time.
"I wonder how my son and daughter are doing," said Gael as she touched down before Eduardo, Mimi, Jewel, Augustus and Melissa. Luke and Linda then began to hover around the young chick in Jewel's wings. Gael then smiled at Venus as she continued talking with Izzy.
"And I'm so glad that Venus has reunited with one of her long-lost sisters," she said.
"We actually assumed that she was either captured by the poachers or had died in the jungle," said Jewel.
"Hey, Mom, are we gonna have a new brother?" asked Luke excitedly as he and Linda flitted excitedly around Mertle's grandson. Jewel looked at her younger son and daughter.
"Yes, we're gonna adopt this orphan into our family, you two," she said.
"Cool!" cried Linda.
"That's awesome!" cried Luke excitedly.
"What are you gonna call him?" asked Azurite as he hovered with Aquamarine. Jewel smiled at the chick in her wings.
"I don't know," she said, "But since his mother and grandmother and relatives are deceased and since I don't know what name Aguamarina had given him I might as well give him one."
She then stared into space and made a puzzled expression on her face.
"Now, let me see," she said, "He has green eyes like Daddy," she gazed from the chick to Eduardo, who smiled, "So I'll name him after Daddy!"
And with that, she raised the chick in her wings. The chick giggled.
"That's a good name, Eduardo," said Augustus.
"Nice to meet you, Eduardo," said Mimi.
"That's very nice of you to name him after me, my daughter," said Eduardo, Jewel's father, a wing around her shoulder, "Why don't you call him Eddy as a nickname to distinguish him from me?"
"That's a great idea, Dad," said Jewel. She then cradled the newly named Eddy in her wings, the others looking on. Melissa smiled at Augustus and said, "At least that chick's got a new family to live in."
"Yep," said Melissa, "Blu will be proud to have a new adopted son in his family."
"Yeah, but he'll be in the hospital for quite some time, Melissa," said Mimi, "He's got a broken wing, remember?"
Jewel sighed and nodded in agreement. She shuddered as she remembered seeing the agonised look in Blu's brown eyes as Iracebeth tackled him hard into a branch and screaming in excruciating pain while Iracebeth's bloodlust-crazed eyes glared at him in the most sadistic way as she relished the painful screech erupting out of Blu's beak. This incident eerily paralleled Jewel's incident with Nigel when that barbaric cockatoo broke her wing on that plane. However, Nigel had heaved Jewel into the wall and unintentionally caused a cage to fall on her wing, whilst Iracebeth's breaking of Blu's wing had been outright deliberate, as if she wanted it to happen. Pushing away the memories, Jewel focussed her attention on her newly adopted son.
The Navyfeathers and glaucous tribe's home patch
The home groves of the Navyfeather Clan and glaucous tribe were decorated with large navy blue birds with yellow facial markings and blue, turquoise and teal grey-headed birds also with yellow markings, along with the colours of various other bird species such as chestnut-fronted macaws and archaeobirds. The Navyfeathers and the glaucous macaw tribe had moved back into their groves while the smaller group birds were waiting for the reports from patrol groups regarding their homes in the other macaws' territories and the flying fox activities within them. Marinho, Ultramarine and Neptune still grieved the loss of Flavio as did everyone else. Rudi and Valeria had stopped to pay their respects to the Navytfeather Clan leader for they had missed his passing away due to an emergency involving Flor and Triton. Despite the burden, Marinho, now the new leader of the Navyfeathers continued his tasks. He had initiated Violeta, Vincente, Arlo and the other remaining Bluewing hyacinth macaws into his clan, sent out patrols to help the patrol groups of Soleado, Felipe, Jewel and Alonso's tribes check the homes of the small non-tribe and clan bird groups for confirmation that the colony flying foxes had left them for good, while Andromeda and her clan helped the Bluewing hyacinth macaws settle into their new homes with the Navyfeathers.
Almost none of the Bluewing hyacinth macaws wanted to return to their grove with the blue-throated macaws but they had offered the group that had remained hidden all this time, led by Marcus and Ana, the friends of the late Lily, their now-empty grove, not wanting it to go unused. Ana and Marcus had left to think about this decision while the Bluewing hyacinth macaws prepared to adapt into life with Marinho's clan. In one tree next to the new patriarch of the clan, Charon, Neytiri, Quincy, Blueberry and Aiden stood on a perch just outside Neptune and Ultramarine's tree, watching the activities. With them were Mariposa and Kiawe the blue-headed macaws, Alessandro and Rhiannon the chestnut-fronted macaws, and Caspian and Citrine the golden conures. Charon then picked out Pluto as he helped Falkor, Fedor and Rafflesia who held Hedor, her and Fedor's son, in her wings, and Ámbar the lutino blue-and-gold macaw as they helped treat the birds with minor injuries, or injuries not too serious to require human help while nearby, Andromeda, Eragon and Spock helped the remaining families of the decimated Bluewing Clan move into any spare trees under the guidance of Rudi and Valeria. As the little group watched the activities, Spyro came in on his bat-bird.
"Well, I guess it's all over, folks," he said.
"Yep," said Charon as he continued observing the activities.
"I can't believe we're back in our rightful groves," said Blueberry in a slightly tearful voice as she leaned against Aiden's shoulder, his wing draped over her back. Aiden, Quincy and Neytiri also wore saddened looks as they watched the activities. Then Kiawe decided to lift the glaucous macaws' spirits.
"Hey, guys," he said, "Did you know that the Amazon Pit of Games League is going to return after being cancelled?"
The others shot him a surprised look.
"Is it?" asked Mariposa.
"Yes," said Kiawe excitedly, "And Augustus has decided that his new clan will participate in it. Some of his clan bats are considering taking up soccer lessons once everything returns to normal."
"Oh, that would be awesome to see the allied flying foxes participate," said Blueberry, her sadness fading, "I would love to see Sebastian on the field."
"Also," said Caspian as he had his wing draped over Citrine's back, "A massive party is being planned to celebrate our victory against the flying fox colony. I overheard Neptune talk about it."
"However, it won't go ahead until the casualties are released from the hospital," said Citrine. At her mentioning of the hospital, Charon, Quincy, Blueberry, Neytiri and Aiden's faces fell as thoughts about Lapis Lazuli and the other former-prisoners of the flying foxes' territory came to mind.
"Don't worry about them, you five," said Alessandro with a reassuring smile, hoping to bring them out of the dip, "They will get better but it's just a matter of time."
"I know," said Charon, "It's just the sight of the result of what Mom and the other seven had been put through at the membranous wings of those furry savages of Cicatriz when they interrogated them."
Alessandro, Rhiannon, Citrine, Caspian, Kiawe, Mariposa and Spyro nodded in agreement. When they heard or had seen the scrawny, gaunt, beaten appearance of the near-featherless macaws with terror-filled, sleep-deprived eyes after they had been rescued from the flying foxes' interrogation spot, they had been horrified and Spyro had been having nightmares about the subject since. However, he perked up.
"Well, that's over now like I've said..." suddenly, his sentence was cut off when the group heard the sounds of angry shouting. At this, the heads of all twelve birds popped up and their gazes darted to the direction of the shouting.
"That sounds like Indigo," said Charon as he recognised the voice. Blueberry then recognised the voice.
"It is," she said.
"Oh, I hope she's not having a falling out with someone," said Quincy, his wing over his face as dread welled within him. Then suddenly, the group heard a second female voice.
"That's Penelope," said Neytiri, "She sounds very angry and upset."
At this, Charon, Blueberry and Quincy, dread really boiling within them, opened their wings and took off to investigate.
"You three!" cried Aiden as his and Neytiri's wings darted out and they took off after Flor's older siblings. Alessandro, Rhiannon, Citrine, Caspian, Kiawe, Mariposa and Spyro followed, the latter hopping onto his bat-bird's back and taking off after the macaws. As the twelve traced the shouts to their sources, meaningful words became decipherable.
"How could you say THAT about my BROTHER, Penelope!? Don't you REALISE what you're planning to do could break his heart FURTHER!? He's devastated enough AS IT IS!"
Indigo's voice and she never sounded so infuriated. Then the group heard the second voice retort at the first one.
"I don't CARE, Indigo! I'M NOT gonna spend my LIFE WITH A ONE-EYED, SCAR-FACED MACAW!"
Flabbergast and disgust flared within the group and Blueberry drew in a sharp breath. Then outrage fired up within Charon.
"How could Penelope call her own BOYFRIEND something DEROGATORY like THAT!?" he barked.
"Especially after what he has been through," added Blueberry.
"In protecting the son and two daughters of the flying fox that has helped us ever so much throughout the entire war from getting slaughtered by that brute from Cicatriz's clan," put in Neytiri. Then two navy blue birds almost twice the size of Alessandro, Rhiannon, Citrine, Caspian, Kiawe, Mariposa and Spyro despite them being roughly the same age as them, one of them having a violet tint to her plumage, hat, came into view.
"Yep, it's definitely Indigo and Penelope alright," said Aiden as he recognised the two hyacinth macaws. The others looked on and saw that Penelope's blue eyes were ablaze with anger and disgust as they were directed at Triton's sister, her eyes equally ablaze with disgust and outrage and the group could see that Indigo was trying to reason with Penelope.
"He was trying to protect Sebastian, Stella and Luna from getting slaughtered by that hulking savage of a bat!" barked Indigo, clearly frustrated at Penelope's stubbornness, "But that brute retaliated so FAST that Triton did not have time to react and before he knew it, he was clawed right over the left side of his face. In other words he didn't have time to move fast enough to avoid that attack, resulting in the loss of sight he has to deal with for the rest of his life. It's not HIS fault that he had to face such a tragedy."
"Then maybe he shouldn't have got involved with trying to defend those three young flying foxes then, shouldn't he!?" retorted Penelope. Disgust flared up again within Charon and company.
"Sebastian is only our size while Stella and Luna are shorter than he is," hissed Mariposa, "While that hulking flying fox would have been well over four times their size and possibly two or three times stronger than the three of them combined. They wouldn't have stood a chance had Triton not intervened."
"Exactly," said Aiden in agreement, "Based on what Sebastian and also Marcus, the allied flying fox that had dived in to rescue Triton had described to us."
Indigo retorted at Penelope, saying the same thing Mariposa and Aiden had just mentioned.
"You're just gonna have to learn to accept his permanent disfigurement, Penny," she added, "There are ways to conceal the damage," she paused for a moment, "In fact, our new Cuban red macaw friend, Frodo, has just found one…"
However, to the disappointment of Charon and company, and especially Indigo, Penelope's wall of stubbornness refused to come down and she turned and prepared to rocket off into the trees.
"I don't CARE what you say, you two!" she snarled, tears falling from her face before charging away, "There's no WAY I'm gonna have a macaw that greatly resembles Cicatriz with that blind eye and scarred facial look for a LIFELONG MATE! As soon as he comes out of that hospital, I'm gonna BREAK UP WITH HIM!"
At this, Indigo's eyes flashed with immense hurt. Charon and company also flinched at what Penelope had just said. Then Neytiri charged forward at Penelope before she could rush off. Her eyes blazed with periwinkle blue-purple flames and her rich cyan and grey plumage apart from the feathers in her braid, were spiked out like the fur of an enraged or threatened cat.
"How DARE you say that ABOUT TRITON, you BRAT!" she snarled at the top of her voice, "YOU'RE HONESTLY NO BETTER THAN AGUAMARINA WHO MOCKED BIA!"
As Neytiri yelled at Penelope, Indigo, overcome with hurt from Penelope's scathing comment about her brother and the urge to sob reaching boiling point, whirled round and dashed off. Charon, Aiden, Blueberry, Quincy, Alessandro, Rhiannon, Citrine, Caspian, Kiawe, Mariposa and Spyro followed, some of them calling her name. Neytiri saw Triton's sister tear off into the forest like a violet-tinted navy blue comet. At this, she shot Penelope another outraged glare.
"Now you've done it," she hissed and with that, she chased after the others. Penelope, though guilt was beginning to well within her for upsetting Indigo, turned and charged into the trees in the opposite direction, the plan on breaking off the engagement with Triton as soon as he came out of the hospital still in her head. However, her charging into the trees hadn't gone unnoticed. Fedor and Rafflesia the hoatzins, having given Hedor their son to Ámbar to look after while they took a break from the tasks, flew in, having heard shouting and sobbing. However, all they saw of Penelope was her tail vanishing into the trees in a navy blue blur. Compelled by curiosity and suspicion, Fedor turned to Rafflesia.
"Can you fetch Pluto, Rudi, and Neptune, Ultramarine and also Penelope's parents please," he said, "While I see to Indigo and the others."
Rafflesia nodded and left to fetch those macaws while Fedor left in Indigo and company's direction.
Sometime later, Indigo had taken refuge in a very dark shadow cast by a large cluster of leaves that blocked out the sun, in a tree. Her wings were wrapped around her body and her head was bowed. Charon and Neytiri hovered close to her while the others stayed back. Indigo's peripheral vision caught sighted a flash of grey, dark turquoise and cyan but she recognised them without needing to turn to look at them.
"Neytiri… Charon…" came Indigo's voice which sounded broken and on edge, "Please… I want to be alone."
The two, at this, exchanged glances and backed away, joining the others.
"Neptune and Ultramarine are not gonna be impressed when they see this," murmured Rhiannon worriedly. Charon glared at her. Then sobs began to sound from Indigo's hiding place which tugged at his heartstrings. Indigo had started crying and was sobbing hard.
"I don't know what to do," murmured Charon, his eyes on the spot where Indigo was. It was then that the group heard the sound of flapping wings. At this, the group turned and saw a chubby bird with rusty red-orange wing feathers and crest, a black back with white specks sprinkled on it and a pale sandy yellow underside, and blue fleshy patches surrounding its eyes, approach them.
"Fedor," said Blueberry in surprise as the hoatzin touched down onto a perch before them. His gaze was a look of firmness and a frown.
"Where's Indigo?" he asked. Spyro pointed a wing claw to Indigo's location.
"In there," he said. Then Fedor opened his wings and took off towards Indigo's hiding spot. The twelve birds then exchanged glances.
"Sounds like Fedor had overheard what has happened," said Charon. The others looked back at him.
"I think he'll help sort this problem out," said Blueberry. The others nodded in agreement and then turned to watch Fedor as he tried to coax Indigo into coming out of her hiding place.
