Chapter 17- Cicatriz and Iracebeth scorn the warning letters
As the day went on by, the warning Augustus and Melissa had delivered to Roberto and company had spread throughout the Sanctuary de Amazon and soon, the Navyfeather Clan and glaucous macaw tribe, Andromeda's clan, the red, the green, the Lear's and the blue-and-gold tribes and the blue-throated macaw and Bluewing Clans and all the smaller groups, among them the golden conures, the blue-headed macaws and the chestnut-fronted macaws had received the message. Following this, action had been taken to prevent similar incidents that had happened to Alexandre and also to Tiago's foraging group. Macaws and other birds had all been forbidden from going out alone to prevent the roaming flying foxes from targeting them. Furthermore, patrol and foraging groups had been expanded so that the advantage of safety in numbers was used. If one group was violently attacked by a group of flying foxes, backups would come to their rescue. During this, the tribe and clan leaders had put their consideration of sending Cicatriz and Iracebeth a reminder of the truce made between them and their colony as well as a strong warning via a letter on a large leaf telling them to call off the constant intrusions and attacks of their bats and return them to their side. Blu and Jewel sent theirs from the Spix macaw tribe while Felipe and Pearl wrote the red tribe's warnings, as did Alonso and Verde for the green tribe, Waldo and Monique for the Lear's tribe, Soleado and Zoie for the blue-and-gold tribe, Demetrio, Violeta, Reynaldo and Anita for the Bluewing hyacinth and blue-throated macaw clans, and Flavio and Rudi and Valeria for the Navyfeather Clan and the glaucous macaw tribe and also on behalf of Andromeda and Eragon's clan and the other birds living on the Sanctuary de Amazon. This done, messenger groups were then sent with the letters to give to any passing group of flying foxes they find so that they could pass them on to Cicatriz and Iracebeth.
While this process was happening, in the home of the blue-and-gold tribe, the blue-headed macaw group and other avian residents had been evacuated to the tribe's home patch for their safety. Due to the flying foxes flying around, the space in the territory had become unsafe for the smaller close-knit residents. While the blue-and-gold macaws helped these birds into any spare tree they could find while others sought to the food stocks, Skyla, Jairo and Mariposa sat on a perch watching as aqua blue and yellow forms directed various forms of various colours to their temporary residence in despair. Like Tiago's foraging group and Alexandre's group earlier, a violent flying fox attack and attempted kidnap had taken place, with some of the resident toucans being targeted which was the reason behind the non-tribe or clan residents' evacuation by Soleado's tribe to the blue-and-gold macaws where they will be safe.
"I can't believe this is happening, dear," said Skyla sombrely as she watched another family of blue-headed macaws carry a clutch of eggs and chicks too young to fly toward a nest, as directed by Porthos and another blue-and-gold macaw, "It's like a living nightmare."
She then shuddered as she remembered the incident with her club. Jairo then shot his mate a thunderous look. "Well I hope that warning Soleado and Zoie is going to send with the other tribe and clan leaders will knock some sense into that deranged flying fox colony patriarch's which skull to stop his bats' constant intrusions and violent attacks," he growled, "It's been going on long enough, it's making our territories unsafe, it's intimidating the residents and striking fear into us and it's interfering with our daily lives of foraging and that…"
Skyla breathed a sigh of sadness. Indeed the flying fox intrusions were. Since the problem had escalated to frequent intrusions, classes from Soleado's tribe had been completely forbidden for the safety of the chicks while the patrol and foraging groups had been doubled from a minimum of seven to that of fourteen. While her parents talked, Mariposa stood with her wing on a thick twig rising up from the perch, her head resting on it, a bored and sad look on her face. She missed the home of her group's habitat ad wanted to return there but under Soleado and Zoie's strict rules and groups of flying foxes continuously roaming the territory, particularly dangerously close to the habitat where the blue-headed macaws lived, that was forbidden. Like her father and everyone else, Mariposa had hoped that the message will remind Cicatriz of the truce and prompt him to stop his intrusions. While Mariposa was lost in thought about this, she heard the sounds of frantic flapping. Hearing this, she snapped back to reality and saw an aqua blue and yellow comet shoot past, which appeared to be Porthos, followed by murmurs rolling through the flock. The murmurs also alerted Jairo and Skyla and they saw a wave of blue and yellow macaws sweep down from dozens of trees and towards something.
"Now what's up!?" growled Jairo angrily. Then Skyla's eyes landed on the focal point of the crowd.
"Looks like Azul and company have returned from their visit to the Spix macaw tribe," she said, "But it sounds like that something nasty has happened."
When Mariposa heard this, she darted her wings out and lofted into flight to follow the crowd.
"Mariposa, get back here," called Skyla and with that, her wings shot out and lifted her off the perch. Jairo followed seconds after.
As Mariposa and her parents rocketed towards the focal point of the blue and yellow wave, that focal point came to rest on a large perch. They were indeed Azul, Brooke, Bastian and Wilbur and the other blue-and-gold macaws that had been visiting the Spix macaws and Blu and Jewel had sent them back here for their safety. With the group of blue and yellow birds, some Spix macaws were present, the group's escorts. Porthos was the first to arrive on the scene. Orquidea was back at the nest tending to Amalthea and Desdemona, her and Porthos's second brood of chicks. When Porthos' eyes landed on the state of Azul and Brooke and their injuries, the latter who had a large leaf around her stomach and the former with another large leaf on his left talon and limping, alarm tore through him.
"Good grief, you two," cried Porthos incredulously, "What on earth has happened?"
"And where is Winona?" asked another female blue-and-gold macaw, one of the macaw called Winona's friends. As she said this, Brooke and Bastian's parents rushed over to the group, alarmed for their daughter and son when Bastian came forward, a Spix macaw escort by his side.
"While we were in the Spix tribe's territory," he said, "Azul's group was suddenly attacked by a group of flying foxes, many of them armed, who attempted to take some of them away."
"Specifically Tiago, one of Blu and Jewel's sons," said the Spix macaw, "Azul, Lavender and Spock, the cousin of Andromeda, Anakin and Ophiuchus from the archaeobird clan."
Porthos stood there, utterly stunned.
"And where's Winona?" asked he.
"She's been taken to the animal hospital with two other casualties with the help of some of the Lear's macaws from Waldo's tribe," said Azul, his face twisted in pain from his bitten foot, "During the skirmish, she suffered a dislocated wing while trying to rescue Tiago, while I was bitten on the left talon and Brooke was clawed across the stomach while dealing with the other bats. Furthermore, I, Lavender and Spock were almost taken."
As he said this, Skyla, Jairo and Mariposa touched down, horrified looks plastering their faces while Soleado and Zoie came in.
"So you were brutally attacked as well!?" blurted out Jairo in immense shock. Then Porthos began to fuss over the four blue-and-gold macaws who had been visiting the Spix macaw tribe.
"Well, from now on, you lot," he said firmly, "You're gonna stay in our patch for your safety."
His gaze then moved from Azul to Brooke, Wilbur and Bastian. "The same goes for you three as well, including you, son," his eyes particularly glared at Wilbur.
"But Dad, I have a stargazing session with my hyacinth friend Casper and some of the smaller group residents on the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' territory, among them Caspian and Citrine, planned tonight," protested he.
"I don't want to risk any of us getting hurt or kidnapped, son," said Porthos adamantly, "If Winona had suffered a dislocated wing and had to go to the hospital while Azul here," he nodded to his injured son and Wilbur's brother, "was almost taken by those pesky furballs, then I am not gonna take any chances."
"I'm sure he will be safe with the hyacinth macaws for the night, Porthos," said Bastian, "After all those navy blue birds are very strong and powerful..."
Porthos gazed at the friend of Azul and Wilbur with an uncertain look. Then soon, the group was on the move.
As the group flew along, breaking up along the way as the blue-and-gold macaws, among them Bastian went their separate ways to their families' hollows, Mariposa, Skyla and Jairo, now accompanied by Kiawe who had followed some of the blue-headed macaws when he saw Azul's group return, talked with Azul and Brooke.
"I can't believe those flying foxes would do this to Winona, poor Glimmergem and Annie's younger brother," said Mariposa in a disgusted growl, "Are those three alright?"
"They are," said Azul, "They're safe at the hospital being treated for their injuries. Glimmergem's bat-bird, however, had died during the attack."
"I hope Tiago, Spock, Lavender and you are alright," said Kiawe concerned.
"We heard what had happened and how you four were almost taken by those bats," said Jairo as he flew alongside Skyla. Azul shuddered.
"It was honestly a beastly nightmare," he whimpered, "At first we thought those bats were going to kill us but when I was snagged and carried off, we realised that they had something else in mind."
"And when Roberto explained what this flying fox named Augustus told him, it seemed to make sense," said Brooke, "Those flying foxes want some of us for information."
Jairo made an unsurprised gaze.
"I know, we've heard the message spread over the past few hours," he said, "And now Soleado and Zoie are planning on sending that patriarch and his mate a written warning."
Both Azul and Brooke breathed sighs. Then a bratty voice said nearby, "Well, I hope those flying foxes would pack up their intrusions and leave us in peace."
Hearing this, Jairo, Skyla, Kiawe, Mariposa, Azul and Brooke's heads snapped to the speaker, a familiar bratty Spix macaw with her daughter and her many chicks and some friends. Mertle and Aguamarina all wore condescending facial expressions as they pierced the group with their gazes, as did Aguamarina's mate and most of their chicks, which were about a dozen. Aguamarina and her family had moved from the Spix macaw tribe to settle in a little patch of their own in the blue-and-gold tribe's territory. However their little patch was fairly close to the border nearest to the border to the flying fox colony's land.
"We hope to move back into our home once things had calmed down," crooned Mertle in a purr.
"You will once Soleado and Zoie are certain that the territory is safe," said Jairo, "They are not gonna risk any of the non-tribe and clan residents living in their tribe's territory getting kidnapped for information."
"And believe me," added Skyla, her voice tainted with malice as she began to talk about the deranged patriarch of the flying fox colony, "I believe that Scarface and his mate might be searching for any target to extract information from, not just the members of the macaw tribes or clans."
Mertle gazed back at the blue-headed macaw as if the subject was not important, as did Aguamarina, her mate and many of their friends and chicks apart from a few, much to the chagrin of Skyla and Jairo. The group decided to leave the rather bratty group of Spix macaws and return to their trees.
"I can't believe those bratty birds would treat this situation very lightly," said Azul with a frown, "They're as proud and arrogant as ever. No wonder Aunt Jewel had them leave the Spix tribe."
"Well, one of these days, they will have to learn not to let their pride get the better of them during serious times like this," said Jairo. "Anyway, let's take you back to your parents' trees."
Azul and Brooke both sighed and followed Jairo and his family.
Later
Back in the flying foxes' territory, the flying foxes continued their daily business. Bat pups and adolescents continued attending bird fighting classes, mercilessly beating the fruit bird dummies to pulps, adults flew about the trees, foraging and patrolling and more bats continued rehearsing their combat skills with their weapons such as sharp-sticks. In one tree, a hideous male bat was having his scratched face treated by some colony nurses who used special medicinal plants to treat the healed-up gashes across his face where Roberto had struck him. While the miffed Voldemort continued to sit on a root that grew in the hollow, wincing slightly from the stinging scratches each time the plants made contact, Iracebeth, together with Veruca and Iago, flew in.
"I'm sorry for our failed task in nabbing one or two of them feathered jungle scum rats, Iracebeth," muttered Voldemort grumpily, "That Spix pig with the mop of head feathers gave me a right slashing across the face."
"I can see that," said Iracebeth. Veruca and Iago just flanked her and said nothing. Then Voldemort gazed up at Iracebeth.
"By the way, how are the other spies doing?" he asked, wincing again from the cries of pain from his scratch as the colony nurse dabbed a ball of moss soaked with healing plant paste onto it. An evil grin spread across Iracebeth's face.
"They're still out there in the feathered worms' territory looking for victims to snatch and haul back here, Voldemort," she said, "But the spy groups that had been in the territory of those clans of blue-throated and the Bluewing hyacinth macaws have managed to gather enough information about those birds' area and the size of the clans. Some have even managed to reach the home patch of those two macaw groups and have brought back this report. Cicatriz is now planning an attack on that territory," Iracebeth flashed a glance to outside, "…hopefully tonight. It's a cloudless night tonight with a full moon so, the conditions are ideal for an attack…"
Voldemort smiled; the first smile he had formed in a while. For most of the day he had worn a grumpy look for failing to catch a macaw for interrogation, especially after Roberto had brutally attacked him, not to mention what the pack of tamarins had done to his collection of precious trophies on his sharp-stick. Voldemort detested losing or having his pride crushed and always sulked for ages. Furthermore, he often had a volcanic temper.
"So our spies have managed to gather enough information about the Bluewings and the blue-throated macaws without needing to kidnap one or two members from those clans?" he said amazed, "That's remarkable."
"It's a rare accomplishment," said Iracebeth proudly, "We don't often invade territories without extracting information from some members of a bird tribe or clan, you know. The last time we had managed to drive out a bird tribe or clan without needing to kidnap a few members from them for information was when Cicatriz and Augustus's parents led the colony before they were born. I can't remember which tribe or clan it was but it had been a relatively small bird flock."
As she said this, a flapping of membranous wings reached the group's ears. Cicatriz flew into the hollow and touched down onto the rim. His face was glowing with glee but it wasn't a beautiful glow. It was a totally evil, diabolical glow.
"Are your invaders ready for action, dear Cicatriz?" asked Iracebeth gleefully. The colony patriarch released an evil giggle.
"I certainly am, my pretty Iracebeth," he crooned, "I'm certainly lookin' forward to seein' the looks of terror on the faces of those navy blue, deep blue or turquoise and yellow feathered vermin birds, and the other feathered residents, when we launch our attack on them tonight."
"When will it go ahead?" asked Voldemort.
"Around midnight when the full moon is relatively high enough in the sky," replied Cicatriz. He then flashed a glance to outside through one of the holes in the hollow.
"It's still evening at the moment and the sun's yet to set," he said, "But we have plenty of time to get prepared and plan our attack."
Veruca and Iago then pattered over to their father and smiled.
Just then, more membranous wing flaps filled the ears of the group, attracting the attention of Cicatriz to the entrance of the hollow and making him turn round. Three flying foxes rushed towards the hollow entrance and then clumsily touched down at the entrance of the hollow. One of them, a reddish furred male with plenty of scars in his fur and a muscular build, stumbled as his feet made contact with the hollow rim, and he fell flat on his face, much to the group's surprise. He had been flying so fast that he had not time to slow down before landing. The other two, who had managed to land without falling over, began to puff and pant for the three had been flying so fast while Cicatriz and Iracebeth, curious looks on their faces, went over to the reddish male to help him up onto his feet.
"Seriously, Severus," grumbled Iracebeth as the bat, Severus, rose steadily to his feet with his wings around her and Cicatriz, "You need to learn some proper landing skills."
"Mom, Dad," said Iago, "What has happened to Mr Severus and the other two?"
Cicatriz, Iracebeth, Veruca and the medical team tending to Voldemort took a minute to examine the three bats as they continued trying to get their breath back. The three look battered and bruised with quite a few cuts and bruises, some of which were bleeding scratches, strewn throughout their scarred faces and bodies and Severus's right eye was surrounded by a black ring. Severus also appeared to be holding something in his feet; some sort of bags with folded leaves held in it. As he shakily reached into the bag, Severus said, "While we were spying on the Lear's macaw tribe's territory, we were suddenly set upon by a patrol of those navy blue birds, along with some macaws from the red, the Spix, the green, the blue-and-gold and the glaucous tribes and the Navyfeather and Bluewing hyacinth clans and the blue-throated macaw clan and they attacked us."
"Their patrol groups are now enormous," said one of Severus's companions, an orange-coloured female with some darker orange patches around her eyes and a white patch on her chest, but with scars strewn through her pelage, "There were about three dozen or more birds in that group, and they viciously demanded us that we return here to deliver Cicatriz and Iracebeth some messages from their tribes and clans' leaders."
"There had been eight of us in that spy group," said the other companion, "But the other five had to go to the main infirmary to be treated, the attack from those birds was so vicious."
Cicatriz and Iracebeth glanced at each other and gazed back at Severus and his two companions in surprise. Then Severus reached into the bag he had been carrying and produced the rolled up leaves, stretching out his wing to hand them over to Cicatriz.
"Anyway, these are the messages of the bird tribe and clan leaders, you two," he said.
Cicatriz and Iracebeth then took the leaves, unfurled them and began to read them. There were about nine message leaves, one from each of the nine macaw tribes and clans living on the Sanctuary de Amazon and they had been written by Blu and Jewel from the Spix macaw tribe with Eduardo and Mimi's support, Felipe and Pearl from the red macaw tribe, Waldo and Monique, with Valentino's support, from the Lear's macaw tribe, Soleado and Zoie from the blue-and-gold macaws, Alonso and Verde from the green macaws, Rudi and Valeria and Flavio from the glaucous macaw tribe and the Navyfeather hyacinth clan and Demetrio, Violeta, Reynaldo and Anita from the Bluewing hyacinth clan and blue-throated macaw clan, and they were written warnings, and very strong ones as well, telling Cicatriz and Iracebeth to end their bats' intrusions in their land and keep them on their side based on the truce, or else there would be SERIOUS trouble.
As Cicatriz and Iracebeth continued reading the messages Voldemort gazed over Cicatriz's shoulder in an attempt to get a glimpse of the writing. However, from his angle and the way Cicatriz stood, he could not make out the words. These warnings from the macaw tribes and clans' leaders were powerful, and the only peaceful way of telling the bat colony's leaders to cease their intrusions without needing to resort to violence. However, despite how strong these warnings were, Cicatriz and Iracebeth's evil plans to invade the birds' territories did not budge even an inch. As Cicatriz's left eye, his only functioning eye, reached the end of the last message, that from Blu and Jewel, his mouth widened into an evil and mocking grin.
"Just what has happened inside the heads of those feathered rodents?" he guffawed, "I guess their narrow escape from the fire must have turned them inside out!"
"Yeah, definitely," chuckled Iracebeth wickedly. Then Cicatriz took all the leaves and shredded them. After the slivers of green confetti fell from his wings to the hollow floor at his feet, Cicatriz, his eyes, both his clouded and his functioning, narrowed then looked up.
"I'm afraid it's too late for us to turn back now," he crooned, "Our plans have already been put into action."
Iracebeth, Iago, Veruca, Voldemort, the medical team treating him and both of Severus's companions all smiled in agreement. Severus, however, looked uncertain.
"Um, Cicatriz," he said in a low voice, "I… um…"
"What is it, Severus?" asked Cicatriz with an annoyed frown. Severus's eyes flickered about somewhat as uncertainty continued to gnaw at him like a beaver's teeth at a log of wood.
"Well, um," he said, "Based on how that patrol of birds attacked us when handing those leaves which resulted in five of us going to the main infirmary and the way the bird tribe and clan leaders have written those letters, I've a feeling that they weren't joking…"
"Oh, stop acting like a cowardly pup and grow up, Severus," snapped Cicatriz, cutting Severus off. "Those birds are nothing but stupid vermin. They have no right to write us silly and obnoxious letters like those."
Cicatriz's eyes then turned to the window to outside and saw that the sun was slowly approaching its setting point. It was not too far away from sinking into the horizon now.
"And hopefully," he continued, "when we drive out our first targets, the Bluewing hyacinth macaws and the blue-throated macaws and their co-inhabitants, those birds will be getting a taste of the consequences of being cheeky to a colony of fearsome flying creatures such as us," Cicatriz's wicked smile widened more, "And hopefully, if any of those blue-throated and hyacinth varmints survive this night when we launch our attack to drive them out and take their land, I hope this will be a night they will NEVER forget…"
Iracebeth, Veruca and Iago all smiled, as did Voldemort and the other bats present as Cicatriz sniggered but Severus's uncertain look remained. Then the sound of flapping of another pair of membranous wings reached the ears. At the hollow's entrance, Cruella arrived, her appearance cloaked by shadow.
"Cicatriz," she called, "The invaders are ready."
Cicatriz gazed at her, delighted at the news.
"Alright," he said, "It's time I was gone I suppose. Thanks, Cruella. Tell the others I'm on my way."
Cruella nodded and dropped from the hollow. Cicatriz then walked towards the hollow entrance to leave himself but not before giving Iracebeth a kiss on the cheek and hugging his son and daughter to say goodbye to them.
"I hope you'll attack, my dear," crooned Iracebeth. "Let us know how it went, okay?"
"I will," said Cicatriz and with that, he walked towards the hollow and jumped out into the air, a bat's way of taking off for they could not launch themselves from flat ground.
"Good luck, Daddy," called Veruca and Iago together while the other bats but Severus smiled. Severus, however, wore a sombre look, the dread at the consequences boiling within him.