Athos and company: On in the Amazon

by VPVPVP

Athos and company follow Blu and company's path into the rainforest. However some run into problems. Aramis, Esmeralda, D'Artagnan and Sapphire must deal with the conflict still existing between the Lear's and green tribes while Levi and Lapis Lazuli must convince the stubborn and homeless glaucous macaw tribe that they are vulnerable

19. 19- big problems

Chapter 19- Big problems

In the patch of jungle where the glaucous macaws lived, Levi had been training how to forage for food and had done the sessions well, much to the impress of Santiago, Beatrice and Henri, his trainers. The training session was now over and the four glaucous macaws were on their way back to the main patch where the rest of the tribe was.

"You really do know how to forage for food well, Levi," said Santiago with a proud smile on his face, "Despite being new, you have exceeded our expectations really well."

"Thanks," said Levi as he humbly accepted the praise.

"You'll soon be properly initiated into our tribe," said Beatrice. Levi then examined the jungle that flowed by.

"Have you always had to forage like this since you became homeless?" he asked.

"I'm afraid so," said Henri who flew on his left, "Ever since those flying furballs drove us out and slaughtered so many of us, the rest of us were forced to settle somewhere until we can find a place we can truly call home."

"That disaster involving those flying foxes must have been even worse and terrifying than the fire," said Levi as the thought of facing a massive flock of armed bats whose heights were bigger than a glaucous macaw, smaller than a hyacinth macaw sent shivers down his spine and crawling sensations through his skin.

"It was," said Beatrice, a dark look on her face, "The fire caused random and indiscriminate damage to trees but those bats attacked us directly. We lost quite a number of our tribe members during that invasion. Further, we suffered nightmares for months on end, especially from those flying foxes' body decor which involved jet black paint and red markings painted to resemble dripping blood and bones."

Levi shuddered at what the glaucous macaws had been through with those flying foxes. But then a question entered his head: why didn't the glaucous macaws seek help from any of the other bird tribes or clans after losing their home? Surely Eduardo, Felipe, Alonso or Soleado, or perhaps Demetrio, Reynaldo or Flavio wouldn't have minded taking the glaucous macaws in. However, Rudi had decided against that as he believed that this many macaws might lead to competition for food and space and had moved out here instead without any of the nearby tribe and clan's knowledge. Because of this, the Spix macaw tribe and their neighbours have come to the conclusion that the glaucous macaws had been entirely slaughtered by the flying foxes with only Lapis Lazuli surviving. While Levi thought about these things, Santiago's voice snapped him back to reality.

"Humans, get down!" he shouted. Once again, Levi felt a wing grab his left one and he was dragged down towards a cluster of leaves. Henri had grabbed him. After Henri and Levi, Beatrice and Santiago took cover in some more leaf clusters nearby. Then Santiago parted the leaves of his hiding place and looked down. Beatrice, Henri and Levi did the same. In this clearing of trees, four two-legged creatures were talking about something with one of them having just walked in and joined the group. They were all men and one of them must have been out in the clutter of vegetation based on how tired he looked.

"Have you found anything yet, Jeremy?" asked one of the man's friends. The tired man shook his head.

"No, Jonathan," he replied, "I cannot find any more evidence of any glaucous macaws anywhere at all. They must be so well hidden. They are here, I'm sure of it. Remember that flash of turquoise and grey we saw?"

"Yes," said another man, "We managed to capture a picture of it but it wasn't very clear."

Santiago frowned.

"Don't tell me that pesky group is still looking for us, are they?" he asked.

"It seems like it," said Beatrice. Henri then let loose a sigh.

"If our existence is known, we're going to get human attention faster than a wildfire," he muttered, "We must monitor them closely."

Levi continued gazing at the four humans below.

"They're not poachers," he said, "They're conservationists. They only want to find us to protect us from population collapse caused by logging and poaching."

This was met by a disbelieving glare from his three trainers.

"What do you mean find us to protect us?" asked Santiago suspiciously.

"You mean poach us?" added Beatrice. Levi looked up at them. However, he said the next sentence without thinking.

"Back in Rio," he said, "Lapis Lazuli and I were the only known glaucous macaws alive until we had four chicks. We…"

"Oh, don't tell me you've been living in a place in which those wretched two-legged pests call a city, do you!?" snarled Santiago.

"And don't tell us that Lapis Lazuli has allowed herself to become contaminated by the touch of those menaces as well, has she!?" added Beatrice.

"We would rather have those humans believe that we are extinct rather than have our existence known," growled Henri bitterly, "You know what will happen if those humans ever discover our existence?"

Levi tried to answer but found his tongue stuck in his throat.

"If those humans ever discover our existence," explained Henri, anger and hatred for humans saturating his face and voice tone, "They will likely send in poachers to hunt us down and try and catch us due to our species' rarity. We have had too much of that in our history before the fire and the flying fox incident and we don't want to face going through that again."

"I lost my older brother to poachers when I was an adolescent," said Beatrice angrily, "we were on an outing and my older brother ended up in a trap and was caught by that group of animal thieves. We haven't seen him again since."

Then Santiago became suspicious.

"I'm wondering if there is more to your interaction with humans than simply just living in Rio…" he said in a low voice. Levi immediately deduced where Santiago was getting to. Then Santiago's eyes blinked as it hit him.

"You were a human's pet, weren't you?" guessed he, "If you've been living in Rio, then that means you must have been living as one."

Levi flinched and blinked at this (correct) guess. He tried to open his beak to deny it but couldn't. Henri and Beatrice then made scowls on their faces as they read his body language and reluctance to speak.

"It seems like he has DEFINITELY lived as a pet," said Beatrice. Henri then sighed.

"Rudi and Valeria are NOT going to tolerate this," he muttered. "As for Lapis Lazuli, she's in serious trouble."

Levi began to protest after finding some words as anger screened his timidity.

"Hey, it wasn't her fault that she wound up in Rio after those bats separated her from you," he retorted.

"Well Lapis Lazuli should have known better," said Santiago, "She was an adolescent macaw at the time so she should have had some decent sense. Young chicks are helpless for they don't know much about the outside world, but adolescent macaws do. Let's get back to our tribe!"

And with that, he lofted into flight, Henri and Beatrice in tow. Levi let loose a sigh and followed. A little while later, back at the main makeshift 'home' of the glaucous macaws, Lapis Lazuli was returning home with her four chicks Tristan, Quincy, Larimar and Trixie after an outing in the jungle. She wanted to introduce the jungle to the chicks so that they were prepared for their life in the wild when the time came for them to leave their parents' side into independence. However, the five were in for an awful surprise. As Lapis Lazuli entered the trees in which the glaucous tribe was staying in, her four chicks in tow, a group of glaucous macaws were perched on a branch, their eyes glaring at her. With the group was Valeria, Lapis Lazuli's cousin-in-law. Lapis Lazuli stopped into a hover, her four chicks behind her.

"Hi, Valeria," she said but the response she received was Valeria narrowing her eyes.

"What's going on?" asked Lapis Lazuli.

"Come this way," snapped Valeria angrily and with that, she lofted into flight, followed by the others with her. Lapis Lazuli looked on in confusion at this behaviour and the chicks were perplexed but also nervous, dread at the worst welling within them.

"What's happened, Mom?" asked Larimar.

"Let's just follow Valeria and see," replied Lapis Lazuli and with that, the five proceeded. Soon, Lapis Lazuli and the four chicks found a large gathering of glaucous macaws in the branches of a large tree but when her eyes landed on one glaucous macaw held by two more macaws like how security guards would hold a thief caught red-handed, horror exploded within her. Lapis Lazuli and the four chicks shot off down towards the apprehended macaw.

"Levi!" she cried.

"Dad!" cried the four chicks. As the five reached the tree and touched down, they were greeted by an angered face of Rudi. Levi saw her with a frightened look on his face as two macaws held him firmly. He struggled to pull his wings free but his holders refuse to loosen their grip. Thankfully he was not covered in cuts and bruises for he had been too frightened to fight back.

"What's going on?" asked Lapis Lazuli. Rudi's violet eyes then travelled to the timid and struggling Levi and said, "Levi, tell her."

Levi said nothing at first, while Lapis Lazuli, Larimar, Tristan, Quincy and Trixie wore incredulous faces. Finally, Levi spoke.

"These macaws don't like my history as a human's pet macaw," the timid former pet macaw murmured. Much like the Lear's macaw tribe, the glaucous macaw tribe had a bitter hatred for humans. Only it was more pronounced than that of the navy blue and teal tinted faced birds. Levi had kept his history as a pet a secret from the glaucous macaws but now it was out in the open… with bitter results. When Lapis Lazuli realised that her tribe had apprehended Levi because of his domestic history, she was filled with disapproval and anger.

"Look, I can explain," she protested. Then Valeria approached her with an enraged look on her face.

"You can explain where you've been wandering all these years ago since Rodrigo's failed rescue of you from those bats," she growled.

Lapis Lazuli blinked in surprise. Rodrigo appeared to have told Rudi and Valeria the truth of what really happened between him and Lapis Lazuli after they were separated from the other glaucous macaws during the flying foxes' siege on their home and subsequent chase by some of those bats through the jungle. In the crowd of gathered glaucous macaws, Rodrigo wore a very guilty facial expression. He knew he had no excuse this time and felt truly guilty about selfishly leaving Lapis Lazuli to escape from their furred and armed attackers entirely on her own to save his own skin. Rudi was planning on punishing him after he and his tribe had dealt with Levi and Lapis Lazuli. Lapis Lazuli then took a step back, her four chicks hiding behind her, eyes filled with fear at the sight of their angry first-cousin-once-removed and his mate. Rudi then paced towards his cousin, his violet eyes boiling with disapproval, disgust and distaste like the churning and turbulent water of a rapid on the Amazon River.

"You ought to tell us where you ended up and how you met a macaw that has lived with humans, cousin," he growled. Lapis Lazuli glared back at Rudi, disgust at his attitude clearly visible.

"Are you blaming me for getting lost and winding up in a human's place, Rudi?" she replied curtly. From Rudi's facial expression, the answer 'yes' was certain. Valeria then eyed Tristan, Quincy, Larimar and Trixie as they cowered behind their mother.

"And I don't suppose you've had those chicks while in that human's place, have you?" she asked. Rudi then glanced back at the restrained Levi who still wore a frightened look on his face.

"Based on the information about that macaw's history with humans, it would seem so," he said. This made sharp gasps and glance exchanging roll through the surrounding glaucous macaw crowd.

"A brood of glaucous macaw chicks... bred in captivity!" shouted one in disgust. Then more macaws began to shout disapproving comments at Lapis Lazuli as Rudi then gave her another stink eye again.

"I cannot believe that you have paired up with a human's pet and had chicks with him… right inside a human's place," he snarled. The glaucous macaws in the surrounding crowd exchanged glances again.

"Um, actually," said Levi, "We lived in a patch of jungle outside a human's place, not in it..."

This did not change the attitude of the crowd and they continued gazing at one another in shock and disgust. Lapis Lazuli then began to protest defensively.

"Look, it's not what you think," she said, "You see, I was seriously lost after managing to shake off those bats…"

"That's absolutely true, Lapis," interrupted Valeria brusquely, "But you should have known better than allow yourself to be captured by humans."

"It was just a slip up," protested Lapis Lazuli, angrier this time, "I was trying to escape that group of humans but they managed to catch me and bring me into some sort of breeding chamber where I met Levi…"

This was met by more sharp gasps in the crowd.

"Let me get this straight," said Rudi, "Are you saying that you were caught by humans and brought to one of those buildings of theirs!?"

Before Lapis Lazuli could answer, Levi found some words to speak and set to it before timidity overtook him and stuck his tongue in his beak again.

"Those humans brought Lapis Lazuli into that breeding chamber so that she could pair up with me and have chicks," he said. Rudi and Valeria shot Levi a bitter glare while yet more gasps rolled through the glaucous macaw crowd. Levi swept on.

"It was for conservation purposes," he continued, "Those humans, bird studiers called ornithologists, thought that Lapis Lazuli and I were the last pair of glaucous macaws alive and they wanted to save our species from extinction by ensuring that we successfully paired up and had chicks."

Lapis Lazuli reluctantly nodded in agreement to this statement. She wasn't keen on the idea of breeding and having chicks just to save the glaucous macaw species. But then she began to speak. Elevating herself by climbing onto a higher branch, Lapis Lazuli began to shout her explanation so that all the glaucous macaws could hear.

"You see, our species is in mortal danger of going extinct. Out here, we are more vulnerable to getting killed by habitat destruction through logging or captured by poachers for we are not in the sanctuary set up by some humans, called ecologists, who had the intensions of protecting the Spix macaw tribe and the surrounding bird flocks and animals from population collapse through poaching or habitat loss…"

Murmurings then emanated from the sea of turquoise and blue birds with grey heads and yellow facial features. Valeria and Rudi then raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Before Eduardo's tribe was eventually discovered, the Spix macaws used to be vulnerable to destruction caused by logging, as well as poacher intrusions, which forced them to move between habitats until they found their ravine," said Levi, his holders looking on with quizzical faces as they kept a firm grip on his wings, "It is because of humans who care for the environment who have set up the Spix macaws' land and the land of surrounding bird tribes and clans that they are now safer from poaching and logging. Eduardo thought that his tribe would be safer if they kept hidden from humans but it turned out to be the wrong decision and had revealed himself and his tribe's existence to the humans who care for the environment…"

"Now that the Spix macaws are under protection," continued Lapis Lazuli, "Ecologists are now trying to search for us glaucous macaws in the hopes of including us in their sanctuary too."

This was immediately met by scornful laughing, alongside booing and hissing, from many of the glaucous macaws and a shake of the head from Rudi.

"Are you meaning to say that we should make ourselves known to those pesky two-legged menaces?" growled Valeria in equal distaste.

"I'm afraid so," said Levi boldly, "I know it sounds difficult but we have to trust these humans. They know what they are doing in their work…"

However, these words did not move the stubborn belief and prejudice the glaucous macaw tribe had for humans. Protests and jeering against the idea of revealing themselves then erupted from the crowd as Valeria then shot Levi a glare.

"You've got to be joking," she hissed, scoffing at that idea also. Rudi then walked over to Levi and said, "Look, if you think we're going to reveal ourselves to those pesky humans, you've got another thing coming."

Levi and Lapis Lazuli looked at each other and then back at Rudi and Valeria.

"We have lived for many years on our own without the need for those humans' help," said Rudi adamantly, "We daren't receive any help from those pesky two-legged creatures anyway. We are fine surviving on our own without any input of help from those two-legged pests who do nothing other than destroy the environment and take us animals away to keep as pets…"

"But these humans CARE for us," retorted Levi irritably, "They're quite the opposite of those who don't care for the environment at all. While it's true that there are some humans who do not care about the environment at all but not all humans are like that. Those humans, called conservationists, are trying to save our species from extinction."

"And furthermore," put in Lapis Lazuli, "Living out here like this not only puts us at risk of being poached or getting killed from deforestation, but it also puts us at serious risk of being attacked by those flying foxes again."

Gasps, of horror and worry this time, were drawn in by some of the glaucous macaws, and macaws looked at each other worriedly. Some parents even wrapped their wings around their chicks and hugged them as they were unnerved by Lapis Lazuli's warnings.

"It's true," added Lapis Lazuli, "Since we are far from the company of other bird tribes and clans, especially the massive hyacinth macaws, we are essentially sitting bugs to those bats. You were lucky to have survived the previous attack from those bats when we were driven out of our home as was I, but the next time those bats attack, we might not be as fortunate."

This made frightened moans emanate from the agitated crowd of macaws. However, Rudi opened his wings to calm the tensing atmosphere.

"Don't worry, my macaws," he said with assurance, "Those flying foxes aren't planning to attack us. Based on the reports of our patrol groups, there has been no sign of any flying fox activity anywhere near this area. Don't listen to my cousin's silly tales."

This seemed to have eased the tension in the glaucous macaw crowd but some individuals were still worried. Turning once again to Levi and Lapis Lazuli, Rudi said, "As for you two and your four chicks, since you have been spending time with humans, especially you, Levi, and are attempting to make our tribe known to those two-legged pests, I'm going to ask you to leave until you change your tune."

This drew out more gasps from the glaucous macaw crowd. Rodrigo was especially appalled and Valeria looked on, stricken with shock at this statement, especially since Lapis Lazuli was Rudi's own cousin. Levi and Lapis Lazuli were especially incredulous.

"You WHAT!?" snapped Lapis Lazuli.

"You heard me, I want you and your family to leave us," retorted Rudi angrily, "And stay away from us until you have shaken off all the human stuff you have accumulated."

"Rudi…" began Valeria but Rudi raised a wing to tell her to be quiet.

"B-b-but you can't just evict your own cousin," protested Lapis Lazuli, disgust at Rudi's attitude and arrogance pricking at her once again, "I have been gone for years. Why evict me despite me being separated from you for so long… presumed killed by those flying foxes because of Rodrigo?"

"You know why, Lapis," snapped Rudi angrily, "Your association with humans…" he pointed a wing at Levi, "…and your pairing up with that human's pet. Not to mention your chicks being born right in a human's place. I want you both to take your chicks away from here and spend some time out there to get over your love of humans. Only then can you come back."

Lapis Lazuli stood there, speechless and appalled at Rudi's attitude. Behind her, Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar were deeply hurt, clearly indicated by tears that had begun to flow from their eyes. Lapis Lazuli looked down at her four chicks and then back at Rudi and Valeria, disgust and anger that saturated her face finally reaching boiling point.

"Well, if that's the way you feel about us then we might as well just leave," she bellowed, "I'm not going to have you upsetting our chicks just because they were born in captivity."

"Then do as I say and GET OUT," shouted Rudi at the top of his voice. He then nodded to the macaws holding Levi and they released him. Lapis Lazuli then opened her wings and lofted into flight. Tristan, Quincy, Larimar and Trixie, tears streaming down their faces, followed. Levi also lofted into flight and followed his mate and chicks. However, before leaving, he gave Rudi, Valeria and the other glaucous macaws one last look.

"But mark our words," he said, "You are vulnerable out here. Unless you change your minds, you're gonna be suffering some serious repercussions if any of those loggers out there head this way."

Suddenly, a screech erupted from Rudi and he partially opened his wings, threatening to leap at Levi to physically chase him out. Levi immediately resumed his flight and followed Lapis Lazuli and the chicks. As soon as the family was out of sight, Valeria placed a wing on Rudi's shoulder.

"Come on, dear," she said, "Let's send out some more patrols to examine the area for any flying foxes. We haven't done that task yet, I've noticed."

"Thanks for reminding me, meu amore," said Rudi. He then turned to the crowd of glaucous macaws and clapped his wings.

"Okay, meeting over," he said, "Back to our nests."

And with that, the sea of turquoise, cerulean and grey dispersed, and Rudi and Valeria set to the task of setting up patrol groups to send out. Most of the glaucous macaws were unmoved by Levi and Lapis Lazuli's warnings and were assured that the glaucous tribe was going to be fine, but some glaucous macaws, especially some of the parents with chicks, looked very concerned and worried as Levi's words sank into their heads:

"You are vulnerable out here. Unless you change your minds, you're gonna be suffering some serious repercussions if any of those loggers out there head this way."

At this moment, Levi and his family were flying back in the direction of the Sanctuary de Amazon. Levi flashed a glance at the glaucous macaw tribe receding into the distance.

"I'm seriously concerned for that tribe, Lapis," he said, "They're the only flock of glaucous macaws in the world, and they're so vulnerable living out here in the wilderness…"

"Hmm, their arrogance is a major problem," said Lapis Lazuli in agreement, "We're going to have to think of a way to convince Rudi that his tribe is in serious danger of being destroyed by deforestation and captured by poachers… or what's worse…" Lapis Lazuli's voice's lowered from her regular talking volume to a whisper, "…open to attack from those flying foxes…"

She shuddered as she remembered the dream the other night of those giant armed black and red bats attacking her.

"We cannot allow those macaws to allow their arrogance to trap them until it's too late," said Levi, remembering Lapis Lazuli's chilling story involving some of the flying foxes chasing her and Rodrigo, "Many of them have managed to survive and escape alive once, like you did. Next time, they might not be so lucky."

Lapis Lazuli, a dreaded look on her face, nodded in agreement. She could not bear to see her tribe facing another violent siege from those bats again. Those flying foxes were known for slaughtering birds in the dozens in attacks like the one the glaucous macaw tribe faced years ago, and almost entire bird tribes and clans being slaughtered by those bats had been documented by the survivors that had managed to escape. Then Levi moved back to the subject of convincing the glaucous macaw tribe of the danger they were in.

"Okay, how are we going to get Rudi to see that his tribe is in mortal danger?" he asked.

"Well, that's going to be even more difficult than before," said Lapis Lazuli sadly, "Now that Rudi doesn't want us anywhere near his tribe because of our association with humans…"

As she said this, an idea popped into Larimar's head. The four chicks were still hurt from Rudi's remarks but this daughter's pain was eased by the idea.

"Hey, Mom, Dad," she squeaked, "Why don't we get backups from our friends… like Uncle Blu or Auntie Jewel or someone…"

"What do you mean, Larimar?" asked Levi. Then realisation and understanding hit him.

"Oh, I get it," he said, "You mean you want us to fetch some of our friends and return to Rudi's tribe and try and convince Rudi that way?"

Larimar, a smile on her beak, nodded.

"You know, that's an excellent idea," said Lapis Lazuli, delight and a glimmer of hope bubbling within her, "I never thought of that. Brilliant thought, Larimar."

Larimar smiled while Quincy, Trixie and Larimar continued flying on, a raised eyebrow flashed from each of them at her. However, Larimar, her mother's praise lifting her spirits, ignored them.

"So, who do you have in mind?" asked Levi. Lapis Lazuli then entered thought. After thinking, she began to mention some of the macaws of choice.

"We'll get Blu, Jewel and Eduardo to come with us," she said, "I know Eduardo used to hate humans before he realised how vulnerable his tribe was to poaching and logging. Tell you what, let's return to the Sanctuary and the Spix macaws' ravine first and discuss this with Eduardo, Blu and Jewel and see what they can do."

Levi gave the answer 'yes' in the form of an agreeing smile. Then the family of six glaucous macaws continued flying through the trees in the direction of the Sanctuary de Amazon.

Meanwhile

D'Artagnan exploded from a cluster of ferns and crash landed onto the floor the moment he entered into a clearing. He had been flying at high speed for a while and was very much out of breath, so he was panting hard. His wing muscles were also aching from all the work they had to perform in operating D'Artagnan's wings during his distressed flight through the jungle of the Lear's macaws' territory. D'Artagnan lay on his back, wings spread out and panting from exhaustion. His eyes were red from crying so much and he was exhausted. His crying episode had been worse than in the Pit of Doom. Around ten minutes later, Travis and Sunset, with Eustace, Rosa and Milo in their talons, finally appeared. Travis and Sunset were also puffing and panting from flying so fast. The moment the two cockatoos saw their friend lying on his back gasping, they immediately flapped towards him and landed on either side of D'Artagnan, placing their chicks onto the ground first before placing their talons onto the ground. They barely managed to control this landing through their hard panting.

"D'Artagnan," shouted Travis before a bout of rapid breathing overtook him. Like D'Artagnan, Travis and Sunset's wings were also tired but they didn't care about that. Their main priority was D'Artagnan who was in a whirlwind of negative emotions. Hurt, sadness from rejection, anger, heartbreak and many other negative feelings were boiling in D'Artagnan's head like the churning waters of the Amazon River and despite his eyes being fatigued from crying so much, the tears still flowed. Sunset and Travis then took a moment to recover and regain control of their breathing rate before finally turning to the highly distressed and distraught D'Artagnan. Travis then looked up at the sky through the trees. It was beginning to turn a darker blue. Night was slowly creeping in.

"We'd better find somewhere to sleep, Sunset," he said, "It's nearly dusk."

"Let's focus on D'Artagnan first," said Sunset. Travis did so and turned his attention back to D'Artagnan. Eustace, Rosa and Milo stood nearby, looking very sympathetic for their Lear's macaw 'uncle' as he also managed to regain his usual breathing rate.

"D'Artagnan," said Travis. D'Artagnan sat up and looked at Travis with tear-filled eyes.

"Honestly, D'Artagnan," muttered Sunset, her wings on her hips, "You almost pushed us to breaking point flying so fast like that."

D'Artagnan ignored Sunset's complaint and began to look around until his eyes landed on a familiar spot and setup. The moment they did those blue eyes which were bloodshot from the shedding of so many tears, widened. D'Artagnan then got up and walked towards the spot.

"D'Artagnan?" asked Travis. Then his blue eyes landed on the same spot and setup. As they did, his yellow crest rose slightly.

"Susan and Lucy and their group's campsite," whispered the sulfur-crested cockatoo. Sunset also saw the setup of tents and hammocks and saw D'Artagnan pace towards them. It was the same set of tents and hammocks the group had previously encountered. D'Artagnan then identified the tent and hammock in which Susan and Lucy slept in and found something lying and sitting beside a box by the entrance to the tent. Seeing this, he went over it. Travis, Sunset, Eustace, Milo and Rosa walked in and watched D'Artagnan as he flapped up onto the box to look at the objects. The two objects were a book and a picture frame and the moment D'Artagnan laid his tearful grey eyes on the picture in the frame, he blinked. The picture was a photo of him with the other pets of Athos's group and their respective partners. The group was arranged in three rows. On the front row stood D'Artagnan with Sapphire by his side, and Aurora, Zephyr and Brisa; in the middle row were Athos, Ruby, Porthos, Orquidea, Aramis, Esmeralda, Phoebe and Cobalto, and on the back row were Levi, Lapis Lazuli, Travis, Sunset, Veggie, Catina, Dash and Ginger. There were no chicks, puppies or kittens anywhere in the photo and D'Artagnan deduced that the picture was taken before any of the macaws and their mammalian friends had any eggs or confirmation of pregnancy. D'Artagnan then wrapped his wings on the edges of the frame and picked it up to look at the photo closer. Behind him, Travis and his family crept up.

"That photo was taken by Francisco before we had our chicks, kittens and puppies," explained Travis, "It's such a brilliant picture, that."

"Francisco did well to take a photo of all of us together," said Sunset with a smile. Then D'Artagnan's eyes landed on himself with Sapphire sat to his right, her head leaning onto his shoulder. When he saw this, D'Artagnan's eyes once again began to fill with tears.

"I'd never thought I'd face so much prejudice from a leader of a flock of macaws of my species," murmured the Lear's macaw in a strangled voice, "Valentino certainly wasn't interested in how I became a pet in the first place."

"It's just not fair," muttered Sunset in disgust, "Not only that, he didn't consider all the facts when he exiled you and just jumped to the conclusion that you were the one who got into trouble with the green tribe's leader."

"Especially when he didn't listen to your protests of innocence," said Travis, "And I knew you were being honest. Having lived with you for so long, I can tell whether you are telling the truth or a pack of lies. You'd know if you had crossed into the green tribe's side deliberately."

D'Artagnan did not hear Travis's statement for he was too absorbed by the photo. He then began to shed more tears, despite having cried for so long since he rocketed out of the Lear's macaws' ravine.

"Surely my Mum, Dad and my siblings, if I remember having any, wouldn't have wanted me to be unfairly evicted from a flock of Lear's macaws just because of one little accident," he murmured, "One of the main reasons behind this trip was to fulfil my desire in finding more Lear's macaws ion this area of Brazil."

"If I were to give my opinion, I believe your family would have been very proud," said Sunset, hoping to cheer D'Artagnan up, "It's just this little problem and dillydally with Valentino's prejudice against you and what happened in the Pit of Doom that's messed things up. But don't worry…"

However, she trailed off when she saw that D'Artagnan was unmoved and began to sob harder. Sunset's face then fell.

"I really wish Sapphire was here to be honest," she said to Travis and her wings wrapped around Eustace, Rosa and Milo for they were saddened to see D'Artagnan so upset. "She'll be able to help us comfort D'Artagnan."

"Yes, definitely," said Travis, "Especially since she is a relative of that Lear's tribe's patriarch and knows D'Artagnan's past better than he does, just like we do."

Then expectantly, a familiar female voice sounded from behind the cockatoos.

"I'm right on cue, cockatoos," it said. Travis, Sunset, Eustace, Milo and Rosa almost jumped out of their skins when they heard the voice. Turning round, they saw a female Lear's macaw with long head feathers and deep blue eyes. With her were three smaller macaws, all female.

"Sapphire," said Travis. He then clasped his chest with a wing and began to regain his breathing. Sunset did the same. Sapphire's unexpected voice had sent the cockatoos into shock with an increase in their heart rate and their crests were raised somewhat.

"Boy, you made us jump," said the sulfur-crested cockatoo.

"It was bad enough as it is trying to chase him through the forest," said Sunset, nodding to D'Artagnan who was weeping and looking at the photo.

"I thought you were back in the Lear's macaws' ravine," said Travis. A scowl appeared on Sapphire's face.

"I've left in search of D'Artagnan with my daughters actually," she replied. Behind her, Miranda, Jasmine and Annette looked up and saw their dad weep.

"He's on that box," said Travis with a pointed wing feather. Sapphire followed Travis's pointed wing and saw her mate sobbing.

"He's very upset over Valentino's prejudice toward his history," said Sunset, "And also over his unfair eviction of him…"

Sapphire shot the Major Mitchell's cockatoo an agreeing glare but that glare also indicated something else.

"The culprit has come forward actually," she said, "It was Archie. He was the one who got D'Artagnan into trouble with Alonso by laying down a trail of moulted Lear's macaw feathers over the border and into the green macaws' territory as well as making him kick the ball up so that the green macaws could win the match in the Pit of Doom and the entire camu-camu fruit grove including our side..."

When the cockatoos heard this explanation, they felt shock explode within them.

"So it was one of the other macaws that got D'Artagnan into trouble?" gasped Sunset incredulously.

"Why would Archie do such a thing?" asked Travis.

"He wanted to get rid of D'Artagnan and take his place as my mate," replied Sapphire in a bitter growl. She had no trust in Archie anymore. After Archie had confessed what he had done, any trust Sapphire had had completely evaporated. Sapphire was also flooded with disgust at Valentino and Rosalind's prejudice towards D'Artagnan especially towards his history as a pet and how he ended up as one in the first place. Pushing away the thoughts about Archie and Rosalind and Valentino, Sapphire turned her attention to D'Artagnan who continued to weep and cry. "Anyway, that thing with Archie's not important. What's more important is he needs comforting."

And with that, she walked towards D'Artagnan and flapped onto the box. D'Artagnan continued gazing at the photo of him and the others in his group through teary eyes when he noticed a navy blue dash out the corner of his eye. He turned to face that blue dash and when he did, he almost jumped into the air with shock when he saw Sapphire stand there with Miranda, Jasmine and Annette standing with Travis and his family.

"Sapphire," said D'Artagnan in shock, stopping crying, "What are you doing here?"

"We have come to look for you," replied Sapphire. Then D'Artagnan's eyes filled with tears as sadness and hurt resurfaced inside him. He looked away, eyes closed with tears leaking through the eyelids' gap.

"You need to be back with your tribe, Sapphire," he said in a strangled voice, tears running down his cheeks, "They need you. Valentino and Rosalind need you especially since you've been missing for well over fifteen years."

Sapphire, however, did not budge; neither did the scowl on her face. On the floor, Travis, Sunset, Eustace, Milo, Rosa and Miranda, Jasmine and Annette continued to watch.

"Not if my first-cousin-once-removed is going to have that attitude towards you, D'Artagnan," snapped Sapphire fiercely, "Also, about your incident with Alonso and what happened in the Pit of Doom, that was all Archie's doing."

D'Artagnan shot Sapphire a surprised glare.

"Archie got me into all that trouble?" he asked incredulously.

"He wanted rid of you so that he could take your place as my mate," explained Sapphire, "He confessed it straight to me and I gave him a good lambasting. Hopefully, he'll be dealt with."

D'Artagnan continued to stand there, shocked. Then finally, grief from Valentino's attitude towards him overtook him once again.

"Well, your tribe needs you, like I've said before," he murmured in a strangled voice, his eyes back on the photo, "You've been gone for so long. As for me, I have no place in that tribe. They despise me, especially for being a pet."

"And what will you be doing, D'Artagnan?" retorted Sapphire slightly angrily, "Return to the rainforest outside Rio to live out the rest of your years alone while I live out the rest of my life with my tribe with our daughters? I don't think so."

"But…" began D'Artagnan but Sapphire swept on.

"Look, I am NOT going to have us break up after what happened, especially based on Valentino's attitude towards you. You are my mate and we are together in whatever problem comes our way, for better or worse…"

"I cannot return to the Lear's macaw tribe!" retorted D'Artagnan in a louder voice, "If Valentino or any of the other Lear's macaws find me they'll brutally chase me out. I cannot go back!"

"Well if that is the case," retorted Sapphire in a raised voice, "I'm coming with you with our daughters and we'll simply live with the Spix macaw tribe. I'm sure Eduardo wouldn't mind us living with him…"

Travis, Sunset, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Miranda, Jasmine and Annette flinched as Sapphire shouted some parts of this sentence.

"The thing is, D'Artagnan," added Sapphire in a lower voice volume, "We are mates and we are to stay together for life. True we may have our disagreements and thus argue every now and then but ever since we chose each other as mates, our bond was meant to be for life for macaws mate for life."

D'Artagnan began to allow his insistence that Sapphire return to the Lear's tribe melt away.

"There are ways around this," said Sapphire in a lower voice, "We'll just have to live with another macaw tribe or clan until Valentino changes his mind. But I am not going to break up with you now or ever. Look at our daughters."

She gestured to Miranda, Jasmine and Annette as they stood by Sunset on the ground. D'Artagnan looked at the three chicks.

"What are those three going to do without their father?" asked Sapphire, "What am I going to do without you since raising chicks is a two-parent job?"

D'Artagnan looked back at Sapphire.

"So that means you have far too much to lose, D'Artagnan," said Sapphire firmly, "This problem can be solved and we can work through it together with the help of our friends."

"Absolutely," said Travis, a frown on his face, "Even though Sunset and our chicks might not be built for the Amazon and we might be hundreds of miles away in Rio with Dash, Veggie and their mates and offspring but at least you still have Aurora and the others."

"Good point, Travis," said Sapphire. A thought about Aramis, Esmeralda, Chlorophyll and Petunia then came to mind.

"And I'm sure Aramis and his family are going through the same problem as we are," she said, "Since Alonso and his tribe also hate humans…"

As she said this, Travis began to become wary of the group's surroundings as they darkened. The sky overhead was turning a darker blue. White specks, indicating stars, dotted the dark blue canvas.

"We mustn't be too long here, folks," Travis said, "Night is drawing in and those humans will be back here any moment."

"Thanks for reminding me, Travis," said Sapphire, "We will also be needing to find a place to spend the night too."

Turning back to D'Artagnan who glared at the photo, more tears streaming down his face, Sapphire said, "So that's basically it. I am not leaving you and that's that."

Her blue eyes then spotted the picture so she walked over to it. D'Artagnan then showed her the photo.

"It's our group," he said in a strangled voice, "You remember us having our picture taken, don't you?"

"I certainly do," said Sapphire as she smiled at the little sea of colour smiling back to her, including herself and D'Artagnan. "This was taken before we had our offspring."

D'Artagnan continued gazing at the picture as the urge to cry overtook him once again. Finally, the pressure let loose once again. Hugging the photo, D'Artagnan entered another sobbing fit. He then placed the picture frame back onto the box and fluttered down to Travis, Sunset, Eustace, Milo and Rosa, and Miranda, Jasmine and Annette and began to cry heavily. Sapphire followed and wrapped her wings around him. Travis, Sunset and all six chicks did the same. Soon, the ten parrots were locked in a group embrace. D'Artagnan sobbed into Sapphire's head feathers but Sapphire did not mind. However, this group embrace slowly began to relieve the pressure of negative emotions inside D'Artagnan and his sobs began to slow. Miranda, Jasmine and Annette rested their heads against his side and D'Artagnan had one wing around them. Eustace, Milo and Rosa were by Sunset's sides, screened from view by Sunset and Travis's wings. The ten remained in this group embrace until they finally broke apart the moment D'Artagnan managed to calm down. D'Artagnan sniffled but he felt so much better being hugged by his mate, daughters and cockatoo friends.

"We'd better leave this place," D'Artagnan said in a still edgy voice, only it was not as strangled as before. "Susan, Lucy and their group will soon be returning."

"Quite right," said Sapphire, "I could clearly recognise this place as that group of humans' campsite actually."

"Let's get out of here before we hear those humans coming back and find a place to spend the night," said Travis, "It's not safe to fly through the jungle at night."

But before the group could loft into flight, a rustling of ferns sounded. This sound sent shivers coursing through the skins and spines of the ten parrots and they froze into place. Their feathers flattened but the feathers on the cockatoos' heads rose and their eyes widened in fear as they began to examine the now dark surroundings. Miranda, Jasmine and Annette were very frightened.

"Not this again!" snarled Sapphire angrily, her head feathers stuck out slightly.

"Mommy," moaned Annette as she pressed against Sapphire's belly feathers, "We're scared."

Miranda and Jasmine also murmured. Eustace, Rosa and Milo also cowered against Travis and Sunset's belly feathers. Travis, his yellow crest fully raised, looked around.

"I do not like this at all," he murmured timidly, "Especially at night."

"Not in the dark," muttered Sunset with a frown.

"Well, I hope it's not a predator," muttered D'Artagnan, his relieved grief replaced by fear, "Does anyone have any plans of escape?"

None of the other three adult parrots gave an answer, however, for they didn't know if any of the surrounding trees had hollows large enough for four adult birds and six chicks. However, the tension was compelling them to plan on that anyway. As the ten parrots continued looking around, they did not see an eleventh parrot, a navy blue macaw with teal markings and yellow-orange pieces of skin on its face and near-black beak and feet like Sapphire and D'Artagnan, stride towards from behind.

"What are you lot doing slap-bang in the middle of a human's campsite?" he muttered, an angry scowl on his face. D'Artagnan, Sapphire, Sunset and Travis and their chicks all flinched and turned round in response to the voice. Some of the chicks also let loose short screams of shock but when they saw that it was only a slender Lear's macaw with teal eyes and a flick of feathers behind his head, they breathed sighs of relief.

"Waldo," gasped Sapphire as she felt her heart beat fast from the shock, "You frightened us."

"What are you doing out here in the dark?" asked Travis, also holding his chest as his heart beat fast like when it did when Sapphire and her daughters made their appearance, "The sun's gone down and you should be back in the Lear's macaws' ravine."

"I've come out looking for Sapphire," said Waldo firmly. His teal eyes then landed on a familiar grey-eyed macaw standing next to Sapphire.

"What is Darcy still doing in our territory?" asked Sapphire's half-brother when he saw D'Artagnan, "I thought Valentino told him to completely leave our land."

"Whatever for!?" snapped Sapphire defensively, "He's done nothing wrong! Especially after what Archie had done to him at the Lear's/green border and in the Pit of Doom."

Travis and Sunset just said nothing while D'Artagnan looked at Waldo fearfully.

"It's not based on his innocence regarding what happened between us and the green macaws over the camu-camu fruit grove, since Archie told you that he had been the one to cross into the green tribe's territory and make Darcy kick the ball into the air for one of our opponents to kick into our goal and score the final score of the match," retorted Waldo, "It's based on his history as a pet. Human's pets have absolutely NO place in our tribe."

This was met by a disgusted sigh from his half-sister and both cockatoos. D'Artagnan began to weep again.

"You're just as bigoted as Valentino, Waldo," snarled Travis, his yellow crest fully raised, "You know that!?"

"You ought to hear D'Artagnan's tragic backstory first before making a judgement about him," added Sunset, her pale pink, red and yellow banded crest fully raised. Then Sapphire realised what Waldo had said.

"Wait, how did you say that Archie was the culprit that sparked the war between our tribe and the greens over the whole camu-camu fruit grove?" she asked confused.

"I overheard you and his conversation outside your hollow," confessed Waldo without hesitation. A sharp gasp was drawn in on Sapphire.

"You've eavesdropped on our conversation!?" she bellowed. D'Artagnan, Travis and Sunset exchanged glances and shrugged while Miranda, Jasmine, Annette, Eustace, Rosa and Milo who flanked their parents' sides kept quiet.

"Look, I'm sorry to have done it but after hearing what Archie did, I've reported him to Valentino and Rosalind," said Waldo, his wings up, "He's being dealt with now…"

"Well, I'm glad he's been turned in," said Sapphire smugly, "He's caused D'Artagnan a lot of trouble."

D'Artagnan nodded in agreement, having now realised that he hadn't been the only one who had been at the camu-camu fruit grove and that the tackle he had received from Archie in the Pit of Doom was no accident. It all made sense now that Sapphire had explained everything Archie had told her: the feather trail, the incident in the Pit of Doom, as well as his innocence.

"No, it's because he sparked war between our tribe and the greens by crossing into the green tribe's side," said Waldo, ignoring D'Artagnan's unintentional involvement in the incident, "and had cost us our precious supply of camu-camu fruit."

"What about me?" asked D'Artagnan, "Archie also got me into trouble, you know!"

Waldo just ignored D'Artagnan and focussed on Sapphire. However, under the bold look, sympathy for the former pet Lear's macaw was starting to attempt to rise to the surface. Waldo was actually curious about D'Artagnan's backstory of how he ended up as a pet in the first place and wanted to know more. Finally, he let his curiosity out.

"By the way," said Sapphire's older half-brother, "I'm curious as to how Darcy ended up as a pet in the first place."

"His name's D'Artagnan!" shouted Sunset, irritated at Waldo always getting D'Artagnan's name wrong. Travis and Sapphire also wore irritated faces while D'Artagnan just looked on, no scowl on his face whatsoever. Miranda, Jasmine, Annette, Eustace, Milo and Rosa continued to remain quiet. Waldo then sighed, all boldness gone and replaced by sympathy for D'Artagnan. Looking at D'Artagnan, he asked the question again. "So tell me, how did you end up as a pet?"

D'Artagnan, at first was reluctant to tell the teal-eyed macaw but when Sapphire gave him an encouraging nod, followed by an encouraging smile from Travis and Sunset, he relented.

"Before I met Susan and Lucy," D'Artagnan began, "They're two of the humans who owned me, Travis and Sunset and some other macaws, I was born somewhere in a patch of rainforest away from Rio where Levi and Aurora, a glaucous and Spix friend of mine, were born..."

He then launched into an explanation of as much of his chick-hood he could remember as well as how he was caught by smugglers and smuggled to the UK, a country across the Atlantic Ocean and how he met Susan and Lucy, along with three more humans, Blake, Jake and Drake, and the other six macaws, Athos, Aurora, Levi, Porthos, Aramis and Phoebe, all of who had been captured by poachers as chicks and smuggled out of Brazil to the UK as well with Levi and Aurora being smuggled out of Rio and losing their families in the process. Waldo looked on in shock and horror as he heard the story.

"…and for the next fifteen years we lived with our owners in the UK, meeting Travis, Sunset, a cat named Veggie and a dog named Dash as we grew up," continued D'Artagnan, "Then one day, a man named Francisco came over to our home and told us that I was a Lear's macaw, Aurora was a Spix macaw and Levi was the last male glaucous macaw alive. We thought we were some types of hyacinth macaws at first until that day. Then we went to Rio so that I could meet Sapphire, Levi could meet Lapis Lazuli and Aurora could meet Zephyr so that we could breed for conservation purposes, and that was pretty much it."

"Whoa, so you have been through a lot, especially as a chick," said Waldo as D'Artagnan finished the summary of his story.

"Aurora and Levi went through the same sort of thing," said Sapphire.

"Aurora and Levi?" repeated Waldo confused.

"She's a Spix macaw and the mate of Zephyr and Levi is a glaucous macaw and Lapis Lazuli's mate," said Travis.

"That cockatoo that smuggled Aurora and Levi out of Brazil was named Nigel much to our surprise, since he was the same bird who tormented Blu and Jewel before we came to Brazil," said Sunset. Waldo breathed a sad sigh. "It's a common thing that rips apart bird families and devastates birds. Many of us have lost relatives to poachers before in the past…"

Suddenly, Sunset heard the sounds of trudging and talking emanate through the vegetation. She turned in the direction of the sounds.

"That human group is coming," she said to the others, "Let's leave before they spot us."

Immediately, the group opened their wings and fluttered off into the dense vegetation of the trees, hiding behind some leaf clusters. Then the group looked out at the campsite. Waldo looked around.

"We'd better find a place to spend the night, guys," he said as he examined the dark surroundings, "It isn't safe out here…"

"Do you hear that group of ornithologists?" asked Sunset as she listened to the group of humans as they approached the campsite, "They sound so jubilant."

"Ornithologists?" repeated Waldo confused.

"Humans who study birds," explained D'Artagnan. Then the words of the humans became loud enough for the words to be deciphered.

"Tulio and Linda certainly were thrilled about this," said one, a woman whom Sunset, Travis, Sapphire and D'Artagnan recognised as Susan's, "We've finally found the Lear's macaws' living space!"

"Yeah, tomorrow, we're going to include this patch of land on which the Lear's macaws live into the Sanctuary de Amazon alongside the green macaws' habitat," said another voice, a man's.

"Hopefully, that flock of Lear's macaws will be safe from poaching and logging," said another voice belonging to another human. Then within moments, a group of bipedal forms appeared from the bush. Some of them stretched out their arms and yawned.

"Well done, team," said a woman, whom Travis deduced was Amy, the leader of the group, "You've done very well. Let's get prepared for bed."

And with that, the group members did hi-fives with each other before turning to their tents. Waldo's teal eyes were inflated by intrigue and wonder.

"Wait… did I just hear that right?" he asked, "Those humans are going to set up our home as a sanctuary to protect us from deforestation and poaching?"

"Correct guess, Waldo," said Travis with a smile. Waldo then raised his head.

"So there ARE humans who do care for the environment?" he asked. He then looked at the group of humans as they packed their things away. D'Artagnan pointed to two of the women kneeling down by the box with the picture frame on it.

"Those two are Susan and Lucy," he explained as Waldo examined them, "They're two of our owners."

"Interesting," said Waldo as he observed Susan and Lucy as they packed their things away for the night, "And… have those two cared for you and Aurora and some of the other macaws during your time as a pet?"

"We were their pets," said Travis, "But D'Artagnan had been released so that he can be with Sapphire in the jungle."

"We were raised in a city in the UK called London," said Sunset. Then Waldo pondered with a wing on his chin.

"Valentino needs to know about this," he said, "But the question is… will he believe us?"

Sapphire then placed a wing on his shoulder.

"We'll see to that tomorrow," she said, "Our kids are getting tired."

Waldo looked at Miranda, Jasmine and Annette. They had already fallen asleep for they were very tired. Sunset and Travis also saw that Eustace, Milo and Rosa had also fallen asleep.

"Quite right," said Sunset, "It's also not safe out here in the dark. Who knows what predator could be lurking in this creepy environment."

"Nocturnal predators," said Waldo as he shivered slightly at the shady shapes of the leaves and trees. The trees certainly did look terrifying in the dark. Their twisted branches appeared to resemble monsters with gnarled limbs. Not wanting to stay here any longer, and seeing that the group of ornithologists were preparing for bed, Waldo began to lead the group through the dark jungle. D'Artagnan, Sapphire, Sunset and Travis carried their sleeping chicks as they followed Sapphire's half-brother as he began looking for a hollow big enough to house eleven birds for the night. It took a while but after some searching, Waldo finally found an empty hollow in a small tree. It was just large enough to house two families of birds. D'Artagnan, Travis and their mates then carried their chicks into this hollow and began to settle down for the night while Waldo began to cover the entrance with a large cluster of leaves to conceal the hollow from view.