Attack of the Flying Foxes and the Battle for the Sanctuary- edited

by VPVPVP

The Sanctuary de Amazon becomes threatened with takeover by a colony of winged mammals who view all birds of the rainforest as vermin. When all peaceful shots fail and the threat becomes critical, the avian inhabitants are left with no choice but to resort to extreme measures to protect their homes, even if it means using violence and waging the biggest war in history.

23. 23- the final leaf

Chapter 23- the final leaf

Later

Clemont and Serena, their entire plumage covered in brown mud once again, had made it to the blue-and-gold macaws' territory and had repeated their warnings to Soleado and Zoie about what had happened to the Bluewing Clan and the blue-throated macaws and the new method the flying foxes had come up with to kidnap macaws and other birds for interrogation. While this was going on, Azul, together with his friends Brooke, Bastian and Kiawe and Mariposa from the blue-headed macaw group who had evacuated to the blue-and-gold tribe's home patch with the other small resident groups, were flying through the trees of the blue-and-gold macaws' home patch, heading for their homes.

Azul's injured talon was healing and the tooth marks in the skin had healed. Luckily, the puncture marks had not become infected for they had been cleansed thoroughly by the tribe nurses, and his other minor injuries had also healed. Azul himself had also recovered from the shock of the ordeal yesterday when one of the bats almost took him, but he was still shaky. Since the incident yesterday, he had been too afraid to go out alone and preferred company, most of all his friends, especially his girlfriend Brooke, with him. The five were worried about their friends in the other territories whom they had been forbidden to see for their safety. However, a certain macaw worried Azul.

"I wonder how Wilbur is doing in the Bluewing Clan's territory with Casper, Gloria and some of his other friends including Citrine and Caspian," said he worriedly. He especially envied Wilbur that he had been allowed to see some friends to stargaze. However, it was for the safety of the group, especially after what had almost happened to Azul yesterday, along with Spock, Tiago and Lavender and Porthos and Orquidea did not want to risk losing him or Wilbur though they were sure that the powerful hyacinth macaws would look after him and bring him back safely. All the same, the couple did not want to lose either son to a bunch of psychopathic flying mammals. Kiawe wore a worried facial expression.

"We haven't seen any of our friends since the ban had been put in place," he said, "I would really love to visit Carla and her siblings but…"

"You're not able to?" asked Azul, finishing Kiawe's sentence. Kiawe replied with a silent nod. Then thoughts for another macaw entered Mariposa's head.

"Come to think of it, I wonder how Finn, Jasmine's boyfriend and the other fourteen Lear's macaws rescued from Guyana several years ago are coping," she said. "I also hope he is alright as well, though he would have been shaken by the death of his girlfriend's younger brother at the clutches of those bats."

"I'm sure he is despite that," said Brooke in a perkier voice, hoping to lift the others' spirits, "He and the other fourteen with him are aware of the dangers the flying foxes present and know to steer clear of them."

"But what if those deranged flying dog-faced mammals intend to kidnap them?" asked Mariposa with a questioning look on her face. Brooke did not reply for she could not select an answer.

"Seriously, Brooke," said Mariposa, a nod to Azul, "Based on what almost happened to her here, and also Tiago, Spock and Lavender, it seems that those bats aren't gonna take no for an answer."

Azul was about to reply when suddenly, the group heard the sounds of enraged shouting.

As they entered the blue-and-gold tribe's home grove, a familiar voice reached their ears. Bastian recognised the voice's owner.

"Do you guys hear our tribe leader Soleado," he said to the others, "He sounds very upset."

"More like absolutely furious," said Brooke. Azul, who flew at the front, slowed down and began to listen. The other four also slowed down and cocked their ears to listen as well.

"Then that means our border to the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' territory is gonna have to be off limits! What IS WRONG with that SCARFACED LEADER of THEIRS!? WE HAD SENT HIM AND HIS MATE A STRONG WARNING TO CALL OF HIS BATS' INTRUSIONS AND INSTEAD THEY THROW IT BACK IN OUR FACES BY DRIVING OUT THOSE TWO CLANS AND TAKING OVER THEIR LAND!?"

That was definitely Soleado's voice and he had never sounded so angry. In fact he was so furious that his voice, which sounded like the crashing of an enormous tree being felled by loggers, went echoing around the entire home grove of the blue-and-gold tribe. Many blue and yellow heads with green foreheads, and white masks or eye patches of skin in many, even peered out from some of the trees, stunned at their patriarch's immense fury. Azul, Brooke, Bastian, Kiawe and Mariposa shuddered, frightened by Soleado's rage. Then the group continued flying on until the familiar forms of Soleado and Zoie perched on a branch appeared with some more forms standing around them. Among the small group were Porthos and Orquidea and two brown forms with crests.

"Two of Uncle Travis and Aunt Sunset's offspring or Clemont and Serena," said Azul in wonder, "What are they doing here?"

"Wait, I think they're the latter," said Mariposa as she recognised the colours of the birds' crest feathers. Though the two cockatoos' bodies were covered with mud, the mud on their crests and faces must have been wiped away so that the blue-and-gold macaws could recognise them. One had a brilliantly deep yellow-orange crest, a characteristic of a citron-crested cockatoo while the other mud-covered cockatoo's crest feathers were yellow, indicative of a pure sulfur-crested. Then Kiawe saw that the pair was trembling like leaves.

"Well, those two are certainly frightened by your patriarch's fiery wrath," said the male blue-headed macaw, commenting on the two cockatoos' shuddering bodies, "Look at them both shake like that."

"Soleado very rarely gets this angry," said Bastian darkly, "But when he's especially furious, often everyone steers clear of him."

It was true. Soleado very rarely lost his temper for he was often a cheerful and friendly macaw with a sunny smile (his name meant 'sunny' in Spanish). However, he sometimes did express behaviours or emotions that were normally out of character for him, such as fury or having an outburst. Right now, he was having one such explosive bout of rage. Then Kiawe saw two of the blue-and-gold macaws rocket away, one of them sobbing. When he recognised the two of them, he drew in a sharp gasp.

"Er… Azul," he said, "I think your parents are…"

The said macaw followed the young male blue-headed macaw's point and saw his parents, Porthos and Orquidea, rush away, the latter sobbing her eyes out and the former shouting at her to calm down. Then an idea entered Azul's head, especially as dread consumed him regarding his parents' distress.

"Let's clarify what's going on," he said.

"But Azul," said Brooke, "You don't want to be anywhere near our patriarch while he's furious."

"It's not Soleado I want to talk to," said Azul as he flew off. The others exchanged glances and followed.

As the group of five approached, they were met by the two mud-covered cockatoos who were indeed Clemont and Serena. The two indeed looked very frightened and shaken, and were trembling. When the male citron-crested boyfriend of Rosa and the female pure sulfur-crested girlfriend of Eustace turned and saw Azul and company as they touched down near the two, they flinched, alarmed but then as recognition set in, they calmed down.

"Clemont, Serena," said Azul.

"What are you two doing here?" asked Brooke. Clemont gave the two as well as Mariposa, Kiawe and Bastian a timid and upset look.

"We've just explained to the blue-and-gold tribe patriarch and matriarch what had happened to the Bluewing Clan and the blue-throated macaws," he replied. The five exchanged glances.

"What's happened to those two clans?" asked Kiawe. Serena gave him a saddened look.

"They've been brutally driven out by those flying foxes," she said, "When we told that to Soleado over there," she nodded to the still-enraged blue-and-gold tribe patriarch, "He just suddenly exploded."

"And that's not all," added Clemont, "Uncle Porthos and Aunt Orquidea had just left very upset since Wilbur is still with the Bluewing hyacinth macaws spending a week with Casper and some other friends for they were doing a stargazing exhibition…"

When Azul's ears picked these words up and absorbed them, his face fell as dread began to boil within him. Brooke, Bastian, Kiawe and Mariposa also stood there, beaks agape and eyes inflated by horror which rendered them utterly speechless. Then tears began to well in the eyes of the five macaws, especially Azul.

"Why, that's the SECOND time our family has faced the brunt of those bats' brutality," cried the macaw, "First ME almost getting kidnapped with Winona suffering a dislocated wing, and now Wilbur in THIS," he then shot the two cockatoos a tearful look, "You know what that means?"

Clemont and Serena said nothing at first but Serena managed to bring up the courage to try and comfort the distraught group.

"I'm… I'm so sorry, Azul…" she began, a wing reaching gently out towards the breaking down group but Azul retorted at her.

"Don't bother comforting me!" he barked, making Serena flinch, taken aback by her blue-and-gold 'cousin's' reaction and to the surprise of the others. Azul then stepped back, tears spilling from his eyes and sobs from his throat. Then overcome with devastation and anguish, the distraught brother of Wilbur spread his wings and rocketed off. Brooke shot Clemont and Serena a look.

"Their parents are gonna be going through a stormy tunnel now that you've delivered the news, you two," she said.

"Not to mention Azul, Wilbur's brother," put in Bastian.

"And if this reaches the ears of Winona who is still in the hospital for she has several blue-throated friends," added Bastian, "It's gonna hit her hard and I do mean HARD indeed."

Clemont and Serena gazed back at the three blue-and-gold macaws in confusion.

"What do you mean?" asked Clemont.

"Well, if you think about it," said Mariposa, "The chances of any bird from a tribe or clan surviving a savage attack and driving out from those barbaric furballs are incredibly slim. Think how so few red-fronted macaws from their clan had survived such an attack."

Clemont and Serena said nothing. They knew of the violent history the flying foxes had in driving out other bird tribes and clans and other avian residents to take their land. Then as Brooke and Bastian opened their wings to take off after the sobbing Azul, Kiawe and Mariposa approached the two cockatoos when Kiawe turned his attention to Zoie, Soleado's mate, as she talked with some of the macaws from the blue-and-gold tribe's inner circle. The group clearly looked in despair and devastated, and Zoie, like her mate, was absolutely furious. Mariposa listened and heard that they were also discussing about what are they going to do now regarding the new method the flying foxes had discovered in kidnapping macaws and other birds for interrogation. Then Clemont felt a wave of guilt splash over him.

"I really wish we hadn't told them the devastating news about the blue-throated macaws and Bluewing Clan now," he whispered guiltily. Serena hummed in agreement.

"No, you've done the right thing, you two," said Mariposa, a comforting wing on Clemont's shoulder.

"If you hadn't told the blue-and-gold macaw tribe about this, we wouldn't have been aware of what had happened," said Kiawe. He then turned his head to one side in wonder. "By the way, how did you two know about what had happened to the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws?"

"And also about this 'new method' the flying foxes had discovered in kidnapping birds for interrogation?" asked Mariposa.

"We overheard three of the flying foxes discuss these near the entrance to an underground cave," said Clemont.

"Oh, no, you should steer clear of those bats, they're savage brutes," said Kiawe.

"They detest birds and will not hesitate to kill you on the spot," added Mariposa.

"No, those bats were completely unaware that we were in that cave," said Serena. Just then a voice called their names. Clemont and Serena, together with Mariposa and Kiawe, turned to face three young blue-and-gold macaws approach them. They were a young adult male and a pair of younger macaws, one male and the other female. They were the offspring of Soleado and Zoie: Tobias, the oldest male, and his siblings Amarillo and Bromelia. Clemont stepped forward and bowed his head in shame.

"We're sorry to have enraged your parents, Tobias," he said. Tobias, however, shook his head.

"It's not your fault, Clemont," said he in a gruff but assuring voice, "it's them wretched flying dog-faced fiends that are angering our parents, not you."

"But to hear what had happened to the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws," said Bromelia, "And everyone else living in that neighbouring territory, it's been devastating news."

"There's no way over half of such a small clan, much less two, could survive such a savage attack since those furballs are often extremely violent and brutal when they drive out a bird tribe or clan," said Amarillo. Clemont, Serena, Kiawe and Mariposa gazed back at the three in agreement. Then Tobias turned his attention in the direction of Azul and sighed.

"Azul and his family are gonna be struggling immensely in the coming days, I think," he said, "After hearing what had happened to Wilbur."

"There's no way he could have survived that attack from the flying foxes," said Bromelia. Clemont and Serena hated to admit but Tobias and Bromelia were right. It was going to be a difficult time for Porthos and his family. The devastation of Wilbur's (apparent) death and also that of Ariel and her family including her two younger siblings, Peitro and Wanda who were still chicks; and the others in the tragedy that had occurred last night had torn their hearts into two. However, there were other negative emotions thrown into the mix as well and there was a high possibility that fissures were going to violently open in Porthos's family and rip it apart.

Meanwhile

Cicatriz and Iracebeth were attending the fighting classes with some other parents, watching their two offspring, Iago and his younger sister Veruca as they mercilessly battered a bird dummy made of fruit and seeds with their claws and small sharp-sticks suitable for their size. The training class was taking place in the home groves that used to belong to the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws which the bats had captured last night. After their triumph in driving out the two clans and the other bird residents, the invaders celebrated for hours until sunrise and had slept in. While the invaders celebrated word had been sent out to the colony and dozens of flying foxes had moved in to make themselves at home in the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' trees. As for the slain macaws, mostly the hyacinth macaws from the Bluewing Clan, the bats were considering on what to do with them. In the meantime, the flying foxes continued to make their newly captured land their home and prepare for the next stage of their plans.

The driving out of the Blue-throated macaws and the Bluewings had not been without costs on the flying foxes' side, though. During the brutal fight against the two clans last night, many of the invading flying foxes had been badly injured and some had suffered torn wing membranes, and there had been around half a dozen or more fatalities. Obviously, combating macaws that were bigger than they were was the most difficult task for the flying foxes but in the end, the flying foxes had managed to force out the Bluewing Clan from their habitat. The blue-throated macaws on the other hand, had fled in terror for the flying foxes were much bigger than they were, so they had been relatively easy to drive out, and a lot of the macaws had managed to escape. However, the reason why so many blue-throated macaws had managed to survive and successfully flee with their lives was because of the Bluewing hyacinth macaws' effort in protecting these extremely rare birds. Demetrio had ordered the hyacinth macaws to fight back against the flying foxes in order to protect the smaller and more vulnerable blue-throated macaws and buy them time to escape the invading bats. Thus if it weren't for the hyacinth macaws' presence, the entire blue-throated macaw clan would have probably all been slaughtered. However, the Bluewing Clan had paid an incredibly high price in protecting the very rare blue-throated macaws and around three-quarters of the macaws had died in the slaughter, slain by the bats and their feathers harvested by their killers for their trophies.

The two colony leaders smiled with evil delight as Veruca, effort grunts exploding from her mouth, slashed her claws over the dummy bird's back before impaling it with her sharp-stick while nearby, Iago battered his dummy bird with his claws, teeth and his sharp-stick. As soon as Veruca and Iago had finished their practice fights with the dummies and had stood back, leaving two tattered and mauled fruit that represented the bats' feathered opponents, the clapping of numerous membranous wings filled the air as Veruca and Iago's classmates and parents, as well as their teacher, applauded them.

"Well done, you two," said the teacher, a brown male with paler brown fur on his front, "Your fighting skills are improving."

"We'll make warriors out of you both yet," said Cicatriz.

"You're just like your father," said Iracebeth. Veruca and Iago stood there, proud smiles wickedly adorning their faces.

"You'll soon be facing real birds sooner or later and before long, you'll be earning your first trophies," said another bat. Veruca and Iago continued standing there, relishing the applause of their classmates, their parents, teacher and the other bats. Later, Cicatriz, Iracebeth, Iago and Veruca were back in their hollow on the flying fox colony's original land. Cicatriz looked over his prized possession, the sharp-stick that belonged to his late father, Bruto while Iracebeth fed Veruca and Iago with some of the fruit she had collected from a grove on the Bluewing Clan's territory.

"You know, I have a feeling that our son and daughter might have their grandfather's blood in their veins," Cicatriz said to Iracebeth proudly. "They certainly do seem to fight very well."

"Well, only time will tell when they go out to face their first real avian opponent, dear," said Iracebeth as she patted Veruca on her head. Veruca and Iago then greedily shoved their fruit down their throats. Leaving her son and daughter to eat, Iracebeth walked over to Cicatriz, a frown on her face.

"Your father and mother certainly were excellent fighters," she said, "And you indeed have taken after them but it seems that your younger brother, Augustus, hasn't. Either that or he's too cowardly to show his skills."

Cicatriz turned to her with an agreeing frown on his face. "Tell me about it, my beloved Iracebeth," he growled in irritation, "I could never get why my brother refused to participate in those fighting classes when we were pups," he shook his head and gazed out of one of the windows (smaller holes in the hollow wall), "I believe he'd have grown up into great fighter but all he's done is thrown that away. He's a disgrace to his family."

"There's obviously something wrong with him and his family, I can tell you," Iracebeth said with a sigh. "I remember your father saying how hopeless Augustus was at one point when our generation reached the border of young adulthood."

Cicatriz nodded in agreement. Cicatriz and Iracebeth could not understand Augustus at all. Ever since he was a pup, Augustus had found the fighting classes as well as the teaching that all Amazon birds were vermin and deserve to be driven out of their homes so that their land could be taken over by the bats utterly repulsive, much to the disapproval of Bruto and Sombra, and as he and Cicatriz grew up Augustus's views and disagreements had grown stronger, despite how much the anti-bird teachings were drilled into his brain. Unlike most of the other flying foxes, Augustus had sympathy for the bird tribes and clans but he was not the only flying fox in the colony disagreed with the anti-bird teachings. His mate Melissa shared these views which she had developed as a pup as well, and so had her cousin, Lily, and two friends Marcus and Ana. These views had created a rift between Augustus and his family and most of the other bats and he had been bullied and mocked by his classmates because of his refusal to fight the dummy birds. His classmates often called Augustus a coward, and he had faced this throughout his life. Any flying fox who disagreed with the anti-bird teachings and found the driving out of bird groups repulsive were always viewed as cowards and weaklings, and Melissa was no exception. She too had faced constant bullying as she grew up. At one point, Bruto and Sombra had referred to Augustus as a 'hopeless case' and a 'shame to his family'. When Augustus had reached adolescence, he left his hollow and his family to live with the other flying foxes who were against the anti-bird teachings.

Then when Augustus and Melissa had paired up, became mates and had Sebastian, they home-schooled their son and taught him the basics of jungle survival, including self-defence against certain predators such as snakes in the event he got caught in the grips of one. However, Sebastian had attended the fighting classes several times when he was younger but instead of feeling thrilled with fighting the bird dummies like his cousins Iago and Veruca, he found them incredibly repulsive much like his parents. As for twin daughters Stella and Luna, they had never attended any of the fighting classes at all for Augustus and Melissa had prevented them from doing so, much to the disapproval and chagrin of Cicatriz and Iracebeth. Cicatriz and Iracebeth were well aware that Augustus and Melissa were not teaching their son and two daughters the colony's anti-bird teachings, but they were also aware that some of the other flying fox colony members were against the teachings about birds, the fighting classes and also the driving out of bird tribes and clans like Augustus and his family. In fact, some of these flying foxes' views against the anti-bird teachings and their disgust of seeing the bird groups get brutally driven out, as well as the brutality inflicted on them during the process, were so intense that some of them had even gone as far as helping certain bird groups and protecting them from the colony. Three of these, Melissa's late albino cousin, Lily and her two friends Marcus and Ana had done just that. However, they had faced dire consequences eventually.

Lily, Marcus and Ana had kept dozens and dozens and dozens of birds, some extremely rare species, hidden in a secret spot away from the colony and always went to meet those birds in secret to help provide for them and protect them. Furthermore, Lily herself had been a close friend of some chicks and adult birds when she was young. She had been rescued by those birds from a poacher's trap and since then, she had befriended them. This unlikely friendship had intensified and concentrated Lily's hatred of the flying fox colony's anti-bird teachings, eventually leading her to rebel against her own colony to help as many birds as she could. Lily's secret hiding of birds had only been known to Augustus and Melissa and eventually Sebastian, Stella and Luna when they were old enough to know and understand. But then, something tragic happened which resulted in the death of Lily. Somehow, Lily's hiding place had been discovered by some of Cicatriz's spies and the secret was uncovered to the entire colony. Lily had subsequently been seized and then brought before Cicatriz and Iracebeth and the rest of the colony to be confronted and interrogated about her allegiance with the birds, and the reasons why. When Lily openly and boldly spoke against the colony's teaching about the birds of the Amazon being vermin that deserve to be driven out, among a deeper reason, Cicatriz had her violently put to death, in front of most of the bats. Augustus and Melissa had not been there at the time for they had been busy with Sebastian but when they had heard the news from a friend of theirs, another flying fox who was against the colony's anti-bird teachings; Melissa had been totally devastated and heartbroken, and had suffered extreme sadness for the following months. Since then, Augustus and his family and the others against the colony's teachings as well had kept their views a complete secret. As for Marcus and Ana and the birds in hiding, they had mysteriously disappeared during Lily's capture.

While Cicatriz went over these memories of Lily's violent death in front of the colony because of her hiding of birds and her revulsion of the anti-bird teachings, a knock on the hollow entrance snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Someone's at the entrance, dear," said Iracebeth.

"Enter," called Cicatriz. In response, three bats stepped in. One of them was Shinzon and he was flanked by two muscular males, both with scars splashing through their pelages.

"Ah, Shinzon, I believe you have some good news for us?" said Cicatriz to the smaller male.

"We do, yes," Shinzon replied, "We have managed to capture some birds and bring them back here for interrogation without too much trouble."

"Ratigan's idea on using that plant has worked like a dream," said one of the large, muscular males.

"Or from those feathered worms' perspective, a nightmare," grinned the other muscular male.

"Oh, and which ones have you managed to capture?" asked Iracebeth.

"Three Spix macaws," said Shinzon, "Around four green macaws and three Lear's macaws. Our group-mates are taking them to the Interrogation Patch now."

"The only birds we now need is some red macaws," said one of the muscular males, "Some blue-and-gold macaws, some glaucous macaws and perhaps a hyacinth macaw or two from the Navyfeather Clan, and some of those four-winged long tailed-birds."

"And possibly some of the birds from the smaller groups as well," said Shinzon. Cicatriz and Iracebeth smiled evilly.

"That's brilliant," said Cicatriz, "And make sure you get a few of them. We're gonna need enough victims to extract the information about their tribes, clans and groups, their habitat and why their land has not seen logging for years among some other things."

"Yes, as some of them might be stubborn as coconut shells," said Iracebeth.

"You've done well, Shinzon," said Cicatriz, "Keep up the good work and tell that to the other kidnappers who had participated in capturing those birds."

Shinzon nodded and turned to leave the hollow, his two larger companions following him. After the trio had gone, Cicatriz's smile widened even more.

"I can't wait to interrogate those worthless bundles of feathers," he crooned sadistically. It was clear that Cicatriz did not only enjoy driving out bird groups but also the interrogation process as well.

"Well, soon we'll have the information we need to drive out the next tribe or clan, dear," said Iracebeth. Nearby, Veruca and Iago had finished their meal.

"Which ones are you planning to drive out next?" asked Iracebeth.

"Probably the Lear's macaws," said Cicatriz, "Or perhaps them blue-and-gold macaws but we'll see how we go first."

Iracebeth nodded in agreement. Outside the hollow, a small white furry form hung outside one of the smaller holes and had been listening to the whole thing. Horrified, the form dropped from the tree and flew away.

The red tribe's home patch

Diantha and Milo flinched harshly as Felipe screeched, "WHAAAT!?". With them were Pearl, Benjamin and Regina. Alfonso, the brother of Benjamin and Regina was out with his friends helping to forage and bring back food, together with Estelle, Sheldon and Spinel while Alexandre and Poinsettia stayed behind to help Athos raise their younger brothers, Oliver and Cinnabar back at their hollow. Ruby, meanwhile, was helping the evacuated smaller bird groups, Athos taking his turn to spend time with their younger sons.

Like how Soleado had reacted to the horrifying news of both the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' loss of their home to the flying foxes and the bats' new method in kidnapping some birds for interrogation as delivered by Clemont and Serena, Felipe and the others around him were horrified and enraged, especially Felipe, when Diantha and Milo (disguised in mud but with their faces revealed for recognition) at the same things. The keel-billed/toco hybrid toucan and sulfur-crested/Major Mitchell's hybrid cockatoo backed away as Felipe furiously threw a stick at a branch in rage, venting his fury. Pearl kept Regina and Benjamin away from their father as he continued ranting. While Felipe continued to unleash his fury, flying to a clearing to do that so that no-one was accidentally drawn into his outburst, Regina turned to Diantha and Milo.

"It's not true what you said isn't it?" she asked, hoping that it was just fabricated. "Tell us it's not true."

However, Milo and Diantha's faces read honesty.

"It's true," said Milo sadly. Then Pearl, devastated looks on their faces, shook her head while Benjamin looked on, horrified, but then he released a despairing groan as thoughts for his non-red macaw friends, in particular his green macaw girlfriend, Petunia came to mind. Benjamin missed Petunia greatly since the ban on them leaving the home grove had been put in place after what had almost happened to Alexandre and also to Azul, Tiago, Spock and Lavender, and the tribe and clans leaders had hoped that expanding their foraging and patrol groups to three times their usual size would help fend off the attacking flying foxes but now that seemed futile.

"What are we gonna do, Mom?" Regina asked Pearl mournfully.

"I don't know, daughter," said Pearl sadly, much to Regina and Benjamin's immense heartbreak. Then a thought came to Benjamin's head.

"Wait, Tito's foraging group," he said, "One of Athos and Ruby's daughters is with them."

"And her boyfriend Sheldon as well," put in Benjamin, his grief over not being able to see his great green macaw girlfriend briefly forgotten. Just then, Felipe returned after releasing the pressure of anger.

"Sorry about this, guys," he said to the others, "But I didn't want to catch anyone in my wrathful outburst."

But then the look of rage returned as he gazed at Diantha and Milo, but at the same time he was thankful.

"Well, I'd like to thank you both for letting us know, you two," he said, "But I think this is the final leaf. Those bats have really crossed the line and now, it's time for war."

"Final leaf?" asked Diantha confused.

"We sent Cicatriz and Iracebeth a strong warning to call off their bats' intrusions," explained Pearl, "And I think the other tribe and clan leaders will have done the same as well but based on what you've told us, it is obviously clear that they had not listened to us and instead drove out two of our neighbouring clans."

"Not to mention come up with a horribly insidious new method in kidnapping some of us for information," added Benjamin, "using some sort of put-to-sleep plant and porcupine spines to knock out their victims to take away without them fighting back…"

"It was our last peaceful shot," said Pearl.

"We're now at a loss," said Felipe with a frown, "That's why I was so furious." He then looked around. "And I wouldn't be surprised if the leaders of the other tribes and clans are furious about this as well."

"It seems that every time we find a solution, the flying foxes seem to find a way around it," said Pearl. She then made a disgusted face. "Honestly, those winged furballs are sly and crafty menaces."

"Sly and crafty indeed," hissed Felipe in agreement, "It's a good job those bats that attacked our nephew Alexandre did not have that tranquiliser-plant on them, otherwise he'd have been knocked out, rendered defenceless and then carried out into flying fox territory without a doubt."

"Or even a chance to fight back," said Benjamin with Regina nodding in agreement. Just then, a shout echoed across the grove air, aiming for Felipe and Pearl.

"FELIPE, PEARL!"

Hearing their names get called, the scarlet leaders turned in the shouter's direction and, to their surprise, they saw Tito rocket in. His eyes were glazed with terror and his feathers were flattened.

As the scarlet macaw clumsily landed onto a perch and began to catch his breath, Pearl went over to him.

"Whoa, Tito, easy," she said. Tito shot her a horrified gaze as Felipe walked in.

"How is your foraging group?" he asked. Tito gazed at him. When Benjamin and Regina, Diantha and Milo saw the look on Tito's face, they felt dread come over them.

"No, don't be what Diantha and Milo have just mentioned…" began Benjamin quietly. However, that hope fell flat when Tito managed to get the words out.

"We've been violently jumped by a group of flying foxes," he blurted out. Felipe and Pearl looked at each other in horror before turning back to Tito.

"Are they on their way back?" asked Felipe, his temper threatening to erupt again. Tito nodded.

A while later

Athos, Ruby, Poinsettia and Alexandre sat perched among a sea of red, blue, green, teal and yellow, looking on in horror as Tito's foraging group returned. Athos and Ruby had left Cinnabar and Oliver with a babysitter before coming here. As the crowd of horrified scarlet and green-winged macaws looked on, the group of foragers, around thirty in all, entered the home grove of the red tribe. Many of them were bedraggled and had scratches, bald patches and bruises and several of the macaws were limp, but they were not dead. Those limp macaws were being carried by their companions who weren't too badly injured, alongside the more seriously injured macaws. Felipe and Pearl, together with Tito, Regina and Benjamin, guided the group towards the infirmary trees. Athos continued scanning the struggling group as they lighted down near the infirmary tree until his eyes landed on some familiar macaws. Immediately, he opened his wings and took off from the crowd, Ruby, Poinsettia and Alexandre following.

"Spinel, Sheldon," Alexandre called, "Estelle!"

The three said macaws gazed wearily at him as he touched down before them. Athos then began to examine the injuries of the macaws and what he saw horrified him greatly.

Spinel bore a bleeding cut on her brow and her pink-red plumage was dotted with bald patches. Her left wing was missing a few flight feathers, though she was able to fly somewhat, and most of her flower-like crest had gone with only two feathers dangling like tattered leaves from her crown. She looked in pain and appeared badly shaken. Alexandre's girlfriend Estelle, and Spinel's boyfriend Sheldon were covered with cuts, bruises and bald patches and Estelle was limping, her left talon wounded. All three, however, bore the same looks of trauma and fright and their tattered plumages were bushed out. The sight of the three bedraggled macaws alarmed Athos, Ruby, Alexandre and Poinsettia, and also Milo and Diantha who had also come to witness the entry of the battered foraging group. Then Athos lunged at Spinel, alarm at his daughter's bedraggled and battered appearance tearing through him.

"Spinel," cried he, "Look at the state of you! What happened?"

Then Ramon and Dani, the parents of Sheldon, appeared and began to fuss over their hybrid son while Estelle's parents fussed over her, Alexandre looking on with worry and horror.

"What does it look like?" snapped Spinel bitterly. She then winced from the pain in her injuries. Athos and Ruby then stood back as Felipe and Pearl, together with Benjamin and Regina, walked in. Nearby, the other foragers were being helped into the infirmary by the red tribe nurses. It was then that Pearl noticed someone missing.

"Wait, where are Estelle's cousin Gabby, and Alfonso?" asked she. Gabby was a supporting friend of Carla and company and was Estelle's cousin. At this question, sombre looks formed on the faces of the six macaws as another forager, a male green-winged macaw named Carlo, limped in to explain.

"I'm afraid Alfonso, along with three others, had been taken," he said sadly. When the crowd heard this, they drew in horrified gasps, while Pearl, Felipe, Regina and Benjamin's faces fell in horror.

"And what happened to Gabby?" asked Athos. Sheldon then walked in, his parents looking on worriedly.

"She's been badly injured when trying to rescue one of the kidnapped macaws," he said, "A flying fox had tackled her away from the kidnapper and deliberately crashed her into a rock and then a patch of thorns."

This made many of the macaws wince.

"Gabby suffered a broken foot from the impact against the rock and numerous scratches from the thorn bush in the process," said Spinel, "We had to take her to the animal hospital but… two other macaws had not been as fortunate."

Then before Felipe could ask why or how, Estelle answered the question.

"They were stabbed by two flying foxes while they tried rescuing Alfonso who had gone limp," she said. She then produced a stiff twig coated with some sort of green paste. Felipe took it and began to examine it.

"That was also involved," continued Alexandre's girlfriend, before nodding to the unconscious macaws, "Apparently, those darts have powerful knockout properties or have been coated with a substance with those properties. All of the unconscious birds have been struck at least one of those."

"It's a porcupine spine," said Athos when he recognised the stiff brown twig. When Diantha and Milo's ears picked it up, they mouthed it under their breaths as it brought back something; what the three bats had said before they and Eustace's group had scattered to deliver the warnings to the tribes and clans. There was subsequent silence hanging over Felipe, Pearl, Regina and Benjamin at first but then finally, Felipe broke it, his temper exploding once again. Alfonso was one of his sons.

"Those bats are as good as dead then," he snarled and with that, he took off to have another outburst. A furious look also appeared on Pearl's face.

"We're gonna declare war on those flying furballs," she said. "This is DEFINITELY the last leaf."

And with that, she stormed off, leaving Benjamin and Regina to look on, devastated over what had happened to their brother. Then Athos came in. He was shaken for this was the second time that one of his children had been involved in a flying fox attack; Spinel this time. However, he pushed that aside.

"Well, I think it's time we got you lot into the infirmary," he said firmly, "Especially you, Spinel. Those injuries need treatment."

Spinel sighed and obeyed her father's orders. Sheldon followed with Estelle close behind. As the foraging group entered the infirmary trees, Diantha and Milo stood there, speechless before Alexandre and Poinsettia came up to them, dreaded looks on their faces.

"We've come to a dead end now," said the former worriedly, "Not only is this the second time one of us has faced flying fox attack but..."

Diantha and Milo said nothing. Poinsettia then made a scowl.

"Well, I'd like to see Gabby in the hospital," she said, "Since she is Estelle's cousin and had been injured while I and Alexandre had been taking care of Oliver and Cinnabar with Dad."

"But Poinsettia, that is NOT a wise idea," said Milo, "There are dozens of flying fox groups out there and if they see you…"

Poinsettia, however, ignored Milo and flew away. Alexandre followed but not before shooting the cockatoo and the toucan a glare as he left.

"I agree with Aunt Pearl, you two," he growled, "This IS the final leaf. How dare those flying furred beasts do this to MY girlfriend's cousin! Not to mention take one of OUR own."

He then shot Regina and Benjamin a sympathetic look before flying after his sister. Diantha and Milo then gazed at each other, saddened looks on their faces.

"This can't be happening, Diantha, honestly," said Milo.

"Indeed not," said Diantha.