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

24. 24- disaster strikes

Chapter 24- a fiery disaster strikes

Night had arrived over the Amazon rainforest, overshadowing it with its dark sky. However, the sky was not completely black; it was awash with a sea of glitter due to lack of clouds. However, like every other night before it since the heat wave hit, it was very warm, and was causing discomfort and difficulty sleeping in the diurnal animals, including many of the macaws. Despite the heat, one group of macaws was preparing for a trip out into the dark jungle. At the meeting point of the Spix, the red and the blue-and-gold macaws' territory boundaries, that group of macaws, a mixture of Spix, scarlet, green-winged and blue-and-gold, were preparing to go out and stargaze. Among the group were Blu (who had his fanny pack or bum bag on him), Bia, Aurora and Virgil from the Spix macaw tribe; Athos, Alexandre, Poinsettia and Spinel, and Sheldon and his green-winged macaw mother Dani from the red macaw tribe, and Porthos and Azul from the blue-and-gold macaw tribe, alongside some others.

Before sundown, Porthos had visited the red and Spix tribes to tell Felipe and Eduardo that Zoie, his tribe matriarch was organising a stargazing group tonight and that some of the macaws had taken interest. Blu and Aurora had decided to go along with Virgil and Bia while Jewel and Zephyr decided to remain behind with the other chicks, Carla, Tiago and Justin, Charlotte and Matilda for they were too tired to go out due to the heat. Travis, Sunset, Eustace, Milo and Rosa, Levi, Lapis Lazuli, Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar and D'Artagnan, Sapphire, Miranda, Jasmine and Annette had also opted against going for they were too tired as well, and they didn't feel like stargazing. Eduardo and Mimi had accompanied Blu and some of the other volunteers to ensure that they were safe. So, as Zoie did a headcount of the macaws present and giving safety instructions to them especially regarding the kids' safety, Eduardo and Mimi were standing with Blu and Aurora, a stern look on each of their faces.

"Now you two be safe out there," said Eduardo firmly, "And listen to Zoie's instructions and orders."

"Yes, and don't let your little 'uns wander off," said Mimi as she examined the dark surroundings, a slight chill making her skin crawl "Because they could easily get lost out there."

"Don't worry, Mimi, we'll do as Zoie says," said Aurora, Virgil standing next to her. Blu, however, did not look very certain and was very concerned that something bad might happen, and the thought of Bia getting lost in the dark jungle sent shivers down his spine. But Bia had been insistent that she attend the stargazing group, so Blu reluctantly decided to go along.

"Good," said Eduardo, "And as soon as you've finished, make sure to stay with your escorts from Zoie's tribe on the way back here."

"We'll not be out for very long," said Aurora. She then looked up at the night sky and was amazed by the sea of stars forming the Milky Way.

"You know, when I lived as a pet in London, I always wanted to stargaze with a family should I meet someone," she breathed in awe, "Zephyr and I sometimes did back in Rio, especially before we had our four chicks…"

Blu then looked up into the sky and smiled. "I'll tell you a fact, Eduardo, there are some very massive stars out there. My daughter Bia knows the names of quite a number of them."

Then Bia and Poinsettia flew in.

"Hey, Dad, Aunt Aurora, did you know that the red supergiant star Betelgeuse would consume the entire inner solar system if it were in the sun's place," said Bia.

"Would it?" gasped Blu in shock.

"Yes," said Poinsettia.

"It's hard to believe that so many stars would be that size, wouldn't it," said Blu fascinated.

"Well, we know nothing about stars but I'm sure you and your daughter do," said Eduardo with an amused smile, "You ought to get an astronomy book for your daughter some time."

Athos then came in and stood by Poinsettia. Ruby was back at the red tribe's home, helping with some of the night tasks with Felipe and Pearl. She had opted to stay behind to assist the tribe leaders.

"I'm actually considering getting an astronomy book for Poinsettia here," said Athos, a smile down at middle chick, "Alongside a book on nature and a book on physics."

He then looked at Bia. "And I might get Bia a new book on the animals of the Amazon as well, after hearing what that daughter of Mertle had done to her other book…"

Athos sighed and placed a wing on his forehead, remembering the little incident at the red/Spix border when Aguamarina had snatched a Brazil nut off of Spinel, his other daughter. "I'd never known Mertle to be so inconsiderate and negligent of her daughter's behaviour, honestly."

"She's always been a problem," said Eduardo, before the patriarch's face hardened to a stern scowl. "But if she ever does anything serious, it may mean kicking her out of the tribe."

"We cannot have a macaw that causes anyone else serious problems." muttered Blu with a frown. He was still cross with Mertle's daughter after how she treated Bia. Aurora then looked back up at the night sky.

"Well, let's move on from that," she breathed as she admired the beauty of the stars, "If Mertle won't discipline her daughter then that's her problem, isn't it."

Athos raised his eyes to the sky.

"You know, nights like these really do leave me in utter silence," he crooned, "Ruby and I sometimes had a very romantic night out gazing at the stars…"

"So do I and Jewel at times," said Blu. Aurora smiled while Blu just said nothing. Then Porthos's voice sounded.

"Guys; are you ready," said the burly blue-and-gold macaw, Azul standing near him. Orquidea and Wilbur were back at the blue-and-gold tribe's home, the latter also too tired to come on the stargazing mini-trip.

"We are, yes," said Athos, snapping out of his trance with the sea of stars. He then glanced back at Eduardo and said, "Look, we'll look after Blu, Aurora, Virgil and Bia. Zoie has done a lot of these star tours before so you can be sure that you can trust her."

"Good," said Eduardo, "And make sure that you look after my son-in-law, granddaughter and two tribe members well as well, okay?"

"We will," said Athos. Eduardo then shot Blu a firm glare. Athos could not believe that Eduardo once had a strong dislike of Blu because of his history as a domestic macaw.

"And Blu, no silly stuff, okay?" he said. Blu nodded timidly as his father-in-law's intimidating green eyes bore into him. Even though he was fine witbn Eduardo now, Blu still found him unnerving.

"D-d-don't worry, Eduardo, I'll behave," he stammered. Mimi then shot her younger brother an annoyed look.

"Eduardo, you're frightening him," she growled slightly, "Stop glaring at him like that."

Eduardo rolled his eyes while Aurora could do nothing but admire Mimi's assertiveness. Zephyr and Tornado had once told her that Mimi was the only macaw who was brassy enough to rebuke Eduardo whenever she feels he was being a bit unfair, such as when he was being disapproving towards Blu and Jewel's choice of mate before he learned to accept him. Then Zoie's voice called out, "Right, are we all ready to go?"

Athos glanced at Zoie and then back at Eduardo.

"It's time to leave," he said.

"Okay, have a good and safe time," said Eduardo as he opened his wings to take off.

"And make sure you stay safe and keep with the other macaws of the group," said Mimi to Blu and Bia.

"Don't worry, Mimi, we will," said Blu as the two siblings took off and flew away into the darkness.

"See you tomorrow, Grandpa and Aunt Mimi," called Bia but Eduardo and Mimi's forms were soon out of sight, swallowed up by the dark jungle. Blu and Bia then prepared to follow Zoie as she called for everyone's attention.

"Here we go," said Athos and with that he, Blu, Bia, Virgil and Aurora all turned and faced Zoie with the others in the little group as Zoie then began to repeat the safety instructions.

Meanwhile

In the dark city of Rio, the usual activities were occurring. A massive glow from the artificial lights enveloped the city and in it, people on night shifts or going to pubs and clubs were walking or driving back and forth on the roads and streets. It appeared that the people weren't as bothered by the heat at night than during the day, but it was still very warm as the heated air still lingered over the city. In Susan and Lucy's house, Lucy, Susan and their greyhound and cat families were relaxing. It had been another uneasy day with the heat. The fans were set up as usual and the house pets were chilling out, and the TV was on. While Susan and Lucy prepared supper, James, one of Dash and Ginger's puppies, was talking with his parents.

"You know, Mom and Dad," he said, "When I grow up, I would like to run a music club exclusively for cats and dogs, like how Mr's Nico and Pedro do for birds."

"Well, you'll have to have a word with Nico and Pedro about that, son," said Dash with a smile, "And besides that, you're currently too young to run a club of your own."

James sighed and placed his head on the floor, slightly disappointed. He had taken like in music when he had spent some time with Carla, one of Blu and Jewel's daughters, and Alexandre, the oldest and only son of Athos and Ruby, both of who liked music. Sighing, James stared into space. Not too far away from James, his brother Danny was playing chess with Esperanza while Avellana read a book on the birds of South America. When Avellana came to a page containing information about the glaucous macaw, she said, "Hey Mom, Dad, it says here that the glaucous macaw is believed to be extinct in the wild. That's not true isn't it since Mr Levi and his family are still living."

"It means that the glaucous macaw is extinct in the wild with no sightings of them reported, daughter apart from the one we saw on TV before our feathered friends left for their trip into the Amazon," explained Ginger. Veggie then came by with a vegetarian cat treat stick.

"You know, come to think of it," said the tabby cat, as he came and sat by Dash, "I'm surprised those expedition groups haven't found more evidence of those wild glaucous macaws yet. I hope Tulio sends them back out into the rainforest once this heat wave lifts."

"He will but it's just too hot at the moment," said Dash. Suddenly, Esperanza's voice sounded.

"Oh, I give up," she muttered after Danny had used a knight piece to take out her bishop piece, one of the last pieces besides the king piece. "You're too good at this, Danny."

"Oh, you want to stop, sis?" said Danny with an amused smile. Dash, Ginger and Veggie tittered as Esperanza nodded.

"He's very good at that game, isn't he?" said Veggie, "I don't know how he does it."

"Only once or twice has he lost the game," said Ginger, "Danny's honestly a master at it despite his age."

Danny, at this, looked up at his parents before setting to clearing the chessboard of the pieces to reset for the next game.

Just then Catina who was sat closer to the TV called. However, it sounded worried. "Guys, you need to watch this. Also get Susan and Lucy's attention."

Dash, Ginger, Veggie, James, Avellana, Danny and Esperanza looked up and saw a dreaded look on Catina's face when she pointed a paw to the TV. The news was on.

"What's going on?" asked Veggie, "Something big?"

Catina nodded to the TV in reply. Nearby, Broccoli, Collette and Daisy, Veggie and Catina's kittens had woken up upon hearing their mother's call. Now, all six greyhounds and five cats were gathered around the TV. Behind them, Susan saw the news as she came and sat down on the sofa with some toast.

"Lucy," she called in shock. Hearing her sister call her, Lucy abandoned her toast preparation and came along. Then the group began to watch the news as a reporter in the studio, the same woman who had delivered the news on Tulio and Linda's discovery of the Spix macaw flock quite some time ago, was delivering a report, a look of worry on her face.

"A fire has started not too far away from the Sanctuary de Amazon's outskirts," she said, "It had not been long since the areas on which the flocks of the recently discovered Lear's macaws and great green and military macaws have been added to the nature reserve. Here's Fred with the report live from above the Amazon in a helicopter…"

As the TV screen turned to live, the cats, dogs and their two owners all gasped in horror when they saw an orange amorphous thing dancing in the dark. Thick billows of smoke belched from the orange things, and Fred the news reporter then began to give his report.

"Look at that," whispered Veggie in shock.

"It's right next to the Sanctuary de Amazon," added Catina.

"Where the flocks of Lear's and green macaws had been discovered," added Dash, "This is bad."

Then Ginger shook with dread when the thought about the glaucous macaws possibly living out there came to mind. "If there any glaucous macaws living there, the chances of them surviving that fire are pretty slim," she said in a low voice. Broccoli, Collette and Daisy, and Esperanza, Danny, James and Avellena said nothing as their horror-saturated eyes were glued to the screen.

Meanwhile

Back in the rainforest, the glaucous macaw tribe, unaware of the frightening disaster about to unfold, were preparing to turn in for the night. Rudi had sent out night patrollers to keep an eye on the surroundings while the tribe slept and was preparing for bed. His sons Alberto and Lorenzo, who were still too young to fly, were asleep in his and Valeria's hollow. It had been a difficult time for the glaucous macaws, and Rudi was beginning to worry about the tribe's possible fate in the coming days, if the drought did not end. With only enough food to feed the entire flock for only two days on estimate, and with barely any more fruit fit to eat being found by the foragers, Rudi was dreading starvation as the fate of the tribe. It appeared that the decision to stay out here until a suitable home for the glaucous tribe was found was a bad one after all, as Valeria had said. However, Rudi's rock-solid stubbornness against seeking the help of another bird tribe or clan, combined his rancour of all humans, still prevented the patriarch from reconsidering his decision. However, something about to happen will have enough force to break that rock of stubbornness Rudi had set up.

As Rudi looked over his two sons as they slept in their nest, Valeria arrived and perched onto the rim of the hollow.

"Well, another day over, dear," she muttered, distaste tainting her voice. Rudi turned to her.

"I can tell you don't agree with my decision to continue to stay out here until we have found a home, do you?" he muttered, clearly sensing the distaste in Valeria's voice. Valeria shot her mate an angry glare.

"You still don't trust my consideration in seeking help from Eduardo's tribe, or any of their neighbours, don't you!?" she snarled.

"Why should we?" retorted Rudi quietly, taking into account their sleeping chicks who stirred. Rudi then looked back at his mate, an angry and irritated look swarming his face like a cloud of provoked bees.

"I told you about that idea already," he said, "It's out of the question. Those tribes and clans have allowed humans to discover them!"

"It's not about whether they have allowed those pesky two-legged menaces to discover them or not," snapped Valeria, "It's about our tribe and their possible fate. We've been living out here in this barren wilderness for years since those flying furballs had driven us out of our home, scavenging for whatever fruit we could find while those flying membrane-winged pests indulge themselves on what was once our home and fruit groves, stuffing their mangy furry bellies with that food. We lost quite a few members of our tribe, Rudi, including your cousin Lapis Lazuli whom we thought also died in the slaughter those bats brought upon us."

Valeria then allowed thoughts of Lapis Lazuli to enter her head. "Mind you, at least she's seeking help from Eduardo's tribe. I should have gone along with her decision when they confronted us about where we're living…"

"Forget that cousin of mine" snapped Rudi, his back turned to Valeria as he walked further into the hollow, "She's chosen to associate with humans and choose a pet as a mate, so let her suffer the consequences of those decisions."

He then tidied up a nest, the one he and Valeria slept in. "Let's get some sleep. It's been a tough day. It might be warm but we need rest."

He then looked at Valeria, hoping that she would join him but Valeria, a disgusted look on her face, refused to budge.

"I'm not sleeping by your side until you deal with that stubborn and uncaring attitude of yours," she growled in a low voice, "If your father was still alive and still lead this tribe, he'd have probably considered our decision to live out here as nomads after seeing the fruitless efforts of our patrollers' search for a new home, in addition to the increasing difficulties we are facing."

And with that, Valeria turned, opened her wings and took off to sleep outside, leaving Rudi to stand there by their nest, puzzled and appalled.

Outside, the other glaucous macaws were struggling to settle down in their nests in the branches. Chicks were crying with parents struggling to calm them down, and the other adult glaucous macaws looked very concerned. Valeria perched on a tree branch outside her and Rudi's makeshift hollow, gazing at the sorry looks on the macaws with a sympathetic look. Sighing, she prepared to go to sleep on the branch. However, this was cut short by the sounds of groaning from the macaws. This attracted the attention of Valeria. The matriarch looked up and watched as the macaws complained of something unpleasant.

"Now what's up!?" she growled in irritation. Then whatever was bothering the macaws drifted over to her as well. When Valeria breathed through her nose, she winced in revulsion. It smelt acrid, like something burning.

"What is... THIS!?" gagged she as she held her nose to block out the disgusting smell. It was then that the sounds of frantic flapping wings, accompanied by panicked cries, was heard. Valeria, her wing tips still pinching her beak, looked up and when she saw a group of macaws, the patrol group Rudi had sent out earlier, flap in and cry out to the other macaws, dread hit her like a stone.

"FIRE!" cried one of the patrollers, "FIRE! EVACUATE NOW! GET EVERYONE OUTA HERE!"

This sent the entire glaucous tribe flying into chaos as turquoise, azure, blue and grey comets erupted from the trees into the dark night, their screams of fright shattering the air. Parents grabbed their chicks and abandoned their nests while the other glaucous macaws fled their makeshift homes. Then Valeria saw it over the foliage. An orange glow penetrated the gaps in the leaves and above, a thick cloud billowed into the sky, screening the Milky Way from view. Smoke... thick, black smoke and below it, the orange glow as it grew. Then seconds later, orange slivers began to show themselves behind the foliage accompanied by the sound of crackling. Valeria stood there in transfixed disbelief when suddenly; a voice snapped her out of that trance. Turning to the shouter, she saw Rudi fly in and yell at one of the patrollers. As he did so, he also spotted the dancing orange fingers flickering over the foliage and grow in size as they began to consume the bone-dry leaves.

"WHERE ARE YOUR MATE AND CHICKS?" screeched the terrified patroller. Valeria took off and flew over to the pair of glaucous macaws.

"Here," she said; feathers flattened against her body and eyes flooded with terror.

"Where are your chicks Alberto and Lorenzo!?" shouted the patroller. Valeria whipped round and rocketed towards her and Rudi's hollow.

"I'll grab Lorenzo and Alberto!" she called to Rudi, "You get your tribe outa here!"

Rudi, without hesitation, nodded and turned to the patroller. "You evacuate with your family while I help the other macaws, okay!?"

The patroller nodded and shot off like a comet to do that while Rudi flew off to call to the rest of the tribe to evacuate.

Soon, pandemonium had finally erupted into the air as screaming turquoise and blue birds with grey heads exploded from the trees and rocketed into the air as the fire approached the spot right where they were staying. The orange flames leapt quickly from one tree or set of trees to the next, and those trees and plants quickly caught the flames. Because everything was so dry from the drought, the plants were able to kindle very easily. Ahead of the spreading flames, animals were scurrying and flying through the trees, screeching and crying in terror. Such animals included monkeys and birds and they were propelled by terror from the glowing orange monster as it crept and consumed its prey. Then a while later, the trees nearest to where the glaucous macaws lived caught fire. Rudi was darting back and forth like a speedy dragonfly, barking orders to evacuate and make haste at every macaw he came across. However, as he did that, he heard screams of fright. Alarmed, he whirled round and when he saw it, terror exploded within him like an explosion. Some of the glaucous macaws, a few of them with mates and chicks had become trapped in the flames as the tree they were in caught fire. One of them was Beatrice and she was hugging her screaming chick Cristal. The glaucous macaws were screeching for help as the flames enveloped the tree more. Without a second's hesitation, Rudi shot over to the trapped glaucous macaws and began to help them out. He managed to lift a kindled branch to enable the first family of glaucous macaws, a family with four chicks, escape before releasing the branch in time as the flames crept to the spot where Rudi held it. Then Rudi turned his attention to the next lot and helped them escape, despite the immense heat from the fire and the choking smoke. As he continued doing this, the other glaucous macaws began to escape in the direction of unlit trees, and the Sanctuary de Amazon. As Rudi continued helping the trapped glaucous macaws escape, a huge crack was heard. All eyes of the macaws nearest to the sound's source were turned in its direction. Then another large crack was heard. Rudi, after helping Beatrice and Cristal escape, flew in and saw that the sound was coming from a burning tree, and that tree was kinked. Immediately, Rudi immediately knew what was going to happen.

"FLEE! THAT TREE'S ABOUT TO FALL!" he screeched at the top of his voice. The macaws did so as the crack morphed into a creaking, and then from a creaking into a loud groan. Rudi and the other macaws with him cried in terror and fled. Then seconds later, the groaning tree leaned further and further until it finally toppled over towards the fleeing group of glaucous macaws.

"LOOK OUT!" cried Rudi and with that, the group dived to the left a split second before the burning tree careened down past where they were and fell onto the forest floor with a mighty crash. Red snowflakes rained down everywhere and the monster consuming the fallen tree thrashed wildly as the plant came to rest on the floor much to the horror of Rudi and some of the others with him. Then Rudi heard the sound of a female macaw call for her mate and when she turned and saw her as she eventually gave up as the flames and the heat became unbearable, dread consumed him like the fire. However, the patriarch knew he did not have time to hover there and grieve. His top priority was evacuating his tribe from the inferno. Pulling his gaze away from the falling burning tree, Rudi began to call to the other glaucous macaws to flee. Then within moments, pretty much the entire tribe had abandoned their makeshift home. Rudi and the glaucous macaws gazed back in despair as those trees then caught fire and began to burn. Then they turned and fled in the direction of the Sanctuary de Amazon.

Meanwhile

At this moment, on the outermost parts of the Lear's macaws' territory, Valentino was with a patrol group examining the Lear's macaws' border with the outside space.

"Doesn't look like the flying foxes have been frolicking around close to the outside of our territories again since the incident involving the Jandayan parakeet in the blue-and-gold tribe's territory, Valentino," said one of the patrollers, the Lear's Pit of Doom scoremarker named Monique as she scanned the darkened outside area of the rainforest and the land of the dreaded colony of flying mammals.

"We also have no reports of injured non-tribe residents at the clutches of those bats anywhere on our territory either, Valentino," said a middle-aged male Lear's macaw named Ruben. The other three patrollers squawked in agreement.

"Good," said Valentino, pleased with the report, "At least those flying furballs are keeping out of our territory and sticking to the truce. I just hope the blue-and-gold tribe isn't facing any trouble with those flying foxes after Zoie told us of that battered Jandayan parrot. Anyway, let's get back to the ravine. It's getting late."

The other five macaws nodded and with that, they began to make their way back to the Lear's tribe's ravine. However, before they could fly further back into their tribe's territory, a strange smell entered Monique's nostrils. She stopped into a hover and grunted in revulsion.

"What is it, Monique?" asked Ruben. The other four macaws including Valentino looked at her.

"What… is… that… smell," gagged Monique as she held her nose with a talon, "That… acrid… sme-e-e-ell...?"

The other five macaws, at this, began to sniff the air. Then Ruben gagged.

"Smells like burning wood," he gasped. The other three macaws also complained. Valentino, at this, began to look around.

"I don't see anything burning," he said. However, he thought he saw something orange and glowing out the corner of his eye. Alarmed with dread biting him, Valentino whipped his head in the direction so fast it looked as though he had been stung by a bee. When he saw whatever was orange, he drew in a horrified gasp. The other five macaws flew in.

"What is it, Valentino?" asked Monique but when her eyes, and the eyes of the other four, landed on the orange thing, they cried in horror. What the six macaws saw in the distance was a sea of glowing amorphous orange dancing shapes engulfing the trees. From the tops of the things billows of black stuff was belching into the clean jungle air. It was a starry night and the black stuff was easily obscuring the star-washed sky from view. From the orange sea an unmistakable crackling sound, a sound the six macaws recognised, emanated into the air. Terror tore through Valentino as he opened his beak in sheer fright when he realised that the glowing orange smoke-belching monsters were heading this way. Then Ruben's voice snapped him out of his horrified trance.

"WE'D BETTER WARN THE REST OF THE LEAR'S TRIBE AND TELL THEM TO EVACUATE TO THE EVACUATION CAVE," he shouted, "THAT FIRE'S HEADING THIS WAY!"

As soon as Valentino heard these words, intense panic took hold. Shooting the five macaws a horrified glare, he barked orders at them.

"Let's get back to the ravine on the double and do just that," he bellowed, "And while there, I'll quickly arrange for some patrol groups to fly out into the territories of our neighbours to warn them of the imminent disaster! NOW LET'S MOOOVE!"

Without a second's hesitation, Monique, Ruben and the other three patrollers turned tail and rocketed off back to the Lear's tribe's ravine, Valentino not far behind. As he rocketed through the jungle after the other five, Valentino began to think of Sapphire and her family. "Oh, Sapphire, I hope you get to safety with your family when you see that fire."

At this moment in time, in the green macaws' home patch, the green macaws had turned in for the night but for an uneasy sleep due to the heat lingering from the hot day. Aramis was looking at the night sky and was in awe of the show of the Milky Way and the other stars. In his family's tree, Chlorophyll and Petunia were trying to sleep, as was Esmeralda but Aramis had been having trouble and had decided to come out to do some stargazing of his own. Something else was on his mind besides the heat from the day. As he gazed into the night sky, Esmeralda emerged from the hollow and walked over to him.

"Hey, Aramis," she said, concerned, "What are you still doing out here? I thought you were supposed to be settling down by my side for the night."

Aramis looked at her worriedly.

"It's too hot," he said.

"But you've been awfully busy today helping with the stocking of the food in the coming days," said Esmeralda, "You need rest. Come on, back to bed."

Aramis sighed and began to do as Esmeralda said. As he walked with his mate towards the hollow along the branch, Esmeralda saw the worry-swamped look on Aramis's face.

"Something troubling you?" she asked. At first Aramis did not answer, but when he saw the insisting look on Esmeralda's face, he began to reply.

"I'm worried about D'Artagnan and his family," he said, "Especially D'Artagnan. He's been through quite a nasty ordeal in the Pit of Doom a while ago, and I've been concerned for him and his family ever since."

Esmeralda sighed in agreement. "It is difficult, adapting into the wild, especially if you've been a pet for most of your life. I think he's just a bit naïve due to lack of experience. I hope Sapphire is helping him..."

"I'm sure she is," said Aramis, "After all it was D'Artagnan's desire to find more Lear's macaws in this area of Brazil and I'm sure his family, if they had that same desire, wouldn't have wanted him to go through something like that."

Then a thought about the Lear's macaw tribe came to his head when he thought about the camu-camu grove.

"But as far as D'Artagnan's problems are concerned," said Aramis, "I'm also concerned about the Lear's tribe. It seems that they have shared the camu-camu grove with your tribe for years based on what you and some of the other tribe members including Lewin have told me. Is there anything we can do…?"

"I'm afraid not," said Esmeralda sadly, "That's up to Alonso. He is after all, our tribe leader and he makes all the decisions regarding territory, food supplies and plans."

Aramis sighed before moving on to something else.

"You know, I'm on about moving to the Spix macaw tribe's ravine for a bit until the green tribe's conflict with the Lear's macaws subsides," he said, "And besides that, Alonso still seems disapproving toward us for A: being friends with the Lear's macaws, especially Sapphire, and B: me being a pet."

Esmeralda, at this, seemed to agree. "You know, I've been thinking about that too."

She then looked up at the sky and let loose a yawn. "But we'll consider that in the morning. Let's go to bed and get some rest. It's been a long and hot day."

And with that, she walked back to the hollow with Aramis following. Aramis then stole one final look at the dark landscape of the green tribe's home patch of trees.

"This tribe has just got to make peace with the Lear's macaws soon," he moaned as Esmeralda stepped into the hollow. Aramis was about to follow when suddenly, he heard the sounds of frantic flapping of several pairs of wings. He stopped and turned with a confused frown on his face.

"What in the world?" he said in a low voice, especially as the flapping noises grew louder. It was then that Aramis caught sighted some feathered forms flapping madly.

"Aramis, come on," growled Esmeralda slightly and irritably, her head poking out from the hollow's entrance, "Let's get some sleep."

"Something's not quite right," said Aramis. Esmeralda, sensing the worry in her mate's voice and seeing him gaze at something worriedly, stepped out of the hollow. As she did that, however the couple was violently startled by an explosion of words from the madly flapping birds which were macaws and a patrol group that had been set out by Alonso to carry out a night watch.

"FIRE!" cried one of the patrol macaws, "THERE'S FIRE HEADING THIS WAY! GRAB YOUR CHICKS AND MAKE YOUR WAY TO OUR EVACUATION CAVE RIGHT NOW!"

The green tribe's home patch air was filled with groggy groans as heads peered out from the trees in response to this. From his tree, Alonso wearily woke up and made his way to the hollow entrance. Verde, who was still in the nest incubating her and Alonso's clutch of two eggs, stirred. As Alonso stepped out of his hollow, he saw the panicked patrol group yell at the other green macaws to evacuate. Just then, one of the patrollers flew in and clumsily landed onto the branch before Alonso's hollow, almost falling off the branch.

"Whoa, careful, Lewin," muttered Alonso as the macaw named Lewin managed to regain his balance. Then Lewin took a moment to catch his breath for he was breathing heavily from flying so fast. Alonso then began to ask him, irritation from tiredness and the heat lacing his voice. "Right, tell me what's going on?"

Verde looked up from the nest. Lewin, with a terror swamped face, shot Alonso an alarmed gaze.

"Fire," he yelled, "There's fire heading this way! We saw it on the outskirts of the green macaws' territory. We need to evacuate the entire tribe to the cave before it gets here!"

When the word 'fire' reached Alonso's ears, terror exploded within the tribe patriarch like a crack of lightning. Verde also popped her head up in horror when she heard Lewin mention fire.

"Help me evacuate the tribe ON THE DOUBLE!" yelled Alonso at the top of his voice. Lewin nodded rapidly and rocketed off to do just that. Turning to Verde, Alonso commanded, "Verde, get those eggs to the cave. Stay there until I enter the cave once our entire tribe is evacuated."

Verde nodded and without a second's hesitation, carefully wrapped her talons around the two white orbs and began to make her way out of the hollow while Alonso shot off into the dark air to help evacuate the tribe.

Soon, the night air was filled with panicking green, blue, red and yellow birds as great green and military macaws began to leak from the trees and converge in the direction of the evacuation cave, a large cave outside the green tribe's home patch. The cave was covered with moss and had a small stream flowing over it. It was smaller than the Spix tribe's waterfall cave but it was large enough to house the entire green macaw tribe. Food had already been stocked into this cave but now it was about to be used as what it was meant to be used for: refuge from a forest fire. As the green tribe, with the elderly members being escorted and un-hatched eggs and chicks too young to fly being carried, converged towards the cave, Aramis and Esmeralda were flying alongside the other green macaw families with Chlorophyll and Petunia by their sides. Aramis had gone into his and Esmeralda's hollow to wake up the two chicks and now they were on their way to the cave. Esmeralda was extremely frightened and was almost in hysterics. She had been torn from the green macaw tribe by the previous fire when she was young, and had to fly through the inferno to escape. Now she was to face the nightmare all over again. Aramis, Chlorophyll and Petunia, though they had never at all experienced a forest fire in person, were also very frightened and Aramis still understood how frightening forest fires could be. The former pet great green macaw remembered watching a forest fire on a documentary back in London and knew what destruction they can cause. He also remembered how Esmeralda, Jewel and some of the other unfortunate macaws who had been torn from their tribes and clans by the fire years ago had to face such a nightmare and hoped never to face or experience it himself.

As Aramis and his family headed towards the cave with the other green macaws, Alonso and some of the other macaws were darting back and forth between trees and barking orders to the macaws to evacuate while at the same time helping macaw families with chicks too young to fly to leave their hollows. Then within seconds the cave began to fill with green macaws with blue and yellow wings, red foreheads, and blue, yellow and red tails. Chicks and eggs were carried to moss nests readily constructed and placed in them while adolescent, adult and elderly macaws perched onto the rock or on some of the soft moss. Aramis, Esmeralda and their two chicks made a beeline for one of the moss nests and as soon as they landed near it, Chlorophyll and Petunia jumped in while their mother settled in it next to them, one wing over her frightened and trembling chicks. Aramis settled beside his family and began to hug them, especially Esmeralda as she entered hysterics to help her calm down and prepare to face watching their home become consumed by flames.

On the outskirts of the sanctuary, the fire continued raging on. Orange flames leapt from one set of trees and plants to the next in a number of seconds. Because of how dry the plants had become during the drought, fire leaped between the foliage clusters really easily and quickly consumed them greedily. Ahead of the flames, panicked animals, screeching and squawking in terror, flew through or leaped through the trees. Monkeys, birds of every type and reptiles quickly scurried through the trees in a desperate attempt to stay ahead of the flames. Among the fleeing animals were macaws with turquoise, azure and blue plumages and grey heads. The glaucous macaws continued to flee the fire. Macaws carried eggs and chicks in their talons and the glaucous macaw tribe had scattered but all heading in the same direction as the sanctuary. Then within moments, the macaws had crossed the borders and into the territories of the green and Lear's tribes' territories, the fire not too far behind them.

Meanwhile

Eduardo and Mimi were flying through the dark trees in the direction of the Spix macaws' ravine, talking.

"You know something, Mimi, I think Hugh has done quite well to adapt to the wild, you know," said Eduardo, still concerned for his son-in-law.

"His name's Blu," said Mimi correcting him, an amused smile on her beak.

"Of course, Blu," said Eduardo. When Blu first met him, Eduardo often got his name wrong, calling him other names like Drew, Sue and Lou. Even now, he still got his name wrong. Furthermore, Eduardo still sometimes got Aurora's name wrong though he is approaching to getting her name right… slowly.

"Though he still has some significant reliance on human things to shed first," said Eduardo. "As for Aura…"

"Her name's Aurora," said Mimi.

"Sorry, Aurora, she's done very well," said Eduardo, impressed at how Aurora had adapted to the wild, "Despite living as a pet for much of her life."

Then Eduardo moved on to his concerns about Levi, Lapis Lazuli, Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar.

"But I've been very concerned for Levi and his family," said the Spix tribe patriarch, "They hadn't participated in anything all day. I thought that joining the stargazing group would help to take their minds off the glaucous macaw tribe but they had turned it down."

"Disappointment and grief over the tribe's arrogance and stubbornness, I believe," said Mimi. Eduardo nodded, knowing that all too well as he remembered Rudi's attitude towards him. "As much as I am surprised to see that the glaucous macaws have somehow managed to survive the siege from the flying foxes. I am appalled at their leader's attitude despite his tribe living in those awful and vulnerable conditions. I could tell from a distance without flying around where they are staying."

"Based on Lapis's description," said Mimi, "I could not believe that those rare birds are living in such a vulnerable spot. I mean what if loggers came to where they were staying? They wouldn't have a chance against those tree destroyers."

Mimi then remembered the Oscuro-Azul hyacinth Clan, and how their demise was at the clutches of loggers, and she shuddered. "When Violeta's parents and a patrol group of Bluewing hyacinth and blue-throated macaws had flown into the Oscuro-Azul Clan's territory to look for survivors, all they found were fallen trees and hyacinth macaw corpses. It was though the clan had been attacked by those flying foxes and driven out but with the destruction of trees included."

"I think that's how we would have ended up had we not shown ourselves to those well-meaning humans because we were too untrusting of them after all the experiences we've had with them in the past," said Eduardo, "That's what Rudi needs to get over. He needs to swallow his stubbornness and start considering his tribe's vulnerability."

Mimi nodded in agreement. Suddenly, the two siblings saw a group of shadowy figures in the distance. At this, Eduardo stopped into a horror, suspicion entering his green eyes and his feathers rising.

"What is it, Eduardo?" asked Mimi but when she spotted the approaching shadowy figures, she drew in a short gasp. The shadowy figures continued approaching Eduardo and Mimi, their size getting bigger and bigger the closer they got. As they were around 30 feet away, Eduardo barked, "Stop, who goes there!?"

This caused the shadowy figures, which turned out to be macaws just visible through the dark, to stop into a hover.

"Whoa, it's okay, it's only us," said one of them.

"We're from Valentino's tribe," said another. Relief flowing through him that they were macaws and not someone else, Eduardo lowered his feathers and flew towards them, Mimi close behind.

Soon enough, the two siblings were met by a group of three dark blue birds with teal-tinged facial feathers and orangey-yellow eye rings and beak lappets.

"What are you three doing in our territory at this time of night?" asked Eduardo with a frown, "You should be with your tribe."

Then the three macaws, which were Lear's macaws, began to shudder and talk so fast and at the same time that all Eduardo and Mimi received was a cacophony of tangled words that made no sense. Then Mimi came forward and slapped each macaw across the face. The three

"Calm down," she barked and the trio of Lear's macaws stopped immediately from the shock from the slap. Now that they were silent, Mimi asked, "Right, one at a time pleased. Why are you here?"

Then one of the macaws, a male, blurted out.

"Fire," he spat, "There's fire heading this way."

"Valentino, our leader and some of our patrollers saw it and it's approaching the sanctuary based on its direction," said the second macaw, a female.

"And he has sent us to warn the other macaw tribes and clans to evacuate," said the third macaw, a male. When the mentioning of fire reached Eduardo and Mimi's ears and were absorbed by their brains, the colour in the skin under their facial feathers drained until they were white under their feathers. Then Eduardo began to tremble violently. Fire was what tore Jewel and some of the other members, among them Tornado, Gael, Zephyr and Brisa, from his tribe, and had some others killed. That same fire had also ripped Ruby from the red tribe, Sapphire from the Lear's tribe, Esmeralda from the green tribe and Cobalto from the Navyfeather hyacinth Clan. Then Mimi barked, "We'll deliver the warning to our tribe right away!"

And with that, the plump macaw rocketed off.

"Right, thanks for the warning, you three," said Eduardo, "You go and warn the other tribes and clans including the green macaws and take cover with your own!"

The three Lear's macaws nodded and shot off into the darkness while Eduardo followed Mimi in the direction of the Spix macaws' ravine, faster than they had flown before due to being driven by panic. However, in his panic and haste, he forgot about the stargazing group.