Chapter 25- the poachers begin their illegal business
While Lysandre's underlings continued unloading the cargo bay, two blue and yellow comets darted out of one of them and rocketed off for the trees. Porthos and Orquidea, with their sons Azul and Wilbur and the blue-throated macaw chick Ariel in their talons, then disappeared into the trees. They headed off toward one destination in mind, the blue-and-gold macaw tribe for they were one of the nearest tribes to the poachers' location. After Porthos and his family and Ariel had disappeared, the others; Catina, Athos, Aramis and their families and Carla, Bia and Tiago hopped off from the same cargo bay and hid behind a nearby tree stump. Sounds of grunts emitted from the humans alongside Lysandre's barks of orders to them to hurry up as they continued unloading the cargo bays of the copters. Catina's eyes were fixated on one specific copter. Amongst the empty cages and net guns, she caught a glimpse of a few flashes of blue of various shades ranging from light cerulean to dark navy, and some blue-green, indicating the presence of Phoebe, D'Artagnan, Aurora, Levi and their families and Blu and Jewel. Around the flashes of blue feathers in the cages, black feathered forms and furred forms of various drab colours such as black, brown, white and grey took up their positions. However, the rest of the black forms, together with six slate grey and ivory forms, stood perched on the arms of some of Lysandre's underlings.
"There's Nigel," said Aramis, his screwdriver pointed to a familiar form. Catina followed the point and saw a grey-white form with green and yellow attire around his midsection. Catina could see that Nigel was in his threatening stance. His yellow crest was raised and his eyes were bulging and he appeared to be intimidating a specific family of macaws. Catina could not pinpoint which group of macaws it was but she could tell the group definitely wasn't Phoebe and her family as the flashes of navy blue were on the opposite side of the clump to Nigel. Based on the blue-green or turquoise flashes of feathers in addition to some grey and blue, just visible through the crowd of black feathers of the crows and the drab coloured fur of the cats, and how short those birds were, it had to be Levi and his family.
"I don't like the way he's threatening some of our friends," hissed Ruby in disgust and also with worry for the remaining macaws, especially Zephyr and Jewel.
"Levi and Aurora will be two of his bigger targets after Blu and Jewel," said Athos with Alexandre, Spinel and Poinsettia peering out under or behind him along with Carla, Bia and Tiago, "After all, Nigel loathes the Spix macaw and Levi was one of his victims that he traumatised as a chick."
"We're gonna have to get those birds out of there and stop those poachers in their tracks," said Aramis. Catina shot him a glare.
"That is easier said than done, Aramis," she said firmly. "Don't forget that those poachers have falcons with them," Aramis flashed those said birds of prey on the poachers' shoulders a glance as Catina continued. "If they see you, especially those birds of prey, you're in a cage again. Further, you'll NOT be able to out-fly those speedy birds with your agility. After all, Levi tried that and didn't stand a chance back at the poachers' place when we set him and his family free."
"That's right," said Athos in agreement, "Seriously, Aramis, we have no chance against those birds of prey armed with those lethal beaks and claws."
"Furthermore, you could end up seriously hurt, especially by another certain bird in that group..." added Esmeralda. She then winced as she remembered how Orquidea was slashed down the belly by that bird for attacking him, and also how Athos had suffered a NASTY bite to the foot, the scarlet macaw's left leg still in its bandage. Orquidea and Athos had been lucky those times time but the next time they ever found themselves face to face with the deranged cockatoo, they might not be as lucky. Esmeralda shuddered at the thoughts of one or both of those macaws suffering even more damage from the cockatoo if they ever found themselves the target at his wrath. Further, it was important that Carla, Bia and Tiago stayed away from that cockatoo after what happened with the former and the last thing Esmeralda and the other adults wanted was chicks getting hurt. Pushing aside those thoughts, the female great green macaw resumed focussing on the main priority.
"What we need is an effective, foolproof plan," said Catina. She then began to think.
"Have you ever done anything like this before, Mrs Catina?" asked Chlorophyll as he hid with his sister Petunia behind their mother Esmeralda.
"After all, you're an expert in stealth," added Carla. Bia and Tiago nodded in agreement.
"She may have spent much of her life as a smuggler's cat, Chlorophyll and Carla," said Ruby, "But even experts in stealth have to be very careful."
Catina nodded to this in agreement. Aramis then glared down at the screwdriver in his talon. Even with this effective tool on hand, he would not be able to pick a padlock fast enough before any of the cats, crows, falcons or Nigel spotted him, and those cats and crows had their eyes on the surroundings like hawks. Aramis could only agree with Catina's statement. Rescuing the remaining macaws and stopping the poachers was more complicated than jumping from point A to point B.
While Catina and the red and green macaws and Blu and Jewel's chicks began to think of a suitable plan, the poachers continued unloading the copters' cargo bay of their net guns and cages and prepare them, the humans with Cazador, Swoop, Bryony, Aliana, Cometa, Xerosic and the crows to be sent out into the jungle to hunt down and catch some macaws got prepared to release the birds. The faces of five the falcons and crows were creased with excitement and glee but the face of the sixth falcon was not. Cometa was looking around with reluctance and remorse, especially for the remaining caged macaws as Nigel continued threatening them. Her eyes were on Zephyr, Levi and their families in particular. It was clear that she did not reprimand Nigel and tell him to leave the Spix and Lear's macaws alone based on their value, but because she could not stand the cockatoo picking on and threatening the poor macaws. Suddenly, Cazador's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Is everyone ready?" asked Cazador. All but Cometa nodded in agreement.
"Indeed," said Swoop.
"Can't wait to catch some rare blue macaws," said Aliana gleefully.
"Especially those ultra-rare glaucous macaws," said Bryony.
"We're gonna make a fortune," said Xerosic, his wings rubbed together in a scheming manner. The crows nodded in agreement.
"Now, now, don't get excited," said Cazador trying to keep his group calm, "This is going to be a difficult task, you know. When we catch those macaws, they may viciously fight back like how a fish would in an osprey's talons, so we must get prepared for retaliation from our victims. Now, when we catch those macaws, we are to haul them back right here. We must keep a firm grip on those macaws even if they do fight against us. Is that understood?"
The other four falcons nodded in agreement but Cometa remained reluctant. When a crow elbowed her in the side, she reluctantly nodded to confirm that she had understood Cazador's instructions. While the falcons and the crows with them prepared for action, Nigel gazed at Cazador's group jealously. If his eyes could change colour with his mood, the colour would be green for envy.
"I wish I could fly like they could," he growled. He then snapped his glance from the falcons to Blu and Jewel. "Those two wretched blue birds are gonna pay dearly for reducing me to this."
"Remember, Nigel," said Otis, "We are not to injure any of the glaucous, the Spix and Lear's macaws."
Nigel shot the black and white cat a bitter glare. He clearly wanted to do just that to Zephyr and Lapis Lazuli so that he could severely devastate Levi and Aurora. But Otis glared at Nigel with an adamant look saying, 'I mean it, pal', and then walked away to prepare for the job with the other cats. Nigel stomped a foot on the mud in frustration but then he stopped and thought. A wicked plan began to develop in his head.
'If I cannot injure those beloved mates of Pigtails (Aurora) and turquoise boy (Levi) directly in front of the poachers and the falcons, maybe I could do it behind their backs and pretend that they had escaped and had brutally scratched themselves in a thorny bush or something?' Nigel's beak creased into a disgusting smile. 'Yeah, I'll do just that'. Nigel then rubbed his tattered wings in a scheming manner as he thought over this.
"If you THINK you're gonna lay a claw on any of us, you ugly vulture, you've got another thing coming," snarled a familiar female voice, snapping the cockatoo out of his wicked thoughts and making his face twist into a bitter scowl. Nigel turned round and glared at the speaker who gazed acidly at him with her teal eyes. A pair of brown eyes saturated with corrosive rancour also glared at Nigel. In response to the former's snarl, Nigel sauntered towards Blu and Jewel, his feathers and crest raising more and more with every inch covered towards them.
"I'm afraid it won't happen, pretty birds," he crooned nastily, "What is planned is planned. There's no going back now."
From the adjacent cage, Cobalto fixed his glare on Jewel. 'I hope she's not gonna spit those vitriolic words all over Nigel this time,' he thought, 'One of these days, that tongue of hers is gonna get her into trouble.'
Jewel certainly did have an acidic tongue, but that would easily spell disaster for this Spix macaw if she did not learn to control it. However, with her and Blu's most detested cockatoo standing before them, all bets were off for Jewel, along with Blu, absolutely LOATHED the cockatoo to the core and was always poised to spit some acidic words at Nigel, regardless of the consequences such as putting herself in danger of getting hurt, much to the chagrin of the other macaws. Nigel's glare then flared into a fiery hateful one.
"Especially when pretty birds are gonna smooch and embrace like a pair of, um, lovebirds," snarled the cockatoo bitterly, "That is one of the things I cannot stand most of all. And I particularly GET SICK WHEN I'M AROUND YOU TWO!"
In response, a scornful smile crept into Blu's beak.
"O-o-o-o-o-oh, you cannot stand us smooching and that?" he crooned mockingly, "Well, what about your lovely little froggy girlfriend back in Rio? Doesn't she like smooching all over your face like how we saw her do just that when your lil' 'Bob the bird' identity was revealed?"
Blu let loose a smug laugh when this snide comment stung Nigel like a thousand bees, making him jolt his head and shoot him an offended look. Blu, not to be denied the pleasure of humiliating his nemesis, then took this as an opportunity to tell this to the cats. Nigel shook with immense rage.
"Don't you DARE!" he snarled but Blu blurted it out anyway.
"Hey, kitty cats," he called, pulling the attention of the feline guards to him, "That cockatoo has a frog who is madly in love with him!"
This sent volcanic rage flaring through Nigel like fire through a cloud of flammable gas when this information he wanted to keep hidden from his feline allies reached the ears of the cats. Then the cockatoo lost his temper entirely and lurched at Blu and Jewel when suddenly, crow talons hooked onto him and stopped him in his tracks.
"Hold it right there, cockatoo," shouted one. Blu and Jewel who were huddled together in fright looked on in shock but also with an acidic lour. Around them, Aurora, Levi, D'Artagnan and Phoebe and their families looked on in horror.
"These Spix macaws are invaluable," said the crow. Its comrades glaring at Nigel with agreeing eyes as they restrained him, "Now control that temper of yours or you'll face the consequences!"
And with that, the group forced Nigel away from the cage holding Blu and Jewel with the others. Sighs of relief emitted from the other macaws as the atmosphere calmed down.
"That was close," said D'Artagnan with Miranda, Jasmine and Annette cowering behind Sapphire who stood behind him.
"I thought he was gonna unleash his rage at Blu and Jewel for a second," shuddered Sapphire. Then Cobalto and Phoebe shot Blu a glare while Zebedee and Indigo hid behind the latter.
"You foolish nitwit," the male hyacinth macaw growled, "You could have been hurt!"
"Yeah, you know what he's like with you two," put in Phoebe.
"Well at least his cat friends know his little secret, Phoebe and Cobalto," crooned Blu smugly. Cobalto and Phoebe shot the cats a glare and saw that their faces were laced with shock. Their mouths hung open and their eyes bulged like grapes. Then Moggy's voice reached the hyacinth couple's ears.
"A frog has… fallen in love with Nigel!?" she shouted incredulously.
"SHUT UP!" barked Nigel, startling Moggy and making her jerk her body like a frightened lizard. Zebedee and Indigo were about to enter a laughing fit but Phoebe shot them a rebuking scowl, making them shut their beaks obediently. If Nigel caught them laughing at his divulged secret regarding the love-crazed Gabi the frog, he wouldn't have hesitated to kill the two hyacinth chicks. Timidly, Zebedee and his sister hid silently behind their mother.
Nigel then glared at Blu with the bitterest and most acidic gaze he had ever made. Phoebe, Cobalto, D'Artagnan and Sapphire shuddered at the look in Nigel's eyes which clearly read, 'you're gonna pay for this, you filthy blue macaw!' before resuming his task of helping some of the human underlings such as John in preparing the cages. Then the sounds of wing flaps filled the air as Cazador and his gang of falcons and crows were released.
"Now go find those Lear's, Spix and glaucous macaws," commanded Lysandre, "Once you do, catch some of them and haul them back to us. Then we'll send you out for the next catch. You know what to do."
Cazador crowed and commanded his group into following him. From his cage, D'Artagnan watched the group of falcons and crows as they flew towards the wall of trees and then split up. Cometa was the last to leave for she was weighed down with reluctance and concern for the caged macaws. However, she left with the others anyway. D'Artagnan and Sapphire then deduced the falcons' directions.
"They're heading off in the directions of the Spix and Lear's macaw tribes' territories, Sapphire," the former said. Sapphire just said nothing and continued to watch the falcons recede into the distance with worried and despairing eyes as if to say, 'It has begun'.
Meanwhile
Travis and Sunset continued shooting through the trees like rockets. They had been flying this fast for a while now and their wing muscles were beginning to ache. Their lungs were pumping more air in and out of their bodies and their hearts raced ten to the dozen. Travis and Sunset who had Eustace, Milo and Rosa in their talons were puffing and panting but they continued to fly at high speed. They then braked drastically to a hover when they found a stream slice through the blanket of vegetation below them.
"Do you think… we could… be close…?" puffed Sunset between breaths. Travis heaved on and out at a fast rate and scanned the surroundings.
"We should… see some… flashes of colour… by now…" he said, "If we do… then we're close (Puff! Pant!)."
"I hope we are," Sunset managed to blurt out before entering another episode of rapid breathing. Then the two cockatoos resumed their rocket-speed flight, following the river and hoping that it led to one of the bird tribe or clan's territories.
"I hope we get to the Spix macaws before those falcons find them," wailed Eustace in Travis's talons. Milo and Rosa also cried for their wild friends.
"We will, kids, don't worry, we just have to find them first," said Travis. Then the two cockatoos continued their speedy flight through the forest and following the river.
Meanwhile
While Travis and Sunset continued flying through the jungle, Esperanza, James, Danny and Avellana exploded from the vegetation strip dividing the two clearings and had arrived back in the first clearing where Tulio and his team had landed. The moment they found themselves back in the same clearing in which they had landed, the four young adult greyhounds dashed off to find Tulio and his team.
"I hope there are some of his members still behind," cried Avellana as they approached the helicopter.
"We don't have any time to lose," said James, "Those poachers are gonna start poaching macaws any moment."
"I think they are doing now," said Danny. The four greyhounds finally reached the helicopter and began to look around for Tulio and his group. However, to their dismay, there was no-one about at all.
"Oh, NO!" growled Esperanza in frustration at the empty scene.
"They've all left!" cried James.
"What are we gonna do now!" cried Danny, "We can't just leave those poachers to carry out their illegal deeds, and we certainly don't want to risk getting lost in that dense clutter of trees and undergrowth in an attempt to find those ecologists."
"There HAS to be someone around here, surely," growled James again. Avellana then began to look around until her eyes found the helicopter, and to a glimmer of hope shining within her, its doors were still open. Immediately, the hazelnut coloured greyhound turned to her two brothers and sister with a hopeful look.
"The copter," she said, "Maybe there is someone in there."
"How?" asked Danny.
"Well, someone has to stay behind to watch over this highly expensive vehicle, little brother," muttered Esperanza with a frown, making Danny flinch indignantly.
"Well, let's check out the inside of the copter and see if there is anyone inside," said James, "Maybe he or she could contact Tulio and his team."
"If only they could understand us despite the vast chasm between them and us regarding communication via the auditory channel," said Avellana.
"You've been spending too much time having that nose of yours in those ecology books, sis," said James teasingly, "You're DEFINITELY becoming more and more like Bia and Poinsettia."
Avellana did not reply and rushed off towards the copter, the other three following. Then after jumping into the copter through the door, the dogs began to scan the interior.
"Whoa, this is just like an aerial ambulance," said Danny in fascination as he scanned the medical facilities, "I wonder if this is what those ecologists use in transporting badly injured animals to a hospital."
"They're on about building one here, actually," said Esperanza, "To save the hassle of transport and its costs."
"Especially this is in the middle of nowhere where there are miles and miles of rainforest," said Avellana. Then James let loose a bark to get the other three greyhounds' attention. There was a pattering of three lots of four feet as the dogs gathered around James.
"There's someone in the cockpit," said the younger version of Dash but with brown eyes, "It must be the pilot."
Danny saw the vague outline of a human's head through a small window to the cockpit.
"It is," he said, "Let's get his attention and try and lead him to those poachers. That way Tulio and his group will be alerted that way."
Then the four greyhounds readied themselves for the next step of their part of the plan. They knew that it was ridiculous but they had no other choice. Then altogether, the four greyhounds let loose loud howls. They sounded like a pack of wolves howling at night. Their loud howls travelled through the air, through the wall that divided the cockpit from the main compartment and reached the ears of the pilot.
The pilot had stayed behind to keep an eye on the helicopter, as Esperanza had said, while the others were out in the jungle carrying out their task. He was having a cup of tea when he heard a startling sound. He flinched, almost spilling some of the tea onto himself and began to look around.
"Que (what)?" he said, for he spoke Spanish. He then stood up and began to examine the surroundings more. Avellana, Esperanza, James and Danny continued howling as loud as they could, despite their throats becoming dry.
"Keep howling!" cried Esperanza to her younger siblings and the four continued to howl together. Then the pilot bolted out of his cockpit and jumped down from the door, before running to the main compartment and looked inside. To his utmost shock, he saw four greyhounds howling their heads off. Astonishment then flashing to rage at the sight of the four dogs, which he had assumed had stowed away on the helicopter, the pilot swore in Spanish. When they heard the pilot shout, the four greyhounds, seeing that the pilot's attention had been seized by their howling, then ran forward and let loose frantic barking. They had to put frantic body language into their barking to reinforce their message for Dash had told them that body language in any form of communication in dogs was important. In threat posture for example, the baring of the teeth, growling and lower body ducked and hairs raised were all important in telling the threat, 'Back away, or I'll bite you!' and Esperanza had utilised this to threaten Nigel when defending Broccoli, Carla, Bia and Tiago during the skirmish back at the house in Rio.
The pilot then climbed into the copter in an attempt to catch the greyhounds but the four dodged and jumped out of the other side of the copter. They continued barking and then running off, the pilot angrily shouting at them in Spanish. The quartet then began to lead the pilot in the direction of Lysandre's group.
"It's working!" cried Danny as he and the other three continued this rather ridiculous act.
The four greyhounds then entered the vegetation with the pilot in hot pursuit. The pilot charged through the vegetation and continued chasing the greyhounds. The greyhounds were almost there but they did not realise that they had made one DIRE mistake. The greyhounds' barking must have carried and it had travelled out of the vegetation and to the ears of Lysandre and his group as they readied their net guns. John told them all to be quiet.
"Shh," he called. All talking ceased and ears were cocked to listen. The cats, Nigel and the remaining crows also stopped to listen as did Levi, Aurora, Aramis, Phoebe, D'Artagnan, Blu and their families. Catina, Aramis and Athos and their families and Carla, Bia and Tiago also heard the sounds of barks and stiffened, as did Dash, Veggie, Collette, Ginger and Daisy.
"Isn't that…?" began Carla.
"Dash's family!" hissed Catina in horror, finishing Carla's sentence.
"Oh, no," said Athos in a low, dread-saturated voice, "Don't tell me those dogs have…"
It was then that loud 'Hey!' exploded from the mouth of one of Lysandre's underlings. Now THAT was a good time to allow SERIOUS dread to rip through the green and red macaws, Carla, Bia and Tiago and Catina, and also the macaws still yet to be freed. Then all eyes, including the eyes of Lysandre's group and the remaining pets, turned to the direction of the source. That source which was four four-legged forms; two light grey coloured, one ginger and the other chestnut, all four with barks exploding from their mouths, emerged from the green wall of vegetation. Esperanza, James, Danny and Avellana continued luring the pilot towards Lysandre and his group, unaware of the deadly pothole they were about to fall into. The pilot exploded from the vegetation behind them.
"Almost there," shouted Esperanza and the four continued barking and yelping, the pilot continuously chasing them. The four dogs then ran towards Lysandre's group in an attempt to get the pilot to see the group of poachers close enough to see their net guns and cages with a few of them containing birds. That should be enough for the pilot to warn Tulio, having seen the hidden poachers with his own two eyes. Danny barked excitedly.
"Looks like those poachers' cover is about to be blown!" he shouted proudly.
"Yep," said Esperanza, a smug smile gleaming on her face. The other two were about to agree when suddenly, "NET THOSE DOGS!"
Then before the four greyhounds could register that sound, several bangs were heard. Next, several large spider-web like things flew towards the greyhounds and before they had time to see them and react, the nets collided with them and entangled their legs and bodies! Esperanza yelped in shock as she was sent flying from the momentum of the net as it hit her. She then crashed to the floor, tumbling to a stop, with the mesh of the net wrapped tightly around her legs, tail and body. Avellana, James and Danny also cried in surprise as their bodies and legs were also ensnared by the mesh of the nets. From their hiding place, Dash yelped, "NO!"
Ginger was about to rush in to help but Veggie stopped her, knowing what would happen if the poachers spotted her. Ginger then reluctantly remained in the hiding spot at Veggie's command in the form of a glare and helplessly watched her first litter writhe in their nets and Dash also shuddered. It was like history repeating itself when he, Veggie and Travis and Sunset were caught and caged by the previous band of smugglers when they tried to rescue their feathered friends. Only this time it was his and Ginger's offspring involved. Esperanza struggled to free her long legs and tail from the tangle of stiff threading of the net. She closed her jaws onto a piece and began to pull, growling fiercely. James, Danny and Avellana did the same but their attempts at tearing at the tough threads were futile. Then the sounds of multiple footsteps and the crunching of fairly dry mud reached the greyhounds ears. Danny and James both looked up and when they saw the shooters of the nets, their heads jerked up in horror, accompanied by a sharp rush of air into their mouths and bulging eyes. Dash, Ginger, Veggie, Collette and Daisy as Lysandre's group then surrounded the netted dogs. However, despite the recklessness of the four greyhounds, their efforts had paid off.
Behind the captured young dogs, the pilot stopped dead in utter horror when he saw the group of people, many of which were armed with net guns, crowd around the struggling dogs he had been chasing and begin to talk amongst themselves. It was an obvious shock to find domestic dogs like greyhounds wandering around in such a dangerous wilderness as the Amazon rainforest without any humans accompanying them, especially if they were not trained to be here, and the group was surprised by Esperanza and her three siblings' presence out here.
"Are these greyhounds?" asked one of the women.
"What are they doing out here in the jungle?" asked another woman. The four young greyhounds then shot the group of poachers a volcanic glare each and began to growl bitterly as Lysandre began to shoot orders to his underlings.
"Never mind what these animals are or how they ended up here in this place," he growled, "Get some cages and shove them into them and then place them into the cargo bay of one of the copters. We'll take care of them later."
The underlings, among them John and Gale, nodded in agreement and set to picking up the four greyhounds. However, the four built-to-run dogs growled fiercely and began to snap at the hands of the underlings as they approached them. James lashed at John and almost bit his hands, making John flinch and back away.
"Look, just grab 'em," growled Lysandre impatiently. John tried another time but James snarled and lunged his jaws at his hands again. Danny, Esperanza and Avellana repeated this aggressive and defensive behaviour with the other poachers. This unintentional distraction, however, had bought the other two groups some time for it had also drawn the cats and crows and Nigel, who had been put on guard around the caged birds, away from their posts out of curiosity.
While Lysandre and his group were occupied with the four netted greyhounds, Catina and her group began to make their move.
"Alright, Aramis, Athos, Esmeralda and Ruby," commanded the calico, "You hop in there and save as many of those remaining macaws as you can but be quick for you might not have much time."
The four adult macaws obeyed and rushed in like red and green comets with blue or teal wings and made a beeline for the caged macaws. Chlorophyll, Petunia, Carla, Bia, Tiago, Alexandre, Spinel and Poinsettia stayed behind and watched with nervousness as their parents rushed towards the caged macaws. As soon as Athos, Ruby and Esmeralda were near the cages, they seized their first target of choice, D'Artagnan and his family, and began to haul it away while Aramis inserted the screwdriver into Phoebe and her family's cage's padlock. Phoebe, Cobalto, Zebedee and Indigo smiled on as lithe great green macaw began to pick the padlock with the device as quickly as possible. The others were also surprised by Aramis' appearance.
"Aramis, how did you-?" began Blu but Aramis replied, "I don't have much time, Blu."
While he worked away at the padlock, Athos, Esmeralda and Ruby hauled away the Lear's macaws, half-carrying, half-dragging the cage along. Then as soon as they were close to their group's hiding spot, behind a tree stump, Catina appeared and latched her claws onto the cage to quickly finish the job. However, Aramis was still out in the open struggling to unlock the padlock locking Phoebe and her family in their cage. Jewel and Blu looked on as did, Levi, Lapis Lazuli, Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar. Aramis was clearly under pressure and was struggling to concentrate.
"Hurry, Aramis," said Jewel, her bitter glare on Nigel who was distracted, "That vulture and his comrades will be returning…"
"I'm trying, Jewel," snapped Aramis as he fiddled with the padlock with the screwdriver, "But the pressure's affecting my concentration…"
The others looked on in worry. While Aramis continued to fiddle with the padlock on Phoebe and her family's cage, Dash, Veggie and Collette made their move and sneaked in, their eyes firmly on the struggling Aramis. Ginger and Daisy were left behind in their hiding place. At the same time, Catina had clicked a claw and had inserted it into the padlock holding D'Artagnan and his family in their cage.
"Boy am I glad you've managed to come out here," said D'Artagnan.
"How-?" asked Sapphire but Catina cut her off.
"It's a long story, you two," said Catina as she continued twiddling her claw in the padlock's keyhole trying to separate the locking piece of the U-part from its mechanism. Miranda, Jasmine and Annette also watched on, smiles on their faces. Athos and Ruby, with Spinel, Poinsettia and Alexandre's help, kept a firm hold onto D'Artagnan and his family's cage.
"Man, I'm so glad you lot have managed to come along," said Sapphire to the scarlet macaws, "And I assume you've come to Catina's aid, haven't you when you were freed?"
The scarlet macaws didn't reply and continued holding the cage steady while Catina worked on the padlock. Then D'Artagnan spotted Athos's bandaged foot. However, he did not ask any questions for he was desperate to be out of the cage with his family. Then Athos spoke.
"Once you're out of this cage," said he, "Some of us are going to fly to Tulio and alert him."
D'Artagnan, Sapphire and their daughters nodded. However, the distraction caused by Esperanza and her siblings was waning for Lysandre and his group had managed to latch their hands onto the four dogs, fighting past their defences in the form of snarling and biting. As soon as they had seized the four dogs, the poachers began to haul them back. The four dogs squirmed fiercely, snarling and snapping at the poachers but they kept a firm hold on them.
"I guess that's enough of this silly business with these four stupid dogs," muttered Lysandre as he helped Gale carry Esperanza, keeping his arms firmly on her neck to prevent her from biting the woman, "How they have managed to find their way out here is anybody's guess."
"What are we gonna do to them, boss?" asked Gale, flinching as Esperanza growled fiercely at her.
"We'll see to them later," said Lysandre, "Let's just get them caged first."
Just then, someone's voice sounded, "Hey, boss."
Lysandre turned round. Esperanza followed the head poacher's gaze and yelped in horror. The pilot had been seized and was now being firmly held between two of Lysandre's underlings like an apprehended robber by two policemen.
"We've captured this nosey person as well," said one of them, his arms wrapped tightly around the pilot's left arm while the other held the pilot by the right arm.
"What shall we do with him?" asked that underling. Lysandre paused for a second until finally; an idea came into his head.
"Tie him up and stash him into one of our copters," he said, "We'll see to him later as well."
The pilot glared at Lysandre bitterly.
"Tulio is NOT gonna be impressed, mate," he snarled (translated from Spanish to English), "You know he will not tolerate poachers in this protected nature reserve."
Lysandre smiled wickedly. Like the pilot, he could also speak Spanish so he understood what the pilot was saying.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, pal, but we have already sent out our falcons and some of our crows, and our plans have already been put in motion," he said in mock sympathy (again, his Spanish translated to English here). The pilot struggled in his holders' grasp, his fiery glare on the lead poacher. Then hot rage flared within him when he saw Ernesto walk towards him to help the two underlings who held him firmly by the arms.
"So, YOU'VE been working with that bunch of crooks and helping them to infiltrate this nature reserve all along?" he growled. Ernesto did not reply and seized the pilot by the arms before helping the two underlings to drag him towards the copters. The pilot struggled fiercely and spouted profanity in Spanish but the three men's grip was iron.
While Lysandre's group carried the four greyhounds and the pilot towards the copters, Aramis managed to reach the 'click' noise of the padlock when he finally unlocked it with the screwdriver. This done, he immediately chucked the padlock away and opened the door, allowing Phoebe and her family to escape.
"Great job, Aramis," said Lapis Lazuli, "Now take those hyacinth macaws out of here and don't worry about us."
Aramis froze briefly with reluctance but upon seeing the insistent faces of the Lear's, the Spix and the glaucous macaws including Aurora and Levi despite their extreme fear of this situation, he made his choice. However, before the four hyacinth macaws and great green macaw could leave for Catina's hiding place, a piercing scream erupted from Zebedee and Indigo's beaks while the others gasped as something leapt at the group from behind, the form going straight for Aramis. Then before Aramis could turn around and see who it was, the lithe great green macaw was knocked over and then pinned down by the neck against the floor by a bundle of ragged grey-white feathers in a yellow and green vest! Phoebe, Cobalto, Zebedee and Indigo were about to take off when suddenly, cat paws and crow talons darted in and latched onto their wings, tails and talons. In response, the four massive birds began to struggle violently. From their hiding place, when Catina had freed D'Artagnan and his family from their cage, a horrified gasp was drawn into D'Artagnan's beak while Sapphire shrieked. Miranda, Jasmine and Annette also released small shrieks while Athos, Esmeralda and Ruby's eyes, and those of Spinel, Poinsettia, Alexandre, Chlorophyll, Petunia, Carla, Bia and Tiago, darted towards the site of the caged birds. When they saw that Aramis and the hyacinth macaws had been caught, they gasped as horror tore through them.
Aramis' green eyes, which were flooded with terror especially at the iron noose of a talon wrapped around his neck, darted this way and that in shock when suddenly, they were pulled towards the face of the sickening cockatoo as he said, "Well, hello… pretty bird."
Near Nigel, the cats and crows had managed to overpower and restrain Phoebe, Cobalto, Indigo and Zebedee, and all four hyacinth macaws were pinned down by the cats and crows. Phoebe saw Nigel taunt Aramis and gasped. The other caged birds looked on, unable to help Aramis, but Blu and Jewel's feathers were puffed out and an extremely vitriolic look smeared their faces as they gazed at Nigel.
"How nice of you to come back in an attempt to help your little friends escape," crooned Nigel mockingly. He then shot a glance at Zephyr and Lapis Lazuli who looked on with Aurora and Levi and their chicks, and then looked back at Aramis as he struggled to pry the cockatoo's clutch from his neck.
"Especially to see the first climax of my plans about to be put into action," crooned Nigel sadistically. Then Aramis felt a streak of courage and boldness strike through his terror and he eyed the wicked cockatoo fiercely.
"Oh, yeah?" he retorted, "And what climax is that, tatty-crest?"
An extremely sadistic smile creased into Nigel's beak. It was the most sadistic and devilish smile Aramis had ever seen but he had already had a hunch at what Nigel was about to say before he even said it.
"Seein' Pigtails and Turquoise boy over there," said Nigel, referring to Aurora and Levi, "And their chicks scream in extreme anguish when I claw to death their beloved mates/parents, and then watch their hearts break," Nigel's eyes widened as EXTREME sadism festered within them like an infected wound, "Just like how their hearts broke when I brutally killed their parents when they were chicks."
An extremely sadistic laugh then escaped his beak, sending panicked shivers coursing down Aurora and Levi's spines but a sour look on Zephyr and Lapis Lazuli's faces Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil and Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimare also whimpered. Behind Nigel, four four-legged mammals, one large light grey canine and the two felines, continued carefully approaching Nigel. Dash had his eyes fixed upon the cockatoo as he continued taunting Aramis. Then Levi and his family saw Dash, Veggie and Collette and kept quiet, before shifting their eyes back towards Nigel. Then Nigel held Aramis, his foot clutched so hard around his neck so tight that Aramis struggled to breathe, his wings clutched onto Nigel's tightened noose. Esmeralda saw this and tried to fly in and save him but Catina latched her paws on her shoulders and restrained her, knowing that if she attempted to jump out and rescue her mate, she'd be caught by the cats and crows. Chlorophyll and Petunia were also prevented from flying out by Athos and Ruby when they saw their father in trouble, knowing that these two tiny birds were no match for the cockatoo. However, Chlorophyll eyed Nigel with a vitriolic glare, the most corrosive glare he had EVER harboured in his life and he began to tremble with wrath. He clearly wanted to show Nigel what for if he EVER did anything to his father. However, as mentioned it was too dangerous for him. Nigel continued to taunt Aramis.
"As for you, pretty bird," crooned the cockatoo as he tightly held the green macaw in the air by the neck, "I'm either gonna cage you or kill you," he then froze and tipped his head to one side, "but the thing is, I can't decide which option to take."
Aramis, despite struggling to breathe and the fear Nigel was trying to strike into him, smiled sarcastically. His eyes then got a glimpse of drab colour behind Nigel's back, so he began to stall the cockatoo for time.
Veggie, Collette and Dash then hid behind Zephyr, Aurora and their chicks and Levi and his family. When Zephyr saw the three mammals, Dash raised a paw to his mouth to tell him to be quiet and then poised himself to attack.
"You certainly are sick in the head," said Aramis with a mock smile, which Nigel took as a compliment. But then Aramis' face changed from sarcasm to one of a thundercloud.
"But I think you really HAVE crossed the line, you psychotic, bloodthirsty piece of work," snarled the great green macaw, "You're no different from Brutus, you know! It seems that you've gone from plain sadistic to outright MURDEROUS."
Nigel was about to let loose a scornful reply but Aramis swept on. Blu and Jewel looked on with smug smiles on their faces, hoping that Aramis would strike their nemesis in a sensitive nerve with his comments.
"To hear of your idea of tearing Blu and Jewel's family apart when you catch their chicks and inflicting a traumatic scar on the five of them is beyond disturbing," continued Aramis thunderously, "But what's even MORE disturbing is your idea of putting to death Zephyr and Lapis Lazuli in front of their mates and chicks and then watching the latter lot weep over their corpses. Now THAT... is just plain... DISGUSTING. In fact, 'disgusting' doesn't even come CLOSE to describing your VILE plans, and it makes me sick to the stomach just thinking about it," Aramis then looked Nigel in the eye, "Just like how YOU YOURSELF... makes me wanna PUKE."
"Good, I'm glad to hear it," said Nigel with a fiendish grin, "I like your compliments on my plans and myself as a whole."
Aramis winced in utter revulsion at this response. However, he swept on.
"Honestly, cockatoo, your ideas are beyond diabolical," snarled the green macaw, his cheeks bulging from the strength in Nigel's noose, "Is it any wonder so many exotic birds despise you and shun you, earning you the reputation as being the most hated cockatoo in Brazil amongst them, because you like torturing exotic birds when they are in their most helpless and distressed state?"
"Well, you've heard in my song, pretty bird," snapped Nigel right into Aramis' face, spittle and his smelly breath flying into it and making the macaw wince, "I've told you that I'm extremely malicious, evil and a bird murderer."
He then prepared to throw Aramis down onto the floor, raising him higher in the air to increase momentum to inflict injury on him during this act. However, behind the cockatoo, Dash had raised a paw.
"And because I am a bird murderer," cackled Nigel, an EXTREMELY devilish and diabolical face characteristic of his twisted and insane mind that had rotted so much to the core from his rancour for all exotic birds, "I might as well take the option to kill you in front of these disgusting pretty birds, especially Pigtails and Turquoise boy (That is, Aurora and Levi). Show them what is gonna happen to their precious mates shortly!"
And with that, Nigel thrusted Aramis forcefully down onto the ground and prepared the claws of his talon, aiming them for the green macaw's throat. Blu, Jewel, Aurora, Zephyr, Levi, Lapis Lazuli, and Phoebe and Cobalto who were restrained by the cats and crows, and Esmeralda from her group including Catina's hiding place, looked on in horror with the chicks but before Nigel could inflict Aramis with the killing blow, a greyhound's paw appeared behind the cockatoo's left shoulder and came down on him in a forceful swipe. Nigel cried in utter shock as he was thrown into the clearing and into a tumble by Dash's paw, coming to rest about two metres from his initial position. The cats and crows' heads snapped like elastic bands in Nigel's direction when they heard his cries and a tumbling sound. To their surprise, they found the cockatoo lying on his side, stunned. Aramis looked up and saw Dash and smiled. With the crows and cats holding Phoebe, Cobalto, Zebedee and Indigo distracted by the surprised appearance of Dash, the hyacinth macaws took the opportunity to escape by flapping their wings and lashing their talons to free themselves from their captors' grasp. Then the navy blue birds escaped towards Catina and company's hiding spot before any of their captors could get up.
While Dash became occupied with protecting Aramis with Collette beginning to move Blu and Jewel's cage away, Veggie bounded over to Nigel as he got up and flared his claws. When Nigel saw Veggie then hold his clawed paw in the air, poised to come down on him, a mocking smile crept onto his beak.
"Well hello… kitty cat," crooned the cockatoo wickedly, clearly not intimidated by the tabby cat's threat and rage, "what are you doin' out here in this dangerous jungle?"
Veggie's paw then moved to hover above Nigel's face. Though it was not in Veggie's nature to hurt birds, certainly not by clawing or biting them, Nigel's abuse of his feathered friends, both emotionally and physically, and also his hurting of others such as his son Broccoli and Esperanza, one of Dash and Ginger's daughters had finally pushed the tabby cat over the edge.
"You move even an inch or even think about raising a talon to attack me, cockatoo and you'll be having four more claw marks right across your face," hissed Veggie threateningly. His fur was spiked out and his back was raised, as it always did whenever a cat was angry or threatened. Otis and his cat gang and the crows then prepared to jump in and help Nigel but Dash bounded in front of them and blocked their way with a fierce growl. Otis's eyes snapped from Dash to Veggie as he continued threatening Nigel and then back to Dash again, unsure of what to do. Nigel then made an arrogant smirk on his beak.
"Oh, you sure are brave, kitty cat," crooned the cockatoo, getting up and stepping towards Veggie but the tabby cat swiped his claws right across Nigel's face, deliberately having his claws miss Nigel's skin by a centimetre and making the cockatoo jump back to show the cockatoo he wasn't bluffing. Then Veggie returned his paw to its original position, bared his teeth and hissed through them. For the first time in a very long while, he had taken up a threatening stance towards a bird. Nigel then smiled again and attempted to approach Veggie once more but Veggie hardened his threat stance.
"I'm warning you, Nigel," said the tabby cat, his voice as deadly as corrosive acid, or two certain macaws that Nigel detested most, "If you take one more step, you'll be coming away with a fresh set of bleeding claw marks on your face, or a worse injury."
Still the arrogant look remained on Nigel's face.
"What are you waiting for, Veggie?" called Lapis Lazuli, "Scratch him!"
Aurora, Zephyr, Levi, Phoebe, Cobalto and the chicks also looked on. Veggie stole a brief glance at the blue macaws and then looked back at Nigel. He was clearly reluctant to hurt Nigel but after Nigel had not listened to his and Catina's warnings and the abuse he had carried out on his friends all this time, Veggie had run out of options.
"Why don't you just do what you intend to do, kitty cat?" asked Nigel mockingly, "You know I'm the most disgusting and vilest bird alive…"
Suddenly, panicked cries erupted behind Dash, the caged birds, Otis and his gang and the crows. The group's heads all snapped round and, to their horror, they saw that Collette had been caught by one of Lysandre's underlings. One of the men had torn the caged Blu and Jewel out of Collette's grasp and the caliby was struggling in her captor's arms, hissing and screeching angrily. The moment Veggie broke his focus on Nigel and Dash on Otis and the others due to this commotion; Nigel pounced into Veggie and began to viciously attack him while Otis and his cat gang and crows pounced onto Dash. Now it was Dash's turn to struggle under a blanket of attacking cat paws and crow talons, as well as Collette's turn to struggle with the poachers as Lysandre began to bark orders to them to get the cat caged and stashed into one of the copters' cargo bay.
From their hiding places, Catina and the others watched in horror, while Ginger and Daisy remained hidden it was obvious that this group would also be overpowered and caught if they tried helping their friends. NOT a good situation for the pregnant Ginger to be in at all. Then Catina turned to Athos.
"You need to go warn Tulio, NOW!" she commanded. Without hesitation, Athos opened his wings and took off, with Ruby, Alexandre, Poinsettia and Spinel following him, leaving the others to look on as Dash was eventually restrained by the cats and crows and Collette by Lysandre's underlings. Then Lysandre walked over to Nigel while he was locked in a vicious struggle with Veggie. Phoebe, Cobalto, Levi, Aurora, Blu, Jewel, Zephyr and Lapis Lazuli and the chicks all looked on in horror as the cat and cockatoo spun in a blurry barrel roll of grey-white, green, yellow, ginger, brown and dark brown.
Fur and feathers flew everywhere and angry cockatoo and cat screeches erupted from the brawlers as they mercilessly clawed and bit at each other. Nigel's beak connected with Veggie's hair and tore it out while his talons raked over the tabby cat's skin. At the same time, Veggie's teeth were latched onto Nigel's feathers while his claws slashed over the cockatoo's skin. Then after exploding violently apart, the two animals glared daggers with each other. Veggie was covered in claw marks, some bleeding, and bald patches while Nigel's plumage was even more ragged and slashed with bleeding claw marks inflicted on him by his feline opponent. Both fighters were breathing rapidly and were wincing in pain from their injuries but the two were still poised to fight. Veggie was crouched in a pounce preparation position, his eyes like brown flames fixed on Nigel, who was in an attacking stance with his tattered wings spread out. Nigel's vest was in tatters as some of Veggie's claw swipes had slashed through it during the skirmish. Gashes ran across the vest, showing some of Nigel's tattered torso plumage but Nigel did not care about that. All his focus was on battling Veggie perhaps to the death. Both cockatoo and cat then hissed loudly at each other.
"I'd never thought I'd become this violent with a bird before," snarled Veggie fiercely, "But with a sickening bird like you, Nigel, I had NO CHOICE BUT DEFEND MYSELF IN THE MOST AGGRESSIVE WAY POSSIBLE!"
"Well, that's what you get for messing with the evillest cockatoo in the world then, isn't it, feline rat?" snapped Nigel bitterly.
"What kind of a cockatoo who goes round abusing exotic birds either emotionally, physically and verbally, anyway, especially by tearing apart families and killing loved ones in front of them like THAT?" retorted Veggie. The caged birds just exchanged glances with each other and said nothing. A wicked grin entered Nigel's beak.
"That's what pretty birds deserve, kitty cat," crooned the cockatoo wickedly, "But let's not have any more of this waste-of-time palaver. It's time for you to be caged."
Then as if on cue, a pair of hands appeared and seized Veggie, making the cat screech and claw at the poacher who had seized him but the poacher picked Veggie up off the floor with Nigel looking on smugly and the caged birds on in horror. Then Veggie was carried to another poacher and shoved into an empty cage. Next, Veggie, together with Dash and Collette (also in cages) were carried to one of the copters' cargo bay and placed in there with Esperanza, James, Danny and Avellana, and the pilot who were tightly tied up. From their hiding place, Daisy and Ginger looked on as did Catina, D'Artagnan, Phoebe, Levi, Aurora and their families and Blu and Jewel in despair. As Veggie was placed into the cargo bay, Esperanza flashed him a horrified look.
"Veggie!" she cried, "Have you been fighting N…"
"Yes," snapped Veggie, knowing whose name Esperanza was going to say before she even said it. Veggie then winced from the pain in the claw marks and ripped out fur Nigel had given him, but he had a look of thunder on his face. However, Dash and Collette's faces were laced with disappointment. As soon as the three animals were placed inside the cargo bay and the poachers and Otis and his gang had left, Lysandre gave them one last look.
"We'll see to you lot later," he growled, "But at the moment, we have a job to do but at least you'll cause no further interference."
And with that, he turned round and left, leaving the cats, dogs and the pilot to gaze on.
"Well, that went well," muttered James flatly. The pilot shot the greyhounds and cats a surprised look.
"You lot knew those lot were poachers all along, didn't you?" he asked in Spanish. At first Dash, Veggie, Collette, Esperanza, Avellana, James and Danny hesitated and just gazed at him for they still did not know Spanish very well but Dash slowly nodded to confirm the statement regardless, knowing the pilot was asking them a question based on his facial look. Then Danny began to cry in despair.
"It's over," he moaned, "We've failed."
"No, we haven't," said Veggie.
"We still have Ginger, Daisy, Catina and the freed birds out there continuing this fight against the poachers," said Dash.
"But what are they going to do, Dad?" asked Esperanza, "They can't rescue the other caged birds due to so many people, crows and cats."
"That's true but some of us have left to warn Tulio, and the macaw flocks, but I just hope the latter are alerted in time, especially Tulio," said Dash. Veggie, Collette, Esperanza, James, Danny and Avellana just sighed while the pilot began to figure a way to get himself and the dogs and cats out of this mess.