Chapter 14- Cometa and Travis's plans, meet Ilosovic the frigatebird and his gang
Meanwhile, in Rio
Sunset had arrived in Rio back in Brazil, and the daytime city activities were slowly coming to a close for the night. At Susan and Lucy's house, Broccoli and Collette were in the garden, admiring the sunset and keeping watch over the four third-litter puppies of Dash and Ginger, Tom, Sam, Micky and Rosie to give Dash and Ginger a break. The four young puppies were not as rambunctious and boisterous as Dash and Ginger's four first-litter puppies Esperanza, James, Danny and Avellana had sometimes been but they were still energetic and playful. Broccoli watched the puppies as they played together and tumbled around, barking and laughing while Collette gazed at the sky.
"Um, I wonder how Carla and her group are doing," she said.
"This will be their second night outside of Brazil," said Broccoli, occasionally flashing a glance at the puppies as they played around, "They should be in Guyana now."
Collette nodded. However, she was still bubbling with worry and concern for Carla and their group and their safety. What if they had already run into trouble or danger? All kinds of possibilities raced through her mind but the one that made Collette's guts turn was the poacher thought. Since Larimar's narrow escape from two of them, Collette had since been concerned for Tristan and his family and friends, and she was especially worried about him, his small sister Trixie and their new friend Neytiri. Collette, however, hoped that the three, now that they were older, would have developed sense as they grew up from young chicks, especially after what almost happened to Trixie and Tristan's sister Larimar. While Collette thought about the three glaucous macaws and the other macaws, Broccoli heard the sounds of flapping wings.
"Cometa, Lightning, Orion, Travis, Sunset, Eustace, Rosa and Clemont and Serena have returned," he said, "And… what are Rafael, Eva, Nico and Pedro doing here?"
Collette turned and saw a group of three falcons and five cockatoos touch down just outside the garden and call for Dash, Ginger and Veggie. The falcons and cockatoos were accompanied by the famous toco toucan and his keel-billed mate, and the samba/rap canary and cardinal duo. To the surprise of Broccoli and Collette, Rafael and Eva were still having kids, if fewer than when they were younger and fitter for the couple had a new baby with them, and Nico and Pedro still ran their club despite showing signs of aging. However, Nico and Pedro's club was slowly being taken over by three galah friends of Travis and his family for Nico and Pedro will soon be retiring. Wondering why Nico, Pedro, Rafael and Eva were accompanying Travis, Cometa and their families and two friends, Broccoli and Collette crept towards the birds. When they got closer, they saw that Serena and Clemont, the female sulfur-crested and male citron-crested cockatoos and close friends of Eustace and Rosa, wore shocked and worried faces. Eustace and Rosa must have told them about their missing brother, and the news of his and Velocity's absence had also reached the ears of the old friends of Blu and Jewel.
When Broccoli saw the new baby toucan of Rafael and Eva, he frowned.
"When are those rabbit-toucans going to stop having chicks?" he growled, "That couple must have had about fifty or so now."
"Some of their older offspring are no better," hissed Collette, disgusted eyes piercing the two toucans and their baby, "They've been breeding like mad as well, and many are not disciplined. Is it any wonder the other avian residents, and of course the mammals living on the Blu Bird Sanctuary have often faced trouble with those big-nosed troublemakers?"
"It seems that even that infamous marmoset gang led by Mauro are facing some serious trouble from the toucans as well," said Broccoli, "Talk about an ironic twist since those monkeys are often mischievous and often cause tourists and sometimes even some birds trouble."
Collette nodded. Then their attention was pulled back to the group of birds as Dash, Ginger and Veggie stepped out from the front door to talk to them. Broccoli stole a glance at the puppies.
"One of us needs to keep an eye on those four," he told Collette, "Shall you listen in and come and tell me once they've finished?"
Collette nodded and Broccoli left to return to watching the four puppies as they continued to play. Collette was left by herself and she cocked her ears to the conversation between Cometa, Travis and their friends and family and Dash, Ginger and Veggie as it started up. Though it was getting dark, she could make out the shapes of the birds, two greyhounds and her father.
"Any luck?" asked Veggie. The heads of Travis, Sunset, Cometa and Lightning, and also Nico, Pedro and Rafael shook from side to side.
"I'm afraid not, Veggie," Collette heard Travis say.
"We have searched everywhere," said Rafael's voice, which sounded rough but still usual, "None of the green-winged macaws on the Blu Bird Sanctuary have seen Milo and Velocity and neither have Nico and Pedro's club members."
"In fact, none of our clubbers know where Milo and Velocity are," said Nico in a somewhat normal voice.
"Neither does Kipo, the rosette spoonbill who often attends our club," said Pedro.
"I've asked James and his Shih Tzu friend Pelusa if either Nevado the Persian cat or any of their canine and feline clubbers have seen those two birds but they also said no," said Sunset.
"They're not even in Luiz's garage," said Lightning, "And Luiz had said he hadn't seen them either."
"We also asked our cockatoo club members about Velocity and Milo's whereabouts as well," said Serena, "But they said they haven't seen them at all."
"In fact, they said they haven't seen Milo all day," said Clemont.
"Did you have any luck when you asked Ónix the red-tailed black cockatoo, Gris the African grey parrot, Inky the King Charles spaniel from next door, or any of the cats, dogs, birds and other pets who live in your neighbourhood about Milo and Velocity, you three?" asked Cometa. This was answered by the shakes of the two greyhounds and cat's heads.
"No, we've explained what you have told us about the notes Milo and Velocity have left you but they don't know where they are," said Ginger. The falcons and cockatoos sighed in utter disappointment.
"We're really sorry, amigos and amigas," said Rafael in a sympathetic voice, and Collette heard Sunset and Cometa begin to sob. Then she saw the shapes of Orion, Eustace and Rosa fly up onto the roof and perch on its top, Serena and Clemont following them. Collette felt sorry for the former three and their families. They were so wracked with worry and dread about their missing family members. She prepared to return to Broccoli's side when Dash's voice pulled her attention back to him, Ginger, Veggie and the birds standing before them.
"Wait, I think I know where Velocity and Milo could have gone," he said. This reignited hope inside Cometa and Lightning, Sunset and Travis and they turned to look at him.
"You do?" asked Travis. Collette then cocked her ears to listen more intently.
"You remember when Carla, Bia, Tiago, accompanied by Justin, Matilda, Virgil, Spinel, Alexandre and several other macaws including a half-scarlet, half-green-winged hybrid and a chestnut-fronted macaw when they arrived in Rio yesterday morning?" asked Dash. Collette saw Travis, Sunset, Cometa, Lightning, Veggie and Ginger's heads nod. However, Rafael, Eva, Nico and Pedro looked confused.
"Blu and Jewel's two daughters and son and some of their friends have come here?" asked Rafael confused.
"Oh, yeah," said Cometa, who had stopped crying, "We met them yesterday morning, didn't we?"
"You four weren't here when Carla and her group turned up," said Veggie to Nico, Pedro, Rafael and Eva, "So we'll explain what happened between us and them. Maybe that would provide us with a valuable clue as to Velocity and Milo's whereabouts."
Then Collette listened to Veggie, her dad, launch into an explanation to the four old friends of Blu and Jewel. He told them everything, including the myth of some bizarre birds and some treasure, their plans to go to Guyana to find it in order to save the Sanctuary de Amazon from losing its protected reserve status (Which Nico, Pedro, Rafael and Eva had heard of), and how they had left without their parents back in the Sanctuary de Amazon knowing, much to the shock of the two toucans, cardinal and canary.
"…and that's about it," said Veggie, "Broccoli and Collette helped them to get the supplies and saw them off."
He then turned to Dash while Rafael, Eva, Nico and Pedro absorbed the information into their heads and asked, "So what was it you were gonna say, Dash?"
Dash, at first, gave a stern look before finally saying in a low voice, "I believe that Milo and Velocity could have followed Carla and company and gone with them to Guyana."
When Collette heard this, horror and shock flared within her, but it also flared within Travis, Sunset, Cometa and Lightning, and also Rafael, Eva, Nico and Pedro. Then the two adult falcons and two cockatoos' faces morphed into an angry look.
"They've WHAT!?" barked Cometa in outrage.
"But how!?" asked Lightning, "How, and why, would our daughter and one of Travis and Sunset's sons follow Carla and her group to Guyana!?"
Collette was totally thunderstruck, her mouth hanging open. Then Broccoli walked in to check on her, but he had also heard Dash's belief of where Velocity and Milo might have gone. Collette turned to look at him.
"Those two must have been following us while we were helping Carla and company to gather the supplies for their trip," she said, "And had must have boarded the plane with them."
"Then that must explain their absence," said Broccoli with a frown. Collette was about to reply when she heard Travis speak. The two cats turned and listened to the older sulfur-crested cockatoo while Sunset had flown to the roof to tell Orion, Eustace, Rosa, Clemont and Serena about Velocity and Milo's whereabouts.
"Well, we're gonna take a trip to the Sanctuary de Amazon like how Carla and the others with her had taken a trip to here," he said, "If their parents, especially Blu and Jewel, aren't aware that Carla and those other macaws had gone to Guyana, then they must know right away."
"Yes," said Lightning angrily, "We'll leave Rio early in the morning."
"Well, good luck with that," said Rafael, "And I hope Blu, Jewel, Athos and the others will think of a way to sort this mess out. However, we're too busy looking after our new son Tomas here so we cannot come."
Veggie rolled his eyes while Dash and Ginger shook their heads in disapproval.
"When are you gonna stop having chicks when you've got well over four-dozen already, Rafael," hissed Veggie under his breath out of Rafael and Eva's hearing range.
"And we're training the three galahs to run our club once we retire, hopefully in a few years," said Pedro, his wing around Nico, "So we're not gonna be able t' come either."
"We're so sorry about the Sanctuary de Amazon's certain fate, though," said Eva sadly, "It's heart-breaking to hear that our human friends are struggling to pay this debt."
"I know it is," said Travis in sad agreement, but then he turned serious. "But our top priority is letting Blu, Jewel and the others know and getting the real truth out to them as soon as possible."
Then Sunset, Eustace, Rosa, Clemont, Serena and Orion joined the group. The latter five wore shocked looks on their faces. As soon as the group had re-gathered, Cometa said, "But if we're gonna set off for the Sanctuary de Amazon very early tomorrow morning, we're gonna have to be in bed early as well. The sun's going down already."
Collette and Broccoli gazed at the sky and saw that the night was creeping in, the onyx sky chasing away the pale pink, yellow and orange glow of the sun's light. Then the two cats were made aware of Dash's four-footed footsteps.
"Speaking of that, it's bedtime for our puppies," he said. Hearing this, Collette and Broccoli rushed back to the four puppies as Dash entered the garden. Then Cometa, Lightning and Orion prepared to leave.
"We'll meet you at your birdhouse at dawn," said Cometa to Travis, Sunset, Eustace and Rosa, "And then we'll begin our two or three-day flight into the Sanctuary de Amazon."
"Shall we escort Clemont and Serena back to their homes?" asked Lightning. Clemont and Serena made disappointed groans.
"But we wanna come," said Clemont.
"Yeah," said Serena in agreement but Travis and Sunset shook their heads.
"I'm sorry, you two," said Sunset, "It's too dangerous. You're better off staying here in Rio. Maybe you can come to the Sanctuary de Amazon next time."
This made Clemont and Serena's faces creased into glum frowns and they joined the peregrine falcons' side. Rafael, Eva and Nico and Pedro also got prepared to leave, the toucans with their new chick.
"And we're off back to our hollow as well," said Rafael, "Tomas here is struggling to stay awake."
"Okay, I'll see you," moaned Veggie dryly. Ginger then bid the two toucans farewell and left to see to the puppies with Dash while Rafael and Eva took off into the evening air, Tomas, who was asleep in Rafael's talons, in tow. Nico and Pedro also said goodbye to the group and left for their club. Cometa stepped in, staring at Rafael and Eva as they left.
"Does that toco/keel-billed couple ever stop having kids?" she muttered, her wings on her hips.
"I don't know," said Veggie with a frown, "But they are getting a bit old to keep on having one brood after another, anyway."
"Yeah," muttered Eustace, "Uncle Porthos wasn't kidding about describing them as breeding like rabbits."
"At least they do so well in producing so many kids despite their old age," said Sunset sarcastically and distastefully, "While I'm not able to have any more kids myself. They don't half make me feel small sometimes, you know."
She then turned to Eustace and Rosa and said, "Okay you two, time for bed."
Rosa and Eustace obeyed and turned to say goodnight to Clemont and Serena.
"I hope you have a safe journey into the Amazon, you two," said Clemont, a hint of jealousy in his tone of voice. Serena nodded in agreement.
"We will," said Rosa.
"We'll see you two later," said Eustace and with that, the two sulfur-crested/Major Mitchell's hybrids opened their wings and took off after Sunset towards the birdhouse. Next, Cometa and her family and Clemont and Serena said goodbye to Veggie and Travis and took off for the sky as well. Clemont and Serena stole a final glance at Susan and Lucy's cottage before following the falcons into the darkening air. Travis and Veggie were left when the latter released a yawn.
"I'd better get to bed too," he said, "We're up early and Cometa's family will be meeting us at sunrise."
"Well, you go to your birdhouse and if we don't see you in the morning," said Veggie, "We'll see you when you get back, and I sure hope you get this thing sorted."
Travis nodded, opened his wings and took off for the birdhouse where Sunset was waiting. Then Dash, Ginger, the four puppies, Collette and Broccoli walked in.
"And as for us," said Veggie, "There's nothing we can do since we can't fly."
"Yep," said Dash in agreement. He then turned to Tom, Micky, Sam and Rosie and commanded them to follow him to bed, which they did. Ginger came by and followed. Then Broccoli and Collette appeared.
"Dad," said Collette in a small voice.
"Yes, daughter," said Veggie.
"Do you think we could be in trouble for helping Carla and company to go to Guyana to find a place that might not exist?" said Collette timidly. Broccoli also braced himself. Veggie then shot her and his carbon-copy son a glare.
"You both WILL if Blu, Jewel and the others find out that their chicks have lied to them," he growled in a hard voice, making Broccoli and Collette flinch. Veggie then hardened his gaze.
"And to add," he added, "Carla and company could well face serious danger while they're in Guyana, and if anything were to happen to them, at all," Veggie's voice became harsher, "Not only you two, but we, us as a whole, will be in serious trouble with our bird friends!"
Broccoli and Collette flinched as their father said this, especially at the tone of voice he used. It was like a blast of freezing air. Then Veggie ordered the two inside, which they obeyed without hesitation. As the two entered the house through the cat/dog flap, Collette and Broccoli gazed at each other, hoping that Carla and company were alright.
Meanwhile
Carla's vision emerged out of the shadow of unconsciousness. As it did, a crowd of blurry shapes appeared. Carla then uttered moans. Her head felt like it was full of rocks and the last thing she remembered was being struck on the head by the caracara as she screeched and struggled in the talons of some ravens and magpies and seeing Velocity fall towards earth only for some more ravens and magpies to catch her. As Carla's vision began to clear, one of the blurry shapes, which appeared to be a black form with a red patch, turned to another black shape with an orange smudge on where its head would be.
"The chubby Spix macaw is coming round, Ilosovic," it said, "And I think the chestnut-fronted macaw is as well."
"Good, Morgana," said the first black shape with the red patch, "Hopefully this group of macaws and the cockatoo and peregrine falcon will make a great part of our gang."
When Carla's ears picked up these words, the Spix macaw whipped her head but then she felt an odd sensation around her left ankle. Carla looked down at her ankle and saw a ring of tough thread tied in a loop around her foot. The thread then snaked from the loop to a large trunk, where it was tied in a mass of knots. Carla, upon realising this, felt horror flare within her. Her eyes darted this way and that until her eyes landed on the other birds.
"Carla, you're awake," called Bia's voice.
"Are you alright?" asked Tiago's voice. Carla turned and saw Bia and Tiago together with Justin, Matilda, Virgil, Finnick and Lavender, concerned looks on their faces, gaze at her. Like Carla, they were tied to the trunk as well, threads emanating from the mass of knots to their ankles like leashes to a dog's collar. Nearby, Spinel, Estelle, Sheldon, Alexandre, Brooke and Azul were cradling Alessandro who was just coming round. They, too, were tied to the tree trunk via the same method. Past this group were Miranda, Chlorophyll, Zebedee, Neytiri, Tristan, Trixie, and Milo and Velocity who were also tied to the tree trunk the same way. All the birds still had their fanny packs around their waists and some of them bore a few cuts and bruises, and Carla was alarmed to see that the back of Velocity's head was marked with a large, purple-black bruise where the caracara had struck. However, the young peregrine falcon was furious. Then Tristan tried to take off but when he lofted into flight, the string tying his leg to the tree trunk tensed as it reached its length, and Tristan found himself flapping in mid-air. Frustrated at the revelation that he was tied to a tree, Tristan dropped to the ground. Trixie tried the same but the same thing happened to her, the string snapping her back to earth.
"Hah, those two glaucous macaws certainly do look eager to be free of their tethers, don't they?" said a sneering voice, much to Tristan and Trixie's anger. This was accompanied by some snide laughs. Carla then asked, "Wh-where are we?"
"You're in the forest you were headin', Spix macaw," sounded a deep, gangster toned voice. Hearing this, Carla turned to face the speaker who was surrounded by other birds. Bia, Tiago, Virgil, Finnick, Lavender, Matilda and Justin all flinched in utter shock, and some of the others shrank back away from the group of birds before them.
Standing before Carla and her group was another group of birds. The one who had spoken to Carla was a frigatebird. He had jet black feathers and a large red bubble-like pouch on his throat. He wore a pirate-like patch over his left eye and his right green eye was piercing, sinister and intimidating like a cat's. His beak was wide with a sickly smile. Flanking the frigatebird were ten more birds, each of various species. One of them was a female black caracara which Carla recognised was the same one who had flown alongside the group before capturing them; another was a red-tailed black cockatoo, the same species as Ónix back in Rio, only this one was male based on the red patch under his tail. However, this cockatoo wore an equally mean looking face as the frigatebird and the caracara and some of the birds of Carla's group, among them Milo and Neytiri, felt intimidated by the cockatoo's face. The cockatoo was muscled and a couple of scars streaked across his face and chest. The third bird was a male white fulmar, a seabird like a petrel, the fourth bird was a male barn owl, a species of owl that normally inhabited farmlands, the fifth was a male orange-breasted falcon, the sixth was a female barred-breasted falcon, the seventh was a female horned owl, the eighth was a male black eagle who was also heavily muscled like the red-tailed black cockatoo, and the ninth and tenth were, to the group especially Carla, Bia, Tiago, Finnick, Lavender, Justin, Virgil, Matilda and Trixie, Tristan and Neytiri's, surprise, a male glaucous macaw and a female Spix macaw respectively.
The female Spix macaw had blue feathers and chocolate brown eyes. Her head feathers were a small ruffle at the back of her head and she appeared slender. Her eye patches were blue-white bordered by dark navy blue. These features reminded Carla, Bia and Tiago of their father Blu for he had similar features. The male glaucous macaw was stocky. Like all glaucous macaws, he had a grey head and neck, yellow eye rings and beak lappet, and dark grey beak and talons. His eyes were a shade of lavender and he had a very unusual crest, as unusual as Matilda and her mother Aurora's pigtails and Felix's three-layered mop. His crest feathers were a mowhawk-like hairstyle, very like a cockatoo's crest when it was fully raised but the feathers were shorter. The rest of his feathers were azure blue though the underside of his tail and parts of his wings were also grey, and based on their size, they were around Carla and company's age. However, the two macaws also wore mean looks like the other birds present with the frigatebird. Carla then turned and saw that these eleven birds weren't the only ones present. They were accompanied by a few dozen more birds, all corvids. They were all ravens, crows and magpies, and they also looked mean. Carla, Bia and Tiago shuddered as the crow assistants of Lysandre's falcons came to mind, and the other birds especially Velocity did not like these birds at all since that group was what Velocity's mother used to work for.
It took a while for Carla's group to register their whereabouts and also the group of strangers before them but based on the mean looks of the frigatebird's group, they sensed that something was not at all right about them and what they had possibly planned for them. Finally, the frigatebird spoke.
"Ah, you lot are finally awake," he crooned in deep gangster voice, sort of like Nico and Pedro's but far more sinister and different from the samba duo back in Rio. His group members tittered.
"It sure was fun catching you lot from the air," said the caracara. Her gaze, however, turned to Velocity and changed from smug to a stink eye. "But three of our magpies did receive some nasty injuries because of YOU, falcon. You certainly do have an attitude problem."
Velocity stared past the caracara and saw the three magpies; the same ones she had injured get their wounds treated by two ravens, disgruntled looks on the pair's faces. Two had claw marks across their torsos while the other was limping. However, Velocity did not regret attacking them during the mid-air skirmish which led to Carla's group capture.
"An attitude problem!?" she retorted to the caracara, "It was out of self-defence! Normally I'm not violent with birds that are too big for a falcon to eat but if they're a threat like how those magpies were, then I will not hesitate to use my talons and beak."
The caracara replied with a cheeky look on her face. "But you were still unreasonable to hurt our magpie friends like that," she said, making Velocity wince in revulsion at her attitude. Then Spinel spoke for the exasperated peregrine falcon.
"There is such a thing as self-defence, you know," she rhetorically snapped, "I agree with Velocity. She normally isn't aggressive but you tend to go become instinctively defensive when you or your friends or family are in utter danger."
The frigatebird smiled. "Well, that peregrine may have a bit of a short fuse," he crooned, eyeing Velocity, "But I believe that trait would make her an excellent friend and assistant for Jafar, Elektra and Valack here," he nodded to the male orange-breasted falcon, female barred-breasted falcon and the male barn owl who had these respective names who all wore sly looks on their faces. "As these three love to use their talons and beak to cause a lot of trouble."
Velocity's eyes flashed again. Then Carla hardened her gaze on the frigatebird.
"What do you want with us, anyway!?" she demanded. The frigatebird's beak widened all the more as his smile lengthened in enthusiasm at this question. Then the Spix and glaucous macaw looked at him.
"Do you think we should start looking for shelter, Ilosovic?" said the Spix macaw.
"The rainstorm's very near," said the glaucous macaw, "It will soon start to rain any minute."
The frigatebird shot the two macaws a look and said, "In a minute, Kira and Aiden. We still haven't introduced ourselves to these potential new recruits to our gang yet."
Carla, Bia and Tiago's eyes flashed with shock at the frigatebird's mentioning of 'recruits'. Then Finnick mouthed the word in confusion while Lavender, Virgil, Matilda and Justin only looked on in disbelief and dismay. Spinel and Alexandre shook their heads in disgust while the others were flooded with dread. None of Carla's group certainly liked the idea of becoming recruits for this group of birds one bit, especially since they not at all a nice bunch. And besides, they have an important quest to complete, but what was more disturbing was the fact that two of the gang members were the same species as Carla and her two siblings and five friends, and Tristan, Trixie and Neytiri, as well as their age. Then the frigatebird turned to face Carla and her group.
"Right, where was I?" said the black seabird, "Oh, yes, what do we want with you lot?"
Carla and her group gazed back at the seabird with disgusted looks on their faces as the frigatebird stepped towards Carla and put a long black wing around the chubby Spix macaw's back. "Well, that's an interesting question but…" he then shoved his beak into Carla's face much to her revulsion, "I think a little musical number might be a great way to answer and explain it."
And with that, he leaped away and returned to his group. "I would like you boys and girls to join in our jingle, if you don't mind."
In response, the frigatebird's gang took up their positions with various makeshift instruments made from vines, branches, bones and half-fruit shells and started up a song, or rather, a sort of rap.
Ilosovic: My name is Ilosovic the frigatebird, I'm the meanest, the baddest and most devious bird around. These birds here (he gestures to the other birds), are my underlings and together, we're an awesome gang, the baddest gang that you have found… (Carla and her group react in revulsion).
Ilosovic then turned to Kira and Aiden and said, "Alright, you two, over to you."
Kira ("Okay, Ilosovic"): (strut towards Carla and her group), we're a group of mean; troublemaking birds who love to go round, causing a heap of trouble…
Aiden: be it other birds or animals, those hateful humans, and when we work together, you can make that double!
Kira and Aiden and the other birds of Ilosovic's group: we're the gang of trou-ble-ma-king birds!
Kira and Aiden (both jump over to the other birds): This caracara, she's Morgana (Morgana winks to Carla's group as she plays a stringed instrument); she's devious, insidious and totally sly… (go over to the red-tailed black cockatoo) and this is Butch, he's mean, aggressive and not to be messed with and he'll tell you why…
Butch (plays drum-like constructs, speaks fiercely): I have a very short temper. I'm rough, I'm tough, and I'm like a flame (Milo shudders while Neytiri hides behind Trixie and Tristan). You dare get on my bad side, mess with me, and boy will you face serious shame!
Butch (nods to barn owl and two falcons, the orange and the barred breasted): these three meanies, named Valack (nods to the barn owl), Jafar (nods to the orange-breasted falcon) and Elektra (nods to the barred-breasted falcon) (Valack, Jafar and Elektra: hello) are very sly. They are cruel, and nasty, and very dangerous (some magpies: you can see why, and the owl and two falcons flash their lethal talons, making Carla and company shudder)
All of Ilosovic's group: we're the gang of trou-ble-ma-king birds!
Ilosovic (gestures to fulmar, horned owl, and black eagle): meet Drax. He's a fulmar. He loves causing mayhem (Drax flashes an evil smile), and this horned owl, her name's Drizella. She's spoilt, she's rotten and she's very bratty but don't you dare anger her, she can be very bad (Drizella flashes an evil smile), and meet this black eagle by the name of Gaston. He is very handsome, but he's ruthless, he's fierce, and easily angered, and you won't like him when he's mad. (Gaston winks to Carla's group but they glare back at him).
Ilosovic (jumps over to the magpies and ravens): These magpies and ravens are our friends. They are a bunch of very mean birds. They are sly, are devious and love to steal things from humans, and cause trouble. (The crows and ravens wink at Carla's group). And when they launch a co-ordinated attack on a group of people or other animals, their trouble can become double!
All of Ilosovic's group: we're the gang of trou-ble-ma-king birds!
Ilosovic (jumps over to Carla and her group and puts wings around Carla, Bia and Tiago): Now that our intro's over, it is time for you lot to join us. I'm sure you'd make a fantastic part of our team. (Pushes his beak into Carla's face), but you can forget all about your families and friends. They're not important. It is time to face a new future, one that's truly agleam…
Carla: B-b-but…
Ilosovic (in normal, speaking voice): ah-ah-ah, no 'buts'. It's time for you lot to join us now.
Bia (angrily): whatever for!?
Tiago: is it to become gangsters and cause all the trouble you speak of, even if it means severely damaging humans' property and viciously attacking them even without reason?
Ilosovic: You've got that right, lad.
(Rest of Carla's group reacts in shock). Justin: But we don't wanna participate in activities like that.
Matilda: Some of us may like pranks but we don't play malicious tricks on anybody. That would be bordering on being malicious.
Virgil: we've got more important things to think about than your requests to join your gang.
Finnick: we have a sanctuary to save and we don't need you lot standing in our way. (Others shout in agreement).
Ilosovic, when he heard Carla's group's shouts against joining his group, backed away, stunned while his gang stopped playing the music. Carla hardened her gaze to clarify her group's statement but then Ilosovic's gaze turned back to a wicked one.
Ilosovic (smiling evilly): I'm afraid that's all in the past, you lot. We're your friends now. (His group resumes playing music)
Ilosovic (leaps away singing): so now that you're with us, like I've said… it's time to join us and together… we will BEEEE…
All of Ilosovic's group: THE GANG OF TROU-BLE-MA-KING BIIIIIRRRRRDS! (music stops)
Ilosovic, after the song had finished, then smiled at the disgusted Carla and her group. However, neither the frigatebird nor his group members were aware that Velocity was fiddling with the tether linking her to the trunk by using her razor-sharp talons to weaken the string. She, with Alessandro, Milo, Azul and Chlorophyll gathered round to obscure Velocity's effort.
"Right, then, it's time for our next step," said Ilosovic, "Initiating you into our gang but first, we're feeling a bit peckish."
"All that rapping has made us hungry," said Elektra the barred-breasted falcon. Ilosovic then nodded to the magpies and ravens and they brought forth two bags, the same ones Carla and her group had carried while Gaston the black eagle dragged in a large capybara carcass for the meat-eating birds to eat. Carla, Bia and Tiago all looked on in disappointment as they saw the magpies unzip the main compartment of the bags and reveal their colourful contents.
"I hope they don't see my drawing book," whispered Bia as the magpies, ravens, crows, Kira and Aiden and Butch the red-tailed black cockatoo proceeded to take out the selection of fruit and wolf them down. Next to them, Ilosovic, Drax, Valack, Jafar, Elektra, Morgana, Drizella and Gaston began to eat Velocity's stash of chicken and duck meat. Carla's group watched on in despair and disgust as they watched the fruit they had worked hard to collect with Collette and Broccoli before the trip then disappear down the throats of the magpies, ravens, crows, Kira, Aiden and Butch as they greedily chomped on them.
"It just so happens that you lot seemed to be carrying this fruit," said Butch with his beak-ful, "It makes a great meal for us."
"Yeah, without having to go through all the hassle of finding it ourselves," said Kira with a mouthful as well. Aiden and the corvids all tittered in agreement and continued shoving more fruit down their throats, juice staining the feathers around their beaks. Velocity flashed a glance at Ilosovic's group while they ate and worked on freeing Milo from the tether connecting him to the tree trunk, not caring about her meat stash disappearing down the throats of the meat eaters and a few of the corvids for they were also meat eaters. Azul's aqua blue and yellow feathers bristled at the gluttonous manners of the two macaws, cockatoo and corvids.
"They're not magpies, ravens, crows or parrots," he growled disgustedly, "They're mag-pigs, glutto-vens, starling-ows and gannets."
"My favourite fruit," groaned Spinel in despair as she watched Butch shove down a whole peach, juice smearing his facial feathers.
"They certainly are gannets alright," muttered Alexandre. "In fact, even gannets have better table manners than they do."
Spinel nodded to this in agreement. Kira then shoved down an entire bunch of berries and pulled out the empty stalk through her closed beak, the stick stripped of its fruit by the macaw's beak. Next to them, the meat-eating birds' eating was no better. Morgana and Jafar's cheeks were full of meat from the duck and chicken Velocity had collected, like a squirrel's cheeks full of nuts.
"Those meat-eaters also seem to have questionable eating manners as well," muttered Brooke.
"It's true we may have been messy eaters when we were young chicks," said Miranda, "But we rarely eat like that now."
Miranda suddenly flinched as a loud burp erupted Kira's mouth, her head shaking to the loudness of the noise. Miranda then flashed Tiago a look. "His table manners are even better than theirs as well."
"Are you saying I have bad table manners?" snapped Tiago. Azul frowned at him.
"You sometimes burped or passed gas when you were younger, pal, or even talk with your mouthful," he said. Tiago just shot him a protesting glare as if to say 'I do not have bad table manners!' Azul then flinched as Aiden released a loud burp. More loud burps erupted from the corvids and Butch's burp was so loud that it sounded like an earthquake. The noise sent shivers coursing through the bodies of Carla's group, making them shake. Tiago's look creased into a disgusted look. Though he sometimes did have impolite manners from time to time, which were slowly becoming less frequent as Tiago matured, even Tiago found the eating manners of Ilosovic's group totally repulsive. At least his manners weren't as bad as that lot, anyway. Velocity then shot the red-tailed black-cockatoo a disgusted look and then resumed freeing Spinel and Alexandre, using her sharp talons to cut through the thread before moving on to the next one. Aiden then flashed a glance at Carla's group with bulging, chipmunk-like cheeks packed full of guava.
"Hey, Butch," he said with his mouthful, "Do you think we should allow those newcomers to have some fruit?"
Butch stole a glance at Carla and her group and smiled.
"You know, that's a good idea," he said, "Since they are now to be a part of our gang."
"No thank you," snapped Lavender, her lilac feathers bristled and her ponytail flaring out, "I don't want to eat with a bunch of gangster birds, with questionable eating manners or not."
"You know, we've seen gannets eat far better than you lot," muttered Zebedee. Next to him, Neytiri continued hiding behind Trixie and Tristan, obviously not liking Ilosovic's group, especially the heavily muscled Butch and Gaston, but the latter struck greater fear in her than the former. Birds of prey with an enormously burly build always frightened her for they often reminded her of harpy eagles, and Gaston certainly did have a lot of meat on his bones. Not to mention his razor-sharp beak and talons, and a piercing stare that was intimidating enough to chill the insides of anyone gazing directly into it. Carla then flashed a glance at Velocity and saw that she had freed some of the birds and was in the process of freeing Tristan. When she noticed this, an idea entered her head. Turning to Kira and Aiden while they were still stuffing their faces on the fruit with Butch, the ravens and the magpies, while the meat-eating birds including Ilosovic continued downing the meat from the capybara carcass, Carla asked, "So what exactly will we be doing when we join you?"
Kira, with her cheeks bulging with fruit, nodded to Ilosovic to answer the question, so he turned to Carla.
"Have you not been paying attention to our intro song?" he asked with a piece of meat in his claws.
"I didn't hear much of the lyrics," replied Carla cleverly. Tiago and Bia smiled at their older sister for this move while Velocity freed Trixie and Neytiri before moving on to Zebedee's tether. Those that had been freed then cleverly positioned themselves to conceal Velocity's work and the broken tethers. Ilosovic then paced towards Carla, still eating the piece of meat and sat down.
"You will be viciously attacking humans," he said with his right eye narrowed, "How, you will find out once we go out into a town to find a group of them."
"Where do you normally roam?" asked Bia.
"All over South America," replied Ilosovic, "We're currently in Guyana at the moment but we will be returning to Brazil once we have finished our meals."
"Why do you attack humans and other animals?" asked Tiago. Ilosovic hardened his gaze.
"We mostly go for humans because they cause us nothing but trouble," he growled. He nodded to Kira and Aiden as they continued eating. "Those two over there had lost their entire families to smugglers. They were only very young chicks when we found them, so we took them under our wing. Both come from the jungle near Rio, Brazil."
Carla, Bia and Tiago and the rest all flinched in shock at this revelation about the Spix and the glaucous macaw. Ilosovic continued.
"We taught them how to fly, provided for them and raised them. And when they were old enough, we told them how evil humans are and why they deserve to be viciously attacked."
Ilosovic then nodded to the other birds and added, "Those other gang members had also faced a traumatising ordeal at the hands of humans, as had I. Valack," he nodded to the barn owl, "Lost his entire home to a fire and his parents perished. Jafar, Drizella, Elektra and Morgana faced a terrible ordeal with loggers, and Butch was badly mistreated by an owner. The ravens and magpies, however, have a more complicated history but they, too, suffered negatively at the hands of humans."
Ilosovic then turned to look at Carla and her group, "And as for me and Gaston, we were also victims of smugglers. We lost family members and everything we had thanks to those pesky poachers, and since then, we have developed a bitter hatred of those two-legged menaces and decided to cause them trouble, even if they treat animals nicely."
When Carla and her group heard this, disgust tore through them.
"So you attack humans based on a deep-seated grudge against them?" asked Justin with a frown, "Even if they are well-meaning?"
"But not all humans are evil," said Matilda, "There are some who care about us animals and even work to conserve endangered species. Our tribes and clans back in Brazil had been saved from eradication by loggers thanks to a group of humans who set our homes up as a sanctuary…" Matilda's face fell briefly as she remembered the danger the Sanctuary de Amazon was in. "And not only that, there are people who also care for the animals they keep as pets…"
As she said this, Velocity sneakily cut through the tethers attaching Carla, Bia and Tiago to the tree trunk while Miranda, Azul and Alessandro (who were now free), standing in such a way to conceal Velocity's work from Ilosovic. Velocity also listened to Ilosovic to further cover up her work.
"And what about other animals?" asked Virgil, "What do you mean you cause them trouble?"
"Ah, that's just for fun," said Ilosovic, his wings up and eye closed, "It's just a part of us being a gang. We love to play pranks on other animals, especially birds," he opened his right eye, "but we also look for new recruits and it turns out that you lot are suitable."
Velocity then cut through the tethers holding Finnick, Lavender, Virgil, Matilda and Justin to the tree trunk with her claws and then set to Estelle and Sheldon. She fought against the stress from the pressure threatening to breach her façade of interest and continued on her work. Then suddenly, a sound of thunder rumbled in the sky and the first drops of rain began. Ilosovic gazed skyward and saw that the sky was swamped with dark grey clouds, and night had come over the jungle.
"Oh, boy," said the lead frigatebird resembling an eye-patched pirate, "Looks like the rain has come and it had become dark."
He turned to face Carla and company and said, "It's time for you lot to come with us to find some shelter before the rain becomes heavier. I'm afraid you can forget the reasons why you came here and come along with us, you lot."
Carla winced in revulsion again at this idea while the rest glared back at the frigatebird in disgust. Then Ilosovic turned his back on Carla and the others and walked over to his group.
"Okay, boys and girls, it's time to pack up. The rain's just begun," he said. Velocity then cut through the tethers holding the red macaws to the tree trunk and quickly moved over to Brooke's tethers.
"Hurry, Velocity," whispered Chlorophyll, "We're running out of time."
"I'm working as fast as I can," hissed Velocity snappily as she cut through the threads with her claws, "Just don't pressurise me."
Carla then smiled at the young falcon.
"I'm so glad that you have come along after all, Velocity," she said, "I wonder what we would do without you."
Velocity continued cutting through the tether of Brooke and then Chlorophyll which were the final birds to be freed. After she had finally snapped Chlorophyll and Brooke's strings, relief washed over her.
"There, finished," she said.
"Good job," said Finnick. He then flashed a glance at the gangsters as they continued talking. "Let's get outa here before those guys turn round and notice our broken tethers."
"But the two bags…" began Neytiri when she saw the two emptied bags lying beside the corvids.
"Just forget about them," said Tiago, "Our main focus is to get outa here."
Bia also reluctantly went along. Her precious drawing book and pencils were in one of those bags but since they were so close to the talking gangsters, she had no choice but to leave it. At least they had their fanny packs still on them. Then making careful sure that the gangsters were engrossed with talking, the group of 23 birds began to tiptoe away.
"I think we should wait until morning," said Butch the red-tailed black cockatoo, gazing at the cloudy night sky, "It is getting late after all."
"I look forward to seeing our new recruits cause trouble," said Morgana, her black wings clasped with glee. Then a thought came to her. "Which reminds me; how many birds are there in that group."
"We never counted," said Kira, "We were too engrossed in introducing ourselves to them."
"Then we'd better start counting them," said Ilosovic. The group of gangsters then turned round to face Carla's group. However, when they had done so, they realised that Carla and her group were separate from the tree trunk. The tethers holding the birds to the trunk had been severed and half of the strings attached to the tree lay like a tangle of tiny snakes at the foot of the trunk. Seeing this, Ilosovic and his gang's eyes travelled to a group of multi-coloured macaws, falcon and cockatoo as they tried sneaking away.
"Ah-HAH!" screeched Ilosovic. Alarmed immensely, Carla, Bia and Tiago, together with the others, all whipped their heads up and gazed at the gangsters.
"Uh-oh," blurted out Carla.