Chapter 13- escape from the smugglers' den
After dinner, the group of smugglers cleared away their dishes and utensils. Jack, Jill and Catina left the room in the direction of the sleeping quarters, having decided to go to bed early and not wanting to be with the other smugglers any longer. As the three sombrely walked through the room where the chaos caused by Dash took place, Jack noticed a few dashes of colour on the floor in his peripheral vision. Turning his gaze to have a direct look at the dashes, he saw that they were feathers. Some were teal-tinted turquoise, dark navy blue and maya blue. Recognition of the feathers' sources taking hold; Jack knelt down and picked them up to examine them closer, Jill joining in near him. These feathers must have been shed by Aurora, D'Artagnan and Levi during the skirmish earlier. As they gazed at the feathers, Jack and Jill sighed and left for the upstairs room with Catina following close behind, guilt at taking the birds boiling within the three all the more. Back in the living room, the rest of the smuggler group, Vera, Marvin and Luke and many of the cats were preparing to watch a movie on a TV they had in their base as a relaxation method after the chaotic day.
"Come one, everyone, the film's about to start," cried Marvin excitedly. Vera and Luke came in with a tub of popcorn each, Marvin in possession of a tub of the cotton-like flakes of his own as well. Around them, Brutus and his gang of cats took their seats, many of them sitting at the floor around the sofa or in front of it.
While the group prepared to watch the film, Frank talked on his mobile phone to a dealer in the kitchen.
"Yes, I do have the three Spix macaws, the two Lear's macaws and the two glaucous macaws, sir," he said, "But one of my accomplices has also told me that there is a family of five Spix macaws living on the sanctuary too. Do you want us to catch them for you as well?"
The dealer replied to the question on the other end, and after he had done so, Frank respectfully said, "Alright then. We'll see to that tomorrow morning. We'll ring you again with updates. Hopefully, we'll successfully deliver you the valuable macaws including the last pair of glaucous macaws, both of which we already have in our possession. See you."
And with that, he pressed the 'hang up' button on the phone and walked into the living room.
"Folks," he said, pulling the attentions of Vera, Luke, Martin and the cats to him.
"Tomorrow morning, we transport those caged birds in the storage room to the airport where we will put them on the plane," said Frank, a stern look on his face, "But our boss wants us to bring him the Spix macaw family as well, so we'll have to think about how we're going to catch those birds tomorrow."
"But Frank," said Vera, "That Spix macaw family could be anywhere on the sanctuary which is hundreds of square aches big. It could take ages to search that ENTIRE area for just five blue birds. It would be like trying to find five blue needles in a MASSIVE green haystack."
"That's why we're going to come up with an ingenious plan to search for and catch them, Vera," replied Frank sternly. Then he released a yawn, his mouth stretching wide open. "Anyway, I'm off to bed, and I hope you lot enjoy your film but don't be up too late. We have a very busy day tomorrow so it's important that you also get some sleep. Goodnight."
And with that, the lead poacher left the room to make his way to the sleeping quarters.
"Goodnight, Frank," said Vera, Marvin and Luke together but Frank had already left out of earshot, too tired to reply anyway. After this, the group returned their eyes to the TV. As they did that, a wicked and greedy smile formed on Brutus's muzzle as the thought of the sheer amount of money the group will receive from selling the captured birds after smuggling them out of Brazil, especially from the Spix, the Lear's and the glaucous macaws, bubbled in his head, along with the excitement. However tonight had been rather difficult and exhausting, especially from the chaos caused by Dash and having to catch and re-cage the seven valuable macaws, so Brutus refocused on the film as it opened, putting aside the fantasies about coming rich.
Meanwhile
Back in the storeroom, the caged birds continued chirping and squeaking mournfully. Some of the birds were especially upset or angry. Athos, who was in the same cage as Aramis and Porthos, was examining the dark and gloomy room for a way out. In another cage were D'Artagnan, Aurora, Levi, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Zephyr and Brisa, Phoebe stuffed into a third, and Ruby and Orquidea in a fourth cage. Nearby them were the female great green macaw, Esmeralda, and the male hyacinth macaw, Cobalto, in two more cages. Cobalto was in one cage and like Phoebe was stuffed in it for the cage was too small for him, and Esmeralda was by herself in the in the other cage. Esmeralda was slim, slimmer than Aramis and like every other great green; she had leafy green feathers with blue on her wings, tail and lower back, red on the forehead and tail and yellow on the wing and tail undersides. However, her blue parts were azure. Her beak and feet were a dark grey and her head feathers were a flat sheet of wavy feathers sticking out to the back. Her eyes were a shade of emerald green and she had some white skin surrounding her face. She looked battered and was covered in a few scratches, possibly the result of trying to escape from the cats during the robbery at Tulio's Aviary.
The male hyacinth macaw, Cobalto, looked like Phoebe and like every other hyacinth almost, he had navy blue feathers and a large stature, black beak and feet and yellow facial features. He had a stocky build, blue eyes and a small feather ruffle at the base of his head. The hyacinth macaw looked particularly in agony and it was not just from the discomfort of being stuffed into such a small cage. The scarlet macaw named Ruby gazed at him sympathetically.
"Are you alright, Cobalto?" she asked. The male hyacinth macaw replied with a pained face.
"My sprained wing's just a bit painful," he replied, "As is being in this tiny cage. It didn't help to be just caught and then tossed into this cramped container so forcefully."
"Tell me about it," muttered the great green macaw, Esmeralda. Her wing appeared injured as well, "those cats weren't half rough with us. They also actually sprained my wing as they stuffed me into one of the cages."
"Is it broken, Esmeralda?" asked Ruby.
"No, thankfully," said Esmeralda, the great green macaw. She then began to feel where her flight muscles were and flinched harshly when shooting pain rushed from the spot that hurt the most. Esmeralda then slumped down to the floor and sighed. Ruby then turned and made an appalled face when she examined how Cobalto was stuffed into the small cage.
"I feel sorry for Cobalto over there," she said.
"How could those rotten humans do such a thing to such large macaws as him?" snarled Orquidea in a rage. Cobalto just gazed at Ruby and Orquidea with a twisted face, obviously in too much discomfort and pain to speak much.
"He's not the only one... to be stuffed into such a small cage with confined space," growled another hyacinth macaw, a female. Ruby and Orquidea turned and gazed at Phoebe, also packed into a tiny cage too small for her.
"I can hardly move at all," muttered she. A stormy look then returned to Athos's face.
"This is something I will NOT tolerate," he snarled, flinging his wings down, "Especially if those humans are going to stuff birds into cages too small for them, let their cats injure them or chain macaws together!"
He then shot a thunderous glare at the chain holding Levi and Lapis Lazuli together. Lapis Lazuli was especially disgusted at the sight of the human thing. She was a wild macaw and she hated everything manmade. Levi was also equally disgusted and couldn't believe that human cruelty could reach to such extremes as this, especially when he saw the scratch on Lapis Lazuli's right wing, remembering how the poachers except Jack and Jill showed no sliver of care or concern for the injury. There were three angry looking scrapes running the entire length of where the bones of Lapis Lazuli's wing were located, forming the arm part that was the anchor for the flight feathers. The painful red tracks continued across her chest and they still seemed to be bleeding in several spots slightly. Thankfully, the scratches weren't too deep but they were very painful and Lapis Lazuli was still clutching her scratched wing with her other, unharmed wing. The infliction of the scratch was done by Brutus when he attacked Lapis Lazuli, Zephyr and Brisa to stop them from escaping. Another sight that made Levi wince was how Phoebe and Cobalto were forced into such small cages. Then worry and fear took him over, especially as he gazed at the injury on Lapis Lazuli's side.
"We're gonna have to get you back to Tulio's Aviary to have that scratch checked out," he said. Lapis Lazuli let loose a scoffing laugh in reply to this and gave the male glaucous macaw an obnoxious stink eye tinted with mockery.
"Oh yeah, and then what? Return to that place where we're forced into having chicks when we're not ready?" said she sarcastically, ignoring the pain emanating from her injury, "Yeah, right, you've got another thing coming, pesky pet."
"But Lapis Lazuli," said D'Artagnan in protest, "You are the last female glaucous macaw alive on this planet. If you and Levi don't have chicks at some point, you're going to be extinct."
"I would rather let our species go extinct than be smuggled out of this country and sold as collector's items overseas... OR have chicks with a pesky pet," snarled Lapis Lazuli in disgust, making Levi's eyes blink with slight hurt. She then glared around the cage and moaned. "And oh, how I wish we were out of this mess."
"Hey, quit your whining," said Sapphire, "We're all in the same tree."
"Or cages in this dark and gloomy room," said D'Artagnan. It was true. The storeroom was very dark indeed. The only light the room got was the artificial light shining through a large window that lacked glass. And it was cold and damp. Ruby and Orquidea looked like they were filled with fear. They were also clutching their wings for they were also in pain. The cats must have hurt their wings during the chaos Dash whipped up a while ago and when they were stuffed back into their cages. But something else was also troubling Ruby. She was constantly looking this way and that as though a monster were lurking in the shadows about to jump out at them. Athos saw Ruby's fearful behaviour.
"What's up with her?" he asked. Orquidea replied with a fierce glare.
"It's none of your business, scarlet macaw," she growled. Then she began to comfort the frightened Ruby. However, Ruby was not the only macaw to show intense discomfort. Aurora seemed to be restless as well and was shivering, but not from cold.
"What is it, Aurora?" asked Levi.
"This... feels familiar for... some reason," muttered the pigtailed Spix macaw timidly. Then Zephyr let a laugh of mockery escape his beak.
"How, pet macaw girl?" he said rather snidely, "You've been caught by smugglers before?"
Aurora just gazed back at him stuck for words. However, it felt like that she had been in a situation like this before. Then flashbacks happened in her mind. They were only brief but they were disturbing. Aurora then heard distressed squawks, a monstrous white form towering over her and four legged furry forms glaring at her with unsympathetic eyes. She then began to hyperventilate.
"Oh, I wish we were out of here," she cried and with that, she slumped against the cages bars. Athos, Aramis and Porthos looked on in puzzlement, as did Phoebe despite the agony of being in such a cramped cage, and D'Artagnan. However, familiarity also gnawed at the five macaws as they felt like they had been in this situation before, but they were too concerned for Aurora and Levi to focus on the apparent déjà vu.
"Looks like she might have had a traumatic experience at some point in her life," said D'Artagnan.
"But how? When?" asked Athos, "Susan and Lucy received her and Levi as chicks like us when we were given to Blake, Drake and Jake and our five owners had raised us with love and care for as long as I can remember. Surely she can't have faced abuse before..."
When Ruby heard this, she shot Athos a glare.
"What? You're owned by humans as well!?" she blurted out in disgust. Athos flinched at Ruby's angry response before scowling at her.
"Yes, Ruby if that is your name," he said firmly, "We've been pets pretty much all our lives."
In response to this, scornful looks formed on the faces of Ruby and Orquidea, and the pair laughed in mockery. Esmeralda only looked on with a glare of disgust. Then Zephyr, Brisa, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire shot Athos their own glares laced with scorn.
"So it seems that pet macaw girl here with her Lear's and glaucous macaw friends," crooned Zephyr condescendingly, referring to Aurora, D'Artagnan and Levi, "Aren't the only lowly pets here at all."
Brisa, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire tittered childishly and condescendingly after Zephyr said this. Athos shot the four macaws a lour but it was not out of rage at their condescension.
"Your attitude is not going to get us anywhere," he said firmly, "Especially in this nightmarish place."
"There must be some way out of here," said Esmeralda. Then Athos realised something.
"I know," he said, "Since I, D'Artagnan, Aurora, Porthos, Aramis, Phoebe and Levi are pets and had stayed in cages before, we have learned to operate cage door locks."
As Athos said this, Veggie's voice sounded.
"That's just what I was going to say, Athos," said the tabby cat. The group of macaws turned and saw Veggie with Sunset, Dash and Travis standing by his sides. They had managed to undo their cage locks and had left their cages.
"Let's set these birds free," said Veggie, the determination to finish what he and the other three had come to do boiling within him. Athos and the other six macaws smiled but the remaining macaws, among them Zephyr and Brisa, made scowls on their faces. However, agreement boiled within them for there was no time to argue.
"Then let's get outa here," snarled Zephyr impatiently but before the group could set to the task, a lot of the birds around the group began to whimper and back away. Something had entered the storeroom and was causing the disturbance in the air. It was a grey cat with brown eyes, and its brown eyes, accompanied by a wicked grin, were filled with a taunting and mocking attitude, especially as it beamed wickedly at the captured feathered animals. Birds in cages nearest to the cat backed away in fear, intimidated by the laser of the feline's mocking glare. When Veggie, Dash, Sunset and Travis saw the cat saunter towards the group with its mean eyes piercing the birds and frightening them, they immediately dived into hiding. Athos then let loose a growl.
"Now what's up!?" he muttered angrily. Then he noticed that Aramis and Porthos with some of the other macaws apart from Cobalto the male hyacinth macaw were gazing at the newcomer. Athos followed their gazes until his brown eyes landed on the grey cat as it taunted a couple of parakeets. It was Brutus and he had come to have a little fun with the captured and imprisoned birds.
"Whassup, little birdies?" he crooned nastily as he was tickled by the birds' terrifying behaviour for he loved to cause them fear, "Afraid to come towards a cat like me?"
Aurora shivered as she saw Brutus then walk up to a group of toucans in another cage while D'Artagnan and Levi looked on in fear and Zephyr, Lapis Lazuli, Brisa and Sapphire wore looks of disgust and fury. From behind a few caged birds, Veggie, Dash, Travis and Sunset watched the scene. Luckily, Brutus had not noticed that these four pets had escaped. As Brutus approached the toucans, the big billed birds backed away towards the part of the cage furthest from the wicked cat. Then Brutus extended a paw through the cage bars.
"Oh, come on," he said in mock sympathy and captivation, "I only want to pet one of you for you are so cute."
Phoebe, despite the pain of being in a cramped cage, formed a disgusted look as she watched the grey cat taunt the toucans this way. Aramis also shuddered with anger.
"Let me at him," he snarled in a low voice, poised to charge at the cage bars, "I wanna rip his fur out."
However, Porthos restrained him and told him to shut up, the great green macaw reluctantly complying. The toucans exchanged timid glances before a young one finally decided to approach Brutus. The toucan cautiously paced towards the cat, fear boiling the closer it got. When it was right near Brutus's paw, it began to quiver more and more violently as its fear reached boiling point. It closed its eyes and whimpered as it moved its head under Brutus's paw. But just before the toucan could expect a comforting pet on the head, Brutus quickly retracted his paw and let loose a very loud screech right into the toucan's face, making the bird screech and shoot to the opposite side of the cage with the others. Brutus exploded into a maniacal laughter at the reaction.
"Oh, frightened birds," he cackled, "I sure love 'em."
The macaws looked on with faces of disgust, fear, shock and horror.
"That cat's a psychotic bully just like a certain cockatoo we have been told about," said Athos under his breath. Then suddenly, a dark grey blur leaped in and crashed into his, Porthos and Aramis's cage and knocked it over. The trio of Musketeer-named scarlet, blue-and-gold and great green macaws were tossed about like toys in a box in the process and when the cage was on its side, the three were on the cage bars on the floor in a heap. The other macaws, especially Levi, Aurora and D'Artagnan, recoiled in shock. Phoebe squirmed in her tiny cage and gasped when Brutus's piercing brown eyes filled with scorn penetrated her like a poison dart, the toothy grin accompanying them rubbing in the effect. Brutus then raked his eyes next over D'Artagnan, Aurora, Levi, Lapis Lazuli, Zephyr, Brisa and Sapphire (who reacted in fear, especially Aurora, or disgust, especially Zephyr and Brisa), and then Ruby, Orquidea, Esmeralda and finally Cobalto. The macaws all looked back in fear or anger.
"Ah, I know I'm probably one of the nastiest cats around," said Brutus in a low voice, "But I have... a DREEEAAAM..."
And with that, he leapt away from the cages, leaving the group of macaws to gaze at him. From their hiding place, Veggie, Dash, Travis and Sunset continued to watch the Brutus in disgust and shock as a song began to start up in the background. (The song is a modified version of 'Money, Money, Money' by ABBA, so the melody is not mine).
Brutus then began to trot towards the group of macaws, a mean look on his face and a grin filled with excited glee.
Brutus: You think I'm gonna turn you birdies into an all-you-can-eat buffet... 'cos I'm a cat... (he leaps towards D'Artagnan and company's cage and shoves his face right against the bars, making D'Artagnan, Aurora and Levi flinch but Zephyr, Lapis Lazuli, Brisa and Sapphire hiss)
Brutus (looks from D'Artagnan and company to Ruby and Orquidea): You think I'm gonna make a massive meal out of you birdies... but it's not that (he leaps away. Macaws look on angrily, disgustedly or fearfully)
Brutus (trots by a row of other caged birds): In my dream, it's something else. No it's not food, it's something else. And it's gonna come from sellin' all you precious little bir-dies... (musical section)
Brutus (dollar signs and paper notes rain in background): Money, money, money... yes it's money... that's my biggest dream! Money, money, money... it sounds funny... but that's my ultimate dream (He leaps to another spot)
Brutus: Ahaaaaa-aaa-aa-haaa... Oh, I sure cannot wait (he leaps away). It will be from all you birdies... that's my biggest dream! (Dollar notes and sign rain down behind him)
Brutus: that's my biggest dream! (He trots again as musical instrument section plays)
Brutus (glares menacingly at other birds who are depressed in their cages): oh you sure do look so woe-be-gone and you wish that you were flyin' free?... that's too bad. So you say you're missin' your Brazilian homes and beautiful trees? That's so sad. (He leaps away and trots by more caged birds)
Brutus: In my dream, I have a plan, to sell you birdies and hopefully then, lotsa metallic discs and paper slips will be landin' in my paws... (musical section; lumps to another space and dances)
Brutus: Money, money, money... yes it's money... that's my biggest dream! Money, money, money... it sounds funny... but that's my ultimate dream!
Brutus: (evil grin on his face) Ahaaaaa-aaa-aa-aaa... Oh, I sure cannot wait. It will be from all you birdies... that's my biggest dream! (Musical section; Brutus jumps away)
Brutus (dances on his back legs on top of a pyramid of caged birds with his paws held above his head; more dollar signs and paper notes rain in background): Money, money, money... yes it's money... that's my biggest dream! (Musical section)
Brutus (imagines his paws full of dollar notes and coins in front of his face): Money, money, money... it sounds funny... but that's my ultimate dream (He drops imaginary dollar notes and coins and leaps to another spot)
Brutus (trots towards Athos and group): Ahaaaaa-aaa-aa-haaa... Oh, I sure cannot wait. It will be from all you birdies... that's my biggest dream! (Musical section; Brutus jumps over to Athos, Porthos and Aramis's cage and seizes Athos by the neck with a paw)
Brutus: that's my biggest dream! (He drops Athos into cage)
Then after he had finished his song, Brutus looked at the macaws with an evil face.
"Goodnight, my precious little feathered gold nuggets," he crooned scornfully, "Get some rest, 'cos we've got a busy day tomorrow, an' I'm sure you lot will find it very exciting and interesting."
And with that, he let loose a meowy laugh and dashed off for the door, and within moments, he was gone, having exited the room through it.
"Don't count on it, cat," yelled Aramis after the lead cat, "Money isn't anything to life you know. And if you DARE lay a paw on my friends, I'll TEAR your WHISKERS OUT!"
As he said this, Athos stood up. Then Porthos's face twisted into a look of dread.
"Did you hear what that cat said about tomorrow?" he asked. Athos glared at him.
"I don't know, but I am NOT gonna stay in this decrepit dungeon any longer," he growled and began to look for the cage door. In D'Artagnan and the other six macaws' cage, D'Artagnan and Levi looked dumbfounded. Near them, Aurora was shivering with fear and panic while Lapis Lazuli, Zephyr, Brisa and Sapphire were burning with fury. Brutus's song had finally pushed these five to boiling point.
"I did not like that cat's song, Levi," said D'Artagnan with a timid gaze, "It sent shivers down my spine."
"Especially that horrid look he had on his face the whole time he sung it," said Levi. He then turned and saw Aurora hyperventilate and panic while the other four were furious.
"Hey, you five are you okay?" asked Levi. This finally sent Zephyr over the edge, his anger erupting.
"No, we ARE NOT! CERTAINLY NOT ME!" he snarled and with that he threw himself against the side of the cage where the cage door was, jolting it and knocking the other six macaws over.
"Hey, watch it," shouted Lapis Lazuli as she unwrapped the chain holding her to Levi around her other leg, the one on which the chain wasn't attached. Zephyr, however, didn't care and flung himself harder into the cage door, jolting the cage more violently and sending the other six macaws into a tumble.
"Zephyr, stop it," shouted Sapphire as she tripped over Brisa during the jolt, "You're causing the rest of us chaos."
"DOES IT LOOK LIKE I CARE!?" screeched Zephyr at the top of his voice, "I WAN OUTA HERE! THERE'S (flings himself into the cage door again) NO WAY I'M GONNA (flings himself into the cage door again) BE TAKEN OUT OF THIS COUNTRY AND (flings himself against the cage door again) BE SOLD AS SOME SORT OF THING!"
He continued bashing into the cage door again, harder and harder, jolting the cage and knocking the other six macaws over each time. Lapis Lazuli had had enough after she got her legs tangled up in the chain holding her to Levi.
"Zephyr," she shouted as the enraged male Spix macaw struck the cage door again, making the cage and the other six macaws jolt. Brisa yelped in pain as she felt shooting pain course through her chest and wing as she landed on her front. Lapis Lazuli stood up.
"Pull yourself together and stop this hissy fit at once," shouted the female glaucous macaw. She then lifted a wing and slapped Zephyr across the face before he could throw himself into the cage door again.
"ZEPHYR," she shouted as she did it. The pain from the slap was enough to snap Zephyr out of his temper tantrum and make him calm down. With him not throwing himself against the cage door and jolting the cage, the other six macaws sorted themselves out.
"Sorry, Lapis," Zephyr said apologetically, "It's just that..."
As he said this, D'Artagnan angrily went over to the cage door and unlocked it by moving the L-shaped lock with his beak out of its cylindrical socket.
"I kind of agree with you, Zephyr," he said angrily, "I want out of here too."
As he opened the cage door, Lapis Lazuli, Zephyr, Brisa and Sapphire looked on in bewilderment.
"Did you just-?" began Sapphire.
"Look, it's a pet thing, haven't you been listening!?" replied D'Artagnan with an annoyed frown, "We sometimes stayed in cages so we have experience with..."
But before he could finish, Brisa attempted to fly flee but as she took off, extreme pain flared in her wing and chest. Brisa shouted and crashed back down onto the floor again.
"Brisa," said Zephyr and he left the cage to inspect his sister. As he did this, Athos appeared.
"Are you all out, yet?" he asked.
"Yes," said D'Artagnan.
"Then set to unlocking the cages of the other birds, D'Artagnan," commanded Athos firmly, "We're going to set every single one of them free. I don't want any of them being smuggled out of Brazil and sold as mere items through an illegal black market. Also get Aurora and Levi to help us out as well."
D'Artagnan turned and saw Porthos and Aramis, together with Travis, Sunset, Veggie and Dash who had come out of hiding as soon as Brutus had vanished, unlock the cages of some other birds.
"We'd better be quick as well," said Veggie as he released a green-winged macaw from its cage who joined the group to help the others escape, "As we don't have much time. Those smugglers and their cats could hear us at any moment."
"Okay," said D'Artagnan in obedience to Athos's command and with that, he left to help. As he ran off, Levi, Lapis Lazuli, Aurora and Sapphire exited their cage and Athos was horrified to see that Aurora was on the verge of having a panic attack, but there was something else worrying as well.
"We have an injured Spix macaw behind you, Athos," said Levi. Hearing this, Athos turned and saw Brisa sprawled out on the floor clutching her chest and wing, her concerned brother by her side.
"You lot help Porthos and Aramis and the others help the other birds escape," he commanded and then left to check Brisa. Aurora managed to pull herself together and obeyed. Levi left to do the same but he forgot that he was chained to Lapis Lazuli. As he flew off, the chain between him and Lapis Lazuli straightened and tensed, and Lapis Lazuli's left foot was pulled off the ground.
"Levi," she shouted as Levi unintentionally pulled her onto her back and began to drag her. Lapis Lazuli clamped her beak onto a nick in the floor and stopped Levi in his tracks. Levi then noticed that he was just flapping in midair but was stationary. After this, he shot Lapis Lazuli a puzzled look.
"Levi, you're chained to Lapis Lazuli," said D'Artagnan as he flew nearby to help Phoebe out of her cage. Levi then sighed and descended to the ground. The tension in the chain removed, Lapis Lazuli was able to stand up.
"Well, that's just great," Levi muttered as he stared at the chain holding him to Lapis Lazuli.
"Well, how are we going to move?" muttered Lapis Lazuli. Levi then had an idea.
"I know, if I move first, you follow," he said, "But sometimes we may have to move in sync."
"What do you mean?" asked Lapis Lazuli reluctantly. She got her answer when Levi ran off towards Ruby and Orquidea's cage. Seeing the chain about to straighten as Levi put more distance between himself and her, Lapis Lazuli immediately began to follow to prevent being her foot being pulled and the rest of her body flopping to the floor again. As soon as Levi stopped and began to open the cage door holding the female scarlet and blue-and-gold macaws, understanding at what Levi meant washed over Lapis Lazuli but she was clearly annoyed at being a trailer to as domesticated macaw.
"Okay, I get it," she said with a frown. Levi then opened the cage door and Ruby and Orquidea left the cage without a second's hesitation.
"Right, if any of you two know how to open a cage," said Levi, "Join in."
"Why should we be ordered around by some pesky pets and touch those decrepit human things?" muttered Orquidea with a frown.
"No time to explain," said Levi as he left to unlock Cobalto's cage. Lapis Lazuli followed as the chain straightened between her and Levi. Ruby then raised an eyebrow before turning to the locked cage holding Esmeralda.
While the others continued to free the other birds, Athos examined Brisa's wing. Brisa's face was twisted into a face of pain and she was clutching her wing tightly. Sapphire and Zephyr stood nearby, the latter bearing a foul look on his face and he looked as though he were about to leap at Athos any moment but due to the size of the scarlet macaw, he didn't want to risk getting hurt, and Athos did have a bit of strength in him though he was not as strong as the muscular Porthos. However, Athos would not attack unless it was necessary. As Athos pressed a talon on the part where Brisa's wing joined her body, Brisa flinched with a gasp and open beak.
"It's a sprained wing," he said to Zephyr and Sapphire, "I can tell because I suffered from a sprained wing myself when I and my group lived in the UK. I was trying to save Levi from some vicious dogs and ended up crash landing and injuring my wing shortly after escaping them. In this macaw's case, the skirmish must have caused the injury."
"How bad is it?" growled Zephyr, clearly reluctant to trust Athos. The scarlet macaw replied with a sad gaze.
"I'm not a bird doctor, I'm afraid," he said, "But we need to get her back to Tulio's Aviary and have her examined. This is serious as she may never be able to fly but we don't have time for anymore discussions. We need to escape."
Zephyr let loose a frustrated sigh.
"If you think we're going to go back to Tulio's Aviary, red boy," he snarled, "You've got another thing coming."
"Look, those humans are the only ones able to treat your sister's injury far better than us," said Athos in a slightly harsher voice. Zephyr just glared at him. Nearby, Ruby had managed to unlock the cage door and set Esmeralda free. As the two exited the cage, Esmeralda was surprised.
"How did you do that?" she asked. Ruby just looked at her and sighed.
Esmeralda then felt her wing and winced from the pain.
"Oh, it really hurts," she groaned. Behind her, Sunset and Travis opened more cage doors containing some honeycreepers and finches, toucans and parakeets. Sunset also helped some parakeets that were still injured out of their cages. Nearby, Aramis was examining Phoebe's wellbeing. Phoebe was glad to be out of the tiny cage but she looked in pain and was holding her wing and standing on one foot.
"I can't believe that those humans and their cats would be so inconsiderate, Aramis," muttered she, "We hyacinth macaws are large birds and we MUST have cages big enough to house us as our owners Susan, Lucy, Blake, Drake and Jake know very well. Those cages are fitter for carrying small rodents like gerbils and mice than big birds such as me."
"You can say that again," said Porthos nearby as he set some conures free, "The other hyacinth macaw's on the same perch."
Phoebe turned and looked at the other hyacinth macaw, the male named Cobalto who had also been set free. He looked in pain as well but was glad to be out of the tiny cage like Phoebe was. D'Artagnan, Aurora, Porthos, Aramis, Levi (who moved with Lapis Lazuli), Veggie, Dash, Travis and Sunset continued unlocking more and more cages and setting more and more birds free but they were unaware that their activity had been heard by one of the smugglers' cats.
Outside the storeroom, the black and white cat, Otis, had become alerted by some unusual sounds coming through the door while he had left to fetch some fish sticks for the cats. Some of the sounds were metallic, and that had ignited suspicion within the black and white cat. Otis placed his ear at the door to listen more carefully and check for sure that the sounds were indeed real. When he heard another metallic crash, he began to look for a small hole in the wall to do a visual examination, hopes that his suspicions were false. The smugglers' den was an old house and the walls were strewn with cracks and walls, some of which were large enough to allow a dog the size of Dash to squeeze through, such as the hole through which Sunset, Travis, Veggie and Dash had used to access the den. The paint of the walls and ceiling was peeling with flakes of it hanging off the surfaces like pieces of wallpaper. When Otis found a hole, he peered through it with an eye. However, what he saw shocked and horrified him and he drew in a disbelieving gasp.
Back in the living room, Marvin, Luke and Vera who continued eating popcorn, cheered at an exciting part in the movie. The cats including Brutus sat around them, waiting for Otis to return with the fish sticks. They sat on the floor, the table, and the arms and back of the sofa with their owners. They also cheered at the exciting bit of the movie. As the group continued cheering excitedly, Otis ran in.
"The birds have escaped their cages," he cried, which were nothing more than cat screeches to the three humans. However, none of the cats or the three humans heard him through the loud sounds emanating from the TV, and their attention was totally glued to it. Seeing no response from his comrades and that the sounds from the movie on the TV were drowning out his voice, Otis began to look around for the remote. After finding the black rectangular thing with buttons, he rushed over to it and grabbed it. Then Otis aimed the remote at the TV and stabbed a paw onto the red 'off' button, turning off the TV much to the other cats and three humans' frustration. They shot him an angry glare.
"OI!" cried Vera.
"OTIS!" cried some of the cats.
"What did you do that for?" shouted Brutus, "That was a brilliant and thrilling part of the movie we were watching!"
Then Marvin and Luke jumped off the sofa and began to chase Otis for the remote. Otis then ran off towards the storeroom entrance with it, the two men in hot pursuit. Then the woman and the cats all followed.
Back in the storeroom, the birds were all finally free from their cages, the empty containers laying scattered all over the storeroom.
"Alright, you lot," shouted Athos to the other birds, "Those of you that should be in Tulio's Aviary return there and carry the injured with you, while the rest of you make a break for it to the jungle."
As soon as Athos had finished this sentence, the entire room was filled with the flapping noises of dozens and dozens of birds as well as a flurry of colourful wings and blurs. All the birds took off and escaped through the glassless window, seeping out of it like a cloud of colourful smoke. That smoke then split as some of the birds flew off in the direction of the jungle while the remainder, with those that were too injured to fly being carried in the talons of those that could, split off from the others and escaped in the direction of Tulio's Aviary. Then as soon as the last of the birds had gone, Athos and his group, together with Ruby, Orquidea, Esmeralda, Cobalto, Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli and Zephyr and his sister Brisa who were the only ones left then prepared to escape themselves with Travis, Sunset, Veggie and Dash.
"Right, let's get out of here," said Athos but before he could take off, Sunset said, "Wait, we might have a big problem."
When Athos heard this, he turned round and looked at some of the birds. Brisa, Esmeralda, Cobalto and Phoebe were holding their wings and Lapis Lazuli was showing the scratch on her wing and chest. Athos made a face of dread but did not give up. He knew that the group would not be able to escape through the storeroom's door as the smugglers and their cats would catch them. There was only one choice but it wasn't going to be easy.
"Can any of the rest of you fly?" asked Athos. Only Sunset, Zephyr, Levi and Travis put their wings up. The other birds made faces of uncertainty. Regardless, Athos nodded to Sunset, Travis, Veggie and Dash.
"Help me get those that cannot fly or who think they can't fly onto the window ledge, now!" he ordered. Then without a second's hesitation, the tabby cat, greyhound, and the two cockatoos began to help the male scarlet macaw lift the other macaws onto the window ledge. As Veggie carried Cobalto onto the window ledge, the male hyacinth macaw shot the tabby a hostile glare.
"You cats are disgusting bird-eating pests, did you know?" he snarled. Veggie just ignored him and moved onto the next bird. Sunset and Travis then placed Phoebe onto the window ledge while Athos helped Zephyr place Brisa on the ledge before leaving to get another bird.
"Quickly, folks," said Dash as he helped the two chained glaucous macaws onto the window ledge, "There's not much time left."
And he was right, the smugglers and their cats could burst into the room at any moment. As Esmeralda was placed by Sapphire, she gave the Lear's macaw a fierce glare saturated with hate. Sapphire returned this glare to the great green macaw. Ruby did the same with Zephyr and Brisa and vice versa.
"Why are you glaring at each other?" asked Porthos. However, he got no answer from any of the five macaws. Travis, Sunset, Veggie, Dash and Athos continued helping the other macaws onto the window ledge but by the time they managed to get the last macaws onto the window ledge, a, "The (bleep)in' birds have escaped!" accompanied by an explosion of angry cat screeches reached the ears of the macaws, the two cockatoos, the tabby cat and the greyhound. Alarm exploding within them, Athos and Dash snapped their gazes at the storeroom door and gasped in utter horror as the three humans, Vera, Luke and Marvin lunged at them with their cats. Veggie, Sunset and Marvin quickly jumped or fluttered onto the window ledge while Dash and Athos lunged at the cats and three humans, barking and screeching and before long, the trio of humans and the group of cats found themselves in another fight with Dash, only this time, a macaw got himself involved to assist.
The shock of the sudden explosion of human cries of pain accompanied by swearwords, cat screeches, dog barks and scarlet macaw squawks as another skirmish erupted shocked the entire group on the window ledge. Veggie jumped onto a pipe nearby while Travis and Sunset took off. The macaws then tried to get airborne but then the problem Sunset had sensed revealed itself, but it was worse than what Sunset thought. As Brisa attempted to fly again, searing pain shot through her chest and wing. The same occurred to Esmeralda, Phoebe and Cobalto. However, the other macaws apart from Zephyr and Levi also noticed something as well, and Levi realised that he was struggling to carry Lapis Lazuli who was chained to him, due to her being unable to fly with her scratched wing. As all the macaws jumped into the air, Sunset cried, "Wait, don't jump all at... OOOOOOOOONCE!"
She, Travis and Veggie cried as the cloud of macaws fell like stones out of the air. Brisa, Esmeralda, Phoebe and Cobalto released cries of agony as they fell while the others including D'Artagnan, Aurora, Porthos and Aramis were struggling to stay aloft. They flapped madly but continued falling, leaving only Zephyr hovering in midair. Levi also found himself being dragged down by the weight of Lapis Lazuli who acted like a heavy stone attached by chain to Levi's ankle. Veggie then slid down the pipe while Travis and Sunset, together with Zephyr, dived down after the dropping cloud of macaws. The cloud of macaws continued plummeting and crying. Porthos tried flapping his wings hard but this only slowed down his descent. The macaws continued falling until... WHUMPH! They landed on a soft pile of cushions.
As the macaws began to sort themselves out, Sunset, Travis and Veggie managed to reach the ground with Zephyr close behind and made a beeline for the pile of macaws on the cushions. However, as Veggie began to help Sapphire, she hissed loudly and lashed her claws at his face, almost scratching him in the nose as Veggie had dodged the attack.
"Get away from me you FILTHY ALLEY-RAT!" snarled Sapphire and attempted to attack Veggie again.
"I-I-I can explain!" shouted Veggie as he dodged the female Lear's macaw's third claw swipe. As Porthos hopped off the pile of cushions, he could not believe that he had just plummeted out of the sky. In shock, he looked at his wings. To his horror, he realised that the flight feathers had been damaged. The flight feathers on the wings of D'Artagnan, Aurora and Aramis and the other uninjured macaws apart from Zephyr and Levi were also damaged. The skirmish with the cats during their capture at Tulio's Aviary must be the cause of this unfortunate effect. Only Zephyr and Levi's wing feathers were intact and thus fine. The wing feathers of the injured macaws were also intact but due to their injuries, they were grounded as well and Levi was grounded by Lapis Lazuli due to the chain linking the two glaucous macaws together.
"Veggie," shouted Porthos, "The flight feathers on our wings are damaged. We cannot fly at all."
However, Veggie did not reply as he continued dodging Sapphire's claw attacks. Then a white cockatoo appeared and hooked his claws on Sapphire's wings.
"Don't attack him, he's our friend!" shouted Travis as he struggled to restrain Sapphire. Sapphire's rage turned to shock.
"WHAT!?" she retorted. Behind them, Sunset had managed to help the other macaws sort themselves out from the pile of cushions.
"What happened? Why didn't those of you that didn't have a sprained wing fly?" she asked. Ruby then shot the pink cockatoo a scowl and showed her the flight feathers on one of her wings for she had a completely different reason for her grounding.
"My wings had been clipped," she said. When Zephyr heard this, he said sarcastically, "Well that's just great, isn't it!?"
Ruby shot him a threatening glare.
"Don't make me strangle you, you Spix macaw wretch," she snarled.
"STOP QUARRELLING!" shouted Sunset, making Ruby and Zephyr look at her. Just then, Brisa came up to Zephyr, clutching her wing.
"Let's get out of here before we're spotted," said Veggie.
"Wait, where are Athos and Dash?" asked Porthos. As if on cue, a light grey greyhound and a scarlet macaw showed up. They had managed to escape the smugglers and their cats. However, they were covered in a few scratches and bruises. Dash had a few scratches but Athos looked worse. He had a bleeding scratch on his abdomen, a black eye and his left wing was missing some flight feathers, especially the primaries. However, based on his injuries it looked as though he had put up quite a fight with those smugglers and their cats, something he had wanted to deliver for their cruelty to them and the other birds. Athos also looked visibly shaken and was breathing rapidly and shaking but he looked smug. His talons were also covered in a few drops of blood. The others were horrified at the state of the scarlet macaw.
"Athos, Dash," cried Veggie and went over to examine their injuries.
"I managed to g-g-g-give those humans a-a-a good hiding," said Athos smugly, "However..."
"You need treatment," said Veggie seriously, "I hope that scratch isn't too deep."
Aramis then stepped forward, his green feathers raised and a look of thunder adorning his face.
"Well, if I EVER see those humans and cats again," he snarled, "I'm gonna tear their hair out and claw them outright!"
"Aramis," snapped Phoebe, "Sometimes in a fight-or-flight situation, fighting isn't always the wisest choice."
No sooner had these words escaped from her beak, than the group was alerted by an extremely angry cat screech, accompanied by some footsteps and shouting. Athos looked back at the direction of the sounds' source.
"I agree with Phoebe completely," he said in a low voice as the sounds of the footsteps grew louder and another furious cat screech was heard, "Sometimes the wisest option to take is to flee."
Then he shouted to the others, "RUN LIKE THE WIND!"
Without hesitation, the entire group took off and launched into a hasty sprint. Moments later, the three smugglers and their cats made their appearance around the corner of a house. Two passers-by were knocked out of the way by the group as the poachers barged past them, Marvin yelling "MOVE!" as they did it. Marvin, Vera and Luke were covered in scratches and bruises, especially on their faces and arms, and many of the scratches, which had been the work of the wrathful Athos, were bleeding. Some of the cats also looked a state, some scratches marking them as well but the injuries didn't deter the group from going after Athos and company. As soon as they saw the colourful puddle of animals, they charged after them like a group of enraged bulls.
One of the cats, the grey one with the brown eyes, was especially furious. His eyes were like brown volcanoes and he was practically screaming like a cat possessed. Athos and company then began to run for their lives, an adrenaline explosion coursing through their bodies as they entered fight-or-flight mode. However two of the macaws were struggling to keep up with the others. Levi was trying to run ahead but Lapis Lazuli, who had been late to start, found herself being pulled along, her shackled foot being dragged from under her body. She kept tripping as the chain linking her to Levi kept tensing every time Levi reached a distance equal to the length of the chain.
"Levi... wait," shouted Lapis Lazuli until she finally fell over and got tangled up in the chain. Levi then stumbled and both glaucous macaws fell in a heap on the floor. Some of the macaws including D'Artagnan, Dash and Athos stopped and shot the pair a dreaded look.
"Levi, Lapis Lazuli," cried D'Artagnan. Dash then quickly ran back towards the pair of glaucous macaws.
"We can't move with this chain," shouted Levi. Then Dash ducked down with his belly to the floor.
"Onto my back, quickly," he ordered. At first, Levi and Lapis Lazuli hesitated but after hearing the enraged screech of Brutus and seeing that he and his group and three owners were seconds away, they complied. Levi heaved Lapis Lazuli onto Dash's back before jumping on himself. As soon as the chained glaucous macaws were both on his back, Dash got up and hurried off, narrowly escaping being slashed by the furious Brutus as one of his paws, its claws fully protracted and flared, swiped at the greyhound's side only to miss by centimetres. Brutus clearly looked terrifying. His fur was puffed out and his eyes were bloodshot and filled with untold rage. He was basically like a feral creature and his mouth bore their weaponry, saliva dripping from them.
Dash then dashed off as fast as he could after the others with Levi and Lapis Lazuli hanging tightly on his back. As he ran, the greyhound began to utilise the specialty all members of his breed were bred for: speed and he soon caught up with the others in seconds. Behind the group, Brutus, closely followed by the other cats and their three owners, began their relentless pursuit. Then a wild chase started up in the streets of the slums of Rio. Travis, Sunset and Zephyr flew close to those running on the ground. D'Artagnan, Aurora, Athos, Porthos, Aramis and Phoebe, together with Brisa, Sapphire, Esmeralda, Ruby, Cobalto and Orquidea began to pump their legs like pistons in order to stay ahead of their capturers with Ruby clinging onto Orquidea's wing to help her run and keep with the group. Behind them, Veggie and Dash with Levi and Lapis Lazuli on his back, followed. Behind the dog, cat and two glaucous macaws, Marvin, Luke and Vera with their cats, who wore angry and thunderous looks on their faces, pursued them despite the pain from their injuries, some of which were bleeding slightly, the determination to catch the animals to re-cage them spurring them on.
During the little skirmish with the poachers, Athos had managed to rake his claws over the three human's faces and arms like an enraged cat, inflicting the scratches while Dash attacked and bit. However, Brutus had lashed at Athos and had attacked him and in the process he had entered his rabid state. Athos was clawed down the flank and kicked in the face by the savage cat. Then seeing that Brutus was more than a match for him with his malicious temper and feral behaviour, Athos had called for Dash to retreat but Brutus had clamped his teeth onto the flight feathers of the scarlet macaw's left wing during the two's escape. However, Athos had managed to get free but not before going through excruciating pain as his flight feathers were torn from his wing. Thus that escape had come with a price: Athos was now and also grounded. Without the complete set of flight feathers in both wings, he cannot fly. However he didn't care about this as he had to get himself and the others with him to safety first and the gauntlet of the streets were fraught with obstacles, among them the forest of legs of the humans. As the group of birds, tabby cat and greyhound dashed through the streets, they dodged any passer-by they encountered, while the passers-by themselves were forced to dodge the fleeing animals and then their pursuers. As the group continued running along, Levi, who rode Dash behind Lapis Lazuli, looked back at the pursuing smugglers and their cats.
"Can someone do something about our kidnappers?" he cried. He then clung onto Dash's back as Dash dodged a man carrying a large plant. It was important that Levi hung on because if he fell off, he'd drag Lapis Lazuli off with him as well due to him being chained to her. Sunset then looked around for something to put off the group's pursuers until her eyes landed on a pile of apples on a fruit stall. The moment she spotted the stall, she slowed down a bit and then flew towards it. Then as soon as Sunset was near the apple pile, she struck the apples lowest on the pile with her talons. The pile of apples turned into an avalanche as the fruit higher up from Sunset's strike point then began cascading down from the stall stand and onto the floor, right in front of Marvin, Vera and Luke and their cats. The moment the three humans and their cats' feet made contact with the round apples, their owners began slipping and sliding all over the place, their pursuit of the group interrupted in the process.
"Wise move, Sunset," shouted Athos. Sunset nodded and smiled in approval.
However, the group was not clear of the dangerous forest yet, as one of the cats was still pursuing them. Brutus was still furiously charging after the group like an enraged bull, his rational thinking completely eclipsed by his feral temper. He screeched loudly as he dodged every human and obstacle he came across and continued pursuing the group. As the group ran along, Levi, stilling clinging onto Dash and Lapis Lazuli, looked back terrified at the sight of the savage cat.
"AAAAHHH!" he screeched, "That psychotic cat's right behind us!"
Brutus, with his eyes saturated with a fiery fury and total insanity and his fur puffed out and claws extended, his toothy mouth dripping saliva, continued charging on after the group. Athos stole a glance at the psychotically enraged cat and faced ahead.
"Don't look back," he told the other, frightened macaws and Veggie, "Don't look back, everyone."
Every other animal, including Athos and Zephyr, Sunset and Travis who flew overhead, were clearly frightened. Athos and the others who were still owned had never known a vicious cat like Brutus and they dreaded to think of the consequences if any animal got caught in the savage cat's wrath but they pushed the thought away to concentrate on escaping. The group dodged two men carrying a sofa either by running under it or around the men's feet while Zephyr, Travis and Sunset flew over them. The two men stopped in shock as a group of colourful blurs shot past them.
"What the-!?" said one of the men and then the two were stunned again as a grey blur jumped onto the sofa's back and then rocketed off after the colourful blurs. As the group made it past that obstacle, Brisa began to complain.
"Oh, what are we gonna do if hardly any of us apart from my brother cannot fly?" she muttered.
"Hey, quit your complaining," said Aurora angrily, "We're all on the same perch."
"I can't believe those... wretched smugglers would do this to birds," shouted Aramis as he dodged a discarded can.
"Tch, they steal us from Tulio's Aviary," muttered Phoebe angrily, "Stuff us into cramped cages, chain the glaucous macaws together such that they cannot move very well, and now they injure us? What sort of humans are they? What do they think we are!?"
"I don't know but those humans should be caught," growled Porthos as he dodged an apple core and a banana skin.
"Humans, honestly," shouted Orquidea, "Glad I'm not under the ownership of one."
As she said this, Ruby shot her a rather offended glare.
"Sorry, Ruby," said Orquidea when she saw that she had unintentionally dented her friend's feelings. Then D'Artagnan became curious.
"Ruby's had experience with humans?" he asked.
"Never you mind, you nosey pet," snapped Orquidea angrily.
"Look, let's just focus on escaping," said Athos nearby. The group continued running on when Levi yelled, "HE'S CLOSING IIIIIN!"
It was true; Brutus was closing in on the group, the gap between him and those at the back, Dash, Levi and Lapis Lazuli and Veggie getting smaller and smaller by the second. Dash stole a glance at the cat.
"I'm NOT gonna allow that psychotic feline lay a claw on any of these birds, least of all the last pair of glaucous macaws riding on my back!" he growled.
"Well, DO SOMETHING!" shouted Lapis Lazuli. Dash then looked this way and that to see if he could find something to slip up Brutus when Athos shouted, "Look OUT!"
At this shout, everyone looked ahead and saw a large group of people partially blocking the street. Seeing no other choice and with Brutus getting closer and closer to Dash's hind legs, Athos quickly formulated a plan. As soon as the group was close to the obstacle, they split up. Some took the left route around the obstacle of people while the others chose right. Travis, Zephyr and Sunset, however, flew over. This quick-thinking method proved effective as Brutus tried following one of the grounded subgroups, only to realise that both the subgroups were swallowed up by the flurry of legs and feet from the thick crowd. Enraged at being stymied, the extremely savage cat released an EXTREMELY loud screech into the air while his clawed paws lashed at the peoples' feet, much to their shock. Then the savage cat broke off the chase and retreated.
On the other side of the large clump of people, Athos and company had regrouped and continued their escape out of the slums of Rio, relieved to be finally out of reach of the poachers... for now.