Chapter 30- the rescue part 2
The muscular bat which was none other than the wicked and bloodthirsty Voldemort hovered above the rushing stream with the petrified Ruby in his clutches. His scornful and devilish eyes beamed wickedly like a lethal laser at Augustus, Melissa and the rescue group but when they focussed particularly on the former two, furious outrage was burning dangerously within the scorn. Some other flying foxes had also turned up and were hovering behind him, looks of thunder and outrage also lacing their faces. Augustus, Melissa and the rescue group, including Ophiuchus and his team who had returned from distracting the guards, gazed up at the evil bat with astounded eyes while the other last surviving prisoners, Waldo, Nuvem, Alfonso, Orquidea, Esmeralda, Ted, the hyacinth macaw and Lapis Lazuli, especially the latter, whimpered timidly and cowered behind their friends, shaking violently from both fear and cold. Then Voldemort began to speak in a voice that sounded like splintering wood.
"There they are, the traitors," he crooned wickedly as he fixed his gaze upon Augustus and Melissa first before dragging it like a claw over the disguised birds. "As well as some good-for-nothing feathered intruders who shouldn't be on our territory at all."
Then that scorn gave way to a fiery rage as his eyes turned back to Augustus and Melissa. His fur puffed out and he began o tremble with outrage.
"You DON'T even REALISE what you two have DONE, you PAIR OF wretched COWARDLY BATS!" he bellowed, spittle flying as he spoke. His voice was so loud that it sent shockwaves cursing through the group. Athos flinched while some of the other birds let loose shrieks of shock. Augustus and Melissa, though they flinched, gazed back at Voldemort and his companions, who also had thunderous looks on their faces, as they glared bitterly at the two bats. Then one of Voldemort's companions fluttered forward.
"We have sent someone to fetch Cicatriz and Iracebeth here, you two," he snarled, before his voice changed to a mocking croon, "And believe me, aren't they gonna explode like the explosive things loggers used to knock down trees."
"While your little feathered friends are gonna be slaughtered for trespassing on our land," put in another bat, a female, as her eyes raked they disguised birds. The others with him tittered briefly. Augustus and Melissa continued standing there, deadpan looks on their faces. Athos shot the couple a surprised gaze. Weren't they even intimidated by the hulking Voldemort and his gang? But then what happened next startled all the birds in the rescue group as everything Augustus and Melissa had bottled up for so long came exploding violently out from inside like a highly pressurised volcano. Trembling with unspeakable rage, Augustus launched into a fiery outburst, his blue eyes ablaze with the flames like those of burning sulfur.
"You wanna know WHY, you OVERGROWN BOAR!?" he bellowed at the top of his lungs. He barked so loud that the prisoners ducked timidly behind their friends. Their friends comforted them as Augustus continued spewing out a blast of magma from his mouth.
"IT'S BECAUSE YOU LOT are A BUNCH OF SAVAGE, ROTTEN…" and then suddenly, Augustus began to spew out a cocktail of highly caustic and vitriolic words that sent horror tearing through the group. The abuse was so caustic that some of the birds, especially Athos, raised their wings and covered their ears to block out the music and its disturbing lyrics. Then Melissa stepped in, a thunderous look on her face.
"And as for the anti-bird teachings of the colony," she added, "THEY'RE NOTHING but a pack of OUTRIGHT LIES AND A DISPICABLE EXCUSE TO DRIVE OUT OUNTLESS BIRD TRIBES, CLANS AND GROUPS and GRAB THEIR LAND. YOU don't even know how SICKENING THOSE PROCESSES ARE!"
Voldemort opened his mouth to retort but Melissa swept on. "Not to mention that so many of OUR OWN KIND has died DRIVING OUT THOSE POOR BIRDS!"
"How DARE you SLANDER OUR TEACHINGS YOU LITTLE…" retorted Voldemort and threatened to swoop at Augustus and Melissa to give them a piece of his mind but changed his mind at the last minute. Gazing down at the terrified Ruby who whimpered timidly at his acidic glare in his feet, Voldemort gave Augustus and Melissa the caustic eye once again. "I think you oughta save your words until Cicatriz and Iracebeth gets here. You're honestly no different from that traitorous white misfit Lily when she kept countless of those feathered vermin who are responsible for all the mishaps our colony has faced hidden from us…" this sent immense disgust tearing through the rescue group. Zephyr whispered under his breath, "So it's true those bats believe that about us!?"
"You don't realise how much we have LOST habitat and individual wise, because of those feathered rodents in regards to logging, fires and whatnot," added Voldemort, a genuinely heartbroken voice breaking through his rage, "I lost MY ENTIRE FAMILY to logging activity when I was a pup and SO HAVE SO MANY OTHER FLYING FOXES! Therefore, all Amazon birds deserve to DIE!"
"You've got it ALL WRONG, Voldemort," shouted a voice. Voldemort's venomous gaze turned to Athos who glared back at him with a thunderous look. "We birds aren't the cause of those fires, logging activity and every other disaster you have faced," added Athos, "Loss of habitat and sometimes forest fires are caused by loggers or other human activity and natural disasters like forest fires and scarcity of food is caused by a shift in weather patterns, and violent storms. WE BIRDS had nothing to do with those kinds of things."
Augustus smiled in agreement with this as Athos continued. "And to add, we're all on the same perch. It's just unfortunate that these things happen."
Augustus, Melissa and the other rescuers looked on with amazed looks on their faces as they listened to Athos's speech. Even Ruby, who was wracked by delirium and the trauma she had faced at the clutches of her interrogators, looked on in immense awe. Then Augustus and Melissa gazed back at Voldemort and his companions hoped that Athos's effective words would penetrate his hardened shell of blindness. However to their immense dismay that shell was too sturdy and impenetrable as Voldemort began to tremble with rage. His anger flaring within him once again, Voldemort began to dangle whimpering Ruby over the rushing stream. Augustus and Melissa looked on in horror. It was clear that these bats and possibly countless other flying foxes as well apart from a few, were too far gone in the anti-bird lies the majority of the colony believed.
"We don't CARE!" bellowed Voldemort with no remorse whatsoever, "ALL AMAZON BIRDS ARE THE CAUSE OF ALL THE DISASTERS AND THEY DESERVE TO DIE!"
Ruby whimpered timidly in his grasp and gazed at the churning waters of the stream below her. Athos also saw the churning waters and shuddered, remembering his traumatic ordeal when he had fallen into one with Nigel. However before Voldemort could release Ruby, Athos took action.
"Don't you DARE drop her into that stream, bat," he barked, fear for Ruby lacing his voice. Voldemort gazed wickedly at Athos as the rescue group looked on. His companions also glared at the mud-covered scarlet macaw. At first, Voldemort was stunned by Athos's boldness but then a wicked, fiendish grin widened his mouth until it spanned from cheek to cheek.
"Ah, I know what that is," he cooed mockingly, "Love… a powerful and… stupid thing, especially when feathered vermin like you worms have it…"
Athos flinched at the scathing comment, which eerily resembled that of an infamous cockatoo he knew and had almost drowned him but Voldemort continued his taunts. He raised Ruby in his claws towards his face and snickered. "And yet, it's as easily broken as a feeble twig…"
Ruby, overcome with immense and unspeakable terror, began to writhe, tremble and cry uncontrollably. Voldemort then smiled wickedly at the other disguised birds as they looked on.
"But it's not just romantic love that's so dreadful," he crooned, "But also family love. Love between siblings, parents and chicks, and other relatives. No wonder that useless blue macaw with that mop of leaf-like feathers on his head wailed in immense anguish when he witnessed the gruesome slaughtering of his beloved family as a chick all those years ago…"
Brisa felt a surge of disgust tear through her. Obviously Voldemort was referring to Roberto who was her mate. The scathing comment had hit the nerve of Felipe as well for Roberto was one of his close friends and he had begun to tremble uncontrollably with rage, an urge to claw the scornful smile off of Voldemort's face beginning to take hold. Athos then spread his wings and flapped up to Voldemort, a demanding look on his face.
"Give her to me RIGHT now!" he barked, his talons reached out to reinforce his point. Despite his obvious aquaphobia of the rushing stream below him threatening to explode within him which would result in him scurrying, Athos remained focussed on Voldemort. Then Augustus tried to persuade Voldemort into handing Ruby over to Athos as Voldemort's flying foxes prepared to lash at the scarlet macaw, some with sharp-sticks poised.
"Give her to him, Voldemort, now," Augustus barked. Voldemort gazed at the flying fox standing before the group of birds, a look of disgust on his face that was as potent as that of dart frog poison.
"I'm afraid I do NOT listen to the comments of traitors!" he barked and then without hesitation or a second thought, the evil murderer of Roberto's family released Ruby, much to the immense horror of the group, especially Athos, Felipe and Pearl and Pearl screeched her sister's name as she watched her plummet. Ruby screamed as she hurtled through space, desperately trying to flap her near-featherless wings but to no avail. Athos then rushed forward but three flying foxes blocked his way while the others surged towards Augustus, Melissa and the other rescue birds to engage them in battle. However the rescue birds launched into action as a counterattack and then seconds later, the quiet night air was violent shattered as both groups collided. However, as the brawl began, Augustus commanded Melissa to have some of the rescue group take the remaining prisoners out of the flying foxes' territory while the rest of the group dealt with Voldemort's minions. Melissa, at first, hesitated but then she obeyed. Rounding up Sapphire, Monique, Zephyr, Brisa, Porthos, Aramis, Levi, two hyacinth macaws and Pearl (who was hesitant because of her sister but Felipe urged her to get Alfonso out of here) who had the battered, starving, near-featherless and terrified Waldo, Nuvem, Esmeralda, Ted, Alfonso, Lapis Lazuli, Orquidea and the young hyacinth macaw in their clutches, Melissa began to guide the macaws back in the direction of the birds' territory. However, she flashed a worried glance at the others and hoped that they would make it out as well.
As Melissa's group left and the battle between the remaining macaws, archaeobirds and their bat-birds and Augustus continued, there was a splash as Ruby had hit the water. However, it had ignited the violent rage within a certain scarlet macaw when he saw it happen. With an enraged screech, Athos raised his talons and savagely clawed his way past the group of flying foxes blocking his way and dived towards the rushing water, shouting Ruby's name.
"Athos!" barked Cobalto as he slammed a flying fox onto ground to knock it out. As he approached the stream's surface, Athos's aquaphobia finally took hold. A torrent of memories came surging within Athos's mind and he began seeing water swirl all around him, feel his lungs scream for air, himself struggling in the current and most horrifying of all, a pair of scornful and murderous brown eyes and a grip of talons on his neck threatening to pull him under the rushing water in an attempt to drown him. Then Athos's mind heard a familiar voice say, "Not a chance, pretty bird, not until you DIE!"
His body began to shake like a leaf and his breathing began to spiral out of control. Athos's urge to flee then began to reach boiling point but then two familiar voices snapped him out of his thoughts.
"ATHOS!" shouted one, Cobalto's.
"Ruby's down there!" shouted another, Felipe's. Upon hearing the two voices of his hyacinth macaw 'brother' and close scarlet friend, Athos was dragged out of the churning torrent of bad memories. When he found himself gazing into the eyes of Felipe and Cobalto, Felipe pointed a talon down the stream. Athos turned and saw a form struggle in the stream, screaming in extreme terror before going under again. Then shooting his gaze this way and that until his eyes landed on some thin green tendrils hanging from a branch from one of the half-dead trees, Athos darted over to them, Felipe and Cobalto following. As soon as the trio had arrived at the branch, Athos snatched one of the vines and handed it to Felipe and Cobalto while he hastily tied the other end around his waist.
"I want you both to hang on to the vine while I rescue Ruby," he commanded. Felipe shot him a horrified look, obviously knowing what he was about to do.
"WHAT!?" he barked.
"What are you talking about!?" demanded Cobalto, "You know you hate rushing water!"
"JUST DO IT!" bellowed the scarlet macaw. Seeing how adamant Athos was in his decision to risk his life despite his fear of the water and after what had almost happened to him the last time he had fallen into a rushing stream, especially at the clutches of a murderous cockatoo, Cobalto nodded to Felipe and the two took hold of the vine. This done, the three hurried over the rushing stream, looking for Ruby. As soon as their eyes found the featherless form struggling to stay on the surface and fighting in vain against the churning current only to be dragged under again, the three slowed and Athos prepared to take the plunge. However, he was hesitant at first as he shuddered at the rushing and churning waters of the stream. Felipe and Cobalto looked on, wondering whether Athos was able to face his fear of the rushing water or not. However, despite his obvious fear of the churning water and the bad memories it brought back, Athos made his decision as he thought about the macaw he loved more than any other. Tucking in his wings, the scarlet macaw dived headfirst towards the rushing stream while Cobalto and Felipe gripped the vine firmly ready to prevent Athos from being dragged away by the current and to haul him to safety. Before hitting the water, Athos closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Then he felt his body strike the surface and penetrate it and soon, he was in a substance that was thicker than air.
The first few moments sent immense panic surging through Athos's body and as he opened his eyes and felt the turbulent current pull at him, his survival instinct began to kick in and he began to flap and kick to keep himself on the surface. As Athos did that, his cloak fell off, the mud coming off in a brown cloud and the bits of vegetation he had placed on his head, neck and talons were kicked or thrown off and they were sent spinning and tumbling away in the current. Then seconds later, Athos's vivid red plumage and teal and yellow wings and tail were visible again. Despite his struggles in the water, Athos began to look around for Ruby until his eyes landed on a struggling featherless form flailing helplessly in the water. Above, Felipe and Cobalto followed the river, taking the vine with them to allow Athos to catch up to Ruby. Upstream, the battle between Augustus and the rescue group and Voldemort's group continued to rage when Voldemort emerged from the battle cloud, having struck down and injured one of the green macaws. The evil bat's eyes scanned the environment until they landed on two brown forms hanging on to a long thin green line down the stream. Smiling wickedly, the muscular bat rocketed off after them. Meanwhile, Athos continued struggling through the turbulent water towards the struggling Ruby, Felipe and Cobalto hanging on to the vine.
"You're getting closer, Athos," shouted Felipe as Athos broke the surface to take a gasp of air. Athos, hearing these encouraging words, dived under despite his fear threatening to explode and continued struggling towards Ruby. Then after a few more agonising seconds, Athos was close enough to grab his helpless mate. His wings wrapped around Ruby's near-featherless body and he hung onto her like never before. When Felipe and Cobalto saw this, they slowed to a hover and prepared to drag Athos, who now had Ruby, ashore. Ruby, startled by the sudden feel of a feathered embrace surrounding her, struggled at first but when she saw it was only Athos as the two broke the surface and after gasping for air, his face recognisable to her now that his camouflage cloak had fallen off, washed off by the water, began to shake with the feeling she had felt for the first time in four whole days. Around the couple, the rushing water continued to surge by, the current threatening to drag them away but with the vine tied around Athos's waist and Felipe and Cobalto grasping it above, the pair of scarlet macaws were suspended. However, Felipe and Cobalto had begun working on dragging the two macaws ashore now.
"A-A-Athos?" whispered Ruby timidly. Athos nodded. Overcome with relief, Ruby nestled her near-featherless head against Athos's waterlogged body and began to sob, Athos hugging her tightly. Above, Felipe and Cobalto continued flapping, the vine pulled taut as they struggled to pull Athos and Ruby out of the strong current.
"We're almost there," shouted Cobalto when he saw how close Athos and Ruby were to the bank. But no sooner than these words had escaped his beak when a familiar voice screeched, "look OUT!"
The scarlet and larger hyacinth macaw looked up just in time to see a hulking brown bat with a hideously scarred face, rocket in towards them.
Voldemort surged in like an enormous missile, his eyes blazing immense fire and his mouth open, teeth ready to bite. His savage and bloodthirsty eyes were fixed on Felipe and his mouth was aiming for his side. When Cobalto saw the wicked bat surge in towards Felipe, he exploded in alarm. Unintentionally releasing the vine, he heftily tackled Felipe away, his hulking size adding to the momentum of the push.
"LOOK OUT!" he barked as he did it. Felipe, stunned by Cobalto's hefty tackle, was harshly knocked away, losing his grip on the vine in the process but then an ear-piercing screech of a hyacinth macaw sliced the air apart. However, Felipe's loss of grip had dire consequences for Athos and Ruby and they were immediately swept away by the current. Cobalto screamed as Voldemort's teeth sank hard into his hip, before pulling away as the evil bat flew past. Cobalto's talon then went to his hip which was now beginning to ooze blood and he flapped clumsily to land. Voldemort then swerved round and surged towards Cobalto again but then suddenly, a four-winged form riding on a bat-like bird creature surged in. With an enraged screech, Ophiuchus jumped off his bat-bird, spread his wings and feathered legs out and glided towards Voldemort, his eyes blazing firestorms. Then without hesitation as soon as he collided with Voldemort, Ophiuchus slashed the sickle-like claw on his left wing-leg right over the right side of the flying fox's face, right over the cheek's length. The hulking flying fox let loose an agonised screech of his own as a new wound was open in that area of his face. On the ground, Cobalto crash-landed and grasped his bitten side with a pained face as several macaws and archaeobirds came round. Augustus came in.
"Where's that macaw that was tied to the vine?" he demanded. Felipe, who had just realised that he had released the vine shot a mortified look downstream and rocketed in the direction of the current. Some of the other macaws were about to follow but they were soon confronted by some flying foxes. However, the archaeobirds all jumped in as Ophiuchus landed in on his bat-bird (who had caught him after he had slashed Voldemort clean over the face) and faced off against the massive bats.
"You rescue those two scarlet macaws," commanded Ophiuchus, "We'll deal with these furry brutes with wings."
Augustus, at first hesitated as the archaeobirds then began to engage the flying foxes in a battle but then obeyed. Together with the other macaws apart from a few who sought to the injured Cobalto, he took off after Felipe.
Athos was going through another nightmare involving turbulent waters and a strong current. Due to the loss of grip Felipe and Cobalto had on the vine due to Voldemort's intervention, he and his beloved Ruby were tumbling wildly in the rushing stream. The pair bumped into rocks and silt on the stream floor, kicking up a cloud in the process as the two tumbled with the current. Startled fish darted out of the way of the pair as they went by. However, Athos maintained his grip on Ruby but then he realised that his need for oxygen was skyrocketing. Above the stream, Felipe shouted Athos and Ruby's name as Augustus and the other macaws came in. Felipe shot the flying fox and his companions a terrified and panicked look.
"I-I-I can't find them ANYWHERE!" he screeched. Suddenly, Jonas caught sighted a splash of water with a red, teal and yellow form breaking the surface.
"There he is," said the large hyacinth macaw with a point of a large talon. The others followed his point and saw Athos, with Ruby in his grasp, gasp for air before being pulled under the water again by the current. Alarmed, the group darted off after the two. As they flew along, Augustus shot Felipe and two Spix macaws.
"You three get a strong vine, NOW!" he commanded. Felipe and the two Spix macaws nodded and rocketed off to look for one. As the others continued chasing Athos and Ruby, one of the blue-throated macaws saw something horrifying up ahead. The stream seemed to vanish in the distance but she immediately knew what that mean.
"GUYS!" she barked to the others, "WATERFALL, UP AHEAD!"
Augustus shot upward and saw that the macaw was right. The turbulent stream cascaded into a waterfall only a few feet tall. However, despite its short height, this waterfall promised a watery grave for any unfortunate animal that had fallen into the rushing water upstream of it. White water churned wildly at the bottom, the force of the water emptying from the ledge above packing enough force to push a small animal under the water and keep them there until they drowned which was made this waterfall so deadly. And Athos and Ruby were both heading straight for it. Seeing that there was little time left, Augustus looked around for Felipe and the two Spix macaws. When they finally returned with a long vine, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Right, let's throw this to those two macaws before they go over that waterfall," said Augustus as the group sorted the vine. When Felipe heard this, horror tore through him. Hastily, he grabbed hold of the vine and prepared to throw it with Augustus as soon as Athos and Ruby broke through the surface again. When the two macaws did that within only a few feet of the waterfall, Felipe shouted to Athos, "Here, grab this!"
Athos looked up and saw a green tendril fly towards him. As it landed beside him, Athos, his wings firmly around Ruby, clamped his beak onto the vine while Ruby buried her head in to his chest, petrified. The two macaws were seconds away from going over the small waterfall now.
"Alright, then, everyone, PULL!" barked Augustus and with that, the group strained to pull the two macaws away from the verge of the waterfall. Athos kicked to help, all the while keeping his wings around Ruby and his beak clamped onto the vine. Felipe flew down close to the macaws and latched his talons onto Athos's shoulders to help drag him along. As the group strained to drag Athos and Ruby away from the waterfall, Athos's life, among them the important events, began to flash before his eyes.
The first time he met Susan, Lucy, Blake, Drake and Jake and the other macaws as a chick back in England flashed in his head, followed by the adventures the group had in London as they grew up, meeting Veggie, Dash, Travis and Sunset as a kitten, puppy and young cockatoos respectively, the shocking revelation of Aurora, D'Artagnan and Levi as being Spix, Lear's and glaucous macaws respectively, the group's travel to and subsequent adventures to Rio, meeting Ruby and her friends, facing the wrath of Brutus during the group's escape from the smugglers' den, meeting Blu, Jewel and a Carla, Bia and Tiago, his first dance with Ruby at Nico and Pedro's club, the events which led him and Ruby into falling in love and becoming mates, the hatching of his and Ruby's first brood offspring Alexandre, Poinsettia and Spinel and meeting the chicks of the other couples such as Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil, the first brood of Zephyr and Aurora, the adventure into the Amazon rainforest and meeting the Spix macaw tribe and the other tribes and clans for the first time, the experience with the most recent forest fire, Alexandre, Spinel and Poinsettia growing up and becoming the other halves of Estelle, Sheldon and Wilbur, one of Porthos and Orquidea's sons, respectively, his meeting of and subsequent dealings with Nigel including his attempted drowning of him in another turbulent stream and other events. A fuzzy vision of a white flying fox flanked by two other bats, one reddish and the other dark chocolate brown with some colourful feathered forms standing by them gazing at him also played in his mind. As Athos's mind went through this sequence of memories, he soon felt that he was back on dry land, the land under him solid ground.
"We've done it, well done, everyone!" sounded a voice. Wearily, Athos stirred and gazed upward. His vision swam in a sea of fuzz but then he felt a feathered wing tap his face.
"Come on, Athos, you and Ruby are back on dry land now," said Felipe's voice. Athos shook his head in confusion but then the urge to cough took hold. He began to cough and splutter water out of his lungs. Ruby, who was in his wings, also did the same. He was trembling from the whole ordeal and was cold; his feathers utterly were waterlogged and caked in mud. Augustus then began to check his vital signs but as he did so, he somehow felt this to be familiar.
"I remember Lily telling us that she, Ana and Marcus had pulled a scarlet macaw from the river before," he said. This sent a small jolt coursing through Athos and he sat up, Ruby in his wings. Athos then shot confused gazes around at the group.
"What happened?" he asked wearily. Ruby also looked around confused. However, commotion soon sounded and Augustus heard Melissa's voice in the distance, shouting them to get out of here.
"We'd better go, NOW!" barked Augustus and with that, the macaws all lofted into flight. Felipe took hold of Ruby while Jonas picked up Athos for his feathers were too wet to allow him to fly. Then within moments, the group was off.
Augustus led the way and soon, the archaeobirds, having dealt with the interfering flying foxes, had joined them on their bat-birds. In the distance, Melissa's group was hovering, two hyacinth macaws carrying Cobalto with them, waiting for them. As they passed over the struggling form of Voldemort who was holding his right cheek with his wings, still uttering agonised cries of pain, Felipe shot the flying fox a wondering, but also smug, look.
"What's happened to him?" asked he. Ophiuchus gazed down at Voldemort from his bat-bird.
"I clawed him across the cheek," he replied without shame, "He's likely to receive a hideous scar from that injury."
The others winced in utter shock.
"He's gonna end up like scarred like Cicatriz when that amazon parrot clawed him over the right eye during his fight with that parrot," said Eriko, "Only difference being just a massive scar on the cheek and not a damaged eye unlike him."
"Let's just focus on getting out of here," said Augustus firmly. Then a little while later, they were soon joined by Melissa's group. Porthos carried Orquidea, Aramis carried Esmeralda while another great green macaw carried Ted, Monique and Sapphire carried Waldo, Zephyr and Brisa carried Nuvem, Pearl had Alfonso in her talons and the hyacinth macaw was carried by one of his clan-mates. When Porthos saw the state of Athos, he drew in a breath of horror.
"Good grief, what on earth has happened to you, Athos?" asked he.
"We've no time to explain anything," said Augustus, "let's just get outa here. We've been in this dark land long enough."
"The sooner we're out of here, the better," said Melissa. The others nodded in agreement. They clearly wanted to leave this dark region too for it was completely smothered by the graveyard of lands that once belonged to countless bird tribes, clans and small groups, flocks that had been mercilessly driven out by the flying fox colony, all done in the name of grabbing territory based on a bunch of outright lies that had been passed down generations of bats. Augustus felt nauseated at this fact and had hoped that he, or another flying fox that was completely against the anti-bird teaching, would put things right and expose these anti-bird lies for what they were eventually. But that was currently out of reach due to complicated reasons at the moment. Things needed to be sorted out first.
Augustus and the others continued flying at a fast rate. They knew they were not out of danger yet and they had quite some distance of flying fox territory to go until they reached the safety of the birds' territory and the Sanctuary de Amazon. Above, the moon continued beaming its silvery shafts onto the forest, the Milky Way flowing like a sea of glitter across the night sky and a few clouds slid gently across either that or the moon. As the group flew along, Ophiuchus saw some dark forms in the distance approach them. This made alarm tear through him.
"GUYS!" he barked. The others turned just in time to see the dark forms, all with large hand-like wings fly towards them and when they saw who was in front of the group, Augustus and Melissa released startled squeaks and the group stopped abruptly into a hover as the group of dark forms, which was another group of flying foxes, approached the rescue group and then hovered before them. At the front of this new group were the dreaded Cicatriz and Iracebeth. With them were Cruella, Melissa's most detested flying fox, Shinzon and Ratigan. All the bats wore outraged and scornful looks on their faces as they gazed at the group, particularly Augustus and Melissa.
"Leaving so soon!?" crooned Cicatriz in a sweet voice acidified with mockery. Augustus and Melissa, however, didn't say anything. Among the group of birds, Orquidea, Waldo, Ruby and the other six surviving prisoners all whimpered timidly. Cicatriz continued.
"Augustus and Melissa and your association with those winged disaster bringers that are the feathered rodents," said Cicatriz, "I knew there was something amiss about you two."
"And it seems that your white misfit offspring, Sebastian, Stella and Luna had gone missing as well," put in Iracebeth, "We have been searching high and low for you!"
Still Augustus and his mate said nothing. However, their faces were creased into stares acidified with detestation, especially as Melissa's eyes were fixed upon Cruella. Porthos and Aramis, when they saw how acidic the glares were on Augustus and Melissa's faces, flinched as they were reminded of such glares borne by Blu and Jewel when they saw Nigel, the cockatoo they hated most. It was the look of poison, of venom, an acid that was far more corrosive than any acidic substance Porthos and Aramis had ever known. Cicatriz's scorn then gave way to rage as he began to confront his brother and sister-in-law. As he shouted, spittle flew from his mouth.
"Why have you betrayed us!?" he barked, "Why have you gone over to the side of those flying disasters in feathers?"
"Is it any wonder your parents called you a 'hopeless case', you coward?" put in Iracebeth furiously, "You're honestly no different from your mate's cousin, Lily and her abhorrent allegiance to those birds..."
"ABHORRENT!?" snapped Augustus expectantly, lurching towards Cicatriz and Iracebeth, making the birds and bat-birds jump, "YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT'S ABHORRENT!? IT'S THOSE STUPID LIES ABOUT THESE POOR BIRDS!" he gestured with a membranous wing to the birds in the rescue group. None of the birds said anything. Cicatriz was about to retort but Augustus swept on.
"NOT TO MENTION THE SUFFERING OUR COLONY HAS PUT COUNTLESS BIRD TRIBES, CLANS AND SMALL GROUPS THROUGH, SUCH AS A TRIBE OF CRITICALLY ENDANGERED BLUE MACAWS WITH GREY HEADS…"
Levi, when he heard this, thought Augustus was referring to the Spix macaw tribe but Lapis Lazuli in his talons, who flinched and wept, confirmed that Augustus was talking about the glaucous macaw tribe.
"HONESTLY," Augustus continued to bellow, "WHAT OUR COLONY IS DOING TO THOSE POOR BIRDS IS UTTERLY AND ABSOLUTELY SICK! IS IT ANY WONDER WE BATS HAVE EARNED THE REPUTATION AS BEING THE SWORN ENEMIES OF EVERY BIRD IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST!?"
"EVERY BIRD in the AMAZON RAINFOREST is OUR SWORN ENEMIES, BRO!" retorted Cicatriz but Augustus cut him off.
"Do NOT call me YOUR BROTHER!" he snapped, sending immense flabbergast coursing through Cicatriz and his face actually took on the expression of it. The birds looked on, astounded at Augustus's boldness but they should not be surprised. Augustus had kept his allegiance to the birds a secret for so long that he was finally letting it out, even going as far as to yelling at Cicatriz not to call him his brother. Then Iracebeth came in and without hesitation sent a membranous wing smacking right over Augustus's face.
"How DARE you speak to your older brother like THAT!" she barked, her eyes ablaze with extreme fire. Augustus glared back at her with an acidic gaze as he raised a foot to his cheek, the one that had been painfully slapped. Then Melissa fluttered forward and, much to the astonishment of the birds and Cicatriz and the other flying foxes behind him, without hesitation hurled a glob of saliva right into Iracebeth's face, making her jerk back in extreme shock.
"AND how dare YOU SLAP MY MATE ACROSS THE FACE LIKE THAT, YOU UGLY SCARFACED HAG!" bellowed she. That did it. Iracebeth's face flared up like a flammable gas catching fire.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME!?" she screeched. Then Cicatriz fluttered in, a look of thunder on his face.
"I honestly had a hunch that you two were against the teachings of our colony about those flying disasters," he shouted, a nod to the hovering birds, "That you'd eventually fall to their side…" his gaze then fell on Melissa, "just like how your lousy white misfit runt of a cousin fell to their side before you."
Melissa shook with unspeakable rage but then Cruella began to seize the opportunity to do the most spiteful thing she had ever done. She decided to strike one of her highly sensitive nerves.
"I'll always remember watchin' her die in a pool of blood after receiving the deathblow, lil' brat," she crooned, making Melissa tremble more, the volcano of wrath threatening to erupt within her. Eriko went to rush to Melissa's defence but Felipe blocked his way, shaking his head and telling him to not intervene. He knew what was coming and wanted Melissa to give Cruella a piece of her mind. Cruella hardened her spiteful smile. "And also watchin' you scream like a big baby pup in immense anguish over the death of your beloved cousin. It sure was funny…"
That did it. With an extremely loud, bloodcurdling flying fox screech, Melissa raised her foot claws and scored them hard across Cruella's face, the volcano of wrath finally erupting violently. Cruella's head was violently flung in the direction. Melissa's violent attack on Cruella almost caught Shinzon as well, much to his immense shock. Then Cruella's foot claws went to her face and covered it, more blood pouring through the toes. Augustus then barked at the others to make a break for it.
"GO, GO, GO!" he screeched and with that, the sounds of flapping wings sounded as the group hastily rocketed in the direction of the birds' territory but before he left, Augustus inflicted Cicatriz and Iracebeth a slash across the faces as well, making them screech in agony. Within seconds, Augustus, Melissa, the macaws with all nine prisoners and the injured in their talons and the archaeobirds on their bat-birds were flying at top speed. The hyacinth macaws got ahead for they were bigger and had larger wings.
"GEEEET THEEEEEEM!" screeched Cicatriz's voice and soon, the rescue group was being pursued by the sounds of flapping membranous wings. Shinzon, Ratigan and the rest of the flying foxes were flying like rockets and because they were bigger than the smaller macaw species and the archaeobirds, they were beginning to gain on them. Devilish laughter exploded from their mouths as they chased down the rescue group, sending shivers down their spines and prompting them to fly faster. The bats' minds flashed with all kinds of gruesome images of the rescue group dying as their owners looked forward to slaughtering the rescue group once they had caught them.
"ONCE WE CATCH YOU, YOU TWO TRAITERS," screeched Shinzon, "WE'RE GONNA PUT YOU TO DEATH IN THE SAME WAY THAT WHITE RUNT LILY DIED WHEN SHE WAS CAUGHT!"
Augustus did not look back and continued leading the group to safety. Lapis Lazuli, who was in Levi's talons, stole a glance back and when she saw the bats and how fast the gap between them and the rescue group was closing, she emitted a piercing scream.
"They're GAINING ON US!" she cried.
"Oh, don't look back, my feathered friends," said Augustus urgently, calling the birds that for the first time, "Don't look back."
The other birds also wore horrified looks on their faces and the bat-birds were especially frightened and continued flapping like mad. Still Shinzon, Ratigan and the other bats continued to gain on the rescue group. Ahead of the smaller birds, the hyacinth macaws called the others to fly faster. The hearts of the birds, Augustus and Melissa were beating around ten to the dozen, adrenaline coursing through their blood vessels, their lungs straining to absorb as much oxygen as they could for the muscles of their owners, leading to them rapidly breathing. It was clear that the group had entered 'survival threat' mode. But despite all they had and all their bodies could do to make them fly any faster, still Shinzon and his group closed in on them and were now seconds away from the backmost birds. When Ophiuchus saw how close the evil flying foxes were to the backmost members, he shouted to Agitha, "Time to deploy the Cegador Powder I think. We're not gonna be able to outfly them."
Felipe, who was flapping like mad, shot Ophiuchus a confused look as Agitha and some other archaeobirds took up some ball-shaped leaves. Then the scarlet macaw's eye started to behind when he heard frightened screams explode from the backmost birds. Ratigan and Shinzon and some other bats then began to snap their teeth at the tail feathers of some of the macaws, among them Levi with Lapis Lazuli, and the diamond-tipped tails of two of the bat-birds, much to their horror. Augustus stole a glance at the group's pursuers.
"Oh, four-winged lizard-like birds," he barked in alarm, "If you've got those powder things ready, I should RELEASE THEM NOW!"
Shinzon, Ratigan and their companions looked up in confusion when they heard Augustus shout this.
"Powder things-?" began Shinzon but no sooner than the two words had left his mouth when all of a sudden, several green things flew at the flying foxes and exploded in their faces. A huge yellow-brown dust cloud then billowed right in the faces of the rescue group's pursuers, followed by a cacophony of gasping, spluttering, coughing and yelps of pain and frustration and the pursuing group to abruptly break. Shinzon, with one wing on his throat, gasped, spluttered and hacked to cough the powder out of his lungs while the other bats flapped their wings to disperse the cloud, also coughing and spluttering. However, the powder particles had another property and some of the bats found that out as their eyes began to sting and leak tears. Ratigan's wings went to his eyes.
"Argh, my EEEYYEEES!" he bellowed in pain. The other bats also wailed in pain as the dust began to irritate their eyes as well. Tears streamed and coughs continued to erupt from the bats. This continued for another few seconds until Shinzon, his eyes streaming tears continuously from the irritating powder particles then looked in the direction of the rescue group as the cloud began to disperse. However, to his extreme dismay, the rescue group was nowhere to be seen. With a screech of frustration, Shinzon commanded the other bats who were still coughing and spluttering to clear their lungs of any remaining powder particles, to break off the chase and return to Cicatriz and Iracebeth.
Augustus, Melissa and the rescue group had gone.