Chapter 32- Sunset finds Tulio and his team, and the barbaric mind of Nigel
Sunset continued flying through the trees, her wings beating as fast as they had been when she and Travis had flown through the jungle to find and warn the Spix macaw tribe of the poachers. Around Sunset, raindrops fell and Sunset flinched at the sound of thunder and the winds as they picked up. She shot a glance behind her and continued flying through the trees looking for Tulio and his group. Sunset passed over the other clearing and saw Tulio's helicopter. This was the route mark and Sunset knew that she was flying in the right direction. Pulling her gaze from the copter, she continued her flight path. However, Sunset heard the sound of whooshing air and flapping wings behind her, and she realised that she wasn't alone. As she neared the wall of trees, heading for the break in them, a scornful voice belonging to a falcon as he glided behind her, sounded.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" it crooned, "A cowardly little pink cockatoo with a red and yellow crest trying to escape the battle with my group, eh?"
Sunset ignored Cazador and entered the tree canopy, but Cazador remained hot on her tail. Sunset felt panic boil within her and she began to beat her wings harder.
"You're seriously a sitting duck, you know, cockatoo," growled Cazador meanly, his voice laced with scorn, "On your own, you're more vulnerable to getting caught. What a cowardly and foolishly life-risking choice to take."
Sunset shot the falcon a glare as he emitted a scornful, sinister "Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm," from his throat.
"Cowardly and foolish?" retorted the Major Mitchell's cockatoo, "You'll see that the reason why I have left the battlefield is the opposite in a few minutes!"
Cazador knew that Sunset was referring to Tulio and his team and that she was out to fetch them. The moment he realised this, an evil grin crept into his beak.
"I think not, pink cockatoo," growled the falcon evilly and with that, he raised his talons and began to attempt to grab Sunset but the Major Mitchell's cockatoo swerved sharply right and entered the tree canopy. Cazador released a huff of frustration and began to give chase.
Sunset flew through the greenery of the canopy and the light rain, the beginnings of the stormy downpour, observing the trees as they flowed by, the breeze sweeping through them and making them waver. Sunset tried her best to keep to the widest possible gaps in the canopy in order to avoid flying into branches or webs of vine tendrils, and there were a lot of them around in this level of the rainforest. Behind her, Cazador gave chase, also avoiding the obstacles of the jungle. However, because his species was built for hunting in completely open air and not in a cluttered habitat, the clutter of the environment was proving to be a challenge for him to catch up with Sunset. Sunset, on the other hand, had spent a number of months living in the jungle with her family and the Spix macaws until the group's return to Rio before these events unfolded, so she was somewhat used to flying through a cluttered environment and thus had an advantage over her pursuer. However, Cazador was not going to allow this environmental disadvantage put him off his chase after Sunset even as she began to widen the gap between her and him. Then soon, the cockatoo and falcon reached another break in the trees and Sunset began to follow it, her eyes darting wildly as she scanned the lower levels of the rainforest for any flash of artificial colour. As she flew along, Cazador flew up behind her and raised his talons.
"There's no way you're gonna find those real ecologists and turn my group in, cockatoo!" snarled the falcon and with that, he swiped his lethal sickle-like claws at Sunset's back. Sunset cried in fear and dived down, Cazador's claws missing her by a few centimetres. Sunset then descended lower towards the forest floor with Cazador hot on her tail. Soon, both birds were flying at the level above the forest floor and as Cazador tried slashing Sunset with his talons again, Sunset swerved expectantly into the tree clutter and straight over a branch. Cazador tried to follow but was forced to brake abruptly to avoid colliding with the branch. Seeing Sunset fly into the clutter of trees, Cazador growled and flew into the air for a more dramatic attack.
Sunset continued flying through the trees, flapping left and right to avoid crashing into the tree trunks, branches and other foliage obstacles. She stole a brief glance behind her to see if Cazador was still there. To her relief, there was no falcon and Sunset continued her search for Tulio and his team. She then ascended from the just-above forest floor level through the canopy and towards the treetops. Various curious animals, such as monkeys, gazed at her in surprise, wondering why a pink short-tailed macaw-like bird with a vivid red and yellow banded crest was flying through the jungle. Sunset continued ascending until she was finally flying above the trees. However, this rendered her vulnerable as in the air, Cazador, who had flown to a high height to get a better view of the jungle and find a distinctive pink blob against the leafy green background, then began his most lethal move. Folding in his wings and angling his body, the falcon plummeted down like a super-fast rocket from high in the grey, thunderous sky, aiming straight for Sunset. The Major Mitchell's cockatoo then looked up and when she saw the rocket of Cazador dive straight for her at high speed, she emitted a high-pitched scream of pure terror.
At this moment, Tulio and his team continued trudging through the vegetation. They had decided to keep to the areas under the trees as it had begun to rain and soon, the trickle will increase to a torrential downpour. The winds will also increase from breeze to gale-force.
"We're almost there," said Tulio as the others behind him continued stepping over various forest floor obstacles such as roots and rocks. Tulio had received a call from the pilot back at the copter and this had prompted the group to accelerate their trip back toward the clearing. Fernando, Jack and Jill looked anxious, but they were also glad that their suspicions had been confirmed, and the others wore angry looks on their faces, especially Tulio, at being outwitted. Tulio could not believe that he had been easily fooled by the man called Ernesto and that a group of poachers could come up with such a crafty idea to sneak into a patch of rainforest that was supposed to be a protected reserve. Some also felt guilty at not listening to the warnings. Susan and Lucy were two of them with the guilty feeling. They had only come to realise that under Dash, James and Avellana's apparent naughty behaviour and barking at Tulio's Aviary, and also Athos and his family hours ago, they had something important to tell them.
"I can't believe that we've unintentionally allowed a group of poachers onto this protected reserve," growled Linda bitterly, snapping Susan and Lucy out of their thoughts. "If only we had seen the warning signs or listened to Fernando, Jack and Jill, we might have caught those poachers earlier…"
"I know, I'm as guilty as you are, dear," said Tulio. Linda breathed a frustrated sigh.
"And I hope those Spix macaws and the others are alright as well," she said, especially as thoughts for her companion Blu and his family came to mind. Fernando just shot her a brief look and said nothing.
As the group continued trekking along, quickly but carefully, Jack and Jill's ears picked up a faint, continuous squawk.
"What is that?" asked Jack. The others stopped.
"What is it now, Jack?" growled Susan impatiently.
"Shh," hushed Jill, a hand in the air as a backup gesture to her message. The others cocked their ears to the distant, continuous squawk sound which became louder and louder.
"It sounds like a macaw," said Linda. However, Tulio then picked up something crucial about the squawk's tone, especially based on its ongoing emission. Despite being poor at communicating with birds, he was very good at telling the mood of a bird based on its squawks and chirps, besides direct observation of a bird's body language and identifying birds by tasting their feathers.
"It must be and it sounds in great distress," said the lead ornithologist as the squawk increased in volume. Soon, the source of the squawk emerged into the view of the humans from some trees. Fernando's eyes caught the source, a pink blob, as it approached the humans.
"Look," he shouted, pointing to the pink form. All eyes followed his point and fixed on the pink thing. Susan and Lucy immediately recognised the pink form.
"It's SUNSET!" cried Susan. Indeed it was. The pink bird, which was Sunset, was screeching nonstop. Her head feathers were fully flared, the contrasting red and yellow bands showing, the rest of her plumage was flattened, and her eyes were filled with unspeakable terror. From her beak emitted a piercing screech that was as saturated with terror as her eyes, crest and plumage.
"Looks like she's being chased by something," said Francisco, one of the other humans. No sooner than these words escaped his lips when another form swooped into view. This form was grey and ivory.
"Look at THAT!" shouted Jack.
"Is that a…" began Susan.
"Peregrine falcon," said Tulio, finishing Susan's sentence. The group watched in utter horror as the falcon flew past the group and continued chasing Sunset.
"Peregrine falcon!?" repeated Linda in shock, "But… but those birds aren't native to the Amazon rainforest."
Then it dawned upon Tulio. Frowning, he shot the others a glare.
"I definitely smell a rat around here," he said, "I believe that bird is one of the poacher's falcons." Then he shot a stick at the falcon and commanded, "After that falcon and that cockatoo!"
And with that, the group began to walk through the forest at a faster pace.
Sunset continued beating her wings furiously despite the fatigue building up in her muscles and the winds picking up speed. She had never flown this fast in her life, but with a fast flying bird capable of reaching speeds of up to 200 mph hot on her tail, Sunset knew that slowing down would risk possible death at the clutches of her pursuer and she was yet to lead Tulio and his team to the poachers. She stole a terrified glance behind her at Cazador, whose face was plastered with the thrill of the chase and the determination to possibly kill her, Sunset rocketed on back in the direction of the battlefield where the poachers and the macaws continued fighting.
Meanwhile
Levi, Lapis Lazuli, Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar landed near some ferns. The former two were covered in a few scratches and bruises, and they were out of breath but Lapis Lazuli's left wing had lost some secondary flight feathers. One of the crows had managed to tear those feathers from her wing but Levi had chased it away before it could do any more damage, and the glaucous macaw family was forced to retreat to a safe spot when Lapis Lazuli found that she was struggling to stay aloft with her tattered left wing. Back in the battlefield, the poachers continued to be swarmed by the flock of angry colourful birds and the rain continued to fall in moderate amounts, the winds continuing to pick up speed and sweeping through the treetop branches. While the fray continued, Levi began to examine Lapis Lazuli's tattered left wing. Lapis Lazuli's face was twisted in pain while Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar looked on in worry.
"I'm afraid you'll not be able to fly properly with those missing feathers from your wing," said Levi. Lapis Lazuli breathed a frustrated sigh.
"Now what am I gonna do?" she muttered.
"You might want to be taken to Tulio for treatment," said Levi as he released her wing. Lapis Lazuli sighed and sat down, her disappointed eyes on the missing feathers of her wing.
"It sure has been a difficult situation, hasn't it, Levi?" she asked. Levi nodded in agreement.
"I agree," he said, before looking up at the battling poachers and macaws, "But I hope those poachers aren't far away from getting caught."
Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted from Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar's beaks. Lapis Lazuli also stood up and drew in a sharp breath and Levi turned round and gasped but before he could act, a grey, yellow and green form charged in and slashed the male turquoise glaucous macaw down the side with his claws. Levi cried in pain and bowled over, his wings clasped to his side. A red patch then began to form on his turquoise wing feathers and his face contorted into a look of agony.
"LEVI!" cried Lapis Lazuli and with that, she, Tristan and his three siblings ran to his side. As the five gathered around the wounded Levi, a scornful voice said, "And I sure hope his heart isn't far from getting slashed and clawed either."
Lapis Lazuli's blue eyes changed from horror to volcanic fury and she snapped round to the speaker. When she eyed him, her wings spread protectively around her chicks who cowered timidly behind her. Levi was in too much pain to notice Nigel standing before his mate and four chicks but when he eventually eyed the cockatoo, he gasped in horror.
Nigel was a hideous state. His face was slashed with half-healed scratches, some of which were beginning to show signs of infection or had been picked for Nigel had a bad habit of picking his wounds, and his vest was ragged and torn, gashes as a result of Nigel's vicious fight with Veggie slashing through it and exposing part of Nigel's unsightly and messy torso plumage, also slashed with scratches and claw marks. It was though Nigel had been dragged through a thorn bush, and his wings were as tattered and as featherless as before. However, the cockatoo was too deranged to even care about his battered appearance for his mind was now completely consumed with the obsession about one thing. Lapis Lazuli winced in revulsion at the ugly looking wounds on Nigel's face, for they reminded her of how some of the flying foxes looked with those hideous scars on their faces, and his brown eyes showed the same level of bloodlust as those bats. They were practically saturated with unspeakable hatred, scorn and sadism, and his pale yellow crest was flared. Nigel's terrifying appearance greatly frightened Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar and they cowered behind their mother. Lapis Lazuli then managed to conceal her revulsion and surprise at Nigel's unexpected appearance.
"What do you want, Nigel!?" she barked. Nigel then sauntered towards her.
"I've come to do to that turquoise glaucous pretty bird (Levi) what I have done eighteen years ago," he growled evilly. He tittered nastily when he saw the horrified look on Levi's face. Levi shot Lapis Lazuli a pleading look.
"Lapis Lazuli, get your chicks to safety and quick!" he shouted, "Don't worry about me."
Lapis Lazuli shot her mate a 'What?' look. It was obvious that she was not going to leave Levi to potentially face a brutal clawing from the barbaric cockatoo and Nigel knew this from her facial expression and body language. He rolled his eyes in mock irritation.
"Ah, love," he crooned, "It's such a powerful and STUPID thing."
Lapis Lazuli snapped her gaze back from Levi to Nigel. Her rich blue and grey feathers, including those in her crest which resembled Jewel's to a degree, flared out and her blue eyes became thunderstorms. Around, the rain continued to increase and lightning began to flash. The lightning flashes made Nigel look more terrifying, especially as he began to advance toward Lapis Lazuli, one diabolical aim in mind. Tristan and his siblings cowered and whimpered more behind their mother and Lapis Lazuli took up a defensive stance.
"I remember seeing that turquoise macaw, when he was young, with his pigtailed Spix macaw friend," growled Nigel sadistically, his brown eyes flashing an evil glare at Levi as he lay on the floor holding his wound, "Sob his eyes out over the death of his parents and siblings at my talons, and his tearing away from his beloved home."
Lapis Lazuli winced in utter revulsion at the lack of guilt in Nigel's voice.
"I absolutely enjoyed terrorising him and that pigtailed Spix macaw before finally knocking them out to shut them up while we were on our way to Europe," added Nigel as he continued advancing towards Lapis Lazuli, making her and her four chicks back away, "I was hoping that those two would be purchased by very cruel owners so that they can suffer like how I suffered the loss of my beloved career to that wretched parakeet…"
Lapis Lazuli tried to think of something to say but could not get her tongue to move or her brain to form words. Nigel then continued.
"Now that my ability to fly has been ripped away from me thanks to Blu and Jewel, those two cerulean birds of my misery," snarled Nigel in a more threatening tone of voice, "My desire to get revenge on pretty birds like you has doubled!"
Finally, Lapis Lazuli found something to say, her brain forming words.
"That's all you ever think about, isn't it?" she said, boldly and coolly, "Revenge on exotic birds just because of the loss of some stupid career as a show bird and your flight. Why can't you just let it go and move on? And as far as your loss of flight is concerned, maybe you should have learned a very important lesson not to continue taking your hatred out on exotic birds like us and leave us alone?"
Nigel flinched and shot the glaucous macaw whose blue colour matched her namesake blue mineral, a malicious glare.
"I will NOT give it up, you filthy glaucous macaw," he snarled, "I'm gonna continue catching, smuggling and torturing pretty birds for the rest of my life, even when I become old and grey."
He then stole a glance at Levi and then looked back at Lapis Lazuli. An evil grin crept into his beak.
While Nigel continued taunting Lapis Lazuli, a grey and ivory falcon walked in. Cometa gasped in horror as she watched the cockatoo advance towards the female glaucous macaw and four three chicks. Nigel's eyes then found a frightened eye peering from behind Lapis Lazuli. Tiny Trixie had tried getting a glimpse of the cockatoo only to snap back behind Lapis Lazuli as she saw him. But Nigel already knew about Lapis Lazuli's four chicks behind her.
"As for those four lil' chicks of yours, pretty bird," added he, "I'm gonna make history repeat itself. Not only will I devastate your mate, but also your pretty little kiddiewinks behind you. I'm gonna carve a scar into their hearts and give them a traumatising day they will never forget…"
Lapis Lazuli, feeling her maternal instinct to protect her children boil within her, raised a talon and flared her claws, knowing where Nigel was going. Levi gasped in horror. He tried to stand up but could not with the pain from the scratch on his torso. He could only plead with Lapis Lazuli to leave.
"Lapis Lazuli," he shouted, "Get out of here before that barbaric cockatoo even thinks of hurting you!"
Nigel snapped a glance at Levi and then looked back at Lapis Lazuli. What he said next chilled the glaucous macaw and her chicks to the bone. She finally realised the mortal danger she was in.
"Time to cut to the chase, I think," the cockatoo crooned and with that, he sprang towards Lapis Lazuli with a talon outstretched, a murderous screech exploding from his beak. Lapis Lazuli drew in an alarmed gasp while her four chicks emitted terrified screams, but then their mother took action. She jumped up and clawed Nigel across the chest, tearing more of his vest and opening afresh set of claw marks in that area. The cockatoo cried in pain and fell to the floor. However, the pain of the new wound did not deter the cockatoo from his insatiable desire to kill Lapis Lazuli and watch Levi and the four chicks' hearts break. Standing up, Nigel eyed Lapis Lazuli with bloodlust-filled eyes. Lapis Lazuli then began to command her chicks to get to safety.
"Head for the trees, NOW!" she shouted urgently, her wings pushing them along.
"But Mom," protested Tristan.
"Just DO IT!" barked Lapis Lazuli. Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar, seeing the murderous glare of Nigel, obeyed. They did not have much of a chance against the hulking cockatoo with a warped, barbaric mind and would likely end up killed if they tried to attack him. Without another second's hesitation, the four siblings including little Trixie spread their wings and headed off for the safety of the trees, Tristan carrying Trixie for she could not fly as fast as her three older and larger siblings. Lapis Lazuli looked on, knowing that Nigel would not be able to pursue them due to his inability to fly.
As soon as her four chicks were out of danger, Lapis Lazuli turned to face the savage cockatoo as he advanced towards her. She had never seen such a murderous face since she dealt with that savage cat Brutus or those flying foxes when she had been an adolescent, and Nigel's look bore a frightening resemblance to that of the late grey cat who was infamous for his savage temper. Plus this was the third time the macaw had been in the spotlight of a murderous beast. The first was the flying foxes and the second was Brutus. However, because she had chicks and an injured mate to defend, in addition to her tattered left wing which affected her ability to get airborne, Lapis Lazuli knew she had to stand her ground.
"You know something," growled Nigel sadistically, "I think I should have done this to both you and pigtails' mate during your transport to this sanctuary but because Cazador wouldn't let me, it has denied me that important opportunity to tear the hearts of your pretty mate, his pigtailed Spix macaw friends and the chicks into two earlier. And then that opportunity to carry out that plan once we came here disappeared when you vanished…"
"What is it with you and your stupid aim of inflicting such a horrific scar on my family and Aurora's, anyway?" retorted Lapis Lazuli. Nigel's gaze lowered in temperature.
"It's because I CANNOT STAND PRETTY BIRDS WITH HAPPY FAMILIES!" bellowed the cockatoo, "As for Blu and Jewel and their chicks, their scars are gonna be forced separation so that they feel MY loss of my ability to fly…"
"You've been yapping on about that for too long now, Nigel," retorted Lapis Lazuli hostilely. Behind Nigel, Levi had managed to stand up and had begun to advance towards Nigel from behind, despite the pain emitting from his scratch. From a distance, Cometa looked on at the explosive exchange of words between Nigel and Lapis Lazuli and decided to take action. Nigel then finally snapped. He crouched into a pouncing position, like a cat ready to pounce onto its prey.
"Enough talk, you rotten pretty bird," he snarled and with an enraged squawk, Nigel's talons heaved the rest of his body off the ground and he went flying towards Lapis Lazuli, his talons outstretched for the kill. Lapis Lazuli, in defence, tried to fly up but remembered her tattered left wing and quickly switched to dodging Nigel's attack by diving and rolling on the ground. Nigel crashed in the spot where Lapis Lazuli was and stood up. Then Lapis Lazuli got up and glared daggers with the cockatoo and began to circle with him. Hisses emitted from both the glaucous macaw and the cockatoo's beaks as they continued to circle like a pair of cats ready to fight, both crouched on ready-to-pounce poses. Their feathers were puffed out and their blazing eyes were fixed dead centre. Levi continued struggling towards Nigel as he continued circling with Lapis Lazuli. Before he and Lapis Lazuli had become mates, Levi used to be a cowardly macaw but now, he had become bolder and almost always leapt into action whenever his friends, especially his mate and chicks, were in danger and the first time he had been in vicious combat was with Brutus when he threatened Lapis Lazuli.
Then as soon as he was close enough, the male glaucous macaw bravely leaped onto Nigel's back.
"You LEAVE MY MATE ALONE, you BARBARIC…" he bellowed and with that, he tried to score his claws down Nigel's back but the wicked sulfur-crested cockatoo took action. Grabbing Levi by the throat with a tattered wing, Nigel bellowed, "You stay out of this, you interfering nuisance!"
And with that, he threw Levi powerfully towards as tree stump. Levi cried as he flew and then slid on the soil until his voice was cut off as his head smacked against the stump's side, and he lay there, unconscious. Lapis Lazuli cried in horror.
"LEVI!" she screeched. Cometa then flew over to Levi's limp body after drawing in a sharp gasp. Then Lapis Lazuli refocused on Nigel, her blue eyes explosive volcano eruption plumes, the dam containing her temper finally broken.
"I'm GONNA SKIN YA ALIVE FOR THAT, YOU FILTHY VULTURE," bellowed the glaucous macaw and with that, she leaped at Nigel with her claws outstretched, poised to slash Nigel's face. Nigel, however, raised his wings and caught Lapis Lazuli by the talons. Lapis Lazuli then screeched loudly and began to flap and writhe to free her talons but Nigel's grip on them was too strong. Then Nigel spun round once and threw Lapis Lazuli away from him. The glaucous macaw landed on her feet and tried again. This time, she charged Nigel like a bull. While Lapis Lazuli charged towards Nigel only for him to jump up and kick her in the stomach to knock her back, Cometa tried shaking Levi awake and checking his head for any injuries. To her horror, a bruise had formed on the site of impact and Levi was limp. Fortunately, his heart was beating and he was still breathing. Cometa's gaze then snapped to Nigel who had finally overpowered Lapis Lazuli and had knocked her down. It was obvious that Lapis Lazuli was no match for the powerful and hulking cockatoo and Nigel was certainly a strong one. As soon as he saw that Lapis Lazuli was now vulnerable, Nigel strode towards her and towered menacingly over her.
"Now, I've got you, you helpless pretty bird," crooned the cockatoo sadistically, "It is time to execute my plan to tear your family's hearts into two."
Lapis Lazuli tried to back away but Nigel's talons rushed in and pinned her down. One went to her chest to stop her moving while the other went to her throat. The toes wrapped around Lapis Lazuli's throat and soon, she was lifted off the ground and was held by the cockatoo by the neck. Nigel's eyes blazed with horrid excitement as he looked forward to the moment he had been waiting for. However, before he could execute such a wicked deed, a female voice shouted, "Put that glaucous macaw down, Nigel!"
When he heard this, Nigel breathed a huff of frustration and snapped his glare to the speaker.
"What do you want Cometa?" snarled the cockatoo, "Don't you see I'm standing on the brink of my most important and exciting moment?"
Cometa, however, maintained her fierce look. Behind her, Levi was starting to come round.
"I said put her down," she growled in a low voice. Nigel's talon around Lapis Lazuli's neck, however, did not slacken, and Lapis Lazuli, her wings on the cockatoo's noose, looked petrified. Cometa's gaze hardened.
"Do as I tell you," snarled the falcon.
"Or what?" snapped Nigel rhetorically. Cometa replied by raising a talon and threateningly flaring its lethal sickle-like claws.
"You even THINK of doing that, falcon and I'll turn extremely violent," growled Nigel stormily.
"I wouldn't have a choice," snapped Cometa fiercely, "I've had enough of your abuse of these poor, hapless birds."
Nigel felt disgust tear through him.
"You've become like that calico, haven't you?" he snarled. He then eyed Lapis Lazuli in his talon. "But your threats aren't gonna stop me from killing this filthy pretty bird here."
And with that, he tightened the grip around Lapis Lazuli's neck to such an extent that Lapis Lazuli's breathing was cut off. Cometa leaped at Nigel and tried to slash him with her claws but Nigel's wing rose and violently struck the falcon in the stomach, knocking her down. Cometa clasped her belly where Nigel's wing had struck with her wings. Nigel then continued strangling Lapis Lazuli, cachinnating maniacally as he watched Lapis Lazuli writhe and struggle in his grasp and struggle to breathe. Lapis Lazuli's eyes began to bulge and her body began to shriek for oxygen, something Lapis Lazuli could not provide with the suffocating grip of Nigel around her neck. Soon, Levi had fully regained consciousness and had stood up in time to see Nigel strangle his mate. Lapis Lazuli's name exploded from his beak. Then Levi tried to run over to Nigel to attack him but was hindered by the scratch on his side. Lapis Lazuli continued struggling in Nigel's talon but then her movements began to slow. Her vision, which was helplessly fixated on the sadistic look of Nigel, began to blur and blacken. Cometa then struggled to her feet but by the time she was fully stood up, Lapis Lazuli had lost consciousness, her body having gone limb but Nigel continued strangling her to death. His face was plastered with unspeakable sadism and pleasure and he clearly enjoyed watching the poor glaucous macaw's movements slow. Cometa lurched forward and bashed into Nigel's side, making him release Lapis Lazuli who fell limply on the ground. Cometa then raised a talon to try and claw Nigel but the cockatoo picked up a ball of soil and smashed it into Cometa's face. The falcon cried in shock and pain and Nigel made his getaway for the ferns. Cometa wiped the soggy soil from her face while Levi rushed to Lapis Lazuli's side.
"Lapis Lazuli," he shouted alarmed, "LAPIS LAZULI!"
He began to try and shake Lapis Lazuli awake but she still lay limply in his wings. Tears sprung into Levi's eyes as he was overcome with anguish. Then Cometa ran in. Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar who had been hiding as commanded by Lapis Lazuli then appeared in time to see their father try to shake their mother awake. Seeing Levi beginning to break down, Cometa and the four chicks rushed to Lapis Lazuli's side as well.
"MOOOM!" cried the four siblings together. Levi, distress overshadowing him like a cloud, looked at Cometa.
"Sh-sh-she won't MOOOOVE!" he screamed and with that, he erupted into an anguished howl. Cometa put a wing to Lapis Lazuli's neck to feel her pulse. To her relief, it was beating, indicating that Lapis Lazuli's heart was still beating. Nearby, Veggie, Catina, and Aurora, Athos, Porthos, Aramis, Phoebe, D'Artagnan, Blu and their respective mates Zephyr, Ruby, Orquidea, Esmeralda, Cobalto, Sapphire and Jewel and all their chicks, and Travis, Eustace, Milo and Rosa, had gathered round. Dash, James, Danny, Avellana, Collette and Daisy were busy helping the macaws deal with the poachers and their pets and Sunset was still away looking for Tulio and his team (and had found them) with Cazador pursuing her.
"She's unconscious but she's still alive," said Cometa, much to Levi's somewhat relief, "Let's get her to those real ecologists."
Levi felt soothed by these encouraging words but he was still in distress. He was trembling violently and was weeping uncontrollably. Then soon, the group was surrounded by more colourful birds and two cats. Blu and Jewel rushed straight to Lapis Lazuli's side with Zephyr and Aurora close behind.
"LAPIS LAZULI!" cried Zephyr. The others looked on before Catina looked accusingly at Cometa, making her flinch.
"Did you do this to her, you brute?" she snarled suspiciously. Levi, despite his distress, rushed to her defence.
"It was Nigel who did this," he explained. This made utter horror and disgust tear through the group. Then Athos's eyes caught sighted a flash of grey-white amongst the green vegetation. A scowl appearing on his face, he looked in the flash's direction and saw the familiar form of Nigel gaze at the group with a gloating expression on his face. Blu and Jewel saw him too.
"He's well and truly had it, then," snarled Jewel, her feathers puffed out as she and Blu saw their nemesis among the undergrowth of the vegetation. Veggie then looked at Cometa.
"You take Lapis Lazuli to safety and keep Levi, Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar company while we see to that rotten cockatoo over there," he commanded.
"Who are Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar?" asked Cometa confused.
"Those four glaucous macaw chicks," said Catina with a slight growl of irritation. Cometa turned and saw the four small glaucous macaws with distressed looks on their faces. This confirmation done, the falcon said, "Oh, right."
She then looked back at Veggie and Catina. "Right, you take care of Nigel while I take this unconscious glaucous macaw to safety."
"Then do so," barked Veggie urgently. Then without any more hesitation, Cometa took off, gently picked up Lapis Lazuli's limp body in her talons and flew away with Levi, Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar in tow while the others rushed off after Nigel. Orquidea shot Cometa a distrustful look.
"Should we trust that falcon?" she asked.
"Look, she has helped us a few times, so let her," said Porthos irritably, "Besides that, we don't have time to question our trust in Cometa. We have some unfinished business to deal with."
Orquidea sighed and with that, the group disappeared into the ferns and chased after Nigel.