Chapter 33- the climactic fight with Nigel
Tulio and his team continued following Sunset and Cazador. They trekked through the undergrowth faster than ever, but still with care to avoid tripping over the snakes that crisscrossed the forest soil though some of them, among them Susan, Lucy, Jack, Jill and even Tulio did several times, and Linda had to take special care due to her pregnancy. Soon, they arrived in the clearing where Tulio and his group's helicopter was parked. It was raining by now and thunder was heard in the sky overhead. While Tulio and his group left the clutter of trees into the free open space of the deforested area, Sunset continued flying back towards the battlefield where the macaws and poachers still fought, with Cazador still hot on her tail. However, the fatigue from flying so fast had finally taken its toll on the Major Mitchell's cockatoo and she was beginning to slow down. Her muscles severely ached and she was breathing rapidly from flying so fast for so long but still she refused to stop. Tulio and his team then ran through the clearing and in the rain, their arms over their heads to shelter them from the downpour. They continued to run until they met the pilot who wore an urgent look on his face.
"There's a great battle going on through there," he said in Spanish (translated to English here. Tulio who was fluent with this language besides Portuguese understood what he said), pointing to the line of vegetation dividing the deforested area. Tulio and his team were about to rush off when they saw something approach them through the increased rain.
"Look, it's another falcon," said Jack.
"And it's got something in its talons," said Jill. Tulio looked and saw that the falcon, which was Cometa, was carrying a bundle of rich blue feathers in her talons. Behind her were five more glaucous macaws, one turquoise male adult who struggled to fly based on the scratch on his side and four baby macaws. Susan instantly recognised the six as they melted into view.
"It's Levi and his family," she said, "And it looks like Levi's mate had been…"
Before she could finish, Cometa handed Tulio the limp Lapis Lazuli.
As soon as he had taken Lapis Lazuli from the falcon's talons and as Levi clumsily landed on Susan's arms, clutching his injured side where the evil and now-insane Nigel had struck, Tulio shot the pilot and some other team members trained in treating injured animals an urgent look.
"Set up the medical facility of the chopper, quickly," he commanded. The pilot and the others immediately obeyed and rushed for the helicopter to do just that. Tulio then handed Linda the limp and unconscious Lapis Lazuli.
"You take this glaucous macaw to the medical facility while we see to the poachers," he said. Linda obediently took Lapis Lazuli and left, followed by Susan who had Levi. As the humans split up, some rushing to the helicopter's cargo bay to grab net guns for they had deduced that the poachers had a lot of flying pets, Cometa shot Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar a look.
"Now you four stay by your parents' sides while I deal with some unfinished business," she commanded.
"And what's that?" asked Tristan but Cometa had already rocketed off to where she last saw Cazador. Giving up, Tristan, Quincy, Trixie and Larimar followed Linda and the others to the helicopter.
Sunset, who was by now very tired finally dropped out of the air as her wings gave out. However, as she fell towards earth, a grey and ivory rocket flew in and caught her in his talons. Seeing that Sunset was now exhausted, Cazador's face twisted into a sadistic look.
"Looks like your number is up, cockatoo," he crooned and with that, he held Sunset in one talon and aimed the other's claws for the neck to deliver the fatal slit when suddenly, "Don't you DARE harm that cockatoo, Cazador!"
Cazador's face changed from sadistic to annoyance and he turned to face the speaker as she flew towards him.
"Cometa!" he snarled, "Why are you not helping us catch those wretched macaws?"
Cometa did not reply. Below the two falcons, a group of humans emerged from the dividing strip of vegetation and stopped in horror as they saw the tremendous battle still raging between the poachers and the macaws. The man at the front was Tulio. When Cazador saw them, his face morphed to one of utter dismay.
"No," he whispered. He then eyed Cometa, a furious look on his face. In his talons, Sunset began to come round from her brief unconsciousness from exhaustion.
"You really have done it this time, Cometa," snarled Cazador bitterly. The disgusted look never left Cometa's face and she finally decided to reveal her change of side.
"You have exactly THREE SECONDS to tell us why you have betrayed us," screeched Cazador at the top of his voice, "Or you'll…"
Finally, Cometa let loose her built-up anger and began to fire a series of words at her former leader. She might as well reveal everything she had kept in the dark all this time, so she did.
"You wanna know WHY I worked against you behind your backs!?" screeched the female falcon, "It's because I DO NOT LIKE this whole business of poaching animals just to smuggle out of Brazil for money, certainly not critically endangered macaws. I especially HATED how you and our owners treated those poor macaws back at our base in Rio, leaving them half-starved and collapsing from hunger."
Cazador tried to retort but Cometa swept on. "And furthermore, I never even LIKED that disgusting cockatoo the moment we first met him and when you decided to recruit him and his cat friends, I was SICK to the STOMACH, especially by his filthy habits and horrible choice of food."
Cometa winced in revulsion at the thought of Nigel. Cazador did the same but Cometa despised the cockatoo more than her former leader.
"You know something, given the choice," the female falcon continued, "I would have revealed my true colours during our trip to here, but I did not because I wanted to ensure that this group gets caught and turned in."
"How DARE you!" screeched Cazador and then, without thinking, he dropped Sunset and lashed at Cometa but the female falcon dived down straight for Tulio. Cazador followed right after, too consumed by pure rage to even think where she was headed; though unlike Brutus who pursued Catina, he did not turn extremely feral with his temper. While Cazador chased Cometa, Sunset managed to recover herself and fly away to Tulio's helicopter but her flight muscles screamed in agony from the wild chase Sunset had to face from Cazador. Desperately and with the rains increasing, the Major Mitchell's cockatoo hurried for the copter.
Cometa continued flying down towards Tulio and his team, many of which had net guns prepared, Cazador closing in behind her.
"I'm gonna FLAY YA for BETRAYING us, you TRAITOR!" snarled the lead falcon and with that, he brought his talons to the front and prepared to slash Cometa the moment he caught up with her. However, Cometa continued diving down towards Tulio and the others with him. Tulio and part of his team looked on in utter horror as they watched the battle between the poachers and the macaws rage on.
"This is just like what happened with the loggers," breathed Tulio in awe. Suddenly, one of the women with him shouted, "Tulio, LOOK!"
Tulio's head snapped in the direction of the woman's point and saw two falcons fly down towards him. Immediately, he commanded one of his team members to shoot them down with nets. One of the men obeyed and aimed his net gun at the falcons. Cometa saw one of Tulio's team members aim for her and Cazador and immediately darted left, leaving Cazador to face getting netted. Because the lead falcon was diving down so fast, he did not have time to react, and it all happened in several seconds flat. First, a bang from the net gun was heard and immediately next; a spider-web like thing flew towards the falcon. Finally, the net caught the falcon and its strands tangled around him in a blink of an eye. Cazador cried in utter shock and anger as this happened and the next thing he knew, he was knocked out of the air and towards earth. After he had landed into the soil, two more of Tulio's team members rushed forward to grab the falcon while he writhed in the netting.
"Oh, bother," growled Cazador as he was picked up and he began to spit profane words into the air. However, that temper tantrum was not going to get him anywhere, except to a cage. While Cazador was being seen to, Tulio called for security in Manaus and told them about the poacher situation and to send in help to the Sanctuary de Amazon at once.
Meanwhile
Nigel continued running and hopping through the vegetation and ferns, a gloating look smearing his ragged face. He clearly enjoyed strangling Lapis Lazuli and seeing her struggle for air and was even laughing to himself. However, this had been the last and final straw for Levi's friends besides his Brutus-like attack on Esperanza, and now they were pursuing him through the vegetation, looks of thunder plastering their faces. The rain continued falling and lightning flashed, lighting the darkened forest in a few split-second flickers. Nigel, his face slashed with claw marks and his vest in tatters, tried to take off but he could not due to his tattered wings. Grunting, he continued running on.
Behind him, Veggie, Catina and the macaws, Travis, Eustace, Milo and Rosa continued their pursuit. Some of them, among them Blu and Jewel for they were determined to give the cockatoo a SERIOUS piece of their mind and the urge to do it reaching critical like a volcano about to go off, had broken away from the others and flown ahead to try and cut Nigel off from the front. The others continued pursuing the cockatoo.
"There he is," shouted Phoebe to the Spix macaw couple when she saw a flash of ragged grey-white, green and yellow through the clutter of trees and ferns. Blu and Jewel, together with Athos, Porthos and Aramis who had opted to join them and help, accelerated and began to overtake Nigel. Nigel continued running along. When he saw some flashes of cerulean, red, aqua blue, yellow and yellow-green, in addition to green which was barely visible against the backing foliage, fly past him through the trees, he growled and changed his mind. He decided to confront the group rather than flee from them for he had another family in mind to cause heartbreak.
Nigel found a large patch of ferns and dove into them as two Spix macaws, a scarlet macaw, a lithe great green macaw and a muscular blue-and-gold macaw flew in and touched down where he stood. Then the five began to look around as the others turned up. As soon as they did, Athos commanded D'Artagnan and Sapphire to look after all the chicks, including Travis and Sunset's three, despite some of them protesting.
"You take that lot to a safe spot while we search for Nigel, you both," he said. D'Artagnan nodded and commanded the chicks to follow him and Sapphire.
"But Uncle D'Artagnan," said Carla, "We wanna help."
"I'm afraid it's too dangerous, Carla," said D'Artagnan firmly, "Nigel is an extremely dangerous cockatoo and he could kill you if you get caught by him."
"Yes, especially after what he did to you back in Rio after he had caught you and Bia," added Sapphire, her gaze on the healed scratch on Carla's hip, the bandage having been removed, possibly lost during the skirmish with the poachers, "And the last thing any of us want is any of our chicks getting hurt or even killed and we cannot take any chances."
"Well, I don't wanna face the wrath of that deranged meanie, anyway," said Justin timidly and warily, before his gaze landed on Carla's scratch. As it did, it changed to a vicious scowl, "And I hope he gets what for after what he had done to Carla there."
Though Justin did at one point want to attack Nigel, he had changed his mind after seeing how rabid he had become.
"I don't wanna face him either," said Charlotte. Matilda nodded in agreement. Virgil, however, had other ideas.
"I wanna attack him," he bellowed. Veggie walked in.
"Virgil, don't be silly," he rebuked, "Nigel is a powerful cockatoo and he could easily overpower and kill you," he raised his voice to a harsher tone to ensure that all the chicks got the message, "Now do as your elders say!"
The chicks flinched and reluctantly, they all obeyed. All the chicks then followed D'Artagnan and Sapphire to the safety of the branches higher up in the rainforest. Veggie looked on as a pang of guilt crept over him for shouting at the chicks as Aurora and Zephyr walked in with a frown on their faces.
"You didn't have to shout at the kids, Veggie," Aurora said slightly irritated.
"I'm sorry, Aurora," said Veggie regrettably, "But I just wanted to get the message through to the chicks."
He then looked at Aurora and Zephyr.
"You'd better get to safety too," he said, "Nigel will want to kill you as well and I don't want that to happen."
Aurora and Zephyr nodded in understanding and took off after D'Artagnan and the others to hide with them.
From his hiding place, Nigel hissed furiously, his brown eyes fixed on Veggie.
"I'm gonna kill you for that, tabby cat. How DARE you send my targets away," he hissed. Soon, the other macaws, Catina and Veggie began to look around for Nigel.
"He was right here but he's disappeared," said Porthos. Blu rolled his eyes in utter irritation.
"Smart escape artist and devious trickster, as always," he snarled.
"I hope Lapis Lazuli's alright," said Orquidea worriedly.
"Look, just forget Lapis Lazuli and her family for now," said Travis, "They're in good hands and let's focus on looking for Nigel."
Orquidea nodded and continued searching for Nigel. In the trees, D'Artagnan looked down at the group as they continued their search.
"I cannot see that sickening cockatoo anywhere," he said. Sapphire began to examine the ferns until her blue eyes landed on a small dash of grey-white amongst the cover of green fern leaves. The moment she spotted that dash, she drew in a short gasp, especially as none of the macaws or Veggie and Catina's eyes looked in that direction. Further, Veggie was precariously close to where Nigel was hiding. Alarmed, Sapphire took off and tried to get Veggie's attention. From his hiding place, Nigel prepared to make his move as Veggie was now close to where he was. Nigel had had a change of plan. He had decided to target Veggie instead of Zephyr since Veggie was the one to tell those two macaws to get to safety while the rest of the group searched for Nigel and this time, Nigel had in mind to mercilessly kill the tabby cat once he pounced on him.
As Veggie backed towards the spot where Nigel was, completely oblivious of the danger he was about to put himself in, Nigel prepared to leap out and brutally attack and kill the cat. However, he was about to have his cover blown. As Veggie looked around, his brown eyes keenly scanning the environment for any flash of grey-white in a green and yellow vest, he saw Sapphire hover near him out the corner of his eye. Veggie turned to her and Sapphire tried to indicate that Nigel was directly behind him in the patch of ferns. Veggie turned round to investigate the ferns, sending alarm ripping through Sapphire. Immediately, the Lear's macaw swooped down as Veggie's forepaw went toward one of the leaves to lift it up, seeing him walking right into a trap. The others looked at Veggie as he was about to lift up the ferns when suddenly, a rich blue blur shot in and disappeared into the ferns, making Veggie jump.
"Sapphire?" he asked. The other macaws and Catina shot a look at D'Artagnan, Zephyr and Aurora and the chicks when suddenly, angry screeches and the sounds of a fight violently erupted from the ferns, while the ferns themselves jerked and thrashed about. Then feathers, both grey-white and navy blue, flew everywhere as Sapphire and whoever was in the ferns viciously fought. Then a minute later, two birds, one grey-white with a tattered vest and the other navy blue with a dark teal head and yellow-orange eye rings and crescent behind her lower beak, exploded from the ferns and crashed to the ground right in front of the other macaws and the two cats.
"Sapphire!" cried D'Artagnan and with that, he rocketed down to her to inspect her.
Both Sapphire and Nigel looked beaten up and Nigel appeared to have another scratch inflicted on his head, this time on the left side, and Sapphire had a cut on her shoulder but she had managed to deliver more scratches and bites to Nigel than he did her. However, one of her long head feathers had been torn out and that lay like a navy blue leaf on the floor beside Nigel's wicked talons. The moment Nigel was visible, an extremely enraged screech exploded from Blu and Jewel and they pounced onto the cockatoo while D'Artagnan took Sapphire to safety. Next, Nigel found himself pinned against the tree trunk by the neck by the talon of an EXTREMELY furious Spix macaw, his brown eyes ablaze with fury.
"Hah, looks like your cover has been blown, Nigel," cackled Blu smugly. Nigel glared daggers with his nemesis, before his eyes travelled to Sapphire. He then winced from the pain coming from the fresh set of bleeding claw marks on his head's left side where Sapphire had managed to strike. One or two beads of blood ran down from the claw marks.
"Ow, my head," muttered the cockatoo. He raised a ragged wing to where Sapphire had scratched him and glared bitterly at the female Lear's macaw.
"It's what you get for messing with us, you filthy vulture," growled Sapphire scornfully, "But THAT is only the tip of the enormous branch you will be facing from us after the trouble you have caused all of us, especially our chicks, Broccoli, Esperanza and now Lapis Lazuli."
Nigel ignored the female Lear's macaw as D'Artagnan led her away before glaring fiercely at Blu and the others as they gathered around, including Veggie and Catina.
The looks of all the macaws and both cats were both extremely volcanic and highly venomous, like a caldera of boiling magma, and they were all ready to give the cockatoo a piece of their mind. However, as always, Nigel did not care one bit.
"Well, you lot, looks like we might have a little change of plan," crooned the cockatoo nastily. In response, Blu tightened the grip on his throat to the point of almost cutting off his breathing.
"We don't wanna hear your tacky ideas, you tacky cockatoo," shouted Blu hostilely, his blue feathers puffed out, "You have REALLY crossed the line in EVERY SENSE OF THE PHRASE."
"Yes, absolutely," said Catina in agreement.
"Your attempt at killing Lapis Lazuli is the final straw," said Athos, his face saturated with thunder like the above skies, "She now could be dying because of YOU!"
Nigel just emitted a sadistic, triumphant titter at this.
"Good," he crooned, "At least that turquoise glaucous macaw and his daughters and sons will have their hearts torn in two."
This made utter disgust rip through the macaws and the cats at Nigel's completely remorseless comment. Then Catina stepped forward and clicked her claws.
"I think it's time for you to face serious consequences, cockatoo," she growled.
"Absolutely," added Jewel, clearly desperate to sink her beak and claws into Nigel's flesh. A mocking laugh escaped Nigel's throat.
"Oh really?" he crooned, "And what are you gonna do, calico? Claw me outright?"
None of the macaws or cats responded to this at first but then Catina walked in and shoved her face close to Nigel's beak.
"Given that option, yes," growled the calico, her flaming baby blue eyes glaring into Nigel's overconfident brown eyes, "But we're gonna let you off one final time."
Blu and Jewel shot the calico a look but Nigel made a frown.
"Aren't you gonna take me back if you are?" he asked, "So that I could go back to Rio where I'll be reunited with that Gabi frog who will smother me with that humiliating affection for the rest of my days?"
Catina hardened her gaze.
"We are NOT gonna take you back," she growled, "Neither are you gonna come back with us. We're gonna leave you here to find your own way out of this mess. If you run into serious, even life-threatening danger, don't blame us."
Nigel shook his head in utter shock but Catina swept on.
"I thought you would have heeded my warning not to cause us trouble or lay a claw on any exotic bird when we crossed paths back in Rio before all this happened but it is clear that you have not listened," she continued, her eyes beginning to ooze tears and her voice threatening to break, "YOU have intruded into our house, INJURED one of my sons, terrorised my feathered friends such as clawing one of Blu and Jewel's daughters on the side... emotionally abuse Aurora and Levi by dragging up their past when you traumatised them as chicks... and almost biting Athos' foot off," the calico hardened her tearful glare, "And then you have the AUDACITY to go the further mile by brutally injuring one of Dash and Ginger's daughters by behaving like that SAVAGE cat I once had as a leader... and even attempt to kill one of the glaucous macaws just to shatter her mate's heart and those of her four chicks... so I'm afraid you have really crossed the line Nigel so, we're gonna leave you here."
"I sure hope you'll get bitten by a venomous snake or something," put in Blu scornfully. Catina then withdrew her face from Nigel's.
"We have been totally wrong in the belief that you would have listened to our warnings before you started putting us through this mess," she added.
"Too wrong," added Veggie, his fur puffed out. The macaws all nodded in agreement. Nigel's mocking glare, however, remained on his face.
"Now once Blu releases you from his grasp," added Catina, "You are gonna leave to wander through the jungle and never return."
"Well, if that is what you want," said Nigel, "Then I'll do just that."
"Good," snapped Blu and with that, he withdrew his talon and stood back, releasing Nigel from his grip and allowing him to take in some breaths. The others looked on and said nothing.
"Now you will get out of here and never even THINK of following us back to Tulio's group," growled Blu unsympathetically, "And I hope some ecologists will find you and take you back to Rio but if you EVER come back to cause us trouble again, we will kill you."
"Alright, if that makes you happy, then so be it," growled Nigel bitterly and with that, he began to slink away from the group, their hard gazes fixed on him. From the trees, D'Artagnan, Sapphire, Travis, Zephyr and Aurora watched as the cockatoo began to step away. However, inside his head, Nigel had other ideas. As he crept away, his talon wrapped around a ball of wet mud.
"You bunch of… good-for-nothing, rotten, pretty birds and KITTY CAAATS!" as he finished this sentence with a growl, Nigel seized the ball of mud and hurled it at the group. The ball flew straight at Blu's face and splattered all over it, coating his face in brown slime and some of it entering his eyes. Blu cried in shock and began to brush the wet mud out of his eyes and face but then a grey-white, green and yellow blur, seizing the opportunity while he was temporarily blinded, shot in and tackled him HARD. Blu was flung into a patch of ferns, much to the cries of the others. Then Nigel jumped up and prepared to slash Blu when a white, ginger and black blur shot in and tackled him away. Catina released an enraged screech as she knocked the deranged cockatoo from Blu. Nigel tumbled to a stop near another patch of ferns as lightning flashed, but he got up and rushed towards the group, a blood-curdling screech exploding from his beak. However, Jewel ran in, jumped up and scored her claws across Nigel's torso, tearing off his vest and inflicting more scratches, much to Nigel's pained cries. However, this did not put out the fire of revenge burning inside the barbaric cockatoo and he lunged at the group again. The group scattered but Nigel's beak managed to close on Aramis' tail. Aramis screeched and flapped like mad as Nigel then tried to rip his tail feathers out but then Porthos rushed in, jumped onto Nigel's back and clamped his beak onto his crest. Nigel released Aramis' tail and began to writhe and bolt like a horse to throw Porthos off his back but the muscular blue-and-gold macaw, his eyes blazing beige firestorms, clamped his beak ever harder onto his crest to hang on.
While Nigel flailed around like a bull in an attempt to dislodge Porthos from his back; Orquidea, Aramis (despite the agony of having his tail torn out by the cockatoo) and Esmeralda flew in and began to pelt Nigel with mud and dirt, being careful to avoid hitting Porthos. Nigel, with an enraged screech, finally let his temper reach boiling point as brown stuff splattered all over his face and body. With another enraged screech, he shook violently and began to shake Porthos off his back but Porthos' beak remained clamped onto his crest. However, the crest feathers were beginning to be torn from his head until finally, a sickening tear, along with excruciating pain, emanated from the crest feathers and Nigel let loose an ear-piercing screech. As he did that, he violently bolted and tossed Porthos into a mud puddle. However, the blue-and-gold macaw's beak was full of the cockatoo's crest feathers, ALL of them in fact.
As Nigel watched Porthos, his aqua blue and yellow plumage smeared with brown mud, stand up and spit the load of pale yellow feathers from his beak, a horrible feeling tore through him and he felt his head. To his horror he realised that Porthos had pulled out the feature he took immense pride in. Then Jewel shot him a scornful glare.
"You certainly do look better without that crest of yours, vulture-face," she crooned mockingly. Blu, Ruby, Orquidea, Esmeralda, Cobalto, Zephyr and Sapphire and some of the chicks in the tree including Carla, Bia and Tiago burst out laughing at Nigel's now bald head but Aurora, Athos, Porthos, Aramis, Phoebe, Travis, Veggie, Catina and D'Artagnan stifled the urge to laugh at Nigel's baldness. Then Nigel let loose an enraged screech and turned to Porthos as he shook his plumage of mud. The muscular blue-and-gold macaw flinched when he saw he was in the flamethrower of the cockatoo's enraged glare.
"I'm gonna BREAK YA NECK for tearing out my MOST VALUED TRAIT, you DISGUSTING BLUE AND YELLOW FEATHERED…" bellowed the cockatoo but before he could charge towards Porthos to brutally claw him, a cerulean blur shot in and tackled him.
"I think NOT, you disgusting cockatoo cockroach!" snarled Jewel as she bowled Nigel over and with that, she began to unleash the wrath she had bottled up all this time all over the cockatoo in the form of claw scratches and bites but Nigel fought back. Both the Spix macaw and the cockatoo were locked in a whirlwind of grey-white, green, yellow, cerulean and black as the two scratched and bit each other with all their might. Feathers flew absolutely everywhere from the whirlwind alongside screeches of fury and agony.
Then after a few more minutes of vicious fighting, Jewel, covered in scratches and cuts, flew away, turned round and before Nigel could raise a wing to attack her, the highly aggressive Spix macaw viciously tackled him in the side and brutally rammed him as HARD as she could against a nearby tree trunk. A sickening crack was heard as Nigel's left wing was caught between the tree trunk and his body. Then as Jewel came away, Nigel slumped down but then he felt excruciating pain explode from his left wing. He bellowed in agony and grabbed his broken wing with the other.
"M-m-my WIIIIING!" he bellowed. Jewel, completely devoid of ANY remorse, then made a scornful and mocking look.
"Ooops-a-daisy," she crooned spitefully, "Looks like I have accidentally given my most detested cockatoo the same injury he had inflicted on me on that plane."
She then spat on the floor before Nigel and added, "And I hope it hurts, you filthy cockatoo," and with that, she exploded into laughter, deliberately imitating Nigel's signature laugh to further cement the injury. Blu also joined in the laughter, glad to see his nemesis in agony, and also mimicked Nigel's signature laugh. Nigel, stabbed deeply by Blu and Jewel's deliberate imitation of his laugh, shot the cachinnating couple a caustically venomous scowl but then a berry flew and hit him in the face. Stunned by this, he looked up and was struck in the face again with another red berry. From the tree branch, Travis, Zephyr, Aurora, D'Artagnan and Sapphire and the chicks were hurling fruit at the deranged cockatoo, a safer option than an upfront attack.
"Don't you even THINK of attacking Blu and Jewel, you savage SLIME-WORM," shouted Zephyr as he flung another berry at Nigel. Then D'Artagnan took off and flew closer to Nigel to pelt him at closer range. Nigel cried and covered his head with his other, unharmed wing as the aggressive Lear's macaw continued flinging fruit at him. Red and blue flesh and juice exploded on contact as they flew from D'Artagnan's talons and struck him. Nigel then tried to run away but he was met with a barrage of more mud and dirt thrown from Veggie, Athos, Ruby, Phoebe and Cobalto.
As the brown, blue and red missiles continued slamming into Nigel, the cockatoo released an enraged squawk and then finally exploded violently. Then expectantly, the cockatoo jumped into the air and grabbed D'Artagnan by the wing with his beak and dragged him towards the ground. The Lear's macaw cried in shock and tried to flap away but Nigel kept a firm grip on his wing.
"D'ARTAGNAN!" cried Sapphire.
"I'm gonna break your wing, you good-for-nothing LEAR'S SLUDGE-RAT!" snarled the insane cockatoo but D'Artagnan, with an enraged screech, retaliated by throwing a claw swipe at Nigel's face with his talons. Nigel released the Lear's macaw's wing and D'Artagnan prepared to lunge at the cockatoo when the Lear's macaw saw two blue forms rush in.
"Leave this to us, Dart," shouted Blu, his eyes blazing brown firestorms while Jewel's blazed teal. The Spix macaw couple had finally exploded and were ready to give Nigel the most savage beating he had EVER had and they wanted to be the ones to deliver it. D'Artagnan immediately flew out of the way as the Spix macaws, EXTREMELY enraged screeches exploding from their beaks, pounced onto Nigel and began to unleash their UTMOST apoplexy on the cockatoo full throttle.
Within moments, the savage cockatoo began to take a VICIOUS barrage of savage and brutal claw swipes from the two EXTREMELY enraged macaws. Athos and company then watched on as both Blu and Jewel proceeded to not only scratch but practically score their claws over their nemesis' flesh. Nigel's torment of their friends and his abuse of their chicks was finally erupting like Krakatoa within these two Spix macaws and both of them ensured that each of their hits did NOT miss. This was the first time that Blu had EVER been so aggressive but Jewel was much worse, and Veggie could feel the acidity of the hatred the couple had for Nigel. It was far more acidic and corrosive than any acidic substance he had ever heard of and Ruby knew that Jewel's hatred for Nigel was ten times than the hatred she, Zephyr and Brisa used to harbour for them when the red tribe and the Spix tribe had been enemies. Furthermore, both Blu and Jewel had both become like Spix macaw versions of Brutus to a degree, and they were both now savage clawing machines, both consumed by EXTREME rage, as they continued to savagely claw Nigel to a pulp, their minds completely warped with the EXTREME wrath. Further, their wrath had ignited terror within the savage cockatoo for the first time in his life but there was nothing he could do now. His abuse of Blu and Jewel's family and friends had sent both Spix macaws over the edge.
Carla, Bia and Tiago cheered for their parents as they continued savagely inflicting Nigel with more and more gashes, tearing out feathers and drawing more blood, Nigel helplessly cowering and screeching in agony and extreme terror, his wings over his head and begging the Spix macaws to stop, only for the volcanic blue couple to mercilessly continue without ANY sympathy for their nemesis WHATSOEVER. Some of the macaws including Aurora and Athos thought that Blu and Jewel were going over-the-top with her clawing of Nigel, Aurora actually shaking her head in disapproval.
"I think Jewel is taking that WAY overboard," said Athos.
"I'm not surprised," said Zephyr unsympathetically, "Those two have wanted to give that vulture a piece of their mind for a long time. Not to mention the fact that Nigel has caused their chicks so much trauma.
"They basically want to make that cockatoo feel the sheer AGONY and EXTREME FRIGHT that he had caused their chicks and us," said Sapphire, "As well as avenge Carla's injury and that of Broccoli and the others."
D'Artagnan said nothing to this while the chicks flinched and winced at every alongside cry that came from Nigel with Carla, Bia and Tiago cheering. Then the group resumed watching Blu and Jewel as they continued to wrathfully and mercilessly claw Nigel as much as possible.
Nigel continued to screech and squawk in agony as the volcanic Spix macaws continued raking their claws over his flesh like enraged jaguars, blood drops flying from the clawing. During this, Jewel lunged at Nigel's broken wing and plunged her beak HARD onto it to cause the cockatoo EXTREME AGONY while Blu seized the cockatoo's other wing and twisted it with all his might. The air above the scene shook with the cockatoo's screeches of agony and the watchers actually covered their ears as it assaulted their eardrums. Then Jewel and Blu continued their relentless clawing and biting of their nemesis. Nigel screeched loudly as one of Jewel's talons savagely raked over his face, before her face appeared before his own bloodied one, scorn and sadism plastered all over her face as she ABSOLUTELY relished the sheer joy of his extreme agony and blood pouring from his wounds. Blu who also relished the sight, stopped briefly to allow his mate to taunt the cockatoo.
"You won't believe how long WE HAVE WANTED TO DO THAT, Nigel, you VILE, CRESTED SEWER (BLEEP)," she cackled nastily.
"ESPECIALLY AFTER WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO OUR CHICKS ESPECIALLY ONE OF OUR DAUGHTERS!" put in Blu loudly. Nigel tried to head-butt Jewel but she dodged and retaliated with another brutal slash across the face with her talons, drawing more blood. Then Jewel proceeded to screech as loudly as she could directly into the cockatoo's face, her eyes inflated out of her sockets to add to the EXTREME scare, frightening him out of his tattered and bloodied plumage to make him feel her chicks' extreme fright that he had inflicted on them. While he did that, Blu lunged and also screeched with an EXTREMELY frightening face directly into the cockatoo's face, taking advantage of the cockatoo's distortion of his perception from the terror he and Jewel had inflicted on him. Because of the terror warping his perception of the environment, Blu and Jewel looked more FRIGHTENING than they actually were. Nigel, EXTREME terror exploding volcanically within him with blood dripping from his wounds, then tried to flee but he was met with a claw-flared paw swipe from Veggie which knocked him down. Seeing this, Veggie, his eyes blazing brown infernos, lunged forward and slapped Nigel's broken wing, making the cockatoo screech in agony from the resulting pain. After this, Veggie screeched directly into Nigel's face to scare him.
After Veggie had frightened Nigel out of his tattered and bloodied plumage and Blu and Jewel had stopped their rage, their talons soaked with Nigel's blood, Zephyr took his turn. He swooped down on the severely beaten and terrified Nigel from the branch as he stood up. Then before Nigel could take action, Zephyr ploughed into him and sent him flying into another tree trunk. Pain exploded from his broken wing and Nigel slid down onto the floor at the foot of the tree. He was covered in countless profusely bleeding claw marks and his vest had completely been ripped off but Blu and his group were not done with him yet. Nigel then stood up and eyed Veggie, who hissed loudly at him with his fur puffed out but despite the terror and agony he had faced from his two nemeses and the tabby cat, the cockatoo's sadistic overconfidence and vengefulness resurfaced. Nigel then began to advance towards Veggie despite the pain from his injuries, an enraged screech exploding from his beak. As he did that, Athos and Ruby jumped to the front of Veggie and spread their wings protectively across the cat as the cockatoo got closer. But before Nigel could take another step towards Veggie and the scarlet macaw pair, another blue come shot in and viciously tackled him. Veggie, Athos and Ruby flinched as Blu then heaved his nemesis off the ground and sent him flying towards the branch where Aurora was. Nigel screamed until finally, he struck the branch. Nigel then clamped his beak onto a nearby twig as he was about to fall. Under the branch ran a stream and it was rushing and Nigel was dangling right over it, the branch threatening to snap and send him careening into the stream. Lightning flashed in the sky and the rain continued to pour. The macaws, Veggie and Catina looked on as the severely bloodied Nigel dangled helplessly from the branch. Jewel and Blu were especially smug to see their most hated cockatoo with a plumage crisscrossed with countless bleeding claw marks, a broken wing and a missing crest. It was certain that most of those claw marks were going to scar if Nigel survives this ordeal and Blu and Jewel both hoped that that would happen. They both released a titter at the nemesis' pain and even hi-fived each other to congratulate each other on their efforts.
"That sure was fun giving him a piece of our mind, wasn't it, my dear Blu?" Jewel tittered smugly.
"Indeed it was," said Blu, "Especially after what he had done so many of us, especially our chicks."
Athos rolled his eyes in irritation at the two Spix macaws' smugness.
"But you two didn't have to go completely overboard with clawing him," said he. Blu and Jewel just let loose a snigger and then looked up as Nigel dangled over the rushing stream.
While the completely clawed Nigel continued to hover over the stream, his talons struggling to reach for the branch to prevent his plummeting into the water, Aurora walked in, her amber eyes saturated with hurt fixed on the murderer of her and Levi's families. Nigel continued to struggle to latch onto the branch but due to the excruciating pain emanating from his many injuries including his broken wing, this was difficult. Aurora then stood right over Nigel as he continued to struggle. His brown eyes then locked with Aurora's amber pair and Aurora could see the maniacal flame within them despite the sheer terror he had been forced to endure from Blu and Jewel and briefly, Veggie. However, that terror inducing did not quell the flames of the cockatoo's insanity and murderous bloodlust. Aurora then made a bitter scowl, unfazed by the cockatoo's glare. However, despite all that Nigel had done including to what he had done to her and Levi when they were chicks, she did not feel any murderous hatred towards him. Nigel then sneered at Aurora with a bloodied leer as she was faced with a decision whether to let him die or save him. The waters of the stream below churned turbulently as they flowed, and if Nigel were to fall into it now, he would land in the stream and be carried away by the current, likely to his death. However, despite this possible fate and the extreme pain emanating from his broken wing and wounds, Nigel's evil smile remained on his beak. He glared fiercely at Aurora as she continued to look over him bitterly. Then a snapping noise was heard, the twig which Nigel was clinging on was starting to crack.
"Leave me, pigtails," said Nigel, knowing that he was now helpless. Aurora continued looking over him as the crack in the branch began to elongate. The others, including Blu and Jewel, watched on, the latter two expecting Aurora to allow Nigel to fall into the stream to his death.
"Leave me to die, if you want," said Nigel, "Since I've been the one to kill your parents, you might as well leave me to die."
Aurora hardened her gaze.
"You know something," she growled, "Given the choice, I would."
The crack continued to elongate until finally, it reached the bottom side of the twig, leading it to snap and break. Nigel gasped as he plummeted towards the river but before he could hit the water, to his surprise, he was hovering centimetres above the rushing water, being held by something by the right wing, his unbroken one. Flooded with surprise, Nigel's gaze snapped up to whoever was clinging to his right wing and to his further surprise, Aurora was grasping his right wing with her talons. The others looked on in wonder.
"But if I did allow you to perish," said Aurora, struggling at the weight of the cockatoo, "I would be just as savage as you are when you killed my family and Levi's as well!"
As she said this, she hauled the protesting Nigel back towards the bank where the others waited, and placed him before the others before landing next to Athos.
Nigel looked up in utter shock at Aurora's decision to save his life despite what he had done to her and her friends, and Blu and Jewel were especially flabbergasted and a little disappointed that Aurora did not allow him to die. However, Nigel was soon faced with a crowd of hostile faces but this time, the faces were not as hostile. Then Catina stepped forward as Nigel flinched from the pain from his many wounds, many of which were bleeding, and his broken wing. Tears had welled in the calico's eyes as she approached him.
"You know something, Nigel, I just really wish you'd have listened to my warning when we met back in Rio," she wailed, her voice like splintering wood. Nigel glared back at her with a bloodied face and bitter eyes.
"But after what you have put us through for the past few days," cried Catina, tears spilling down her face, "It is clear that you're not willing to change your ways and learn your lessons."
A few sobs then escaped Catina's throat as she began to weep. Nigel glared back at her, the characteristic deranged look he had always had since he had turned to smuggling after losing his career to a parakeet still plastering his face.
"I would rather see all pretty birds miserable and heartbroken even if it means spending the rest of my life causing them misery, calico!" bellowed the cockatoo. Catina looked up at him. Finally, she had had enough and did not want to be in the presence of this deranged cockatoo any longer.
"Let's go, everyone," she said, barely able to control her emotions.
"What about Nigel?" asked Aramis.
"He's staying here," snarled Blu, "He can find his own way out of this mess, especially in that bloodied state we had given him."
Nigel flinched in surprise.
"WHAT!?" he snapped. Catina shot him a bitter glare.
"You heard him, Nigel," she screeched, "You're NOT coming back with us!"
Nigel stared back at Catina in utter shock. Then with one more last look at the cockatoo, Catina said, "Let's go, everyone."
And with that, Catina turned her back on the cockatoo who stared after her as though she had suddenly sprouted wings. Then the group began to follow her. Aurora stared at Nigel one final time and left with the others.
Nigel continued gazing after the group as they left without even acknowledging him. With a broken wing and so many brutal injuries, the chances of Nigel coming out of this mess alive were slim. However, despite Aurora's decision to save him and allow him to live and Catina's warnings, the vengeful urge flared within him once again. As Catina and the others continued making their way back through the vegetation to the others, and Tulio and his team, they reunited with their chicks who hugged their parents, glad that they weren't badly hurt. Carla, Bia and Tiago hugged Jewel and Blu while Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil hugged Aurora. Alexandre, Spinel and Poinsettia hugged Athos and Ruby. Porthos and Orquidea stood with Azul and Wilbur flanking them while Aramis and Esmeralda hugged Chlorophyll and Petunia. D'Artagnan and Sapphire did the same to Miranda, Jasmine and Annette. Travis had Eustace, Milo and Rosa with him and Phoebe, Cobalto stood by with Zebedee and Indigo.
"You certainly were AWESOME, Mom and Dad," cried Tiago as he hugged Jewel, "You really did show that cockatoo what for."
"And Uncle D'Artagnan and Mr Veggie were awesome as well," said Carla, nodding to D'Artagnan as he hugged his family, and also Veggie below.
"And Uncle Porthos as well," said Bia, "After all; he ripped that sickening cockatoo's pride and joy off his head, literally."
Jewel formed a smug smirk on her beak, as did Blu.
"Well I hope he'll never bother us again, especially after this day," said the latter, "and I hope he becomes a laughingstock for all the exotic birds now that he is left crestless."
Athos breathed a simple sigh and prepared to lead the group as well as Veggie and Catina away, desperate to get back to their friends and also Levi and his family. However, they were not out of the stormy woods yet, and I don't mean literally here.
Suddenly, a blood-curdling squawk exploded from behind the group. Veggie shot the macaws a look.
"Did any of you lot just screech?" he asked.
"It wasn't us, Veggie," said Phoebe in reply as she held Zebedee and Indigo. Catina, a horrible thought flaring within her, whipped round and when she saw what was charging toward the group from behind, horror exploded within her.
"GUYS," she shouted, "Look OUT!"
No sooner than these words escaped her mouth, when the macaws and Travis turned round and immediately scattered as an extremely aggressive, bloodied, vest-less and crestless cockatoo rushed in and tried to attack them. The kids screamed as their parents scooped them up to take them away. Even Blu and Jewel carried their three kids away. Catina snapped from horror to fury and she glared at the now shadow-of-his-former-self cockatoo.
"NIGEL!" she bellowed, "WHEN ARE YOU GONNA LISTEN TO…"
Suddenly, Nigel, whose face was bloodied and his mind warped from his rabid temper, lashed at her, raised a talon and attempted to slash her across the face but Catina dodged and ran off. Then Nigel whipped round and saw Blu and his family as they hugged their kids closer to them, eyes frightened and stunned at Nigel's continuous desire for revenge despite his broken wing and other injuries. Next to them were Zephyr, Aurora, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil, the latter four who were extremely frightened. Then with an extremely enraged screech, Nigel charged towards the Spix macaws, his crazed brown eyes filled with the murderous desire to kill them. Then Catina rushed in and knocked all eleven Spix macaws aside as the deranged cockatoo jumped up and flared his talons, ready to claw them.
"LOOK OUT!" she cried, but soon she found herself in the Spix macaws' place as Nigel continued flying towards her, his talons outstretched. Catina had no time to react and as Nigel's talons scored down her side, she emitted an extremely loud screech of agony.
"CATINA!" cried Veggie. He then whipped round to the other macaws and shouted, "Get those chicks of yours to safety, QUICK!"
The macaws and Travis obeyed without hesitation and scooped up their chicks in their talons and fled, Blu, Aurora and their families close behind. However, one family was still in the process of taking off. When Nigel saw Athos and Ruby, the latter who had Alexandre, Spinel and Poinsettia in her talons, begin to flap into flight, his eyes flared with bitter hatred and revenge. Leaving the wounded Catina as Veggie ran in, Nigel charged at the scarlet macaw family.
"ATHOS, RUBY!" shouted Zephyr. D'Artagnan tried to fly to the scarlet macaw family but Porthos stopped him, knowing he'd be seriously hurt. When Athos and Ruby saw the deranged cockatoo rush towards them, aiming straight for Ruby and the chicks, Athos made a split second decision.
"Look out!" shouted he and with that, he tackled Ruby and his chicks away a split second before Nigel caught him. Then both the severely battered and clawed cockatoo and the scarlet macaw tumbled from an overhang and fell towards the rushing river, Nigel with his talons wrapped tightly around Athos's neck.
"ATHOS!" screeched Ruby as she watched her mate fall towards the stream. Alexamdre, Spinel and Poinsettia also cried for their dad and the others, including Veggie, looked on in utter horror. Athos struggled in Nigel's grasp and flapped his wings as the surface of the water continued to rush towards them in an attempt to fly. However, with Nigel hanging onto his neck, this was impossible with the additional weight. Not to mention the risk of damage to his neck.
"Let me go, you BARBARIC VULTURE!" snarled the scarlet macaw but Nigel refused to do so.
"If I can't devastate the families of that pigtailed Spix macaw, turquoise glaucous macaw or that sludge-rat (bleep) Blu," screeched the bloodied cockatoo, "I'll devastate YOURS instead!"
These were the last words that had escaped Nigel's beak before an enormous splash sounded as the cockatoo and scarlet macaw hit the water.