Sandalwood and his Friends and the Paradise Sanctuary- edited

by VPVPVP

Carla and company's trip to Rio goes badly wrong when some of their kids are caught by poachers. The kids get rescued and placed in a conservation area with various animals from around the world, but they soon suspect something off about the area. In Rio, Blu and the others must deal with another problem on the Blu Bird Sanctuary while figuring out a way to rescue the poached kids

56. 56- Blu and others at Paradise Sanctuary

Chapter 56- Blu and the others at the Paradise Sanctuary

Back at the Paradise Sanctuary

The workers at the Paradise Sanctuary continued their usual work while the animals living there continued their usual activities. However, there was a group of animals skulking about the place and examining it in search of a certain group of kids and kidnapped animals from Rio. Blu and company, who had hitched a ride with the rescuers of Neytiri, Trixie, Eragon, Marella, Luna, Tristan and the two golden fruithawks (who weren't really rescuers at all as observed by Blu and company) on their plane all the way from Brazil to Peru, were searching the Paradise Sanctuary complex for Sandalwood and the others but at the same time were taking in the massive construction and all the animals they had on show. Before leaving the plane, the group had snaffled some fruit from stock of the 'rescuers' plane to eat for breakfast after that long nine-hour flight from outside Rio before departing the plane after the 'rescuers' had left with their cargo and had followed them in their truck to the Paradise Sanctuary site.

Blu and Jewel, together with D'Artagnan, Aurora, Athos, Aramis, Phoebe, Levi, and Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira, Spinel, Poinsettia, Benjamin, Indigo, Victor, Jasmine, Finn, Aiden, Frodo, Spyro, and Stella, Soren and Augustus hid in the shadows of some plants and gazed out at the passing humans as they went about their jobs on the site, such as caring for the animals. Blu could not help but admire the variety of animals, all of which were endangered and very rare, living in a variety of enclosures, all of which were built to resemble their natural habitat they had apparently been poached from. However, Blu's admiration was acidified by disgust, especially since he and the others now knew that the workers of the Paradise Sanctuary weren't really conserving the rare and endangered animals.

"Looks like these collectors certainly have done a good job in obtaining this many rare and endangered animals from various parts of the world," hissed Linda's macaw companion bitterly.

"They seem to cover up their true intentions by posing as conservationists and scientists as well, complete with their own branch in the daily and weekly science and ecology magazines," put in Athos. The scarlet macaw then examined a small group of large, white cats with black stripes as they paced around in one of the enclosures. Athos identified these animals as very rare Siberian tigers, tigers that often had white fur with black stripes but with a few splashes of gold in their striped pelt as well.

"Those tigers are from Asia," said Bia as she hid with Carla, Tiago and Kira. Next to Athos, Augustus looked on with worry.

"I hope none of the Amazon reserve inhabitants have been seized by those poachers sneaking around in there and brought here," said the Brazilian flying fox worriedly.

"We're gonna have to take extreme care while we're in this place," added Aramis, "Since these collectors seem to be obsessed with extremely rare and endangered animals, some of us are of those animals ourselves and if we're caught…"

The others, especially Blu, Jewel, D'Artagnan, Aurora, Levi and the other members who were of rare species, such as Frodo the Cuban macaw and Spyro the archaeobird, all flashed the lithe great green macaw a dreaded look, obviously understanding what he was referring to. Then Frodo's face twisted into a scowl.

"There's no way WE'RE going to allow those collectors to make US part of their trophies," hissed the Cuban macaw with disgust.

"It's obvious that these so-called conservationists are actually animal collectors in disguise," said Tiago.

"They're obviously giving all genuine conservationists, such as Tulio and his team, a bad name," put in Bia disgustedly.

"Especially since they are hiring poachers to bring them those animals," added Carla.

"And I'd hate to think that those other animals have been poached from their native environments for these collectors as well," said Athos as he hid with Spinel and Poinsettia.

"Well it seems to imply that," said Indigo, "Especially based on what those poachers who took Eragon and the others said when we were following them in Brazil last night."

"Look, let's just find Sandalwood and the others," said Blu firmly, "The sooner we get those kids, along with Eragon and the other seven including the golden fruithawks out of there, the better. Now let's move and fly."

The others nodded in agreement and prepared to move to the next hidden spot.

Meanwhile, back in Dundee's jungle, Neytiri, Trixie, Eragon, Marella, Luna and Tristan were all flustered as they fussed over Sandalwood and the others just outside the entrance to Dundee's tent. Kiara had explained to these five about a murderous, parrot-detesting chameleon named Dalek who was still on the loose and how he was a massive danger to all the parrot members of the community for he had been seizing countless victims from here and shoving them into the Compartment of the Carnivores for some caracals and servals to eat, among other things. However, the thought of being caught and shoved into an area where a bunch of parrot-eating wildcats lived had stricken fear and worry into the six newcomers, especially Neytiri, Trixie and Tristan for they were macaws and were thus likely targets. However, that was just one of their worries. Luna fussed over Betelgeuse's tattered left wing and Sylvester's missing tail feathers while Marella, Trixie, Neytiri, Tristan and Eragon fussed over Gladion's broken wing which was still in a leaf cast.

"I can't believe you were almost killed by those savage wildcats in the next compartment as described to us by that weird snouted porcupine when she took us to this leafy construct," said Neytiri as she continued to hold Betelgeuse's tattered wing with her functional wing for her other wing was still in the cast.

"She's an Australian echidna," said Acerola from the crowd of kids. Sirius, Spica and Bellatrix nodded in agreement.

"Whatever mammal she is," said Neytiri, much to the group's disgruntled exchange of glances.

"It's gonna be difficult getting you lot out of here," said Tristan before his gaze moved to Sandalwood, Gladion and Sylvester, "Not only have we got Sandalwood's immense fear of flying to deal with. We've got Gladion with a broken wing, Sylvester with a tattered tail which would impede his ability to fly properly," his gaze then turned back to Betelgeuse, "and Betelgeuse with some of her primary flight feathers missing from her left wing now as well."

Betelgeuse wore an outraged look on her face as the adult glaucous macaw said this.

"That horrid colour-changing snake in that dome cap tore out some of the feathers from my wing to prevent me from flying away from those wildcats if I were to escape," she growled.

"It was to make her easier to catch by those caracals and servals to consume," said Sirius. His gaze then travelled to a certain family of scarlet macaws as they continued to wallow in their grief, "But one of the chicks from that family over there," he said, nodding to Sardonyx, Greg, Steven and Kevin, "had to sacrifice himself to save me and Sandalwood during Betelgeuse's rescue…"

Luna whirled round and seized the oldest son of Bia and Virgil with her membranous wings, a terrified and outraged glare on her face.

"You COULDN'T HAVE confronted that pack of INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS WILDCATS!" she bellowed, shaking Sirius as she said this. Then Sandalwood, Sugilite, Cytosine, Thymine and Spica stepped forward to confirm to Luna that they had also been in that dangerous area to rescue Betelgeuse as well.

"We participated in that rescue too," said Cytosine, "Along with one with some of the other kids from this place."

As the Catalina macaw said this, a certain grey-headed flying fox slowly approached the tent entrance with two penguins. Connie, JD and Atreyu had come in to listen to the conversation, concerned looks on their faces. As Luna's dread-filled pinkish gaze scanned the other five kids who had helped Sirius to rescue Betelgeuse until they landed on the first one, immense horror tore through her. Then Eragon, one of his wings also in a cast for his shoulder was still healing, came in, a disbelieving look lacing his face.

"Let me get this straight," he said, "You five also confronted that pack of dangerous wildcats to rescue Betelgeuse, along with Sirius?"

Sandalwood, Sugilite, Spica, Cytosine and Thymine confirmed this by nodding their heads. Eragon's shocked gaze then landed on Sandalwood, who flinched.

"But how can this BE!?" blurted out the archaeobird, "Sandalwood is too afraid to FLY!"

However, Luna intervened, outrage lacing her face.

"Well, however they have managed to rescue that red macaw chick from the jaws of those bird-eating brutes," she growled, "Those six have been outright NAUGHTY!"

The albino bat then directed her furious glare on Sandalwood and the other five, Sirius wincing and backing away, "YOU lot SHOULDN'T have messed with a bunch of PREDATORS, you six. YOU could have been KILLED!"

The amber flying fox pup and the two Spix, two Catalina and hyacinth macaw chicks all winced as Luna shouted the last word, before bowing their heads in shame. It was then that some of the other kids rushed forward and came between the six kids and Luna, much to her surprise. Among them were Acerola, Arcturus and Sylvester, and their faces were laced with defensive anger.

"Look, if they hadn't taken action," said Acerola, "Betelgeuse could have been EATEN ALIVE!"

Betelgeuse just gazed at Sandalwood's cousin and said nothing.

"And furthermore," added Arcturus, "Dundee and the other animals here wouldn't have KNOWN that there was a murderous chameleon running amok targeting parrots to feed to those caracals and servals in the other compartment."

"That is why all the parrots, including us, have been evacuated here for their safety," put in Sylvester, before his gaze turned to the colourful sea of feathers formed by the various parrot species, many of which were rare and endangered. Luna, Trixie, Eragon, Neytiri, Tristan and Marella followed Sylvester's gaze and examined the crowd of parrots as they continued to talk or play.

"A cockatoo, two kakapos," added Arcturus, a nod to three grounded parrots as they rested at the front of the parrot flock, "and perhaps countless other parrots have been forced into the Carnivore Compartment and devoured by Carnassial and his gang."

"And I was almost the next victim," said Sylvester, much to the shock of the five adults. Trixie shot the other five a look.

"Sounds like this strange place is dangerous than it looks, you four," she said, "We'd better get outa here with these kids now."

"But how are we gonna do that?" asked Eragon, "Some of us cannot fly. Betelgeuse is missing her left wing flight feathers… Sylvester's missing his tail… Gladion, I and Neytiri still have broken wings and shoulder… we still don't have our bat-birds…" his gaze then turned to Sandalwood, "and Sandalwood there is too afraid to fly."

"We could perhaps sneak aboard one of those trolleys I've seen some of those humans push around outside," said Tristan, "and hitch a ride on them to the outside of the building…"

"I'm afraid getting out of here is not possible," said a new voice. Trixie, Tristan, Neytiri, Marella, Eragon and Luna all turned round and saw three newcomers, a grey-headed flying fox pup, an emperor penguin chick and a macaroni penguin chick walk in, their faces laced with pity.

"Those humans will not allow their animals to escape the artificial jungle," said Connie, the flying fox pup before her gaze fixed upon the five four adults, "And certainly not you five since you are part of two of the many rare species of bird that lives here for one, and that you three, especially you two," her gaze fixated on Tristan and Neytiri, "are to be the breeding pair of glaucous macaws here for another. Further, the third glaucous macaw is to receive a male to form a second breeding pair."

Disgust tore through Neytiri and Tristan while Trixie winced.

"We're to be WHAT!?" snapped Tristan, his turquoise and grey feathers bristling. Arcturus, along with Canopus and Katniss, came forward.

"It's true, Dad," said Canopus.

"Those human 'carers' have been aiming to bring in a breeding pair of glaucous, Spix, Lear's and Cuban red macaws, and archaeobirds as well, to establish a family of each of those species here," added Katniss, her gaze also on Marella.

"Those humans are likely to be searching for a male of your species and your age, capture him and bring him here so that you can breed and establish a family of archaeobirds in this place," Arcturus further added.

"Where did you guys find that out?" asked Marella. Atreyu came in.

"In the humans' rooms," said the emperor penguin chick. Then Connie's gaze turned to outside and landed on a pair of golden and yellow hawk-like birds as they sat in the branch of one of the trees. Although these hawks were strictly vegetarian, Connie still shuddered at the sight of their hooked beaks and dagger or fishhook-like clawed talons, traits she knew of birds of prey and their use in butchering prey. However, Connie did not realise that those lethal looking beaks and claws were used for butchering the flesh of plants rather than the flesh of small animals like small birds and mice, for these were vegetarian, herbivorous hawks, which was the reason why those two hawks had been imported into this compartment and not the Carnivore Compartment. Then Acerola and Sandalwood walked in and spotted the two golden fruithawks as well.

"What are those birds of prey?" asked Acerola timidly. Tristan, Neytiri, Marella, Eragon, Trixie and Luna gazed at the couple of fruithawks as they glared at their new surroundings, disgust clearly lacing their eyes.

"They're the pair of golden fruithawks from Tulio's Aviary," said Eragon with a frown, much to the surprise of Sandalwood, Acerola and the other kids.

"Golden fruithawks?" repeated Gladion with curiosity as Lillie, his sister, came up beside him.

"Those two are the very last known pair of that species alive," said Luna, "And it seems that those two have been seized by those poachers and brought here by those human workers of this place."

"Their names are Gylfie, the female, and Aurum, the male," added Marella. Then Eragon frowned.

"That leader of the Rio animal preserver group is gonna go ballistic when he realises that those two fruithawks have been taken…" he said worriedly.

"Leader of the Rio animal preserver group?" repeated Tristan, "You mean Tulio?"

Then Eragon stiffened. Adenine, Guanine, Acerola and the others who had been in the humans' section also all stiffened, but for a different reason. Familiarity was igniting within them… familiarity from their findings during their investigation in the humans' rooms before Betelgeuse was kidnapped and shoved into the Carnivore Compartment. Eragon, however, was stiffened by recognition and realisation, especially as some words began to play in his mind… the words exchanged by some humans with some of the Tulio's Aviary staff regarding the fruithawks back in Rio.

"Eragon," said Tristan with concern.

"Are you okay?" asked Neytiri.

"You've gone rigid," added Trixie. Eragon's wing claws just shot out and issued the glaucous macaw trio a 'quiet' gesture. Then Eragon's eyes closed tightly as he tried to recall the conversation that took place between three of the Tulio's Aviary staff and some strangers in the breeding chamber of the Aviary in Rio, the others looking on in wonder.

"Oh, come on. I'm sure they'll be fine at our conservation area in Peru."

"And besides that, our area has an artificially grown indoor jungle with real fruit-bearing trees, other real plants and other real environment-based things like a lake, and I'm sure those two fruithawks would thrive in that environment. In addition, there are other animals that would make great friends for them."

"Conservation area… Peru… Artificially grown indoor jungle…" mulled Eragon as he held his eyes tight shut and replayed these specific words exchanged between Francisco's group and the group of unfamiliar humans back in Tulio's Aviary. Marella, Luna, Tristan, Trixie, Neytiri, Sandalwood, Acerola and the others including Atreyu, JD and Connie exchanged confused glances as Eragon continued to remember the scene he had witnessed with some of the other birds including Blu. Then the older male archaeobird strode outside of Dundee's tent entrance and began to scan the surroundings, taking in the animals and artificial jungle, the others still watching on. As he did this, realisation began to well within Eragon. It was though things were falling into place. Adenine and the others who had been investigating the humans' section, continued to gaze at the fruithawks, Lillie mulling, "Golden hawk… creature… Rio."

Then a while later, Eragon turned to Connie, Atreyu and JD, a suspicious scowl thrown on his face.

"You three," he said, "Where are we?"

Connie, Atreyu and JD only exchanged confused glances, so Bambi stepped in.

"Iquitos, Peru, Grandpa," he said. The moment the 'P' word came out of his grandson's beak and reached Eragon's ears, the older male archaeobird's face morphed instantly to a horrified look.

"Eragon," said Neytiri.

"What is it?" asked Marella. Sandalwood and the others came in. Then Eragon's face morphed into an angry scowl before turning to the pair of fruithawks.

"I believe I know why those two fruithawks have been taken alongside us six," he said firmly and in a confirmatory voice, "And something else."

"You know why, Grandpa?" asked Bambi.

"And something else?" repeated Tristan confused. Eragon only replied with a silent stare laced with suspicion.

Sometime later, Eragon was explaining everything to Tristan, Neytiri, Marella, Trixie, and Luna, including his memory of the conversation he had witnessed between Francisco and two other humans and a group of unfamiliar humans in Tulio's Aviary. The listeners' heads jolted and their faces threw on horrified looks. As Eragon continued talking with the other five, Sandalwood, Acerola, Gladion and Lillie looked on. The latter had a frown on her face.

"I think those two fruithawks must be the 'golden hawk creatures from Rio' as I've read on that list in the humans' rooms," said the hybrid toco/keel-billed toucan, a nod to the pair of gold and yellow birds as they grumpily ate a mango.

"Well, if that is the case," said Gladion, his gaze also on the fruithawks, "Then those humans that work here have succeeded in catching those two."

Sandalwood and Acerola only stole a glance at Gylfie and Aurum and returned their gazes to Eragon's group.

"Those three humans I have witnessed talking with three of the Rio aviary human workers alongside Blu, Jewel, Athos, Iris, Zebedee and Tristan the other night seemed to be three of the humans from this place," said Eragon to Tristan (who remembered that night), Trixie, Neytiri, Marella and Luna, "And I believe they may have had their eyes on those two fruithawks over there," he nodded to the pair of golden hawk-like birds as they continued munching on a mango, a platypus (Reepicheep) coming by to check on them, before returning his gaze to the listeners. Eragon's gaze then hardened, "And that has taken me to a possible conclusion as to what was behind the motivation of those poachers' attack on us with that cylinder and the gas that knocked us out in the Rio aviary…"

"Where are you trying to get at, Eragon?" asked Tristan. Eragon flashed another glance at the fruithawks.

"I'm wondering if those poachers had taken those two fruithawks from that Rio aviary along with us," said the archaeobird before turning back to his listeners, "And have been given to some human group who then passed us on to be imported into this place…"

The archaeobird's face then twisted into a frown. "Now call me speculative but… I believe those poachers that knocked us out with that cylinder and the gas back in Rio might have been sent by some of the humans who work here to take those two fruithawks by force."

Sceptical looks at this claim came upon the four listeners' faces. Sandalwood, Acerola, Gladion and Lillie continued to listen in. Then Tristan and Neytiri shook their heads, unconvinced.

"That sounds highly unlikely," said Tristan, "One, you don't have much evidence to back up that claim and two, it seems that we have been rescued from the clutches of those poachers by this place's workers…"

However, the adamant look on the claim and theory never left Eragon's face.

"If you five had been there alongside me, Blu and some of the others and have witnessed the conversation between those humans back at the Rio aviary, you four," said the archaeobird, "Then you'd probably understand my theory better."

Tristan, Neytiri, Trixie, Luna and Marella just exchanged glances and shrugged as Eragon got up to leave. From a short distance away, Sandalwood, Acerola, Gladion, Adenine and Lillie threw on surprised looks, as did Sirius and Bellatrix who had also come in to listen.

"That aim list I read out in one of the human rooms," said Lillie.

"And the conversation of the three humans who work here that we have listened to in that same room," added Bellatrix.

"That piece of the puzzle seems to fit Mr Eragon's theory perfectly," said Lillie. Her face then twisted into a scowl as she gazed at the others. "It seems definite that the humans who run this place are actually rare animal collectors and they must have used force to seize those two golden fruit-eating hawks over there," the little toucan gazed at Gylfie and Aurum as they talked and continued to eat the mango. Then Sandalwood stood tall, his membranous wings on his hips and a scowl on his face as well.

"Well, I just HOPE we could find a way out of this place and back to Brazil!" he growled, "We don't like this place one bit at all."

"Neither does Atreyu," said Acerola, her gaze on the emperor penguin chick who sat on the sidelines to a group of other penguins of various species as they played ball, "He wants to be out of here too."

The others gazed at Atreyu with sympathetic looks and nodded in agreement to this statement.

Meanwhile

"Zebedee's possibly been SET UP by one of our daughters MABLE!?" cried Rafael in utter disbelief after Diantha, Tom, Orion, Vulcan and Hermione, and also Zephyr who had joined Orion's group after sending out Cobalto's group to look for Zebedee and Iris, had finished explaining everything to him and Eva (who was well enough to leave the Aviary medical room) on a roof and showing the couple the materials: the hyacinth macaw coloured feather suit, the bottle of yellow human makeup, the fruit shells shaped like a parrot's beak and the leaf shaped like the bandana Zebedee often worn over his left eye and forehead. Orion then stepped forward, the cloak of navy blue feathers complete with flight feathers, in his wings and a firm scowl on his face.

"I'm afraid so, Rafael," said the peregrine falcon.

"We found those materials in Mable's family's hollow," added Diantha.

"So it is clear that either she, her mate or someone else has posed as Zebedee and sent those marmosets into attacking Pedro and Nico's club," added Tom, before the toco toucan son-in-law of Rafael's face hardened, "just so that they could cause that poor hyacinth macaw a lot of misery and perhaps tear him away from Iris by landing him in trouble."

"B-b-but why would one of our daughters do that?" asked Eva. Then a distraught look came upon her face and she raised her beak and put her wings over her eyes, "Honestly, the majority of our OFFSPRING'S gone PSYCHOTIC! First it was Sandalwood's incident, then it was him and many of your kids getting poached, then it was the fire incident that nearly killed Eustace and the others with him and now a FRAMING THAT DECEIVED EVEN me and Rafael!? WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR FAMILY!?"

As she screeched these words, Zephyr, Diantha, Tom, Orion, Vulcan and Hermione all flinched and covered their ears as their eardrums took a battering from the keel-billed toucan mate of Rafael's screechy voice. The words also echoed into the air above the group and startled some nearby pigeons and other small birds into flight. Eva then began to break down, prompting Rafael to wrap her in his wings while Zephyr's group removed their wings from their almost-battered ears. However, none of Zephyr's group put on sympathetic faces when they saw Eva weep.

"Well, you two are, after all, partly responsible for your numerous offspring's behaviour, Rafael and Eva," said Zephyr sternly, making a disgusted and sorrowful gaze come upon Diantha's face, as well as disbelieving looks on those of Rafael and Eva.

"Yes, their anti-social behaviour," said O rion angrily, "Their troublemaking, their violence and on top of that, their breeding like rabbits!"

"B-b-but we've tried our best to persuade our sons and daughters who are breeding like mad but they won't listen," said Rafael, "Don't you remember the foul response Marco, Anastasia, Sofia and some of the others gave us when we tried telling them to stop having more kids, including my driving away by them?"

Zephyr glared at the toucan. He clearly remembered that incident. Then the Spix macaw decided to bring the group back to the main issue before they could go further down the tangent.

"Anyway, back to the framing of Zebedee," he said firmly, "I've sent Cobalto and the others to look for Zebedee and Iris and issue them an apology for accusing them of sending those marmosets to attack Nico and Pedro's club, and Rafael and Eva, I suggest you owe us an apology as well."

"We've gotta find Nico, Pedro, Rose and Sparkle too," said Vulcan. Zephyr nodded and raised his wing to signal to the kestrel 'in a minute'. Rafael, a frown on his face, stood up.

"We'll see to that," he said, before turning to the group as a whole, "And we're truly sorry for what we've said to you guys last night. We have also been deceived by the framer who set up Zebedee, leading us to believe that he was responsible for sending those marmosets to cause Nico and Pedro trouble."

"Apology accepted," said Zephyr, "Now you go and find Nico, Pedro and company and report to them what we've reported to you. We're gonna help Cobalto and the others to find Zebedee and Iris."

Rafael and Eva nodded and with that, the two toucans opened their wings and lofted into flight to find Nico, Pedro and their group while Zephyr and the others, the materials in tow, left to search for Zebedee and Iris.

Sometime later

Zephyr, Diantha, Tom, Orion, Hermione and Vulcan had been searching Copacabana beach with no luck. However, the group of six did find some of the marmosets up to mischief in taking valuables from unsuspecting tourists during their search and had overheard them natter about what fun they had in destroying 'that pair of puny cage birds' club thanks to the good idea of that 'hyacinth macaw with the bandana whose name started with a Z'', much to the group's outrage, which prompted the birds to retreat back into the city. As they flew along, the materials in their talons, Tom wore an outraged scowl.

"Those marmosets are pesky primates, like always," hissed the younger toco toucan, "but what's really outrageous is that they are still laughing about the trouble they had caused Nico and Pedro at their club last night."

"That's DEFINITELY a group to avoid," said Diantha, her talons clutching a bandana-like leaf, "The next time we take Lillie and Gladion as soon as they are found and brought back here by Blu and company with the others, hopefully, we'll be talking to them about those marmosets and why they should be avoided."

"I'm wondering if many of your brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces have got involved with those marmosets and may have picked up on their mischievous behaviour at some point, Diantha," said Vulcan.

"I don't know but I do not wanna find out," said Diantha. Vulcan just gazed at the hybrid toucan and her full-toco mate and flew on. Zephyr, who flew at the front and carrying the navy blue feather cloak with Hermione due to its size and weight, were talking.

"I hope Cobalto's group has found Zebedee and Iris at some point, Hermione," said Zephyr worriedly, "if they haven't done so already."

"Well, those two hyacinth macaws aren't down on the beach so it's obvious they are somewhere in the city," replied Hermione before her gaze scanned the tall buildings that slowly crept past, "Hopefully those two will have not gone far. I hope they haven't dived into hiding amongst those complex buildings last night."

Zephyr gazed at the tall multi-storey buildings and sighed in agreement. Looking for Zebedee and Iris in these compact and complicated constructs would take absolutely ages, not to mention a lot of effort and the risk of attracting unwanted human attention since brightly coloured macaws like Zephyr, black birds with brightly coloured beaks like Tom and Diantha, and three drabber coloured falcons like Orion, Hermione and Vulcan carrying some odd materials would likely put them in the spotlight of human gawks. Pulling his gaze away from the tall apartments and buildings, Zephyr led the other five on.

The six birds continued to fly on until Orion's eyes landed on a familiar form wandering about on the path up to something. Seeing this, the peregrine falcon stopped, prompting the others to slow to a hover as well.

"Hey, isn't that-?" called Orion and with that, he pointed a talon to the form. Zephyr, Vulcan, Hermione, Tom and Diantha followed the falcon's point until their eyes found the same form. The moment they did, either disgust or curiosity ignited within them as recognition took hold. The form Orion had spotted was a bundle of ragged grey-white feathers crisscrossed with scars and he was building something, a trap of some sort. The head bore a pair of brown eyes laced with acidic hatred and rage and below each of those eyes was a bag of red skin. A black beak was below those eyes and on top of the head, a pale stack of crest feathers rested backwards. The wings of the creature were tatty, the occasional feather dropping from them but what surprised Zephyr, Tom, Diantha, Orion, Vulcan, and Hermione the most was that the bundle of feathers was missing something around his midsection: a vest. However, Zephyr soon remembered how Stella and Soren had made off with whatever vest the creature had and had disposed of it. Zephyr's blue feathers and blue-white head plumage then began to bristle dangerously and his green eyes flared with pure hatred as he continued to gaze at the familiar creature. Much like Jewel, Zephyr bore an extremely caustic hatred for the cockatoo.

"Nigel?" said Vulcan, "What's he doing still wandering about the streets?"

"Up to no good as usual," growled Diantha in a dangerously low voice, disgust also making her sleek black feathers and reddish white underside bristle as well. She then turned to the Spix macaw.

"We should go, Zephyr," said she. Zephyr, however, remained firmly fixated on the ragged white-grey form, which was indeed Nigel, and began to descend towards him, his hatred-saturated glare constantly glued to the cockatoo as he continued setting up his trap.

"Zephyr?!" said Diantha and with that, the younger toucan flew down after him, followed by the other toucan and the three birds of prey.

As the six touched down onto the roof of a nearby house, they peered out from behind the chimney down at Nigel, who was unaware that he was being watched. Nigel was humming a tune to himself as he continued to set up the trap. The trap consisted of a loop of string set on the floor around a piece of fruit and from that loop, the rest of the string ascended upward to a tree branch above Nigel and continued downward to a certain spot Nigel had chosen to be his hiding place. As they continued to watch the cockatoo who also had a scratch on his left cheek, set up the trap, Hermione deduced what the cockatoo was up to.

"Looks like he's setting a trap for someone," she said, "Specifically…" however, the merlin trailed off, not wanting to say who. Tom and Diantha, disgust saturating their scowls and a conclusion as to who Nigel was planning to lead into his trap already in their heads, looked this way and that until their eyes landed on a pile of acorns on a platform not too far away. An idea entering their head, the two toucans quietly fluttered off to seize them. The other four continued watching Nigel as he stood back and admired his trap, a snide snicker escaping his beak as well as a scheming, evil scowl on his face, which was caught by Vulcan. The kestrel frowned.

"He's definitely planning on trapping someone," he said to the other three, "I can tell from his facial expression."

Immense disgust tore through Zephyr and he began to shake with rage. On a bird feeder platform nearby, Tom and Diantha had picked up the acorns and had moved their glares to Nigel. Because they were closer to the cockatoo than the other four, the two toucans heard a sentence leave the cockatoo's beak, but it was a sentence that hit the bullseye of the confirmation board of Nigel's plan.

"Now to lure one of them good-for-nothing pretty bird friends of that good-for-nothing Spix worm and his stinking princess girl to here where they'll see this dee-licious pile of mango slices where I'll ensnare them by the foot in the loop," crooned the cockatoo, unaware that he was making a fatal mistake in his plans, "And as soon as that victim is hanging upside down and flailin', I'm gonna come out, tear that victim's feathers out and take a few piccies of that featherless victim to show some of the other animals and humiliate them greatly just as they have humiliated me," the cockatoo's wings went together, "Hopefully, it will bring me up out of this HORRIBLE DAY I've been havin', especially after what humiliation those two overgrown hyacinth budgies and their sea-rat comrades have done to me last night…"

As the toucan pair heard this, Diantha hissed, "Oh no, you don't, disgusting, scar-faced alley cat with feathers, a beak and talons!" and with that, she and Tom picked up some acorns. From the roof, Zephyr prepared to drop down onto the cockatoo but Orion, Hermione and Vulcan stopped him by hooking their talons onto him.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" asked Orion.

"I thought we're done with that wretch of a cockatoo," put in Hermione, before turning a disgust-laced scowl at the cockatoo as he prepared to leave, perhaps to carry out the next part of his plan.

"I'm gonna give that slime-ball a piece of my mind," hissed Zephyr as he struggled in Orion and Hermione's grasp, "And I can see Indigo's work on his cheek which she had told us about after her group's encounter with him," his voice tone then became acidified with spite, "And once I have shown that sludge-rat what for, I'm gonna take a few pictures of that vestless cockatoo for Blu and Jewel to laugh at. However, we need a camera for that."

"He's leaving," called Vulcan.

On the floor, Nigel began to half-dance, half-stride away, a triumphant look on his face as he looked forward to the next part of his scheme. However, those plans were about to be dashed as a pair of toucans who were close friends with Blu and company took their aim above him. Diantha took the first turn. Gazing at the acorn in her talon, she hissed, "Time to hit that cockatoo nut-job on the head with this nut before he goes any further with that plan of his!"

And with that, the half-toco, half-keel-billed daughter tossed the acorn down at Nigel as hard as she could. Zephyr, Vulcan, Orion and Hermione watched in surprise as they saw the acorn careen from Diantha's talon right towards Nigel's head. Then before Nigel could realise what was heading for him, a hard BOP was heard as the acorn hit home. With a screech of shock as sharp pain exploded from the point of impact of a hard nut, the side of the head just below the crest, Nigel suddenly entered a dazed, chaotic, out-of-balance walk, much to the amusement of Diantha, Tom and now Zephyr and the other three as well as they watched, and as the cockatoo did, one of his talons entered the loop he had set down on the floor. Then Vulcan dived down from the roof when he saw this, seized the descending part of the pulley and before Nigel knew it, the cockatoo's foot was ensnared in the loop as it tightened around his angle and was swept right upward! Poor Nigel was turned 180 degrees and soon, his whole world was upside down, much to Diantha and Tom's laughter.

"WHAT THE!?" bellowed the cockatoo incredulously, and with that, he began to flap and screech like mad to free himself from his own trap but the loop around his ankle refused to slacken the only result Nigel had was flailing like a fish upside down from his own trap.

As Nigel continued flapping and writhing, the sounds of laughter reached his ears and within moments, the stunned cockatoo's brown gaze landed on a few flying forms. Two of them were black with brightly coloured beaks and lighter coloured fronts (one red-tinted cream and the other pure white), a third was lush blue with a blue-white head and a blue tuft on his beak, a fourth was slate grey and ivory with black dots, the fifth was brown and sandy brown with black streaks strewn through her plumage and the sixth was a maya blue, orange and black bird, and the faces of all six of them were saturated with amusement and laughter, laughs escaping their beaks. Hot rage tore through Nigel as recognition of the six individuals set in despite hanging upside down by the foot from his loop trap.

"I think this would definitely make a great picture for the other animals, don't you think?" said one of the toucans, Diantha, much to Nigel's shock. Then a hateful, mocking glare of a green-eyed Spix macaw approached Nigel's face.

"Well, Nigel the vulture-face," crooned Zephyr mockingly in a voice tone that was no different from Jewel's, "Still plannin' on causing us trouble, eh?"

Nigel scowled back at the Spix macaw while more laughter erupted from Tom, Diantha, Orion and Hermione. Then a few camera clicks sounded. When Nigel heard this, a horrified shriek left his beak and when the cockatoo turned round, his pale, ragged crest fully fanned while hanging upside down in mid-air, Nigel saw, to his horror, that Vulcan had found his camera and was snapping pictures of him. The kestrel released a scornful laugh as he snapped another picture of the upside-down cockatoo.

"Say SEEDS, bat-atoo," chuckled Vulcan as he pressed the 'take picture' button again. Nigel continued screaming in humiliation and flailing wildly as Vulcan took a few more images of him before finally had enough. Then Zephyr, Vulcan, Diantha, Tom, Orion and Hermione, more laughter escaping their beaks, resumed their flight, Vulcan placing the camera down on the footpath or sidewalk for some pigeons to have a look of the photos he took of Nigel.

As the six left, Nigel began to call out to them.

"W-w-wait, don't leave me!" called the cockatoo, "GET ME DOOOWWWN!"

Zephyr bluntly turned round and shot Nigel a nonchalant, unsympathetic look.

"YOU get yourself down, cockatoo," said the Spix macaw spitefully, "After all, you were the one who set up that trap to trap someone else, only for Diantha and Tom to foil you," a mocking sneer then crept onto Zephyr's beak, "And I hope you enjoy your show, flightless chicken."

Then to top off the sentence, he hurled a glob of saliva onto the floor at Nigel to express his detestation of the cockatoo.

"And besides that, you look better upside down than you do on the ground, which your lovely lil' froggy friend would have LOVED," added Diantha snidely, sending shock tearing through Nigel, especially as she deliberately made a snide remark about the cockatoo's embarrassing ordeal with that little frog. Then some pigeons gathered round Nigel and began to laugh at the cockatoo in his predicament. That did it, the volcanic rage within Nigel finally exploded, coming out in a massive torrent of caustic words and threats, some of it directed at Zephyr's group, and a flailing in his trap once again. However, Zephyr's group just went on their way, the materials such as the feather cloak in their talons. Orion stole a glance behind the group at Nigel.

"And I think he could also do with a bar of soap to his beak as well to clean that sewer of a mouth of his out, don't you think?" he tittered. Zephyr, Hermione, Vulcan, Tom and Diantha flashed a smile at the peregrine falcon before the seven resumed their flight, Nigel constantly spewing the torrent of filth from his mouth and flailing like mad upside down by the foot in his loop trap, much to the laughter of the pigeons!