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

42. 42- deep regrets and alarming discovery

Chapter 42- deep regrets and an alarming discovery

Evening had fallen over Rio and the jungle near it, and the sun was approaching its setting point. Somewhere else in the jungle but in a part outside the Blu Bird Sanctuary, beyond the fence enclosing it, a large group of various birds: macaws, parakeets, toucans other than the toco and keel-billed mixed species except a few but who aren't outright troublesome like the majority of the others plaguing the sanctuary, and other birds of various species, were continuing their usual activities. However, these activities were not as lively as they were when they lived inside the sanctuary. In fact, the atmosphere above the flock's temporary living area was saturated with despair, moodiness, irritability and disappointment, like a grey sky saturated with clouds with hardly any rays of sunlight shining through at all. The usual morning song 'Real in Rio' had not been sung for ages, and the samba spirit of the birds seemed to have fizzled out, screened completely and blocked by the dismal atmosphere hanging above the flock.

Amongst the birds as they continued to miserably carry out their usual activities of foraging and providing for their families or talking to each other, the dismal mood plastering their faces, a few certain toucans of the toco and keel-billed species, stood on a high branch and looked down at the misery plaguing the neighbours. Rafael stood with Tom, Diantha, Rita, Carlos and several other toucans and a few toucan chicks, sorrowful looks plastering their faces as they watched the activities below them. Regret was thrown into the saddening cocktail in the facial expressions of Rafael, Rita and Carlos and the other toucans excluding Diantha and Tom as well; the regret of having so many chicks and not applying enough and sufficient discipline to them, leading to this enormous mess and the consequences that lay before their very eyes. It was clear that the phrase, 'What have we done' was visible in Rafael's mortified gaze. Tom and Diantha, however, were gazing at Rafael disgustedly.

"Those residents had been forced to move out because of those arrogant relatives of ours refusing to control their chicks and stop having more broods, Rafael," hissed Diantha bitterly. She refused to call Rafael 'Dad', 'Father' or equivalent for the anger at him and his irresponsibility as a father was boiling within her and she was too ashamed to refer to Rafael as those words. Rafael flashed his enraged daughter and her mate a regretful look.

"I did say I'm sorry, you two," he replied mournfully.

"It's NOT good enough!" snapped Diantha bitterly, a tear welling in her eye, making Rafael flinch, "You and Eva were the ones who allowed this problem to spiral out of control to the point of all THIS happening!" she gestured to the miserable birds as she said this. Carlos and Rita and the other toucans who had found sense just looked on and said nothing.

"All those birds have been put into a very difficult position because of the arrogance of our siblings and siblings-in-law which you have helped to grow," put in Tom, a wing gesture to the sorry scene, "They have been forced out of their homes… out of the Blu Bird Sanctuary… to live in this unprotected jungle with those poachers prowling around on the forest floor looking for some prized bundle of rare feathers to catch for the pet trade," Tom's anger boiled dangerously within him, "You REALLY HAVE caused everyone A GREAT DEAL OF TROUBLE, you IRRESPONSIBLE MORON!"

Rafael flinched as this scathing comment stung him like the bite of a tarantula.

"Tom, please don't call our father a moron," said Carlos.

"He tried his best to convince the rest of our enormous family to stop having kids but they just wouldn't listen to him," said Rita. Tom shot the two and their agreeing siblings and siblings-in-law a glare.

"I'm sorry but it's TRUE, Carlos and Rita and the rest of you," he retorted, "Your countless siblings and siblings-in-laws have followed your parents' example in breeding like those mammals with big ears and fluffy tails and has led to THIS MESS," he gestured with his wings again to the scene below the toucans. Rita and Carlos gazed down at the dismal scenery of miserable birds and sighed. They hated to admit but they had also contributed to this mess as well. They had been having brood after brood and have only recently realised the number of kids they were having and had to painfully break up with their mates. The broken heart was still in shambles within Rita and Carlos and the damage was only added to by the consequences laid out before their eyes.

As Rafael and what's left of his family continued to grieve and wallow in their guilt, in another part of the jungle in which the residents had moved to, a certain male part-scarlet, part-green-winged macaw was also swimming through the river of dismalness and despair and grief. However, like Rafael, grief was also thrown into the horrible brew but it was not from having so many kids and not disciplining them. It was something else entirely. Sheldon stood outside a hole in the trunk of the tree where he had taken refuge after storming away from Blu, Jewel, Aurora and Zephyr and the Chinesa Vista to move in with the evacuated residents of the Blu Bird Sanctuary. The poor ruby (scarlet/green-winged) macaw had been crying his eyes out for hours as well as having quite frequent temper outbursts and had been thrashing about and slapping things with his wings and feet like a chick throwing a temper tantrum. As a result, Sheldon's wings and talons were sore and his eyes were bloodshot. A maelstrom of rage, grief, heartbreak and confusion generated from Q and Q going missing, Anastasia's scathing remarks and Spinel's possible breakup with him had been raging like a massive hurricane within Sheldon, leading to his violent outburst and chick-like tantrum but now he had calmed down after violently blowing steam until he could not release the pressure no more. During his violent outburst, the other birds had avoided him until he had calmed down but after Sheldon did so, the other birds still avoided him for fear that he may enter another outburst, keeping their chicks far from him. However, a certain toucan (not Rafael, Tom or Diantha, and certainly not of the toco or keel-billed species) had decided to talk with the ruby macaw having seen him have the meltdown.

After the maelstrom had subsided within Sheldon, the negative feelings continued to churn within him but not as severely. There was anger within Sheldon at what Sofia had said to him, Aiden, Trixie, Neytiri, Tristan and Spinel, especially the latter for believing those acidic comments, but there was also regret at his leaving Spinel and calling her, 'no longer his mate' as well as the sadness and grief over the loss of Betelgeuse, Rigel and Antares and the other chicks and Sandalwood and Acerola to the poachers. Sheldon's bloodshot eyes then travelled to some of the macaws that had taken refuge in some hollows in two or three adjacent trees and began to observe some macaw families (some of which were blue-and-gold, some of which were green-winged). Sheldon's heart began to churn and writhe as he watched the chicks snuggle into the wings of their mothers, as well as couples snuggling with each other in comfort. These observations added fuel to the fire of Sheldon's regret at yelling at Spinel and leaving her, and tears began to well in his already-bloodshot eyes. However, another part of him, the anger he held against Spinel for siding with Sofia, prompted Sheldon to turn his back on the macaw families and couples. The anger and grief then began to butt heads with each other inside Sheldon as he turned away from observing the macaw couples. Then the regret began to generate thoughts within Sheldon that he could not live with the scarlet macaw he loved but Sheldon, in his anger at that same macaw, began to try and suppress it.

'She believes Sofia, so why bother regretting leaving her?' he thought angrily. But another thought, generated by his regret, shouted, 'I shouldn't have left Spinel. What that stupid toucan (bleep) has said was absolutely NOT TRUE! And besides that, Betelgeuse, Rigel and Antares' going missing with the other kids including Sandalwood and Acerola was NOT OUR FAULT!'

It was though that the anger and regret were having an argument within him. As this argument played out within Sheldon, he released a groan.

"I can see you're very upset at what had just happened during the past few days, Sheldon," said a voice. Sheldon snapped out of his grief and turned to the speaker which was a male toucan with black plumage, a bright yellow chest, and a pair of eyes enclosed in a lime green spec-like patch with a large maroon, black and yellow beak extending from below those eyes. Those eyes had a frown but sympathy was thrown into the gaze as well.

"Dino," said Sheldon in weary surprise. Then the chestnut-mandibled toucan which was indeed Dino, then stepped onto the perch beside him. Sheldon, along with Spinel and her family including Cinnabar and Oliver, his mate's younger brothers and thus brothers-in-law, had met this toucan and his family before during their trip to Rio and had talked with them, and Dino and his family were good friends with Athos and his family as well as Aramis, Phoebe and their families and the rest including Blu and Jewel. Sheldon tried to deny his grief.

"I'm fine," he said but Dino was not fooled so he shook his head.

"You're not at all fine, Sheldon," he said firmly, "In fact, far from it."

Sheldon sighed and bowed his head.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" he asked in an edgy voice as though he was going to cry again, "I thought you were supposed to be with Gemma and your chicks Josephine, Dino Jr. and Raymundo."

"We've seen you have that outburst and meltdown a while ago," said Dino, "And also, Poinsettia and Wilbur have just dropped by to visit us to provide us with updates on the toucan problem and the progress of the human carers in catching them and reducing their population," Dino then breathed a sigh, "They have also told us what has happened between you and Spinel and also what led to you two to break up after a fiery argument."

Sheldon's head shot up, especially at the mentioning of his mate's name.

"Her sister and her blue-and-gold mate have told you about our breakup!?" he snapped incredulously.

Dino nodded. "Apparently, you two have had a bitter argument because of what one of those horrible toucans have said about you two having kids…" as these words came out of Dino's mouth, another toucan, a black and white one with an orange and black beak, happened to come by and when he saw Dino talk with Sheldon, he stopped, perched and began to listen in on the conversation, his brown eyes laced with immense regret.

"Sheldon believes that Sofia was right, Dino," snapped Sheldon, his rage threatening to explode again and making Dino flinch, but the chestnut-mandibled toucan kept his cool, "She said we were stupid in having our daughters and son and that we shouldn't have had them!"

His breathing rate then accelerated and his eyes began to weep tears, before his body began to tremble like a leaf. Dino's glare gave way to firm but controlled anger.

"Let me get this straight, Sheldon," he retorted sternly and firmly, "When I heard from some of our city friends, among them the sons and daughters of the late Veggie and Catina, that you lot have had chicks, among them you and Spinel with your two daughters and son, I was very thrilled for you," Dino's eyes then rolled but then another voice came in from behind him, making him and the depressed ruby macaw turn and see another toucan, a black one with a reddish-cream front and colourful beak, accompanied by another toco toucan, fly in. The first toco toucan stood in the shadows and watched as the couple, which was none other than Diantha and Tom, fly in, stern looks on their faces.

"What that stupid sister of mine, Sofia, has said is A PILE OF JAGUAR DUNG!" shouted Diantha fiercely. As she and Tom touched down, Dino backed away, allowing the two toucans to approach Sheldon who was laced with surprise.

"Diantha, Tom," Said Sheldon, "What are you two doing here?"

"We'll explain that later," said Tom, "But for now, let's clear this big important thing up."

Sheldon felt like yelling at the two toucans to back off but his tongue stuck in his beak for he feared that he would offend these two toucan friends, the only close toucan friends out of Rafael and Eva's family he and the rest of Blu's group had besides Rafael and Eva themselves, and drive them away. Besides that, Diantha and Tom already had enough grief in their fruit shells as it was: both from the disgust of how things have turned out and also both Gladion and Lillie's disappearance and Sheldon knew that he couldn't risk adding to the hurt the couple already had. Tom then started up the clearance.

"You and Spinel, first of all, shouldn't have broken up," said Diantha's full toco mate, making Sheldon wince with guilt. This was echoing what his regret was shouting in his mind. "You two were very happy to pair up and have Betelgeuse, Rigel and Antares and so were the rest of us, including us two..."

"They're very good friends with our Gladion and Lilli," said Diantha but her face fell as she mentioned both of her and Tom's still-missing chicks and sighed. Sheldon could see how his grief over the loss of his own three chicks was mirrored within Diantha and Tom's saddened gazes.

"But it's just unfortunate that your two daughters and son have gone missing alongside our son and daughter and also twenty-plus other kids including Sandalwood," said Tom firmly, before anger boiled within him, "But THAT was not your fault, or Spinel's fault, or our fault or the fault of any of the others. It was the stupidity of that WRETCH Marco and his mate and comrades that have caused that, leading to so many of our kids getting caught in those horrible traps."

Sheldon felt anger boil within him again. This time, the anger was directed at Marco and company, among them the spiteful Sofia, and their antics which led to so many of the chicks, Sandalwood and Acerola getting caught in nets and cages set up by the poachers outside the Blu Bird Sanctuary's fence. Images of the scornful glares on the toucans' faces, especially as they picked on the flying foxes, among then Stella and Soren, by calling them 'Cicatriz-bats', flashed in his head, alongside seeing the kids in those nets and cages, horrified looks on their faces. It was obvious that none of the birds in Blu's group, including Tom, had landed those kids into those traps and subsequently the poachers' hands. As this realisation dawned upon Sheldon, penetrating the thick cloud of anger he had at Spinel, grief came crashing down on him again. A loud and piercing screech saturated with remorse, regret and rage erupted from his beak and Sheldon began to break down again. Dino backed away, expecting Sheldon to enter another volcanic meltdown, but this meltdown was not as violent as the last one the ruby macaw had had. Then uncontrollable sobs erupted through Sheldon's beak. His wings flew to his eyes and tears began to spray everywhere. Diantha and Tom then came over to him and pulled him into a hug, tears also falling from their eyes. Dino and another toucan in the shadows, Rafael, looked on with sympathy as the trio remained in their embrace; Sheldon's sobbing launching into the air. As Sheldon continued to sob, the grief and regret at leaving Spinel also began to boil within him and Sheldon began to deeply regret breaking up with her. His love for her was still within him but it was buried under all the negative emotion Sheldon had inside.

Meanwhile, at Tulio and Linda's cottage

The rest of the group had returned to their places of stay, the birdhouses built for them by Tulio and Linda to turn in for the night. Blu, Jewel, Carla, Bia and Tiago, together with Zephyr, Aurora, Justin, Matilda and Virgil; D'Artagnan, Sapphire, Jasmine and Finn; Athos, Ruby, Poinsettia, Porthos, Orquidea and Wilbur; Aramis, Esmeralda, Benjamin and Petunia; Phoebe, Cobalto, Violet, Zebedee, Iris, Indigo and Victor; Levi, Lapis Lazuli, Tristan, Neytiri, Trixie and Aiden; Roberto, Brisa, Finnick and Kira; and also Augustus, Melissa, Stella, Soren, Anabelle and Sebastian; Frodo, Ellie, Spyro and Marella, along with Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena, were all tired from a hard day's work of helping Tulio and his team to catch the toucans, checking on the evacuated residents and also Rafael, Tom, Diantha and the other toucans who had sense, visiting Eva, Luna, Vincent and Eragon at Tulio's Aviary and also looking after the remaining kids consisting of Sonia and Melody (Carla and Justin's remaining daughters), Einstein, Miles (the remaining sons of Bia and Virgil), Byron (Tiago and Matilda's remaining son), Diego (Finnick and Kira's remaining son) and Ferdinand (Sebastian and Anabelle's remaining son and the only grand-pup of Melissa and Augustus), along with Travis and Sunset's two granddaughters, Yolanda, the daughter of Eustace and Serena, and Peach, Rosa and Clemont's daughter. Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena were also tired from helping Travis and Sunset, who have decided to remain behind at Basil, Velma and Tony's bat colony with Andromeda at the Pedra de Gavea cave to help them gather some food and to resume their usual nightly activities.

Cometa, Lightning, Spike, Velocity, Orion, Hermione and Zelda had decided to remain at the Control de Plagas Squad for they were too consumed by grief over the loss of Hunter and now Merlin to help with the tasks Blu had assigned the group, and Orion and Hermione were discussing about having another brood of chicks to replace Hunter and naming their son after him if they had one, but not until the toucan problem had been sorted and until Sandalwood and the other kids had been found. Broccoli, Collette and Daisy the cats, and James and Ebony the greyhounds had decided to go out for a walk while Avellana, Rusty, Fido and Cleo had gone home to put the latter two to bed, for night was approaching, so only Blu and company remained at Tulio and Linda's cottage for the night.

The entire group was having their evening meal or dinner. Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena were feeding the nine kids including Yolanda and Peach by distributing fruit, insects and nuts, some they have foraged themselves, especially the insects, and the rest brought to them by Tulio and Linda, and the kids took them and ate them despite not being hungry due to the loss of their siblings still plaguing them. While the cockatoos fed the kids, Stella and Soren were chatting with some of the macaws, Carla, Bia, Tiago, Justin, Matilda, Virgil, Finnick and Kira. For the first time since the disappearance of Sandalwood and his incident, they were laughing heartily.

"You should have seen that cockatoo's face when we snaffled his vest when we met him while we were searching for some toucans," guffawed Stella, "What was his name again, Nigel?"

"Yes," said Carla.

"What happened?" asked Bia.

"He tried flying after us to retrieve his vest but he fell into the stream below," said Soren with a wide smile, "After learning that that cockatoo cannot fly after that propeller incident."

Titters were emitted from Carla, Bia, Tiago, Justin and Matilda but Virgil, Finnick and Kira were displeased.

"That cockatoo Nigel is bad news and extremely dangerous," said Virgil.

"Yes," said Finnick, "He has an extremely volatile temper."

"Last time some of us bumped into him during our previous trips to Rio, he gave us a mouth full of abuse," said Kira who then directed a glare at her cousins Carla, Bia and Tiago, "During their trip with Zephyr and Aurora and their mates Justin, Matilda and Virgil, these three insulted him and had it not been for the cage, he would have probably lashed at them and attacked them, according to Zephyr and Aurora."

"Yeah, but it sure was funny seein' him fall into that bucket of blue paint durin' his temper tantrum," tittered Tiago smugly, the grief over Bellatrix's absence briefly forgotten, "He probably looked like one of us after those humans took him out of that paint."

"We were utterly shocked when he fell into that bucket but looking back now," said Justin, his voice broken as giggles threatened to escape his beak, "It sure was funny and hilarious."

"Our younger brother and sister, Azurite and Aquamarine," said Matilda, "Also erupted into laughter when they saw that horrid cockatoo fall into that bucket of azure blue paint."

"It was good to cut that disgusting cockatoo down to size after what he did to us," hissed Bia spitefully, "In fact, I wouldn't mind shoving him into a bucket of blue paint again if we got the chance."

"We have to move on," rebuked Virgil, "What that cockatoo has done to us in the past is behind us."

"True that," said Carla, before her gaze turned to Stella and Soren, "But from time to time, it sure is nice to land that cockatoo in a humiliating situation."

"Uh, speaking of that," said Finnick, "While Kira and I were returning from Tulio's Aviary with Mom and Dad after helping some of Tulio's assistants haul a load of caged toucans into the Aviary, We did come across a bedraggled looking cockatoo who was desperately trying to hide behind some bushes with a bunch of common marmosets chasing after him with those human device things, laughing at him and snapping images. What were those thingies called again?"

"They're called cameras and Ipods," said Kira.

"That's it," said Finnick. Then he nodded to Brisa as she talked with Roberto. "Mom over there managed to stifle a laugh when she saw that cockatoo without his vest," he said, "In fact, Uncle Blu and Aunt Ju-Ju would have been sent into an enormous laughing fit if they saw that horrid cockatoo try to conceal himself from the bunch of marmosets."

"So he's got paparazzi chasing after him, eh?" asked Carla with a smile while Bia, Tiago, Justin and Matilda tittered but Virgil and Kira, frowns on their faces just gazed at each other and shrugged.

"Paparazzi?" repeated Stella and Soren confused.

"A crowd of humans with cameras and things," explained Carla to the bats, before returning her gaze to Finnick and Kira, "And what happened after that? Did Nigel see you?"

"He did, yes," said the latter, "However, we had to make a hasty retreat when he suddenly erupted into a violent temper outburst."

"Glad we were able to fly," said Finnick with relief, "Otherwise we would have been caught in that cockatoo's wrath."

Then he turned to Soren and Stella. "That's why we're a little displeased that you have messed with him, you two, along with Indigo for clawing him in the face. Mom explained to us how dangerous he was."

"Good for her," said Bia spitefully, "I'd have done the same had I come across him."

"What did you do with Nigel's vest after escaping his wrath?" asked Tiago, his beak widened into a massive grin.

"We tossed it into a rubbish container humans call a trash can," said Soren, "Honestly; it was too tatty for him to continue wearing it. Hopefully, that cockatoo will find a replacement vest that is not brightly coloured."

"As bright colours don't suit him at all," said Stella.

Titters rolled through some of the group. Then a pair of larger Spix macaws touched down, grins marking their beaks.

"So you've snaffled that hideous vulture-too's vest and tossed it, eh?" said Jewel with a grin, "Well, I'm very proud that you've showed that slime-ball Nigel what a pathetic worm he is."

"Yeah," put in Blu. Carla, Bia and Tiago smiled at their mother's acidic remark about her and her mate's most detested cockatoo in the world but Justin, Matilda and Virgil winced somewhat. They clearly did not like Jewel slandering that cockatoo who was not a bother to the group anymore, and Finnick and Kira thought it was pointless, and Stella and Soren gazed at each other and shrugged. Nearby, Athos, Aurora, Zephyr and Ruby looked on with their faces laced with disapproval. These four shook their heads and tutted. Then Finnick gazed at the setting sun and the darkness of the night creeping in from the opposite direction.

"Anyway, I think it's time to put our kids and then ourselves to bed," the Roberto lookalike said, "We might have a busy day tomorrow."

"Yes, absolutely," said Blu as he released a yawn, "It's been a tiring day today."

Then something suddenly entered Finnick's head.

"Um, Uncle Blu, Aunt Ju-Ju," he said. The two macaws turned to him.

"Yes, Finnick?" said Blu.

"I've just remembered. We've just been to Tulio's Aviary and saw how many caged toucans there are," said Finnick.

"The medical room's getting awfully full," said Kira to her biological uncle and aunt.

"Tulio and company will sort that out," said Blu firmly. He then flashed a glance at Tulio and his human companion Linda as they moved about in their cottage through their window, Linda feeding baby Tommy, Fernando watching TV and Tulio sorting through some papers.

"We did hear from a team of Tulio's assistants that the toucans will be allocated to other sanctuaries apart from the Sanctuary de Amazon in case they might compete with the animals living there," said Kira, but then her face fell, "But we have also heard them mention the option of… that last resort to lower the toucans' population if there are too many to be sent to other sanctuaries…"

Blu and Jewel, along with Carla, Bia, Tiago, Justin, Matilda and Virgil, however, knew what Kira was referring to. As mentioned before, it was the method Tulio dreaded performing most but since there were so many toucans ravaging the Blu Bird Sanctuary, if there were too many of them to be allocated, then that option might have to be taken, and Blu knew this. Not wanting this dismal subject to bother anyone or himself, Blu decided to put that subject aside, especially since everyone was getting tired.

"Well, thanks for the report, Finnick and Kira," he said, "Now you and the rest of you go and help Eustace and the other cockatoos put the remaining kids including your son Diego to bed while Jewel and I leave to speak to Roberto and Brisa."

Finnick and Kira nodded and took off with Carla, Bia, Tiago, Justin, Matilda, Virgil, Stella and Soren following while Blu and Jewel departed and made a beeline for Roberto and Brisa.

"I hope Broccoli and his sisters and James and his girlfriend aren't too long with their walk," said Virgil as the group flew along, "James and Ebony's club might be open tonight and Broccoli, Collette and Daisy's owners might be expecting them to return anytime soon."

"Oh, don't worry about our greyhound and cat friends, bro," said Matilda with a small smile, "Broccoli, Collette, Daisy, James and Ebony are sensible enough to know when they are needed home by their owners or at the Cats' and Dogs' club by their clubbers."Virgil just gazed at his younger sister and followed her and the others to meet Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Serena and Clemont to put the kids to bed.

Meanwhile

Broccoli, Daisy, Collette, James and Ebony walked through the darkening streets of Rio. In the sky overhead, the darkness of the night continued to eat away at the light of day as the sun continued to sink towards the horizon. Soon, it will be disappearing under the horizon and the night's darkness will have consumed the last of the light of day. The streetlights were also coming on and the houses, shops and vehicles around the three cats and two greyhounds were beginning to be switched on to provide light for the humans walking around. As the five mammals walked along, Collette bore a worried look on her face.

"I hope Spinel is alright," she whispered worriedly, "We've just seen Athos and Ruby comfort her in one of the birdhouses before we left."

"That Sofia really has crossed the line, I can tell you," growled Ebony angrily, "I've really begun to dislike that toucan and her comrades now."

"Tell me about it," said James, "I'm beginning to despise those arrogant brats as well."

"Rafael and Eva ought to be ashamed," said Daisy. The other four, including Broccoli ahead who had heard this, nodded in agreement. Broccoli was in front of his sisters and the two greyhounds, observing the gradual shift from the daytime activities to the night-time activities in the streets. Soon it will be dark in the city of Rio and he knew that the five will have to return home soon and James and Ebony's club was open tonight, and James and Ebony knew that their canine and feline clubbers will be gathering at their samba club for the night ahead. However, the concerns for their avian and winged friends including the flying foxes and their wellbeing and grief for their still-absent kids, among them Sandalwood, Sirius, Bellatrix and Spica, had clouded the two greyhounds' concentration on the timetable, especially after the fiery fall out between Spinel and Sheldon and their stormy departure, and Ebony and James weren't sure if they were up to the mood in running the club tonight. If so, then Pelusa the Shih Tzu and Nevado the white Persian cat will have to run it on their own until the greyhounds had kept their grief under control enough to concentrate on the clubbers. Avellana and Rusty who ran the dogs' ecology club had also been affected by the crises that were going on, and the worry for Blu and company had made running the club difficult as well. As a result, and with the burden of parental responsibilities regarding Fido and Cleo, their son and daughter, Avellana and her mate had closed their ecology classes until further notice, with a note explaining to their class members the reasons on the front of their tent where they gathered for the ecology meetings.

While the worries continued to plague Broccoli, Daisy, Collette, James and Ebony, the latter four busily discussing about heading home and to the cats-and-dogs' samba club, Broccoli's eyes sombrely continued to take in the surroundings and passing humans, both on the footpath or sidewalk and in their cars and other vehicles on the road. On a side road, stands selling various goods and fruit were closing down for the night as their owners hung down covers and prepared to return home. One or two dogs passed by with their owners who had them on a leash. They passed by Broccoli's group and said 'Hi' or 'Evening', to which Broccoli and the other four replied back. Broccoli sighed and pulled his gaze away from the closing stands. However, as he did, his brown eyes landed on something hanging out of a street trash can or bin while James, Ebony, Daisy and Collette continued talking. Curiosity welling within him, especially as he saw something familiar on the top page, Broccoli trotted over to the bin, reared onto his hind feet and pulled out the magazine that had caught his gaze. Collette, Daisy, Ebony and James saw Broccoli pull something out of the bin.

"Broccoli, what are you doing?" asked Collette slightly crossly.

"You know you shouldn't be digging around in street bins," said James, "You never know what dirt you may get your paws in."

"And your owners Susan and Lucy will certainly not be pleased if you go home with dirtied paws," said Ebony. Broccoli ignored them and began to look at the magazine. Curiosity also took hold of the other four mammals and they gathered around the tabby cat as he began to look through it. It was a science magazine and it had a familiar looking building on it, like the one at Susan and her family's cottage when Sandalwood and the others were visiting before his incident. Recognition also fired up within the cat's sisters and the two greyhounds.

"It's that Paradise Sanctuary place in Peru again," said Ebony, "Looks like they've released another article about their conservation area."

"Is this the latest science mag though?" asked Daisy. Broccoli checked the date of issue on the front page of the magazine and saw that it was. He confirmed to the other four with a nod.

"Yes, this is definitely the latest release of the science mag series alright," he said. He then put a paw to the page and turned it. James gazed at the darkening sky.

"We honestly shouldn't be out here too long," he said, "It's time we head back."

"Yes, our clubbers will be expecting us, as will Nevado and Pelusa," said Ebony.

"As will our owners," put in Daisy. Collette nodded in agreement. Broccoli, however, was too consumed by curiosity to listen though he was aware that it was getting late and that the mammals should head back. Around the group, humans and vehicles continued passing by, going either home or to various destinations. Broccoli then began to read the next page, which was about the Sanctuario del Paradíso and its progress when something caught his eye.

"'We have rescued some macaw chicks of the very rare and critically endangered Spix, glaucous and Lear's species…'" he said in a low voice. This made Ebony, James, Daisy and Collette stiffen.

"Read that again," said James urgently. Broccoli did so and repeated the text and then went further from the range of words. "'We have some macaw chicks of the very rare and critically endangered Spix, glaucous and Lear's species, as well as a chick of the Cuban red macaw species, a species thought to have gone extinct in Central America in the last century…'"

Daisy, Collette, Ebony and James exchanged glances and then turned back to Broccoli as he read on. "'In addition, we have rescued a chick of a species of a living feathered dinosaur known as Microraptor modern…'"

James and Ebony repeated the words by mouthing them. For some reason, those two words, along with 'Cuban red macaw chick' sounded familiar. As the two greyhounds and Daisy and Collette began to pinpoint the source of familiarity in their minds, Broccoli's eyes travelled to the picture section when his eyes landed on something.

"Is that bat one of the pups of Carla, Bia, Tiago and their company's flying fox friends?" he blurted out, drawing the other four's attention to the image. He then pointed to the picture of a bat pup. Ebony, James, Daisy and Collette gazed at the bat pup and saw that it had amber fur and black membranous wings. In the adjacent picture, the group saw a few blue macaw chicks. One of the chicks bore a striking resemblance to Bia but had bright blue feathers. Collette's eyes picked out the chick's facial markings and saw that they resembled Virgil's. Another chick resembled a darker version of Jewel with azure blue feathers while a third chick sported a pair of pigtail-like crests and bore a strong resemblance to Matilda. As the five cats and greyhounds stared at the image, recognition was boiling within them, and Broccoli frowned.

"Are those three chicks three the offspring of Blu and Jewel's two daughters and son and their mates?" he asked suspiciously.

"One of the chicks looks almost like Matilda," said James.

"That bright blue chick looks a lot like Bia except that it has facial markings like those of Justin and Virgil," said Collette, a paw pointing to said chick. James then gazed at a set of images taken of some chicks at various angles. One of the chicks looked like a scarlet macaw but had burgundy or brown upper wing coverts, a splash of amber on its nape as viewed from behind. Another chick bore a very strong resemblance to Spyro bit it had metallic green and lime green feathers with the metallic purple only restricted to patches on its plumage. The three cats and two greyhounds exchanged shocked glances. They had seen a group of creatures of the final chick's species before, and Broccoli remembered talking to an amber furred flying fox pup about a magazine before he ended up grounded after an incident.

"We'd better take this back to Blu's group right away," said the Veggie lookalike urgently, "They HAVE to see this… NOW"

"But Broccoli," protested James, "They'll be turning in for the night."

Broccoli, however, didn't care, the seriousness of this find overriding his awareness of the night fact.

"Let's just return to Tulio and Linda's cottage with this magazine," he said, "I believe those chicks are three of Blu, Jewel, Aurora and Zephyr's grandkids and that amber flying fox is the pup of Carla and company's flying fox friends."

And with that, the tabby cat darted off down the street in the direction of Tulio and Linda's cottage. Collette and Daisy followed as did Ebony and James. As they left, James flashed Ebony a glance.

"You go to our club and tell Pelusa, Nevado and our clubbers that I'll be very late, Ebony," he commanded, "And that I have an important issue to discuss with our bird friends."

Ebony nodded and departed from the group and in the direction of the cats and dogs' samba club while the other four dashed off to Tulio and Linda's cottage… and Blu and company's place of stay, the magazine in tow.