Chapter 61- the rescuing of the victims begins
D'Artagnan, Aurora, Athos, Aramis, Phoebe and Levi, together with Augustus, Soren, Kira, Poinsettia, Spinel, Benjamin, Indigo and Victor, Trixie, Tristan, Frodo, and Neytiri, Eragon and Luna, and also Sandalwood, Spica, Bellatrix, Sirius and the other kids that were kidnapped by the poachers and brought here by some of their clients, gazed on in utter horror with the other animals including Dundee as some of the human workers congregated around the human as he held the basket over Blu and Jewel.
"GRANDPA, GRANDMA!" screeched Sirius, Bellatrix and Spica altogether and in horror as they watched the two Spix macaws under the basket disappear from view by a line of humans. Kira, a disgusted and pure outraged glare on her faces then attempted to surge forward but Reepicheep the platypus, Flax and Harakeke the kiwis came in and blocked her path.
"No, those humans will catch you as well," said Reepicheep. D'Artagnan also attempted to surge forward but Olympia blocked his path with a leg.
"No, don't," shouted the cassowary, wary of the Lear's macaw's safety but D'Artagnan was too saturated with rage to listen.
"Let us PAST!" demanded he furiously as he attempted to fight his way past Olympia's leg, his grey eyes ablaze with wrath. Then Polaris came in.
"You're a RARE BIRD, a LEAR'S MACAW, Mr D'Artagan!" she shouted, "THOSE HUMANS are RARE ANIMAL COLLECTORS and they are AFTER GROWNUP LEAR'S MACAWS FOR THIS PLACE and they could CATCH YOU for YOU'RE a GROWNUP!"
D'Artagnan shot the Spix macaw chick and Kira's daughter a horrified look. Then Atreyu came in, Gylife and Aurum, the two golden fruithawks behind him.
"It's true," said Atreyu to D'Artagnan, "Those humans are after rare animals to collect."
Then Spinel, Poinsettia and Athos stepped in, volcanic glares saturated with lightning storms of wrath fixated on the humans as they continued uttering excited shouts about Blu and Jewel, their feathers bristling dangerously.
"Well, we're NOT gonna allow those COLLECTORS who give true conservationists a BAD NAME to add the most famous Spix macaw couple to their COLLECTION!" snarled Athos fiercely. Then before anyone could stop him, the lead scarlet macaw rushed off for the compartmentalised entrance with Spinel and Poinsettia in tow. As the three red macaws rushed off, Kiara had returned.
"Dundee," said the echidna, "The rescue group is ready."
"Good," replied Dundee, "Now take them to the Compartment of the Carnivores."
Kiara nodded and dashed off to lead the rescue group to the barrier of the said compartment. Soren, Augustus, Aurora, D'Artagnan (after giving up trying to fight past Olympia's leg to help Blu and Jewel) and Luna followed, Trixie not too far behind for one of the kidnapped macaws was her mate.
"We're gonna help too," said Aurora, "For those eight kidnapped individuals are part of our family and extended family."
Kiara turned round to protest but then ultimately relented after seeing the stern looks on the five's faces.
"Okay, but stay by our sides!" commanded the echidna firmly. Soren, Augustus, Aurora, D'Artagnan and Luna nodded and proceeded to follow Kiara to the rescue group. Olympia, Reepicheep and also Greg and Sardonyx, after leaving Steven and Kevin in the care of Shade, Sadie and Connie the grey-headed bats, followed to help, obviously not wanting the eight individuals, six of which were macaws, meeting the same fate as their son Lars. Then Aramis turned to the humans as Athos and his two daughters waited until the humans have seized Blu and Jewel with their hands from under the basket.
"And WE'RE gonna help rescue those two Spix macaws," growled the great green macaw fiercely. As he said this, Phoebe and some of the others including Tristan joined her side and went over to join Athos, Spinel and Poinsettia as they prepared to launch a vicious attack on the humans outside the barrier to the jungle.
As they did this, Dundee began to order the other animals to return to their homes and shelter for their safety for he had sensed that a fight was about to break out. As Sandalwood and company were escorted to the home trees, burrows and Dundee's tent under the care of some of the adult animals such as Shade and Sadie, Sandalwood flashed a glance back at Aramis, Athos and company as they prepared to launch an attack on the humans still crowding around Blu and Jewel.
"We've gotta do something to help, folks," he told the others. Sadie seized the little flying fox pup and shook him.
"No," she said, intensely concerned for his safety, "You stay right by our sides."
"Yes," put in Shade, "It's not safe for you young kids to participate in either of the rescues," his gaze then turned to Connie, "Especially after what almost happened to those of you that went into the Compartment of the Carnivores and after Lars's demise."
Sandalwood, however, flashed a disappointed look and followed the grey-headed bats to the flying foxes' trees. The other kids also had the desire to help as well. Sirius, Spica and Bellatrix wanted to help in Blu and Jewel's rescue while some of the others such as Bambi, Spyro's son, wanted to help rescue Spyro, Acerola and the six kidnapped macaws along with Kiara's rescue group but the adult animals had forbidden them from doing so. As the animals left for the shelter of Dundee's tent and the trees and burrows, the kids began to formulate an escape plan and either join in with Athos's group in rescuing Blu and Jewel or follow Kiara's group to the Compartment of the Carnivores to rescue Carla, Bia, Tiago, Jasmine, Finn, Aiden, Spyro and Stella from the clutches of the evil chameleon.
As the humans prepared to seize Blu and Jewel from under the basket, Athos, Poinsettia and Spinel, together with the others with them, prepared to launch an attack on the captors. Aramis, Benjamin, Tristan, Phoebe, Indigo and Victor, as well as Kira, glared like cats poised to launch upon their prey at the conservationist-impersonating collectors as two or three of them prepared their hands to grab onto Blu and Jewel who were still under the basket. Athos, having known what Blu and Jewel were like in situations such as these long enough, knew what was coming.
"Just wait until they try to seize Jewel," said the scarlet macaw in a low voice, "She's sure to put up a savage fight."
"Jewel absolutely DESPISES being handled by untrustworthy humans, so I wouldn't be surprised," said Aramis in a low voice.
"Those humans are gonna face a serious biting and clawing," whispered Phoebe, "Not only from Jewel but from some other macaws as well."
"I think one of the men has managed to seize one of the Spix macaws under the basket," said Poinsettia. The group then tensed up as they watched one of the men, his back to the macaws, as he struggled with something. Within moments, a squawk of distress exploded from the basket as one of the Spix macaws was seized. The man shouted in Spanish but then he began to utter shouts of pain as his hands were viciously attacked. Hastily, the man withdrew his hands, which were crisscrossed with scratches, along with a bundle of dark blue feathers, while his comrades closed the basket to prevent the other from escaping. This was the moment Athos had been waiting for. Turning to Poinsettia, Spinel, Aramis, Benjamin, Phoebe, Indigo, Victor, Tristan and Kira, the lead scarlet macaw barked, "GO!"
The moment the word exploded from Athos's beak, a small flock of red, cerulean green, yellow, and navy blue feathers exploded from the compartmentalised entrance to the jungle and swarmed the human as he stood up with a struggling Blu in his hands. The moment the macaw strikers were upon the human, everything was immediately thrown into chaos. Astonished shouts of surprise erupted alongside enraged screeches and squawks as Athos' group began to mercilessly slash and claw Blu's holder. Athos, his eyes blazing brown fire, went straight for the holder's face and without hesitation, raked his claws across the man's forehead. Screams of agony erupted from the man as the scarlet macaw backed away. The man dropped Blu and flew his hands to his clawed face while the other humans immediately got up to try and seize the attacking macaws. The moment he was released, Blu flapped away, relieved to be freed from the clutches of these so-called conservationists. However, he turned round and joined in the fray. Curses and profanity in Spanish, screams of agony and furious macaw screeches then erupted into the corridor's air, attract ting the attention of some other humans as Athos' group began to unleash its fury on Blu and Jewel's captors.
One human tried swiping his hands at Aramis and Benjamin but the great green macaw and his scarlet son-in-law kept dodging and retaliating with vicious claw swipes and beak bites. The man's eyes were ablaze with frustration and curse words in Spanish kept exploding from his mouth each time he missed or received a bite or scratch. Then Benjamin lunged forward and managed to land a hard beak bite on the man's hand. Because he had such a powerful bite force for a scarlet macaw, likely inherited from his father Felipe, he unleashed his enormous jaw strength in his bite. A massive howl of agony exploded from the man as his hand was trapped in Benjamin's super-strong pincer. While Benjamin held onto the man's hand, the man flailing it to dislodge the scarlet macaw, Aramis continued landing a barrage of bites and scratches on his head and upper body. Nearby, Poinsettia and Spinel were savagely fighting their way past some more humans as they protected the man that held Jewel under the basket.
"Take THIS!" screeched Spinel as she slashed one of the women across the face, hitting her cheek. The woman flinched but continued trying to seize the red-pink scarlet macaw. Then one of the other women came in and seized Poinsettia before turning to some bystanders who had heard the commotion. Poinsettia writhed fiercely in her captor's grasp, clawing and biting her hands and arms but then her captor shouted at the bystanders in Spanish to not stand there but come and help restrain the marauding macaws. The bystanders, seeing that the group of humans were receiving more and more bites and cuts from the savage eleven macaws including, surged forward to help.
"Get the MALE SPIX MACAW!" cried one of the humans as he shielded his head with his hands as Benjamin and Aramis continued to slash their claws at his head, screeches of fury exploding constantly from their beaks. From the inferno, one of the ladies, after dodging Phoebe, Indigo and Victor's furious lunges, saw a certain blue feathered form as he launched himself at the man holding Jewel under the basket. Immediately, she lunged forward, narrowly avoiding getting knocked over by another man as Victor struck him with his fruit shell hat while Indigo flapped in his face, sending him into a fall onto the floor on his backside, and without another second's hesitation, seized Blu in her hands before he had a chance to claw at Jewel's captor's face, much to Blu's shock. However, before she could make off from the chaos with the brown-eyed Spix macaw in her hands, two more blue macaws: another, younger female Spix and a male glaucous, suddenly appeared and swarmed all over her face and upper body. The woman released a cry of shock as Kira and Aiden then began to unleash their fury on her to get her to release Blu. However, the woman kept Blu firmly in her hands and hid him from the two attacking macaws.
From the jungle through the barrier, some of the animals, amongst them some of Sandalwood's group watched on with horror lacing the faces of some of them and excitement the faces of others, particularly those of Sandalwood and company's group.
"Go, go, go for it!" cried Frodo as she watched the chaos through the steel mesh.
"Show those so-called conservationists who's boss!" added Neytiri as she held Arcturus, Canopus and Katniss who cheered the attackers on. The jungle's animals, among them Dundee, Olympia and also Atreyu and his penguin friends, looked on in shock.
"We never had THAT in mind," said Dundee as he watched the inferno. Suddenly, one of the men came stumbling towards the group and slammed hard into it, Aramis having savagely drove him back as he tried seizing Indigo and Victor. As the man slammed hard into the mesh with a hard steel-net sound, Frodo, Neytiri and the glaucous chicks all launched into the air in astonishment while the other animals, among them Eragon and also Olympia, Dundee, Flax and Harakeke the kiwis, Aurum and Gylfie the fruithawks and Reepicheep the platypus, all flinched violently as they watched the man, battered and bruised with his face covered in red gashes from Aramis' savage attack to his face, then slumped down onto the floor.
"Whoa, good GRIEF!" shouted Olympia as she gazed down at the dazed man through the mesh. None of the other stunned animals said anything as their gazes resumed the inferno. Suddenly, Neytiri spotted one of the women make off with a familiar blue feathered form struggling in her arms, Kira and her mate Tristan, their faces twisted with looks of volcanic and stormy thunder, racing after her.
"She's GETTING AWAY WITH BLU!" cried the glaucous macaw. Lillie who had been standing with Gladion, suddenly surged forward towards the still-open two-door compartment entrance.
"LILLIE!" bellowed Levi as he saw the little toucan and Diantha and Tom's missing daughter dart for the entrance.
Outside the double door entrance, the woman, with Blu firmly in one arm, suddenly seized a plastic sheet booklet with the other, whirled round and began to try and swat away Kira and Tristan as they tried to rescue Blu from her clutches.
"Look OUT!" barked Kira as she stopped abruptly as a flat white blur shot past her. Tristan also stopped and dodged the woman's swiping weapon as she continued swishing it at the macaws, a look of wrath storming her face. The two macaws then tried to back away as the woman then began to drive them back, all the time swishing the folder wallets at them again and again. The two macaws continued dodging the woman's sheet weapon until one of her swipes struck Kira, hard.
"KIRA!" cried Tristan and also Blu in the woman's arm at the same time as Kira flew across the clearing, slammed against the mesh and flumped to the floor just as Lillie emerged from the entrance. The little toucan flashed a horrified glance at the fallen niece of Blu, her face twisted into a dazed look, before turning a volcanic one at the woman as she continued to attempt to swipe away Tristan. Immediately, the toucan rocketed off towards the inferno just as Aramis and Phoebe appeared and touched down beside Kira to look her over, horrified looks on their faces.
Lillie shot past the main cloud and made a beeline for the woman as she continued to swipe her booklet at Tristan. Then she made a beeline for Blu in the woman's other arm. Then as soon as she was close to the grasp locking Blu and preventing his escape, the little toucan did something that her father Tom and mother Diantha would cuff her for, as well as the most violent act she had ever performed. As Aramis helped the dazed Kira to her feet, Phoebe turned round to examine the progress of Tristan as he continued trying to get to Blu while at the same time dodging her papery weapon when suddenly; she heard the most bloodcurdling scream of agony erupt from Blu's captor. The scream was so loud that it made Aramis flinch and Kira snap out of her dazed state. Tristan also flinched in utter flabbergast as he saw his and Kira's attacker erupt in extreme pain, dropping the booklet in the process, before turning their gaze to the her other arm holding Blu but the moment his eyes landed on a familiar form near Blu, astonishment tore through him.
"LILLIE!?" bellowed he. Lillie did not hear Tristan call her name and continued sinking her colourful beak as hard as she could into the woman's arm, drawing blood in the process and causing her extreme pain. The pain was enough to get the woman's arm to slack and make her bend over, allowing Blu to make his escape. After Blu had fled and Lillie had released her arm, the woman's hand, the one that held the booklet, went to her bitten arm and clasped it but then Kira rocketed into the air, a look of ABSOLUTE thunder on her face, surged towards her attacker face and without hesitation slashed her claws right over the woman's forehead in revenge for swiping her with the booklet, making the human scream in agony again and cover her scratched face. Kira saw this and added a second slash to her cheek, drawing some blood in the process.
"Take THIS for SWIPING ME like a FLY…" she bellowed as she did it, "PHONY CONSERVATIONIST!"
The woman who was bent over in agony from her badly bitten arm and scratched forehead and cheek, all three of which were bleeding, then slumped onto the floor and continued to grasp her wounds. Levi came out just in time to see Lillie, her colourful beak painted with the woman's blood, stand with Blu as they also glared unsympathetically at the woman.
"Good job, Lillie, and thanks," said Blu thankfully to the little toucan. Lillie's face twisted into a smug scowl.
"And I hope that human's injuries scar," she said spitefully as she glared at the pained woman, "for swiping away Auntie Kira and trying to steal you."
As Lillie said this, Levi seized her and angrily whirled her around, a flustered and outraged look lacing his face.
"You FOOLISH little toucan chick," he bellowed, making Lillie flinch and cover her face fearfully, "You could have been HURT or even…"
However, he trailed off and calmed down, making Lillie lower her wings for gladness that Lillie was safe had come over him. Then Levi pulled her into a hug.
"Oh, please don't endanger yourself like that again," said the glaucous macaw, "You scared us out of our feathers."
Blu gazed at Lillie as she relished her 'uncle's' embrace. Lillie and Gladion were amongst the few toucans of Rafael and Eva's MASSIVE family to be truly part of Blu's extended family for Tom and Diantha were not like many of the former's siblings and their offspring. Neither were Lillie and her brother.
However, the sweet moment was abruptly cut off when the sounds of extreme terror exploded volcanically into the air, but these screams were not from any of the macaws. As it did, Blu, Levi, Lillie and then Aramis, Phoebe, Kira and Tristan all flinched and snapped their gaze in the direction of the other brawling humans and macaws, just in time to see Indigo and Victor explode from the cloud of fighting humans and land clumsily onto the floor before Athos and the others.
"We've managed to free Jewel," said Victor as he puffed and panted and grasping his signature fruit-shell cap, struggling to his feet with Indigo's.
"You should have seen Athos," added Indigo as she did this, "He managed to fight his way to the human holding Jewel under that basket and tackle him square in his face with his claws in attacking position…"
Then Athos appeared, puffing and panting.
"That seemed to have forced him into removing that basket from Jewel, allowing her to escape but now…" began he. He had rammed his claws right into the man's face during his tackle and had knocked him back to get him to release Jewel, but the moment that Spix macaw, whom Blu knew had an EXTREMELY volcanic temper, especially when forcibly caught by humans who treated her like an item, was freed, that was when the TRUE chaos erupted, and it was doing so now based on the immense screams of pure terror and agony from the humans. Blu and the others, along with the animals watching from within the jungle through the barrier mesh, then began to watch the volcanic eruption as a cerulean form, her eyes ablaze with teal unspeakable, apoplectic, and wrathful conflagrations, unleash her full fury full throttle upon the collectors disguised as conservationists. The frightened humans all covered their heads and faces as the EXTREMELY savage Jewel slashed her claws over and sank her beak mercilessly into the skins of their hands and upper bodies, screaming in agony as the berserk Spix macaw's conflagration-like rage slashed open wounds and drew blood, extreme eagle like screeches exploding from her beak.
Seeing Jewel in this state was absolutely terrifying, and her behaviour reminded Kira and Tristan of a certain Iphone game they sometimes played featuring a group of wingless birds attacking thieving green pigs to rescue their eggs but Jewel was WAY worse than those short-tempered birds, and possibly even worse than Brutus as well, only she would NEVER attack her allies. Blu and company flinched when they watched Jewel lash at one of the women and slash her face repeatedly with her claws like an extremely savage cat.
"Even Brutus would have been very afraid of that Spix macaw while she's in that berserk state," said Levi in fright. Lillie ducked behind Levi and uttered timid whimpers.
"I'm not surprised," said Blu with some understanding showing through the surprise, "She DESPISES any human who treats us animals like objects."
"I think she should have lashed at that Nigel cockatoo like she's doing to those humans," said Victor with little sympathy.
"I'd have very well brought her to that cockatoo at that opportunity," said Indigo. None of the others replied, however. Then Athos opened his wings to fly into the inferno to help Jewel deal with these humans but Blu hooked a wing on his shoulder.
"No, let my mate unleash her wrath on those conservation name-staining phonies," he said gently. Athos relented and retracted his wings. Suddenly, one of the humans, his face and arms crisscrossed with bleeding scratches, stumbled in the group's direction, forcing the group to dive into the compartment door as the man, his face twisted in sheer agony and terror, slammed onto the floor on his front.
Through the steel mesh, Dundee, Olympia, Frodo and Neytiri and some of the other animals including Gylfie and Aurum watched on in either horror or smugness as Jewel continued screeching like a cat and savagely slashing her claws over the humans' faces and upper bodies with no intention of stopping and taking a break, the humans continuously screaming and covering their heads as they took the brunt of the volcanic Spix macaw's continual barrage of clawing and bites. One or two humans had managed to flee the inferno and make their getaway. Behind the adult animals, the youngsters, including Arcturus, Katniss and Canopus, cowered, too afraid to watch Jewel continue her savage attack on the humans.
"I had never known a parrot THAT savage," cried Dundee in utter horror, "That blue macaw's honestly the most berserk parrot I had ever met."
"She absolutely LOATHES humans who treat us animals like collector's items," said Neytiri despite her horror of Jewel's savage behaviour. As she said this, a whistle of air blew over her and Frodo's heads. The two looked up and saw a gold and yellow form make a beeline for the double door entrance.
"Well, I'm gonna join in the fray and show those stupid humans what for as well," said the fruithawk which was Gylfie. Then Aurum opened his wings and lofted into flight.
"I'm going with you too," he said. Gylfie smiled sadistically and exited the double door with Aurum following.
"Hey, you two," shouted Blu as he saw the pair of fruithawks exit the artificial jungle, "Get BACK IN THERE!"
"Those humans are DANGEROUS!" added Athos. However, both fruithawks did not hear him and soon enough, the two had plunged into the inferno to join Jewel in savagely attacking the humans. Tristan shuddered.
"This is gonna be brutal," he squeaked. The others said nothing, however.
While the group and the other animals continued watching Jewel and now Gylfie and Aurum continue their attack on the humans, Sandalwood, Acerola, Sirius, Bellatrix, Spica, Achernar and Polaris had slipped away from the adults' sides and had gathered together, a plan having formed in their heads.
"We're gonna go and help Kiara and the others rescue Mom, Uncle Tiago, Aunt Stella, Aunt Carla and the other four kidnapped victims," said Sirius with a determined scowl on his face.
"But Sirius, the last time we rescued Betelgeuse, Lars lost his life," said Acerola.
"While you and Sandalwood were lucky to escape," put in Bellatrix, her gaze on Sandalwood. However, Sandalwood's face was in agreement with that of Sirius.
"We're NOT gonna allow that scaly slime rat feed those five macaws to that Carnassial brute and his gang," growled the amber flying fox pup.
"Certainly not my mother," put in Spica with equal determination, referring to Carla. Sirius nodded in agreement. He was desperate to get his claws into Dalek and give that chameleon a piece of his mind. As Spica spoke, another voice said, "Are you going after Kiara and the others?"
Sandalwood, Acerola, Sirius, Bellatrix, Spica, Polaris and Achernar turned and saw Atreyu walk in with Arcturus, Canopus, Katniss, Vega and Regulus. The six newcomers wore determined gazes on their faces and wanted to help Sandalwood and company in their plans. However, doubt had swelled within some of Sandalwood's group.
"But, Atreyu," said Bellatrix, "That is NOT a good idea."
"You need to stay by the grownups' sides," said Sirius. Spica's gaze then landed on Adenine and his siblings.
"Additionally," she said, "We can't risk the only Lear's and glaucous chicks of our family going missing or getting hurt. It's best if you five stay in the safety of the grownups."
"Not to mention Atreyu after the two previous times we had been in the Compartment of the Carnivores," added Sirius, his gaze on the emperor penguin chick. Atreyu, however, just shrugged as Arcturus, Canopus, Katniss, Vega and Regulus adamantly stepped forward.
"Look," said Arcturus fiercely and stubbornly, "That chameleon has caused us and the other parrots enough trouble, especially for Steven's family," his gaze flashed at Steven, Kevin, Sardonyx and Greg, "And we don't want that lizard to feed Mr Blu and Mrs Jewel's three first-brood son and daughters to those caracals and servals."
"Certainly not our parents and Uncle Aiden, the father of Katniss and Canopus here," put in Regulus.
"Additionally," put in Katniss, "Mr D'Artagnan and Mrs Aurora could be putting themselves at risk of that chameleon's parrot-detesting wrath, so please let us come and help you."
The other four with her and Atreyu then put on begging faces as Sandalwood and the others began to make a decision. After a minute or two, especially after spotting Eragon walk about searching for Sandalwood and Acerola and calling their names, Sandalwood reached a choice.
"Okay, but make sure you stick by us and take extreme care not to end up captured by any of those carnivores," said the young bat firmly, before his gaze returned to Eragon as he continued searching and calling for him and Acerola, "Let's go before Mr Eragon spots us."
And with that he, Acerola, Sirius, Bellatrix, Spica, Polaris, Achernar and also Arcturus, Canopus, Katniss, Vega and Regulus and Atreyu all darted off in the direction of Kiara and her rescue group just before Eragon appeared, his search for Sandalwood and Acerola continuing.