"You know the drill. Abigail's team will ask the blue and golds, my patrols will search the vacant groves and we'll go and search through the red macaw territory!"
A small flock of birds varying in shades of blue dispersed out of the hollow and Eduardo stood at the entrance with a sigh. Behind him, Blu, Jewel and his grandkids followed him. "Daddy it's already been two days and we haven't found Diaglo yet!" Jewel's voice was threatening to break for her maternal instincts have gone haywire from her missing chick.
Eduardo opened his beak to speak, but Tiago had interrupted in despair. "We searched almost everywhere in the sanctuary Pop-pop and no bird has seen him, including us!" Carla and Bia had also voiced out their worries and concern while Blu remained quiet. Although he's worrying deep inside for his youngest son like the rest. Abigail and Mimi had fluttered in with Roberto, the three being ready to embark on the search.
"You birds ready?" Asked Abigail, trying to sound pleasant despite the anxiety for her grandson tugging her down. She glanced at Mimi and Roberto. "We've already told Felipe that you're going to search his territory again and while you're at it, we're going to check with the green macaw tribe. I don't think we've asked or checked through there yet."
Hope had risen ever so slightly within the Gunderson family as they desperately prayed that Diaglo is there, especially Blu and Jewel. But then Roberto had frowned at Abigail's suggestion. "So you want us to go and meet the green macaw tribe? The.. Military and Buffons?"
The mother of Blu nodded, her greying feather headbun flapping along. "Why yes! We haven't searched there or asked the locals for their help!" She tilted her head as Roberto looked uncertain. "Is there a problem with them, Berto?"
Roberto looked down and shuffled his talons a bit. "Oh, I've got nothing against them really." He assured, before shrugging. "But I heard that the Militaries and Buffons have been at war for ages.. That and we haven't heard of them as often unlike the other tribes. What if they're still at each other's feathers?"
Abigail looked concerned as she forgot about that aspect. But then Mimi had stepped in with a positive look. "You birds are worrying for nothing! The greens have long made peace with each other some time after we did with the reds!" She then added on when her family and Roberto cast her confused looks. "The Military's new matriarch had become mates with a Buffon's macaw who happened to be the son of the former Buffon's leader! Talk about that old tale of forbidden love! It was their strong love that united the two tribes so they've pretty much moved on!"
The surrounding birds looked in awe, especially Blu, Bia and Abigail. "That sounded like one of those poems from Shakespeare! That one about the lovers who came from rivalling families!" Abigail squawked with great amazement and Blu smiled amusingly at her. "You mean, Romeo and Juliet, mom." He pointed out and Bia sighed dreamily. "A beautiful yet tragic story," She said sadly and she gazed at Carla. "If you ask me I still think there's an eighty-five percent chance that the story could've gone well even if they didn't choose to die together."
Carla chuckled and shrugged. "If so, then why not try writing an alternate ending? You're good at that!" Said the older sister to which Bia sighed, this time in misery. "As much as I want to sis, I can't. It's Diaglo who's more of the writing artist than me and we always write together. That and he's also the one who'd fill in my grammatical errors and make my stories more interesting.."
She shook her head and tried to force her sadness back to its vault so she can focus on finding her brother. "You know what? Never mind that - I will be writing that story because we will find Diaglo!" Carla smiled at her sister's determination.
"Of course we will!" Said she, and the sisters prepared to take off with their family to search in the red macaws - While Abigail, Mimi and Roberto went off for the green macaws. Sadly for them, they will never find Diaglo even there for the boy was still someplace else. Someplace they wouldn't consider looking through…
(In the Arco Iris Territory)
The rainy night had long simmered by morning and things have gone to normal. Parrots and macaws were still sad over Balthazar and Vinnie. But their friends and fellow flockmates tried their best to comfort them. Soon, it was just concern and worry that lingered within the flock, and it was not just from the two losses...
Diaglo and Vivian flinched as Nicholas the hyacinth leader flapped past with other birds following him in their patrolling the area. The hyacinth had a troubled and guilty expression on his face; Amidst his scanning for danger and any trouble, it appeared that he was desperately looking for a certain kakapo hybrid. Orton wasn't with Nicholas. He hasn't been after last night - He now stood alone, away from the hyacinth and he was having talking with his other trusted friends, including Wendi the old glaucous macaw.
"This is so wrong! Look at them this doesn't feel right!" Vivian sounded worried as she parted her gaze inbetween her distant leaders. She clung to Diaglo the longer she gazed at the broken pair. "It's killing me Diaglo.. Nicholas and Orton love each other! This shouldn't happen to them!" She shuddered and her wings laid against her side as she looked guilty. "And it's all because of my problem with Jorge.. Orton's told Nicholas only last night."
Diaglo looked saddened and he wrapped a wing around his friend. "Don't say that Vivian.. It was Orton who chose to tell. He had to eventually, otherwise Jorge won't stop picking on you. And besides, Nicholas was stressed and busy, Orton couldn't have told him sooner."
He watched Nicholas hurriedly disappear up ahead. "At least Nicholas already knew. Hopefully he'll teach Jorge a lesson." He assured the female spix and he let her rest against his side. Just as Vivian got to touch Diaglo's feathers, a thunderous voice had boomed from up ahead and heads were turned to that direction.
The voice had belonged to Nicholas, and all the birds watching had picked up the name Jorge, meaning the military macaw is facing the wrath of the main leader. The surrounding birds had flinched sharply and chicks had hurriedly flown away in fright. The shouting had attracted even Orton and he, Wendi and the rest with him gazed at the direction of the shouting.
Diaglo and Vivian looked on hopefully, praying that Orton would at least feel satisfied that Jorge is dealt with. But to their dismay, the kakapo hybrid was silent and turned so his back is facing the scene. The kakapo hybrid had flapped away from the scene, making the two spixes look at each other worriedly.
The same look was apparently reflected on Orton's companions and they whispered to each other in concern. 'They've got to reconcile soon.' Both had thought, and they continued to listen in on Nicholas' shouting at Jorge. It lasted on for a bit, and then Jorge was sent flying away in fear with a harsh warning while Nicholas and his fellows have went their way.
Nicholas' patrols had gone ahead. But Nicholas had spotted Diaglo and Vivian so he touched down before them. The two spixes felt pity for the hyacinth who looked visibly heartbroken and remorseful, though his feathers were still on end after having just told off Jorge. "Kids.." Nicholas choked out and he shook himself a little to smoothen his feathers. Even his tone in that one word sounded heartbroken..
"Nicholas, sir. I-I heard you shouting at Jorge earlier?" Diaglo flinched at his poor choice of words, not meaning to stress out the hyacinth macaw even more. "Sorry," He added quickly, expecting a lashout. However, Nicholas had remained calm and he gave Diaglo a tired look. "Oh, Jorge. Well I can never leave a wrongdoer on the loose. Especially when it's a teenager he's been harming," He eyed Vivian, and his voice grew quiet. "How long has Jorge been doing that to you?"
Vivian frowned and averted her gaze. "It's been going on as far as I remember. Even when Varian was still alive, Jorge is hostile even to him. And then after he died, he.. Went after me."
Nicholas looked guilty at this and he facewinged himself in self-shame. "That's almost two years.. Orton's right. I was so blind!" The hyacinth cried out. Vivian gasped and she ran to hug Nicholas, her eyes closed as tears threatened to spill.
"D-Don't say that... I'm the one who never told you immediately. Orton just saw Jorge taunting me and..." She shook her head and hugged the hyacinth still. "Don't blame yourself. I kept the secret to myself when I should've told somebody."
The two birds continued to hug and Nicholas silently wept, while Diaglo gazed after the direction Orton had disappeared. He hoped that something can be done.. He frowned slightly and then he had an idea on what can be done. After the adult hyacinth and spix teenager parted ways, Diaglo touched Vivian's shoulder with a wing. On his face was a look of bright confidence.
"Viv, I know what we're gonna do tonight!"