Amazon Adventures
Chapter Fourteen: Sing Song
In the Spix's Macaw family's hollow home, Carla was practising her singing. She preferred to practice in a place with some wing room; Her own room was too small to have decent acoustics.
"Let me take you to Rio, Rio..." She crooned.
"Yee-hah!" A muddy Tiago suddenly leapt into the birdbath, splashing her.
"Ah!" Carla yelped, soaked. "Watch it, T!"
"Sor-ry." Tiago snorted. "It's not my fault I need a bath."
"Actually it is." Carla frowned. "You're the one who ran around in the mud all morning."
"Whatever." Tiago shrugged, as he splashed around.
"Let me take you to-" Carla resumed, before getting some water in her face. "Do you mind? I'm trying to practice here!"
"Then go practise somewhere else." Tiago retorted. "All that singin' is disruptin' my bath time."
"Ugh!" Carla groaned. "Fine! I'll go outside."
Carla stepped out onto one of the branches of their tree home.
"All the birds of a feather-" She started, before something odd fell on her head. "Hey!"
"Sorry!" Bia called from above. "I was just sorting through my chrysalis collection."
"Chrysalis?" Carla grimaced, as she picked the empty object off her head. "As in the things bugs come out of?"
"Some bugs, yes." Bia nodded. "I picked that one up just this morning. It's still fresh."
Carla suddenly became aware that the inside of the chrysalis (which her talon was wrapped around) was still moist.
"Eww!" She cringed, dropping it.
"Careful!" Bia flew down and picked up the chrysalis.
"That's it!" Carla yelled. "A bird can't practise her singing in peace around this tree! I'm outta here!"
Carla took off into the jungle, determined to find some privacy, leaving a nonplussed Bia behind. After flying for some distance, she finally found a quiet, empty portion of the jungle.
"Now this is more like it." She smiled. "Finally, some uninterrupted practice time. I wanna rock, I wanna party..."
Carla sang the whole song, uninterrupted. As she finished, she heard someone applauding. She turned to find Roberto perched on a nearby tree branch.
"Bravo!" Roberto cheered. "Encore, encore!"
"Hi, uncle 'Beto." Carla smiled. "I didn't notice you there."
"I would've said something, but I didn't want to interrupt." Roberto shrugged. "That's some set of pipes you got there."
"Thanks." Carla beamed.
"Like mother, like daughter." Roberto chuckled. "Your mom was the best singer around when we were chicks."
"Really?" Carla smirked. "Better then you?"
"A little better." Roberto held two talons close together. "But why are you singing out here, by yourself?"
"I couldn't get any peace back in the hollow, so I came out here." Carla explained.
"Oh, I gotcha." Roberto nodded. "But I find singing's better when you have an audience."
"Good thing you were here then, huh?" Carla smiled.
"Yep." Roberto nodded. "Great performance, C-girl."
"Thanks." Carla smiled. "You're not too shabby when it comes to singing yourself. That little 'Welcome Back' song of yours wasn't half bad."
"'Wasn't half bad'." Roberto snorted playfully. "Don't go getting cocky just cuz I paid you a compliment, girl. I got lots more experience under my feathers then you do. These are some fully trained vocal chords right here."
"Yeah, but I've got the youthful spark for it." Carla teased.
"You calling me old?" Roberto grinned, enjoying their little game. "I can sing rings around a little voice like yours."
"Oh, yeah?" Carla smirked. "How about a duet? Let's see who really has the best voice here."
"You're on." Roberto nodded.
The two cleared their throats, then starting singing.
Let's come together, singing love and harmonia
We are so different, but the same inside our hearts
Beautiful colors, just as far as the eyes can see ya
Open your wings, fly when you hear the call
Let's celebrate, for we are beautiful creatures
Come spread your wings, dance and sing songs about freedom
Like lah lah lah hoo hoo
One for the jungle família
Like bah bah bah boo boo
Calling the beautiful creatures
Come this way celebrate
Laugh and dance all the way
Follow me sing along
Lah lah bah bah boom boom
Já disse que Jade chegou
Já disse que já disse que Jade chegou
Já disse que Jade chegou
Já disse que já disse que Jade chegou
Let's celebrate, for we are beautiful creatures
Come spread your wings, dance and sing songs about freedom
Like lah lah lah hoo hoo
One for the jungle família
Like bah bah bah boom boom
Calling the beautiful creatures
They finished at exactly the same time.
"Nice work, kid." Roberto gasped, a little breathless. "Awesome vocals."
"Thanks." Carla smiled. "You were pretty awesome yourself."
"Awesome, huh?" Roberto smiled. "What happened to 'not half bad'?"
"Don't push it." Carla teased.
"You got your mother's spunk, too." Roberto noted. "Always did like that about her..."
"You up for another song?" Carla asked.
"Ready when you are, C-girl." Roberto grinned.
They sang a couple more songs together. Soon, Carla noticed the setting sun.
"It's getting late." She noted. "I'd better get back before mom and dad start to get worried."
"Tell your folks 'hi' from me." Roberto smiled. "And if you're ever up for another duet, just let your uncle Beto know."
"You got it." Carla grinned, taking flight.
When she returned to the hollow, the rest of the family were about to eat dinner.
"There you are." Jewel smiled. "Where have you been?"
"Just out practicing my singing." Carla shrugged. "Uncle Beto says 'hi', by the way."
"That's nice, dear." Blu said through a mouthful of fruit.
"You and your singing." Tiago snorted. "Don't you ever get tired of it?"
"Not in this life, baby bro." Carla grinned. "Not in this life. The show must go on..."
To Be Continued...
(Rio 2 and all associated characters are the property of Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox. "Let Me Take You To Rio" belongs to Ester Dean and Carlinhos Brown. "Beautiful Creatures" belongs to Barbatuques.)