Healing
Chapter Three: Love And Friendship
After the required two weeks had passed, Tulio finally removed the strap from Jewel's wing. Examining the appendage through an x-ray, he was delighted to learn that the broken bone had indeed managed to knit itself back together. However, as he noted before, it would still take another four weeks for Jewel's wing to be strong enough to allow her to fly again.
Jewel, stubborn bird that she was, refused to accept that fact. Once she had been returned to the habitat, the first thing she did was climb to the highest branch of the tallest tree, spread her wings, and make an attempt at flight. She was just about to jump off when a kind, yet stern voice from behind called "Just what do you think you're doing, young lady?"
Turning, Jewel saw Blu, wings folded, foot tapping on the branch, looking quite perturbed.
"Oh, Blu!" Jewel giggled shamefully, looking like a child that had just been caught in the midst of doing something naughty. "You scared me!"
"I scared you?" Blu asked mockingly. "How do you think I felt, when I saw the bird I love about to kill herself?"
"I wasn't..." Protested Jewel, before Blu cut her off, uncharacteristically taking charge of the conversation.
"You heard Tulio." Blu declared matter-of-factly. "Your wing won't be strong enough for you to fly again for another four weeks."
"What does he know?" Jewel said contemptuously.
"Birds." Said Blu simply. "He's an ornithologist. He's been treating sick and wounded birds for years, probably fixed more wings then he can count. So I'd trust his diagnosis, if I were you."
"But..." Jewel tried vainly to counter.
"Now, you listen to me, missy." Said Blu firmly. "Stop being so stubborn, and give that wing of yours time to heal."
"Vey forceful, mister." Grinned Jewel, both impressed and bemused by her love's commands. "Go on, say something else."
"Just be patient." Smiled Blu, realising he was getting through to her. "You'll be flying again before you know it."
"I wish." Sighed Jewel sadly.
Blu sidled up to his forlorn love and put a wing around her, comforting her.
Unbeknownst to the two blue macaws, Linda and Tulio were watching them from the observation room.
"Poor Jewel." Sighed Linda. "She really seems to be depressed."
"You're right." Agreed Tulio. "I think being indoors for all this time is starting to get to her. She is a wild bird after all, and being stuck in that room must be so suffocating."
"Is there anything we can do for her?" Asked Linda.
"Yes, there is." Said Tulio, a smile forming on his lips. "We can take her on a day out."
The next day, after Blu and Jewel had eaten their breakfasts, Tulio picked Jewel up and carried her out of the room, with Linda doing the same with Blu. The two birds were taken to the back door of the aviary, to a modest garden overlooking the jungle.
"I thought a little time outside might cheer you up." Tulio whispered to Jewel as he set her down on a piece of railing.
Tulio was correct. Standing tall, Jewel opened her wings, enjoying the feeling of the wind blowing through her feathers, and was quickly joined by Blu. As they looked upon a portion of Jewel's home, she felt elated at seeing the familiar sight again.
"It's even more beautiful then I remember." Sighed Jewel.
"Not as beautiful as you." Crooned Blu, gazing adoringly at her.
"Flatterer." Jewel waved a feathertip, mock-admonishing him, before beckoning him to come closer. "C'mere."
Eagerly obeying, Blu wrapped his wings around his beloved, and they kissed deeply. However, their kiss was soon interrupted by the arrival of some familiar faces.
"Yoyoyoyoyoyo!" Called Pedro the red-crested cardinal, as he and his canary friend Nico descended on them. "Look what we got here!"
"If it ain't our two favorite blue macaws." Smiled Nico, tipping his bottlecap hat in greeting.
"Hey, guys!" Smiled Jewel, happy to see their friends again.
"Good to see you again." Grinned Blu, equally pleased.
"Same here." Nodded Nico, before turning serious. "Where you been at all this time, guys?"
"Yeah." Added Predo. "We kinda lost track a' you two after the plane. Been lookin' for ya ever since."
"Oh, Jewel hurt her wing." Explained Blu. "That psycho bird Nigel dropped a cage on it, so I brought her to an ornithologist..."
"A what?" Asked Nico.
"An ornithologist..." Blu repeated.
"Huh?" Spouted a mystified Pedro.
"A bird doctor." Blu sighed. "He patched Jewel up, and now we're just waiting for her wing to fully heal."
"Oh, I gotcha." Nodded Nico in understanding.
"Hold up." Said Pedro, confused. "How'd you get off the plane, anyway?"
"Show 'em, Blu." Jewel nudged her love, who gladly took to the air for a brief demonstration of his new-found flying prowess.
"Whoa." Gasped Nico, his beak wide open. "When did that happen?"
Blu and Jewel were happy to give the two a recap of the events following Jewel's wing injury.
"Way to go, Blu!" Cheered Pedro at the story's end, giving him a friendly jab in the shoulder. "I knew you had it in ya, pal!"
"That's the power of love, right there." Smiled Nico, becoming tearry-eyed. "I'm gettin' all choked-up."
"So, you two love hawks been making time with each other?" Smirked Pedro, winking suggestively.
"You know it." Grinned Jewel, grabbing Blu and kissing him repeatedly.
"Jewel..." Blu cringed, suddenly embarrassed. "Not in front of the guys..."
"Ah, let 'em look." Whispered Jewel, pulling Blu in for an especially deep kiss.
This time Blu did not protest.
"Well, we can see you guys are busy." Chuckled Nico, as he and Pedro made to leave. "We gotta get going, anyways."
"Yep." Nodded Pedro. "Gotta tell everyone you're okay. Raffy's been worried sick about you two!"
"Raffy" of course, was Rafael the toco toucan, staunch friend of Blu and Jewel.
"Let him know we said 'hi'." Said Jewel breathlessly, having just released her beak from Blu's.
"Yeah." Gasped Blu blissfully. "Hi."
"Will do." Smiled Nico, tipping his hat once more before he and Pedro took to the air.
As Linda and Tulio looked upon the curious scene with mild interest, Fernando burst through the door.
"Linda! Tulio!" The young boy called, waving some important-looking papers in the air. "The city council approved us!"
"Wonderful!" Beamed Linda, hugging Fernando.
"Excelente!" Cheered Tulio, joining the hug. "Now we can put our little project into motion!"
Blu and Jewel watched the humans' excitement unfolding from their perch. Sharing a mystified shrug, they quickly went back to watching the beautiful scenery, leaning against each other slightly as they did, not knowing that the "little project" would soon benefit now only them, but many of the birds in Rio de Janeiro.
To Be Continued...
(Rio and all associated characters are the property of 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios.)