Chapter 2:First Impressions, Part 1
Cobalt streaked away from his parents' house rapidly, as if separating himself from them was going to clear away the disturbing secret that was flooding his mind. His entire body was crackling from the shock, but he kept on flying, intent on finding somewhere to collect himself and try to make sense of it all.
The intense beams of sunlight were too much for his eyes to bear, and so he altered his easterly course to a northerly one. While he kept his eyes peeled in the search for a suitable landing spot, he realized his new course was leading him deeper and deeper into the jungle.
Well, he thought, the more secluded of a spot I can find, the better. I am going to have to think very deeply about what to do. And in order for that to happen, I need to be alone...
His mind made up, he dipped just past the canopy, weaving his way through the foliage in search of that one perfect spot.
As he flew on, the faint rushing of a hearty waterfall caught his attention. He followed the rumbling noise to try and locate its source, but the sound seemed to be echoing from all around him. He eventually gave up and alighted on the sturdy bough of a cannonball tree.
A pair of the deep brown, rock-solid seed bearing growths were hanging from a twisted vine just below him, slowly rocking back and forth from the disturbance of his landing.
He ruffled his feathers and thought, Okay, now I need to get down to business. They said I needed to... meet two other macaws and eventually... choose one of them to mate with. That's the very last thing on my mind right now! True, this feeling inside of me is quite annoying, but I'd rather deal with that then do what they want. Seven years they kept that secret? This is so wrong and unfair! I don't know what to do! Do I attempt to fulfill their wishes, or do I live my life as I choose? Oh, this is so difficult...
He was shaking with agitation as the thoughts ran through his head. He was bewildered and angry and hurt at the ultimatum his parents had forced upon him.
True, they had created him, but wasn't he entitled to have his own say in the matter?
He was in no way ready to carry out such a binding and intensive act as proclaiming either of those mysterious females as his girlfriend, much less dedicating his life to one of them and having children.
I just can't believe it! Children! That's the entire goal of their ludicrous mission. I'm barely seven years old. Am I even developed enough for that? There are so many reasons for me to deny them. But, they're my parents, and they only want what's best for me...
He was utterly torn between the desire to maintain his freedom – a personality trait he inherited from his mother – and the desire to obey his parents. He knew he was jumping to conclusions at the moment, but he couldn't help it.
Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad just to meet the females in question and go from there. But if he did, there was always the chance that one of them would come to admire him more than he did her, and no good would come out of that situation.
Ugh! I'm back to square one again! There's really no easy way out of this. Either I fail my parents, or I fail myself. I'm clear out of options right now. I could use some divine confidence...
His undecided mind reeling, he gripped the branch tighter and drew in a deep breath.
He was in no mood to go anywhere, but his stomach had other ideas. A soft growl issued from his belly, barely audible due to the low-pitched audio from the hidden waterfall.
He scanned the vicinity for any decent fruit trees, but there were none.
In addition, the cannonball tree he was currently occupying was far from a food source. The spherical seed pods weighed at least twice what he did, and they were so rugged they could survive the dizzying drops from their parent plant and come out unscathed.
He spread his wings for liftoff, but a fairly close noise cut through the roar of the waterfall.
Is that... splashing? I don't see any water around here. This calls for an investigation...
He spiraled down to the ground, and all of a sudden, the sound grew much clearer. He circled around the stout trunk of the tree and stepped carefully into a clump of ferns, the fronds tickling his face.
I hope there isn't a snake hiding out in here. If there is, I won't have to worry about my situation any more, because I'll be dead.
He continued creeping through the fern patch, his ears picking up more and more information as he walked. All of a sudden, the he spied something past the tiny gaps in the fern leaves themselves. He scrabbled back and focused his vision, orienting himself to peer past the leaf notches without being seen.
An ocean-blue creature was busy cleaning itself in a small pool, throwing water over itself with its wings.
Wait a minute. Wings? She must be a bird. Hey, something about her looks familiar. Oh... my... God...
It then dawned on him that the bird he was observing was of his species, and a female of his species at that.
She possessed a lovely, gracefully curved tail, and every time she spread her wings, row upon row of delicate-yet-beautiful feathers emerged. Her chest bore a gentle curve, expanding and contracting visibly as she breathed. A small sprig of feathers sprouted from the rear of her head, bouncing back and forth cutely as she moved.
She appeared to be a dainty and innocent female, rather than some extremely beautiful jungle goddess.
This has to be one of the females Mom told me about! She's... actually very cute. It wouldn't hurt to... no, I need to get out of here! I can't meet her. It's way too soon...
He slowly retreated backwards, the completeness of the figure vanishing as the fern leaves blocked her out. He had not taken five steps backwards when he felt a stunning blow to his head.
He was slammed to the mossy ground belly-down, his vision fading in and out as he struggled to stay conscious.
"Oh G-God, m-my head. Am I d-dying? Where t-the hell a-am I? Is a-anybody out t-there?"
His voice was heavily slurred, as if his tongue had suddenly refused to function properly. A rippling wave of blackness threatened to pull him under once again, but a burst of color and motion pushed it away.
That very same female bird jumped out of the ferns, her gaze instantly locking on Cobalt. A fine shower of water droplets filled the air, pelting him countless times.
"Who are you? Were you spying on me while I was engaging in a revitalizing session? You perverted... oh no, are you injured?"
He was powerless to defend himself if she attacked, but seeing that she quickly calmed her hostility, Cobalt had no idea what she was talking about.
He didn't know if he was injured or not, but it sure felt like he was. Something had nearly knocked him out, leaving him clueless as to what it was or where it had originated.
"I... don't know," he moaned. "Something hit me... on the head. I need your help..."
The female walked past him – and being as he was unable to turn his head – vanished from his sight. She returned seconds later with a large maroon sphere, rolling it along with her head until she stopped it a foot in front of him.
"What is that?" he muttered.
"It's a seed pod. It must have fallen on you. I see where it came loose. You're lucky it fell from that low branch, or it would have fractured your cranium and inflicted a grievous injury to your brain."
"Oh..." he replied, still very much dazed.
She walked away from the offending pod and lifted him to his feet. He swayed as if in a stupor, causing the female to wrap her wings around him before he toppled over.
"You seem terribly dizzy. Do you want to lay back down?"
The tender hold she had on him helped ease his confusion, clearing his mind somewhat.
"No, I'm fine, I think. Thank you... for helping me."
"You are welcome. But still, were you spying on me?"
He felt a small wash of guilt, and found it impossible to look this sweet female in the eyes.
"Well, I, yeah. You see-"
She released him and turned away, wrapping her wings around herself haughtily.
"Hmmph. I see you don't require my assistance anymore, so I suggest that you leave."
"No, it's not what you think! Let me explain. You see, I was just perched up on a high branch of this tree and... minding my own business, when I heard a noise. I guess curiosity killed the macaw."
"A likely story, I'm sure," she replied hotly, "you lack the ability to socialize with females, so you insist upon spying on them while they are conducting personal matters."
He scooted closer to her, hoping to calm her down and avoid bringing out her bad side.
"It's just that... someone told me about you."
Despite her indignation at the macaw, her interest was piqued by his reply. She turned to him and asked, "Who would that be?"
"My parents. They said that two female Spix's Macaws lived in this very jungle. I take it you are one of them. It was just a coincidence that I found you. I promise."
She tapped her chin with her left wing's primaries and replied, "Interesting. Well, what's your name, stranger?"
He smiled warmly and replied, "I'm Cobalt. What's yours?"
"Azura."
"Nice to meet you, Azura."
"Likewise, Cobalt."
Now that the sticky situation had been sorted out, he felt no reason to stay. On top of that, he was still astounded that he had ran into the Spix's Macaw he was planning on avoiding.
I suppose that the only course of action I can take is report back to my parents. They might as well know who I've found.
"If you don't mind, I am going to head over to see my Mom and Dad."
He began to walk away, but the female stopped him short.
"No, wait." she said softly. "I want you to meet someone. Or rather, two someones."
"But, I have to-"
"Please?"
Her chocolate-brown eyes sparkled as she said this, and he didn't want to let her down. He could use this as a chance to get to know her better a fact that would convince his parents that he was playing along with their plan.
"I guess. But I can't stay too long."
She nodded quickly and rose from the ground, beating her wings steadily and vanishing into the jungle.
Here goes nothing. There's no telling what I've gotten myself into...
He quickly left the ground, his flight wobbly from the residual effects of the blow he had suffered.
He eventually caught sight of his companion and pushed himself faster until he flew in just behind her. He was feeling slightly infatuated with the female, but he did his best to push that sensation away. He knew that was merely his hormonal drive speaking to him, and not his heart.
Dad sure knows what he's talking about. This feeling is so strange. Nonetheless, I can't let it take over. I have to keep a clear head.
He blocked out the surreal pull deep inside of him as he followed Azura, both hesitant and anxious to see who she was leading him to.
He sensed they were flying towards the west, but other than that, he could not discern where exactly they were going. This sector of the jungle was foreign to him, probably because his parents warned him that it harbored a high concentration of predators.
Azura flew at a reserved pace, which meant that he had to fly even slower to stay behind her. She said not a word during the entire trip, only checking up on him with a quick turn of her head followed by a nod.
Ten minutes after their flight began, he noticed a banana tree up ahead, sticking out plainly due to its twisted trunk. As they approached, he saw an elongated hole situated near the top of the trunk. Azura flapped harder to gain some height before alighting in the hollow.
Cobalt imitated her, and before long, he dropped in beside her.
The hollow looked fairly ordinary, save for the pair of brightly colored birds huddled in the far corner. They seemed to be sleeping, and Cobalt was hesitant to stay.
"Uh, maybe I should go. I don't think we should wake them up." he whispered.
She shook her head and skipped over to them without a care in the world. She nudged the Scarlet Macaw with her wing, rocking him back and forth for a few seconds. His eyes opened halfway, but upon noticing Cobalt, shot open in surprise.
"Who... is this, daughter?"
Something sounded off with his tone, as if he knew something Cobalt did not.
She marched back over to him and said, "This is Cobalt. I found him out in the jungle a few minutes ago, after a seed pod fell on him. I brought him over to meet you and Mom."
"Oh. Well, hello Cobalt. It's nice to meet you."
Why is he talking so funny? It must be a Scarlet Macaw thing. Either that, or Azura is part of a very eclectic family...
The penetrating rays of the morning sun woke her from the enchanting dream she was having, cutting it drastically short. She stretched out her wings and let loose a drawn-out yawn, feeling slightly irritated at her premature revival.
Nonetheless, she was already awake, and going back to sleep was an impossible feat.
She trudged over to the lip of her home and peered out, squinting against the blinding rays. The air was pleasantly warm and inviting, a clear sign that a lovely day was sure to unfold.
This place is so magical and serene, she mused. It truly is a gift to live here. I wonder how Mom and Dad are doing? Perhaps I should stop by and visit them this afternoon...
She stepped back a few paces from the edge and began to preen herself. Rather rapidly, she realized that her feathers were matted and peppered with flecks of dirt and debris.
She was not madly obsessed with her cleanliness, but she still was not a fan of feeling dirty. Now that her eyes had proved she was less-than-presentable, a bath was the first thing on her agenda.
She ceased her preening and lofted from her home, only to be afflicted with a needy rumbling courtesy of her stomach.
Wow. I must be really hungry! I suppose bath time will have to wait until after breakfast. I clearly remember there being a passion fruit vine around here...
She scoured her mind to pinpoint the location of that food source and, after scanning her surroundings for reference, wheeled around and drifted off into the jungle.
Sure enough, only two minutes later, she led herself directly to the tree in question, alighting gleefully on the ground beside a heavily-laden vine.
The freshness level of this fruit is perfect! Two of them should satiate my hunger nicely...
She reached down with her foot and plucked one of the purple growths from the wiry stem. The aromas rising from it were strong, beckoning her to bite into it and experience the flavor. She gouged out a sizable chunk with her beak and chewed it heartily, reveling in the slightly acidic juices as they flooded her mouth.
Each bite was just as enriching as the last, driving her to eat with a certain haste. No sooner had she devoured the first did she snatch up another, gulping it down as if she hadn't eaten in a week.
She plopped the last meaty, dripping chunk in her beak and chewed it happily, finally relieved to have quelled her hunger.
She patted her stomach and thought, There. Now I am full! All I have to do now is find a decent body of water to cleanse myself in. Hmmm, I know for certain there is a waterfall a quarter of a mile from here. That waterfall feeds a river that runs for one hundred feet before collecting into a three feet wide and four inches deep. That is where I will go.
She initiated another visual sweep of her surroundings before finalizing her flight path and launching into the air. Her heart thrumming confidently and her stomach roiling steadily, she drifted through the undergrowth at a meandering pace, anxious to finally rinse herself of the grime scattered across her body.
She easily found her way to the pool after five minutes of flight time – given that she had inherited the brilliance and calculating efficiency of her father's brain. She spiraled down into the crystal clear water, the soaked ground beneath it showing through perfectly.
She rinsed herself calmly with the sparkling water, though her languid movements suggested that she was quite conceited and self-absorbed, which in reality she was not.
She first doused her elegant tail – this trait was given to her by her mother – wetting it until it sagged into the pool and touched the saturated bottom.
She dipped her wings one by one into the liquid, soaking them and then shaking them about to cast the dirty water off.
Lastly, she laid down and immersed her entire underside, remaining still until the liquid seeped into her coat and contacted her skin. It was slightly cool and gave her the shivers, but after shaking her body vigorously, she warmed back up.
She examined her reflection carefully and saw that she had done a very fine job. Scores of dirt and debris specks roamed about on the pool's surface in a miniature dance, a dance she found quite amusing.
It was then that she heard a sharp crack, followed by a dull thud, from outside the pool's sheltered wall of plants. She grew instantly curious, tip-toeing her way towards the source.
She found herself swaddled by the thick ferns and grew irritated by the sharp edges, but froze upon hearing a strained male voice: "Oh G-God, m-my head. Am I d-dying? Where t-the hell a-am I? Is a-anybody out t-there?"
Now who could that be? She wondered. He sounds... very intoxicated. Guess I better go see who's out there.
She fought her way through the fronds and, to her shock, came upon a macaw sprawled out on the ground as if embracing the earth. She immediately presumed he was here for a sly reason, determined to find out the truth.
She raised her voice in anger, until she saw a cannonball tree's seed dispersion growth sitting innocently behind him.
"Who are you? Were you spying on me while I was engaging in a revitalizing session? You perverted... oh no, are you injured?"
His response was delayed, inducing a fair amount of worry in her.
"I... don't know," he moaned. "Something hit me... on the head. I need your help..."
With that, she quickly pieced together what had transpired moments earlier, and so she decided to show him the perpetrator.
She strutted past him and maneuvered the smooth seed container around him with her head, bringing it to a stop directly in front of him.
He lifted his head weakly and muttered, "What is that?"
She pointed her wing towards the looming tree above, motioning to the spot where the sphere had detached.
"It's a seed pod. It must have fallen on you. I see where it came loose. You're lucky it fell from that low branch, or it would have fractured your cranium and inflicted a grievous injury to your brain."
His befuddled expression indicated he barely understood what she had said.
"Oh..."
I can't just leave him there. He asked me to help, and that's what I'll do.
She walked over to him and pulled him to his feet. He staggered over, forcing her to extend her wings and keep him upright.
"You seem terribly dizzy. Do you want to lay back down?" she asked tenderly.
"No, I'm fine, I think. Thank you... for helping me."
His voice was no longer slurred, convincing her that his initial daze from the impact had worn off. Now she would dig to the heart of the matter; find out exactly why he was here.
"You are welcome. But still, were you spying on me?"
She knew he was guilty as soon as he turned his head away, no doubt feeling shame for his actions.
"Well, I, yeah. You see-"
Feeling betrayed, she pulled away, standing stock-still with her wings crossed.
"Hmmph. I see you don't require my assistance anymore, so I suggest that you leave." she said rudely.
"No, it's not what you think! Let me explain. You see, I was just perched up on a high branch of this tree and... minding my own business, when I heard a noise. I guess curiosity killed the macaw."
A classic response in her mind, and she wouldn't buy it.
"A likely story, I'm sure," she paused and drew in a quick breath before adding, "you lack the ability to socialize with females, so you insist upon spying on them while they are conducting personal matters."
She sensed him move closer, but still did not react in any detectable way.
"It's just that... someone told me about you."
For some reason, her anger was lessened.
Could it be one of my friends? Are they trying to guide me into a relationship? Surely not...
Needing an answer, she lowered her wings and faced him dead on.
"Who would that be?"
He replied simply, "My parents. They said that two female Spix's Macaws lived in this very jungle. I take it you are one of them. It was just a coincidence that I found you. I promise."
Well, that's a thought. It seems my first guess was misinterpreted.
"Interesting. Well, what's your name, stranger?"
He donned a brave smile and said, "I'm Cobalt. What's yours?"
"Azura." she said smoothly.
"Nice to meet you, Azura."
"Likewise, Cobalt."
He's not a bad looking male, that's for sure. Maybe I can... no, I have no time to think about such serious and outlandish topics. Boyfriend? Not going to happen. Perhaps I can introduce him to Mom and Dad. Now's the perfect time to do so...
Cobalt began to walk off into the jungle, but she said gently, "No, wait."
He stopped moving, at which point she added, "I want you to meet someone. Or rather, two someones."
He looked hesitant to agree, the tone of refusal heavy in his tone.
"But, I have to-"
She leaned closer to him, tilting her head cutely, like a dog begging for treats.
"Please?"
He shrugged his shoulders in defeat, unable to resist her charm.
"I guess. But I can't stay too long."
She signaled her approval with a nod and flew away, keeping her pace regulated at a measly velocity. She mentally calculated the way to the distant residence of her foster parents, feeling confident that she could find it without any trouble.
She drifted sullenly off to the west, the whooshing noise of her wings resounding in harmony with the wings of her pursuer.
Now that everything had settled down, her introverted nature set in, silencing her already timid voice. She towed him along without a word, checking up on him with a rapid backwards glance and a stern nod.
Even without landmarks, she wound her way towards her destination without error, landing perfectly in the hollow.
Her parents were tucked away in their nest a few paces away, snoozing contentedly. There was a subdued thump as Cobalt landed on her right side, his left wing gently brushing her right.
"Uh, maybe I should go. I don't think we should wake them up." he said urgently.
Azura refused him with a shake of her head, approaching her father without hesitation.
He won't be angry with me, that I am certain of. He'll probably be very surprised to see Cobalt here, and so will Mom.
She nudged him repeatedly on his shoulder, rousing him.
Still half-asleep, he said, "Who... is this, daughter?"
She returned to her place beside Cobalt and replied, "This is Cobalt. I found him out in the jungle a few minutes ago, after a seed pod fell on him. I brought him over to meet you and Mom."
Her father yawned widely, now fully awake.
"Oh. Well, hello Cobalt. It's nice to meet you."
Azura watched as he spouted an uninformed response.
"Same here, uh..."
She tapped him with her wing and said, "Scarlet. My Dad's name is Scarlet."
"Oh, right."
Azura's father proceeded to wake her mother, but she was distracted by Cobalt's whispers.
"Something's very weird here, Azura, no offense. He's a Scarlet Macaw, and she's a Military Macaw. There's no way they're your biological parents."
"Correct." she said flatly.
"Who are they, then?"
Azura breathed in and said, "They're my foster parents. They've raised me for as long as I can remember. I hardly know my real parents."
"I see. That must mean your parents are alive, right?"
She nodded cordially, only to be pressed with another question from him: "Do you have any siblings?"
She nodded once again, but clarified her response by saying, "I have a sister. She's completely the opposite of me nature-wise, but I still love her."
She watched as Cobalt opened his beak to speak again, but her mother's rich voice cut him off: "How are you doing today, daughter? I see you've brought a friend."
"Just fine, Mom. I found him under painful circumstances, but everything turned out just fine. How are you and Dad?"
The ocher-hued macaw came closer to the pair of them and said, "Wonderful, though we do miss Kaigan, Tyler, and Alejandro. But then again, you and your friend are here to keep us company."
"Exactly," added the male, "There is much to talk about, but why don't we all have a snack first?"
He stepped aside, revealing a decent pile of star fruit behind the nest.
"I'll pass, Dad." said Azura quickly.
Cobalt, on the other hand, skipped over to the pile and shoved a whole fruit in his beak, nearly choking as he chewed.
She chuckled and thought, He sure is hungry! He must have been looking for food when he discovered me, only to be bludgeoned by that falling pod. A classic case of wrong place, wrong time. He's kind of handsome when he eats... oh, there I go again...
"Well, pardon me, Cobalt! I had no idea. You must be starving!"
He wolfed down the masticated fruit and said sheepishly, "I'm sorry, Scarlet. I shouldn't have acted like that. I haven't eaten since sunrise, though."
"Apology accepted. I know how it feels to be deathly hungry and then finally see some food."
He then turned to his mate and asked, "Shall we join him, Ashley?"
"We better hurry, or we may not have any food left, Scarlet!"
The mated pair of macaws squeezed in beside Cobalt and nourished themselves gratifyingly.
While he ate, Azura often caught him subtly eying her, causing him to resume chewing guiltily.
Something flickered deep within her every time her gaze met his, like the whisper of a spark. There was just something about him that tickled her, but she deemed it nothing more than infatuation.
I've never felt anything like this, but it can't be legitimate. Perhaps the current season of spring has something to do with it. I've only known him for a few hours, hardly enough to dig past his outer shell and truly learn what he's like. Young love is such a foolish thing...
Azura opted to take a brief nap while they dined, for she was not inclined to observe them when she herself wasn't hungry.
She was promptly awoken by Cobalt when they were finished, much to her surprise.
Now that all four macaws were pleased, they filled the hollow with the din of their conversations, as Scarlet had so eagerly insisted they do. Most of it was spent asking Cobalt questions, courtesy of Scarlet and Ashley.
While they talked – Azura herself rarely spoke – she detected a certain hesitation in her parents' answers, as if they were skirting around the truth.
Something odd was no doubt transpiring between her Mom and Dad, but even she was unable to decipher it. She merely ignored it and continued listening intently, soaking up all that they had to say.
Cobalt seemed entirely willing to respond to whatever they asked, and she realized he was too preoccupied to remember his former statement.
Hmmm, he told me back at the pool he couldn't stay too long. Well, guess what Cobalt, you failed to live up to your word. You were vastly more eager to be here than you originally let on...
Another surprise was bestowed upon the macaws when Alejandro, Kaigan, and Tyler flung themselves into the hollow about an hour onto the chat. They were ecstatic to finally visit their parents and see Azura again, along with being incredibly curious about the new arrival.
Thus, the dull conversation that had been carrying on was infused with energy as introductions were made and dozens more questions asked. Now a complete family – and then some due to Cobalt's presence – they talked and talked, always seeming to come with some other point of interest when the previous was worn out.
Cobalt had been distracted for a few hours – much to Azura's enjoyment – for it was already past noon.
Her luck ran out when, during a bout of innocent rough-housing by the three offspring of Scarlet and Ashley, he was knocked out of the hollow. The parent macaws admonished their children, and then those children gave him sincere apologies.
It was then he put his foot down and announced his decision to leave.
"I hope none of you mind, but I really have to go. It was great meeting you all, but I have much news to tell my parents. Goodbye, Scarlet and Ashley. Goodbye, you three crazy kids."
Azura tensed up slightly as he approached her and said sweetly, "And goodbye to you, Azura. I think I've made a new friend."
"I think I have too, Cobalt." she replied with an adorable wink.
"See you later, everyone!" he exclaimed as he jetted from the hollow.
To Azura, Cobalt was very much likable, a bold spirit who was fun to have around. As hard as she tried to quell the spark inside her soul, she could not. She was intrigued by the male, and made it a personal goal to get to know him even better than she did now.
After Scarlet, Ashley, and their children resumed chatting, Azura thought longingly, See you later, dear friend. May we meet again someday soon...
Cobalt was positively amazed at the events of the past few hours as he flew on, no longer feeling hatred at his parents' ultimatum that morning.
The prime reason his mind was racing was the very entity he tried so hard to avoid: Azura.
Her soft spoken personality, adorable looks, and passive attitude. He had carefully observed her during his entire stay with her and the rest of her family, even though only managing to get fleeting glimpses before she caught him in the act.
She hardly spoke to any of the others – himself included – a trait that left him incredibly curious to discover the secret workings of her mind and the inner thoughts she was so reluctant to voice.
I have to learn more about her. My previous horror at wanting to meet those females Mom and Dad spoke of was just an instinctual reaction. Now that I've met one of the two, it's not so bad after all. Azura has a certain charm about her that I find hard to resist. Mom and Dad are going to be so thrilled to find out what I've done! I can't get too caught up with Azura, though. There's one more female I have yet to encounter. Oh well, everything will get sorted out once I get home. Now that I think of it, where is home?
Indeed, Cobalt was feeling lost in this foreign slice of the jungle, the few landmarks present unrecognizable and meaningless to him.
Maybe if I fly higher, I can see the clearing from here. All I have to look for is a circular patch of treeless turf...
Cobalt angled himself upwards and fought his way above the canopy, immersing himself in the balmy afternoon atmosphere. The brilliant sun beat down on him as he climbed higher and higher, warming every inch of his body equally.
He could now feel the thermals his father had informed him about: rich pockets of heated air that rose from the rainforest like invisible geysers. He threw himself into one and was buoyed up even higher, so high that a vast swath of land flowed out beneath him in every direction.
The entire city of Rio was seated to his right, but he could look past that even further, his vision stretching miles out to sea. Everywhere else was covered in uniformly green foliage.
After being pleasantly awed by the vastness his height had revealed to him, he narrowed his gaze and peered down, scanning delicately for that small patch of land that held his parents' home. He spotted it sitting northeast of his position, a barely observable break in the natural flow of the foliage.
Yes, I found it! I hope I get as much fun out of my descent as I do my ascent...
Tilting himself down, he let gravity do the work, dragging him towards the earth at ever-increasing speeds. The thermals now had no effect, for he simply sliced through them like a feathered blade. He sped through the layers of air so rapidly that his eyes reflexively closed from the irritation of the whistling gases.
After mentally counting to ten, he forced his eyes open to judge his height.
He was alarmingly close to the canopy by now, and despite braking as hard as he could, he crashed into the trees and struck a few branches on the way down. He hit the ground with a dull thud, small twigs and fresh leaves showering down around him.
As soon as the confusion cleared away, he was able to check his body for injuries. After a quick look over, he found none, somewhat justifying the excitement and slight discomfort he had endured.
Yep, I'm definitely just as clumsy as Dad. At least there's no one around to tease me about it, like Mom does to him. Anyways, that was... incredible! The outcome may not be what I wanted, but hey, I had a lot of fun! The clearing has to be close by, though. I was aiming straight for it...
After picking off a few leaves clinging to his feathers, he trotted of to the northwest, quickly finding himself in the all-too-familiar clearing. He glided with excitement over to the sentry-like cannonball tree and plunked himself down inside.
"Hey Mom! Hey Dad! I have really important news... for... you..."
When a reply did not come, he saw first hand the explanation. His mother had his father pinned against the right wall of the hollow, her beak pressed up against his fervently. A stream of pleasurable noises issued from the both of them, but disconcerting to the fairly young macaw.
"Uh, excuse me. Am I interrupting something?" he said with a decent amount of volume.
His father's eyes widened with shock, causing him to sternly push his mother away.
His father collected himself hastily and said, "Uh, hello son. How nice of you to... drop by!"
Cobalt could tell by his labored breathing that he had been having a great time with his mother.
"We're sorry you had to see that, son." she said sheepishly.
He shook his head and replied, "No, it's alright. It's perfectly normal and a vital part of a couple's bond."
"So, what brings you here on this lovely day? Are you still angry with us for what we told you earlier? If you are, we-"
"I'm sorry for cutting you off, Mom, but I am no longer angry. I have something very critical to tell you."
He walked the few paces over to where they stood and drew in a deep breath.
"After I flew off this morning and found a place to calm myself, I was distracted by a noise from somewhere below the cannonball tree I was perched in. When I investigated, I saw a female macaw just like me taking a bath. I felt bad for spying on her, so I tried to get away. Then... hey, is something wrong?"
His parents grew visibly tense as he spoke, inducing a pang of curiosity in him.
"No," said his father hurriedly, "please continue."
He shook his head and motioned for Cobalt to resume his speech.
Cobalt shrugged and said, "I didn't get away, because one the tree's seed pods fell on me and nearly knocked me out."
"Oh my, are you okay? Did you get a concussion?"
"Dad, I'm getting to that!"
"Oh, sorry. I won't interrupt any more."
Cobalt's father made a motion like zipping his beak closed.
Cobalt inhaled once more and continued, "The female macaw found me and helped me clear my head, telling me that I was lucky that the pod fell from a low branch, or I might have been killed. Anyways, she told me her name was Azura, and she invited me to go meet her parents. I went with her, but was a little surprised to find a Scarlet Macaw and a Military Macaw. Scarlet and Ashley were their names, from what I remember. We sat and talked for a few hours, but I found it odd that Azura didn't have much to say. Well, later, Scarlet and Ashley's children showed up, and so we talked some more. I found out that it was already afternoon, and so I left to come see you two."
He paused to let the information soak in, noticing that his parents appeared to be shaking with excitement.
"What an amazing coincidence, son!" shouted his father. "You met one of the females without even trying to! So, what was she like?"
"Well, she was very quiet, but she is so cute nonetheless! I am going to do my best to find out more about her. This girlfriend thing is so much easier than I thought it would be. Still, I have to meet the other female before I make my choice. Do you know who the other girl is?"
"Not much, really," replied Cobalt's mother. "Besides the fact that she's a Spix's Macaw, and that her name is Sapphire."
Hmmm, Sapphire. She may have gotten that name from the color of her feathers, or maybe the color of her eyes...
"How soon can I meet her?"
Both macaws smiled widely and replied, "As soon as you feel comfortable, Cobalt."
"How about... two days from now?"
"That's just fine, son." they replied in unison.
"Great! I'll be looking forward to meeting with this Sapphire character."
"Are you hungry at all? We can all go out and find something to eat."
"No Mom, I'm fine. Scarlet and Ashley shared some starfruit with me."
"Well then," said his father, "Let's hear about your day in more detail. We are so happy for you, and we want to know exactly what went on."
"Uh, sure! I think we should get comfortable, though."
His parents beamed before walking over to their nest and settling down in it, squished together humorously.
They are really proud of me! I know now that I can't judge something that I haven't experienced beforehand. I wonder what Sapphire's like? Timid like Azura, or friendly and bold like... me? I'll have to wait two days to find out...
Cobalt marched over to his snuggling parents, giving them a thorough recollection of the past events.
His mind was constantly buzzing with all that he had absorbed about Azura, and at the same time anxious to meet Sapphire and carry out a comparison.
Would he enjoy a girlfriend with a shy personality like the former to temper his own nature, or a more spirited female like the latter to compliment it?
Only time would tell...