Chapter 5: Remorse

(Ray's P.O.V.)

The sun was shining brightly and the jungle was in a full swing of happiness as I was flying through it; and towards back home. The mango in my talons was a reminder that I should hurry, since Beck hadn't eaten yet, and she had shooed her mate away for the day. I hadn't been too pleased when I found out Wolf had left his chicks at his friends hollow all of a sudden, but since I didn't know where 'said' friends were, I couldn't ask them myself.

Ah, there it is… the tree and the hollow where Wolf had helped us get too. So much more to be done than back up north… I wonder how dear Victor is holding off up there. When I slowly landed in the hollow, I smiled widely towards Beck and Reilla. I put the mango nearby and opened my beak and looked at Beck, "Have you seen your sister lately? I have wanted to see how she is doing."

"Dad, you know how Wolf is… he is probably just been out with them for a while now. Last time I heard they all went to the sanctuary to help out, but they had gotten locked in on accident." She giggled sweetly towards the end. I chuckled also, but when I looked towards Reilla, she was sighing as she shook her head. I dropped my smile slightly and when over to her and asked, "Dear, what seems to be the problem?"

"Nothing, nothing… well… I had a bad dream last night, about Azure."

I cocked my head to the side, and said, "A bad dream? What happened…?"

She looked away from my eyes, and said, "She died in my dream, because she had gotten hurt badly…" I stepped back slightly, but she quickly turned to look at me before saying hastily, "but it can't be real, she has Wolf to protect her anyways. Right?"

*sigh* "Yes, she does. It was even absurd of me to think anything like that could happen while Wolf is around her, and they ever hardly separate…" I stated. I looked back towards the open sky, and just as I was about to turn around, I saw a bird flying towards us, but it had dark blue feathers, with a purple chest, never seen that coloration before, I wonder who it can be if they are coming here. We don't know many birds yet… ok, they look familiar… is, that… "Wolf?"

(Wolf's P.O.V.)

I had cleaned and wrapped Azure's body in a new clean white shirt I had found in my backpack, and I had cleaned myself also after shifting back into a bird. I couldn't get the blood stain from my chest out, but I didn't really care, all I knew, was my heart had been smashed, and then burned, before being ground to dust. I had brought the boys over to Blu and Jewel's hollow, but I had ignored their questions. I even remembered how Jewel had come outside…

-FLASHBACK-

"Wolf, what happened? You and Azure didn't come back last night, and when you do so, you bring your sons, but no Azure."

"I don't want to talk about it, please." I barely whispered out, I was fighting my hardest not to cry.

Jewel walked in front of me before placing her sky blue wings on my shoulders and asking again, "What happened Wolf? It will only hurt more if you keep the pain inside. Is she hurt?"

I gazed deep into her blue eyes, and upon seeing all the emotions I always saw in Azure's eyes, I felt the breath catch in my throat; and I choked back a sob. A few tears formed in my eyes, and I barley whispered out, "She died…"

The initial realization caused Jewel to stumble back slightly, and when she did, I looked down and felt the tears sliding down my feathers and landing on the trunk below, and I whispered out, "I w… will be back l-later… I need s-some time."

-END FLASHBACK-

Guess I should start going to tell dad and them… *sigh* just if this wasn't hard enough… I stood up, and looked back at the nest where I had set Azure's body, but turned towards the entrance and flew away, and towards our parents hollow, and was emotionally preparing myself. My dreams had been wracked from talking with Angel and Azure in a pearly white place, but I had felt sadness emanating from both of them, but Angel had voiced his disappointment, saying how I had 'spoiled my chance of reviving Azure.' I had been so angry in my dream, but when I felt a flash of white shooting through my head, I had seen what Angel had meant, so my anger and sadness multiplied upon realization of my stupid mistake, along with how I could have saved Azure.

I saw dad standing in his hollow looking outside, but when his head turned towards me, I felt a cringe go through my chest and down to my tail feathers, but I kept flying. I was getting closer and closer, and when I saw his beak move, I could only guess who he was talking to. Well, here I go…

Landing in dads hollow could have been harder, but I didn't want to seem like I was incapable, even though I feel like it without Azure… dad, mom, and Beck were all staring at me in shock, or more pacifically, my chest. I had managed to clean everywhere else except my wingtips, so I now was a stranger looking Hyacinth macaw. I was my usual blue everywhere else, but my wingtips and chest were stained with blood, but it wasn't red, but purple feathers now.

"Wolf, I'm glad to see you, but why are some of your feathers purple?" Dad asked. I felt the lower part of my beak tremble slightly as I thought of how to answer that, but I couldn't, so I looked away from his questioning eyes, and was met instead by moms eyes, and she asked, "W-Wolf dear… w-where's Azure?"

I backed up as I hung my head limply, and even when I thought I couldn't anymore, I started to cry. I didn't want to meet any of their gazes, so I whispered, "I couldn't save her… not this time…"

Beck gasped, and I heard her ask, "W-What d-do you m-m-mean?"

I looked up towards her worried gaze, and then looked into moms worried eyes, and finally into dads concerned ones. I choked back a sob, and whispered even quieter, even though it sounded like I shouted it, "I couldn't save her… this time… she… d… d-died…"

The sound of glass breaking, cannons being fired, and a heavy raincloud bursting and letting out all its rain all occurred in my head as I started crying and sobbing loudly. I felt someone wrap me in their wings, and without looking up, I wrapped my wings around them and shoved my face into their feathers. As I continued to cry, I felt the other bird rubbing my back gently.

When I was calmed down a little bit more, I sniffled and pulled away as I felt the wings loosen up slightly. When I was a fair amount away, I looked up, and was surprised to see Beck was the one who had comforted me. I stepped back slightly and spoke as I sadly looked between the occupants, "I have Azure's body, and I will be hosting a funeral type event later today…"

Beck looked at me with a question in her eyes while sadness still dominated her features, and she asked, "What is a Funeral?"

I sighed sadly before saying, "It is a human tradition of honoring dead ones, mostly those that have earned your respect, family, or out of courtesy. I will be back, I need to go get my chicks and bring them home. I will be digging the grave at the base of my tree…" I looked towards Beck again and said, "A grave is where we bury Azure's body…"

Beck managed to smirk slightly, and whispered, "I already knew that one…"

I backed away, and looked towards dad, and he asked, "But why is your chest and wingtips purple?"

Looking away, I murmured, "It's Azure's blood that I couldn't get out." And I turned around, and flew back towards my tree, where I had a shovel awaiting… I borrowed it from Túlio's sanctuary.

(3rd Person P.O.V.)

The family and friends of the recently deceased Azure gathered near the base of Wolf's tree base. Wolf was still in bird form, so as he was speaking, most the expressions were downcast, but none more so than Wolf's and his children's faces. "Does anyone else have anything they wish to add?"

Wolf looked out and over the small assemblage of avian creatures, and he sighed one last time before he shifted into a human, frightening a few of the friends that hadn't known of his unique gift, and his children seemed to cower back slightly before being reassured by their grandfather.

Wolf stuck the shovel into the ground, and put his foot on the top before pushing down, and the cold metal slid into the ground easily, and crumbled as he scooped it out. He kept digging until he had reached two feet underground, and was move than big enough for his best friend, and mates', body to fit into the small grave. When he set the shovel aside, Wolf kneeled down, and motioned to his chicks to come closer. They slowly came forward, still frightened by this bigger version of their father, but simultaneously, a voice whispered into their heads 'Don't be afraid my children, your father will always protect you…'

They didn't know where the voice had come from, but it sounded very similar to their mothers' voice, but now they confidently walked up to their father. He smiled as he rubbed each one of them along their backs, just how he would for Azure, and he whispered to them, "Your mother may have died, but I can assure you that she will always be here," Wolf pressed a finger to each chicks chest, "…in your heart…"

Wolf sighed sadly as he removed his fingers from them, and gently picked up Azure's body, and maneuvered it above the grave, and gently placed her body within it. Before he withdrew his hand, it felt like a soft wing was dragged across his face, and he heard a voice in his head, watch over our children dear, I love you… "I love you too Azure." Wolf barely whispered, and as he pulled his hand out of the grave, he gently rubbed his hand past her face. He looked up into the sky, and saw a faint white glimmer a dozed feet above the ground, and said, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you better baby…"

(Azure's P.O.V.)

Even though I may not be part of the living, I was able to gaze down upon the scene of my burial. The angel next to me, known simply as Angel, had granted me enough time to see my burial, but no one would be able to see me, only hear my voice if I wished for them too. I looked over at him and asked, "May I go down there?"

Angel looked at me and smiled before he said, "Yes, you may."

I nodded as I flew down towards Wolf, and took notice of how the wind was blowing his hair around; yet I didn't feel any wind blowing.

Landing gently next to him, i saw him look at me, my soul self, but then he looked past me, and towards our children. I saw him motion towards them, but when they stepped forward, they did so hesitantly. I giggled softly and said, "Don't be afraid my children, your father will always protect you…"

After I had said that, I felt as if I drained of energy, but I saw my chicks eyes look side to side, as if looking for me, but they started to walk forward with much more confidence.

When they reached Wolf, I walked away and looked over my deceased body, and saw how my smile was still plastered on my beak; the memory of my dying breath was me kissing Wolf made me blush. I smiled happily as I saw Wolf grab my body, sliding his hand through my soul, but he lowered my body into the grave. I smiled happily as I looked up at Wolf, and I gently caressed his cheek with my wing, and I said, "Watch over our children dear, I love you…" and with that, I started to turn away, and fly back up to Angel.

I turned around just as I heard Wolf's voice, and I could've sworn it felt like my heart jumped in my throat as he was looking straight at me, and he said, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you better baby…" the emotion I felt right then made me want to fly back down and give him the biggest hug and kiss I could, but I knew that I couldn't physically do that, so I turned back around, and kept flying up to Angel, who cleared his throat and said, "So little time, yet so well spent… I'm sorry I wasn't able to save you, but after Wolf killed Nigel, no matter how sadistic that bird was, he still tainted his soul with another's blood, the wrong way."

"I understand… I just wish there was a way I could've remained with Wolf… I love him more than anything I ever know… except blackberries." I playfully added, eliciting a chuckle from Angel. He seemed to be looking thoughtful as I looked away. "Well… there is one way…"

My head spun towards Angel's direction so fast I became slightly dizzy, and I asked in total disbelief, "WHAT?"

A.N.: OK, here goes this chapter. The next chapter is finished, but I will upload it after I get back from my trip, so you will have plenty of time to review.

What is Angel planning, or got in mind? XD