Chapter 10: Calm Before The Storm

(Gabriel's P.O.V.)

I smiled as our friends were coming over, I wonder what Isaac and Romeo will be doing today... they always manage to come up with some brilliant game… but what will Cry- "Who you thinking about Gabriel… are you thinking about your lovey dovey?" Luke taunted, interrupting my happy and peaceful thoughts.

"Please leave me alone Luke…" I managed to say with a small growl, "Just because you don't like someone means you have to be rude to me." he glared at me, but just as he opened his beak, dad flew into the hollow, and I mentally sighed as he landed and walked closer to us. Luke turned around and smiled up and dad, but Luke didn't get to say anything as dad began, "Ok, Blu and Jewel's kids will be here shortly, do you guys want anything to snack on?"

"No papa." Both Luke and I replied. Dad looked at Beleza and asked, "What about you darling?"

"Can I have blackberries papa?"

"Sure, do you want to come with me to get them? Viviana was going to come also…"

Beleza nodded as she walked with papa towards the hollow entrance, and when they were both gone, Luke turned back towards me, but just as he opened his beak, more flapping sounded outside of the hollow, and soon Crystal entered with her brothers Isaac and Romeo. I heard Luke barely mutter, "there she is." I looked away from Crystal, and when I was staring into Luke's smug eyes, I asked, "Why is it you find pleasure in ruining someone's day?" I then turned away and walked closer to the nest, and sat down with my back against it.

When Crystal and Isaac went towards Luke, Romeo looked at me and then back at Luke, and then he started walking towards me. After he was closer, he asked, "Luke being mean again?"

I nodded solemnly as he sat next to me. I was really thinking or doing anything, but I was just watching the little group over by Luke converse. When my eyes roamed towards Crystal, I smiled slightly. I sighed softly, and when I felt a wing nudge mine, I snapped out of it, and saw Romeo grinning widely. He put his beak closer to the side of my head and whispered, "The reason Luke is bothering you is; you like my sister?"

Coughing soon followed, and I looked over at Romeo as he started laughing, but it didn't hurt me the way Luke's laughter did. When he settled down, Crystal was looking over at us while Luke and Isaac only briefly looked over at us. "It is ok; do you want to know something?"

I felt my feathers slowly settling down as I nodded and said, "But only if I won't get embarrassed."

Romeo chuckled as he once again brought his head closer, "I can't guarantee that, but I can guarantee that Crystal also li-"

"What are you guys talking about?" we turned and saw Crystal standing there with a curious expression. Instantly I felt my face heating up, but luckily Crystal didn't notice as Romeo said, "we were just talking about the beach."

"Oh, well mind if I join you guys? Luke and Isaac are talking about mud pits…"

Romeo nodded as Crystal sat down, right next to me. I smiled nervously as she lightly leaned against me and Luke asked, "So, when was the last time you went to the beach Gabriel?"

I chuckled nervously as I remembered that day, and I shivered violently before I shut out the memory, and Crystal pulled away and looked towards me with concern as I said, "Well… it wasn't a very pleasant one… can we actually talk about something else?"

Romeo looked like he wanted to pursue the question that was nagging him now, but the way that it had affected Gabriel had dissuaded him from doing so. Instead, he then asked, "Well, then, how have you been?" when he finished, Crystal once again leaned lightly next to me, and I said, "Bored… Luke isn't much fun, and Beleza doesn't always do what we do… and dad hasn't been the same…"

Crystal giggled quietly as she said, "You should've seen what Isaac and Romeo had done yesterday…"

"No… I don't think he would like to hear that… please…" Romeo said as his feathers started to rise up, as did my curiosity. Crystal giggled again and said, "Isaac had been sleeping when Romeo dropped a leaf of water on him… before mama or papa could do anything, he was out the door, and so was Isaac… I had been outside, so when I saw them flying fast outside, I thought we were going somewhere…"

Romeo groaned as she continued, "But when mama came outside angry, I knew we weren't, instead, I saw Romeo look back at Isaac, and when he wasn't looked forward, he crashed into this lady that was a sun canure… but that wasn't the funny part…" I looked over at Romeo, and saw him rubbing the side of his face, and then I looked at Crystal, and she finished, "he ended up smooching her as the crashed into a few leaves… so instead of just Isaac, he was flying away from that lady also… but he ended up crashing into Isaac before he could get far… so, when the lady caught up, she slapped Romeo here… and by that time, mama had shown up…" by this point she was also laughing. I couldn't help but chuckle…

(Arien's P.O.V.)

I was currently standing on a branch near the edge of the forest, and I watched as Wolf started to fly back towards his den where three other light blue chicks had flown into. It seems I'm going to have some snacks later on tonight… these chicks will be the last time I eat so late, I need to lose this fat… I looked down at my belly, and while it wasn't as bulbous as the lazy birds of this jungle, I had gained a pound of fat, and I didn't like it very much… I was mostly muscle, and even a little bit of fat was a nuisance to me.

I will attack at night, to minimize the chance that i can fail… and to increase the surprise on my targets… and snacks.

When I chuckled, I could feel the cold air near me slowly slink outwards and away from me, and then I heard a quiet cracking sound below me, and I instantly stopped as my head shot down, and I saw a nicely sized mouse scampering across leaves that had littered the jungle floor. I smiled maliciously as I jumped off the branch and raced towards the unsuspecting mouse. I guess I can fill up with a small mouse for now…

A loud squeak accompanied by the satisfying sound of a crack echoed between the trees surrounding me, and then I began my meager meal…

A.N.: this is an extremely short chapter for my standards, but next chapter starts off with a lot more action planned for it, and I mean a LOT more, oh, and a cute romantic life-on-the-line moment too… XD