Bia, Carla, Tiago, Azure, Bruno, and Orchid found the Hyacinths easily. They followed the shell call, and the eerie, mechanical chanting. They were directly on the midpoint between the Hyacinths, Red, and Spix's macaw territories, and the six concealed themselves in some ferns, peering out. What they saw shocked them. Bia held onto Azure's wing, tightly, terrified by the scene before her. Over a hundred Hyacinths plagued the clearing, backs to them, unaware that they were being watched. They were prepared to battle.
Bia had heard of an old book, named Lord of the Flies. She had read it once, on their Summer vacation back to Rio, and she had personally thought it to be a good story - but she hadn't appreciated the violent, graphic content. There was something eerily similar about these Hyacinths and the human boys in that book who had given into savagery. The shell, the chants, the body paint, just like in Lord of the Flies. Hyacinths were chanting about spilling blood, breaking bones, and cutting throats. Most of them, anyway. A few standing directly in front of the Spix's concealed spot were either silent, or muttering in discontent.
The chanting Hyacinths were painted, just like in that book. Red and black splotches marked their fronts, while stark white was drawn in such a way that it made them look like skeletons. The white drew in their sternums, their ribs. And many of their faces were almost entirely white - leaving areas around the beak and eyes, like eye sockets in a skull, showing the yellow eye rings and the crescent-moon by their beaks. Some held weapons - but as Bia counted, she noticed that there weren't that many human objects present. She counted seventeen altogether; didn't they have more human weapons? She had sworn that Eduardo said they had hundreds.
Suddenly, the chanting cut off. The Hyacinths were as silent as death, all eyes turned to the front. Immediately, they all bowed deeply - some, nearer the back, with dreary obedience, as if their respect wasn't genuine. The six Spix's macaws had heard stories about Kerja, the deadly matriarch, at how she was ferocious and feared by all. She indeed looked as fierce as they were told. They knew it was her, despite never having seen her in the flesh. Kerja was a particularly large Hyacinth, with impressive body paint that was clearly designed to be superior to her tribe. Her paint was much more precise and detailed than her tribe's, and she also wore a necklace. On the necklace end was a polished, white jaguar tooth, but around nine feathers were tied on either side of the tooth - Bia identified a few, but the last three were what made her heart sink. A pale cerulean, a crimson red, and a blue one with a splash of yellow. Kerja was so confident that she would defeat all three tribes that she had added the feathers to her trophy already. Kerja also had her famous, mangled-looking foot, which clung onto an ancient-looking knife.
"My brothers and sisters. This is a very big day." Kerja was grinning. But there was something strange about that smile - it didn't seem quite sane. And her voice was like splintering wood, with a sickly sweet tone hinted. "Today is going to be the milestone of our lives. What happens today will shape the future of our tribe." The tribe below applauded, before fading away. Kerja stepped forward, her voice changing - it sounded more drone-like, as if she had rehearsed it beforehand. "Just imagine this, all of you. Imagine raising chicks in a ravine. A lush waterfall, with lilypads for them to play on?" Several female macaws sighed wistfully, picturing the ravine in their minds, and their chicks. Kerja then continued. "Alternatively, if water isn't to your liking, you could go to the grand Kapoks. And finally, the Blue-and-Gold territory." At the mention of the Blue-and-Gold tribe, much of the audience began laughing. "Does such a cowardly tribe deserve such glorious surroundings, with abundant fruit and beauty? They should be kicked off the sanctuary. See what effect that has on a weak tribe."
"I can't believe this." Bruno hissed, before falling silent as he realized how close the Hyacinths were. Kerja resumed her speech, the drone in her voice vanishing. Her eyes blazed with determination.
"My dear friends. It is time to set a fire! A time to take what is our birthright! And we will avenge my father, who was killed in cold blood, by none other than Eduardo!" Kerja slammed her knife deep into a tree trunk, eyes ignited with madness and hunger - not physical hunger, but hunger for something else. Bia, Carla, and Tiago remembered it. They had been faced with that foul cockatoo over a year ago, seen the look in his eyes as he looked at Blu. A desperation for vengeance. They looked at each other, thinking the same thing. Now that they thought about it, the mention of her father had been when Kerja showed real passion in her voice. She sounded genuine throughout the speech, but not as much as she did when mentioning avenging her father. This isn't about territory, to her... she wants justice for her father. Could that be it? "We will be safe from human poison, and they will be left to the mercy of the rest of the jungle outside the sanctuary!" Spittle flew as Kerja began shouting. "Tonight, we will carve a scar so deep into their memory that they will not dare speak our name!" Kerja threw out her wings for dramatic effect, and upon this, the tribe began cheering wildly. They were chanting her name over and over, with fierce loyalty and ferocity. The eavesdroppers were in stunned silence. They couldn't believe their ears - especially not what Kerja said next.
"In a few minutes time, we will go to the ravine, and we will strike them! We'll find Eduardo, and Felipe and Johanna! We will drag them to the front of the tribes, and show them what will happen if they stay!"
"Minutes?" Choked Tiago.
"Meanwhile, I will hunt down Eduardo's daughter, and I will kill her before her disease does!" Bia, Carla, and Tiago stiffled cries of protest. Their worlds spun - Kerja wanted to kill Jewel? Why - what had Jewel ever done to her? At first, none of them understood. But then Orchid spoke.
"Of course... if Eduardo killed her father..." Orchid's voice was barely audible. "She'll want to take someone from him."
"We can't let that happen." Said Carla, fiercely, head jolting up. "We just can't. We have to go and warn them." Then their attention was pulled back to Kerja. Someone had lighted down on the branch, was whispering frantically in her ear. There were two, and the six Spix's macaws knew their silhouettes - they held slingshots under their talons. Kerja nodded, before raising her voice again.
"Rodrigo and Consuela here tell me that the tribes have evacuated all their young, and they're moving through the forest right now - headed for the Blue and-Golds." Kerja said, almost casually. The six froze. Azure and Orchid's talons dug into the soil, in fear. Isaac. Bromeliad. Adele. Leti. "I want ten macaws to go and stop them from reaching the Blue-and-Golds. You lot." She waved a wing to some of her tribe, along the right. "Off you go." She nodded, and they vanished into the trees, swiftly.
"Come on, we have to find them -" Azure and Orchid turned to go, but then they all froze as they heard Kerja's voice again.
"My five friends at the back." Kerja said, to some Hyacinths closest to the hiding spot. "You will not be going to the battle, for you will be busy looking after the six spies hidden in the ferns behind you. Keep Eduardo's grandchildren and their three companions company until the battle is over." Bia barely had time to think. Azure had grabbed her, and then the bushes were alive as Hyacinths bursted from the leaves. They flew for their lives, as the remaining tribe of Hyacinths lifted into flight, with one destination in mind.
A few minutes later
"Eduardo! Eduardo!" The voice split the eerie silence of the ravine. Roberto had been in the forest, on guard, watching for signs. Then he had seen it and heard it. Battle cries and chants, and seen the advancing dark blue mass heading their way. His heart was racing with terror. Eduardo looked up, startled, from where he had been discussing fighting tactics. He knew what Roberto had seen. "Eduardo, they're on their way! The trees are moving like crazy, and they're chanting all sorts of -" Roberto looked as though he were about to have a panic attack. His mate was safe, but his kids were in that forest.
Eduardo didn't allow Roberto to finish. He spun round, shouting at the top of his voice. Startled macaws appeared from hollows, dreading the news. "Prepare! Get ready!" He shouted, and then the air was filled with barking orders, red and blue forms. Branches were broken, and were quickly prepared to be used as defence or weapons. Eduardo desperately began trying to think. If they lost this ravine, they lost everything. On his left, Mimi was pacing, trying to find something to do. She couldn't fight to save her life, so, to protect her, Eduardo sent his sister flying for the waterfall cave to hide and guard the eggs.
In his tree, Blu was trying to prevent himself having a panic attack. Blu knew that Kerja knew about Jewel. She wanted Jewel's blood, but he couldn't let that happen. He spun round, racing to Jewel, trying to think. Johanna suddenly burst into the room, hastily, one idea in her mind. "Take her. Hide in the forest until it's over!" Johanna urged, wide-eyed. Blu stared at the Blue-and-Gold macaw.
"What about you? You can't fight. You'll..." his voice faltered. Johanna would be useless in battle, and she would be a target.
"She's more important, Blu." Johanna replied, shaking her head. "Just hide out there, please. I'm guarding the eggs, anyway." That wasn't true. She just wanted to put his mind to ease, so that he could focus on Jewel.
Blu was torn - but then he knew he had to take Jewel to safety. Kerja was coming for her. He nodded, with reluctance. Johanna turned to go. "Johanna -" Blu said, and she looked back. "Be careful. And thank you. I owe you so much." Johanna replied with a smile, before heading outside to tell Eduardo about the plan. Behind him, Jewel began coughing again. She had passed the month mark, and she could go at any time. "Jewel, look at me..." Blu begged, but Jewel didn't show any sign that she had heard. Had she not been breathing, she would've looked dead. He shook his head, tears forming. "I'm going to keep you safe. But you have to hang on... for just a little longer. Promise me." Naturally, he got no verbal response, but one of Jewel's eyes opened a fraction.
Blu picked up Jewel, before flying outside. As he emerged, he saw Eduardo, Mimi and Roberto, with Johanna speaking and indicating toward Blu and Jewel. Their eyes bore into him and Jewel, before they all nodded in unison, all silently telling him the same. Keep her safe. Blu looked down at Jewel, who was unconscious in his talons. She felt dead - he could barely detect her breathing and heartbeat. She was alive, but just. Most of Jewel's skin beneath her feathers was now black. Just looking at her like this broke his heart. Without hesitation, Blu flew for a crack in the back of the ravine, a rarely used entrance. Flying through the rock and emerging in the trees, Blu flew into the dense rainforest, Jewel hanging limply from his talons.