Jewel's eyes remained closed, but a new look appeared on her face. It was a frown. Something bizarre was happening. For almost a month, she had been in constant, agonizing pain that got worse as more time passed. It begun from her foot, the wounded one with which she had stepped into the sick Orange-Winged Amazon's blood. She remembered stepping on that thorn beforehand, and the little scab that had come with it - that little wound had exposed her. But now, Jewel sensed that it was slowly shrinking. The disease had been in every corner of her body, from head to talon, but now it was all seeping away, toward her injured foot.
All the pain was leaking away, all the sickness she had felt - the sensation within her skull, as though it were filled with insects, was gone. Blu watched, in amazement, as the black skin under Jewel's feathers sank down to her foot. Then, from that wound, something black and surrounded by a fierce, glowing blue shell came out. The black was tiny, and was shrinking as the blue shell ate it away. Finally, the orb vibrated, and then it froze, all traces of black gone. Then the orb began to evaporate, almost - it spread a few centimetres, before it finally faded from existence. Blinking, Blu turned over Jewel's talon, looked at the wound - the scab shrank into itself, until it was gone. Even the dried blood that had stained the area around her eyes, beak and ears was vanished.
Jewel then opened her eyes. She blinked a few times, not quite believing what had just happened - then she turned her head, saw a blurry, yet rapidly clearing outline. As her vision completely cleared, she knew who it was at her side. "Blu?" She asked, in the voice she hadn't used for a month. It was strong, just like how she used to speak.
"Jewel?" Blu asked, still looking full of disbelief. Strength filling her bones, Jewel leapt to her talons. Finally, Blu realized that this was all real, not a dream. "Jewel!" He exclaimed, running toward her with outstretched wings. Jewel rushed to her mate, who picked her up by the waist and swung her above him. When her talons touched the ground again, Jewel flung her wings around him, eyes closed. She couldn't believe how well she felt - it was as though she had never been sick.
"What... what happened?" She asked, holding his face, before giving him a kiss. Blu, with delight, held up a bag, made of sewn pieces of sack.
"Our kids." He said. "I didn't see Carla and Tiago, but Bia said they were helping the evacuated kids - they all went to Peru and found the flower, Jewel. I know, it's a myth, but it's not!" He held up the remains of a flower stalk. Jewel gazed at it, not believing it.
"Unbelievable... I have to see them, and Dad, and Mimi -"
"Um..." Blu shuffled his talons. Jewel then remembered, and her high spirits fell flat.
"The battle?" She asked, in bewilderment. Blu nodded with a sombre look. She frowned, and looked around. "I passed out after Kerja found us..." Jewel then looked up at Blu, seeing his mortified expression. "Oh, no... what happened after I passed out?"
Meanwhile
Bia flew after Kerja and Azure, not once looking back or slowing down. This couldn't happen. They had just saved Jewel, but she couldn't lose Azure. Not now, not ever. "Let him go!" She pleaded, trying to keep up - but she was useless. Her small wings didn't get her anywhere fast, and Kerja's wings were practically monstrous in size. Bia had no chance of catching up with Kerja and Azure, who was locked in the Hyacinth's grasp. Soon, they were out of her sight.
Azure struggled fiercely in Kerja's talons, which were digging so hard into him they were drawing blood. He bit back a cry of pain; he couldn't look weak and scared in front of Kerja, so he began shouting every curse he knew, the ones his mother cuffed him with her wing for. Kerja was breathing rapidly, as though she were panicking. "I'm telling you now, you murderous, vile -" Azure had a wide choice of what to call Kerja, but struggled in picking one. "Thing!" He decided. "If you don't let me go -" suddenly, Kerja let out an outraged squawk. She seized him, turning him upwards and yanking him up to her face. Azure flinched, afraid and disgusted as splittle flew into his eyes.
"I'm telling you now! If you don't let me go!" Kerja mimicked, furiously. Azure felt her claws embedding into his neck, and his talons reached up in an attempt to pry them away, but Kerja's grip was iron. Kerja began talking very quickly, her voice becoming more high-pitched and uncontrolled with each word. "You are a horrible species!" Kerja declared. "You ruin everything - you help each other! Why on earth would you help Jewel, the daughter of a murderer?"
"Eduardo isn't a murderer!" Azure retorted, bravely. "And of course I'd help her! We're not selfish - we look out for each other, unlike your species!"
"It was the perfect plan!" Kerja went on, totally ignoring him. "I kill Jewel, and devastate that wretched family! I would've killed all those precious to Eduardo, made him feel the grief I felt, until I would've killed him! And kids like you ruin everything!" Kerja was beginning to really frighten Azure, now. She squinted down at him. "I know you... you're one of what's his name and Sophia's lot, aren't you? That's great. Your momma thought her family was off the hook after she got out -"
"What?" Asked Azure, startled. "What did you do to my mom?"
"Shut it!" Kerja snapped; then the sounds of battle filled Azure's ears. Why had Kerja brought him to the ravine? Azure writhed in Kerja's claws as she entered the battle scene from the trees. They flew down the cliff, unnoticed - then Kerja threw him down, onto a large rock ledge. Before he could move, though, her talons slammed onto the back of his neck, dragged him painfully to his feet. Kerja then wrenched his head back, and her pocket knife blade pressed against his throat. Azure froze.
"Enough!" Kerja screeched, in an ear-shattering voice. Everyone stopped fighting - even the Hyacinths. They all turned to see where Kerja's voice had come from, and saw what was going on. "Every single one of you mangy Spix's and Red macaws drop your weapons and look this way - or his head comes off!"
No, no! Thought Azure, in terror. Not only was he petrified, but terribly ashamed. Was his tribe about to be driven out because of him? At first, nothing happened, for nobody recognized the macaw Kerja held. But then someone did. Roberto shoved through the crowd.
"Azure!" Roberto shouted, darting forwards, but then Hyacinths launched themselves forwards, seizing his wings to hold him back. Roberto struggled fiercely, desperate to reach his son, but then one Hyacinth held a knife to his throat.
"Back up, man." It hissed. Roberto refused, still trying to free himself and get to Azure.
"I'm alright, dad, just -" Azure tried to finish his sentence, but Kerja pressed the blade harder, so that a thin trail of blood began to run, and he didn't say speak anymore. Felipe flew to Roberto, whispering in his ear.
"Look, if you do something stupid, she might kill him before you can save him. Just back off." He advised, looking anxious. Roberto looked as though he were about to protest, before looking back at Azure with a pained expression. Azure tried to nod slightly, but stopped when Kerja's blade cut further.
"Dad, please, listen." Azure said, quietly. "Do it." Roberto didn't move for along time. Then, slowly, he backed away to hover by Felipe and Azalea. He didn't take his mortified expression off Azure.
"That's better. Now, where is he?" Kerja snarled, eyes raking through the crowd. Slowly, some macaws separated, as Eduardo flew to the front of the sea of birds. He looked at Kerja and Azure; then he looked around the ravine. If Azure was here, that meant the rest of them, and his grandchildren, could be here. He scolded himself privately for thinking about his own priorities - Azure's life was in the talons of a murderer and maniac. "Listen up! You have a choice. You can give me Eduardo and I'll let this poor boy go. Or you can keep your murderer leader and I can cut this kid's head off." Neither Spix's or Red tribe moved. Roberto looked horrified; but then his eyes slowly moved to Eduardo. He was thinking about it, and he wasn't the only one.
"Eduardo..." Mimi whispered to herself, from the waterfall cave. She was watching with the other guards, horrified by what they saw. "You can't..."
"Eduardo, I strongly don't think you should..." someone tried to say, but Eduardo held up his wings.
"No. It's my fault we're all here, so I must be the one to pay the price." Eduardo said, shaking his head. He looked across the ravine - before he flew through his stunned tribe. Hyacinths swarmed forwards, surrounding him. Eduardo managed to conceal his fear, and looked out, trying to look unafraid. "Now, Kerja - you have what you want. Let Azure go." But Kerja didn't. Her grip on Azure didn't subdue, and the blade still pressed against his neck. Azure clenched his beak, and trembled.
"Kerja..." Roberto said, slowly. Kerja didn't move.
"I'm going to show you something, Roberto. This is what would've happened to your little mate, had you not saved her." Azure didn't know what they had done to Sophia. But he knew what Kerja was going to do. He gasped, and began struggling and trying not to burst into tears. Roberto screeched, and launched himself forward, but Hyacinths leapt forward and restrained him. Eduardo tried to act, but a weapon was held to his throat. "Say goodbye to your -" but Kerja didn't finish. A line of two or three dozen macaws appeared along the cliff tops, blue and yellow, with green heads. Johanna let out a squawk, before the line of Blue-and-Gold macaws surged into the ravine, throwing fruit at the Hyacinths.
Kerja gasped, seeing the newcomers. Azure finally saw an opportunity, and shoved the knife away from his throat, breaking free. Roberto tried to reach his son, aided by Eduardo, but they could not, as Hyacinths did their best to keep them back. Azure tried to make a break for it, but Kerja grabbed him before he could, and threw him against the rock face. Azure groaned, feeling the pain in his head - then his life flashed before him as Kerja rose the knife.
Bia finally reached the ravine, panting and out of her mind with worry. At first, she was bewildered by what was going on. Fruit flew from Blue-and-Gold macaw talons, hitting Hyacinths and sending them fleeing, while Spix's and Reds continued fighting. She was relieved to see that more and more Hyacinths were flying from the battle - then something below her caught her eye. Kerja was standing over Azure, with her knife in talon.
Bia didn't think - she just threw herself down the cliff face, wings folded against her, diving toward Kerja. She crashed onto the Hyacinth, who, in surprise, dropped the knife. It clattered across the stone, coming to rest at the edge. Kerja staggered away, picking it back up before it fell, and turned to see what she was dealing with. Bia was helping Azure to his feet, and, forgetting Kerja, hugged him. "Azure, are you okay?" She asked, looking down at the wound on his neck. Azure was nodding frantically.
"I know you." Kerja interrupted. Bia and Azure turned to face her. Kerja's maddened eyes were fixed on Bia. "You're Eduardo's granddaughter, aren't you?" Bia looked at Azure, bewildered. He stared back. Before they could move, Kerja sprang forward, stabbing and slashing wildly with her knife. Azure shoved Bia, and they both fell to the floor. Kerja tried again, but Bia and Azure rolled in opposite directions, and instead of flesh, the knife hit a crack in the stone ledge. The knife had come down with such a force it was now wedged there, and Kerja couldn't pull it free. She struggled in vain, trying with both talons, but it didn't give. She glared at it in frustration - she'd deal with it later.
Giving up, Kerja whirled back round, towering over Bia. Bia lay there on the floor, cowering in fear, but then Azure leapt up, clawing Kerja on the back of the head. Enraged, Kerja tore her eyes from Bia, turning and launching herself at the young male. Bia's instinct was to attack Kerja to help Azure, but then she caught sight of the knife, sticking from the rock crack. Desperate, Bia ran to it, scrabbling at pebbles, roots, and traces of soil to try and loosen the blade from the rock crevice, glancing from it to Kerja and Azure, who were now rolling across the rock ledge, claws flying.
Bia could hear the shouting voices of Eduardo and Roberto, telling them both to flee, but by now, the blade had loosened from the crack. Bia seized the handle, and began pulling with all her might. At first, the knife didn't move, but then it began to shudder and give way. Finally, Bia freed the blade from the rock crack, and she held the pocket knife up. It didn't feel natural, at all. It was sinister and didn't belong here, but it was the only defence they had. She turned, holding it up.
"Kerja!" Bia said, sharply. Kerja looked over her shoulder, from where she was facing Azure, then she looked mortified, seeing what Bia had. She blinked several times.
"You little -" Kerja began, but then Azure threw himself at her chest. Kerja lost her balance and went flying, and was knocked onto her back. But before she could get up, Bia sprang to her neck, and pressed the knife to her windpipe - she didn't want to kill her, but Bia had to immobilize her somehow. Bia pressed the blade as hard as she dared, flinching as it cut into Kerja's neck - but she had to do it. Two teenagers obviously wouldn't be able to pin her down any other way, so doing something like this would stop her moving. Kerja couldn't move anywhere or push Bia away without the knife cutting dangerously. Kerja froze - and so did the battle. Hyacinths turned, and so did the other three tribes. Instead of flying over to help their matriarch, the Hyacinths didn't move. Bia looked up, looking over the crowd. Maybe this could end peacefully.
"Don't any of you realize that she's using you?" She shouted. Bia looked down at Kerja. She had to convince these Hyacinths that their leader wasn't as genuine as she made out. "She doesn't truly want territory for you all - that just comes with it. She only wants you all to risk your lives in driving out the other tribes, so that she can find an excuse for revenge! Can't you all see it?" Bia hoped they would see sense in her words. She looked at Eduardo. "My grandfather made a terrible mistake - he didn't do it out of spite. You need to all see that - there is no need for fighting. There is plenty of free land in the sanctuary - it's not all ours. You can all live in safety, without bloodshed."
"She's lying!" Kerja protested, but there was unmistakable guilt in her voice. The Hyacinths in the crowd, however, were glued to Bia. Some looked unconvinced. But there were others who looked angry - their glares directed at Kerja. Bia felt some hope - could this end it all?
Bia rose her voice again. "All of you. You must go and live normal lives - because she isn't normal. Honestly, she's just a fake. She doesn't really care." This was enough to convince the doubtful crowd members. Kerja looked horrified as her tribe members turned, and flew for the entrance, dropping their human weapons into the plunge pool below.
"You traitors!" Kerja roared, struggling against Bia and Azure, but was unsuccessful, too afraid of the knife on her throat - it was dangerously close to a main artery, but Bia was careful. Bia and Azure overlooked the crowd; now, the other tribes outnumbered the remaining Hyacinths. They could drive the rest out easily.
"It's over, Kerja." Bia said, simply. "Just go home." She then caught sight of the tooth, and feathered necklace - the ones of tribes Kerja had driven out. Bia felt a wave of disgust. She moved the blade away from Kerja's throat, and, without hesitation, severed the necklace string. Without taking her eyes off Kerja and Azure, Bia threw both the necklace and the knife over her shoulder. The two items fell through the air, and, after a few moments, Bia heard the splash of water as they hit the surface of the plunge pool. She looked over the edge, and watched them sink from sight. There was a long silence.
"Let's go, Bia." A wing touched her shoulder, and Bia turned to look at Azure. He looked nervously at Kerja, who was staring at Bia as though she were a ghost. Bia had destroyed her trophy necklace, and her last memory of her father.
Bia nodded at Azure, and they both walked toward the rock edge, preparing to fly. Behind them, however, Kerja had silently risen to her feet. She looked at Eduardo, who was looking at his granddaughter in relief. She felt a flash of outrage. Without thinking, Kerja ran toward Bia, wings and talons outstretched. Bia heard the sound of talons, and turned to look, and let out a startled cry as Kerja crashed into her. Azure was alarmed by the commotion at his side, but when he looked, his alarm turned to pure horror. He leapt forward, reached for Bia's wing, but missed by centimetres. Bia and Kerja toppled over the edge of the rock, and began plummeting. Bia tried to free herself of Kerja's grasp, but she couldn't. Kerja's talons were holding onto her wing, and she was trying to break it, twisting and pulling at it. Luckily, her wing didn't break, but Kerja still didn't release her.
"Let me go!" Bia cried, but Kerja refused, with a face filled with mania. Bia clawed at her, but it wasn't enough. Kerja held her up to her face, screeching at her as they fell.
"If I can't kill your mother, I'll kill you!" She declared. Before Bia could reply, however, she and Kerja plunged into the water below.