CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The shrieking wind began to fall silent as the storm slackened and slowly began to die off. Having rampaged for most of the afternoon, the powerful winds drifted into silence and the rain slowed coming to a near stop. The thick black clouds which gave off the false impressions of night began to drift apart and break up allowing a few beams of sunlight to pierce through and warm up the ground once more. Birds chirped as they came out from their shelters and studied the ground which now rested forever separated from the trees in which they came from. The earth almost seemed to bulge upwards, eternally damaged from the storm. Every bird that came out to survey the damages drew their attention to the sky and witnessed a fabulous rainbow arched over them.

Each color stood unfaded and clear as day. In that one solitary moment, all of their fears subsided. A soothing sense of calm emerged. Luciano stepped out onto the branch just underneath his hollow. He eyed the clearing sky and let out a sigh of relief. The grotto which served as his home remained relatively untouched for the most part. Unlike the rest of the jungle, no serious damage could be seen with his own eyes. His beak curled into a pleasant smile. He shifted his attention towards the rest of the birds under his care. They all stepped out from their hollows and stood in relief that they survived and were indeed safe. The sound of the tornado filled them with fear and dread, but now they didn't need to worry. Several wives hugged their mates in relief. Tears fell down the crevices of their faces as they contemplated the situation. The husband could do nothing except wrap their wings around them in reassurance. They continued to watch the sky and spotted the rainbow. Luciano followed their gaze and saw it for himself. The truly amazing attributes of nature shined forth in a single arch of colored light. He spread his wings and let the breeze sweep across his body.

"I always loved the smell of the air right after a storm." He sighed. He took another deep breath inwards and let the damp air filter through his nostrils. The fresh aroma of water filled his sense of smell, which in turn filled him with a sense of prolonged peace. He closed his eyes and stood motionless for a couple of seconds. He failed to hear a macaw named Lucas creep up from behind.

"Enjoying the weather?" Lucas asked, stopping once he reached his Chieftain's side. "It turned into a peaceful night, didn't it?"

Luciano opened his eyes and let out a heartfelt sigh. He peered back at the male Military Macaw with his peripheral vision. He nodded his head in reply and let his smile deepen for a moment before turning serious and going straight for the point he needed to address.

"Look at them, Lucas," he said raising his wings and pointing out towards all of the creatures nestled around the grotto. "They're scared, all of them… the men… the women… they all could have been hurt today. If things would have played out for the worse, we wouldn't have been able to do anything. We must think of a way to help them and restore their confidence in how safe our society is."

Lucan nodded his head. He could see the look upon the Chieftain's face. It ruled with an all-serious nature which could not be shaken. He peered back only once, long enough to see the surprised look upon the Hawk's face.

"I am going to go and see if I can help out with something. It would be best if you go and help Maria with the Hawk's recovery. Believe me, he will need all the help he can get."

Luciano nodded his head and turned his back. He headed towards the hollow. A warm smile appeared on his face. "That is a good idea, thank you, my friend."

#

Marco proved to be a devious creature. He pretended to be fast asleep within the comforts of a homemade nest though through the tiny slits of his eyelids he kept a careful watch on everything that happened. The female macaw who treated his injuries was a beautiful creature though a little misguided and gullible. Her bright cerulean feathers sparkled like diamonds. Her blackish beak and feathers nestled under her wings gave off little indication of the blue that they naturally were. She shifted a wing across his body, studying the wounds with a careful eye. She wiped the blood with her free wing while nursing it with the other. Marco would have cracked a smile, but he feared that any movement would give away his deception and he could not have that, not until he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he could act upon his murderous instincts. Instead, he just laid there and let the female mumble to herself as she continued to survey the severity of his injuries.

"How is he, my dear?"

Marco shifted his attention towards the sound of the newcomer's voice. He wanted the shudder as he sighted the large familiar figure of his tyrant of a father walking towards him. He still resembled his old overly confident self complete with a no-nonsense attitude. From his past experiences with him, he certainly was not a foolish creature like his mate, in fact, he had only won their previous encounter due to him attacking while the creature was in a deep sleep. His mind thought about his plan. Would he be able to succeed in winning this particular Hawk over? What of his memory? Would Sabrina's hypnotic influence remain within the Hawk's mind? And if not, how could he take him out? His dark black feathers almost glistened like a beacon giving off an unusual glare against the sun. Marco found himself shutting his eyes tight to avoid being blinded by the strange occurrence. He cursed in the back of his mind and kept his body from making any sudden moves. He knew now beyond any doubt that he needed these creatures as friends… at least for the moment. Some sixth sense worked into the back of his mind, whispering the truth of who these two birds were and the role they would play in the upcoming events. They alone held the key to Rico's fate. The hybrid bird needed to be sold into slavery. He alone was his intended target.

"He seems to be doing just fine." She said in a confident voice. "I think you may have miscalculated the severity of his wounds. He doesn't appear to be in any danger of losing his life. In fact, he is and always has been quite stable. The only thing wrong with him is he lost some feathers and some blood."

Luciano seated himself, his tail feathers shifted across the wooden flooring of the hollow. He frowned and took in those words and studied his son for just a quick moment. He could see the steady pace of him breathing as well as the terrified look on his beak.

"Do you suppose that he is faking?" he asked, "So we could shower him with attention because he is jealous of Rico? If that is the case, then he is only setting us up and trying to make us look like fools."

Maria shook her head and placed a wing upon the hawk's chest. She could feel his heartbeat and his strong pulse. She frowned as she contemplated that possibility. She shook her head. As hard as she tried, she couldn't see that as a valid decision. She voiced her thoughts on that subject.

"I just can't see that. He was lying in the middle of the jungle. He would he know that we would even find him? There are lots of predators out there even venomous snakes and spiders. Do you think he would really gamble with his own life like that?"

Luciano wanted to protest but found himself unable to do so. Maria drew a single wing to his beak stopping any words whether kind or fowl from emerging. He felt his face go warmer. He couldn't stop himself from blushing in embarrassment. He knew the reason why he felt so cautious around the hawk. He didn't trust the hawk species or their spiritual beliefs.

"You are having second thoughts about his behavior, aren't you?" Maria teased, nudging him with her free wing. She arched a curious eyebrow and forced a sly smile. Luciano could not form any words. He found himself tongue-tied and embarrassed. How could he admit that he felt insecure around his own son or that some sixth sense warned him that something just did not feel right?

"No, it's just that there is something about all of this that I just can not explain. His name is on Five Man's Tomb, it split in half, and then we just happen to find him out in the jungle. I have all these memories, but they just randomly appeared. My head feels like it is swimming. I think he needs to prove himself to me… it is time for Marco to grow up a little bit and earn his father's respect. But perhaps we should discuss this a little later in private. I don't want to give him the wrong impression should he wake up."

Luciano placed a wing around his mate and pulled her from the hollow. He eyed the hawk one final time making sure he was not conscious. He needed to discuss the situation now before anything else happened. One mistake would threaten the security of his family, destroy the trust they have for one another and be the downfall to everything he had worked so hard for since his redemption. He needed to make sure that his wife shared the same idea as he did. He needed to make sure she wouldn't do anything foolish.

Marco watched them go; he waited a couple of minutes to make sure that he really was alone. Without a word he got up onto his talons and stared around at his surroundings for the first time with wide-open eyes. He slammed a wing against the nearest wall and cursed aloud. His eyes darkened with vengeful fury and hatred towards his father. He paced around the hollow and watched a gathering of small round Puffball birds who watched him out of curiosity.

"Damn him to hell, he is actually resisting Sabrina's mind probe. If he breaks free and realizes the truth towards everything, he will only make everything more difficult for me. He needs to be the first one I win over; the rest will fall like a house of cards but how do I manage this task?"

He chuckled to himself and pounced through the air, landing on the head of a small Puffball bird. He clutched the small creature in his talon, squeezing as hard as possible to avoid him from escaping.

"Stop your chirping and listen to me!" he commanded, "I have a mission for you. If you succeed you may live long enough to live another day."

The puffball bird nodded its head and squawked with fright. "Lemme go, Lemme go. I'll do anything."

Marco cackled and lowered his head, so he stared at the small creature eye to eye. He tightened his grip a little harder to force some pain into his victim.

"Very good, now here is what I want you to do. I want you to fly to the Rio Grande and search for a Scarlet Macaw dressed in a black robe, a Marmoset, and a pair of Spix Macaws all of whom have glowing marks upon their wings. I want you to find out how they're doing and then tell them that I need Sabrina. Is that understood?"

The puffball bird nodded his head. He continued to squawk. "Yes, is there anything else?"

Marco nodded his head and loosened his grip as a reward for the co-operation. He clicked his beak together and eyed his surroundings for a few moments.

"You are a smart one. I like you but that can change fast if you are not careful. I want you to inform the Marmoset that I want him to come here as well. Tell him that I want him to play the part of an assassin and I want him to try and kill Luciano."

The bird squawked in panic. His eyes filled with dread at the request. He squirmed and tried to break free from the hawk's cruel grip. He couldn't succeed in the task so after a couple of failed attempts, he nodded in agreement.

"Fine, I'll do it. Please lemme go!"

Marco shook his head in open defiance. He pulled the book of black magic from his robe and chuckled as he opened the pages to a particularly nasty incantation.

"I'm afraid not, you see, I need some insurance that you will live up to your end of the deal. You could leave here today, and I would never find you again. SO, I'm going to force you to do it my way."

"Force me?" The bird echoed. His voice rang out as nothing more than a tiny squeak. "How can you force me to do anything?"

"Why with brainwashing of course. You're going to become my obedient little servant. All it says I need to do is wave my wing like this and you'll be under my power until I release you."

Marco waved his wing in a circular fashion watching as the puffball bird's eyes followed his every move. They became glassy and unresponsive. His breathing softened and became almost non-existent.

"Do you remember your orders, my friend?"

"Yes." The puffball bird replied in a flat emotionless tone. "I will do as you have said."

Marco cackled in sheer delight. He could not hold in his excitement at the thought of his power. He could control the whole world like this, but he did not want to control Luciano, he needed him for more important things. He needed him for his revenge. He did not know what role Rico would play in the grand scheme of things, but Sabrina wanted him placed into slavery. That was the least he could do. He would follow the orders given to him by his employer. The reward, after all, was eternal life. He would honor his mercenary ways and live up to the job until it became completed.

"Good, now hurry. You have a few days to be back here. Don't make me come looking for you. You wouldn't like that one bit."

The small bird fluttered off to do as the hawk requested. He didn't slacken or slow down. Before long the hawk could not see him. "Go, my feathery friend. You will serve me well."

#

The next afternoon Roger sat underneath the shade of a small cannonball tree. His foul mood blossomed across his face. He could not believe the recent turn in events, in fact, he could not get them off his mind. One minute Marco wanted nothing more than to set up the greatest mercenary band in existence and slaughter thousands in cold blood to achieve the powers of a God and the next they were being beheaded and killed for their murderous crimes against the jungle, and yet somehow life had been restored to them. They could live once more, breathe once more, kill once more, and yet the Hawk's first move was to separate their forces and ran off on his own. He slammed his wing against the dirt ground as he tried to find a reason behind such a devastating move, but one did not exist within his mind.

"Damn, Marco. How long does he expect me to wait?" he growled. "It's not like I want the power today or anything, but I do want to be young enough to enjoy it. I want to be able to move on with my life without any worries."

Amber laid relaxed and content with her lot in life. She didn't care about any kind of power or the death of thousands of creatures. She wanted revenge on just one individual… her sister, Jewel. She tapped her talon across the ground in musical rhythm and frowned as she listened to Roger growling for the umpteenth time. She opened her eyes a crack and glared at him.

"Will you relax!?" she hissed, "Can't you just enjoy the beautiful afternoon? Why bother worrying about what Marco does? We have been revived for a reason. If you are so smart, shouldn't you figure out why?"

Roger rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath. He continued to slam his wing off of the ground, shooting a cloud of dust into the air. Roger eyed the sight for a moment and nodded his head.

"I've already done it." He said, pointing a wing up towards the sky. "We have been revived to continue on with what we were doing before. Someone wants us to work for them, however, I want to continue our quest to further our power. I don't want to waste this second life."

Before Amber could speak further, she let out a warning screech alerting Roger almost instantly. He spun around and eyed the female who pointed a wing to the sky. Her eyes filled with anger at the sight of an approaching creature. Her beak clicked together as she licked her beak with her long gray tongue.

"Incoming enemy!" she warned. "It's a lone Puffball bird coming in from the South."

Roger shifted his attention to the sky. He strained his vision, but he could see it too. He cackled and released his talon from around the monkey's throat. He shook the stiffness out of it and prepared himself for battle. He longed for the taste of fresh meat, and he would be eating it by supper.

"He's mine." He snorted. "If either of you interferes, you will fall victim to my talons as well."

The Monkey and Spix Macaw nodded their agreement. Neither wanted to deny him the privilege of fighting in combat, they watched the bird come in for a landing and hold up his wings.

"Don't attack. I am looking for a scarlet macaw named, Roger. A hawk sent me to find him."

Roger rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. He could not believe the first bit of meat to come his way was an ally. He slammed his talon on the ground and cursed aloud. He charged forward and struck the puffball bird with his wing. He glared at him as his bad mood began to rise.

"What do you want!" he growled. "Why have you come to find me?"

The bird squawked and tried to free himself from under the scarlet macaw's mighty talon. His beak chattered as he tried to speak.

"The hawk wanted me to find you guys. He needs someone named Sabrina and the Marmoset to come and help him for an important mission. I am supposed to fly him back there so he can arrive as soon as possible."

Roger released the bird and smiled. His foul mood subsided, and he pointed towards the monkey. "Well, there he is. I wouldn't waste Marco's time. He can be quite dangerous if you know what I mean."

The monkey walked over to him and bowed. He eyed the small bird with curiosity. His jagged fangs prodded from his mouth. "I would normally eat someone like you, but if you're here to take me somewhere, you better just get on with it. I don't have all day to just sit here and do nothing."

"Well first shouldn't you know what your mission is?" the bird asked. "He wants you to be an assassin. He wants you to kill a hawk… his father…"

The monkey cracked his knuckles in anticipation. He nodded in understanding and let the bird tighten its talons around him.

"Let's do this hehehehe."

#

Luciano paced back and forth eyeing the hawk with a stern eye. His beak showed little enthusiasm or fairness now that he seemed to have recovered to the best of his ability. His eyes shined bright as it reflected the sunlight. Step by step his talons scraped across the wooden flooring of the hollow. His tail feathers drooped and swayed with his body movements. His voice rang out in a harsh tone which reflected his no-nonsense attitude.

"When I found you, I wondered to myself why I had stumbled across my own son, injured, and bleeding. You had done nothing to anyone, and I know of our species and our sense of honor. However, I also know of your predatory desires for I too once had them. You desire to feast on meat, and you desire to bring death and destruction to most places you go, once again I know because I too have experienced these things. Why should I consider giving you a place to stay within this Grotto? Even if you are my son and have been a responsible and kindhearted individual, you are a threat to the other birds within my care."

Marco could feel his temper beginning to brew. His beak hung low in shock. He bowed his head low, not wanting to interrupt the creature. In the back of his mind, he made a mental note to prove him right. He would be his murderer one day. He promised himself that but for now, he kept his beak shut. He watched Luciano continue his pace. His wing waved inches from his son's face.

"I have decided to give you one chance to prove your loyalty. Are you a bloodthirsty hawk or are you one who is different from the rest of our species? You need to prove to me that you hold no predatory instincts. You need to prove you want to better our community. Do this and you will have earned my trust once more and you will have also gained my respect. Fail and you will never again be allowed back within our grotto."

Marco nodded in understanding. He bowed respectfully towards his elder. His eyes shined with a murderous glare. He thought about his dark ambitions. He wanted to make him suffer now for the humiliation of his berating. He wanted to tear his throat out. He would have cackled but he did not want to blow the rouse.

"Very well, I will try my best to prove that you that I am on the level, dad." Marco smiled. "You will not be sorry for giving me this opportunity. I only hold the best of intentions for you and our family."

Marco stopped as he caught a glimpse of movement outside on the branch. He formed a wicked smile. Deep down in the back of his mind, he knew that the Puffball bird would return, and then he could carry on his mission. He or a monkey would attempt to kill the Hawk that stood next to him. He wouldn't let that happen, of course, he would step in and save the bird's life. He would do this only to gain his trust, but the end-result would be well worth it. He straightened his body to its full height and let his eyes slit into dangerous pools of fury. He held out his wing to shield his friend from the potential threat.

"Why don't you stop standing around and get your ugly butt in here." He called out in a harsh voice. "You scatterbrained savage, did you think you could approach without me noticing? You have the scent of blood all over you."

As if on cue, the monkey burst into the hallowed opening. He chuckled and pointed a paw at the Hawk. His eyes filled with evil cruel desires for bloodshed. He ground his jagged fangs together and licked his lips.

"I'm afraid your time is up, birdie." He smiled. "I have always wanted to taste one of your kind… I bet your meat is even better than that of a scarlet macaw. I can taste it now."

Luciano and Marco stood speechless. Their beaks hung low as they tried to dissect the monkey's unusual speech patterns. Marco continued to hold his wing outstretched to shield his friend from his attacker. He pointed a twisted talon at the monkey.

"If you want to get to him, you're going to have to get through me."

"With pleasure," The monkey snorted. "It's not my job to talk someone out of killing themselves. Just so you're aware this is a fight to the death. You won't get a second chance of defeating me."

Without any further conversation shared between the two of them, Marco charged forward with all his might. He swung his wings, knocking the monkey senseless upon the head. He flew backwards, landing with a sickening thud against the wall. He fell to the ground and struggled back up onto his paws. He glowered at his opponent and charged forward with his unusual speed and stamina. Marco found himself impressed by his secret ally's movements, but he still held out his wings and grabbed him in mid-air.

"One monkey heading out!" he snorted, tossing the marmoset as far as he could go. He spread his wings and followed suit. He landed on the branch and lowered himself to the monkey's ear. "Listen to me, you need to surrender. You've completed your mission."

The monkey nodded and got up on his paws. He jumped backwards doing a backflip in the process. "You're dead, do you hear me. You and your friend are dead. You win today, but I will return."

Marco spit with disgust and glared at the marmoset. "I would not promise something that you can't keep. I am the protector of all who live here in this grotto. Even if you come back a million times, I will just have to defeat you a million times. Now get lost, the sight of you makes me sick."

Marco watched the monkey disappear, followed by the brainwashed puffball bird. He smiled and turned his attention to Luciano who stood speechless, his heart raced as he tried to calm himself down. "You're safe now, dad." He smiled. "But it might be a good idea if I stay here for awhile. He will be back looking for revenge."

The hawk nodded his agreement. "If you are able to defend us from anyone who seeks to do us harm than you will have earned my respect. You may stay here, but only until the threat of evil passes and peace and safety is restored to our land."

Marco nodded his head. Fool! He thought in the back of his mind. You've just signed your own death certificate.