Chapter 17- how Blu and Jewel met and Sirius, Aurora and Milo's stories in brief
While the flying foxes began to help the macaws sort themselves out of the mess now that the vines were removed and cast aside, the green tendrils lying like thick green wool made from plant material scattered around the pile of blue feathers and silver chains, Jewel gave Blu a reprimand.
"That's the LAST time we're gonna have our three chicks hang out with those hoodlum toucan kids, Blu," she spoke, Blu lowering his head in shame, "Yes, you OUGHT to be ashamed of yourself for allowing Carla, Bia and Tiago to go off with Rafael and Eva's kids. You should have know BETTER! You remember what happened when we first met them."
Blu just breathed a sigh as Jewel then turned to an equally ashamed Carla, Bia and Tiago, their heads also bowed in shame, "And as for YOU three, you are grounded for a MONTH for joining those toucan kids in causing THISE macaws trouble! That includes NO Ipod for you Carla, NO science books for you Bia, and NO joke books for you, Tiago, for that ENTIRE time."
The three chicks winced and bowed their heads even more. Nearby, as Rafael was telling his kids standing as a crowd as well, some of the toucan kids also began to feel regret at landing Aurora and the other six macaws into that mess well within them. Diantha was one of these kids. This toucan kid, her beak being an exact mix of Rafael and Eva's beak colours unlike her brothers and sisters who either had Rafael's orange and black beak (most of them) or Eva's lime green and magenta beak, willingly accepted Rafael's punishment for the prank as well. Many of the other toucan kids including Marco and Sofia, however, began to spit out excuses.
"It was just a bit of fun, Daddy," squeaked one.
"Yeah, it were Tiago and Diantha's idea to pull off that prank on them macaws," said another. Immediately Diantha shot her a glare.
"I did NOT come up with that idea, Carlos," she snapped, "And neither did Tiago."
Behind Blu and Jewel, Tiago peered out and winced. Then the toucan kids exploded into a cacophony of protests but then Rafael barked at them to stop, silencing them.
"I don't CARE who came up with that idea in the first place," he shouted in a louder voice, "You don't... attack... and bind... strangers with vines. GOT THAT!?"
"Yes, that's the second time they did that," grumlbled Blu, "And I was equally stupid in allowing our own THREE chicks in joinin' 'em."
Jewel nodded in agreement. The toucan kids except a few just gazed back at their toco father. As they did that, Sirius and Samara appeared, scowls on their faces. They had managed to escape the tangled mess and now it's just Aurora, Zephyr, Brisa, Milo and Celeste to sort out and Orion and Ahsoika did just that with them.
"THAT lot SERIOUSLY need a GOOD meal of discipline," the male glaucous macaw snarled angrily. He winced from a bitten right foot for one of the toucan kids had chomped him there.
"Don't worry, amigo," Rafael replied, "I've got it sorted."
"Amigo?" asked Sirius in confusion.
"He means 'friend' or 'buddy'," Ahsoka said nearby as she helped Aurora up, "That's the male version. The female version's 'amiga'. Both terms are Spanish."
"How many kids have you got?" asked Samara. A proud smile formed on Rafael's massive orange and black beak.
"Twenty-five and three more on the way," said he, "A babysitter is looking after our new clutch of three eggs. But I have to admit, we're approaching the end of our chick-bearing years."
IMMENSE shock tore through Aurora's group including Orion and Ahsoka and the flying foxes, Spix macaws and Lear's macaws stopped their process of disentangling themselves or helping for a moment.
"HOW MANY!?" Ahsoka blurted out.
"No wonder you were so overwhelmed when they smothered you when you called 'em," said Orion.
"I would NOT even DREAM of having THAT many children, I can tell you... OW!" Celeste cried out as she was pulled out of an uncomfortable position. Then Diantha opened her wings to help but Sirius prevented her, an angry glare on his face.
"Stay back, you've done enough, little menace," he snapped, prompting Diantha to return to her crowd of siblings. Then he glared at the other toucan kids with Samara and saw that some of the kids were larger for they were older. Among them were Sofia, Manoela, Marco and Carlos, four of Rafael and his mate's oldest chicks. Carla, Bia and Tiago, Blu and Jewel's chicks, however, were still of fledgling age so they were not very old. All three looked alike in body shape but had few different features. Carla was cyan, Bia was azure and Tiago was blue. Their eye colours were green for Carla, hazel for Bia and brown for Tiago. Sirius gazed at the three Spix macaw chicks, having never seen them before except Aurora and Tomas.
"I can see you must be that family of five," said he. Then Blu and Jewel gazed at the glaucous macaws, both surprise and astonishment lacing their faces.
"And you two must be glaucous macaws," said the former, the male, "I-I-I thought they were extinct."
"And I also thought that Samara, nasty though she was, had perished in that fire along with her equally nasty mother and brothers," added Jewel, a slight glare on the female glaucous macaw.
"I thought the same for you and your tribe," Samara replied slightly sourly.
"And as for our species, it's not quite extinct," said Sirius, "Samara and I are the last pair of them alive."
Samara shot Sirius a sour glare but she stifled herself from snapping at him.
"And you, Samara, you know full well that I cannot associate with you after your AWFUL mother Tremaine trained you and your brothers to be nasty and violent, especially to the slightest insults," Jewel warned Samara.
"She and my brothers are likely dead now Jewel, like the rest of my clan and also Orion's flying fox clan," Samara replied, "Killed by that fire caused by those ROTTEN loggers possibly."
"That's sad to lose your clan just like how Jewel had lost her tribe," said Blu with sympathy. As he said this, Celeste and Milo were separated from the Spix macaws. Milo limped for one of his feet had been stretched a little too far in the entanglement. Then the Lear's macaws looked up and spotted Blu and his family.
"So you must be that Spix macaw family of five?" asked Milo, "Pleased to meet you in the flesh," his gaze then turned to Rafael and his small sea of toucan kids, his gaze morphing into a scowl, "And as for you, toucan, YOU have got some serious parenting issues to deal with."
"Twenty-five kids with three more on the way," added Celeste, "I'd say you're more like rabbits than toucans."
"It was my lovely rose Eva's decision to have that many children, amiga," Rafael replied with a proud smile, "It makes her happy. Whenever she asks for another brood, I give it to her."
"Well I wouldn't go about having as many kids as possible in a short amount of time, mate," replied Milo, "The last thing I want is my wife being overwhelmed by the SHEER number of children to care for."
As he said this, Zephyr, Brisa and Aurora appeared and the moment the brother and sister duo's eyes found Jewel, their owners froze. Jewel did the same.
"Could it be?" asked Brisa.
"Jewel, is that really you?" asked Zephyr.
"Impossible," Jewel whispered, "And also Celeste... she has also..."
Celeste gazed at Jewel too, familiarity welling within her.
"I-I thought only Zephyr and Brisa were the only survivors of the Spix macaw tribe when that fire caused by those rotten loggers ripped through our home," the female Lear's macaw spoke.
"You know her, Celeste?" asked Milo.
"She used to be a friend of mine when we were little," replied Celeste with a smile, "Orion has only met her once but he couldn't hang out with us for he still needed his mother. Being a mammal, he was yet to be weaned."
Then a MASSIVE cheer exploded from Zephyr, Brisa and Jewel and the latter rushed over to the former and pulled the brother and sister into a hug, Aurora looking on. Celeste also came and joined the hug. Blu and Rafael looked on.
"Well at least some of my gem of the forest's friends are still alive," the latter told the former. Then Aurora gazed at Blu and the three Spix macaw chicks. She too had never seen Spix macaw chicks before except her brother Tomas but as she gazed at Carla, Bia and Tiago, she winced as a flashback of a blue form, likely her brother Tomas, flashed in her mind. Then Jewel broke the hug with Zephyr, Brisa and Celeste. Samara looked on jealously but Jewel did NOT want her to participate in the reunion hug due to her being nasty still and that made her wince from rejection. Sadly, she turned away, Sirius looking on unsurprised. Then after the reunion hug, Jewel introduced Zephyr, Brisa and Celeste to Blu and her chicks and they introduced themselves to each other. Blu and Jewel and also Rafael were also introduced to Milo, Aurora and Sirius.
"I'm from Australia," said Milo.
"And we are from the UK," said Sirius.
"London to be specific," added Aurora.
"London?" repeated Blu, "I've seen pictures of that English city in a book of the countries of the world in my human friend Linda's new bookstore..."
However, the moment he said 'my human friend', Samara shot him a glare, her rotten human-detesting and human-associated-animal loathing attitude rearing its ugly head again.
"Jewel's fallen for a mud-pet," she hissed under her beak. However, the others didn't hear this for she had hissed it silently. She had taken an immediate disliking to Blu and also to Jewel for pairing up with him. Then she pushed her attitude aside when Sirius began to explain to Blu, Jewel and Rafael their awful predicament. Zephyr and Brisa had also shot Blu a stunned look but their reaction was less caustic than Samara's.
"As you may have probably noticed," said the male glaucous macaw, "We're all chained together, not just Orion and Ahsoka," and with that, he showed the three the silvery snake linking him to Samara. Celeste and Milo also showed theirs and Zephyr, Aurora and Brisa showed their two chains. Horror tore through the trio.
"Good grief," whispered Blu in UTMOST horror. Carla, Bia and Tiago and the current 25 toucan kids just looked on.
"You certainly ARE in a bad state like the flying foxes," said Rafael.
"Especially Zephyr, Brisa and the new Aurora there," added Jewel when she examined how the three were chained together by not one, but TWO chains; Zephyr and Aurora together by the first and Brisa by the second with the ring of the other end connected to the first chain.
"This is the CRUEL work of that second band of smugglers," growled Milo.
"We've been trying to get these things off ourselves," said Orion, "by using a rock and by picking an anklet ring with a claw."
"Unfortunately," said Milo, "I accidentally scratched Samara there when I failed. I immediately put the idea as out of the question as not only would I snap my claw but also potentially and accidentally scratch someone again."
"We daren't use our beaks either," added Aurora, "As they are WAY too strong," she then examined the chains' design, "I believe these chains must be the type of chains that keep a bird from flying away. One ring would be attached to their ankle and the other to some type of ring on a weight..."
"These things are NOT meant to be used to chain birds and flying foxes together," added Ahsoka.
"Too right, amiga," snapped Blu, "That's what Jewel and I faced at the hands of that first band of smugglers."
"Yes, it had been UTTERLY awkward in getting around, especially when Blu couldn't fly back then," added Jewel to which Blu shrugged. Surprise flashed through Aurora's group except Samara.
"You couldn't fl... AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGH!" Orion screeched as a rip was heard. He had felt excruciating agony rip through his neck fur and had launched into the air along with the literal rip sound. Ahsoka and the macaws shot a glare at who had torn a lock of Orion's brown ruff fur and saw one of Rafael's kids, a mischievous grin on his beak gripping that lock, then darted behind Rafael.
"MARCO!" Rafael barked, "You DON'T rip the fur or feathers from OTHER birds or mammals!"
Orion clutched the pained area of his neck with his wing-thumbs and glared at the toucan kids, especially Marco as he just smiled at Rafael's rebuke. Some of his own siblings including Diantha, however, looked on in disapproval. Carla, Bia and Tiago did the same. Marco just rolled his eyes and spat out the strands of brown fur.
"How many of your undisciplined chicks do that!?" demanded Ahsoka.
"Several, but we are getting them taught a jolly good lesson," said Rafael. Blu and Jewel looked on with glares, hoping that the overburdened father would keep to his word. Rafael then continued, his gaze on the chains on the blue macaws and the flying foxes, "I know just the expert who can get those things off of you, amigos and amigas."
"Please, not Luiz, Rafael," said Blu.
"Yes, you remember what almost happened last time," said Jewel.
"But he's the only one who can see to those hideous chains," Rafael protested.
"That means going into the city of Rio, right?" asked Sirius. Samara winced at that idea, clearly not liking it one bit.
"Who's Luiz?" asked Celeste.
"He's one of Rafael's friends," explained Blu, "And the one who helped get our chain off... sort of."
"Well, if he's helped you and Jewel, then I don't see why he can't help us," said Aurora, before her glare turned to the chains holding her to Zephyr and Brisa to them, "We just wanna be rid of these things, anyway."
"Same here," added Zephyr with Brisa staring in agreement. The others apart from Samara nodded in agreement.
"Then it's settled," Rafael, "Lets..." but before he could continue this sentence, a bunch of small toucans leaped onto him and began to clamber all over him. The others looked on, Orion gazing at Jewel's family as Rafael began to struggle to rebuke the blanket of his kids.
"I think three chicks is enough for you, don't you agree?" he asked.
"Oh yes," said Jewel.
"Definitely," added Blu. The parents' gazes were on their three children as Blu continued, "They can be real rascals at times, especially our son."
"Well if I were to have a large clutch, I would enlist the help of a babysitter," said Aurora, "As much as I want my own chicks someday, I don't want to have too many at once."
Zephyr glared at her as if to say, 'in your dreams, pet girl'. Sirius and Milo also nodded in agreement. Then Rafael yelled, "Okay, I'm gonna call ya mother if you don't stop this!"
The moment he said 'mother', the entire flock including Diantha darted away. One toucan kid shot past Samara and nearly knocked her over to her annoyance. Rafael smiled.
"Hah, they are often frightened of my lovely Eva," said he, "They daren't misbehave while she's around."
"Then maybe SHE should be the one to discipline your rambunctious kids," Sirius grumbled. Rafael just shrugged before resuming to the main objective.
"Okay, if we are to travel to this Luiz bulldog's place," said Ahsoka, "How long will the journey be?"
"Oh, about a 30 minutes' flight from here," said Blu.
"Shouldn't be that long," added Jewel.
"Indeed," put in Rafael. Ahsoka then sheepishly asked, "But how long would it take on foot?"
Rafael, Blu and Jewel gazed at the ginger flying fox in confusion but then Orion explained why.
"Ginger here cannot fly," he said with an annoyed smirk.
"Hasn't done so throughout her time with this Joanna person," added Zephyr. Ahsoka ashamedly nodded in agreement as did the other macaws including Samara. Astonishment tore through Blu, Jewel and Rafael.
"B-but she's a bat, a WINGED MAMMAL!" exclaimed the first one.
"Does she have any significant injury or something that would render her permanently flightless?" asked Jewel.
"No, nothing of the sort," said Aurora.
"But I believe one significant injury may be trauma due to poaching," said Milo, "Except Ahsoka wasn't seized by poachers and taken out of Brazil."
Blu then gazed at the ginger bat with concern.
"Something wrong?" asked Aurora.
"That was me when I lived with Linda for the first 15 years of my life," said he, "I had NEVER flown a SINGLE flap throughout the ENTIRE time," he then gazed at Ahsoka, "Then that explains why you would rather be in your carer's cage all the time when Jewel and I met you."
"This is gonna cause problems," grumbled Celeste.
"Can she be carried?" asked Jewel.
"I'm more than happy to do just that," said Blu, but then his face fell, "But only for short trips. Carrying her all the way to Luiz may not be an option."
"Then she's gonna have to learn to fly by herself then," Rafael said. Ahsoka shot the toucan a look but Sirius came in.
"He's right, Ahsoka," said he, "It's time you used your own wings."
"You've been grounded long enough, mate," added Milo. Ahsoka's ears lowered and her face fell. She CLEARLY did NOT like the idea of flying none bit. Then the birds and Orion saw that they had a problem: Ahsoka's fear of flying was deep-seated and getting her to fly on her own was easier said than done. Then Rafael felt it was time to make tracks.
"Let's head off to Rio," said he, "But first we need to..." but before he could take a single step, a raucous voice shouted, "An' where do you think you're goin', Rafael!?"
Rafael froze and gazed at the speaker. Aurora, Zephyr, Brisa, Sirius, Samara, Orion, Ahsoka, Celeste and Milo turned and saw a pretty looking female toucan fly in. This toucan was black with a white front like Rafael but her beak was lime green with a magenta tip. She had teal eye bags and deep magenta eyelids and her eye pupils were brown. She had a large feather ruffle behind her head that curved at the tips. As she came in with an unimpressed look on her face aimed at Rafael, the toucan kids hanging back nervously, Aurora asked Blu, "Who is that toucan?"
"That's Eva, Rafael's wife," Blu replied.
"Oh, Eva, I forgot," Rafael before going over to the seven chained macaws and two flying foxes, "I have to get these four couples plus the sister of one of the males to Luiz and rid their chains," he put his wings around Orion and Ahsoka to prove his point. The nine flinched in repulsion to what Rafael had just called them.
"We are NOT couples," snapped Sirius, Samara nodding in agreement.
"You can say we're chained-together macaws and bats," said Ahsoka.
"That's the best description for us," said Orion.
"I'd say we're more like friends," said Celeste.
"Some of us are, anyway," said Milo. Zephyr, Aurora and Brisa just sighed.
"Huh, you don't fool me for even a second," Eva replied wings her wings folded; "You just wanna take your new amigos and amigas and go off to Carnival again."
As she mentioned Carnival, Rafael entered flirtatious mode and went over to Eva.
"Aaaah, Carnival, the time where we had most of our luuuuvely times together, my sweet mango," he cooed lovingly and held Eva in a loving hug.
"Here we go again," muttered Blu with Jewel, Carla, Bia and Tiago looking on. Aurora and company also looked on and reacted differently. Aurora, Ahsoka, Sirius and Milo smiled but Zephyr, Brisa, Orion and Samara reacted disgustedly. Celeste, however, was more neutral for she was utterly disapproving of the toucan couple and their numerous chicks. Then Rafael sang a song but as he said this, Blu and Jewel commanded their chicks to cover their ears while they clasped their wings over theirs, Aurora and company looking on curiously but they were about to find out in a minute.
"You sing, my beautiful bromeliad," he cooed, "Let your angelic, sparkling diamond voice fill the air. Eva did so but as she did, an UTTERLY... AWFUL... SCREECH exploded from her lime green and magenta beak. Aurora and company immediately slammed their wings over their ears to block out the glass-shattering howl as Eva yelled and as she hit a high note, she actually made all nine of them shudder like tuning forks to the sound vibration. The toucan kids were also blown away by the screech of their mother. Rafael smiled as he held his keel-billed mate.
"Your voice is just as beautiful as your looks, my sparkling flower," he cooed.
"Beautiful!?" Sirius snapped, his ears ringing from the keel-billed toucan's screeching, "Sounds more like a pig attempting a singing contest."
"Yeah, angelic, sparkling diamond voice, my talons," added Aurora scornfully. Her ears as well as the ears of the other seven also rang.
"How did you fall for such a banshee!?" put in Milo. Celeste, Zephyr and Brisa just looked on in disgust while Samara scowled.
"I guess falling in love is a deafening journey too," grumbled Orion.
"I can never sing like that," said Ahsoka.
"Just be glad that you don't, Ahsoka," said Celeste, "In fact, you wouldn't want to."
"Carla here loves music and even SHE has a better singing voice than Eva does despite her age," said Blu with a nod to the cyan chick with green eyes. However, Rafael ignored the negative (and true) comments about Eva's voice and plunged a HUGE passionate kiss onto his mate's beak. The toucan kids uttered a repulsed, "EEEEEWWW!" with some of them looking away and covering their eyes with their wings to block out the soppy view.
"Even the toucan kids find THAT repulsive," said Brisa when she saw this.
"We do that sometimes now that we are mates," said Blu, "Maybe you'll someday too when..." however, Jewel gently elbowed him in the side to stop him from saying something inappropriate, making him utter, "ow," and rub his elbowed side. Then after breaking the kiss with Eva, Rafael released her from the embrace and was about to leave but Eva had other ideas.
"We're goin' with you too," said she. Shock tore through the others.
"But Eva, you've got SO MANY CHICKS," Blu protested.
"Some could get lost in the city," added Jewel.
"Not to mention that we've got those poachers' poets hot on our tails," put in Sirius.
"If those toucan kids EVER get spotted by those dogs, cats, ravens and crows and ESPECIALLY Vecna the swan," added Aurora, "They'd end up caught."
"And what about your clutch of three eggs?" asked Ahsoka. The others protested in agreement. However, Eva was adamant. She wanted to get her 25 kids out into the city for a change of scene and many of the kids including Diantha jumped about in excitement, begging their father to say yes. Rafael paused until he finally reached a decision.
"Very well," said he but then a firm look formed on his face as he eyed his 20-plus chicks, "But you MUST stay close to us. Rio can be dangerous and the last thing I want is ANY of you getting lost."
Cheers erupted from the chicks.
"Wait a minute, Eva and that rambunctious lot are coming with us too!?" Celeste blurted out incredulously. Rafael came up to her.
"Lear's macaw, amiga," said he.
"It's Celeste," said Celeste, correcting him. The others looked on in disapproval, especially Blu and Jewel. However, since Eva was strict and stern and the toucan kids feared her, they shouldn't have a problem in keeping close to the group. After all, Eva was like a strict teacher keeping an eye on the pupils and any who dare disobey risked a strict punishment from her.
"Celeste," said the toco toucan, "The decision's final. Eva and our kids are comin' with us whether you like it or not."
Celeste rolled her eyes as did Milo and the other seven. Blu and Jewel also shook their heads in slight disapproval and as soon as the group was ready, they left to begin the journey to Rio together, this time with Eva and the toucan kids tagging along. As the toucan kids merrily skipped along like a group of children on a school trip, Ahsoka turned to look at them but Rafael came in and turned her face away.
"Oh, don't stare at them, Ginger, they sense fear if you do that," he said. Ahsoka just exhaled over Rafael's apparent melodrama.
"And what about your three eggs like Aurora said?" asked Orion.
"Our trusted babysitter Rosa will look after them while we're away," said Rafael, "Let's hope they don't hatch too soon or they'd think Rosa is their mother," he topped this off with a giggle. Orion, however, did not find that amusing.
Meanwhile, back at the smugglers' den
"MISSING!?" Frank yelled at Peter, Vera and Marv. Around the three underlings, Vecna, the cats, dogs, crows and ravens led by Brutus, Lysandre and Dooku respectively stood back as the lead smuggler continued his outburst at the three humans, "WHAT DO YOU FOOLS MEAN THEY'VE GONE MISSING!?"
Frank had been to see the empty store room full of empty cages and her lost his temper and Marv had explained everything to him, everything that had happened last night. Now Peter was taking his turn in answering the lead poacher's angry question.
"They... outsmarted us," said the young man, "They must have somehow figured out a way to unlock those cages' locks, get out and set the other animals free..."
At this, Marv took a ruler from Frank's desk and slapped Peter on the back of the head with it, making him rub his head and show the older man a glare.
"Now, Peter," Marv, "Birds an' bats ain't THAT smart. They do NOT have the cognitive and problem solving abilities we humans have."
"Certainly not the bats," said Vera, "They're disgusting dumb rats with wings."
Frank then went into another room to vent. A MASSIVE fountain of swearwords and cages crashing erupted from through the door and Marv and company including the pets flinched and winced. Vecna, however, just sat down and enjoyed the fireworks show. After a humiliating night last night at being outwitted by Aurora and company but most especially Milo and Celeste, he wanted to enjoy a scene of an outburst. Lysandre and Brutus looked on in nervous awe but Dooku with admiration.
"Aren't you angered about last night, Vecna?" asked Bryony the collie. Vecna just released a sharp hiss and startled the black and white dog into submission and backing away to the other dogs. Then a brown and white King Charles spaniel began to reprimand her.
"Seriously, Bryony why ask Vecna such stupid questions?" asked he.
"It was just a question, Otis," Bryony replied. Frank continued to vent until after blowing enough steam, he returned to the room, a FURIOUS look on his face.
"You lot have been a bunch of FOOLS!" he growled, making the underlings flinch, "Do you know what that MEANS!?"
"Yes, searching for those seven blue macaws and two flying foxes and caging them again," Marv dryly replied.
"Not only that," Frank added, "It means me ringing Monsieur and telling him that we cannot make the journey to him until those nine animals are caught again, along with the Spix macaw family... it means having to search the ENTIRE city and the jungle and that is gonna be an UTTER challenge to say the least with Carnival season approaching..." he then calmed down, bowed his head and shook it, and exhaled. Peter, Marv and Vera just looked on.
"Will we be searching for those nine animals and the Spix macaw family?" asked Vera. Frank lifted his head and shot her a glare before turning to the assistant pets and called them over. All the cats, dogs, corvids and Vecna gathered around him. Frank gazed at the woman and the two men.
"No, Vera," he said, "THIS lot will search for those nine animals and the Spix macaw family. Vecna and the corvids will do the sky work while the cats and the dogs will work on land."
Peter, Frank and Marv looked on as Frank then began to issue instructions to the pets. As he did that, Lysandre gave the three a condescending smirk as if to say, "Too bad you cannot run on four legs OR fly, losers."
Then after finishing issuing the pets instructions, Frank sent them on their way. Vecna released a 'It's time to go' cry and immediately, the pattering of paws on the wooden floor and the flapping of wings in the air erupted as the poachers' pets got moving. The cats lead by Lysandre, dogs lead by Brutus and the crows and ravens lead by Dooku headed for the store room, took a number of cages and once they were ready to catch exotic animals mostly birds, they followed Vecna out of the door and into the slums like an army force sent out on a mission. Peter saw them leave.
"Will we be going through Carnival, Boss Frank?" asked he.
"No, it's too risky," said Frank, "FAR too many eyes on observation. That is why I MUST get those two Amazon flying foxes, two glaucous macaws, two Lear's macaws and those eight Spix macaws including the family of five caught and taken to the airport ASAP. Anyway, I'm gonna ring Monsieur and tell him the updates including the mess you have landed us in, thanks to YOU bumbling fools letting' those nine animals escape," and with that, he took out his mobile phone and went into another room to cal the dealer. Peter shot an accusing glare at Vera and Marv who returned it. It was clear that another childish argument and a game of accuse and blame was about to erupt between the three underlings.
Meanwhile
Aurora, Sirius, Milo and company continued their journey through the jungle, together with Rafael and his entire family excluding the three unhatched eggs which were being taken care of by a babysitter named Rosa back at Rafael and Eva's massive hollow (and it HAD to be massive to accommodate all those chicks). On the way, Blu and Jewel had decided to use the opportunity to tell the macaws about their adventures in Rio.
"I used to live in a place called Moose Lake, Minnesota in the United States which is north of here," Blu said, Aurora, Milo and Sirius listening with Zephyr, Celeste, Brisa, Orion and Ahsoka. Samara, however, looked on bitterly and Zephyr and Brisa were not very happy either. However, Blu hadn't noticed and continued his story, "I have lived there for 15 years and have NEVER flown a single flap, kind of like Ahsoka there. Then when Tulio came to our bookstore home and told us that I was the last known male of the Spix macaw species and that a female was found, that was when I had to go to Rio."
"That was how we met and after a series of not so nice adventures in the city," said Jewel, "including being chained together, we eventually bonded and became mates and eventually the parents of our three beautiful chicks, two daughters named Carla and Bia and a son named Tiago as you can see."
Ahsoka gazed at the three chicks and smiled.
"So how did you bond?" asked Sirius, Samara shooting him a sour glare.
"It happened when we were dealing with the first band of smugglers of which that VILE winged rat Nigel was a part of," Blu growled bitterly before continuing, "We were on this plane being taken out of Rio and during the fight, Nigel had me pinned down and when Jewel tried to help, the cockatoo injured her wing. Then after I sent that rotten egg flying into the plane's propeller," as he said this, Aurora and the others winced as Blu continued, "and the plane started to descend, I jumped after Jewel after she slipped out of the plane."
"That was when we had our first kiss," said Jewel romantically.
"Wow, so brave," said Sirius. Samara, however, looked on bitterly.
"Especially with not being able to fly back then," said Aurora. Zephyr and Brisa just shook their heads.
"Wish I can do something like that," said Milo while Celeste smiled in admiration.
"That's how you learnt to fly finally, finally, isn't it?" asked Ahsoka. Blu replied with a proud smile and a nod.
"And you settled down with three chicks," said Orion, his gaze on Carla, Bia and Tiago.
"Indeed," said Jewel, her proud gaze on her and Blu's offspring.
"Apart from their eye colours and feathers, they don't look much different from each other," said Celeste as she observed how alike the three chicks looked.
"Oh, that will change as they grow older," said Rafael, "My older kids such as Marco there are already showing their differences because they are older."
Celeste gazed at the flock of toucan kids walking alongside Eva and examined the larger chicks. One of the chicks was developing a slightly chubby build around his belly but his father Rafael's features were beginning to manifest.
"So that's our story," said Blu, "And Rafael, Nico and Pedro had a role to play in our bonding."
"Nico and Pedro?" asked Sirius.
"Were they the gangster-talking canary and red cardinal we met earlier?" asked Aurora.
"You've met Nico and Pedro?" asked Rafael, "They're two of my closest friends aside from Luiz and also Blu and Jewel here."
"We did, mate," said Milo, "We met them on the way to Tulio's Aviary where Blu and Jewel met and where we also met these guys," he gestured to Celeste, Orion, Zephyr, Brisa and Samara as he said this.
"And those silly humans tried to get us to pair up too fast," grumbled Celeste, a sour look on her face.
"Huh, tell me about it," grumbled Jewel, "And it angered me UTTERLY as well."
Blu said nothing for he had come under his then-future mate's wrath when he provoked her. Then Zephyr and Brisa gave Jewel the stink eye.
"Why the disapproving look, you two?" asked Jewel.
"Your father Eduardo and mother Maria would NOT have been pleased that you have paired up with a pet, Jewel," said Zephyr in a low voice.
"You know what we were like with humans back in the Amazon rainforest," put in Brisa. When Blu heard what Zephyr had just called him, he was most offended.
"I am NOT a pet," Linda's bird companion snapped, "I am a companion and please don't use that word, I find it HORRIBLY offensive."
"Well, technically, you were a pet, Blu," said Aurora. However, she silenced herself when Blu shot her a glare. Then Blu asked the three macaws.
"So, tell us your stories, Milo, Aurora and Sirius," he said, Jewel, Rafael and the Spix macaw chicks eager to take in the narration.
"Well, we lived with a man called Brandon in London, the United Kingdom for 12 years," said Sirius.
"We were doing a degree in bird conservation but we had to come here to meet Zephyr and Samara," said Aurora, "Brandon sent Tulio an email with an picture of us and himself on one of the pods in the London Eye, a large white Ferris wheel and one of London's key landmarks besides the Big Ben clock tower."
"While I once lived in Perth, Australia with a woman named Audrey who had speech issues and special needs," said Milo, "and then in Sydney. I hadn't learnt to fly as a chick, much like you but I eventually did and my first flight journey was across the ENTIRE width of the continent."
"Really, Milo?" asked Rafael in shock.
"That's gotta be about 2000 miles as Perth and Sydney are on opposite sides of the continent, aren't they?" asked Blu, "I've seen them on a map of the world in Linda's bookstore."
"An amazing feat to accomplish indeed," said Jewel, "It seems you already have some experience in navigating your way to places on instinct."
Milo opened his beak to reply when a female blue glaucous macaw with long head feathers stepped in and rudely interrupted him. Her glare was on Blu and what she said next ignited another fire.
"So, you're a mud-pet, are ya, Big Beak?" Samara growled scornfully at Blu to which he winced violently at what she had called him.
"SAMARA!" Milo, Sirius, Aurora, Celeste, Ahsoka and Orion yelled at her. Jewel also yelled Samara's name in anger. Zephyr and Brisa looked on in shock before Celeste finally stepped in.
"Look, Samara, it doesn't matter if Jewel is paired up with a pet or NOT, Blu is a SPIX MACAW and ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENT from ANY other Spix macaw in existence, whether wild-raised or human-raised," she yelled.
"Absolutely," put in Orion, "Just like Ahsoka here though she still needs to learn how to fly."
Ahsoka just said nothing and kept her angry glare on Samara as she let loose a scoffing laugh.
"Mud-pets are VILE," she growled, before turning bitterly to Jewel and what she said next was the worst thing she could EVER say to anyone, "I think that mud-pet there should leave Jewel and pair up with Aurora or sommat."
"I BEG YOUR PARDON!?" screeched Aurora.
"SAMARA!" yelled Orion and Ahsoka together.
"HOW COULD YOU SAY SUCH A THING," put in Milo, "ESPECIALLY after what Blu had done to save JEWEL FROM POTENTIAL DEATH in their STORY!?"
The others also looked on with OUTRAGED looks, especially Rafael and Eva. The kids, however, quivered at the imminent anger storm. However, the injury to Blu and Jewel's emotions had already been done. Blu, tears welling in his eyes and gasping sobs escaping his beak, tore off somewhere to sob while Jewel glared at Samara, gave her a HEFTY shove and knocked her over before chasing after her mate. She then reluctantly had Eva look after Carla, Bia and Tiago until things had settled down. Rafael shot Samara a glare.
"Well, that was a very nice thing to say, estúpida," the toco toucan hissed before he left to comfort Blu also. Samara winced at what Rafael had called her, the term being Spanish for 'idiot' or 'stupid'. The male version was 'estúpido' and was said to males if they acted foolishly. Then Orion came in.
"That's the last time you lacerate someone's feelings with your acerbic words, glaucous macaw," the brown flying fox growled, "If you don't stop that attitude, you will NOT be talked to."
"Indeed," put in Sirius, "What you said to Blu and Jewel was EXTREMELY offensive and you've also upset Aurora there as well."
Samara turned and gazed at the pigtailed Spix macaw, her face turned away in disgust while Zephyr and Brisa looked on at Jewel in concern.
"Well, if she has paired up with a pet, then there's nothing we can do," said the brother, "After all, if Blu had been the ONLY Spix macaw around, then what other choice did Jewel have in finding a mate?"
"I just hope her parents would be happy for her for achieving that difficult milestone despite our species' rarity," said Brisa, "if they are still alive, that is," she took a brief moment to mourn the loss of the Spix macaw tribe and also her and Zephyr's parents whom they were separated when poachers struck where they lived. Samara then lowered her head in shame and looked away.
"She won't be a macaw I would associate with, I can tell ya," said Eva, her 25 kids looking on in wonder.
"That's rich coming from ya, screechy keel-billed toucan," said Ahsoka with a frown, "Or haven't you forgotten that your toucan kids would be on the same perch when they grow up if you don't discipline 'em out of their stupidity right now?"
Eva just glared at the ginger bat and turned her gaze in Blu and Jewel's direction as Rafael continued to comfort them. Carla, Bia and Tiago also looked on sadly. Samara just gazed at them also sadly and looked away. She had not only lacerated Blu's feelings and also did damage to Jewel and Aurora but she had also said something UTTERLY stupid in front of them as well. Sadly, she prepared to move on. Then as soon as Blu's feelings were soothed by Samara's lacerating words and Jewel, her anger quelled, the group continued but Samara will be given the silent treatment for the rest of the way unless she changed. Furthermore, Jewel had given her an extremely caustic glare that she stay away from her, Blu and the chicks or else there will be DIRE consequences from now on, again unless she changed and that was the final straw for Samara. She knew she had to change or else.