Rio 1 and a Half

by VPVPVP

Blue macaws Aurora, Sirius and Milo and Amazon flying fox Ahsoka must pair up with Zephyr, Samara, Celeste and Orion respectively to save their species. However, they must face a second band of smugglers and their pets lead by the violent swan Vecna together with the canonical Rio gang including Blu and his family before they are captured for the pet trade.

19. Flying lesson goes awry, bad presence

Chapter 19- Ahsoka's flying lesson goes awry and a sinister presence

Meanwhile, back with Sirius, Aurora and company

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me," a certain ginger bat moaned, her timid gaze at an edge leading to a large drop. Ahsoka quivered nervously at the precipice with Orion near her. With the flying foxes were Sirius, Samara, Aurora, Zephyr, Birsa, Milo, Celeste and also Blu and his family and Rafael and his BIG family minus the three unhatched-chicks being looked after by the babysitter back at Rafael and his family's large hollow. They were here for one reason regarding Ahsoka and it was the same spot where Rafael tried getting the then-flightless Blu to fly. To the group's right, people were running into flight with gliders and there were a number more gliding around above the lower elevations of Rio and around the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. The elevation was so high that fluffs of clouds smothered parts of the city and its surrounding forests at the lower levels. Ahsoka slowly crept towards the edge and as she peered down the massive drop, she released a shriek and jumped back. She flinched again as another glider shot past before turning her timid gaze to the birds and Orion.

"C-c-can't we hitch a ride on a vehicle on the ground or something?" she asked.

"Come on, Ahsoka," Aurora said, "You HAVE to do this."

"Yes, you can't back out of this now," said Sirius.

"Can't you carry me?" asked Ahsoka.

"You have to fly with your own wings like how I did when I learnt to fly," Blu said, Jewel, Carla, Bia and Tiago looking on. The others nodded in agreement. Nearby, Eva stood with the 25 toucan kids, eagerly looking forward to the unfolding scene of Ahsoka taking her first flight, the VERY first one in her ENTIRE life. Then the ginger bat reluctantly regained her composure and got prepared for that.

"Excellent, Ahsoka," Rafael cheered, "THAT'S the spirit I am looking for. Now let's get on with it."

"With what?" asked Ahsoka. Some of the birds and Orion rolled their eyes.

"With getting you airborne of course," the male brown bat replied slightly irritated at Ahsoka's silly question.

"Oh, it's not like... we're gonna just... drop off the tip of that... precipice or something?" Ahsoka timidly asked.

"That's the point," said Jewel.

"Yes, unlike macaws and toucans who can simply take off from a standing position on the ground," said Orion, "WE flying foxes have to drop into flight for our hand-wings to catch air. THAT is how we get airborne."

"Actually, there are a few bat species that CAN take off from the ground," Blu said, "One is the vampire bat and it does so by jumping with its wing-thumbs and then spreading its wings once in the air."

"That's interesting but we're not vampire bats, Blu," said Orion, "We're flying foxes. We don't take off like that either."

"Yes and we certainly do NOT suck blood either," put in Ahsoka dryly to which Blu nodded in agreement. Ahsoka then breathed a sad and worried sigh at this flight fact as well but Rafael came in.

"Oh, don't worry, Ahsoka," the toco toucan assured, "It's in EVEREY fabric of your being right down to your DNA, just as it is in flying birds such as us toucans and the macaws. Look at how our wingless human friends can do it," he gestured to another glider as she passed by from the takeoff ramp. Ahsoka winces as the artificial wings swooped by as Blu then told another bat fact.

"You are part of the ONLY group of mammals capable of using powered, flapping flight. No other volant mammals can do that besides bats," explained the nerdy Spix macaw to which Jewel rolled her eyes and smiled in amusement. However, Ahsoka, Sirius and Aurora knew what he meant but Milo didn't for he hadn't studied birds much unlike the other three.

"Volant, Blu?" asked the Lear's macaw in confusion.

"Flight-capable," Blu briefly explained before continuing with Ahsoka, "So even though you bats fly differently to us birds and have a different set of mechanics, flight is STILL an important part of a bat's life as it is with volant birds."

"Yes, mate, you're not a glider," said Milo, "You're a flap-flyer."

"The only other non-bird animals capable of using flapping flight are the winged insects and reptiles called bat-birds such as the clans of them living in our mixed-species tribe," said Celeste. The others shot her confused looks but Orion said, "That's another subject for another discussion," immediately dispelling any curiosity from the others. However, Orion, Celeste, Samara, Jewel, Zephyr and Brisa purposely did not discuss the clans of the mixed-species tribe that were of species that are supposed to be extinct as they would rather keep their existence a secret, but rumours of their existence were present. The Rafael began to apply the plans.

"Right, you two flying foxes, can you move closer together please?" he asked the two flying foxes and they began to step towards each other. Orion was on the left and Ahsoka was on the right. Rafael continued telling them to move closer and closer until finally, the two bats were exactly side-by-side. Blu looked on as this was familiar. Rafael used the same method with him and Jewel to get him to fly.

"Great, amigo and amiga," said the toco toucan, "now, put your wings around each other."

"What?" Ahsoka said.

"Oh, come on," said Rafael with a smile, "he's not gonna be a bite-y bat, is he? He's a nice guy."

"Depends," Orion said with a smirk to which Ahsoka flinched slightly. Sirius, Milo, Aurora and the other birds looked on.

"Now, you flap your left wing, Orion," said Rafael, "And you flap your right wing, Ahsoka and together, you fly as one."

"I don't think that's possible," said Sirius.

"We have NEVER seen bats fly like that," added Aurora.

"Not that we know of, anyway," said Zephyr, his gaze drifting to the sky at this absurd idea.

"I'm starting to agree with them, Rafael," Ahsoka said nervously, "I'm NOT liking this idea at all."

"Oh, come on, my girl Ahsoka," said Rafael, "You're overthinking things. Lemme tell ya a lil' fact..." he then went over to the flying foxes, specifically Ahsoka, "Just like in us flying birds, you bats' flying instinct is not what you feel in here," he pointed to Ahsoka's head, "It's what you feel in there," he pointed to Ahsoka's chest, "It's called the rhythm of the heart and like the beat of samba, it beats in a rhythm as it's named."

He then danced around a little, inched to the precipice's edge and dropped off. Ahsoka flinched in alarm but then Rafael spiralled up and flew around as a demo.

"There we go, Ahsoka," called the toco toucan as he flapped around acrobatically, "As you can see, it's actually quite easy. You basically let your heart's rhythm take over such that you fly without even thinking about it."

"What... I can't do something while NOT thinking about it, Rafael," Ahsoka protested, "Certainly NOT if it's in the air..."

"Hey," Orion said, "If you wanna live with us in the wild jungle, THIS is what you MUST learn," he gestured with a hand-wing to Rafael flying around.

"Yes, I managed to learn how to fly back in Australia to find my owner Audrey," said Milo, "And flew right from Perth to Sydney where she moved."

"Same here," said Blu, "It was something I had to learn if I wanted to live with Jewel in the jungle. After all, we macaws and also you flying foxes were NOT built for living on the forest floor.

"It's too dangerous," put in Jewel, "Especially for raising chicks," she gazed at Carla, Bia and Tiago.

"Unless of course you're a big flightless bird," said Aurora. Then Rafael called to the other birds to come and join him in the sky and immediately, the entire group of birds including the chained macaws ran towards the edge of the precipice and took off. The chained macaws flew in formation and kept close together to avoid their chains becoming taut so that they didn't stall each other and surprisingly, Sirius was staying in the air despite his scratched wing. That was because his scratch was no longer painful and even Samara (who also regretted clawing Sirius there and on the face back at Tulio's Aviary in her rage) was glad.

"C'MON, AHSOKA!" cried he, Samara also yelling encouraging cheers to the flying foxes. The toucan kids remained close to Eva at her command. When Ahsoka saw her feathered friends fly around in the sky, the desire to join them flared within her and she got ready to face her fear of flying. However, she was a little hesitant.

"You ready, Ahsoka?" asked Orion, "We're to join them in the sky."

"Oh, come on, Ahsoka," Ahsoka murmured nervously to herself.

"All we're gonna do is run for the edge and then drop with our wings spread wide," said Orion, "And we MUST have them spread wide for our skins to catch the air."

Ahsoka then nervously opened her right wing and uttered a timid whimper. Then Orion felt it was time to attempt the launch.

"Oh, come on, Ginger," the male Amazon flying fox yelled, "Let's GO!"

And with that, the pair rushed for the precipice edge, Orion with his left wing open and his other wing around Ahsoka's back.

"YOU CAN DO IT, AHSOKA!" cried he, "Remember, GET READY TO JUMP OFF THE EDGE FOR A SHORT DROP SO THAT OUR WINGS CAN CATCH THE AIR. IS YOUR RIGHT WING SPREAD OUT?"

Ahsoka continued running to the edge with Orion, her left wing opened but then her nerve snapped like a twig, especially as the pair jumped over the edge and into the drop. That was when all floodwaters broke loose.

"NOOOO!" cried the terrified ginger bat and with that, she immediately seized the first thing she could latch her hand-wings on, a protruding root from the cliff wall directly below the edge. This action had Orion then flap and rise but then he saw he was not going anywhere. Immediately, he shot an ANGRY glare at Ahsoka clutching the root.

"Oh, Ahsoka DO WE HAVE TO FACE THIS THING AGAI..." he didn't get to finish as Ahsoka's wings slipped from the root and she plummeted, taking the poor male bat, flapping desperately and in vain to stay airborne, with her due to the chain. Both flying foxes screamed as they fell earthward. Ahsoka flapped chaotically and as the flying foxes drifted further from the cliff face due to Orion's mad flapping in his attempt to stay in the air, by some perfect timing, a red glider passed under them and the pair landed RIGHT onto it. Ahsoka then dizzily looked up, her boiling nerves calming from the shock of the fall.

"Wh-wh-where are we, Orion?" she moaned, "Are we in the forest below?"

"No, it appears we have landed on top of a winged thingy you human-raised and near-city forest living animals call a glider," said Orion. He then recovered a little and let loose a cheer at the flight, Ahsoka continuing to calm her nerves. Nearby, Sirius and Samara flew together, the silver chain flapping with the wind between them.

"Yes, it's called a glider, Orion," called the former.

"Is that the only method humans use to fly, Sirius?" asked Samara. Her attitude towards humans was slowly changing. Before, she was volcanically hostile towards them but now, curiosity was slowly taking its place.

"No, Samara," Sirius replied, "Humans use other means of flight via other machines as well."

As he began to talk to Samara about the variety of other flying things humans had invented such as planes and helicopters, Ahsoka began to take in the awesome view of Rio including the puffs of clouds covering some of the sea-level elevations. The Atlantic Ocean was clearly visible, its azure surface glistening in the tropical sun and its end lapping the sands of Copacabana Beach populated by numerous tourists and beachgoers. The city of Rio and its forests extended further inland and covered a topographical section of the area. Hills such as Sugarloaf Mountain rose out of the cityscape and there was a cable car, Sugarloaf Mountain Cable Car, hanging above the city as well. The glider then sailed past the Christ the Redeemer statue and Ahsoka smiled at the Biblical figure with His arms spread wide.

"We bats may not be built to fly at higher elevations than the birds but when you fly," explained Orion, "THIS is what you have the chance to see."

"Why didn't I think of THIS advantage before," said Ahsoka, "I may have seen this view from an elevated stance with Joanna like on the monorail or a cliff edge but NOT like this."

"Has your human friend EVER used a glider?" asked Orion.

"Joanna NEVER liked flying with gliders or with microlights which are small simple planes with a propeller," said Ahsoka, "So no. She did try and get me to fly but I have always been too afraid to achieve it."

"This is a chance to make her proud," said Orion, "And also me and your bird friends. We want you to get airborne at some point."

Ahsoka breathed a sigh but then she released a short, startled squeak as the glider suddenly dropped to fly at a lower elevation. Flying alongside the glider, Aurora, Zephyr and Brisa who flew in their triangle came in with Celeste, Milo and Blu and Rafael and their families, all of them flying together and they joined Sirius and Samara. All the birds gazed with smiles at Ahsoka's half-achievement.

"Not bad for a start, eh?" said Aurora.

"Indeed not," said Blu.

"I remember us being on top of a glider when we tried getting you to fly, Blu," said Jewel. Beside her, Carla, Bia and Tiago looked on curiously.

"She's actually starting to overcome her fear of heights," said Milo, Celeste looking on with a smile.

"It IS indeed a start," said Zephyr.

"Her first step to flying," added Brisa.

"Can you feel it, Ahsoka?" called Rafael, Eva and their 25 chicks flying like a flock alongside him.

"Yes," Ahsoka called back. She then turned to Orion as he relished the flow of air through his fur. She decided to feel the breeze through her fur as well. However, curiosity soon took hold of Ahsoka and she began to creep towards the edge of the glider. She wanted to peer at the human driving it but what she was doing was making a stupid move. While Orion was distracted with the airflow through his fur, Ahsoka neared the glider's edge and began to peer down. Orion opened his eyes to check on the ginger bat but when he saw what she was doing, alarm tore through him.

"Ahsoka," he said, "Ahsoka, what are you doing?"

Ahsoka didn't reply and got her entire head and upper body over the glider's leading edge and she gazed at the human flying it but then she leaned too far, overbalanced and fell off the glider.

"Stop, NO... AAAARRRGGGGGGHH!" Orion screamed as he was pulled off the glider as well by the chain. The birds saw the two bats then begin to plummet toward earth again. Rafael uttered an expletive under his breath and commanded Eva to keep the toucan kids together and as he did this, Blu, Jewel, Carla, Bia and Tiago swooped down after the falling bats followed by the chained macaws with Sirius reacting first. As he shot down, he pulled Samara down with him, forcing her to catch up to prevent him from stalling.

"Oh, THESE CHAINS ARE MAKING INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT IMPOSSIBLE!" the female glaucous macaw screamed furiously.

"KEEP TOGETHER!" Aurora yelled as she dove with Zephyr and Brisa. Milo and Celeste did so to avoid flying too far apart. Above the macaws, the big toucan family followed.

Ahsoka continued flapping and plummeting with Orion flapping above her, the chain taut between them. Orion's instinctive urge to stay airborne pushed his flying muscles to the limit but despite all the effort Orion did in staying aloft, Ahsoka's weight was just too much for this to be even possible and both bats continued screaming and plummeting towards earth. Just then Milo, Celeste, Sirius and Samara appeared, having caught up with them.

"AHSOKA!" cried Sirius and Samara together.

"FLAP YOUR WIIINGS!" yelled Celeste and Milo also together. However, Ahsoka was too terrified to do it properly. Then Celeste saw something coming.

"Look OUT!" she cried. Milo, Samara and Sirius followed her gaze and saw another glider coming. Immediately, both chained pairs of macaws darted away. The flying foxes bounced off the glider and continued falling, Ahsoka first. Then another glider, a blue and yellow one, appeared in the bat's fall path but not enough to catch them. Orion, in his SEVERE panic, unintentionally seized the leading edge of the glider with his wing thumbs, resulting in Ahsoka dangling from his right ankle via the chain and being pulled toward the person on the glider with the movement. The poor ginger bat flapped like a bird caught in a net and some of her wing flaps slapped the poor person in the face several times, that person uttering things in Portuguese in frustration. Then Orion's wing thumbs slipped off the gliding edge as Ahsoka's weight won the battle and the bats continued plummeting and screaming. Above the plummeting pair of flying foxes, the macaws and toucans watched in UTMOST horror. Even all the toucan kids were terrified and some of them actually screamed among them Diantha. Sirius and Samara returned and began to approach the plummeting bats but then another glider came in. Sirius saw this and tried to dodge at the last second but he and Samara got caught by the glider and they ended up on the human's head. The glider also caught Orion and Ahsoka's chain and the former ended up being dragged by his right ankle on top and the latter under above by her left, once again near the person driving the flying device.

"YOU IDIOT, SIRIUS!" screamed Samara but then Sirius began to reach for Ahsoka with a foot.

"Ahsoka, REACH FOR MY TALON!" yelled Sirius, his yells being squawks in the driver's ear and he winced. The petrified Ahsoka tried to reach a hand-wing for Sirius' foot but then the chain holding her and Orion together slipped away from the glaucous macaw and off the glider altogether and into another plummet. The glaucous macaws also dropped from the person and dove after the bats.

"WE'RE GONNA FALL TO OUR DEEEAAATHS!" screamed Ahsoka as she flapped wildly below Orion and pulling him down once again. She shot an EXTREMELY terrified gaze earthward and saw the rapidly approaching Copacabana Beach dotted with numerous tourists and their equipment such as beach umbrellas and screamed. Orion who continued to flap in a vain attempt to stay airborne also saw the rapidly approaching beach and screamed as well. The two bats braced for their demise and the demise of their species, the Amazon flying fox as well but then Orion felt something seize his wing arms and slow his descent. Ahsoka also felt her and Orion's descent slow. The ginger bat shot a confused look up at Orion and to her surprise; she saw two free Spix macaws hold Orion by his wings, their talons clutching each wing by the wing thumb. Blu held Orion's right and Jewel his left. Then the pair began to carry the bats to the ground in a controlled descent. As they did this, the other birds including Carla, Bia and Tiago, Eva and the toucan kids came in, relieved at Blu and Jewel's life-saving act.

"Careful with my wing skins with your talon claws, you two," Orion called to the couple. The pair was careful and mindful of his wing patagia or skins and continued lowering him and Ahsoka to the beach below. Though Orion was held by Blu and Jewel, poor Ahsoka was left dangling directly beneath the three with the chain being the only tether she had from still-far up above the ground. She felt the urge to panic and flap due to the height but Blu began to issue her gentle words to keep her calm.

"We're close to the ground now," said he. Then as soon as they were safely not far above the beach, Blu and Jewel took Orion and Ahsoka to a safe spot among the sea of tourists where they could recover and also out of the way of anything flying low such as volleyballs and there was a game of it occurring among a small band of male humans. After all, Blu and Jewel were kicked about during their similar ordeal in this same place and wanted to avoid Orion and Ahsoka facing that same sequence. As soon as they had chosen a safe spot behind a tree, Blu and Jewel released Orion once Ahsoka was safely on the ground before touching down themselves. After landing, Ahsoka began to tremble violently as the other birds also appeared.

"Oh, thanks for that, you two," Orion said gratefully to the Spix macaw couple. Then Rafael came in to Ahsoka, a series of disappointed tcks leaving his beak.

"You did NOT feel it in HERE, Ahsoka," he said with a wing point to his chest. Orion, however, said nothing for he was also shaken from the whole wild ride.

"We've got a SERIOUS problem alright," said Eva with all 25 toucan kids and also Carla, Bia and Tiago surrounding her.

"Could the loss of both of her parents be the cause of her flightlessness?" asked Blu, "I know when I fell out of my nest as a chick may have contributed to my being grounded for so long under Linda's care."

The other birds exchanged confused looks. Aurora, Milo and Sirius had been traumatised by poachers but were still able to fly. However, Sirius and Aurora had ALREADY learnt to fly before the poachers seized them. That left Milo who, like Blu, had been flightless even during poaching and during his first few years with Audrey in Perth, Australia. However, he eventually overcame his flightlessness through the determination to fly to Sydney to reunite with his owner after an incident caused by Audrey's rotten sister Ana resulted in him being torn from his owner, and after Audrey's family had moved there. Why not Ahsoka despite her remaining in Rio throughout her life? This was indeed a confusing situation. Then Aurora suggested something.

"Looks like carrying Ahsoka for the rest of the way to Luiz is the only option left, after all," she said.

"Are you up to the task, Blu or Jewel?" asked Sirius, "We cannot carry her at all due to our chains."

"Yes, they would make it too difficult for us for the task and you two are the only macaws that aren't chained together besides your chicks," said Zephyr with Brisa nodding in agreement. So did Milo, Celeste and Samara. Ahsoka breathed a sigh of relief.

"Better THAT than trying to fly," she muttered.

"Orion will need to be carried as well," said Jewel with a nod to the brown bat, "As he's chained to her."

"I can fly by myself," said Orion, "But I do need support in getting airborne and I can't do that without dropping from an elevation like an overhang."

"Then let's get to it," said Rafael. Then Blu and Jewel flapped into flight to set to the task but as they hovered over the bats with Blu over Orion and Jewel over Ahsoka, Milo spotted something in the distance through the shrubbery of tourists and their equipment such as beach umbrellas. It was a small group of black birds and a massive scarred white one with a long neck ending in a mass of dishevelled vines and an orange beak. Shivers travelled down his spine and he felt his skin freeze.

"Oh, no," the male Lear's macaw whispered.

"What is it, Milo?" asked Celeste.

"Something alarmin', amigo?" asked Rafael. Milo turned to them, a stern look on his face.

"We'd better get moving," the male Lear's macaw said, his gaze on the sinister group, "There's a group of some of this second band of poachers' pets out looking for us here and among them is that monster of a swan named Vecna. We'd better get outa here now, especially the..." he broke off midsentence when he saw three blue chicks wander off in the direction of the group of sinister birds, among them the hideous Vecna the swan, curiosity compelling them to investigate. Immediately, Samara dove in and swung her wings around Carla, Bia and Tiago, accidentally pulling Sirius by the chain doing so. However, Sirius didn't complain for he knew Samara was making the right move.

"Get back to your parents' side, NOW," she hissed to the three chicks in rebuke and immediately handed them back to Blu and Jewel to their surprise. A while ago, this macaw was a nasty piece of work but now, she was being caring. As she handed Carla, Bia and Tiago to their parents, she gave them a glare. Not one out of dislike for Blu this time.

"Keep your three chicks close to you, you two," Samara spoke in a hushed but urgent whisper, before turning to Rafael and Eva, "You as well with your... 20-plus chicks and do not, repeat: NOT... let ANY of them wander off, particularly in THEIR direction," she indicated with a point to Vecna and some of his crow and raven grunts, their cold glares scouring the beach for any flash of colour but particularly blue and in Ahsoka and Orion's case, ginger, brown and black as well.

"As I was saying," continued Milo in a low voice, "Vecna over there is hot on our tails like his owners and cat, dog, crow and raven underlings. You, Blu and Jewel, along with your chicks, are highest on their catch list with us and if they see you, they'll come for you as fast as a bounding kangaroo."

"So that's Vecna?" asked Blu with a nod to the vicious swan.

"Yes and his most detested type of birds are parrots," said Aurora seriously, "But enough of that. Let's get outa here before that wicked swan and/or any of his corvid underlings with him see us."

"And we must be quiet as well," added Sirius, "As they are clearly looking for us."

"If they see or hear us, it's game over," added Celeste. Blu, Jewel and their chicks and also Rafael and his big family then agreed and complied. Then Sirius and Samara shot the latter family a glare. Eva and the 25 toucan kids should NOT have come and it was clearly an UTTERLY stupid decision of them to come as they were making themselves sitting ducks (or rather toucans) for the poachers' pets. Pulling their glares from Rafael's big family, the glaucous macaws got prepared to creep away from the scouring eyes of Vecna and his corvid underlings, among them Dooku and Noire. Using the tourists and the beach objects as cover, the group snuck a few at a time towards the road. The kids stayed close to the adults and as the group, during their escape, got a clearer view of Vecna and his gang as they continued searching for them, the crows and ravens holding two more empty ready cages, having delivered the previous cages containing their previous catch to their owners back at their den and to get new, empty cages ready for caging any caught targets, Blu peered out from behind a propped surfboard to examine him. He winced at the number of scars crisscrossing the swan's plumage but what disturbed him most of all was his face. Blu felt his stomach lurch when he looked at the scarred, closed left eye of the beast with a set of tiger stripe scars running over them and the thought of the cause of it made him wince.

"I think I've seen that brute before," he whispered.

"He's a brute alright," Rafael said. Behind him, Eva guided the toucan kids with Milo and Celeste's help when she, too, saw the scarred swan.

"Look at all those scars marking his plumage and... is he blind in his left eye?" she whispered when she saw Vecna's hideous look including his face.

"Don't ask how he ended up like that but he loathes parrots and has a history of fights with them," explained Celeste, "I daren't explain further due to young ears about," she nodded to the toucan kids and Carla, Bia and Tiago, all of them clearly frightened at the sight of the monster, near her and Milo. Blu and Rafael then pulled their gazes off of Vecna and continued moving for the road running alongside Copacabana Beach.

The group's nerves were on edge as they crept away from the hawkeyed and ear-cocked Vecna and the ravens and crows accompanying him a few at a time, using whatever object or human as cover. A big bag of balls was large enough to provide cover for the whole group so they hid behind it, going there from two propped surfboards and a sunbathing man lying under a beach umbrella and on a beach sheet a few at a time. Jewel, Eva and the kids went first for they were the priority and they snuck there with Sirius and Samara, Milo and Celeste. Marco stopped to gaze at Vecna but Eva hissed at him to get moving and he did. Then as soon as they were across and safely behind the ball pile in its net bag, Aurora, Zephyr and Brisa moved next and they quickly rushed for the bag of balls. Lastly, Blu, Rafael, Orion and Ahsoka made their move and they hurried for the balls with the others as well. However, on the way, Blu tripped and landed on his front and suddenly, Vecna turned his frigid Jadis-like one-eyed gaze his way but the macaw vanished in a second. Vecna blinked in slight confusion, thinking he had seen something blue but then brushed it off and continued his search. However, Blu had been seized the moment he facepalmed by Rafael and Jewel and pulled behind the ball pile which was why he disappeared so quickly, narrowly avoiding Vecna's glare. Then Vecna spoke to the ravens and the crows with him.

"Remember, not only are we looking for those seven blue macaws and two flying foxes, but also that Spix macaw family of five. Keep your eyes peeled," he said. Blu and Jewel picked this up and the moment they did, chills ran through their skins and spines.

"It's true," said Aurora in a low voice to which the couple shot her a gaze to confirm this fact. Then Milo spotted a jeep.

"Let's hitch a ride on that vehicle's trailer," he said, "It'll take us quickly into the city and away from that swan and his cronies."

"Looks like Ahsoka's initial idea of travelling on the ground by vehicle is a good idea, after all," whispered Aurora.

"It's a wonder that hideous swan and some of his corvid his cronies over there didn't spot us while we were rescuing Orion and Ahsoka from plummeting toward the beach," said Sirius. Then immediately, the entire group darted from the ball pile and made a beeline for the trailer of the jeep. It was about to drive away so they had to be quick. Rafael and his big family and Carla, Bia and Tiago fluttered into the trailer first and the kids hid among the boxes carried within it. Then Aurora's group and Blu and Jewel made their leap for the jeep. Aurora took off in formation with Zephyr and Brisa first, followed by Sirius and Samara and also Milo and Celeste, the glaucous and Lear's macaws flying close together to avoid stalling each other with their chains. Lastly, Blu and Jewel took off and seized Ahsoka and Orion and lifted them into the air for the latter did not have time to climb something to drop into flight. Then as soon as the flying foxes and the Spix macaw couple were in the trailer and all thirteen adults and 28 kids were altogether with not one of them missing, a MASSIVE wave of relief swept through them.

"That sure was close," Sirius breathed, his wing on his chest as he felt his heart beat fast from the fright of seeing Vecna and some of his cronies present. Next to him, Samara breathed in and out from the nerves to calm herself as Sirius continued, "I thought we weren't gonna make it."

"The kids are all extremely frightened, especially by the appearance of that hideous swan," said Samara as she looked over the terrified and trembling macaw and toucan kids, their mothers calming them. Then Eva spoke as she tried to get Sofia, Marco and Miguel, three of her and Rafael's eldest chicks, to relax from the fright of seeing Vecna.

"My handsome hunk Rafael and I have encountered nasty swans before," said she, "But none of them compare to THAT hideous beast. He's the worst we have EVER seen."

"Some of the swans we've met, however, have been nice and friendly," said Rafael, "They only got vicious when they or their family was threatened."

"Oh, not this one, Rafael," said Sirius.

"This one is TRULY a vicious beast, like Eva said," said Orion.

"He is VERY powerful," said Celeste, "And also very big. He can even flatten you with his body bulk and he packs an incredibly NASTY bite."

"He's probably worse than Nigel," put in Milo. Suddenly, the group felt the jeep begin to move. Immediately they ducked among the cargo to avoid being seen by the humans and more importantly, by some of Vecna's raven and crow cronies as they continued to scour the area. Dooku turned the group's way as the jeep left with them but saw nothing. Taken in by the illusion, the lead raven moved on with Vecna and the other corvids with them.