This can't be happening!
With rage and worry balanced in splendor, Mimi hurtled herself, away from the player water cave, away from a startled and terrified Eduardo, towards her practical daughter–and the grandchildren.
The smolder in her eyes would have set the caterwauling scarlets ablaze if it could've, aflame in red darker than the trails of blood she left behind. The signs of a struggle were obvious. From inside the cave, they ended further in the jungle. There, all signs went cold and awry. Yet how they snatched Blu without a peep was a mystery. Eduardo's current theory was a stealthy ambush. Even then, though, the little details didn't add up, such as too few claw marks.
Mimi soared up and high, skimming the water of the stadium's pit before ascending in a flurry of flaps. Spotting her family on the blue macaw side, a sense of urgency rippled. Both tribes broiled in confusion, darkly eyeing the other for the surprise cancellation of the game. Each team's players and assorted guards stood post to prevent riots. Yet even they bristled, suspicions lingering when looking at each other. Juicy tension, ripe for breaking, hung.
Murmurs of all-out bloodshed threaten, of claw grazed to wing, and beak matched to eye, amongst the traded spit, scowled threats, rising whispers.
Though her form might be out of shape, and perhaps she may be eccentric in many ways, an equal bloodlust lurked in Mimi's talons, urging to be quenched.
Crowded lines from both tribes were being filtered out of the stadium. Together, one by one, being checked for signs they might've been the one. Eduardo and Felipe hissed at one another in the alcove that usually housed the scorers. A nasty, venomous feeling arose—only very few times had Mimi witnessed her brother be livid. Stones rocked her stomach, landing on the seating. Talons clacked as Mimi rushed over. She must protect them. No matter what.
Jewel traded glances with other worried parents and younglings in a hazy mood. Secure, protect, defend. Those words burned in Mimi's head, passed by her mother, may the Amazon bless her. The warriors kept close watch, forming an informal encirclement. Her scuffing caught Jewel's attention. She released the three out of the root-strong wing huddle. Mimi welcomed the quivering embrace. Jewel's face creased once she stepped back.
Mimi held up her wing to quell any questions the younglings may bring up. It might be the most difficult to contemplate moments of their lives by far.
"Mimi, what's happening?" asked Jewel expectedly. She piled her children forward, to be surrounded by mother and aunt.
The vicious scene in the cave quaked in the mind's eye; Mimi held her wings tightly to her side. Unsure of how to convey to her niece, Mimi found herself almost aimlessly adrift. "It's… Blu… he…"
Immediately, Jewel's breath stuttered, the pinpricks in her eyes widening. Sparks of color dimmed, comparable to dying embers. "What is it?" Traces of exhaustion lingered.
This… this will shatter her, already dealing with these children all on her for just a few days now… trying not to tell them their father is bad, only that he made a mistake…
"Everyone, listen… carefully… please…"
Carla, Bia, and Tiago huddled closer without even knowing, drawing slow, sharp breaths. The scents of the jungle pricked Mimi's tongue, accusing her of delivering a fatality the moment her vocal cords loosened. Shrieks and screams and screeches of one tribe at another meticulously conspired to distract the old bird from her intent. The sun heated harsher than it had before in her many long years. Never had such poison tainted her words, it felt.
"Children…" Mimi inhaled pointedly. "Your father is… gone… taken, we believe." She knew her fearful eyes delivered the message before the words were uttered. "There is… much blood and no sign… we, I… fear many things. And all signs… well, I ought not to say it out loud."
Jewel gasped, throat stuttering, dry tears forming.
Confusion flustered the youngling's faces for a few seconds, before they, too, dawned in realization. Mimi knew she would regret the darkness touching them, stripping away their innocence of a happy, free, content, peaceful, if tight and strife, world. Nonetheless, there was no other choice, no way to hide the reality of what was going to happen. The game's purpose entirely rested on preventing such gory possibilities. Yet, here they were.
Mimi knew what that was like. She and Eduardo worked long and hard to raise a tribe free of bloodshed and true war. Between the simultaneous loggers and forest fire that drove them away last time, when they lost so many, including Jewel and quietly likely Blu's mother–a personal investigation still in progress–so much had been seen no one should have to. And now, glancing upon her kin's terrified states, Mimi's heart sank. The horror arrived, once more.
Mimi tasted the scent of charred flesh, swallowing the phantom bile.
The mother bird's eyes swiveled, downed, contemplating, across her children, her tribe mates, the pit, to her father in the distance. Mimi felt all too well the thoughts flowing through her head, as if the banks of the Amazon river rushed with rage on a stormy night, surging madly to overflow and destroy the life growing at its basins and banks. Jewel's expression hardened in a snap. A gliding growl, beak grinding on itself, pitched, hurting Mimi's sensitive ears.
Jeweled whipped her wings around her children, tighter than a vine choking a growing tree.
"Jewel…" Mimi said listlessly.
"Carla… Bia… Tiago…" A strenuous might glowed from her. "Do not give up hope…" Another stutter almost caught her throat, Mimi observed–and Jewel shoved it right back down. "I, nay, we, will find your father. This… this is how grim life is sometimes. We will make it through, however. As a family, as a tribe." A sneer almost interrupted as she briefly flickered to the scarlets, then back to them. "No matter what happens, remember, we have each other."
Then directing her gaze to Mimi, Mimi nodded, brazen fire blazing as the three chicks followed suit.
Mimi added her own touch of whimsy. "Difficult times lie ahead now. But though you may be afraid, never give up. Listen to your mother, and listen well."
Though various, untold, unyielding emotions scrawled them each, at the least, weak understanding flashed.
Mimi sighed–these children, and soon, the whole tribe, would know the skyways to hell and back before long.
Still, she kept herself calm and composed, a boulder against the incoming turret for all to see, rely on, and hold. For if Mimi must be the tribe's foundation of support, to bear the weight of their oppressions, so be it. She could only hope Eduardo figured out what to do. Soon, too. Collecting herself, Mimi straightened up. Blue sky dawdled far above, clouds leisurely pacing. They did not have any such luxuries to spare.
Plans and ideas unfurled. Mimi's locked nous breaking free, of how to best set up defenses. The ancient gears of arduous, suffering survival rapidly clinked to life.
Just then, a familiar flapping and near-silent landing, save for a tinkling of sharp tips, settled on the rocky seating at the epicenter of the five. Mimi blinked. Expectedly, Roberto. Come to deliver further news. Mimi noted a sudden draft of warmth caressing Jewel and the children's darkened moods, as if moths attracted to a comforting flame. Always uplift others, he did, at a cost no one quite understood. Mimi's gizzard tingled.
"I... sorry if I am interrupting," Roberto spoke, slipping in a quick bow as he opted to stay a seating row lower than them.
"No, no, it's okay..." Jewel inflicted an aura of okayness into her voice. "We… we know. Mimi told us," she indicated with an outstretched of her wing edge.
"Eduardo sent me ahead, Roberto," the older bird chimed in. "Please, do hurry, the last of everyone is evacuating about now." Mimi eyes the thinning lines of non-warrior avians. Tension continually bled in the air, the warriors of each tribe on guard.
Roberto's chest lowered, tail swinging as he shuffled in place. "Oh… oh… I... am sorry. In that case, I'll skip to the point."
In response, Jewel's feathers rattled, and lessened their heightened whereabouts. "It's alright, Roberto. You're merely trying to do what is right. Please… do tell." Flickering sunlight reflected her turquoise irises.
These two always have had such an affinity for each other, even after so many years apart. Mimi chose to be silent and let the news flow.
With a quick harrumph, and his curled feather shaking for a brief second, he informed. "Your father would like to speak to you. He's calling an emergency meeting. You too, Mimi. I'm here to finalize the last of us retreating to the heartland. Do keep this information on the down low, though, please. He doesn't want everyone panicking. Our current cover story is that the game had to be canceled due to scarlet tribe sickness."
Jeweled appeared taken aback. "I cannot do that, Roberto. My children need me." The short trio flitted gazes about, in disjointed unity. "Besides, what might I possibly offer?"
"Jewel," Mimi sniped in, her dormant analytics awakening. "You have outside knowledge and ways that may prove invaluable. He needs me, likewise, for defense. The kiddies will be fine, I trust Roberto to see to that. I know it's tough, but it must be done."
And should Eduardo… The inevitably horrible thought struck Mimi, yet she boldly shoved and cut it short. Now was not the time. Strong. She must be. Not a worrying leech.
Roberto, inclining in unspoken agreement, shouted. "Laura!"
Right away, an extremely sleek, lighter female blue macaw tossed her head their way. In a hurricane of flaps, she jousted away from the gathered warriors. Mimi recognized her as their tribe's assigned scorekeeper, a now irrelevant assignment. She settled beside Roberto. Brilliant fury radiated from her eyes, loyalty entrenched itself in her body. There was no doubt as to her strength, commitment, and ability towards duty–so fierce. Mimi remembered her younger days.
"Reporting for duty, Roberto, sir," Laura sternly said, throwing in the quickest salute imaginable. Though beautiful, she clacked her deadly toes in a menacing rhythm.
He let out a sighing churr. "Please, one term names only, my lady Lieutenant
Laura-" Roberto said with a glare, taking in a breath, "-I've a task. Do help me keep watch over Eduardo's grandchildren. Nothing is to happen. Understand?"
"Yes, sir, indeed."
"Good. Jewel, will this satisfy?"
"I… suppose it will have to do."
"There isn't much else we can do, my wildflower."
Reluctantly, Jewel let herself away from Carla, Bia, and Tiago, who remained almost motionless amid the exchange. Laura approached cautiously, a near stranger to the young ones, as to establish a link, an inkling of trust. Jewel hushed them forward. Roberto scoured the situation in the stadium, doubly ensuring all lingered stably. Breeze picked up, ruffling Mimi the most. The amassed sea of blues and reds and greens and yellows trailed on and out.
Mimi looked to Jewel to indicate they must leave. She kissed her children goodbye, whispering promises of being back soon and leaving with one last family hug. Laura chit-chatted to Roberto for a few lines. "Thank you, the both of you," said Jewel, as she prepared beside Mimi. Laura smiled in response, so Mimi patted her in appreciation, internally taking in what they were about to do. The great blue beyond waited for no one.
While the others slowly glided to the exit, Jewel and Mimi stayed by themselves for a pure, unrelenting moment, nothing in the world but them. Misty yellow-white light streaked; the tree tops swayed; the last of the non-warriors of the blue macaw tribe left. Even so, a contingent remained to oversee that the next in line of each tribe did not riot or fight as they strode outside, side by side. Mimi pondered if this would be the last time for a long time when both tribes may see one another without being mortal enemies.
A huff broke out thirty seconds later.
"So…" Jewel let go, unfreezing time. "This… this is war, isn't it?" Crackling lightning edged her tone.
Mimi touched wing tip to wing tip, clutching hopefully. "I cannot say for sure, but I foresee it so, unfortunately. We will find Blu, I promise you."
Jewel bit her tongue, talons gripping the stone and scratching it. "I… I must keep that flame alive, feed the kindling. For them, for him, for all of us… I will not lose anyone ever again." A minor chuckle erupted, a feint away from spiraling thoughts. "I don't suppose you'll foretell victory in the droppings, hm?"
That was one time, Jewel, one time… And yet Mimi smirked all the same, letting the running family gag intercede the moment, deciding she'd talk to Jewel about her potentially unhealthy emotions later. "I do still stand by on clay consumption Jewel, but, yes, we… will do everything we can. I promise you."
Holding her gaze for a second, stormy skies swirled the sea of Jewel's eyes before she clucked in furious agreement.
"Shall, we go then, my angry river?"
"So we shall, my plump berry."
Two pairs of wings lifted off, far and above the entryway, into privileged flying space. Mimi cawed to the sentries to signal their intentions. In return, they saluted in acknowledgment. Thick, vivid brush impeded the way home. Nevertheless, Mimi powered through, over, under, onward, Jewel at her tailwinds. Uncertainty burned. But Mimi did not let it dampen her spirit. If tearing of flesh was to come, so be it.
I will protect my family and tribe, no matter the cost.