Chapter Text
The adventures of Birds in Rio
Chapter 1
Kidnapping
It all started about a year after we met Swallows and Amazons and revealed pur sentience to any humans for the first time. We were all sitting near our eggs. This is something we were doing quite often since that egg theft year ago. I, Red, was very focused on not letting them steal our eggs again. Then, suddenly, a giant cage fell onto us. Before we could do anything, we were trapped in it and a helicopter took that cage, with us inside, from the island. And yes, Terence was with us. It really was a big cage.
-What is going on? - Hal said.
-We have been kidnapped - I said.
-Let's blow this cage open and get out of here! - Bomb said.
-Are you crazy? - I said. - We are in the air right now! We will fail into the sea!
-We are getting better at flying above the sea - Bomb said.
-But not at that high attitude - I said. - We will get out of here once we get to the ground.
After some time in the flight, the cage we were in has been lowered to the ground. More exactly, it was lowered through a hole in the roof of some building into what looked like a storage room. We the heard a human voice saying:
-Cargo has been delivered. Our contract has been fulfilled. We will be leaving now.
And the helicopter left. The hole in the roof immediately closed and we found ourselves in darkness. Not for long, as Chuk quickly lightened an electric torch he had.
-Where are we? - Jay said.
-In some sort of bird smuggler's storage room - I said. Chuk was flashing around with his electric torch. They saw many birds in cages. Cages that were, in many cases, too small for them. I didn't know how many of them (maybe all of them, maybe not) were sentient, but I knew all of them were suffering.
We saw a macaw that was repeating “I am a pretty bird” and moving in circles, all the time. Another bird was calling to let him out.
-Red, look! - Chuk said and pointed at a cage dangling from the roof. It was attached to a chain that was attached to the roof quite close to the (now closed) hole we were brought through. Inside that cage were two blue macaws.
-Are these…? - I said.
-Spix Macaws, yes - Chuk said. - One female, one male. We could have just found Jewel.
-We must talk to them - I said. - Do you have a grappling hook?
-Yes - Bomb said and gave me a line with a grappling hook.
-Great - I said and I threw it. It went between the cage’s bars and hit the roof close to the place where the chain from which the cage with our Macaws dangled was attached. I attached the other side of the line to the cage’s floor.
-Help me! - I shouted. The other Birds went to help me and we brought our cage to the Macaw’s one.
-Stella, open the cage - I said.
-On it - Stella said. After a moment, our cage was open. Stella then left it and got to work on the Macaw’s cage’s doors. This startled both birds inside.
Finally, the other cage opened.
-Bomb, Chuk, Bubbles, with me - I said. - The rest, keep this cage here. And don’t make too much noise.
Me, Chuk, Bomb and Bubles jumped into the other cage. The two Spix Macaws retreated to the other side of the cage.
-Don’t be afraid - I said. - Is one of you Jewel?
-How do you know about Jewel? - the female one said.
-Nancy Blackett told us about her - I said.
-Nancy Blackett? - the female macaw said, a bit less distrustfully. - What do she and her sibling call themselves?
-The Amazons - I said. - And her sibling is Peggy Blackett.
-And their friends? - Jewel said.
-They call themselves the Swallows - I said. - Jonh Walker, Susan Walker, Titty Walker and Roger Walker. They told us what happened to you. We’re here to help.
-Good - Jewel said. - You passed my test. I see I can trust you… At least somewhat. Swallows and Amazons are the only humans who didn't betray me. The BPP… They had me, but neglected to inform the Amazons about me, so they didn’t come and take me to my family. They betrayed me!
I later learned it was the truth, although it wasn’t out of malice. I also never learned who did not relay this information. And it was not in character for the BPP. But it is not really relevant.
-Calm down - I said. - We will bring you out of here, and we will call the Amazons. And they will take you home.
-Wait a moment - said the male. - I want to get back to my owner. Back to Linda!
And he tried to leave, but Bomb and Chuck held him.
-Do not act impulsively! - I said.
-Yes, Blue, calm down - Jewel said.
-We must get out of here - Red said. - We can…
At this moment, we heard the doors opening.
-Back to the cage! - I shouted. Me, Bomb, Chuk and Bubles returned to our cage, closed both doors, repelled back to the floor and removed the line.
A white bird with a bone and a chain in his talons flew inside. He approached the cage of Blu and Jewel, opened it and quickly put one end of the chain around one leg of Blu. He then cough Jewel by her throat, threw her to the ground and puit the other end of the chain around her leg. She then left the cage.
Our anger was boiling over the entire operation. When it was over, Bubbles and bomb had enough. Bomb exploded, destroying our cage. Not seeing any other choice, I ordered the attack. We all spread out and began freeing other birds from the cages.