Rio 3: Reconciliation

The Surprise

Linda and Tulio showed up a few minutes after Roberto and the others. They struggled through brush and over fallen logs, but they finally arrived.

They were just as surprised as the birds were to find the destroyed portion of trees. Ashes were spread everywhere, over bare ground and over partially burnt wood. Judging from the smoke that was rising from the ashes, Tulio guessed that whatever happened, happened recently.

Over in the distance a few yards away from them, was a little blue speck. Tulio observed as best he could from his vantage point, and discovered that it was another blue feather. "Linda," he began. He pointed to the feather in the distance.

There was a rustling in a tree across from them. Somebody, apparently, was watching. Roberto and Mimi, having heard the rustling of the leaves, investigated to find out who was there. As they neared the branch, a blue bird quickly took flight, fleeing from the "unwelcome" guests.

Both Roberto and Mimi pursued the bird, but Roberto got the lead on Mimi in the pursuit. "Wait up!" he yelled. "We just want to talk!"

The stranger didn't pay any attention to him and kept flying away, leading them to and fro, winding in between trees in order to lose them. The blue bird was successful in losing them, but he led them right to the personal stache of Brazil nuts.

"Whoa, would you look at this collection!" Roberto said in amazement.
Then another little rustling caught his attention, followed by scraping of tree bark. "Hello?"

Mimi caught up to Roberto and asked, "Did you find him?"

Roberto put a feather to his beak as he stared in the direction of the noise. When he looked harder, he discovered that there was a hollowed out tree, perfect for a hiding spot. Roberto pointed it out to Mimi and bid her stay where she was while he went to check the hollow.

He flew up to the branch protruding from the front of the tree. The hole stood a little off to the side of the branch, making it difficult for Roberto to get a clear line of sight into the hollow; but he walked up to the tree then took a hop into the hole.

The frightened blue bird jumped and pressed herself against the back wall of the hollow. "What do you want?! Please, take all the nuts you want, just don't hurt me!"

"Calm down, Miss. We just want to know where you came from. We had no clue that somebody else had been living out here."

"That is none of your business! Leave me alone!"

"At least tell me your name, please. We don't intend to hurt you."

"Jasmine. My name is Jasmine." She began looking him over with a hint of curiosity. "And who are you?"

"Roberto. I am a member of a nearby Blue Macaw tribe."

Jasmine began releasing herself from the safety of the back wall, and she asked, "Blue... Blue Macaw? Which one?"

"Blue Spix. Why do you ask?"

Jasmine now looked a bit confused and curious at the same time, losing all sense of fear. "This doesn't make any sense," she said hushedly, as if to herself.

"What doesn't make sense?"

"I was told I was the last of my kind. Are you SURE?"

"As sure as ever." Roberto poked his head out the hole and beckoned for Mimi to come.

"Where have you been all this time?"

"We are just a few miles east of here. Well, a few miles east NOW. We were only one mile away when we chased you here."

Jasmine, a complete stranger to Roberto, walked briskly up to him and gave him one gigantic hug. "I am glad I'm not alone anymore."

Mimi came in to see the stranger hugging Roberto. "Well, you sure made friends fast. What did I miss?"

Roberto just looked at Mimi and smiled. "Welcome the new member of the tribe."