Reflection

Piggy Island

The next morning, all the birds stared at what was left of their village. Rubble was everywhere they looked and nearly all the houses had been destroyed by the TNT. All the expectant parents were weeping in despair at the loss of their eggs.

"Our kids," a female blue bird wept. "They're gone."

"We'll find them," her husband consoled as they held wings.

Red and Bomb caught up with Chuck, as everyone else had gathered on the beach, not knowing what to say or do.

"Luna...I'm sorry," Red grieved. "We tried to save you and we failed. Please forgive us."

"MISTER RED!" The Judge boomed as he made his way through the crowd. Red shut his eyes and looked away, bracing himself for another scolding, but to his surprise, that didn't happen. Instead, the judge took off his cowboy hat and gave a sorrowful look. "What do we do now?"

Red was so confused. First, everyone thought he was crazy and the Judge would constantly scold him, but now, they were looking at him for answers and guidance. "Wait, hold on, you're asking me?"

"You knew," the Judge replied sadly. "You tried to tell us, but we didn't listen...I didn't listen."

"Red, we need a leader," Stella declared.

"Wait a minute, I'm not a leader," Red protested as he noticed everyone was continuing to look at him. Up until recently, he never had any friends, or any leadership experience. But what held him back the most was the loss of his friend Luna. After what happened last night, there's no way I can be a leader.

Taking note of Red's self-doubt, Chuck decided to speak up. "Okay. Pigs stole our kids, that sucks! Made all you guys look like idiots! You know what we got to do? We start replacing those kids! Ladies get busy! We're gonna be layin' some eggs tonight!"

All the female birds took a few steps back in disgust. Thankfully, Red cut in.

"We're not going to replace those kids!" He confirmed while glaring at Chuck. "And besides, if any of you hadn't noticed by now, the eggs aren't the only things the pigs took. Luna was taken as well." This news alerted the crowd causing murmurs of questions to arise.

"Who's Luna?"

"Why would the pigs take her?"

"Why wouldn't they take her?"

"What?!" Chuck gasped. "The pigs kidnapped her? Why?"

"I don't know..." Red said. "I don't...wait! Oh no it was so obvious! Why didn't I see it coming?" The others just gave him a confused look. "Ever since he came here Leonard has been acting very creepy towards her and has been constantly flirting with her! I don't know what he and the pigs plan on doing to her, but it's not good. Bomb and I witnessed her getting captured last night, and we tried to save her, but we failed. I failed. I lost perhaps the only bird that truly understood me. How can I be called a leader after that?" He looked down in anguish.

Everyone looked unsure of what to do, but Chuck closed his eyes, smiled, opened them, and looked at Red. "You know, Red, I understand this may seem hard. And it is! Getting Luna and the eggs back won't be easy. I'm just as shocked and upset about this as you are! But we can't give up! And Luna wouldn't want us to do that either. She believes in you, Red! She believes in all of us! And I do, too!"

Red's eyes lit up at hearing Chuck's speech. He looked back up with a smile and felt determined more than ever. "You're right, Chuck. Even at a time and situation like this, Luna would want me to keep going. We're going to get her and the eggs back!"