commanded, shocked to see Mr. Perfect turn into a blubbering mess.
Below them the harvester continued to grind away. âLook, weâve got one chance to stop this, okay?â Blu said. âI have to find my friends. You fly back and warn the others. Got it?â
âYeah, I got it,â Roberto said, pulling himself together.
Blu nodded. âOkay. Go!â And the two birds flew off in opposite directions.
Â
Eduardo and Aunt Mimi were deep in conversation. âYou could talk to Felipe, work somethingââ
âNever. Heâs not a guy that wants to listen to reason,â Eduardo told her.
âFelipeâs not the only one,â Aunt Mimi said knowingly.
Eduardo gritted his beak. âEverything had been going perfectly until that . . . that dimwitââ He stopped. Jewel was standing right in front of him.
âDaddyââ
Roberto flew up to them. âHumans! Loggers! The lights! The lights!â He gasped, spinning in circles.
Eduardo slapped him across the face. âGet ahold of yourself!â
Roberto took a steadying breath. âThe loggers are coming and Blu is with them.â
This was too much for Eduardo. âTraitor! I knew you couldnât trust a bird raised by humans.â
âNo, no, no!â Roberto corrected. âBlu is trying to help us!â
Jewel gasped. âWhat? By himself?â
Explosions boomed off in the distance. Jewel knew what this meant: the loggers were getting closer. The other macaws began to cry out in fear as smoke rose on the horizon.
âOkay, pack up the kids, weâre leaving,â Eduardo announced firmly. âLetâs go! Everyone move out! Go, go!â
Jewel hesitated, searching for the right words. âDad! Dad . . . Iâm not going with you.â
âYou have to go with me!â Eduardo cried. âI will not let my family be in danger again.â
âBlu is our family now, too!â Jewel cried.
âI canât stand the thought of losing you again,â Eduardo told her, full of emotion.
âI canât lose Blu. I love you, Dad,â Jewel said.
âWeâre going with you.â It was Tiago.
But Jewel shook her head. âNo, baby, you canât. Itâs too dangerous. But I want you to stick together, stay with Pop-Pop! And Daddy and I will find you, okay?
Eduardo stood tall and turned to the tribe. âOkay, move out! Letâs go!â More explosions sounded in the distance.
âDoomed! Over!â Roberto cried, freaking out again.
Aunt Mimi smacked him.
âOww!â Roberto yelped. âWhy does everybody keep doing that?â
Â
Things were not looking good for Tulio and Linda. They were tied to a huge tree.
âYour left . . . your right,â Linda whispered. They were working together, using the ropes and their legs to shimmy their way up the tree.
âAnd your right leg, my left leg . . . good!â Linda said. âGood, good, good! Now go up!â Sweat poured down their faces. Their hands intertwined around the tree.
Tulio squinted upward, into the sun, and saw vultures circling overhead. âLinda, I am so sorry. This is all my fault.â
Linda swallowed. âAs bad as this is . . . thereâs nowhere else Iâd rather be than with you. Even if it is tied to a tree.â His fingers gave hers a reassuring squeeze.
Squawk!
âJewel! Jewel! Down here!â Linda cried as Jewel swooped down in front of them. âJewel! What are you doing here? Itâs dangerous!â
Jewel landed between them and expertly picked the knots apart. Soon Tulio and Linda were free!
âThank you. Letâs follow her!â Linda said as Jewel started off in the direction of the logging noises. She flew faster than they could follow on foot.
âI told you I heard him,â Linda told her husband, joyful.
Â
Blu flew high above the treetops. He could hear the sound