standing on the edge of the nest. Nico hopped up and caught his bottle cap, putting it back on his head with a glare, smirking at Pedro, and looking back at Hawk. “We can do this the hard way, or the easy way, dog.” Nico said, walking onto the nest and towards the Hawk, pacing in front of him. “You can let my friends go, or I can force you to let them go.” The Hawk glanced at Amira, then back to Nico. “Shore, take you precious macaw friend. Last time I heard, you and this lady weren't friend!” Hawk bent his head down to pluck one of Juicy’s most important wing feathers. “Ow!” Juicy screeched, and bit down on Hawk’s toe. Hawk screeched again, picking Juicy up and throwing her off the side of the nest, then swooped high in the air, diving down after his kill. Nico’s eyes widened and he and Pedro ran over to the side of the nest. Amira’s feathers nearly fell out as she saw her friend be tossed off the statue, and she too, joined the boys in looking over the nest. “Juicy!” Amira screamed, and took flight, diving off the side of the statue. Nico and Pedro glanced at each other, and they both swooped from the nest too.

Juicy whirled in the air as she tumbled towards the ground, looking up and catching a glimpse the Hawk plummeting towards her, before she did another tumble. Thinking straight, she spread her wings out, thinking the air would catch her, but that one feather that Hawk had plucked wasn’t there to provide her with help. Seeing she was nearing the ground at a great speed, and closed her eyes tightly and yelled out the first thing that came to her mind. “NICO!!!”

Nico heard Juicy’s scream, and seen how close she was to the ground. Also seeing how close Hawk was getting to Juicy, Nico tucked his wings and shot downwards like a bullet, advancing up on the Hawk. Pedro looked down at his friend, thinking he was insane, going after Hawk, who had large talons and was way more powerful than he and Nico combined. “Nico! What are you doing, nut-job!?” Pedro called down hovering in the air to watch. Amira swooped down to hover beside Pedro. “You mean he is after Hawk?” she asked, glancing at Pedro. The cardinal nodded, and glanced back down. Amira blinked and glanced back down.

Nico shot down to Hawk, finally reaching him. He clung onto the Hawk’s face, pecking at his good eye and scratch at his face, the 3 birds still rocketing towards the ground.  Hawk let out a screamed and shoved Nico off his face with his wings, making Nico advance in front of him, closer to Juicy. “Thanks!” Nico called, flipping on his back and tipping his hat the Hawk, then went back to tucking his wings in.

“Nico!!” Juicy screamed again as the ground was practically under her now. Nico spread his wings at the right moment, Hawk right on his tail, and angled his wings so the wind drafted over his wings. Nico flew under Juicy just above the ground, and then flew above her, grabbing her with his feet and flying in a loop back up to Amira and Pedro. As the two ascended the large, slow loop up to the top of the statue, their heads turned to Hawk as he plummeted onto the ground with a hard thud. Juicy shuddered and looked away from Hawk’s body up to Nico, smiling. “You came?” she asked. Nico looked down at Juicy. “Of course I did. I first had my heart set on saving Amira for you, but turns out I came to save you instead.” He said, smiling warmly and slowing down to a hover as he came up beside Nico and Amira.

Amira gasped as she saw Nico fly up to her, carrying Juicy safely. “Oh, thank god!” Amira sighed, relieved that Juicy and Nico were alright. Pedro grinned largely at Nico, bumping him with an elbow. “You are crazy, bird!” he exclaimed. “That was tight, yo~” he said, smiling and watching as Nico offered Juicy over to Amira. Amira softly grabbed her friend form Nico, wrapping her feet around her steadily.

Juicy smiled up at her friend, and then looked over at Nico and Pedro. Nico and Pedro glanced sideways at each other, smirking. Nico tipped his bottle cap back, saying “I think I know what can brighten the day-“

                                                                             Chapter 4

Lights flashed a variety of colors, birds danced on boxes and in groups, in front of the stage. It was all as the band of birds remembered. Out of their whole group, Nico seemed the happiest about returning to the club. Without a word, the two of them flew over the crowds and disappeared through the mast of birds.

Juicy sighed and stood near a box, leaning up against its side, looking at the ground with a slightly sad frown. Amira raised an eyebrow and walked over to her. “You okay?” she asked, watching her friend as she observed her missing feather. Juicy looked up at Amira. “Yea, everything’s perfect…” she said, then looked at the ground, not even noticing the crowd had gotten quiet, or that Pedro was banging a slow steady beat ; Nico was singing in a harmonizing voice as he walked about on stage. Amira watched Nico and listened to his words, then blinked, bumping Juicy. “Listen-“ Amira whispered, and Juicy looked up at the stage to watch Nico. “Every song on my lips, I’m singing out. Any fear in my soul, I’m letting go. And anyone who asks I’ll let them know-“ Nico fly off the stage to hover in front of Juicy, holding a wing out towards her. “She’s the one, she’s the one, I say it loud. She’s the one, she’s the one, I say it proud. Ring a bell, ring a bell for the whole crowd-“ he sung in a soothing and strong voice, gesturing towards the crowd with his other wing.

Juicy froze more a minute, completely shocked by the words of his beautiful song. Her eyes widened and she blushed, glancing over at Amira. Amira blinked too, but nodded encouragingly once more. Juicy turned back to Nico and smiled, taking his wing and fluttering in the air by him, both of the canaries going to the stage and dancing at the center, Nico singing some new verses before he stopped and let Juicy take over, hoping her words would supply him to an answer of acceptance. “Any fear in my soul, I’m letting go. And anyone who asks, I’ll let them now-“ Juicy sung out, repeating the same words Nico had sung out to her, as Nico held her hand and twirled her outwards, and caught her as she twirled back in. “He’s the one, he’s the one, I say it loud. He’s the one, he’s the one, I saw proud. Ring a bell, ring a bell, for the crowd- ring a bell, ring a bell.” Nico grinned happily, and twirled Juicy out once more, singing out with her.

“I’m telling the world…that I found the girl-” Nico sang out.

“I’m telling the world…that I found the guy-“ Juicy sang out, after Nico.

“The one I can for~” Both of them sang out at once, Nico spinning Juicy and stepping around her as she spun towards him, and caught her with one wing holding hers, and twirled her again, this time catching her, bending over her as he held her. Their faces were close, staring into each other’s eyes.

    Juicy’s breath was surprisingly calm, and she wasn’t nervous- same for Nico. That moment of him holding her in the words of a love song, were perfect. Perfect enough.

Juicy stared into Nico’s eyes no longer than a few more moments before closing her own, and bringing her lips to Nico’s, standing up from his grasp and putting her wings around his neck. Nico stiffened up for a split second in surprise, before accepting his first kiss with the perfect bird in all of Rio.

The crowd whooped loudly as the two kissed on stage at the end of their song, and Amira smirked, crossing her wings and shaking her head. Pedro flew over to stand beside Amira, seeing his friend kissing the girl he thought nothing more than any other bird a few days ago. Amira and Pedro glanced at each other going silent, then laughed.  

The couple opened their eyes and smiled at each other, and they both backed up, giving a great bow to each other ; Nico taking his cap off and holding it to his chest, his other wing spread out- Juicy holding both her wings out and bowing her head.