Rio 2 by Christa Roberts

tongue-a-pult.” He positioned himself in the center of Charlie’s outstretched tongue, which was being used as a slingshot.
    â€œCharlie, make me fly again!” Nigel shrieked. Charlie launched him forward like a missile. He flew through the air, talons extended like a hawk going in for the kill.
    â€œBow before the conquering cockatoo!” he screamed, tackling the bird midair and pinning it by the throat.
    But it wasn’t Blu. It was a blue-and-gold macaw named Peri. “Dude, what’s your problem?” Peri yelped, scared.
    Nigel had been so sure. . . .
    â€œBird, that was sick! Now that’s the energy you bring to an audition.” Confused, Nigel looked around to find the source of the voice. He’d stumbled right into what looked like an audition. He recognized Nico, Pedro, and Carla. A line of jungle animals waited on a large flat rock in front of a waterfall.
    Nigel blinked. “Audition?”
    Peri got up. “Yeah, that’s actually why I’m here. I’ve got a great little num—”
    Nigel punted the macaw and then turned to Nico and Pedro. “Go on.”
    â€œWe’re looking for a new star!” Nico said.
    Nigel’s ears pricked up. “Star?”
    Rafael was peering at him. “You look familiar. Don’t I know you from somewhere?”
    â€œNo, no. I don’t think so,” Nigel lied. “Ummm . . . no. I’m, ummm, Bob. Yes, Bob the bird.”
    â€œCatchy name!” Carla said.
    Pedro tilted his head. “Okay, Bob, whatever, show us what you got!”
    Nigel thought for a minute. Then he began to sing the words to a disco song he knew, putting his own spin on it. Warming up as he went along, he began kicking the other contestants out of line as he sang.
    Everyone got into the performance and when the song ended, there was wild applause.
    â€œYes! Thank you! I’ve been Bob the bird.”
    â€œHe is so hot!” Gabi whispered.
    Pedro was grinning. “Boom! That’s it! You in!”
    â€œOkay, you’re good, I’ll give you that.” Rafael shrugged. “I mean, he’s no Eva.”
    â€œWe’ll see you at the performance tomorrow night,” Nico told him.
    Carla beamed. “Everyone from the village is coming. It’s gonna be off the charts!”
    â€œEveryone?” Nigel inquired, feeling his excitement grow. He would see his plan through after all.
    Â 
    â€œIt’s the perfect plan,” Nigel said to Gabi later. He kept plucking quills out of the porcupine that was hung upside down in front of him, looking for the sharpest one. “Be happy we’re only plucking you, porcupine.”
    â€œOw!” the little porcupine cried in protest.
    â€œInstead of chasing that bird all over the jungle, we let him come to us, at the Carnaval show.” Nigel found a quill that met his standards. “I’ll mesmerize them from the stage. While in the audience, you, my little Gabi, you will be my petite weapon of mass destruction!”
    Nigel rubbed the quill up Gabi’s back, coating it with her poison. She gave an excited shudder. Then he placed the quill into the end of Charlie’s nose and aimed him at his target. “It will be a performance to die for!”
    Charlie shot the quill. It flew toward its target—a combination of fruit and leaves made to look like Blu. Bull’s-eye! Nigel cackled and Gabi joined in.
    â€œIt only works when I do it,” Nigel snapped, shutting Gabi up.
    Carnaval couldn’t happen soon enough.

Chapter 9

    â€œOooh, hey. You are fast. You are really, really fast. I think I pulled a wing or something,” Blu said, flying behind Eduardo. He was struggling to keep up. “You are really fast for an old bird.”
    Eduardo shot him a look.
    Blu gulped, but continued. “For such a wise . . . wise bird. Wise is what I meant to say. Wise bird. Which sometimes comes with age, but