Rio 2 by Christa Roberts Page B

the river. “Yo, Eddie!” one of them called. His name was Felipe. “Who’s your sidekick? You got a nurse now?” The red macaws laughed.
    â€œImphhp Bluph,” Blu said, trying to introduce himself.
    â€œNever mind him,” Eduardo retorted. “Aren’t you boys getting a little too close to our side?”
    Felipe grinned. “Your grove is looking mighty fine.”
    â€œYeah, and you boys better stay out of it,” Eduardo warned.
    Felipe spread his wings. “Hey, relax. You know we got nothing but mad love for you.” The red macaws all laughed, and then followed Felipe as he flew away.
    â€œThey seem nice,” Blu said sarcastically.
    â€œThey have their side and we have ours. And it’s going to stay that way as long as I’m in charge,” Eduardo told him.
    A sound came from the brush nearby.
    â€œShhh,” Eduardo warned. He tensed as the cracking sound grew closer—and then they heard a bird squawk. The sound grew louder. Below them, Linda and Tulio were moving slowly through the brush. Tulio was making squawking sounds into a microphone.
    â€œLin—” Blu began before Eduardo clapped his wing over Blu’s beak.
    Linda looked up, searching the trees. Then she and Tulio moved on.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Blu said when Eduardo removed his wing.
    â€œAre you out of your mind? They’re humans!” Eduardo hissed.
    â€œThat’s Linda!” Blu cried.
    Eduardo looked puzzled. “What’s a linda?”
    Blu groaned. “She raised me.”
    â€œWhat?” Eduardo looked stricken. “You were a pet ?”
    â€œNo, no, no,” Blu clarified. “I mean, it wasn’t like that. I was a companion.
    â€œYou liked it?” Eduardo asked, incredulous. “That explains everything.”
    â€œLinda is family,” Blu said firmly.
    The elder bird got in his face. “Family is family.”
    Blu was fed up. “Eduardo, they are good people!”
    Eduardo moved so his eyeballs were millimeters from Blu’s. “There are no good people! Listen to me very carefully, either you’re with us or you’re against us. Understood?”
    Blu gulped. “Yeah, got it.”
    â€œGood.”
    Â 
    When Blu and Eduardo returned to the village, Blu was feeling pretty low. He was tired, muddy, and still had a few branches stuck to his feathers.
    â€œBlu! You’re back!” Jewel said, flying over to him. “Was it fun?”
    â€œOh, we had a great time!” Eduardo said smoothly.
    Tiago came over. “Dad, Uncle Beto showed me some cool flying tricks!”
    â€œUncle?” Blu repeated warily.
    â€œLook!” Tiago exclaimed. “I can fly backwards!” And he did.
    â€œYou’re a natural, T-Bird,” Roberto praised him. He and Tiago did a head butt and wing bump.
    Eduardo looked on proudly. “You’ve got your mother’s genes. It’s never too soon to learn the ways of the jungle, Tiago.” He shot Blu a look. “Although some may never learn.”
    Blu let out a tired sigh. “I’m gonna go clean up.” He flew off.
    â€œWe saw humans,” Eduardo told Roberto.
    â€œHumans!” Roberto repeated, nervous.
    â€œCalm yourself. I don’t want that bird leaving the village,” Eduardo said, looking at Blu in the distance. “Keep an eye on him.”

Chapter 10

    Away from the group, Blu opened his fanny pack. Inside was the Tic Tac box. He popped a few in his mouth. “So minty.” He rummaged around the pack until he found the GPS. He tried again to punch in Linda and Tulio’s campsite coordinates. Bzzz. Bzzz. A mosquito buzzed around him. Blu tried to swat it. He missed. He tried again. And missed.
    Ping!
    â€œYes!” Blu cheered as the GPS found its signal. He reached into his pack, grabbed his bug spray, and sprayed it into the air, trying to get the mosquito. Instead, he sprayed