darkSpyro

"Kali, his wife, said so herself, that he attacked them, which means not even trees are safe from Shadow. She also said something about bringing Rose to act as predator to protect against him. However she was trembling and she lied which from what I have heard about her from the others. They say she never lies but she just did. I don't think its any coincidence that she did either. I think Shadow has her family captive and will take Rose in exchange," he says worriedly.

"Hold it hold it hold it, don't you think that speculation is a little... outrageous? Come on. I have seen from the distance how tall that tree is, and I have seen Shadow's claws. The look too curved to dig themselves into lumber. Besides, did Barloc's wife told you where they were attacked?" Cairo asked, dismissing the badger's supposedly exaggerated speculation as mere imagination.

"No, she didn't but I could see in her eyes that she was afraid. Listen I know it sounds outrageous. Maybe I'm being overly protective, but as a father that is my nature. If you want you can have another person of your choice follow me to confirm the truth, if you wish," Ivor says hoping that his friend, Cairo will agree to take him there.

"Well, I do wonder why she would bring miss Rose with Shadow roaming around out there. Are you suspecting her because of that? Before I give you a ride, didn't she told you about any kind of precaution against Shadow? Cause I doubt Rose wouldn't have gone with her if she didn't knew Shadow was restrained somehow." Cairo asked, starting to have his suspicions as well. So many times has Rose got into trouble with Shadow that it seemed impossible for her to go where he was unless she was convinced he couldn't get to her.

"She said something about a trap, that Whirlpool made. She was absolutely sure that the lizard could not escape. Though I don't know what to think," Ivor says.

"A trap?" Cairo asked, now really wondering what was going on. If Whirlpool could build a trap, then why didn't they thought about it earlier? Was it because it took a long time to build? Either way, Ivor's worries were rubbing into Cairo as well.
"Listen, neither Rose or that cockatoo has called, which means they must have taken the bridge and will need to call one of the orcas to help them across, that is, if the little miss hasn't learned to swim yet." Cairo assured, remembering the events that triggered the built of the ramp.
"I don't think Rose is in danger if that supposed trap really works, but I will take you there for your own peace of mind. Just be careful, alright? I doubt Shadow is the only dangerous predator around." Cairo warned, turning his back to give him a ride...

"Oh you don't? Oh well. I'm pretty sure there is an orca somewhere. They do help with the crossing of that particular broken part of this bridge." she said. Kali didn't want to involve the orcas, but she gave up. There was too much at stake, and she was sure there was to be an available orca somewhere.

When they reached the spot, she called orca, a little loud and splashing water. After about three minutes, a middle aged orca came to greet them, with a rather neutral expression.
"Need traveling this time at night? That I didn't expect. Oh well, please cross, and don't tell Cairo you saw me. We are not suppose to have snacks this late at night." the orca said, filling the hole with his body. The orca then swallowed something, confirming that he indeed was having a late snack.

Finally arriving at Hunted island, Kali decided to take a rest from flying all the way and decided to walk, directing Rose to the tree, which she knew very well, even in the dark. She was for a while feeling guilty for lying, but she was sure that after Shadow asked for that apology, he would return her beloved father's tree and all that madness would finally be over.

Kali was feeling cornered with all that suspicion. But being a matriarch, she was use to all that pressure, and remained cool.
"Now Rose, don't tell what that badger said is getting into your head? You have seen out tree, there is no way he could climb it." Kali lied, but she reached the edge of her guilt. She stopped on her track, willing to get the whole truth to light. She was getting tired of not knowing everything that was going on around her...

"Now Rose, I must ask you, what did you do to that Komodo Dragon that got him so upset?" she asked, determined to find the truth on what happened with that confrontation, unaware that it was actually two of them.

"Thank you, Cairo, my friend," Ivor says climbing onto the orca's back. He is careful not to hurt Cairo with his digging claws. Finding a nice place he sits down.

"Ow, careful there Ivor. I don't know if you know this, but I got into a fight with a shark and it still hurts." Cairo explained, though his sunburns hurt more. Due to his injuries, Cairo had to swim very slow to avoid Ivor from unintentionally digging his claws to his skin to avoid fall off. It was going to take a while to reach Hunted Island...

"Oh, sorry, my friend," Ivor says keeping his front paws up.

"I hope you are not in a hurry. I really must avoid getting injured any further, I don't want to risk more sharks coming through the territory to get advantage of the situation." Cairo explained, swimming very slowly. At that rate, they were going to reach Hunted Island in about half an hour.

"Yesterday? Mongoose?" Kali expressed, now understanding where that mongoose who was stuck in Whirlpool's tunnel came from. Kali knew about the attack on the bridge, and that it was broken for that reason, but didn't knew about that second attack. So in both occasions, it was Shadow who attacked first, not Rose... Kali was willing to believe Rose more than she did Shadow. She sounded much more sincere.
"So... Shadow, wants revenge on you simply because you acted in self defense?" she asked, but before giving her a chance to reply, she asked something else, which was bothering her.
"So if Shadow sees you again... what do you think he would do to you?" she asked, with a lot of fear. Never in her life did she faced such a moral dilemma like that moment...

Now there was no doubt in Kali's mind. She believed him capable of doing just that, especially after witnessing the savage attack to her family and nearly being a victim herself. It was going to hurt her leaving her tree behind, but it would hurt her more living with guilt if Shadow exptracted revenge. No matter how attached she was to that particular tree, she needed, for once, think like her husband and believe it was just a tree, and that she could find another one to call home.

"Turn around Rose. Head back, head back right now!" she ordered, in sort of a whisper, pushing Rose's head to turn into the other direction, and noticing they were pretty near the old tree...

"Don't ask! Just... return to the Haven at once!" she urged, practically pushing her.

"Yes, a lot of things! He's a demon! Now get out! Leave at once!" Kali insisted, highering her voice a bit. She knew she didn't have time to explain every little detail, so she practically begged Rose to get away as soon as possible.

Sybil, who was close to catching sleep, quickly woke up.
"Woah, Rose, what's wrong? What's with all the yelling?" she asked, showing her head from the hollow tree.

"Attacked? From where? The tree? How is it possible? The cockatoos rarely leave that tree, how did he reached them?" Sybil asked, finding it hard to believe that Shadow actually climbed that tall tree.

At Hunted Island, Kali was relieved that Rose got away, but knew that if Shadow found out, he would not hesitate to attack her again. She was tired, so she wouldn't be able to avoid him as well as earlier. She was preparing to fly, knowing that she was vulnerable on the ground, but she couldn't remember what direction Barloc went, especially being dark.

Sybil was too surprised by the news. How on earth did Shadow managed to climb that tall tree?
"So that's it, Shadow has gone too far. But how do we get rid of him? The strongest animals we have here are the elephants, and Whirlpool has said that the Komodo Dragon's saliva is too poisonous, even for animals like them." Sybil expressed, showing great concern. She wasn't willing to risk absolutely anyone taking resident in the Haven.

Kali, who was lifting off into the air, was worried what Shadow would do if he found her, had an idea. She flew into a canopy of trees, and yelled.
"Listen you Mr. Shadow! Keep the tree! I... don't mind anymore! You won't have Rose or any of us, cause we are moving very far away from you, where you will never find us! And don't try to cross the Haven or the orcas will really do ugly things to you." Kali warned from that spot. That particular canopy was very twisted, and the echo was so loud and intense, it was impossible to tell where Kali's voice came from exactly.

To do that, Sybil knew who to turn to.
"Well that could work, but we will need Whirlpool's help." she said, remembering how cleverly he trapped Sholeh in his comp,I cared tunnel.

Returning to Barloc and the rest of the flock, what happened to them? The truth was that, since many cockatoos ran away into different directions when Shadow attacked, Barloc's group was small, who consisted of those birds who awaited his arrival during the attack. They all flew west.
They managed to settle down on a tree that was growing to the side of a cliff. It wasn't as big as the previous tree, but it was very sturdy. They were almost twenty miles away from the original tree.
"Alright then, time to see who is missing." Barloc said, as he counted the remaining members. To his horror, not only was his wife missing, but also the children, Angus and Nia! He and the flock were so concentrated on the journey that they didn't checked who was following them. Barloc believed that Kali and the two youths were right behind him, but now, Barloc was shrouded with worry. He ordered everybody to stay there, as he, even as tired as he was, flew again to the direction of his old tree, not caring how extremely far away it was.

"I understand... I know, I think I will send Ami. She is such a reliable seagull when it comes to task." Sybil suggested, getting down from the tree and heading to the beach...

Kali left the canopy after the yell, trying to pinpoint the exact location where Barloc and the others headed, but it was so cold and dark that it was nearly impossible to tell.
As for the missing Angus and Nia, they were with Whirlpool, helping him recollect the glowing algaes of the beach. Light Beach back at the Haven was illuminated by bioluminiscent mollusk and certain other small animals, but at Hunted Island, it was an algae that glow, in which Whirlpool took each year the opportunity to recollect some to mix more of his wacky concoctions. Angus and Nia were happy to help him, cold and all, completely unaware that they were now almost alone, and that nearly every member of the family was very far away, and that the Komodo Dragon they feared was now residing at their beloved tree...

Sybil did just that. Finding Ami at her nest on a cliff a little far from Light Beach, there was the seagull, gazing at the spectacle from the distance. She was rather surprised to see Sybil visit her so late at night, but once Sybil explained, the seagull didn't hesitated to follow the order, and immediately headed to Hunted Island to search for Whirlpool...

At Hunted Island, Kali studied the stars, and managed to, more or less, predict where Barloc and the others headed according to the stars and the direction of the stolen tree. She headed to the northwest, trying not to get in circles.

"Hey Nia, I think we have ventured for too long. Maybe we should go home." The cautious Angus said, with him and his cousin still at the beach with Whirlpool. Angus was getting tired and cold.
"Oh you're such a weakling. You can't handle the pressures of nature... Fine, you go if you want to, but I will stay here for a while." Nia commented, being more daring than Angus.
He let her bully him for that time only, since he just wanted the warmth of his little hollow nest. If only he would have known the unpleasant surprise waiting...

Thunder was sleeping soundly.

"Rose... Shadow is turning to be too dangerous. You will need some extra protection. Sybil commented, as she remembered someone who was very helpful in the past, and could be now.
"Thunder... yes Rose, Thunder can help you. You both are from the cold, right? If Shadow ever manages to get here, promise me you will go to him." Sybil said, believing Thunder was the best option, especially since he saved Rose when arriving at the Haven...

"Yes, but in the meantime, Hunted Island is off-limits. We cannot risk ourselves again like we did." Sybil warned, unaware of Kali's visit or the death trap Rose almost encountered when she travelled there with the cockatoo matriarch.

At Hunted Island, it was almost midnight, and Angus came to the tree, relieved and tired. The moon was in half, and the stars brighter than usual. He was so cold and sleepy that he didn't noticed the eerie silence that surrounded the tree...

Angus vaguely recognized the voice, until he turned around towards the direction of it, and once the cloud that hid the moon moved, he could see, to his horror, who he was dealing with.
"You... you... you..." he stammered, with his beak shaking violently. His instinct told him to get out of there immediately, but unfortunately, he was frozen in fear, as if he was suddenly encased in ice. Seeing Shadow there was too unexpected for the tiny bird, and he found himself unable to move...

"Oh, no my dear friend, take your time. Your health is the most important thing to me, Ivor says. We will get there when we do," he say gently to Cairo.

Cairo was glad the badger understood.
"There, you see? I can already see the island." he said after a while of swimming, hoping that Ivor wasn't in a hurry. He didn't believe Rose to be in danger, but even less that she was already safe and sound at the Haven. Once he dropped Ivor off, he was going to ask another orca to give him a ride home, since he was too desperate to finally recover.

"Sh... Sh... Shadow..." the terrified Angus replied, shaking severely.
"Wh... what did you do to my family?" he then asked after rolling his eyes looking around the tree, and his voice breaking. He was trying to open his wings to fly, but the fright was too much even to move them...

Angus managed to backed up a little, but he was so shaky, he tripped. Unfortunately, that ran in the family, and that defect was exactly what got his father in the first place. And Angus grew even more terrified when Shadow said gift.
"Wh... what gift?" Angus asked naïvely, cursing his body for being unable to move in such a vital situation.

His cousin, Nia, was still on the beach with Whirlpool. She sometimes got distracted with the glowing algae. It was already passed midnight, and Whirlpool noticed. He went to speak with her, but the words were difficult to him as usual. Neither he or Nia noticed the moving silhouette of the orca approaching from the right...

Angus remained still, but managed to move his head to peck Shadow. But he only managed to peck his claw.
"Come on Mr. Shadow, why do you do this? Wh... why?" Angus asked, almost crying. He was gradually moving, so he tried to distract him long enough for his body to completely move so that he could get away...