They've seen this happen often along the Amazon basin, but Abiu trees are not usually touched; but they were wrong today. They searched the downed branches for their nest, and - what they fear - the shells of broken eggs. But neither was to be found. They noticed a cuckoo cooing merrily in the nearby tree, and inquired if she had seen any macaw nest. The callous cuckoo was caustic in her retort - 'Why would you care about nests? Why don't you lay your eggs in whatever nest you find and move on? Life would then be a carefree symphony of foraging and singing'. The macaws, too choked up to debate on the values of love and family, pleaded if she knew what happened. The cuckoo said a few woodsmen downed the tree; but one of them noticed the nest and took it with him. The macaws were shell-shocked; they realized the danger; this has happened earlier - humans stealing eggs and smuggling them afar.
The macaws were in deep pain and fear of what might have come upon their eggs. But Pai pondered - stealers usually take only the eggs, but their nest has also gone missing. This gave him some hope that their eggs might not have faced the dreaded predicament. After getting directions to the human settlements from the cuckoo, they set off determined to trace their eggs.
They flew over the human settlements down the river. The landscape was visibly different here - barren lands, fewer greenery, reclusive housings fenced away from the natural wild - very typical of humans, they thought. Descending down the settlements in day light would put their mission in jeopardy. So, they perched on a mango tree awaiting nightfall.
Mai looked pale exhausted by all the stress, so Pai advised her to rest for a while. Pai hopped around the branches studying the locale, when he noticed a capuchin wedged on a branch enjoying a mango. It wasn't bothered by Pai's presence; living close to humans, it had got accustomed to diverse primates.
'Lost someone?' the capuchin asked nonchalantly without looking up.
'Yes! How did you...'
"Eh... It's common; what else do you expect from humans? They loot eggs, chicks, even adults, cage them and move them out'.
'Oh! We lost our eggs and..... our nest too'
'Hmm... nest... eh?? Is that one yours?' he said pointing to one of the lower branches of the mango tree.
There, hidden behind the lush greens of the branches, lay their nest, as delicate and intact as they'd last seen. The eggs had hatched; and they could now hear the cries of their chicks. Mai and Pai flew down instantly to embrace them. Finally, their lost love is found.
Pai was still inquisitive - why would someone care to move the nest here? He asked the capuchin if he knew who brought the nest. The capuchin said he overheard a burly man telling his pals that he found this nest while a tree was felled; so he moved it here wary of a cuckoo in a nearby tree. (The capuchin had been here long enough to interpret human sounds). Pai was overcome with a deluge of emotions. He never thought humans would be compassionate. Past experiences have made him and other primates suspicious of humans; but now, here is one, compassionate and caring for unhatched eggs. Intrigued, he swooped down to the man's hut; he perched on the sill and peeked it. There, reclined on a chair, was the burly man, silent and lonely, gazing at the wall - at an old photo of him playing with who seems to be his kid.
| Author Notes Macaws are one of the few species that mate for life; their reputation for love and care is renowned. At the same time, they are also widely hunted and smuggled, most of them making into the endangered list. This flash-fiction is an attempt to weave a story that encompasses the dangers macaw face in the wild and to draw attention to their plight |
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