Everyone awoke to a deafening screech.
"What the heck was that?!" Silver screamed.
Turned out it was Chuck, trying to crow like a rooster. Red shoved a rock down his throat, causing him to choke.
"Red..?" Matilda said firmly. Red just groaned and gave Chuck the Heimlich.
When Chuck could breath again, he glared at Red.
"Don't do that!" he spat.
"In what universe do birds scream at the top of their lungs just to wake up their flock?!" Red yelled.
"Umm, guys?" Matilda interrupted. "Where's Terence?"
The birds looked around, but Terence was nowhere to be found.
"He's so big!" Jim pointed out. "How could we lose him?"
"I'm sure he'll turn up," Red assured. "He probably just went ahead. Now, come on. We better get going if we're going to save the eggs."
Little did the flock know that someone was watching them...

Indeed, Terence was nowhere near the forest. He went up the mountains until he arrived at a log cabin. Outside the cabin was a mailbox with the name "Tony" engraved on the side.
Terence approached the house and knocked on the door. Answering the door was Tony, a shaggy, turquoise bird slightly bigger than Terence. Tony welcomed him into his home and led him to the fireplace. Next to a family portrait was a black box. Tony gave the box to Terence, and inside was a large diamond. It was quite a beauty.
Then, there was a scream. It was distant, but recognizable.
Matilda's in danger!

One pig tied Silver up while the rest of the flock was trapped in a net hanging from a tree branch.
“Let my friends go!" Silver growled, struggling to break free.
“Sounds like a naughty little girl needs a proper spanking," a strange voice said. Ruby climbed down the tree and revealed herself.
“What a lady!" Chuck exclaimed smoothly.
“Chuck, first of all, you're married," Red pointed out. “Secondly, this ‘lady' caught us in a net like a bunch of butterflies!"
“And I will hang you on my wall with the rest of my collection," Ruby added. “But first, a word from our sponsor."
Ross held a radio.
“Leonard, I have your radio!" he yelled. “If you want it back, come and get it!"
“I don't think he can hear you," a pig pointed out. “Try turning the dial and check if he can hear you."
Ross took his friend's advice and turned the dial.
“Leonard!" he yelled again. “Can you hear me?! I have your radio!"
“I know you have my radio, because I gave it to you!"
“You did?" he asked. Leonard just growled.
“Just put Ruby on the line!"
“What line?"
“Give me that!" Ruby groaned, taking the radio. “I have the kid."
“Put her on."
“Say hi to Daddy," Ruby told Silver, giving her the radio.
“What do you want?" Silver spat.
“I thought you wouldn't come home. You had me worried!"
“Because I found out the truth?" Silver said, scowling. “You told me birds were heartless monsters, but they've been nothing but warm and welcoming to me!"
“Why do you think that is?"
“Because you lied to her!" Red screamed. “What kind of parent takes advantage of their kid?!"
“You don't have parents," Chuck muttered.
“Thank you for pointing that out, Chuck," Red replied sarcastically.
“Who's that?"
“Just some guy named Chet and a red bird with huge eyebrows," Ruby answered.
“I should've known you were behind this!"
“I am not letting you eat those eggs!" Red yelled. Then he turned to Ruby. “And you! Are you really going to let him eat someone else's children?!"
“If I wanna get paid, yes," Ruby replied.
“How pathetic," Red muttered. Ruby ignored him and took the radio.
“Don't worry, Your Beardedness," she assured him. “I'll bring you the kid, kill the rest of the birds, and then you can pay me and I can go home. Right guys?"
Surprisingly, all of the pigs were gone.
Ruby turned off the radio.
“Great," she groaned. “Your stupid yelling scared them off."
“I don't think that's what they're afraid of," Bomb said nervously.
Ruby turned around to find a giant ice blue bird right behind her.
“Tony," she groaned. “How'd you find me this time?"
Terence joined Tony with the same scowl on his face as his cousin.
“Terence?" Matilda gasped. Terence smiled at his girlfriend.
“This isn't over!" Ruby confirmed. “I'll be waiting for you."
With that, she was gone.

Tony untied Silver and Terence freed the rest of the flock from the net. Terence and Matilda shared a loving embrace.
The Blues, meanwhile, were amazed with Tony's size.
“He's so big and blue!" Jay pointed out.
“But we're little and blue," Jake said.
“Mr. Tony?" Jim asked. “Will we be big, too, someday?"
Tony shrugged.
Silver, meanwhile, was confused with what Ruby called Leonard earlier.
“Red, what's a daddy?" Silver asked.
“I thought you knew everything," Chuck interrupted.
“No one knows everything, Chuck," Red muttered. Then he turned to Silver. “I'll explain it to you later."
“Okay."

I know, I made Ruby pretty hateable. But if you're lucky, she'll find redemption.

I enjoyed writing the paternal side to Red. I've always imagined him being a dad.

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