Tropical+Rainforest+Fiction

 Peep's Extraordinary Story of Life

There once was a colorful parrot that lived in the center of the tropical rainforest. His nest was high up in the leafy trees. He lived like many of the other birds in the rainforest. There was a relationship between Peep and the environment. He benefited very greatly from the tree. He was protected from enemies and sheltered from the perpetual downpour. Since this was commensilism, only Peep benefited but the tree was not harmed and it didn’t benefit. Far off from here, was Peep’s cousin Joney. Joney was a special type of crocodile that was more than just a predator. His species allows birds to pick his teeth clean. One day he called Peep up and said, “Peep I am in desperate need of your help! My teeth are dirty and all the birds are afraid of me.” “I’ll fly as quickly as I can,” peep exclaimed. Peep dodged trees and large leaves on his flight to the Amazon. His heart raced with excitement for himself and Joney because he knew that they both would be benefiting from the trip. “I am so hungry, I am glad he called because now I get a free meal!” finally, he reached his cousins swamp. Joney swam from his home. “Hi Peep, I haven’t seen you in a while. “ Hello” Peep chirped. They got right to it and in no time Joney’s teeth gleamed like pearls. They said their goodbyes’. Peep was on his way back to Australia. With a full stomach, a mutual, beneficial feeling spread through Peep.

Unfortunately, Peep didn’t know that when he picked Joney’s teeth, he ate a parasite called a tapeworm. The days passed, Peep began to feel very hungry. He wondered what was happening because he’d been eating full meals. Eventually, the tapeworm began benefiting more. Peep grew weak because he was starving. One day he tried to fly to get food but he plummeted 20 feet from the tree. He tried hopping to his feet, but stumbled and fell again. To weak to move, he lay there. He didn’t know that a tapeworm was benefiting from his health. He had fallen victim to a parasite.

Nightfall came over the over the rainforest, flooding the forest floor with pale light. Peep lay motionless. Little did he know he was being watched? The snap of a twig sounded. An uneasy feeling spread over his body like the chilling cold of a winter day. A dark figure crept out into the moonlight. “Grrrr, I’m Zeus! Fear me!” Peep mustered up the courage to speak. “What brings you out so late?” “I’m looking for weaklings like you!” he roared. Zeus pounced. Peep felt the strides of Zeus running. Zeus climbed a tree and set peep down. As he was about to slash Peep with his claws, Peep hopped off the branch and scurried. He realized he was Zeus’s prey. He realized he would be harmed. His escape was lucky.



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