crow's feather ( Penna di corvo)

feather two

In the backyard, the sound of panting grew louder, punctuated by falls and occasional shouts of frustration. But he didn't give up. He kept getting up and attacking, only to be easily blocked.

He'd be pushed back, staggering and falling again and again.

Ousso would urge him on: "Come on, Matteo... get up..."

He'd rise, exhaling sharply, panting, raising his arm and wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. He'd glare at his uncle with determination,

then charge at him, throwing punches and kicks, which Ousso would deflect with a smile,

further enraging twelve-year-old Matteo. He attacks him with all his might, almost like a runner intent on overpowering him, but receives a punch to the jaw that cuts the side of his lower lip, along with a kick to the leg that sends him sprawling to the ground. Oso says dismissively, dissatisfied, "You look pathetic, boy... Do you only get weaker with age?!" Matteo frowns at his uncle's rebuke, without replying.

Oso urges him on sternly, "You must prove your worth and strength to join the family. If you fight one of our men like this, you will be defeated, and they will look down on you." He rises to his feet, more determined than ever to overcome him, and attacks him recklessly;

Oussou pushes him away, rebuking him and advising, "Don't act impulsively... Calm down... Observe your opponent's movements carefully..." He slaps him hard on the head,

continuing firmly, "Don't rush and let your desire to outsmart him from the start blind you..." He finishes his sentence with a kick to the side of Matteo, who groans, bending over and clutching his side,

saying indignantly, "You're hitting me too hard..." Oussou ignores his words, replying sarcastically, "Would you say that to your attacker, you spoiled brat?... Stand up straight and fight seriously..." He orders him sternly, and Matteo exhales, ignoring his pain, straightening up into a ready position;

Looking intently at Osu, Osu lunges towards him, attacking. Matteo quickly takes on the role of defender, attempting to block the blows. He succeeds, sustaining only minor injuries. But Osu doesn't relent, pushing him into a duel. They exchange blows, with Osu holding the physical advantage. He kicks Matteo, knocking him to the ground again, and leans over him, placing the blade of his knife against his neck, hissing with rage, "That's how you'll die..." But the corner of Matteo's bruised mouth lifts, and he says, his eyes gleaming, "Not if I finish you off first..." He presses the blade of his knife against Osu's side in warning, having swiftly drawn his knife. To defend himself in the close proximity,

Ousso smiled almost satisfied, but rebuked him: "Your opponent can fight with a wound in his side, but a severed neck is instant death..." Matteo nodded in understanding,

and Ousso patted his cheek somewhat forcefully, continuing: "You still have a long way to go..." Before he could straighten up, an angry, aggressive shout came from behind,

"Papa, don't hit Matteo..."

This was followed by a trot and a shove to Ousso's shoulder, pulling him away from Matteo.

The former laughed as he walked away, looking at the angry girl,

"Corvo..."

(Crow)

The little girl glared at him, then looked at the fallen Matteo with displeasure at his bruises,

glaring at her father angrily,

"Don't hurt him... I'll be angry with you..."

"We were just practicing..." he replied Oso, making excuses,

extending his hand to Matteo to help him up,

still frowning, he places his knife in its sheath hanging from his waistband at the back of his trousers,

and leans down to pick up his six-year-old daughter, saying appeasingly, "Don't frown like that... it was training to make him strong..." Matteo confirms his words as he shifts his body, exhausted from the blows, "It was clear training... he didn't hurt me..." She can't believe it when she sees his bruised lip, so she turns her face away, her lips pursed in sadness, clinging to her father's neck despite her resentment, burying her face in his shoulder,

"Don't hit him again... I'll be angry with you..." Oso's features soften with tenderness as he caresses his little girl,

patting her back,

"As you wish..." He turns to Matteo with a wry smile, telling him amusedly, "You have a crow He'll always protect you... He'll peck any attacker with his beak... You'd almost peck me myself! He smiles silently, his eyes gazing calmly at her. She clings to her father, who soothes her. Then he picks her up and tosses her in the air, and her laughter rings out as he says, "Vola... Vola mia corvo..." (Fly... Fly, my little crow!) She spreads her arms wide, as usual, as if she truly will fly, and Matteo smiles at the sight with adoration.

*****

On his thirteenth birthday, which Oso insisted on celebrating,

because he would turn fourteen and then join the Moreno family as a member, treated as a man, not a teenage boy,

everyone gathered around the cake despite Alessandro's displeasure and dissatisfaction with Oso's absurd decision.

Alessandro, standing beside his wife Alicia, his daughter Pena, and Matteo, sang joyfully to him in a small family celebration, with some of his men present at the house for protection as usual.

Mateo blew out the candles with Pena's help;

while Oso exclaimed, patting Matteo hard on the back, "This is his last birthday party... after that, he'll be a man..."

Mateo rolled his eyes in annoyance; he hadn't asked for the celebration. But Oso insisted.

Seven-year-old Bina finds him, tugging at his hand. He leans towards her slightly,

and she whispers in his ear, conspiringly, "I'll make you celebrate with me every year... and we'll blow out the candles together..." He smiles at her lovingly; she's the only one who has been easing his frown lately. In fact, his uncle Oso's entire family embraces him, especially after his mother's death less than a year ago.

She suffered a miscarriage after numerous attempts to conceive that resulted only in repeated disappointments,

exhaustion of her body and health, leaving her unable to continue with that final pregnancy.

She bleeds, and there's no way to save her or the five-month-old fetus.

The group disperses, and Alicia tells her daughter to go up to her room in Alessandro's house.

They will all stay there overnight, as Alessandro needs to speak with Oso about some matters, and they will remain until late. Bina fidgets; But she carries out the order.

Mattio is talking to some of his father's men, his body having grown considerably with his adolescence, despite his thinness.

Alicia is watching some of the maids cleaning up the mess after the party.

Osu is in the office talking to Alessandro, who is deliberately keeping Matteo with them to listen to what is happening, for although he is not yet fourteen; But Alessandro treats him as if he's already done his job, and he should know a lot without interfering or offering his opinion. He just listens. He sits down, frowning angrily, and Oso tells Alessandro seriously, "We have to get rid of them, Alessandro. They're getting bolder." Alessandro doesn't like Oso's impulsiveness. His brother is so reckless that he fears nothing; in fact, his enemies fear him for his ruthlessness in killing and punishing anyone who even thinks of rebelling against them. Oso, kind and loving with his family, is one of his fiercest men when it comes to business. Alessandro tells him calmly, "We shouldn't be impulsive, Oso. We have interests with many of them." Oso slams his fist on the desk, roaring, "To hell with them! You have to make an example of them so they don't get any more unruly." Alessandro frowns, but tells him firmly, with the authority of a capo (head) of the family, "It's just Oso's rant. No one can think." "With my disobedience..." But Oso's anger didn't subside. "Chatter turns into disobedience... Alessandro's rebellion..." He exhaled sharply, trying to appease him. "I'll punish whoever deserves it... Calm down a little... Now let's talk about something else..." He listened intently to his brother's conversation, who was telling him about a nightclub they owned, but there was some shady dealing going on under the tables,

with two of the club's women mysteriously disappearing...

They talked until Matteo fell asleep on the sofa, past one in the morning... But he startled awake as Oso grabbed his arm roughly, pulling him up. He glanced at them, somewhat confused, seeing him and his father poised, clutching their weapons, and hearing muffled voices outside.

Matteo swallowed hard, waking up with a start, clutching his knife.

Oso handed him a weapon, gesturing with his chin for him to prepare, and headed towards He peers cautiously out of the window, only to find a hail of bullets flying towards it, piercing the study. He roars, cursing, "Damn it! They're attacking us!" Alessandro ducks over his son, shielding him with his own body. "We'll finish them off!"

he retorts angrily. Oso exchanges fire through the window, hitting some of the attackers, then leaps out. Alessandro leaves Matteo, ordering him,

"Stay like that. Don't move. Anyone who comes in here, kill them."

Matteo nods, swallowing hard. Alessandro goes to the window, firing at some of the attackers. Oso returns, panting, his body agitated. "

They're heading for the front door! Get Matteo out of the window!"

Oso jumps back inside, grabbing Matteo and pulling him forcefully towards the window. "Get out, Matteo! Stay out of sight!" he orders sternly. In the garden…” He frowns in disapproval, wanting to join them in repelling the surprise attack, and argues, “But… I have to…” But Alessandro orders him firmly from inside the office,

“Carry it out, Matteo…”

Before they both notice a shout coming from outside the office door, Oso’s eyes widen in alarm, calling out, “Alicia… Benna…”

*******