CHAPTER TWENTY

Rico watched in silence as his father paced back and forth throughout the hollow. His huge talons scraped across the wood flooring. His stern eyes glared out filled with rage towards his son. They never blinked nor shifted off of his son. Rico swallowed a large lump in his throat. He could feel his guilt swell in his conscience. He could not deny that his father was angry by his disobedience towards the grotto's rules. He also could not deny that his father held every right to be angry. After all, he was the son of the grotto's chieftain, and he needed to set an example to all of his friends. Without a word, he hung his head low to avoid his father's stern gaze. Behind him, he could hear Marco's muffled breathing. He didn't need to guess what the hawk was doing. He knew from experience and several different disciplinary sessions that Marco blocked the only means of escape.

After a couple of moments, Luciano stopped in his tracks. He folded his wings behind his back and stood up straight. His beak curled as he prepared himself to give a stern lecture to his son. His eyes never softened, though he kept his voice as calm as possible. He knew any hint of anger in his voice would throw his son off, giving any sort of confession. Such was the way with young children.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Luciano asked, his voice came out in a stern yet calm, and controlled whisper. "You know the rules are designed to protect all within our care, and yet you choose to disobey them. Do you realize that you could have put yourself in danger? The jungle holds many predators that eat birds, and therefore it is no place for children."

Rico lowered his head further. He knew his father held a valid argument and putting a voice to his own opinion would get him nowhere. He peered around the hollow and shook his head. He wanted to express himself but didn't want to get into any more trouble.

"And what's worse," Marco piped in. His voice was far more threatening than his father's. "You were with your friends. You did not just endanger your own life; you also endangered the lives of every one of your friends. You are stupid and far too reckless. In the entire time that I've been here within this grotto, I have never met someone like you."

Rico could feel his blood begin to boil as his temper continued to rise. His face darkened with rage towards the hawk who felt the need to intrude on a private conversation. Even though he did see him as a friend, he also saw him as an adult… an unfair adult who always seemed to side with his father. Even without knowing all the facts on what happened. Great, everyone is against me. Rico frowned. They're judging me without even knowing my side of the story.

"It's not like that!" Rico growled, turning on the hawk. He glared at the adult who stood slack-jawed and speechless at the sudden expression on the macaw's behalf. Marco forced a smile as he shook his head. "You don't know the whole story, Marco so back off right now!"

Marco nodded his head and stepped back. "It looks like my dear old brother has a real temper brewing inside of him." Marco mused. He shifted his attention to Rico who still stood infuriated. "But be warned, young man. In this world, there are creatures out there who would like to use your anger to their advantage. What would you ever do if you met one of them, eh?"

Luciano stepped between the two birds, holding up his wings to stop any further argument between them. He glared at the Hawk with a venomous glare.

"I can deal with this, Marco," Luciano intervened. "You are not helping so it would be best if I dealt with him myself. You are both my sons, and I am your father so learn your place and leave me with this. If you would like to help me out, I could always send him your way first thing tomorrow as a form of discipline."

Rico felt his beak drop at his father's words. He could feel both adult's eyes barreling down on him. He shuddered as he thought about all the things his father would do to him for disobeying his very strict and very crucial rules and worst of all, Marco was in on it all, he eagerly awaited his punishment. Lowering his head, Rico could not hide his defeat. He knew full well that his father kept a careful and watchful eye on his reactions even if he did not look directly at him.

"Very well," the hawk grinned. "I will see him tomorrow morning. He will learn some proper respect for your customs. But that is quite enough for the night."

Luciano smiled and placed a wing upon Marco's shoulder. "Indeed, he will, I wish he grows up to be like you. Good night."

Marco spread his wings and took to the sky. With a mighty leap, he lifted himself from the hollow and flew from sight. After the Hawk had left them, Luciano's stern expression returned to his face. He peered at his son and tapped his talon along the wooden flooring. He still awaited an explanation for his son's actions. He stood straight up to his full height and spread his wings to add an intimidation factor. His voice turned more demanding as he addressed the boy for a second time.

"Don't look at me like that." He growled. "You need to be punished. Unless of course, you want to explain yourself? If you were smart, I would speak up now. Don't make me ask you a third time."

Rico kept his head low and let out an exasperated sigh. He knew he couldn't put off his explanation any longer. If his father would ask a third time, he would only get himself into some more trouble. He peered out at his father's stern eyes and tried to explain himself to the best of his abilities.

"You just wouldn't understand…" he sighed, "How could you? You don't know what it is like to be young and confined within this small grotto. How can I ever experience new things, or meet new birds, if I am stuck here for the remainder of my life?"

Luciano let out an amused chuckle and pushed his son in a playful fashion. He let his face curl into a rather shocked by sly expression. He placed a wing upon his hip and rolled his eyes.

"Try me," he mused. "Besides I am not that old and senile just yet. I was once young myself; you know."

Rico cocked his head to one side. He tried his best to look serious but found it to be an impossible task. "Really?" he asked. "I can't imagine you back then. You must have been a little chick with a beard."

"Oh, ha-ha," Luciano laughed sarcastically. "But yes, it is a story I have not told you for it is something I am ashamed of. Like you, I liked to cause trouble. I was an evil warlord who crushed my enemies beneath my talons. One night I found Marco as his mother ran for her life. I didn't know what was wrong. She had begun speaking out about the eyes of the emperors were watching her and that she needed to get away from the encampment before it was too late, and Marco fell to evil. She died that night under unknown causes, and I spent my life raising Marco to the best of my abilities, I toughened him up, taught him to fight, and taught him how to defend himself. I saw how it did a world of good to him so perhaps I will do the same to you. I have many more skills that I would like to pass on and I would like for you to have them. Perhaps that will give you the discipline you need to follow my rules."

Luciano turned away.

"However, you should never try to change the subject. I want to know why you disobeyed my rules. If you tell me, I'm sure that I would understand, I might even lighten your punishment a bit."

Rico's smile faded with his joyful joking mood. He shuffled his talons along the ground and went back into his explanation. He already gave off a subtle hint to his reasons, but his father hadn't caught on.

"I already told you," Rico admitted. "How can I ever experience new things or meet new creatures if I am stuck here for the remainder of my life? I don't want to waste my life here like everybody else. I want to see the city. I want to see the human world. My friends and I were just meeting up to talk about our hopes and dreams for the future. We wanted to do it in a private place so no one else would be able to hear us or tell us off about it… especially Marco."

Luciano's eyes softened. He nodded in understanding. His ancient feathers drooped as he listened to the words of his son. For the first time, he learned what lied within the child's heart. He longed for something much more than his settlement could ever offer to him. As much as he hated to admit it, his son was every bit like him when he had been a child. Without a word, he stepped over to a hidden piece of bark concealed amongst the trees. It led to a hollowed-out piece of the trunk containing several different shiny objects. He beckoned his son closer with a wave of his wing. A cheerful smile formed upon his face.

"Come here," he said. "Inside this tree trunk, you will find all of the objects belonging to a master thief. These once belonged to your great-great-grandfather who passed them down through the generations. During the time that I was The Storm King, I used them for evil, now I give them to you hoping that you'll use them for good. I am certain that you will become a good thief in your own rite."

Rico frowned and eyed the many different objects. Lock picks, small oil bottles, camouflaging paint, everything seemed to capture his interest. Rico could not believe his own eyes as his wings drew towards a single dagger-like sword. He found himself blinking several times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.

"How can a thief be a good creature? I don't understand."

Luciano straightened himself back up to his full height. He grabbed a small metallic ball in his wing and threw it to the ground. The hollow filled with smoke and the large elderly bird appeared behind his son at a moment's notice.

"A thief is a master of suspense. He always hides in the darkness like a ninja, but a good thief must never steal from those who are good, honest creatures. They strike back at those who do evil and seek to hurt those weaker than themselves. It is called liberating, not stealing. Do you understand that my son?"

Rico still stood in shock. His voice rang out in a tiny, very timid squawk. The young bird still couldn't comprehend what he saw with his own two eyes. In a single moment, his view towards his father changed.

"Yes," He admitted.

"Very good," Luciano grinned. "Now, tomorrow morning you will go and find Marco. You will work for him as punishment for your actions tonight. Once you are done and he see's fit to release you, you will then report back here for your first night of training. If you choose not to do this, then you will put aside your dreams and you will live like the rest of the birds under my care. The choice is yours."

Rico swallowed a large lump in his throat. He gave the matter some thought for a couple of minutes. He lowered his head and let out a heartfelt sigh. His face looks conflicted, but in his heart, he knew he could not refuse the offer. "I'll do it," he agreed. "I will do as you ask and begin my training tomorrow night."

Luciano chuckled to himself. He winked at his son. "I know working for Marco may sound harsh, but you will see in time that what I ask of you is fair. Obedience is the first thing you must learn. Now off to bed with you. You have a big day tomorrow."

Rico nodded his head and wandered into his nest. As he did so, Luciano focused upon his wife. She still struggled to breathe as her color continuously began to fade a little more each day. She opened her eyes as he drew near, placing a wing upon the side of her face. She smiled and nuzzled against his touch.

"Luciano," she sighed happily, "I am so proud of you for allowing yourself to pass on your skills to Rico but do not be mad at him, he is a good kid."

Luciano nodded his head. "I'm not mad at him, I just am going to teach him some responsibility and discipline, everything he needs to succeed in this world."

Maria nodded her head, letting her smile widen. "Good," she swooned, "He needs you. You have made such good progress in reforming yourself from evil."

Before Maria could speak again, she closed her eyes and passed away. Her breathing slackened and stalled. Her body grew limp and never moved again. Luciano held his wife within his wings for a few moments. He shed no tears for he knew she was happy. In the end, she went the way she had always wanted to go, knowing and believing that he was no longer the evil creature he once was so long ago but now stood completely reformed. In the end, she had gone smiling.