Thus Always to Tyrants

Chapter 5

Word of the day: Empathy

The action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively manner

~

After what felt like days, Leonardo jolted up and instantly regretted it. A shocking pain went into what was left of his arm, causing him to gasp for air and fall back. He groaned and looked at the amputated limb, wincing. "I've looked worse..." Surprisingly, Casey did an amazing job at bandaging it. He even remembered not to make it too tight so that it wouldn't cut circulation. Leo smiled and turned to him. But he wasn't there, just the rusty guitar from Usagi. He hadn't known that it had been brought with. "Case...?" He stood up slowly this time, anchoring his feet. He looked around frantically. Rays of early light flowed in through cracks in the rock walls, and the torch was gone. "Casey!" He whisper shouted, stumbling further down the path. Where did the boy go? Leo started to pick up the pace, getting used to the phantom pain in his stub. It was dark and cold, and there was less and less light the further down he went. "Jones!" He called out a little louder, starting to grow worried. He should've been awake long before now, how could he let this happen?

"Sensei?" A small voice erupted in the loud silence, Leo jumping slightly before he relaxed again. Casey was standing in front of him now, holding the torch in his hands. The turtle dropped to his knees and wrapped an arm around the boy, hugging him tightly. "Jeez kid, you freaked me out for a second." Casey Jr. smiled. "I'm okay, but come look what I found!" He took Leonardo's hand and led him further down the cave. The turtle was barely able to keep up with the child's quick feet, not knowing where he was being taken. "If you're going to attempt to murder me, just know that I will flip you upside down and search your pockets for snacks."
Casey giggled and stopped suddenly. "Do you hear that?" Leo stood there confused. "Nothing." The boy beckoned for him to kneel down. "Put your ear to the ground and listen closely...!" Leonardo did so hesitantly, straining his ears. He heard his own breathing, then a scurry of rats, until finally a flow of water. A large body of it.
Leo gasped and looked up at Casey. "Say sike right now."

Casey Jr. smiled and grabbed his hand again. "I got lucky, I was almost about to give up until I heard it! Come on, it's not much further!"

They kept walking until they reached a large boulder in the way. The sound of flowing water was loud and clear now, but the only thing in their way was this rock. Casey pointed to a little opening. "I was able to crawl through, but you might not be able to." Leo noticed this and sighed. He unsheathed a sword from his side, pointing it directly at the boulder. He made a line down, opening up a neon blue portal to the other side. Then he gasped, immediately stepping inside. There was a huge waterfall spilling out water at a steady pace, and it looked like this part of the cave was some sort of heaven. There were bushes and trees, the sun pouring in through an opening at the top of the cave, like a skylight. "Casey, this place is amazing..." He turned to the boy and ruffled his hair. "I'm real proud of you for finding all of this."

Casey smiled and shook his hair out. "Thanks, Master Leonardo."

"Wanna see something cool?" Leo asked, and the boy nodded. The turtle put his hand around his mouth and shouted at the top of his lungs. Casey gasped and looked frightened, grabbing onto his arm. "S-sensei, why'd you do that? We'll die-!"
Leo knelt down and grabbed his shoulders, smiling widely. "Case, that's how loud noises work! If there's a natural noise that's already loud enough, we can be as loud as we want! You try it now."