Immediately upon waking up, Michelangelo registered something warm pressed into his side and he was lying on something comfy. Opening his eyes, the young turtle was met by a blue ceiling, looking down he saw Donatello pressed against him. “Donnie?” the purple turtle murmured something about science that was unclear to the prankster who smirked. One Mikey was scared, he had no clue where they were and looking around the room he noticed Leonardo asleep on what looked like a sofa. Where was Raph!? Mikey’s brain was going mad so he forcefully sat up waking the scientist, who extracted himself from his brother and looked around in confusion. “Leo!”. Out of instinct, the blue turtle snapped up reaching for his swords only to gasp when they weren’t there. “Mikey. Donnie. What’s going on?” Leo asked, looking around the room in confusion until a sudden realisation that there was a certain turtle missing from their group. “Where’s Raph?” Leo’s question broke through Donnie’s tiredness, waking the purple turtle up quicker than one could say ‘coffee’.
The door to the room opened all of a sudden, the three brothers huddled close together with the oldest in the front holding the nearest object which turned out to be a lamp. A hooded figure stood in the doorway, “Who are you?” Leonardo’s question was met by silence. “Come with me, there isn’t much time”, the figure spoke with a gentle tone. The three turtles exchanged glances before following the hooded figure down a few corridors. They were directed into a room before the door was shut loudly behind them. The lights turned on quickly assaulting their eyes. Leonardo’s eyes scoured the room, he gasped when his hands landed on a certain red turtle asleep on a bed in front of them but he wasn’t the only one in the room. “Casey! April! Sensei!” Donnie cried out running towards the three currently chained up in the corner. Mikey ran to help while Leo checked on his unconscious mate.
“Uh Leo?” Mikey's quivering tone made the blue turtle look up to see Mikey pointing at the symbol on the wall. It was the same symbol from the cloth Pigeon Pete had recovered. “Donnie?” April's quiet voice filled the room as she, Casey and Master Splinter woke up. “What happened?” “I feel like I got hit by a bus”, Donnie opted to ignore Casey's statement while turning to his father who explained, “Once you left. Something infiltrated the lair and pink gas started to filter through the vents. We did our best to fight but the smoke paralyzed our bodies. We then woke up here. I fear we are in grave danger if we stay any longer. Donatello''. The purple turtle nodded while helping the three of them out of their chains, Mikey smiled helping Casey to his feet, the hockey player pleased with the help.
“Raph?” Leo whispered, shaking his mate slightly, gaining a whimper from the turtle. Footsteps to the right made Leo look up to see Donnie and Mikey coming up to the bed while the others opted to hang back. Leaning down to Raph’s ear, Leo whispered his name again. The three turtles watched as green eyes slid open slowly revealing exhausted eyes. Leo smiled down at his mate who groaned as the light assaulted his eyes. “Whts oin on?” Although muffled Leonardo shook his head listening to the words, “Raph? We don’t know. But there is a symbol on the wall” Mikey tried to explain but Raph picked up on the nerves in Mikey’s tone. Lifting himself slightly to move into a sitting position, Raph took one look at the symbol and groaned loudly before slumping back into the bed. “Fuck!”.
All heads turned to Raph’s out-burst. “I’m sorry, this is my fault! Fuck!”. Leo rubbed his mate’s shoulders, pulling Raph close into his plastron while rubbing the red turtle's shell. “Raphael, what do you mean? This is your fault” Splinter asked whether it was curiosity or anger, Raph didn’t really care. At the moment he just felt safe in Leo’s arms and nothing would change that. Splinter gritted his teeth, Raphael always knew how to push Splinter’s buttons. But, what Sensei couldn’t see or feel was how exhausted Raphael was. Leo could feel Raph’s body beginning to relax in his hold. “Uhh Leo?” Turning to face Donnie, Leo raised an eyebrow. “Raph’s been drugged with something, keep him awake”. Upon Donnie’s instructions, Leo did just that. He shook Raph awake, earning himself a grumpy glare. “Raph, please can you answer Sensei’s question?” Leo asked his mate while keeping him awake. Grunting Raph turned to face the rest of the room while remaining in Leo’s arms, “Welcome to the Crux Clan sworn enemies of the Claw Clan”, the others looked inquisitive at the red turtle who groaned, “I am part of the Claw Clan, my father is the leader making me, the…” “The heir!” Casey guessed, April face-palmed at her friend’s smile. Raph glared at his best-friend who held his hands up in surrender. “How? You have lived under my house for years” Splinter asked, stepping forward slightly. “I don’t think you will remember this but rat. You did kick me out when I was barely 10 and I spent five years away from home. I got ‘adopted’ by my father and invited into the clan. My father couldn’t have children so he took me under his wing. Until one night when the clan were attacked by those who were thought to be allies. My father made sure I was safe before he led the Crux Clan away from me. Only few exist of the Claw Clan. I am the only surviving youngster. He left me down in the sewers where he found me wandering with a bag. I made sure I looked to have been in a fight and that's when I bumped into Leo who was training. He led me back ‘home’ and then I’ve been at the lair ever since”.
Raphael watched everyone’s reactions to his short story. Splinter had a furious look on his face which Raph opted to ignore all together. Leo’s arms tightened around him, Mikey placed his head on Donnie’s shoulder, the doctor was currently bandaging Raph’s arm from where he had been stabbed with a needle. April and Casey wore interesting expressions. “Who’s your father, Raph?” Casey asked just as the door to the room slammed open and explosions rocked the facility.
“Raphael!”
The red turtle turned his head to see a familiar face, “Alopex?”.
“I am here, he is here. All your weapons are in the bag. Quickly get ready. Our time window is only small”. Raph nodded using Leo’s help to get off the bed. He gestured for the group to listen to the arctic fox. Hastily Mikey passed out all their weapons and passed Master Splinter his cane. “Follow me, Raphael, use the shadows” Alopex instructed him. Raphael nodded looking at Leo who understood, he nodded gesturing for the group to follow him exactly.
Alopex led the way with Raphael behind her with the rest following. The small group passed what looked like bodies and blood on the walls, they passed cells of skeletons. “Raphie?” Mikey’s tone made the red turtle look back at what the orange turtle was pointing at. On the wall written in blood was: “Till the moon reaches its curve, a sai warrior would be no more”. Raphael smirked at it, his family and Splinter looked at him with horror. The red terrapin grabbed his sai, twirling them slightly before placing them in his belt. “Raphael, come!” Alopex instructed since she herself had cleared the area. An explosion nearby threw some of them off their feet, Raph wobbled and would have fallen on his stomach if it weren’t for Leo’s quick reflexes. Nodding at his mate, Raph steadied himself and directed them to follow him. “Donnie, is it me or are the explosions getting louder?” April’s concerned voice asked the question. Donatello nodded while looking at Casey, “Wicked!” “Not wicked Casey, if we end up stuck in a hole because of a…”Donnie was cut off as a shuriken embedded in the wall beside his head. The group turned to see Karai and the foot clan. “Grab the one known as Raphael” Karai ordered. Leo gritted his teeth. Raph frowned looking at Alopex who pulled the red turtle behind her with the others covering the other sides.
“Karai! Why are you doing this?” Mikey cried out to his brain-washed sister who hissed at him, using his nunchucks he managed to disarm Karai but soon found himself thrown aside by none other than Rahzar and Xever. “Leo! We need to get out of here!” Donnie shouted, blocking another attack on Raph who was faring quite well against Xever, the fish soon found a hockey stick smacking his face. “Fishface is down!” Casey exclaimed before falling to the floor from a punch to his chest.
April gasped feeling a sense of power like never before, she turned around and saw something no one else could see. Raph’s aura was glowing almost like he was calling for help, the red turtle looked her way with a glare before blocking Karai’s sword aiming for Leo’s head. “Raphael. Dantzer is waiting. Let’s go!” Alopex shouted before throwing down a smoke bomb. Raph reached for Leo who gripped him tightly. The smoke cleared, leaving a screaming Karai behind shouting about ‘foot tactics’.
Soon the group of heroes found themselves shoved into the back of a truck. The group sat on one side of the truck while a few foxes and tigers sat opposite them wearing cloaks hiding their faces. Alopex sent a smile the turtle's way, recognising them after their last encounter. “I hope you are well after our last encounter”. Alopex said receiving nods from the turtles and their friends. There wasn’t much room so Raph ended up in Leo’s lap while Mikey and Casey bunked down on the floor. Mikey making sure he sat against Donnie’s legs, the purple turtle rested a hand on his head in an act of comfort.
“Where are we going?” April asked, moving closer to Donnie so Master Splinter had more room, who nodded in ‘thank’s’ remaining quiet for the time being. “We are taking Raphael home but if you need to go somewhere else. You can leave now” a grey arctic fox explained, earning a sharp elbow to his chest. The hood came down. “Don’t mind Dantzer, he is quite protective” Alopex explained looking at her partner who rolled his eyes and turned back to keep his focus on a particular red turtle while spinning a shuriken through his claws.
“So, I don’t think I caught your names last time. Let's start over, I am Alopex and you are?” Alopex asked, and the heroes shared looks. Donnie nudged Leo to get his attention since the leader's sole focus was his mate who was struggling to remain awake. It turns out the sedative was a lot stronger than what Donnie had thought it was. Clearing his throat, Leo spoke, “My name is Leonardo. I am Raphael’s mate and the oldest out of my brothers”. His clear tone showed his loyalty to his mate and family. “I’m Donatello, Leo’s brother”. “I’m Mikey and the cutest turtle brother” “My name is April O’Neil, this sleepyhead is Casey Jones” April pointed down to Casey who had fallen asleep against her legs. Alopex nodded before turning to the older one in the corner, “My name is Hamato Yoshi, otherwise known as Master Splinter. Father to Leonardo, Donatello and Michaelangelo and Sensei to April.” Splinter explained. Raph shifted in Leo’s arms and grunted, “I told you so” to Leo who frowned, pulling Raph closer to him.
After a long journey, Mikey was shaking awake as the truck came to a stop as it parked into an abandoned car park. Alopex and Dantzer got out, gesturing for the group to follow. Leo helped Raph out before the group made sure they were reunited. Donnie gave Mikey a piggy-back since the youngest was exhausted. Master Splinter took up the rear while Leo and Raph were in front. There was much more ground to cover through their trek into the woods, Casey whispered to April, something about it being top-secret. After about ten minutes of walking or in Mikey’s case being carried. The group reached a cave enclosure. Alopex turned to the group, “I must ask since it's night, we are as silent as possible. Our Clan isn’t used to outsiders unless you count Raphael, so they will be on high alert. Follow me and do not lag behind. Our guards are on instructions to strike to kill” Alopex explained, Casey gulped, feeling fear. It didn’t help that Dantzer was spinning a knife now in his claws. A soft hand made its way to the hockey vigilante’s shoulder and squeezed it in reassurance, looking up as Casey met Splinter who nodded encouraging the young teen to continue. April reached for his hand as soon as they entered the dark enclosed cave which had a few lanterns on the walls.
Woah, Leo thought while looking at the carvings on the walls, a hand tugged him forward alerting him to his mate. Raph smirked at the positive expression on Leo’s face as they walked. Soon they exited the cave to come into a small enclosure which included a few cottages and a big fire in the middle. Leo’s smile widened when he saw the pure bliss on Raph’s face, the blue turtle tightened his grip on his mate’s waist. Raph looked up with love, smiling before turning his attention to Alopex who knocked on what the group thought was the clan leader's home since the door was marked.
Splinter watched as the clan leader came out in a cloak, he noticed the way Dantzer and Alopex bowed slightly. So out of respect he did which made the rest of the group follow his example bar Raphael who stood with his arms crossed. Ignorant of the turtle, Splinter thought unaware of who was under the hood, watching the rat’s facial expressions closely.
“What brings you home, my cub?”
Leo shared a look with Donnie, Mikey, April and Casey. They knew that voice but where from.
“Target practice, what else is new?” Raphael shrugged tilting his head at the leader who smiled under the hood.
“Who is it now?”
“Shredhead, Kraang, Foot, Crux Clan - the usual with some extras” Raph’s mutter reached the leader's ears although the leader was sure the cub didn’t mean to say it.
“Come here, cub”
Raphael sighed moving from Leo’s arms and moving into the welcoming embrace of his father. Leo watched wearily until he caught a glance of yellow eyes.
Alopex loved the confused expressions on the small group’s faces, receiving a nod from her leader. She pulled the Clan’s leaders hood down to reveal…
“Tigerclaw!” Leo’s shocked voice made Raph wince slightly before he groaned feeling his stomach do a front flip without warning. Tigerclaw nodded at Leonardo while looking down at his cub who was shaking with the cold.
“Come inside, I will explain and answer all your questions in the morning” Tigerclaw gestured to a nearby cottage while leading his cub and the rest into the exact cottage. Alopex heard a groan from Dantzer as the two walked into their leader’s cottage to one of the spare rooms since the group would be living in there's for the time being.
There we go another one, stay tuned for more chapters! :)
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