The brothers left the campsite once the crow flew off to the stars. Raphael led the way to the waterfall because it is where he learned how to have great courage. They pushed through bushes and thumped their feet on the trail as they finally heard rushing water.
"We're a little early. Don't you think?" Mikey looked at Leo, Raph, and Donnie under the moonlight.
"Its better to be on time than late. I'm sure they'll be here in a second." Donnie said looking at the water. He had a sudden flashback of fishing in this water. "Danger. The quads are in danger."
"Quads?" Raph looked at his brother in confusion.
"Might as well give the four animals a group name. Quads fits them."
"You're such a nerd." Raph tells him, Donnie gladly agrees. Another minute and the quads were thumping through the forest to reach the meeting place. Hawk and Kri were side by side, and Shado and Griz were behind.
"Hey, guys." Leo nodded. "We heard you're in danger?"
The wolf nodded. "We are. A danger we can never get out of without your help."
"Can you be specific on this danger you speak of?" Donnie asked and Kri added to the conversation.
"A spirit named Nizhoni is here. She seeks our souls as a way to become human again."
"Human? What are you talking about?" Leo raised his eyebrow ridge.
Hawk sighed. "Over a year ago, we were transformed into these bodies to pay what we've done as humans. If we do not find a mate by the end of this month..."
"We stay like this forever." Shado finished. "I'm guessing at precisely midnight, the northern lights and Running River will give us full conscience of our appearance."
"Its called Soulbound." Griz said.
"Soulbound." Donnie repeated. "You were once human girls?"
The quads nodded.
"This sounds dumb. There is no way you four were human." Raph commented, Shado growled at him.
"You can hear us, Raphael. Isn't that enough proof?"
The bulky turtle crossed his arms and knew the cheetah had a point. Mikey chuckled and asked a question to all four animals.
"How do you become human again?"
Hawk responds. "Finding a mate who is bipedal. The first step to finding a mate is complete: that's communication."
"You said you all have the end of this month, yes?" Donnie looked at Shado, holding his lit up tablet in his palm. "That means... You only have six days to achieve this."
"Okay hold on, who is Running River?" Asked Leo.
"The Indian chief who put us in these bodies. He's guiding us all he can before time is out."
"And Nizhoni?"
"She wants all twelve of our souls to be human again, including our companions. Nizhoni was in Soulbound over 500 years ago, and she failed the test. All she wants is blood and power now that she finds the opening to what she wants."
"Six days until time is up. And Nizhoni. She basically wants us dead." Donnie focused on the main problems. "Why do you choose us?"
"There's no one else. We hope that you're the key to helping us." Said the tiger.
"So... This means we need to fall in love?"
"Its not that simple, Mikey. The traits of a wolf, tiger, bear, and cheetah are required to this quest. We use them correctly, we get our reward."
"This feels like we're being used." Raph said. "You need us to fall in love with you guys? Ha! Good luck with that."
"Its the traits! Not the love. Love comes after our transformation as humans." Griz roared. "Please, just help us."
Leo frowned at the quads. He wants to help, but he feels there is nothing they can do but go home and continue on with life.
"I'm sorry. You need to find someone else. We're not the ones who can help."
"What...?"
Hawk knows Leo more than the bear, tiger, and cheetah. She has never seen this side of him. He is loyal and very calm when it comes to people or animals needing help. Leonardo had a very weird look in his irises. They turned red.
"We need to get home. Home to New York. Fighting is what we do best." He turned around.
Kri chuffed. "This is a load of bull. Leo, we need your help!"
"The four of us have families waiting at home. They don't know if we are alive or dead. Nizhoni will kill you and your brothers if you don't help us." Griz groaned sadly.
"Its just a bunch of native legends. A group of selfish, furry animals need to be displayed on a wall." Mikey said. His younger brothers follow back to the camp as the angry quads stood there in shock. The turtles suddenly turned on them.
They would never do that.
"What just...happened?" Shado sat down.
"It was like they were controlled." Hawk whimpered.
A short pause of silence.
"Nizhoni." They quads said at once.