The Turtle King *COMPLETED*

Chapter 2: "Can't wait to be king"

Words Count: 6666

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Later that night...during the Thunderstorm...

Clouds roil over the grasslands. Thunder rumbles, and curtains of rain fall in the distance. The other mutated animals were out of the rain and in their homes sleeping. The smooth surface of a river is disrupted by heavy rainfall. Thunder booms, and lightning zigzags across the sky, illuminating Rockwell's lone baobab tree. Inside, Rockwell uses a gourd to paint a lion cub, with lightning occasionally lighting up his canvas. He mutters. "Ah." He said as he sets down one gourd and picks up another. What he drew on the baobab tree is of Leonardo. "Hmm." Rockwell said as he smiles at his handiwork. He laughs. Rockwell dips his thumb in the paint and smears it across the painted turtle's forehead. "Leonardo." Rockwell said as he chuckles.

Meanwhile, the next morning when Leonardo is outside of the palace...

The round the painting of Leonardo before it disappears completely. The scene transitions to an early dawn at the Palace, now a small turtle, emerges on the promontory, as the light wind was blowing the tail fins of his mask. With an excited look, he races away into the Palace. Leonardo races into the den, where the pride is sleeping. "Dad! Dad! Come on, Dad. We gotta go. Wake up!" Leonardo said very quietly as he dodges around the mutated hunters, jostling them. "Oof!" One of the female Jaquins said.

"Sorry!" He said in a quiet voice. He kept jumping over them and dodging them as well. He finally reached his sleeping parents. Splinter snores. The young prince jumps up on Splinter, who is sound asleep. "Dad!" He said. Leonardo's expression turns dour when Splinter does not respond. "Dad." He said again...but no responded. "Your son is awake." Natalie said in her sleep. 

"Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad." Leonardo said in the background. "Before sunrise, he's your son." Splinter said in his sleep. "Dad! Come on, Dad." Leonardo said as he tugs the sleeve of Splinter's kimono but loses his grip and tumbles out of view. Splinter's sleeve of his kimono went back to normal. "Whoa! The young prince said. Leonardo ran up to his father as he push Splinter's face, and Splinter sleepily opens one eye. "You promised!" Leonardo said he glares at Splinter. "Okay, okay. I'm up, I'm up." Splinter said.

"Yeah!" Leonardo said as he races away excitedly. Splinter yawns as he stretches his tired muscles as his queen Natalie woke up as well. Leonardo skips out of the den, with Splinter and Natalie emerging shortly afterward. Leonardo bounces up to Natalie and rubs against her affectionately. Natalie gives his rump an encouraging nudge and watches, smiling, as Splinter and Natalie begin to ascend the Palace.

The next shot shows the top of the Palace illuminated by the rising sun, with Splinter and Leonardo kneeling side-by-side atop the summit. "Look, Leonardo. Everything the light touches is our kingdom." Splinter said. "Wow." Leonardo said. "A king's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. One day, Leonardo, the sun will set on my time here and will rise with you as the new king." Splinter said as he ducks down to Leonardo's level. "And this'll all be mine?" The young prince asked. "Everything." Splinter said. Leonardo strides along the edge of the Palace's tower, overlooking the grasslands and fields.

"Everything the light touches." Leonardo said. He stopped in his tracks as he glanced the shadowy and dark place. "What about that shadowy place?" He asked as he looks back at Splinter questioningly. Splinter strides toward Leonardo sternly. "That's beyond our borders. You must never go there, Leonardo." He said. "But I thought a king can do whatever he wants." Leonardo said. Splinter smiles. "Oh, there's more to being king than getting your way all the time." He said as he strides away. Leonardo follows Splinter, grinning. "There's more?" He asked gleefully. Splinter laughs. "Leonardo..." Splinter said.