Forest Mutation (Book Two)

Chapter 25: Realization

Outside the farmhouse, the night is quiet and serene. A few owls hoot from their roosts, the wind blows and rustles the leaves and bend the thin branches of smaller trees. Everything is peaceful and relaxing.

Inside Destiny's head is a whole other story.

She whimpers softly as she sleeps, her dream world filled with nightmares. While the visions of Shredder are long gone, other memories take their place and she has no way of getting rid of them. Her ears flatten against her hair and tears swell behind her closed eyelids. She clutches for her pillow, cramming it around her face as she begins to thrash, the covers becoming more and more wrinkled.

A shadow falls over the bed.

The door swings open slowly, creaking as it goes. Leonardo peers inside the room, his pupils expanding as he tries to get used to the darkness, the only spot of light being that coming from the window. The turtle stops mid-step when he notices that Destiny isn't the only person in the room. Diaval stares down at her from her bedside, his hair hanging unrestrained and shielding his side profile from view.

"Diaval?" Leonardo nearly hisses, keeping his voice low. The boy's head snaps upwards and his blank expression tightens. "What are you doing here?"

Diaval blinks. "None o'your business."

"She's my friend, which makes it my business," the turtle retorts.

Destiny makes a soft sobbing noise that's quickly muffled when she curls herself into a tight ball and clings to her pillow. The moonlight caresses her skin, accenting the thin white scars on her arms, and she rolls over with a low whimper. Leonardo doesn't even move his eyelids as Diaval continues to stare at him, eyebrows furrowed slightly over his pinkish eyes. He exhales softly and looks down at the wolf girl.

"Gets scared, show her desire," he says.

When the turtle doesn't say anything, Diaval reaches over and brushes his fingertips against Destiny's shoulder. He shuts his eyes, taking in a slow breath, and Leonardo's body slackens as he watches Destiny's scarred face relax and her fingers unfurl. Soon, she's sleeping soundly again as if nothing ever disturbed her.

Leonardo feels his chest tighten and he swallows, his hands forming fists at his sides. A cricket chirps outside. Leonardo purses his lips before slowly lifting his head towards Diaval as he takes a few silent steps inward.

"What does she want?" he whispers.

Diaval doesn't meet the turtle's eyes. His jaw shifts and his cloak sweeps outwards as he adjusts his footing. The archer's chin dips toward his chest. "Moon, forest, freedom. Comforts her."

His words do little to soothe Leonardo. Instead, a flame ignites within his chest and the heat spreads outwards. "I used to comfort her, you know?"

"Didn't talk about you much," Diaval murmurs, his voice oddly quiet. He shrugs and his eyes meet Leonardo's with the ferocity of driving ice. "Guess she doesn't need you. Not now. Not ever."

The heat flares and floods every nerve in the blue-masked turtle's body and he has to forcefully grit his teeth together to stop from saying something choice and regrettable.

Diaval looks back down at Destiny and nods, flicking his hair from his eyes. "All done here. Gonna go," he says. He takes a step, then stops. "Don't tell her."