Turtles of a Feather

Chapter 2- Fourth

   The sun started to rise on the horizon and Splinter slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the sunlight. He stretched his arms and let out a tired groan. He was about to get up until he realized his waist was still strapped to the limb of the oak tree.

"It wasn't a dream," he thought to himself with a small sigh, but the nest just a mere foot away, reminded him of the positive event from the previous day.

   He untied the rope and stuffed it back into his backpack before quietly making his way to the eagle's nest; lifting the blanket on top of the nest, he saw three winged turtles and an egg.

   Raphael was peacefully asleep, curled up right next to his still unhatched sibling. Leonardo was also asleep, his small, gray wings tucked very tightly to his sides. Donatello on the other hand was wide awake, looking up at the rat man. He smiled, showing his gap tooth.

   Splinter reached his hand into the nest, oh so carefully, and picked the turtle up. The little olive colored turtle giggled as he felt the rat's fingers graze his plastron.

   Splinter smiled as he pulled the little turtle out of the nest, placing the blanket back over so that the other two could rest. The rat man cocked an eyebrow at the small reptile and he gently brushed the turtle's plastron with his index finger.

The turtle reacted by letting out another giggle.

"Are you ticklish?" Splinter whispered, and scratched his plastron once again, grinning wide. Donatello started to violently thrash in the rat man's hands, giggling so loud that it woke up Leonardo in the nest.

   The deep blue eyes of the eldest turtle fluttered open and he looked to his surroundings before letting out a loud yawn. Splinter stopped tickling the youngster before taking off the blanket completely from the nest and folding it neatly, putting it in his hiking pack.

   Raphael fidgeted and whined, wanting the dark covering to return. Leonardo began to shout happily at the sight of the kind rat man's face.

"Here you go," he placed the olive turtle back into the nest with his brothers, and he eyed Raphael, who was still trying to sleep. Splinter gently rubbed the back of his carapace, "Time to wake up Raphael."

The turtle eventually just gave up and stretched out his limbs dramatically, opening his vivid green eyes.

   The rat man looked at the egg and then at the speckle-winged turtle, "Did it hatch yet?" he asked the young reptile, although he already knew the answer.

   Raphael only shook his head sadly, turning his attention back to the egg and watching it. Splinter noticed Leonardo grip his stomach tightly, accompanied by a low growl.

"Are you hungry?" he looked at the blue eyed turtle curiously.

   The little turtle nodded and Splinter picked a leaf from the oak. The sea-green turtle carefully took the leaf and began to munch on it happily. Donatello saw his elder brother munching on the leaf and he held his stomach as well.

   The rat picked another leaf and handed it to the molasses eyed reptile. The winged turtle took the leaf and also began to eat it.

Splinter smiled at the second eldest, "Would like one too Raphael?"

   The green eyed turtle did not respond for a few seconds, until he finally nodded his head slightly. A leaf was given to him and he stared at it and then back up at the rat man.

"You may eat," he gestured for him to go on.

The little winged reptile took slow bites of the leaf, munching on it every few minutes.