Ninja Turtles Meet The Huntress

Letting Loose

Gabby ran through the forest. Her heat was over and she was feeling herself at last. She relished the snow beneath her paws and the sounds of the steady heartbeats of her sister, her mother, her best friend, and her best friend's mother as they tore through the forest, testing the boundaries of their own speed and endurance. There was endless forest. There was plentiful game. None of them could even remember the last time they had been on a hunt or even the last time they had free reign of their own lives. They were finally free of Aiden. Though he was still a threat, he was no longer hanging on the edge of every thought and every action. They could finally breathe. Gabby slowed to a halt and her pack followed her lead.

"I wish Dad and Grant could be here." She said to her pack.

"They would be proud of us, of you." Brandy said, nuzzling her daughter.

Gabby reached out to touch her Alpha's mind with her bond. It was a gentle brush, just enough to know he was sitting in the male training room watching Master Splinter begin training his new subjects. Gabby couldn't help but smile and she sent a surge of fondness down her growing bond to Master Splinter who had taken on the role of a father to her in the last month. She could feel his fondness in return.

"We owe them so much." Renee said as she looked back the way they came. "Without them none of this would have happened. We would still be stuck under a psychotic Alpha and our girls....." She trailed off but she didn't need to finish her sentence for everyone to know what she was saying. She took a breath and her powerful jaws parted and a long mournful howl echoed through the trees. Saffron and Gracie took up the call, and then Brandy. Gabby joined last, howling for their lost pack and for all they had suffered but never been allowed to mourn. Again and again they lifted their voices to the sky, until they had given voice to all of their loss. The echoes of their mournful cries faded into the forest and they all crowded around each other, taking in the scent of family and friend. Finally Gabby stepped forward.

"I will hunt for our new Alpha tonight. I will bring him my kill and feed him with my own skill. This is the start of a new life, let's celebrate." She ran off into the wind, searching for a prize to bring their leader.

It was well after sunset and Raph, Leo, Donnie, and Mikey were all seated in the entertainment room. They were taking turns playing COD on Xbox and they were more relaxed than they had been since the girls had tumbled into their lives. Leo could tell Raph was calmer than he had been in weeks.

"You look like you're in a good mood." Leo said.

"Yeah, well it helps that Gabby isn't on her heat anymore. That was brutal." Raph replied as he focused on the screen. "Not to mention actually starting to train the wolves to fight different. Makes me feel useful, like we're getting' somewhere, ya know?"

"Yeah." Leo said. "I bet it's weird, bein' their Alpha and all."

"It's somethin' alright." Raph responded.

"But you get to boss them around and scare all the other wolves. Isn't that cool?" Mikey asked as he slammed his thumbs over his remote, trying to kill Raph and failing.

"No, dingus, it ain't cool. And I don't boss them around." Raph growled. He shot Mikey and laughed. "Gotcha!"

"If I could make people listen to me I would never have to get out of my chair again, except to go to the bathroom." Mikey mused. "I would have them bring me food and drinks and everything. I would be King Mikey!"

"I don't think that's how the whole thing works, Mikey." Donnie said as he looked up from the pages of the book Saffron had given him. "According to this book, Alpha's that lord their power over the pack end horribly."