"Alright, here's the alley," Donatello says once they're gathered again. "If we stakeout beneath that water tower, we can rest, get dry, and wait to see if she comes back. Best case scenario, she's just fine and we aren't needed here at all. Worst case..."
"The picture doesn't go back to normal," Leonardo says. "Good plan, Donnie."
The brothers huddle beneath the water tower, finally sheltered from the downpour, and wait. They listen to distant sirens, the sound of vehicles driving across the slick streets below them, the rumbling of thunder, and wait.
Leonardo's eyes drag open as he makes a low snorting noise. He blinks sleepily and looks around, finding that Donatello and Michelangelo have also dosed off. Raphael is perched like a gargoyle at the edge of the water tower, nearly unblinking.
"Raph?" Leonardo whispers.
"Ssh," comes the hushed response. Raphael's finger drifts up to his mouth. "I hear something."
Leonardo moves to his brother's side. They lean forward, straining to listen past the constant rain. Faint, young voices sound from the alleyway accompanied by low growling.
"That thing's ugly as sin, might as well put it out of its misery." This voice is masculine.
A tiny, high-pitched voice sounds next. There's a waver in her tone. "I didn't do anything to you. Leave me alone..."
"You do enough by existing. Come on, boys, let's see how loud a beast can scream."
Leonardo stiffens, his jaw clenching. "Raph, wake the others," he utters, reaching for a katana. "Catch up."
"Leo, what—"
The blue-masked turtle is already running. He skids to the edge of the alley to find a small gang of three young boys, no older than Leonardo, closing in on a very young brunette with eyes that seem to glow in the dark: Destiny. One boy holds a hunting knife and another has a crowbar. The little girl has her fists up, her claws unsheathed, but the terror in her eyes in unmistakeable.
The knife blade glints as one of the boys lunges. Destiny tries to dodge, but her back hits the wall and the knife cuts across her shoulder, making her let out a howling wail. The boy and his friends cackle with sick enjoyment marring their faces, but Destiny isn't done. She swipes her hand at the first boy, catching his cheek with her sharp claws and making him shout.
He touches the bloody cuts, then glares at her. "You little bitch," he snarls.
The boy with the crowbar advances, readying the cruel weapon, and Destiny braces herself. As he swings, she morphs into a wolf and clamps her powerful jaws on the crowbar, engaging in tug of war.
"Get 'er!" urge the boys. "Get 'er good!"
The second boy comes out victorious, wrenching the crowbar from the wolf pup and knocking her over the head. She whimpers, knees giving out as she collapses into the muddy puddles, and he readies for another swing.
This time, a shining blade blocks it. The boy's eyes widen as Leonardo's pure white glare lands on him. With hardly time to breathe, the crowbar is knocked from the boy's hands and the blade is at his throat.
"Leave her alone," Leonardo utters, baring his teeth.
"H-Hey, man, we were just having some fun!" the boy stammers. His friends shift, as if debating whether or not to interfere.
"I think there's better things to do for fun than harming animals and little girls, don't you think?" the turtle hisses. When the boy can only stare, he edges his blade forward. "Answer me!"
YOU ARE READING
Forest Mutation (Book Two)
Fanfiction"In Saskatchewan, when I couldn't fall asleep, I'd watch the moon and think about how across the country and over the border, you were probably out on a rooftop beneath the same moon. You were the first person I enjoyed the moon with. Every other ti...
