Race. [TMNT 2012]

027. Cave-dwellers; Raphael

Torches suddenly light up around the room. The light reveals the faces of those in front of us. Five mutant figures stand before us, their eyes glowing with danger. There's no mistaking the green skin and brilliant emerald eyes of the one in the middle.

"Slash!" I exclaim excitedly. "Everyone!" I add as I glance at the others, my chest swelling up happily.

"Raphael," Slash steps forward, his face more visible than before. A small smile appears on his sharp turtle lips. "My friend, you've returned."

"Leatherhead!" Michelangelo rushes forward and throws himself on top of the scaly alligator mutant. He struggles to get a tight hold on his friend as he embraces him.

"Michelangelo, you are a mutant again." Leatherhead sounds relieved. He grins, his teeth sticking out of his mouth as he puts the turtle back on his feet.

Donatello glances at the remaining two of the Mighty Mutanimals. "Pigeon Pete and Dr. Rockwell, you both look well," he comments, his russet eyes scanning the pair curiously.

"Do we, Donatello?" Dr Rockwell retorts as he walks forward. He is covered in scratches and bruises, his monkey fur missing many tufts.

As I look closer, I realize they all have several wounds on them. The scent of fresh blood flows off them, as if they had just recently fought their way through a battle. Though they look please to see us, exhaustion still clouds their vision.

"What happened?" Elizabetta questions, her eyebrows raised in horror at their condition. She fiddles with the flower crown on her head as she comes forward to stand beside Leonardo.

Slash glances at Leatherhead before he launches into an explanation. "We were found," he says in his low rumble of a voice. "Tiger Claw and his Footbots discovered us in our hideout. They started a fire and chased us out, then they ambushed us in the streets. Luckily, he underestimated us and we were able to escape."

"Just barely, though!" Pigeon Pete squawks in a high-pitched tone.

   "The adults are talking, dim-witted aves," Dr. Rockwell tosses him some bread to make him shut up, which the bird mutant falls for immediately.

   "But we discovered a new companion," Leatherhead speaks up, gesturing his webbed hand towards the final figure in the cave. "I believe you will know her."

The fifth mutant is not really a mutant at all. At least, not at first glance. She seems to be a normal girl, her short black hair falling around her pale face. But looking closer, I can make out scales and snake-like green eyes. A long, double-pointed tongue slithers out of her lips occasionally as she gazes at the rest of us.

"Karai, is it really you?" Leonardo gasps in astonishment, his feet cemented to the ground.

"Leo," Karai hisses softly in her strange voice. She takes in everyone standing before her, seeming a bit overwhelmed by the group. But then she relaxes and takes a step back, dipping her head respectfully to Leonardo.

"I don't understand," I break in, ruining the moment between them. "Karai, we've been trying to get you to join our group forever. Why did you pick them?"

"Shredder... Too powerful... Must... Take action," Karai explains in her snake-like manner, her pupils barely more than slits. "Need... Army."