Mᴜᴛᴀɴᴛ Aᴘᴏᴄᴀʟʏᴘsᴇ 2: Sʜᴇʟᴛᴇʀ Sᴇᴇᴋᴇʀs ❪✓❫

14 || 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒𝐍'𝐓 𝐆𝐎 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘

𝐎𝐬𝐚'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕
𝟹 𝙳𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛...
𝙹𝚊𝚗𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝟷𝟹𝚝𝚑, 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟽

Two days ago we were able to fill up our empty bellies from a coyote coming through the area we rested in. The small dog was enough for everyone... all fourteen of us including CJ's lizard, Silly. It was mostly the hind legs that gave us energy and many carbs.

Coming to our newest member, Faith-- she has been the quiet type. She'll speak when spoken to, but will not talk on her own, she just needs to warm up to us. We're still hungry, food and water are the two things we are focusing on. The community is about a day or two away, the group's legs burned and my back stung a thousand times for sitting on Donnie's back.

But Donatello's body, mostly his shoulders and neck were starting to bring tension to his muscles. He'd run his neck roughly under his sweater, placing different amounts of pressure upon his throbbing pain. I drew the line when he groaned out loud in agony.

"That's it." I slid down his shell. "I'm done being carried by you, Donnie."

"I'm fine." He knelt down clutching his neck.

"Don, you're in pain." I gestured to him. 

My voice got Leo to stop the whole group. He turned around at the front to walk back to the caboose. "Guys?" He says. "What's going on?"

"Donnie's hurting," Patience told him.

"I'm good. A bruised neck and headache is nothing." Donnie forced himself to smile.

I collapse to the side of the road. Regan and Kristen sat beside me and everyone else is on their feet. Faith breathed out as she faces the pale sky full of clouds, showing off the blue sky that was shy at the moment. 

The snow was an inch high, but soon it will melt and we'll see those spring flowers again. We'll see the trees dancing, fluttering in the wind. All of the living will enjoy the bright circle's light.

While we waited, Leo gave Don some advice on how he can relieve his pain. "No more carrying heavy things." The leader in his blue mask set his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"I agree," I said.

"So, does this mean we'll take a break?" Kitty finally sits down.

"Have to. Don needs to take it easy. Once he feels--"

"I feel okay, I'm ready to go." Donnie stands up with a short whimper. He was such a bad liar, he could let tears fall if he wanted to.

Raph sighed in annoyance with a husky tone to say, "Just listen to him, Donnie."

"Please?" I begged Donnie.

I could see that he couldn't resist my facial expressions. "Fine." He glanced at Leo. "Let's build a fire to kill time. I guess we can use this time to bond."

****

The warmth along with the welcoming feel of the fire was always appreciated. It gives us what we need to stay alive at night, but as you slowly approach, it snarls and bites with aggressive heat. The smoke made my eyes water, prick and cry; blinking it in to show it never bothered me.

Rocksteady and Bebop took watch, guarding us to keep any intruders or infected away from us.

The fire flicks and snaps as always while Leo shared some of the old memories that he had with his brothers. He enjoyed telling us the adventures they went on before the apocalypse started, Then, after that, he began to 'meet and greet' story he had with his brothers-- the story about me joining them. "...Then she became a piece of our group. Later we found Patience." He looked at her across the fire. "Care to start?" He asked the mutant lizard.