the lazarus job - tmnt (2)

eleven

CHAPTER 11

SILENCE

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THE JUNGLE was silent.

There was the usual sound of frogs belching, or running water from a nearby stream, but aside from the natural noise, it was silent and peaceful.

Until it came like the stampede of wildebeest; the sound of rabid feet hitting the floor.

At first it was a low sound, like the faint rumble of thunder before it came and shook the earth. Then it progressed louder and louder before suddenly, the entire forest was torn with the sound of cries and heavy panting.

"MIKEY!"

It was a small scream, but a noise that was answered by another shriek; this one of fear while the other of desperation.

Nadia didn't really understand what she was doing. All she knew was one thing and one thing only; run.

And she did. She ran like the wind as fast as her legs could carry her which left her right next to the blue clad turtle as the two of them sprint through the jungle. In front of them were dragging marks; as if something very big was swiftly taken and dragged through the mud under their feet.

Her heart was in her throat, her lungs almost bursting out of her chest with every thunderous step. She couldn't even comprehend the sound of rabid animals beginning to screech at the scene of three turtles and two girls running through the jungle like hunting beasts.

Raphael had a look of anger as he ran with his sai gripping arms behind him. Next to him, Donatello appeared just as angry if not more while his girlfriend struggled to keep up; her face utterly terrified as she sprint and pushed up her glasses here and there.

Nadia jumped over a jungle root, her legs tucking into her chest as her arms went up. The pair of feet came crashing down, causing the entire ground below her to rumble.

Eventually, it was Leonardo who caught up to the pair of feet being quickly dragged through the brush. Mikey's constant 'ows' and whines were just enough to prove that he was okay, but it wasn't enough to soothe the anger that bubbled in Nadia's throat when she saw who pulled him.

They were monkeys.

Massive, black monkeys that borderline appeared as gorillas, but these monkeys had fists as big as their entire heads with fangs that protruded from under their large lips and reached down to their chins.

The eyes were not the usual shade of black, but an intense, milky white that forced Nadia to freeze in her steps. She stopped in a bush, her hands itching down to the brass knuckles on her waist while behind her, Donatello abruptly stopped with Raphael soon following behind.

It was Florence who bumped into Raph, earning a small squeak from the girl as she collided with his shell. He spun around, an 'are you okay' swimming in his eyes that was answered with a gentle nod as the girl scrambled up.

She spun around, her eyes widening as her whole body tensed when she noticed Leo standing face to face with the two Monkeys. Mikey was now panting but pale as he stood next to his older brother, his hands shakily holding his nunchucks that shook and trembled.

Nadia narrowed her eyes and hissed for Mikey to come to her. When he saw her, his eyes widened and he bolted from Leo to Nadia who wrapped her arms around the young turtle as soon as he was in reaching distance.

"Don't run off like that," she scolded gently as she squeezed him. Mikey only choked out a laugh since her grip was actually pretty tight on him.

Nadia then let him go, allowing him to inch to Raph who bopped him upside the head and said something along the lines of, 'that's why you don't run off in the jungle'.