I don't own Ninja Turtles or characters. Just Maya

Maya's stomach growled at her in hunger. Standing up, she walked two steps over to her fridge and opened it. Nothing, just like last night and the night before that.

' Where is my food? I'm hungry.' Her birds squaked at her, since they hadn't been fed yet today.

' Sorry Birdy, sorry Love but I have to rashion our food remember?' Maya answered him in his language, then looked over at her fish.

They were moving the gravel at the bottom of the tank, scroungeing for food as well. ' Food?' They asked hopefully.

' I'm sorry.' She said the same thing to her cat and dog who were getting skinny everyday. Taking out her leather coat, Maya wrapped her tail around her waist, grabbed her key to her two room apartment and left. Walking away from the abandoned building she and many other creatures called home, Maya headed towards the pet store. The owner gave her food when ever she could, but busness had been slow lately and she wasn't able to give her food for her friends as often.

' Maya, good news. They sent me a bag of cat and dog food that had been ripped and gave them to me for free, and some bird and fish food spilled on the floor so I saved them for you.' That was last month.

Just like last night, the owner said that she didn't have anything for her. Maya walked away broken hearted. As she was walking down an ally, her ears picked up a sound behind her. She didn't pay attention to it, it was probily an animal following her hoping for a meal. She lifted a lid off a dumpster and perred into it, hoping and wishing for something to eat. Then footsteps started again, but it wasn't soft like a paw, it was hard like a shoe. Maya looked up and saw a man with a knife running towards her. She through the lid at him and ran, she didn't have the strength to fight him. To her horror, the ally was a dead end. Pressing her back against the wall, she saw the man walking towards her with a sick look on his face. " Your gonna pay for that bitch." He tried to grab her, but Maya fought back. If she died, who would care for her friends? Using her powers, she changed her canine teeth into snakes fangs and bit him on the arm, the venom pumping into him. He tore his arm free and kicked her in the chest, making her fall back and hit her head on the wall. Blood dripped from her wound as she fell to the ground, the fight was gone, she had used the last of her energy to change her teeth.

Then she saw four figures land behind him. With incredable speed and strength, the four figures fought the man until he was unconsince. A thought hit her. What if these four people had been sent to collect her and bring her back to the lab? No! She would not go back, she was free and she was going to stay that way.

" Hey, are you all right kid?" One of the figures asked and walked closer to her. Maya's eyes became cat-like and she hissed at him, bareing her fangs.

" Be careful Donny, she could be dangerous." A deeper voice said to Donny.

" Hey guys, look. She has a tail." Now all four figures were coming closer.

Then her stomach growled.

" You hungry kid?" A kind voice said to her. " Mikey, give me your sandwhich and water." As Mikey was digging through his bag, Maya got a good look at the four figures. They were gaint turtles. Maya relaxed a little, the lab wouldn't send other experimants to collect her, they would just run like her. Her mouth watered as she saw the food and water, it had been three days since she last ate. " Here ya go kid." The turtle in front of her held the food at her. She grabbed the food out of his three fingerd hand and ate half the sandwhich in two seconds. They watched in stunned silent as she finished the food and water in under ten seconds.

" I think she beat your record for eating Mikey. When was the last time you ate kid?" Donny asked.

" Do you think you could do that again?" Mikey asked only to have the turtle next to him hit him on the back of the head. " Ow! What was that for Raph?"

" You saw the way she grabbed the food and water from Leo! She probaly hasn't eaten in days, and to much will make her sick!"

Leo stood up and nodded his head. " Raph's right Mikey and I think we should get her back to the lair so Master Splinter can see her." Maya shook her head no, she had to get back to her friends.

" C'mon kid, you can have more food." Mikey said to her, taking a step away from Raph when he raised his hand.

" No, I have to get back to my friends. They need food too." Maya said to them.

" What type of friends?" Donny asked.

" A dog, cat, two birds and four fish. I've looked after them for two years now." Maya tried to get up, but her legs wouldn't support her and they gave out.

" Careful kid-"

" Maya."

" Maya, why don't you show us where you live and we'll go get your friends. They can come with us." Leo and Donny helped her to her feet and she showed them where she lived.

" You live here? It's a dump!" Raph said as they climbed the rotten stairs.

" Better then living on the street." Maya snapped back. The wound on her head had stopped bleeding but she now had a headache. She took the key out of her pocket, she unlocked the door and led them in.

" How can you live like this?" Donny asked as he stepped over piles of ruble that had been pushed aside.

" You learn to adjust over time." Her dog saw her and wagged his tail but growled at the turtles. ' Strangers, I don't like strangers.' Maya held up a finger at them and responded to the dog in a series of barks and woofs. ' Friends, promised food and water and better home if we go to their place.' The dog gave a smile and walked over to them.

" How did you do that?" Donny asked as he petted the dog.

" I can talk to animals in their language." Birdy, Love and the fish agreed, but the cat didn't want to leave from her spot on the piled cardboard they called a bed. Maya finaly wrapped her in a blanket and picked her up. But her legs still wouldn't hold her weight.

" Don't worry Maya, one of us can carry you and the cat." Mikey said and walked towards her.

" Forget it Mikey, you have to carry the bird cage." Raph said and gave him the bird cage.

" Why do I have to carry the smelliest object?" Mickey complained as he held the cage at an arms length.

" Would you rather carry the fish tank?" Leo huffed at him holding the fish tank in his arms. " Besides, you drew the short straw."

" Looks like you'll have to carry her Raph. The dog wont leave me." Donny said as the dog pressed against his leg.

" Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Mikey smiled and laughed.

Raph rolled his eyes and picked Maya up. " As soon as we get back to the lair, you're gonna regret that." Mikey's smile dissappeard and they walked out the door. For some reason, Maya felt safe as Raph carried her out of the building. She closed her eyes and rested.

" Looks like Maya fell asleep." Donny said as he opened a man hole, picked up the dog and went down. It took some time getting the fish tank and bird cage down, but they got them through the hole.

" I'll take Maya and you can take the cat down." Mikey said to Raph, but Leo called from the hole.

" Mikey, just take the cat! After Raph gets Maya down here, you give the cat back and take back the bird cage!" Mikey took the cat and climbed down, with Raph following, pulling the cover back into place. Maya gave a ragged cough as they continued walking. " She doesn't sound very good. Does she have a fever Raph?"

" She feels a little warm but she's shaking."

" Better hurry then." They reached the lair five minutes later and found April and Casey Jones talking with Master Splinter.

" Guy's? What are ya doin' with the animals and kid?" Casey asked only to have Leo give him the fish tank.

" Put that by the TV's for now. Raph, put Maya on the couch."

" Oh, like I never thought of that!" Raph said sarcasticly as he put Maya down.

April put her hand on Maya's forhead. " She has a fever, and from the looks of it she hasn't had anything to eat in a while."

" Michaelangelo, bring a pillow and blanket. Donatello, get my herb jar and a cold wash cloth. Leonardo and Raphael, tell me what happened." They told Master Splinter everything, how they had found her in the ally, the way she devouerd the food and how she couldn't seem to walk.

" Wait a minute. She has a tail and she came talk to animals in their language? Just how is that possible?" Casey asked. No one paid attention to him. Maya had started coughing and couldn't seem to stop. The dog, cat and bird went to her, even the fish swam to the side of the tank closest to her. Master Splinter put some herbs in water and gave it to her. A few minutes later her coughing had stopped but she was still shakeing.

" Maya? Can you hear me?" Donny asked her.

" Name...not Maya."

He looked up in surprise. " What is your real name?"

" Number...2465-66...experimental...fighter." They were in shock. Maya was a name she gave herself and she was a runaway experiment.

" Were you always like this?"

" Yes...born like this."

" Who was incharge?"

" Shredder...He killed mom." A tear rolled down her face. Now they were all upset. Everywhere they went, the Shredder had ruined a life.

" We should let her rest. If she wants to tell us anything else, she can do so later." Master Splinter said. They all nodded their heads and let Maya get some much needed sleep. She slept through the next couple of days, the animals only leaveing her to eat and do their buiness. On the third day she woke up. The dog barked and started to lick her face.

" Hey guy's! Maya's awake!" Mikey called and gently pulled the dog off of her.

The first thing she said when the turtles were there was " Is there any food?"

Then Casey Jones came in wearing his hockey mask and Maya screamed.

Stopping there as I have writers block bad. Tell me what you think!

No flames as they will be used to heat my three story house.