"Ali, dinner's ready!" Katrina called for her younger sister from the house.
Ali was not really her sister; in fact, they looked nothing alike. Katrina had creamy, white skin and long, soft, thick, brown hair that she wore in a pony-tail. Her glossy, blue eyes were like blue, perfect jewels. No matter the kimonos she would wear, she would always look like an elegant princess. She was a young, gentle, yet strong woman.
Ali, on the other hand, had light brown skin. She had short, shoulder-length, straight, black hair. She was rather small for her age and was still quite naïve. But she was a smart, creative young lady. She actually had a very shy and quiet character, always very off-distance and timid, except with Katrina.
Ali was found as a small child of three-years-old as the sole survivor in a shipwreck. Katrina's father, Chief Kaito, decided to spare Ali's life and keep her as his own daughter. Katrina became her older sister, raising her, feeding her, dressing her, since her own mother died.
Growing up wasn't as easy as it would seem, but it wasn't hard either. But things started to get rough as Katrina got older. She was once married to a very honorable warrior, who's life was cut short during one of the attacks against the Turtle Clan. Both of her brothers lost their lives that day, as well. Her father and Ali is all she had left.
Ali walked in the door way, her big, dark eyes pleading. "Couldn't I stay outside just a little longer?" she asked. Ali was always the discovering type. Her kimonos were short enough for her to explore around in the earth, exposing her scrawny legs. She liked watching things, looking at the beauty of nature and the brilliant colors everywhere. The calm, soothing waters of the creek that ran right next to their hut was like a little world of life. Insects of many colors and an occasional fish or two would swim by, the light beaming off their scales. Such visuals sparked her imagination. As old as she was, Ali still had that interest and fascination of a child.
Katrina sighed and shook her head, but smiled softly. "Fine, Ali. I will serve dinner for Father."
Ali smiled and rushed back outside as Katarina took food to their father. He thanked her for dinner and asked about Ali. She told him about her whereabouts and he shook his head. She had such childish behavior.
"It's about time I'd find her a good suitor... true warrior. Someone needs to take care of that girl when I'm gone," he said. She nodded, but Katarina did not want Ali to have the same fate as she had. After she excused herself from her father's presence, she came outside to sit by Ali's side, always waiting for her to get her to the table to eat.
"It's pretty out tonight, huh, little sis?" Kat said, watching the water.
"Yeah, it is," Ali smiled. "I haven't seen a shooting star yet. Maybe because I'm too distracted by everything else." Ali loved having Kat explore the sky with her. It made it all the more fun for her.
They both just sat there, watching the sky as it came alive with stars. Katrina was pointing out the constellations she and Ali made up when they were little girls, bring back so many memories.
"And here's the big Mr. Turtle," she smiled and pointed at the collection of stars to Ali. There suddenly was a shooting star and both she and Ali saw it. "Make a wish, Ali," she said softly as she wrapped her arm around her little sister. Kat looked at the star and wished that they would never be separated... ever. That's all she ever wanted.
All of a sudden, there was a rustle in the brush nearby. Both girls looked in time to see a thick net thrown over their unsuspecting figures, soon followed by something sweet sprayed into their faces. Coughing and gagging, Katrina tried to cover Ali's mouth with her wrist so she would not breathe anything in, covering her own mouth by the clothing of her kimono... but it was too late. Her mind was already getting groggy.
Struggling in the net, Ali started to sneeze and gag at the spray. She gasped for air, trying to scream in a panic. "Kat!' she croaked out. Her mind, too was beginning to go dark. There was the faint sound of a voice. Neither girl could make out what it was saying, nor could they see who was approaching them. They both lost the fight against the net, went silent, and blacked out.
Sometime later, Katrina woke up, frightened to find herself seated yet tied to a poll, her wrists bound behind it. She was in a small, unknown hut. It most defiantly wasn't home. She tried to fight against the gag in her mouth, but it was wrapped around her tight. She franticly looked around for her sister, only finding her tied and gagged to a poll right next to her. Ali looked to her, wide-eyed and terrified, but she was unharmed. Kat sighed in relief to see her safe, at least. But her relief was short lived.
In front of her stood a giant... turtle? It looked like a turtle. His large, muscular arms were crossing his big chest and he leaned against the wall of the hut while looking over at her and Ali. Ali's eyes widened, too. Is what she's seeing before her, really what she is seeing? The turtle stood up right like a human, but had way more body built than a human. He was big... very big.
"Man, why do I always have to do the guard duty?" he growled out, grinding his teeth on something in his mouth, which looked to be a straw. He wore a fierce, red mask that made him look all the more fierce. His yellowish-green eyes did not look too friendly and his three fingers impatiently rapped on his thick bicep.
If she wasn't gagged, Ali would have most like screamed in a panic. Her wet, frightened eyes looked over at Kat as she fought against her restraints. Kat looked over at Ali and shook her head, her eyes narrowing, as if to say to 'sit still and not to fight against it.'
The turtle scoffed and called out to someone. "Hey, Leo." The girls watched as another big turtle walked into the hut and looked down at them. There was another one? Katarina was analyzing this, thinking that her eyes were playing tricks on her. Her eyes met with the brilliant, ocean blue eyes of this turtle.
"Where'd you find them?" the turtle, called Leo, asked. He wasn't as big as his partner, the red masked turtle, but he was still big. Plus, his features were different. While the other one looked tough and fierce, this one looked focused yet stern, and steadfast. The mask he wore was blue, making him seem calm and collected. The scales on his skin seemed smooth like pebbles and his blue eyes were stern and focused as he stared at Kat. He held himself with great confidence, his three-fingered hands in fists at his side. He looked cross— a bit curious, but cross—as he waited for the reveal of where Kat and Ali were taken from. He looked like he was waiting for a specific answer. If it be the answer he was looking for, his stored energy would be released. "Where did these two come from?" he said again.
"The Uzumaki Village," replied the red turtle, flicking over something in his hands as if this was a most common thing—snatching up females from villages. Katarina held her breath. What did they want with them? Could it be that they wanted ransom for the chief's daughters?
Leo's eyes darkened with anger, his mask scrunching in as his face twisted at the response. His fists clenched tighter and he bared his teeth, growling a bit. Ali tried to maintain her composure because this scene was beginning to scare her a bit. Leo snorted.
"I was waiting a long time for this day. I finally have a chance to draw blood. Our last encounter was not enough," he said darkly. Katrina was rather confused. What was he talking about? She flinched a bit when he approached her, giving both her and Ali rather grim and threaten looks. "Your village is a curse to us all. Raging war upon us, killing us off like we are animals for your taking. Not anymore." He crouched in front of Kat, his eyes as cold and fierce as ice. "Did you have to bring back females, Raphael? There's nothing much we can use them for. And you know I don't tolerate abused women—enemy or not," he said to the other turtle.
Kat felt a shiver run through her as he got closer to her. She was frightened by his words, but she stayed strong—for Ali. At least they did not know who they were. That would be their death sentence. She now finally realized that these were the enemies her brothers and her husband fought against... and died. She knew that wars were inevitable, but her father would never command his own man to hunt down intelligent beings for slaughter. Would he? There must be a misunderstanding. Kat did not avert her eyes from the blue "Leo" turtle and watched him with her own calm, blue eyes.
The one named Raphael smirked at him. "I know they're women, Leo. That's why I took 'em. Check out the jugs on the light one," he said in self-satisfaction, pointing at Kat. She looked over at the red turtle and frowned, not at all amused by this.
Leo looked Kat over. As he did, he saw Raphael's point. He's face lightened with understanding, thinking that capturing women wasn't a bad idea. He looked over at Ali. "And what about this one?" he said, tilting his head towards her. Ali was smaller than Kat. Just by looking at her, Leo could tell she was weak. He could see her shaking, her nearly unnoticeable struggles, trying to get free. Her wet eyes were even full of fear.
"That one just kind of came along with the other," shrugged Raphael, not finding Ali that much to look at on a sexual side. Kat frowned and narrowed her eyes at Leo for even considering about asking about Ali. She was thankful that the red turtle did not have much interest in Ali. She would like to keep it that way. Kat's fingers were able to reach for Ali's behind the pole and she wrapped them around hers in a reassuring gesture.
"Well, nice move, Raph" Leo irritatingly said, getting up to face the red masked turtle. "We can't just give her back. It won't be long until the rest of the village finds out they are missing. We might have killed off a few of them last time in battle, but we still lost. If we drop that one, she'll no doubt go back, find her village and bring a rescue party for this one and that will be the end of us." He sighed in irritation. "I should have you keep her for your carelessness..." He started thinking, shifting glances between Kat an Ali. "We'll figure this out tomorrow. It's getting late."
Raphael groaned but did not object to Leo's decision. "Man, I always get the scrawny ones," he grumbled, looking over at Ali. Katarina's eyes narrowed and she sent him a hard glare, a warning that if he touched Ali he would have to deal with her. Kat started struggling against her ropes to get attention to herself instead of her sister. The red warrior's eyes fell on her face and then her breasts under that kimono. He chuckled. "Looks like the curvy one ain't happy with that arrangement, Leo. Told yah women found me more attractive," he grinned at Kat. Her eyes widened and she looked appalled and disgusted at him. If only she was not gagged, she would have tried to reason with the turtles and to protect Ali.
Leo growled at him. Raph had always been too prideful and cocky when it came to females. "We'll figure this out in the morning," he repeated. He honestly didn't know what he was going to do Ali, but wanted to punish Raph for being so careless in snatching up dead weight. But, then again, he might find some use for Ali one way or the other.
He approached the girl again to loosen their gags. "Listen to me very carefully," Leo said. "Whether or not you are females, you are our prisoners. You will do as we say and live under our command. Do you understand?" He glanced a quick look at Ali. "If those needs are not fulfilled, there will be consequences. Is that clear?" He stood up. "We'll decide what to do with you tomorrow."
Kat looked over at Ali who was trembling. Kat nodded to symbolize that they both understood. Her eyes were strong. She really was frightened of the situation and of them, but she was staying confident and strong for Ali, to make her feel a little better and safer. Katarina already knew what kind of commands they would give to them. Captured women were only good to soldiers for one thing, really. She just hoped she would be able to bargain with the two turtles and to preserve Ali's honor.
What will the turtles do with the girls? What kind of bargain will Katrina make with the turtles to spare Ali's life? Please tell me your thoughts about what you think will happen next. Stay tuned.
