Snow Angels
A TMNT 2012 AU Fanfic
10 years prior to events in Rise of the Turtles (winter)
The chill in the air was sharp and strong as the wind whipped through the openings of the burnt out building, The tiger cub lay curled there between three crosses markers of the family that once lived here. The cub's ears were laid back against the wind but the flicked forward as they heard a rustling nearby. The cub raised to her paws and padded out shaking her fur to release some of the snow that clung to it.
Splinter had bundled himself up against the cold and tucked his boys into a pile of warm blankets on the sled he had found discarded. His boys had wanted to see the snow for themselves, and he told them he's be happy to let them once he found them some suitable winter clothes, so he had packed them up on the sled and started off for the docks district to rummage in the discarded goods. Here they were now attempting to quietly reopen a box of discarded winter clothing, from a ship; one coat was damaged therefore the whole box was discarded. He had just manged to get the box open and started to dig through it when her heard the voices and foot steps coming his way.
"I'm telling you Mr. Deesport I heard something out here." The first male voice said.
"There better be if you brought me out into the damn cold for nothing I'll see you fed to the crocs." the second voice was very irritated.
Splinter grabbed the bundle of blankets from the sled and scanned for a hiding place. As the two came around the corner, the tiger cub landed squarely on the box he was just going through and caught their attention long enough for him to disappear around some boxes, it was not as if he was afraid of them but his concern was his boys. The tiger proceeded to sit on the box and lick it's paws as the twogoons came out. Splinter secured the boys in a safe location since their sewer escape route was blocked, then made his way up to deal with the goons should they bother the small creature that just saved himself and his boys.
"Have you ever seen one with such strange colors boss?" The smaller of the two goons started towards the kitten, who looked up at him holding her paw up and tongue out as she was in mid lick. She tilted her head and gave a soft murr.
"Don't just stand there get it caught I bet it's worth a fortune!" The suited one turned to walk back into the ware house. "And do make it quick we pull out in and hour. We'll need to have it secured where the cops can't find it." He slammed the door and when inside. The cub sat there and put it paw down looking at the man slinking towards her. "Nice kitty good kitty come to Danny come on." He reached out for her and she jumped down, trotted a bit away from him and flopped over in the snow rolling on her back and wiggling in the snow.
"Now come on, you little brat come here." He snagged one of the cargo nets near by and tossed it over her. The cub let out a hiss and thrashed in the net. He closed in and scooped the net up wrapping it tightly around the cub. Then he yowled in pain as her tiny tiger canines lodged in his hand.
"Drop the cub, I will not ask twice." Splinter had dropped between the goon called Danny and the door that had slammed shut. He held his walking stick in his hands, as he waited.
"What are you gonna do if I don't Grandpa." He readjusted the cub and started to walk by splinter seeing him as no threat. As he got directly beside him he found himself flat on his face. He wheeled and thrust a dagger he pulled out at Splinter's leg. Only to find the dagger lodged in the box he was now beside , Splinter had snapped it away with his tail.
Four green heads peaked around the boxes where they had been stashed the dark blue eyed turtle held back the green eyed turtle who wanted to rush in and help his father. So intently focused on the battle were three of the turtle children they did not see the smallest slip out from his hiding spot and work his way over to the net holding the kitty, he drug the kitty and net back to the hiding spot and started to work on uniting it. Only when the cub gave a small frightened hiss did they take notice, the green eyed turtle smacked the small one on the head.
"Dummy." then proceeded to assist in the untangling of the net.
"But Raphie kitty is in trouble we have ta help" The small one whimpered, then grinned as his brother started to help him untangle the netting.
By this time Splinters had sent his foe scrambling for where the netted cat had been only to find it missing he darted for the door prying that his boss was able to forgive his grievous error and perhaps hoping for back up from within the warehouse. As he left splinter somersaulted snagging the box he'd been riffling through stashed it on the sled with his sons and darted away towards the sewer entrance, thankful that a sudden and fierce wind had blown up covering his tracks. He rushed home not stopping until they were safe in the lair, that's when he hear the low rumbles of purring coming from within the bundle of blankets. He unwrapped to find his boys laying there in the middle was the small cub, they grinned up at him and Mikey lifted the cub up to splinter.
"Can you fix the kitty she's hurt." his light blue eyes shimmering in the candle light warmed splinter's disapproving glare at them for not having stayed hidden. The sheepish grins of the other three followed, and he sighed.
"I will try Michelangelo, hand her here." He took the cub and she began to purr* louder, he examined her to the best of his knowledge and found her right front paw pad to have a deep gash in it, the leg was sprained ever so slightly as well, leading him to believe it was injured from the landing on the top of the box. She allowed her self to be twisted and turned as he wrapped the paw. Splinter noticed the "collar" she wore as he reached for it she swatted his paw and gave a light hiss. "Alright then small one I shall leave it be."
"She all better?" Mikey chirped up as he reached for the cub. Splinter chucked and handed her down to Mikey.
"Not quite little one but with you and your brothers tending her I believe she will be better in no time. just remember to be gentle, She is small like you and fragile, we must not play to rough with the cub." He smiled and sat down on the sofa opening up the box of winter clothing, he would take them out tomorrow to play in the snow as he had promised but it would need to be a much more secure location.
The four boys and the tiger cub lay on a pile of blankets near the couch, all cuddled together the boys had drifted to sleep but the cub watched splinter with those icy blue eyes, as if studying him, her eyes also drifted around the room and fell on the small ancestors memorial shrine he had for his Teng Shen, when they did she wiggled her way free of the boys and limped over, stopping a few time to hiss at her paw, Which the rest had clearly made it ache more. She stopped before it and looked back at him and let out a cry. He stood and walked over to her lifting the cub to eye level with image of him, his wife and baby daughter. To his surprise the cub lay a paw on the shelf before the image and touched her nose to the extended leg in a bow of sorts. She lay back against splinter's chest and started to purr again, be fore drifting to sleep. He found this creature so odd, when he was certain she was sleeping he reached for the "collar" once more and once more she swatted his paw away and hissed lightly, before adjusting in his lap to go back to sleep. Splinter shrugged and fell asleep there on the sofa where he sat. By morning the pile of Turtles was in his lap and atop the four of them the cub. Raphael was on top and he soon rolled over the cub following his roll now lay on his plastron, and licked his nose.
"Silly kitty!"His shout woke his brothers, and they all scrambled to be off the pile sending Raph sprawling he managed to roll and hold on to the cub, who blinked as they came to a rest on the floor. "HEY BE CAREFUL! YOU ALMOST HURT KITTY!" He flung a pillow, smacking Leonardo in the face. He set the cub down and proceeded to tackle Leo and beat him with the pillow. Splinter sighed and lifted Raph off his brother and set him in the corner.
"Your brother did not try to hurt anyone Raphael, stay there until after breakfast, and think about this response you had to this accident." Splinter did not see Leo stick his tongue out at Raph, but he certainly seemed to sense it as his tail flicked and caught the left leg of Leo who yelped and scampered off to the kitchen. The cub plodded over and lay down next to raph, only to be picked up by Splinter and escorted to the kitchen with the others. Raph turn to the corner and sulked, why'd he always get into trouble for everything.
The other four ate breakfast, quietly the cub had turned down the algae and worms offered her, so splinter made a mental note to try and find her something on their expedition later. "Now boys do you still wish to go and play in the snow later?" There was a resounding yes from the three at the table. This also caught Raphs attention as well but he stayed facing the wall. After breakfast the other three rushed out of the kitchen and to their a rooms to grab things that splinter had set on their beds. He smiled ,and walked over to Raph, handing him breakfast. "Eat, and then get yourself self ready to go outside." The cub padded over and lay by Raph's feet, he reached down and scratched her behind the ear. "Sorry I cut you with the glass kitty. Had ta get the net off." He finished and scuttled into the kitchen then dropped off the plate in the sink, heading into his room pulling on the clothes splinter left for him he hurried and joined his brothers on sled, and the cub plopped beside them as Splinter headed out into the sewers pulling the sled behind him.
His first thought was a city playground they visited often, never above the surface but rain and storms would sometimes wash abandoned playthings down the drainage pipes. No surprise at all when he stopped he hear the noise of children playing above. He shook his head and continued on.
"Are we there yet Papa?" Mikey's voice sounded small behind the scarf wrapped around his face. Splinter shook his head and shushed him. He had started to turn back for home not knowing where to take them to play in the snow, and thinking perhaps tonight would better, but it would also be colder, this was a bad idea they would forgive him wouldn't they? Of course they would they were children. As he started to turn around the cub jumped down from the sled, winced at her paw then swatted his leg before padding off in a certain direction and stopped sitting down looking back at him. He continued to turn and jumped a bit as pain went through his tail, Looking back he saw his tail hanging in the mouth of cub who started down the tunnel with it still in her mouth, "pulling" him along. He shrugged and followed cautiously. It seemed like forever following the cub the boys had fallen asleep on the sled, but their eye fluttered open as the sunshine hit them in the face as they emerged from a drainage tunnel into and open field surrounded by a tall slat fence.
He smiled down at her, And pulled his tail up; which she happen to still be holding and she dropped into his arms. "You are a clever creature aren't you." she batted playfully at his beard and he notice her paw had started to bleed ever so slightly but she didn't seem to be paying a bit of attention so he let it be. "Go play boys, we are safe here." The boys scuttled into the snow and he sat down on the sled watching the cub in his arms.
Raphael had pushed Michelangelo, into the snow but instead of whining Mikey had simply laid on his back and started to make a snow angel, as he had seen on television so many times. Seeing he couldn't phase his youngest brother he tackled Leonardo into a drift, Leo came back up armed with a snowball and nailed Raph in the side of the head. Raph gave his best you are so dead face and launched one back, it missed and hit Donatello who had started smoothing out a patch of snow to build a fort. Hours went by and the cold had started to finally get to the boys as they piled on the sled and started home, the cub lay on top on the pile and watched the way to the lair carefully, she knew she'd want to come back and see these turtle's again she also knew she couldn't stay much longer. Back at the lair Splinter tucked the boys into bed, the cub crawled up onto the covers with Mikey and lay down. He reached down and petted her a little be fore he fell asleep, "Your an angel kitty, I hope you stay forever." The cub mewed a response, but she knew his wish would not come true she could only stay a few more days at most, no matter how the paw hurt she had to leave them they couldn't know, they simply couldn't know If they found out. Tanner would have her hide, even if Splinter was who she knew he was she must keep it hidden for now. The cub crept closer to Mikey and buried her nose against his hand to hide the tears she was shedding.
Three days had past since the cub had entered their home, everyday she'd Shared her time among the boys but most of the time she preferred to play with Raphael, Splinter was unsure why but she seemed to share a bond with him she didn't share with the other three. Mikey was her favorite person to sleep with, she'd chase leo around a lot especially when he was playing with the wooden practice swords; pouncing away as he took light practice swings at her. The times she spent with Donatello was while he was reading, Mikey had taken to calling her Angel. Splinter was starting to enjoy having the cub around, but tonight things seemed different she seemed agitated, jumping at noises that were common around here. He tucked the boys in for the night and she curled up with Leonardo, why he didn't know, but it was odd. He went to the sofa tonight, instead of his room. He sat quietly watching the "hallway" in which the boys rooms were situated. He saw her make rounds to each boys room then to the small shrine, paying her respects again to the image nestled there. She padded over to him and looked up into his chocolaty eyes and gave a rather pathetic mew. She rubbed against his legs and then scampered towards the exit, he didn't try to stop her he watched her go with a bit of sadness she'd lightened their life for a day or so and then disappeared, He fell asleep thinking how his boys were going to take this.
Morning came ans he heard giggling in the kitchen, he stood and walked that way. Each of his boys were seated around the table each had a box inside each box was a new pet for them. Raph's contained a box turtle, Mikey's a scraggly looking kitten, Leo's a hedgehog, and Donnie's contained a small husky pup.
"Lookie Papa!" Mikey held up the orange cat. "His name is Klunk! Angel Left him!" Splinter blinked in surprise.
"Here's a note for you Papa, I think it's from Angel!" Mikey handed him a folded up note. He started to read ,it was not from angel but from someone else. He let the boys continue to believe it to be from angel; it Read "Thank you for caring for my cub Starr, I know your boys will be sad to see her go so I have left them a gift. The lot is also yours to take the boys to when you wish, just be mindful of the herbs in spring, you may take those as you need as well. If you need anything place a note in the lot, I'll provide you a place for putting them, my Starr insists on repaying your kindness to her. The Native spirits will watch over you, I truly believe this." It was signed Tanner Swiftheart. Splinter had not clue as to how he knew, but any help he and his boys could get being the way they were was not going to be taken for granted.
"Is Angel Kitty safe Papa?" Mikey's bright blue eyes looked up at him, with a grin. The other three stared as well each holding their new friends he smiled.
"Angel has gone home and she has sent these new friends to you, because you treated her so well. She knew you would be able to take care of them." He smiled and ruffled the hair on the kittens head. "So this is Klunk, what about the rest of them do they have names?"
"This is Spike! He's super tough!" Raphael proudly held up the box turtle.
"This is..." Leo though a moment. "Crankshaw!" He rubbed the prickly spikes on the hedgehog's back.
"Darwin!" Donnie was pinned beneath the puppy and grinned up at master splinter. Who in turn grinned back at them. "Well our family has grown then; however it is lesson time and they must find a place to be out of the way."
"HAI SENSEI." Each of his boys disappeared to secure their new friends ,splinter made his way to the family Dojo, as he passed the shrine with his family's image he spotted a tuft of Tiger fur tied into a heart and laid carefully beside it, he smiled and proceeded to the dojo that cub sure was a strange one.
* YES I know big cats don't purr, however this cub is not exactly purely a big cat.