The ice was finally starting to thaw from the pipes just out side the lair, Splinter moved the pails to catch the leaks at the entry way. Mike and Raph were asleep on the couch tangled up in each others blankets, Leo was asleep on the floor right below them he'd rolled off the couch earlier as the four boys were getting comfortable and decided to stay where he was; he had both his and Dons blanket, the fourth young turtle was no where to be seen, but splinters keen ears could here him tinkering in the "lab" he'd set up in his bedroom.
He made his way to the hallway to see what he was up to but decided to only sit and observe for the moment. At the far end of his room the little turtle sat at a make shift desk with a very outdated computer they had managed to find. Darwin the husky pup that had joined them this winter lay at his feet he was feverishly working on something splinter could not see Donatello had been introduced to his love of science and inventing through his love of reading. All he ever tried to do was make his brothers life easier and more fun by making toys out of nothing at all really.
He watched his young turtle until he yawned and tossed a cover over whatever he was working on. Donatello climbed on his bed and pulled down The Jungle Book, flipped to the back running his hand over the inside back cover and said in a somewhat cryptic voice."Soon" the little turtles obsession with the book and it's previous owner was starting to increase dramatically; Splinter was starting to become concerned. It didn't take very long for Donatello to fall asleep holding the book close.
A bit conflicted on weather or not to look under the cover or trust his son, splinter went t to the dojo to meditate, As he did so his exhaustion from parenting caught up to him and he drifted to sleep bringing him dreams of a time long ago.
~The small albino girl ran up to Tang Shen and threw her arms around the teenage girl who scooped her up and held her close, rushing her inside Tang Shen set her on the counter and ever so gently started to clean up the three bleeding gashes across her cheek, if they had been any higher the little girls right eye would have been blinded. Hamato Yoshi walked up behind them and shook his head as he heard Kuma insist it was an accident that had happened when she was helping her brother train. Tang Shen Patched it up without further questions, then started to wash the blood from the little girls white hair.
He listened from the dojo as he practiced, Tang Shen had started to sing a soft and ancient lullaby to Kuma he smiled and let the melody distract him enough so that the bag he was kicking managed to send him flying a short distance. He chuckled to himself, just sitting a listening to her beautiful voice, he was starting to fall hard for the Grand Masters Daughter, he knew that could be a mistake, but he didn't care. ~
He woke with a start as he heard commotion out in the main living room. Moving rapidly he cleared the hallway in record time only to find that the commotion was the other three children Leonardo was defending Michelangelo from the massive pillow swings of Raphael who was screaming at him for stealing his blanket.
"I hate you Mikey, you are always stealing my stuff!"
"Raph Stop! He didn't do it and besides you have his!"
"Butt out LEO, you got no say in this."
"I'm Sorry Raphie I didn't mean to, I'm sorry!
"DON'T CALL ME RAPHIE! Smack both Leonardo & Michelangelo were on the floor with Raphael jumping off the couch to continue the fray. Splinter caught him mid leap.
"ENOUGH YOU THREE!" his voice was stern.
"YOU ARE BROTHERS! BROTHERS DO NOT FIGHT THIS WAY!" Raphael's hands dropped to his sides as he was there in his fathers arms. He quivered with anger, tears stained his face the little turtle in his arms had such passion for things he believed in or wanted. He sighed and looked at the other two on the floor, Leo comforting his smaller brother.
"Leonardo, take Michelangelo to his room then go to your own." He looked down at them with soft eyes, which made leo not want to argue, so he nodded and helped Mikey up and off to his room.
Raph crossed his arms as best he could while being in his fathers arms. Splinter sighed and set Raph down, who in turn tore off to his own room slamming the door behind him.
By this time Donatello was awake, standing in the hallway. He walked down to his father and gave him a hug, Splinter put his hand on sons head and smiled softly down at his. Ever full of curiosity Donnie stepped back studying his father. He sat on the chair opposite the couch.
"Papa, if brothers don't fight that way then how did you and Saki grow to hate each other so much?"
Splinter was taken a back at the very straight forward question of his six year old son. He furrowed his brow looking in to the very serious eyes of the young turtle. He cleared his throat leaned back against the couch closed his eyes took a deep breath.
"The story behind that is quite long & boring are you sure you wish to know?" He had expected his son to say no like the other three would have. But the yes startled him again.
"Well, I guess you could say it started with the 2nd attempted assassination of the Grand Master. We were both there as our fathers had been for the first attempt on the Grand Masters life. This time however The attempt was partially successful as they managed to kill the Grand Masters wife."
Donatello listened intently his eyes glancing toward his bedroom every once and again. Splinter took note of this but continued his story otherwise.
"Saki & I were nearly killed ourselves except the Grand Masters daughter managed to save us both with a well timed smoke bomb which allowed us all to escape. Teng Shen was her name that was the first time either of us had met her; We had been training with the Grand Master for ten years at the time of the meeting; Both of us soon became obsessed with gaining her favor. Her skills were far superior to our own, though she did not show off as much as Saki and I did to try and gain her favor, it was hard to gain her attention, she focused it mostly on our people." Donatello grew more curious at this comment but said nothing. Splinter catching his somewhat confused expression paused his story to explain.
"You see my son in the world I grew up in there were two clans who were the primary protectors of the territory, The Black Lotus and The Fleet Foot, The territory was ruled over by The Grand Master. While each clan trained on it's own, they also sent representatives to train with the grand master, which was a great honor. An even greater honor was to serve in his Emerald Guard." Splinter chuckled, "that is however a tale for another time."
His ears flicked towards the hallway. "Yes boys you may join us if you like." Mikey and Leo skittered down the hall taking seats on the floor near Donnie who got somewhat annoyed as he knew this story was about to change as it always did when his brothers entered the room and he and splinter were discussing the past, it went from a story about himself(Splinter) to a story about a young ninja's poor decisions. He hid his disappointment from his father Splinter continued.
"As I was saying the young ninjas of the flower and the foot tried to impress the young ninja of the rose, a rift started to form between the brothers, this rift of jealousy grew to a dislike of each other ,soon their dislike of each other grew into a fire, this fire started to consume them it soon erupted into an inferno of hatred." Donnie & Leo spotted them but said nothing the tears shimmering on their fathers muzzle in the dying light. "Hatred which soon ruined more than their own lives."
"I don't hate him really papa, he just ...I mean.. I just…" Raphs little voice popped up from behind the chair but he couldn't quite finish his thought so he just said. "sorry Mikey Sorry Leo." the Three Brother ran over and hugged each other as Hamato Yoshi smiled down at them as Darwin came Tearing through chasing Klank who had something long and stringy in his mouth. Donnie Tackled the cat carefully and pulled the wires from his mouth.
"Oh poo now I'll have to start all Over!"He sighed and trudged back towards his lab Darwin Growled at Klank who Batted at the Pup who skittered off with his tail down back to Donnies lab. Mikey popped Klank on the nose and gave him a disapproving glare, sending him to curl up in the corner atop the TV.
The other two had taken off to the Dojo for some practice games, so splinter made his way into the Family shrine and knelt the Little heart of tiger fur from the winter still sat in it's place near the frame, he took out the two pictures within the frame running his claws over the three figures within the second photo. "How could we, have been such selfish creatures."