Chapter Seven
Leonardo awoke inside his darkened room. He saw the shape of one of his brothers leaning over him with a mug. The brother carefully tilted his head back and trickled warm liquid down his throat. Leonardo coughed. He reached up and nudged the mug from his mouth.
"Leo, you need to drink this," Donatello whispered.
Leonardo ran his tongue across the roof of his mouth, tasting bitter herbs. He took the mug from his brother and forced himself to drink more. "What is it?" he gagged between sips.
"It's Sensei's usual mix – Senburi for the pain, Kaki to stop the bleeding, and Ashitaba to fight infection. I added a little Kudzu and Kumazasa for disease and infection prevention and Mishima-saiko and Ukogi for vitality."
Leonardo looked into the mug. He moved it in a slow, tight circle, watching bits of leaves swish in a whirlpool. He pushed himself to take another mouthful and sputtered.
"Hey, easy there!" Donatello admonished. He removed the mug from his brother's hand and set it on the table. "We just got you back."
Leonardo's head dropped back into his pillow. "How long have I been out?"
Donatello grimaced. He was looking at the floor when he replied. "Over forty-eight hours. I was beginning to think I missed something in the initial ultrasound and should give you another." Wide eyes connected with his brother's. "Leo, I don't know how it's possible, but that stab wound missed all your organs. It's remarkable! You may have been a mess – and you did lose a lot of blood – but you should make a full recovery in a few months."
Leonardo glanced at his bandaged plastron. Even thinking about moving it made him hurt. He couldn't imagine being without pain or his plastron being whole.
Donatello pulled his chair closer to his brother. "So… what was it like?"
"What was…?" Leonardo's voice trailed. He held a hand to his injury. "It's… it's so hard to explain," he murmured. "I was so weary, and I was losing my sight. I could hear voices, but I didn't have the strength to respond. Soon, I couldn't even tell what people were saying. Then I recognized Sensei's voice, and I saw this light…"
He looked away from Donatello and lowered his head.
"When Koga Arata was about to kill me, I was prepared to die," Leonardo told his brother. "I feared nothing in that moment. But… when I saw the light and felt heat radiating through my injury, I… I was afraid. I was weak."
"Sensei says that happens sometimes during Reiki, even to the strongest warriors," Donatello explained. Tears welled in his eyes. "It was his channeling the universe's life force energy that saved you. I don't want to think what would have happened if Sensei hadn't been there."
Leonardo turned to his brother. "You would have saved me." He smiled. "Don, you really know how to take charge. I heard you telling everybody what to do. You even ordered Raph around… and he listened!"
Donatello laughed. "You know that he's just a big teddy bear, deep down. He would do anything to save your life, including taking orders from me."
Leonardo beamed. "Yeah, I know. I knew there was a reason I keep you guys around."
A tear escaped Donatello's eye. He brushed at both eyes with the heels of his hands.
Leonardo held out his arms. "Aw! Come here, you!"
Donatello threw his arms around Leonardo's neck and quietly wept into his brother's collarbone. Leonardo patted his back and gave him a squeeze.
"I'm all right, Donny," Leonardo assured him. "I'm going to be fine, thanks to you. Thank you."
Donatello hung on tight for several more seconds. Then he cleared his throat. He took a step back once he had composed himself. "I should let you get some rest," he said, gesturing to the entryway. "You should sleep."
Leonardo nodded. He sunk deeper into his pillow and closed his eyes. Donatello took one last look at his brother before leaving the room.
