How did Dogpound and Donnie handle being away from their families on the holiday?

Antarctica

10 Years Ago

Dogpound was lying on a mat on the floor of the common room. Due to the massive bulk of his mutant form, he was unable to lie on the couch beside him.

The dog was lying lazily on his side and mindlessly tracing his finger in some unknown pattern on the smooth stone flooring of the facility. He let out a long sigh and closed his heavy eyes.

"Dogpound!" a high voice called. Dogpound heard faint footsteps rushing towards him. "What are you- hey!"

Dogpound opened an eye to see Rockwell pulling Donnie away from him with his psychic power. "Come along now Donatello. Now is not the time to bother the young Bradford."

"Why?" Donnie asked.

Knowing the explanation that was coming, Dogpound flattened his ears in an effort to keep it out. Rockwell lead Donnie into another room but that didn't stop the mutant's hypersensitive ears from listening.

"It is the third Thursday of November," Rockwell was telling the five year old turtle.

"What's that mean?" Donnie asked. "Is something happening since he's a dog because I read that two or three times a year-?"

"No!" Rockwell interrupted sharply, not ready to have that conversation with the child. "No, it is certainly not that. How do you even know what that is? Never mind, I don't want to know. On the third Thursday of every November, Americans celebrate a holiday known as Thanksgiving."

"Thanksgiving?"

"Have you heard of it?"

"No. What is it?"

"It is the day that the pilgrims celebrated their first harvest in the New World," Rockwell told him. "I believe that-"

"Did that actually happen or is that one of those weird stories?"

Rockwell chuckled. "It did really happen but I do think it is one of those 'weird stories'. In reality, the pilgrims weren't much of pilgrims by definition and their arrival was nothing to be celebrated. But that is not the point," Rockwell explained. "In modern America, on every third Thursday of November, families gather and hold a feast."

Donnie didn't say anything. Dogpound assumed he was nodding. He couldn't hear nodding. He rose his hands to cover his flattened ears knowing what was coming next but his efforts didn't do much to muffle the sound.

"So why is Dogpound so sad? We can have a feast."

"No, we can't. We don't have the resources. But that's not why he's sad," Rockwell went on. "Thanksgiving is a day of family as many holidays are. He simply misses everyone he had to leave behind after his mutation."

"But aren't we his family?" Donnie asked.

"Yes, I suppose we are a family in a way, but we cannot replace the ones we grew up with," Rockwell said. "Do you believe that I can replace your father? Or that Bradford can replace your brothers?"

Donnie thought for a moment. "I dunno. I can't remember them very well. My mind is starting to get all fuzzy."

Sorrow rose in Dogpound's chest. The child had only been separated from his family for a few months and he was already starting to forget them.

Unable to listen further, Dogpound got to his feet and made his way back to his room. He wished he had paid more attention to Donnie when he told him about his family. If he had, he might be able to remember for him. Part of him was glad he hadn't though. One missing family was enough to remember.

Dogpound recalled the faces of his family members. His father Derrell Bradford wasn't the most caring father, Rockwell had been a better father figure for him, but he was still his father. He was just far too focused on his work and his wealth to pay mind his children. Normal height, not very well built, greying brown hair. Dogpound could still picture him clearly.

His mother Dana Bradford was a bit more caring though she too was far too focused on the family's work and wealth. She wasn't the most attractive woman but she was his mother and in his eyes, she was beautiful. She was tall for a woman and she had a strong yet slender form and the deepest dark eyes that matched her black hair.

Dogpound had better memories involving his two brothers, Cooper and Brian. When he'd last seen him, Cooper was just barely an adult. His hair matched his mother's in color and he almost always was smiling. He always loved a good joke. He always convinced his brothers to get into trouble with him but he was smart enough to not do anything big enough to get into any real trouble.

Brian really stood out from his family. He was tall and incredibly well build. He shared his mother and brother's dark black hair but had his father's brown eyes. He was a very serious man, even as a child, and had always been distant but he still made time for his younger brothers. At least until he moved away that is. Then he changed but Dogpound didn't concern himself with that.

Dogpound closed his eyes as he put up an arm to lean against the door of his room as he reached it. His breath shuddered as he exhaled. He blinked a few times, trying to get the water to go away. He didn't know why this day got him so sad. It wasn't like he didn't think of his old family every other day of the year.

Dogpound jabbed the button on the door with a finger, activating the electronic lock and opening it. He walked inside and flopped down on his reinforced mattress without bothering to close the door. He gave another long sigh and buried his face into his pillow and tried to drown out the thoughts of his old family but failed miserably.

Something about this day, it just gave him the sense that he should be with the people who mattered most to him. But he wasn't. He felt this emptiness within him. The feeling wasn't a stranger to him, he'd felt it through his whole life but it had only gotten worse in the past four years that he had been a mutant. And on certain days, it increased tenfold.

Dogpound knew that feeling was loneliness. He was so lonely. In a way that made him angry, he of all people shouldn't be lonely, but the feeling of anger never lasted long. He couldn't be around people because he was a mutant and that was sort of his own fault.

Part of him didn't blame himself though. He blamed Chris, that stupid boy he used to be. Chris made the mistake, not Dogpound yet he had to suffer for it.

Dogpound sighed. Those kinds of thoughts wouldn't do him any good. Thinking of himself as separate entities never did anything more than confuse him.

He wished it did help, he really did. If he wasn't Chris, then that would mean he had no reason to miss the Bradfords because then he would be one. But the human feelings and memories always came back no matter how many times he told himself he had left that life behind.

Dogpound heard a knock at his room's entrance. Knowing the door was open, he flicked his ear without looking up, telling the knocker it was alright to enter. He heard Donnie's little footsteps patter up to him followed by Rockwell's slower ones.

Rockwell helped Donnie climb up onto Dogpound's bed. The little turtle through his tiny arms around Dogpound's giant arm.

The action surprised Dogpound enough to look up at the child. Donnie was hugging him with everything he had, burying his face into his fur and squeezing him with all the power he had in those little arms of his.

Dogpound looked to Rockwell with confusion. The chimpanzee gave a small smile.

"It's been four years," Rockwell said. "And it's not just the two of anymore. We can't just let you lie here and wallow all by yourself."

"I'm not wallowing," Dogpound grumbled. He scowled but on the inside, his heart soared.

"Sure you aren't," Rockwell said sarcastically. He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Now move over. I can't let Donatello be the only one to comfort you."

Author's Note: I hope all of you who celebrate this holiday have a Happy Thanksgiving. Not everyone is fortunate to be able to so if you'd like to help out a poor soul who doesn't have families or cannot afford to celebrate this day, I encourage you to look up a local donation society and help feed a family this holiday. Many schools and community centers have some right now.

I said there would be 30 chapters but that number is being extended due to the need for a few bonus chapters such as this one.