Kyuu...
The four Turtles and Ryan rode as horsemen into the night, loping their horses into the fog that had swept in after sundown. They formed a spaced out side-by-side line, a wall that stormed toward the climbing form of a mountain.
Mike just had to seize the moment while it presented itself. "Bah ba da, bah ba da, bah ba--heh!" He started to hum the tune from Bonanza. On cue, Don tapped Mike's shell with his bo.
"Not funny." Don grinned while he gathered his reins up again. He was left to ride the gray pony, Tally Ho. Compared to the bigger horses the others rode, Don felt a little cut down to size. Could he help it if he wasn't too excited about riding? Then Mike told him to pretend Tally's a computer, since he's small and white.
Before they left, Ryan and Steve made certain the Turtles could handle their horses. It was a rocky start, the four looking like a bunch of fish out of water. After some thought, Ryan mentioned more comparisons connecting their martial arts training to the horseback riding. Concepts relating to balance, steering the horses, and riding posture. An hour went by, Steve was impressed to how quickly the guys caught on, especially Raphael and Leonardo.
Mike got to take Total Eclypse, only because she was not considered one of the farm's better racehorses. And that he constantly nagged Steve and Ryan about her.
Raphael rode Trinity, an almost black brood mare that wasn't carrying a foal this season. Ryan told Raphael the mare had a personality of a cow, but he figured Raphael could handle her headstrong nature. Ryan told the turtles he gave them horses that sort of matched their personalities. After that, Raphael tried to run Ryan over with Trinity a couple times during their riding lesson.
Leo rode a retired racehorse, Jontondo. He was a tall, dapple gray gelding now used for Dressage and huntseat. Jon had steadfast nerves and a gentle nature, a suitable match for Leo.
Ryan chose to take Danza. This choice surprised the turtles, being that the enemy tried to steal this stallion. Ryan told him Danza was better off in his care than left where they could take him again. Danza was more his horse, since he spent more time working with the stallion than Mick did. Ryan reassured them he'd make sure Danza was going to be a "gentleman" around the mares they chose.
After forty minutes of hard riding along a tree line next to a country road, Raphael began to complain. Ryan and Leo had forged ahead, while Don slipped behind.
"Dammit, this nag is pissin' me off. If she smacks one more branch in my face--"
"What choice do we have? If you'd rather we spend all week trying to walk up there, you're welcome too." Mike shrugged.
"Coulda just talked Steve into using the Jeep, y' know." Don spoke behind them.
"Those guys really weren't very specific. 'We'll wait for you in the mountains.' What the hell! The Adirondacks go on forevah! We just supposed t' blunder along until we find ourselves in some trap they've set up?!" Raphael jerked on Trinity's reins to slow her back to a walk.
"What's it look like we're doing?"
"We should've went home. If it's not the Foot, why bothaa?"
"It sounded big this morning," Mike looked at Raphael. Man, you really look like the guy in The Man from Snowy River, with your hat and trench coat.
"What?"
"Nothin'." Mike continued to smile a few more seconds before he straightened up. "Y'know…Ryan, he's giving me the creeps."
"His mind-reading shit?"
"Yep," Mike grinned, "it's like I'm afraid to think around him,"
"You actually think?" Raphael chuckled and looked ahead to the other two. Ryan called them the four, cataclysmic horsemen from the Bible, because of the color of their horses. He was teasing again…but it seemed fitting, considering what they are trained to do as ninja. Ryan did seem to know way too much, however, too much for Raphael's comfort.
"I'm startin' to wonder if he's the one connected to the pukes taking--"
"Don't you start with that again," Mike groaned.
Ryan abruptly stopped and turned around to face them. "Where's Don?" he asked the two.
Raphael turned around in his saddle. Mike pulled Eclypse around to look from where they came. Only empty fog and silent trees filled the space.
"Donny! Damn,"
They heard the faint whinny from Tally in the distance.
"God, if anything happened to him," Raphael looked at Mike and Leo. "Did he say anything earlier?"
Mike shook his head. "I dunno."
"I think he's okay." Ryan rode ahead of them. He seemed to be trying to hide his concern. "Tally just sounds lost." Damn, I was afraid of this, riding out here with beginners.
After half an hour of frantically weaving the forest searching for Don, screaming out his name and broadcasting their presence to anyone that may be waiting for them, they find him off of Tally in okay condition.
"Donny, what happened?" Leo looked down at him from Jontondo. "We thought for sure you were done in for."
"He fell off, I betcha." Mike grinned at Leo.
"Look, I tried to tell you I had to take a pee break. I'm sorry." Don pulled on Tally's reins as he lead him toward the others. "Then he totally freaks out after I loose sight of you, and takes off running in the wrong direction."
"Uh-huh, and you fell off somewhere there too." Mike smartly nodded.
Ryan nodded toward Leo. "You better stay up front with Leo so Tally won't get lonely."
"Do that," Raphael grumbled. "You get lost again Donny, and I'll take your bo and bust it upside your head!"
"I'm sorry already." Don climbed back on Tally. Leo waited until the pony edged to the front.
"Wait," with one word, Leo pulled Jontondo around to listen. He looked into the darkness between Jon's perked ears. The others continued along the edge of the forest.
Don stopped and waited for him. "What's wrong?"
"I heard something…"
"Wanna let us in on it?" Ryan whispered when he and Mike joined Leo.
They heard it again. Ryan gave Leo a questioning look.
Yeah, that… Leo nodded.
Then Ryan and Leo saw something dark creep along in the shadows. The three froze when it rose up. Jontondo stretched his neck higher and exhaled a loud snort.
Eclypse closely watched the shadow, the whites in her eyes now visible in the dark. She nervously danced in place as Mike tried to hold her still. Whoa, whoa...e-e-a-asy. I don't wanna get dumped now. Her fearful snorts also infected the other horses.
Only Danza retained his sense of dignity as Ryan silently reassured him.
Trinity decided she had enough and bolted from the scene.
Leo's eyes darted in Raphael's direction, wondering why he was taking off. The mare's head flung up in the air trying to avoid Raphael's resistance. No, Trinity had spooked from something…and so is Donny's pony. Leo's stomach flipped when their fear of this unknown fate seized him. These horses are not helping us, damn… He hastily put his reins in one hand to pull his katana from the front of the saddle. Who...what is it? It didn't seem right…
"Leo," Ryan whispered, "it's black bear."
"A bear?" Leo held back on the reins to hold Jontondo still. It was a relief for him to hear that. He slid the sword back into its sheath.
"He looks like he won't hurt us," Ryan made eye contact with the others. "Let's go before we make him mad."
"I'm with that," Mike let Eclypse move out into a bouncy trot. Don hadn't gone too far, and joined up with Mike to find out what happened.
They met up with Raphael on top if the hill. All the while cussing under his breath, Raphael managed to stop the mare by cranking her head all the way around to his right knee. That was the "emergency brake" Ryan showed them before they left the farm.
"You alright?" Mike asked as they passed by Raphael.
Don didn't want to stop until they were a good distance from the bears. For the sake of being able to control Tally better, that is.
Raphael continued to mumble incoherently as he released his hold from Trinity's mouth.
"Bears," Leo announced as he joined Don.
"Geez..."
"We should find the foot trail that'll take us toward the Adirondacks Park border." Ryan gave assurance to whoever was listening. It was risky riding horses at night. Horses have no problem seeing in the dark. It's the shadows and nocturnal life that pose dangerous situations for them. Ryan still had doubts about the turtles riding abilities…they were merely beginners. An accident was just waiting to happen sooner or later.
Ryan heard Leo tell him they want to cover a lot more ground before sunrise. They'll set up camp then and lay low for the most part of the day. There's the possibility of a hiker or two crossing paths with them if they rode during the day. He noted the turtles preferred to wear just coats, jeans, and boots. They have to watch out for everyone, not just the enemy.
One side of the gutted trout grew darker as the persistent flames touched the scales. The heat from the fire already singed the trout's fins and tail to darkened structures. The way Mike cooked this fish, the stick stuck through its mouth to protrude from the split belly, seemed barbaric. Ryan told them this was how the Japanese cooked fish over an open fire. Mike held his gaze on the fish as he lowered it into the dancing flames. The flames wrapped around the body, it's fingers stroking the sides.
It cooks better over the coals, Ryan interjected his advice into Mike's head.
I know what I'm do--Mike realized what happened. He looked over the fire and glared at Ryan.
Ryan smiled. The dark shadows conflicting with the fire's glow made him look all the more menacing.
"Will ya cut that out. It's spookin' me!" Mike voiced his opinion.
Ryan chuckled as if pleased with himself. "I finally figured out how to get through to you." He took a sip of his hot chocolate.
Mike snorted.
"Yeah, he is kinda dense…" Raph agreed.
"I mean, I can only 'read' animals, not humans. I guess humans are too evolved or something. You said you're an evolved kind of turtle, so I had trouble connecting. Don't worry, I'm not that telepathic." Ryan swept a hand through his shiny hair to bring it back from his face.
"So y' don't know what ugly thoughts I'm thinkin' now." Raphael checked him.
"Yep. But I do know your groin muscles are killing ya." Ryan turned to his left to Raph. "I could find out more if I watched you lo--"
"Puh-lease don't," Raphael lay back on the ground and pulled up his sleeping bag. He was supposed to be sleeping, since he and Don had the next watch during the day.
Leo set aside his half-eaten pan of bran mash. Bran mash…I can't believe I'm eating horse food. He didn't feel like eating anything else. Mike and Ryan convinced him he had to eat something. Ryan said the mash was just like Cream of Wheat…but this was beside the point.
"Splinter stressed a lot on the aspects mental training for us too. I can understand, in a way, what you experience. Splinter, he had mastered a level of thought projection through the Astral Plane. Through meditation, his thoughts…his spirit, can touch us even though we are far apart. We've only been able to brush this level a couple of times."
Ryan listened, taking interest in this new topic. "You also want to master it, huh?" He looked to his right, where Leo sat cross-legged.
Leo nodded, his eyes fixed on the fire.
"Ever hear of horse whisperers?" Ryan asked, setting his empty mug next to the fire ring.
Leo nodded no, still studying the fire.
"Well…there's lots of lore on horse whisperers, people who have a special understanding of horses. They chose a way of least resistance, of using the horses own language to tame it. But me, I know how to do that, and more. It's like I have the same brain waves of a horse." He heard Mike snicker from that explanation, so he sought another. "It's like the spiritual connection the four of you have with your Master."
Leo looked toward Ryan. "Is Steve the same way?" What she told him a day before came back to him.
"No. Actually, I taught her how to read horses."
Leo and Mike found that interesting. That some humans want to go to that level of kind understanding with animals.
For next few minutes they remained silent. Mike remembered to pull his blackened fish from the fire. He flaked the charred skin off to expose the white flesh below. "Sure you don't want anything else?" He offered some of his fish to Leo.
Leo silently refused. He picked up his leather belt and continued stitching together two cut harness straps.
"Can I see that note you were talking about." Ryan openly asked them. He saw Eclypse approach their fire ring, but he kept his face blank. Mike still didn't tie you right, go and give him a scare. Maybe this time…
"Hmm, yeah," Mike looked over his right shoulder to Don. He had been asleep for awhile. "Except he's using the saddle bag it's in as a pillow."
"Do-on-ny!" Raphael called out, still stretched out on the cold ground. His voice sounded like it erupted from the darkness.
Then Mike felt hot breath on the back of his neck. He spun around in alarm…oh, Eclypse?! She stepped over Don, her hind hoof hitting the back of his shell. Eclypse continued to sniff along the ground until she came upon Leo's pan of bran mash.
"Holee--" Don quickly stood up on his knees after she passed over.
Raphael rose up on his elbows to see what was happening. It wasn't long before all of them started to shake with laughter. Eclypse jerked her head up, puzzled from the sudden outburst.
"Talk about your timing." Mike got up to grab her dragging lead rope. He gave Ryan a look, you knew too, didn't you.
Don looked around, trying to figure out how it was she walked over him. "Did you set that up?" he glared at Mike.
"No, but we were going to get you up an' off the bag." Mike led the red horse back to the picket line. He looked at the mare with a frank expression. "I love you too, Clypsie, but ya can't be giving Donny anymore 'night mares'."
Don offered Ryan the note before unrolling his blankets. It was getting colder too. "Don't wake me up 'til my watch," he said from under the blanket.
"I ditto that," Raphael agreed.
Ryan remained silent as he studied the note. The two kanji at the end also held his attention for some time.
"It's the signature at the end, isn't it?" Leo questioned Ryan.
"Tatsumaki…" Ryan finally looked up from the note and stared into the fire.
Leo lay his belt aside to follow what Ryan was saying.
"This, I think it says tatsumaki," Ryan pointed to the kanji then looked at Leo. "I know the first kanji. It can also mean ryuu…dragon. That's part of my Japanese name, Ryutaro. But here, it means different. The second, maki, is for wind. Put together, tatsumaki means tornado. Has to be a nickname or something." Ryan explained to him.
"Yeah, I see." Leo nodded. "Splinter started teaching me Japanese, but not a lot of it sticks. Tatsumaki?" The renewed meaning still didn't mean anything to him yet. But there was something about it that sounded familiar. Tatsumaki. Tatsu…maki…who is it? Tornado? "What else does tatsu mean?" Leo asked. A chord of familiarity hit him as he spoke the word by itself.
"Uhh, I don't know that much. It all doesn't stick in my head either." Ryan shrugged, then looked at Leo. The question was lingering in his head since yesterday. "Are you sure this was intended for you? I mean, it sounds like it could be for me…too,"
Mike found a break to get into the conversation. "You have enemies…Ryutaro?" Neat nick, Rye…
He grinned at Mike, then sighed. "No, but we do have the occasional threat from competition." Ryan spoke to both of them. It actually was more of a lie, a cover-up for himself.
"Humph, really?"
"Yeah,"
"Weird…I guess we're going wait and see," Mike yawned.
"Japanese racehorse competitors?" Leo couldn't believe the new possibility.
"Yep, horse racing is getting really popular in Japan." Ryan straightened up and stretched his back. "They've got a great deal of money going into syndicates for well-known studs here in America. There's a renewed need for our good blood lines for their Thoroughbreds too."
"Why do you think they're taking these horses?" Leo finally asked the question that has been bothering them from day one.
"Bloodlines," Ryan promptly answered. "If you look at all the ones you've mentioned… By Sacrifice, Sunday Serenity, Thorn Dance…they've all got good bloodlines. And Sundanza, he's got direct bloodlines to Northern Dancer, who was a damn good racehorse in his day. Delilah was carrying a foal by Danza. She herself has some good lines too."
Still not fully asleep, Don became more awake when he picked up on what they were talking about. His smile of gratification remained hidden under the blanket. Bloodlines…the same conclusion I drew up.
"Could fame and fortune be involved too?" Mike asked.
Ryan nodded, "If there's good bloodlines, or even good fortune, money and success are sure to follow."
Bloodlines, tatsumaki, and the Adirondacks. What a strange number of outcomes they'd encounter, Leo sighed. He picked up a long stick to poke the dying embers. They're better off without the fire for the rest of the time. Through the trees, he could see the lightening of the eastern horizon, the calling of the rising dawn.
The sound of a saddle and other horse equipment dropped by Leo's head woke him from a restless sleep. He rose up on his hands and knees with a start. The coldness seeping up from the ground had made his body so stiff. Leo wasn't moving very fast after that. Man, these days only remind me more that I am a turtle…
"The horses got loose…again, Mike. We gotta find them," Raphael's raspy voice boomed.
Leo sat up and squinted in the bright light. He looked over to Mike, who was slowly getting out of his blankets.
"But," Mike looked at Raph in disbelief, "I made sure I tied her tight. I swear by it!"
"Everyone but Danza and Tally were gone…" Raphael walked away from the two. "Ryan and Don took them to look for the others."
"Goofy horse…she's even worse than me at pulling pranks." Mike continued to mumble in denial.
Leo rolled up his sleeping bag and pulled on his shoes. He glanced up at the sun…must be in the afternoon now. "Let's break camp as soon as we find them." He stood up and scanned the trees. "You two go look on foot. I'll pack up everything here."
Raphael looked at him with some concern.
"I'll be okay…just go on."
Ryan and Don rode through the barren winter trees. Ryan suggested the best place to look is the river. Where the water was, the horses should be too. They're too far away from home to attempt to go back.
Don looked once at the rider decked in leather chaps and a black down coat. He pulled his stocking cap down more to keep the cold from his cheeks before focusing his attention back on the bare trees. Ever since the lesson yesterday, Don started wondering something more about Ryan. Ryan had trouble telling them instructions, for starters. He had great teaching ability, it was just that he avoided using a lot of terminology or giving lots of directions. Steve was there to help him teach, not to just assist them with riding. Don couldn't help but notice the number of times Ryan confused right for left, or north for south. I haven't seen him read or write yet…has to be some kind of dyslexic…Don finally came up with a name for it.
Ryan brought Danza to a halt, to study the forest for signs of the three horses. Danza perked his ears and released a high pitched scream. He could sense the worry about the missing horses all the same. No one replied to his call.
Don felt their disappointment as he hadn't seen or heard anything either.
"No, wait," Ryan finally spoke. He saw a glimpse of something far in the distance.
"Jontondo…" Don whispered, when he too saw the dark, gray shape.
Ryan silently asked Danza to pick up a brisk trot. Then a wild turkey came from his hiding place and took flight between Danza and Tally.
The little pony snorted, rearing up halfway from the large, strange bird startling him. Danza was a good distance away now. Don's senses also were shaken awake from Tally's sudden reaction. Before he could have the upper hand on the situation, Tally broke into a bucking run after the red stallion.
Ryan looked over his shoulder when he heard hooves crashing through the brittle leafs of the forest floor. He stopped, yelling to Don, "Sit deep, heels down! Pull him around me!" Ryan kept his eyes focused on the pair, analyzing the situation.
Hanging on the reins, Don hunched forward against Tally's neck. His teeth were clenched as he fought against the pony's frenzied gallop through the trees. It was all he could do to stay on.
Just relax…don't doubt yourself. Let go of your death grip, and give and take on the reins…on his mouth. Tell him to stop, don't fight him. Give and take, Donny, give and take… an sit back, use yourbody weight too... trust me…
Ryan's mental talk helped the turtle bring Tally to a rough trot. That seemed just as bad to Don.
"Sit deep, keep heels down…relax and balance yourself, Donny," Ryan spoke to him. What are you afraid of? Him, a little pony?
Don finally slowed down to a walk, then a halt. He turned Tally around to see Ryan ride over to them.
"Are you okay?"
Still not ready to give Tally's mouth back, Don held in the reins. "Why does he do that?"
"You're still afraid…?" Ryan half stated, half-asked Don. It seemed he found one of Don's weak spots. This also amused to him some degree as well. A trained ninja who was afraid of a spooky horse.
"It's not really fear. I just can't trust him…so unreliable. He freakin' spooks at everything!" Don refuted. He kept his eyes on Tally's head, as to avoid Ryan's glare.
"Fear results from lack of trust." Ryan looked down to him. He noticed Don still was not going to ease off Tally's reins.
Don opened his mouth as to justify himself, but couldn't find anything worthy to say. The pony still continued to brace against the bit. His frustration showed through a nervous pawing at the ground.
"Gotta conquer you fears, or they'll get you. I know…from my experience." Ryan moved in a little closer to the clothed turtle and pony. He decided to make a little lesson of this, Jontondo and Eclypse weren't going anywhere yet. "Let go of the reins, Don…let them go."
Don only looked at Ryan like he was from another planet. "He'll run off ag--"
"Tally's fear is only worsened by yours…sheesh, Donny, a five year old rides him!" Ryan sighed. "Give him your trust that everything's okay. Have faith in Tally, trust him…ease off the reins."
Don realized the gist Ryan was getting to. It was not just the mere act of giving Tally back his head…it was facing his own fear about Tally. But there was more to that too. He also had distrust about the unpredictable and hurtful ways of people and his brothers. That was why he preferred computers and machines more…they can't hurt him like people could. Don had control with the machines, since he could understand them. But, maybe this time…
Don slowly let the reins slip through his fingers. Tally gratefully accepted the rein and stretched his head down low. He also chewed on the bit in a playful, relieved manner. Don still held on the reins at the buckle, but he looked up to Ryan with a perplexed expression.
"Pat him on the neck…let him know everything's okay." Ryan nodded toward Tally. "Learning to work with him is no different than sparring with your brothers. It's a co-op between you and the horse, a dance. Tally is also a living being, with thoughts and feelings. Treat him as you would like to be treated."
Ryan urged Danza into a walk, then gathered up the reins. "Let's get those horses, Don--"
"Ryan," Don moved Tally up next to Danza. "Thanks, I…I just--"
Ryan stopped him. "That's okay, your Master Splinter will thank me later. You're learning, Grasshopper." A wry smile now played across Ryan's face.
Don glared at him, then let out a chuckle. "Hai, Ryutaro-sensei."
Ryan looked over to Don and achieved a mock seriousness. "And yes, I am dyslexic too." His smile broke out afterwards.
Don only stared at him, only to be swept over with more doubt. They were even now. They both knew each other's weaknesses.
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