DISCLAIMER: Don't own the Warrior's Creed by Robert L Humphrey, but I do own the story inspired by such. TMNT's are the property of Mirage Studio as well as Eastman and Laird. Anna is mine.

CHAPTER 2 – WHEREVER I AM…

Anyone in need has a friend.

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Anna stood stock-still, unable to move from sheer fright. In place of her need to cry was an overwhelming sense of panic. As she stared at the group in front of her, not knowing what to do, she suddenly felt a rush of wind whip from behind her unexpectedly. Regaining her wits again, she whirled around, assuming to see more behind her like what stood in front of her. Yet, as she looked, all she saw was an empty alley. She squinted, trying to make sense of what she had felt. "I know I saw something!" she mused quickly to herself.

However, she heard a noise, like muffled cries and grunts. She jerked back around to face her six attackers only to see most of the men lying strewn around the ally in various positions and quite incapacitated. One remained standing, but it didn't appear he would be for too long. In that part of the alley, it was dark with only a single street lamp about a hundred feet beyond which backlit the battle area. Anna could see the silhouette of the scene and of a person who was handling a sword-like weapon. Yet, it seemed as if he was deformed in some way, as if he were hunchbacked. In that moment, he took his weapon and swung it around. The sword connected against the last remaining assailant with a dull clang. Its owner moved so quickly that Anna had a hard time believing what she was witnessing. Then, her last would-be attacker fell to the pavement unconscious. The victor continued to remain in the darkness as he sheathed his tool behind him. He now stood back as he surveyed his handiwork. Then, seeming to appear satisfied, he looked up - right at Anna.

She didn't know what to do, but it was perfectly obvious that this stranger had saved her from an attack. It was apparent to her that had he not done so, she most likely would be dead now. For that, she was grateful. However, she was currently in a quandary. The way ahead was how she had returned to the hostel each night for the past week and a half. That way shaved blocks off of her route and was safer by comparison. However, for the moment, she was uncertain if she should acknowledge her savior or run for her life in the other direction.

She waited.

"Are you all right?" A voice finally asked from the shadow's darkness. The words were coming from her rescuer.

Timidly, the girl replied, her voice soft and uncertain, "Hmm…yeah, I think so. Th…thank you."

"No problem; it's what I do." He answered evenly. He stood there, deep in the shadows and watched her. Even though it was dark, Leo saw how shocked and stricken the girl was. His night sight was better developed than hers was which was in his favor. He had seen that look before on people whom he and his brothers had rescued. Unlike those times, though, he chose to stick around now rather than run and disappear down a sewer access hole. He had important things to say to this girl and he wouldn't waste precious time watching her any longer than he had to.

Finally, he posed his question, "What business do you have with the Foot?"

He waited for her to respond.

Anna was still recovering from everything that had transpired during the past few minutes. The girl was fully aware that, for now, she was out of danger. However, the question her mysterious hero just asked startled her.

"Wh-what do you mean?" She shook her head in confusion.

"Exactly what I said. What business do you have with the Foot!" The shadow asked again, but more forcibly. He wanted answers before he started preaching to her. Maybe there was a perfectly good reason why this girl, this child of two parents who obviously loved her, would allow herself to get mixed-up with such an evil organization.

"I'm not at all involved with the Foot." She declared defensively. "What business do you have even asking?" She felt completely threatened with this person's inquisition now.

Leo shook his head. What was it about humans? He rescues them from certain death and yet the moment he asks them why they put themselves in danger, they get defensive. One would think that just to show appreciation they would be willing to answer whatever queries presented to them.

"Well, for one, I just saved your life." He stated dryly, trying to be patient.

Anna bit her bottom lip as she thought about what the 'shadow' just said. Still, she wasn't too keen on being so open with him.

"Look, just because you saved my life doesn't mean I owe you mine." Now she reconsidered taking the longer way back to the hostel. At least she wouldn't have to answer such intrusive questions. "Thank you for rescuing me, but I really need to get going." She then turned around to head back towards the street. Yet, no sooner had she done so than a hand draped along her shoulder. Anna jumped defensively, certain that one of the fallen had somehow been faking his defeat and had jumped up to grab her. After all, the one who had intervened was still several yards away. Whipping around, her fisted hands up in defense, she faced him. However, what she saw next nearly took her breath away. Yet, before she could scream or shout out for help, a green, three-fingered hand clasped over her mouth. The other hand went firm around her right upper arm to keep her from sprinting away.

"Do not make a sound; I haven't any intentions of hurting you." Leo said. "However, I do have to admit being privy to your nightly schedule and because of that I have questions." He then helped the young girl back into the shadows where he was more comfortable. As he did so, he watched her eyes grow large and it was perfectly obvious she didn't believe him. He felt her start to shake and tremble under the careful guidance of his gentle, but forceful leading.

"Please, do not fear, you have nothing to be afraid of." He assured her kindly.

Finally, as he relaxed in the darkness and released his hold, she was able to step away from him, "Wh-what are you?" Anna backed up against the fence as she looked at her now shadowed hero, a strange creature that only her nightmares could create. She wondered, then, if maybe she was dead and this was hell. She began to breath fast and wondering what was going to happen next.

"My name is Leonardo. I'm - a turtle." He said casually, nodding his head towards her.

"How? I mean, you're so much bigger than…well…you talk, too, so – hmm…" Anna's voice trailed off as she realized how ridiculous she was starting to sound. "Tell me, how did you beat them?" She finally asked, trying to ignore the obvious for a moment as she looked over towards the battle scene.

"With ninjitsu. It's also what the Foot use, too." Leo answered her. "What was it they were stopping you from doing?"

Anna took stock of her rescuer's demeanor. She realized then that had he meant her harm, he would have done so already. Once the shock of her near-attack wore off and she began to accustom herself with this strange being, she began to relax just a little. "He did save me," she thought to herself, "and he hasn't hurt me, yet." She squinted her eyes a little to help adjust them to the darkness. It helped somewhat but where they were in the alley it was still pitch black. The best she could see was a subtle outline of Leo's head and upper body. "First, why should I trust you? So...you saved me. Maybe it's a trick to get me to talk." Anna asked him.

Leo cocked his head to one side, surprised that she would even ask such a question. He studied this human female and instinctively knew in that moment she was not what he assumed her to be. Anna was definitely not involved with the Foot or anything else unsavory - not in the way that he had feared at least. Yet, it was obvious that she had angered them in some way. As he assessed her, he noticed that she stood just a little shorter than he was, petite in frame with fair skin and dark set eyes. Yet it was certain she was hardly weak. When he had guided her back into the shadows, she had briefly resisted him. During that moment, he felt her strength. He smiled and then nodded his head. "Okay, fair enough. The Foot are my enemy, my family's enemy. We have been fighting them for the past five years, trying to keep the city safe from their influence." Leo added, "So, when I saw you make a habit of visiting an apartment frequented by the Foot, I became concerned."

"Why would you be concerned about me? I know I've never met you before tonight. You're something I would think would be difficult to forget!" She replied with a wry smile.

"True, you don't know me. But, I know of you, at least I've come to know about you ever since that church service two weeks ago." Leo saw her look of surprise and knew that he would now have to explain. "It was a Wednesday and you and your family were in church singing with the other members. I was outside on top of the building next door listening. When you came out after the service, I noticed you and your parents were arguing. They are your parents, right?"

Anna nodded her head in affirmation, allowing Leo to continue, "Well, I never gave it another thought until a few days later when I saw you again, but this time going into that brownstone over there." He paused as he saw her jerk back as if startled. "So, I came back to this spot the next night just to see if you would return. You did, so I followed you afterwards back to the hostel."

Now Anna hung her head and tried to look away. Leo could hear a soft quiet sob escape her as she cried. "Did your parents kick you out?" he asked her gently.

After a moment, Anna replied quietly, "No, I chose to go. They didn't want me to but I had to." She sniffed. "My brother…" she stopped suddenly and looked up at Leonardo, "You can be trusted, right? Because I can't take any chances, I just can't. I'm afraid they'll hurt him." and she turned to look at the innert forms in the alleyway. Some were starting to groan, which alarmed Leo.

"Quick, let's get to a higher elevation. Here, come with me." He said, taking her hand and leading her back up towards the front of the brownstone. They stopped just below the fire escape. He leaped up and easily caught the ladder and brought it down as far as he could. "Here, I'll lift you. Then, climb up, okay?"

Despite her fear of this creature, Anna did as instructed. The girl was more afraid of the six who were starting to wake up than that of Leonardo. She was surprised with how strong he was, hefting her up as if she weighed nothing at all. Soon, she was clambering up the ladder to the first landing. She looked down and watched as the turtle pushed the ladder back in place and then, in a single leap that defied all logic, was quickly standing on the same platform as she. "How'd – you do that?" she asked in wonder.

"Ninjitsu." Leo said evenly, "Now, let's climb. Quickly, too, because it won't be long before your attackers come to and start looking for you!"

Once they were on the roof top, Leo decided that moving to another one farther away would be better and safer all the way around. At first, Anna was confused. From her perspective, there wasn't any way they could do that, not without climbing back down to the alley below. Once Leo told her about his method of getting there, however, by leaping from rooftop to rooftop, it took a few minutes of convincing to get her to trust him.

Initially, she freaked out, hyperventilating and backing away from the roof's edge.

"You have to be JOKING!" she exclaimed sharply. "JUMP?! From – here to – there?" she asked as she pointed towards a neighboring rooftop.

"I do it all the time; it's how I get around." Leo explained patiently.

"B-b-but what if you FALL?" Anna asked with eyes as big as saucers.

"I won't." the turtle calmly said. "I haven't yet, in fact."

Eyeing him skeptically, the girl pondered, "I don't know, I just can't fathom jumping that far. I was never very good at stuff like that."

"Don't worry; you won't be the one jumping." Leo explained evenly.

Anna was puzzled and looked at him, pinching her eyebrows together. She then asked, "What do you mean I won't be jumping?"

"Because I'll be carrying you." Leo answered. He looked confidently at her with his arms folded across his plastron, cocking his head and smiling.

"You – would carry me? Can you do that and jump, too?" she asked him. Surely, this turtle mutant couldn't be that capable, she thought to herself.

"Yes," was all that he said to her. His simplistic answer seemed to express the confidence that the girl needed.

"Oh, let me guess; it's a ninjitsu thing again?" Anna wondered aloud, giving a mocking smile.

Leo nodded his head in affirmation and then the girl seemed more agreeable. She had been very impressed with the way he had dispatched her would-be assailants, consequently she came around to seeing it Leo's way.

"Well, you certainly are an oxymoron, that's for certain!" she commented wryly. Leo smiled back and chuckled.

Telling Anna to be as quiet as she could, Leo picked her up and then carried her over towards the back part of the building near the edge of the roof. Before he made the first leap, he whispered to her, "It's important for you not to look down. Also, don't scream, unless you want more of what you met in the alley to chase us from rooftop to rooftop."

Anna nodded her head in compliance, completely understanding what that would mean. If there was one thing she did not want to have happen, that was another run-in with the Foot. She held on tightly, burying her face into his neck as Leo began to run towards the edge of the roof.

Actually, keeping quiet wasn't a problem at all for the girl as she was mute with fright for the whole trip. By the time Leo had reached a rooftop far from where they had started, Anna had her arms in a death grip tight around his neck.

"You can let go, now, Anna." He said gently as he tried to set her down. Still, she held onto him, her eyes squeezed tightly shut and her whole body shaking like a leaf in a gale. "Seriously, if you don't let go, you're going to choke me to death!" he insisted. There really wasn't any chance of that happening since the muscles in his neck were rock-hard from all of his training. Still, his feigning such harm did the trick. The girl released her hold, allowing Leo to set her down on the roof.

Once he had Anna peeled away from him, Leo looked at her. He rather liked her, now that he was getting to know her. Yet, his purpose in her life was to find out why the Foot wanted her silenced. It was perfectly obvious that she was hiding something. "So, maybe now you can tell me what's going on," he asked, finding a bench and inviting her to sit down. She gratefully took the seat, glad to be doing something other than flying through the air hundreds of feet above the ground.

The rooftop that they were on had sort of a social gathering place there, complete with box gardens and benches. Leo knew about it and figured it was as normal a setting for the girl as he could find, hoping that she would be more relaxed and therefore more open about her situation.

Anna was still trying to regain a bit of composure after her harrowing experience leaping over tall buildings. Never in her wildest dreams would she ever think of finding herself in that position and by way of a mutant turtle, no less. However, here she was and still alive to tell about it. Yet, as she looked at her benefactor, her hero, the girl realized that to tell anyone about Leo would put him in danger. Since he had openly confessed to being in the city for at least five years, based on how long he had been fighting the Foot, it was a given he was the best kept secret in New York. She took a deep breath and sighed, finally giving an answer to his initial question, "My brother is an initiate. He wants to join the Foot." She looked down at her hands that were clasped tightly in her lap and continued, "I've been trying to talk him out of it, but he's surrounded by these guys. The apartment is where they hole up, where they sort of prepare anyone who wants to join." She sniffed a little, "I thought I was making progress to get him to come home, but tonight one of his so called friends threatened me. Of course, Dale was out of the room at the time."

"Why would they even let you in if you are trying to talk him into going home?" Leo asked. It just didn't seem like typical Foot behavior. He knew that anyone who wanted to join met the Foot in some nondescript warehouse and out of reach of any family members.

"I don't know. At first, I only wanted him to come home, that we missed him. But, the way they acted around me, I just had this feeling they weren't what they seemed." Anna wrung her hands now, "At first they were real nice. After my third or fourth visit, though, they became rude and indifferent. Then, tonight, when Dale went to the restroom, they told me that if I came around again, they would kill me. They would watch for me and if I was even in the area, I would be dead before I knew it!" Now she cried openly, hugging herself tightly. "I was afraid if I told Dale that when he came back to his room, they would kill him, too. I didn't know that they were already planning on doing me in before I left tonight."

As Leo listened, he sighed to himself. He had been all wrong about her. She was just trying to save her own brother, an act that even he would do himself.

"I'm not sure if there's any hope for him, now that I'm unable to see him anymore." Anna cried softly. "What happened in that alley made it impossible for me to go back."

Leo placed a sympathetic hand on the girl's shoulder as she cried. While he studied her, he thought about the situation and knew she was right. "No way can she go back there." He murmered to himself. "However…" He then stooped down, tipping Anna's chin up with one finger so she would face him, "There is one thing I can do." Leo suggested.

She wiped her tear-stained face with the back of her hands and sniffed once. Anna then asked, "What can you do?"

Leo smiled, "Ah, well, Anna, there's quite a lot that I can do where it concerns the Foot!"

Just then, a little bit of hope began to seep into the girl's heart. Maybe this creature, this mutant turtle named Leonardo, wasn't a thing of nightmares after all. Maybe he was the best thing that could happen to her! :::::::::::::::::

HAZLOV2004 - Thanks for reading and reviewing. I had this Warriors Creed in my database for about a year, now, and had the first part of the first chapter written. However, the rest of it and the subsequent chapters came together just this week. I have only the epilogue to write and then I'm done - for now. This may be a precursor to other stories centering around Leo and Anna, or not. Depends on other things - like finishing my 'still outstanding' stories I'm already involved with. Either way, I appreciate your attention - thanks! Be blessed.