Time of decisions

I don't own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I didn't steal, I just borrowed the characters. I'll but them back when I'm done, I promise.

Then a bit of a warning. This is my first TMNT fan fic. I hope I got all my facts straight. Oh, and my main language is not English, but Finnish so please don't shoot me for any grammer /spelling mistakes. Hope you enjoy the story :-)

"Behind you, Donatello!" Michelangelo's shout made Donatello whirl around and fend off his assailant. It had to be about the twentieth in this fight! Quickly he used his bo to neutralize the gang member. The turtles had been topside with their sensei. They had been heading back to their lair when they had been attacked literally from all sides. Unbeknownst to the team they had crossed into the territory of the city's largest gang. The flight ad continued for over a half-an-hour. Leonardo used his katanas expertly to ward off yet another attacker. "What do they do? Duplicate?!?" Raphael was getting pissed off. He had lost count of the attackers somewhere around twenty.

The gang members were by no means experienced fighters. Their strength was in sheer numbers. However, they had not expected their territory invaders to be trained ninjas.

It had been Splinter's idea to use this alley as a short cut back to their lair. As a rat he had an uncanny sense of direction. Now, as he faced another gang member, he regretted his idea.

The disguises the turtles were wearing combined with the alley's darkness shielded their reptilian features. A heavy overcoat hid the rat-like features of Splinter. This flight has gone on for too long, Splinter decided, "Shounen, show yourselves!" Splinter's order caused all four turtles to shed their uncomfortable disguises. Splinter himself shed the heavy coat that had somewhat encumbered his Ninjitsu movements. When the gang members saw whom they were fighting, they gasped and backed off. Well most of them. Several were in such a fighting trance that they didn't seem to see that they were fighting four turtles and a giant rat. Within a few moments the numbers dwindled and even the toughest retreated back into the shadows of the alley. The turtles gathered into a tight circle with their shells to one another. Each "watching the other's back". Quietly they eyed their surroundings.

Splinter stood some way off from his sons. He leaned heavily onto his cane. He was surprised to find that the fight had taken much out of him. Much more then it normally should have had. He shook his head and suddenly felt dizzy.

Leonardo turned his attention away from the shadows of the alley to where their sensei was standing. Leo was shocked to see that their revered master was hunched over, leaning heavily on his cane for support. The rat's eyes were closed and his lips pulled back in obvious pain. Concerned, Leo bounded over to his sensei, "Master?" He asked gently as he held out a hand to help his sensei.

Splinter winched and flinched away from his eldest son. Leo's actions attracted the attention of the other turtles. Still weary of their surroundings, they quickly retrieved their disguises and dressed. Splinter had taught them that above all else they should avoid detection by humans. It was a lesson that had been engraved into each turtle's mind. It was why Splinter had avoided removing the disguises as long as possible even this time. It was to avoid detection.

Leo dressed quickly and retrieved Splinter's heavy robe. Their sensei hadn't moved but was gazing at his sons through narrowed eyes. "Sensei, are you injured?" Donatello moved closer and offered his hand for support. This time Splinter accepted the help. Gently Leo draped the coat over his sensei's shoulders. "I am unsure, Donatello. The fight seemed to have taken more out of me then usual. However, I do not seem to be physically injured." Leaning onto both his cane and Donatello, Splinter attempted to continue to their lair. He was only able to take a couple of steps before what little of his strength he had left, left him in a rush. Only the support of Donatello saved him from crashing to the ground.