For the first chapter I forgot a disclaimer, so here goes: The TMNT belong to Mirage Studios, regrettably. I don't own 'em and I'm not earning anything from this little fanfic. My little brown turtle (will be named in a later chapter), however, is my own creation.
Oh, and this is a pretty short chapter - my apologies.
Plunk!
Ripples disturbed the surface of the water, barely audible except to trained ears. In the dark, the shape of a giant humanoid turtle clung to the side of the dock. Slowly he lowered himself into the water, leaving his strung bow and quiver lying on the wooden surface
Shortly he climbed back up with his prize - a large fish with an arrow through it. Over the years, the young turtle had grown to adolescence. He had finally learned English from passersby, and named himself Mud because it was the color of his skin. He lived in the little shelter he'd built beneath the surface of the dock. The idea for the bow had come when he'd scavenged a Bow Hunting magazine out of the trash a few years back. He now used it to hunt, and his aim was becoming excellent.
Mud unstrung his bow and carried it over his shoulder with four large fish in his other arm. He was headed toward a hidden spot on the shore, where he could build a fire without fear of burning his home or being seen.
Suddenly he stopped and looked up. Was that a dark shape moving on a nearby rooftop? The brown turtle stared hard at the small, squat building, then resumed walking. Must be my imagination, he decided. Several paces later, he froze. There had been a suspicious noise. Mud stood still and strained his ears, trying to catch it again.
THUD!
The turtle went sprawling forward; he dropped his fish and only barely kept hold of his bow. He scrabbled upright, clutching the weapon. Before him were six humans clad in black and wearing hoods. Their clothing was emblazoned with an odd red shape. "What was that for!" Mud demanded.
"Surrender, turtle!" growled one of the men.
Mud noticed that he, like the others, carried two dangerous-looking swords. Common sense told him to comply, but he was confused. "Surrender? Why are you attacking me?"
The man remained silent and glanced at one of his fellows uncertainly, then back at Mud. "You're coming with us," he stated firmly.
Mud couldn't help but laugh, even in the face of these dangerous-looking humans. "What kind of idiot do you think I am? You've attacked me, made me drop my dinner, and now you expect me to come with you like it's all okay?"
"Take him," barked the man to his companions, who leaped at Mud.
The turtle swung his bow madly like a staff; it was nearly straight when unstrung. But his frenzied thwacking could not match the training of the black-robed humans. A sword flat smashed into the back of his skull, and the world went dark.