Thank you again. And to answer Tewi's questions: all will reveal in time... ;D

- - - - -

She wanted to sleep. She wanted it all to end. No one asked her if she wanted to bring innocent people into her problems. No one asked her if she wanted to put their lives at stake. No one asked her if she wanted to die for the lives that would extinguish because of her mistakes.

- - - - -

Ame was frozen to the spot, not wanting to move, not wanting to turn around and face the problems that faced her. Hand still over her eyes, her mind told her that it had only been a few hours since her confrontation. The wind picked up her hair, a cold breeze whispering down the back of her neck that made her shiver. The desert below looked alive as it danced and swirled in little vortexes. She didn't care. None of it mattered. The only thing that raced through her mind was the fact that they were all in danger. They had to get off the planet now. Amethyst tried to make a fist with her bad arm, failing and instead hardly being able to even lift it a few inches. Taking one more look at the scenery before her before she got up to wake them. But something made her stop. A noise, coming from the forest. The sound of plants being shredded and stomped on from an immense weight. Her heartbeats thudded against her mind, a rush of adrenaline as the noises came closer and closer to their little camp. She could run. She knew she could. Run away as far as she could and leave them there. Ame shook her head and ran to the tents, careful not to make too much noise as the beast already smelled the burnt wood.

The closest one was Don's. "Don," she whispered as loud as she dared. "Don!"

He didn't budge. Biting her lower lip, she whispered. "Mikey's messing around with your computer."

"Again?" he muttered, finally waking up. "Ame? What-?"

She covered his mouth and put a finger to her lips. He heard the sounds and nodded. "We need to wake the others."

"You wake Master Splinter and Raph. I will get the other two."

Nodding, he grabbed his staff and set out, hunched over and walking quickly. By the volume of the sound, it wasn't even a meter off. Anxious and scared, the others waking up brought some comfort in numbers. But from Leo's tent, Ame looked at the others helplessly. "I can not find him!"

"Of all the-!" Raph started talking normally. His mouth was soon covered by several hands. The animal stopped, a dead silence rose from the hesitation. Grunting, it continued back to search for the source of food. "We need to get out of here."

Ame scanned around for a hiding place. "Off the side of the cliff. It will lose our scent there and will be much to heavy to go down after you."

"What about you?" Mikey grew anxious for his brother and the story sinking in. "Is it like in that story you told us? Are we gonna die?"

Turning dead serious, she stared at each one of the turtles. "Go. Now. I will look for Leo myself. If it finds you, go to the desert and stay there and wait for us."

They nodded and ran to the edge, not without looking back at her in regret. No one wanted to ask the question of whether they would come back alive or not Master Splinter stayed behind a little.

"Please, come back safely."

The girl couldn't help but smile. "As long as I live, you will not die with me."

And with that, she ran to the side of the beast. Besides the cliff, the only place he could have gone was within the forest. What had compelled him, she didn't know. All she wanted was to ensure his safety.

- - - - -

Leo marked a tree with a slash from his sword to keep track of where he had been. Foliage dense, he had to keep one out handy anyway to cut away at it. He quickly hid though when he heard the sound of sniffing. The condensation of the trees in the atmosphere made it hard to smell anything out, but whatever it was, seemed to have an easy time with it. Green being his natural color, the turtle hid naturally in the brush. He kept a lock on which direction the sound was coming from, not moving to keep better care of this new foe. What distracted him was the feel of a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, Ame bent low next to him and jerked her head to one side, motioning to him to follow her. He nodded, not before taking one last look behind for the creature. It was gone. 'But, how-?'

The whole forest erupted in front of them. The animal had somehow came around to attack in front of them. Ame, though, had smelled it moving from place to place. Leo would smell it too as it got closer, but the smell could easily be remembered. The smell of decaying blood which seemed almost easy to taste in the mouth, and rotting meat that had been torn apart, only to be splattered against this living carcass. She hissed as it came for her first, her strong scent of lavender all over her body. "Run Leo!"

"What about you!" he unsheathed his other sword and took a steady stance.

"Forget about me and RUN!"

The animal was in every detail like the one she had described in her story. The hungry blood eyes...a monstrous titan...

Despite the dark of the forest, the moon shone through. Ames peered into the light. Something had gouged out its eyes. She couldn't think of anything here that could do that. Not even the red and blue plants with all their speed would dare to attack this. The time for thought was needed another time as the claws came crashing down on her with a tremendous force. Ame tried to bring her hands forward to catch it, but her arm still ached from the poison, a useless dead weight that may end up killing her. Jumping in front of her, Leo used his swords in an 'x' formation to block the blow. Even with the great strain and body pressure he pressed against it, he was being pushed back bit by bit. It's snake jaw reached forward, coiling and uncoiling in front of Leo, as if to mock him. In amidst all of this, Ame didn't notice that she had dropped down to her knees from shock. Leo grunted and tried to push back. "What are you doing? Get going. Now!"

She didn't move. It was just that one instant that teases everyone's mind, that moment when you yell at them to run or to move. But in these small moments of hesitation and seemingly stupid actions, the realization clicked in her head. It was taunting them. It knew the thrill of the hunt and if there were a few here, more were somewhere. It was only a matter of time before he would got to the cliff and see the others there. Something also told her, it knew something that she didn't. That there was more to the story than the simple matter of killing for pleasure. Her mind raced. What! What was she missing?

The creature was growing bored of playing with Leo, soon using it's other arm to knock him out of the way. Ame had caught him in time before he crashed painfully into one of the trees. He tensed, as did the creature, toying with him more. Leo could see this now, growing angry and frustrated with the thing. Everything had a weakness, there was no exceptions for this freak. Before he could charge forward, Ame put a hand on his shoulder.

"This isn't the time Ame. Unless you have some sort of-"

"I know how to kill it." her voice came out low, hair shading her face.

"How!"

"I need you to trust me, Leo." she took a step forward. "Go back with your brothers. The side of the cliff. Don't come back until morning and wait for me near the camp."

"What are you going to do." the turtle tensed for the sprint, still somewhat worried for the girl. Even if he didn't exactly got along with her well, he didn't want another death weighing heavily in his mind. She looked back at him, cheerful amethyst eyes turned into bored yet fearsome slits of red. "Something I do not want do. Something that must have been done a long time ago."

He nodded, looked one last look at the two, then ran. The sound of running getting farther and farther away from him excited the creature. It howled up to the moon, then looked at the silent girl with great interest. The loss of eyes made no difference to it, but the idea of a meal with far more blood and meat made the gouged eyes to bare more of the tissues were the eyes once were. It circled Ame, trying to see if she would run in a hopelessly around without a way out. Another inhale of air made the creature hesitate. The slender thing that had once smelled so sweetly of flowers suddenly turned the air putrid. It was suddenly thick in the atmosphere. The smell of dead souls, angry souls, that longed for vengeance. This level of smell was only able to be detected by those non-human or not of human beings. So how the girl was able to smell of this was beyond the thing. Humans lived for only so long and even then wouldn't even compare to what he was smelling now. Unless...this girl was...

It chuckled, the snake mouth speaking for it. "So. Even after so long, you still live. Amethyst Hoseki."

The girl stayed silent. Her hair turned jet black against the shadows, growing a few inches as did her body change.

"I thought your brothers and sister would have disposed of a mistake like you long ago." It licked its teeth in pleasure. "But I guess I get to exterminate you first."

Still silence. "A pity what happened to your father. A real killer. He played with their emotions, tricked them into believing what he said. And when he killed. No emotions. Only the ones he'd prey granted them to see: lust, hostility, uncaring, pleasure. Why couldn't you be more like him than your mother, Amethyst?" he grinned at his insult.

She started to laugh, not one of kindness or of friendship, but one of mockery of those who gambled with the devil. "Know your tongue well. Your master still slumbers within me."

It was the beasts turn to laugh. "Why should I? If I kill you know, I would be killing you both." It licked it's teeth. "Then I would at last be free to wander other worlds instead of this dead planet."

Sharp canine teeth grew in front as fangs. With those teeth, she smirked. "So. You want to surpass your master, eh? With him gone, there would be no one else to order you around. Freedom, the humans call it."

"Freedom," he spat. "Freedom is nothing more than an illusion, and they have failed to see that." Snickering, he advanced toward her. "As it seems you have succumbed to this way of thinking. How low you have stooped to the humans level, hybrid."

The last to change was her voice, a strange sound that was layered with another voice, a stranger and more deeper one.

"And what do you think gives you rights to talk to me like that? Even without him," she hissed out that last word heavily with disdain. "He is nothing more than another host. Remember your place, Dorei."

That was the name to break his calm mood. He ran straight forward toward the mix-breed. Dorei, his claws extended forward to her throat, smiled with his decaying teeth as the thought of such an easy prey. Oh how wrong he was. Her hands lashed out, deflecting his claws and grabbed his throat with one hand. Her head went limp for a brief second, but when she looked up, it was no longer the winged-angel. Blood eyes looked up at it. "How wrong of you to underestimate her, Dorei." came out a masculine voice. "It's not like you to go on an all out assault."

The creature was stunned. He knew this voice all to well, and always with it, a cold feeling in his gut. "M-Master," he started, half-choking from the man's grip. "I did not know you were awake."

"And what would you have done if I wasn't?" He glared. "You have grown weak on this planet. Yet, you persist on trying to exterminate everything you see."

"I am only living up to my Master's wishes."

"I see that." He let go. Dorei wheezed slightly from the pressure. "Thank you Master."

"But," the boy glared his eyes to bare slits. He flicked a finger in the air, and the creature went up with it. "I do not tolerate talk of betrayal within my clan."

"It was a bluff!" the monster's voice insisted. "My plan was merely to scare her off."

"I should kill you for that." Ame's finger curled to her hand, bringing Dorei closer. "But few are trustworthy in these times. I will spare you."

"You are too kind." Dorei's head pounded of the fear, though brought only by one person, was a painful and exciting moment for him. Though with a sudden grip from Ame's hand, the creatures arm was snapped in numerous areas. He howled in pain, a more jagged on than the ones he used on prey.

"But never talk about my father."

"I understand my lord." he tried his best not to whimper.

"Now tell me," the teen demanded. "What is of the others."

"While my Master was dormant, Satsugai disciplined your bodily form while that girl was out. They are currently searching for you, to awaken you, my Lord."

He hissed. "The fools. Do they think that a mere halfling good keep me imprisoned? Good, Dorei."

It winced at the name, growling in a low voice. "They are most wrong."

The teen looked up at the moon. "Now go."

The creature didn't even take a step forward before he tripped on something, the noise loud enough to be heard from the waiting turtles. "What was that?"

"How should I know?"

Small, black creatures crawled slowly up his leg, each tiny step injected small but painful doses of poison. Slowly making their way up its body, a clawed hand hovered shakily over the tiny swarm. The boy again looked through bared slits of red. "How stupid to talk of treachery and to even think of going unpunished."

Gritting it's teeth, Dorei hissed out. "I served you since my birth coming. Why are you punishing me if I have done no wrong until this one mistake?" He lunged, gouged eyes ravenous for his master's blood. "To think, that I served a devil of the lowest breed! You are an insult to your father!"

The other just sighed. "Such a pity."

Both hands extended forward, he clutched them to form fists. With a sickening crack, both of Dorei's legs were crunched in half. The creature stopped short of one step away from the boy, and by this time, the ant-like creature were up to it's stomach. With a low hiss it seethed looking up at his lord. "I should have killed you while the moment was still fresh, when that other weakling was out in your place."

"That girl you call a weakling," he muttered coolly. "Would be more fit to reign in my place than you would ever be." Squatting inches from Dorei's mouth, he chuckled. "Just think of it. That girl that you look down upon, is more powerful than you."

The black insects crawled up his face, the poison making his dead flesh sag. The poison was designed for one purpose: to make the victim's tissue slowly break down from the inside. The venom had a special chemical, much like an acid, that ate away the prey from the inside out. What ever was left of the victim, was eaten by the insects. As they inched halfway across his face, a clawed hand from Dorei reached out for him. "I will be back. And I swear, I will finish what I had begun."

The insects were finished with his body, slowly creeping back down to eat the nutrients that was left. They buzzed loudly in pleasure.

He shook his head, chuckling again and wandered into the darkness of the forest.

- - - -

Ame was sleeping soundly in the dark, strangely warm place. She curled up, snuggling against her arms. The same form that had taken control over her earlier walked next to her, red eyes wandering over her body. So small and fragile in the eyes of someone more powerful than she. The knife hovered over her in his hands. All he had to do was let it drop. Drop on her slender neck. But something in him caused it to hesitate. The knife disappeared from his hand and he leaned over her body. Touching her hair, he whispered softly. "You've grown so beautifully, young mistress." He moved her hair and kissed her cheek. The once hostile master softened at seeing Ame's small form. "I have grown soft from this laying dormant." he smiled. "Our mother's blood must have influenced me too. But," the knife reappeared. He slashed her wrists, particularly the one with the poison. Some still lingered, and a little more blood was needed to be spilled. A small cut along her forehead gave a more effect of her beaten up. "Take care of this body for me. And take care of yourself."

The girl slowly disappeared, body vanishing slowly until she was no more. He smiled again. "More waiting." Chuckling again, his eyes turned to a jet black instead of the ones of red. "Slowly break her." He looked at his hands. "Yet, I want to protect her. You will not see the last of me, Mistress."

- - - - -

The four brothers and teacher waited for the sun.

"How long did she say the sun was?" Mikey whined.

"Eight. Hours." Don sighed.

"Or until morning." Leo added.

"...Was that really Leo, our Leo, talking?" Mikey teased below.

He didn't answer. The sands were turning orange from the sun, slowly creeping over the horizon. "Let's go. She told me to meet her up on the cliff at morning."

"Do you think it's gone?"

"I don't hear anything. And," the blue-banded brother sighed. "There's something I want to learn from that girl."

"Nuh uh. No way." Mikey looked at Raph, pointing at Leo. "That is not our brother."

"Knock it off Mikey. So are we going up or what?"

Leo nodded. "I'll go first."

The five slowly climbed up, Raph gradually catching up to Leo. "You okay bro?"

"I'm fine."

When they reached the ledge, Leo hissed. "Wait here."

"Not much else we an do."

Grabbing on the ledge with one hand, he unsheathed one sword, and pulled himself up, landing in a crouch position. It wasn't as it was before. The place was completely deserted, even more than it was before. The tents, the campfire, gone. Ame stood in the middle of this, waiting patiently. She blinked. "Where are your brothers?"

He sheathed it back and looked past her. The whole ground was trampled on. "What happened here?"

She shook her head. "I can...not remember."

Ame walked past him and looked over the edge. She chuckled. "How long do you plan on staying there?"

"Oh I don't know. Maybe when someone tells me if it's safe up there!"

Ame laughed. "It is."

Slowly, the rest of them climbed over. Mikey rubbed his arms. "Man, that's worse than Master Splinter's training!"

"Oh do not worry Mikey. I can think of even more exercises that can even that pain out into your legs."

He stuck out his tongue at her. "Your starting to be like Raph, Ame."

Red chuckled. "We need more of me than we do of you Mikey."

"Anyway you two." She stepped in between the bickering brothers. "Our next destination awaits us." Her bangs shaded her eyes. "Who knows what we might face? Through the road of life, there is no straight path. Adventure," she smiled eerily. "Awaits those unsuspecting.

Silence. "Your starting to freak me out." Mikey.

A/N: Thank you Tewi on the helpful insights of past episodes and for commenting on each chapter. There are a few hints in here that might help with a few of your questions. One thing though: I won't tell you where. And to those curious, Dorei means slave in Japanese and the name seem suited to him. I would really appreciate if people reviewed more on the chapters ; Now I have to do some research...next chapter may take awhile...sorry for any inconveniencies. And I really didn't check this one over so it may not be of the best quality...