Hunoi= brother

Quani= what


Chapter 10

Beloose was escorted down to the dungeons by Leo and Anila. He had to see his brother as much as he didn't want to. Kai's men were out there running amok, so he figured that Kai would know something about this. He had to have had some sort of contingency plan in place for when he lost the throne and this was probably it, but the problem was, what would he do if he were to get out? Was he going to immediately try to take over again? Or would he go off into hiding? Beloose couldn't let either one of those things happen. He had a duty to his people and he had to make sure they were all safe.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Anila asked.

Beloose took a deep breath. "I am afraid I must. I do not know what my brother has planned and I cannot just sit and wait for it to happen."

Leo held the lantern out in front of them as he led them to Kai's cell. "Listen, when you get in there, I don't want you to fall for any of his tricks and don't let him provoke you. We all know how manipulative he can be. You can't let him get to you." he said to both of them.

"I am aware of that, Leonardo." Beloose spoke calmly and Anila nodded her head nervously. She had never come in contact with him since becoming a vao, none of the newer vao had either. Only the turles and Dax were allowed to interact in any way with him, Leo especially because of his no nonsense attitude towards him. They didn't want to risk the new guys being manipulated or worked up enough to hurt him.

Leo sighed as they stopped in front of the cell door. He passed the lantern to Anila and pushed the stone door out of the way, revealing Beloose's brother chained up to the wall. His hair had grown out, long and straight down his back, he was even growing a scraggly beard.

Kai looked up as all three of them walked into his cell, smug smirk on his face. "Oh, my dear brother has finally decided to visit me."

"Yes, against my better judgement, I have. But I have a reason."

"Oh, what could the great Katu want with a humble prisoner such as myself."

"Enough with the theatrics Kai." Leo said with an eye roll.

"Whatever do you mean, Leonardo? I am merely wondering why you are here."

"What are you plotting, hunoi?" Beloose spoke up.

"I am afraid you will have to be a bit more specific." Kai stood up with a chuckle. "I am always plotting something. Plotting how to get out of here, plotting where to go once I get out of here." The smug smile disappeared and his golden eyes darkened before speaking his next words. "Plotting what I will do to all of you when I get out." he said this as he took a few steps toward his brother.

Leo instinctively stood in front of Beloose, hand on the hilt of one of his swords.

"There is no need for that, Leonardo. I cannot do anything." Kai said, bringing up his cuffed hands.

Leo stayed silent and glared daggers at Kai.

Kai's smirk returned. "So intense, that look in your eye. You're a dangerous person and I like that. I could have used you well."

"Well, unfortunately for you, I'm not so easily used. Now, I suggest you take a few steps back and start telling us about what you know or you will see how dangerous I can get." Leo threatened.

Kai shivered at the intensity of the glare, still smirking as he did was he was told. "As you wish. As for me telling you about whatever it is that is going on out there, I am afraid I will be of no assistance."

"What do you mean, brother?" Beloose asked.

"I mean exactly what I say. I do not know what you are talking about." Kai shrugged.

Leo, obviously not trusting him, used the goddess' sight as confirmation. Surrounding him was an inky blackness of someone with evil intentions, but what was noticably missing was the brown aura of a liar. He was actually telling the truth. Beloose took a deep breath after a long pause. "Let us go." he turned away from him and walked out of the cell with Anila and Leo following behind him.

"Do visit again, brother. I miss our talks." Kai snarkily said after them. "And Leonardo, I do wish to see you again as well."

Leo shut the cell door behind them and they all clambered up the stairs to the main floor of the palace. "My brother speaks the truth."

"Quani?" Anila exclaimed. "He was actually telling the truth?"

"Yes, he was." Leo agreed.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked.

"My brother would lie about many things, but he would never miss a chance to brag about hurting people."

"So then, these people are acting on their own?" Anila asked.

"It seems like it." Leo said.

"Leonardo, until we stop what they are doing, I want guards down there at all times." Beloose ordered. "We cannot give them any room to follow through with their plans."

"No problem. I'll get it done." he bowed respectfully to him and so did Anila. "But what should we do if there is some sort of attack to the territory. If they are planning something bigger then everyone could be in danger."

"I will delegate that task to you and Dax. You two are better strategists than I, so I trust that you will come up with the best way to protect as many people as you can." he turned away from them. "I will return to my quarters. I have much to think about." Beloose left his two vao in the hallway, shutting the door to his room behind him.

"Stay outside of his door, Anila." Leo ordered. "Let him know you're there."

Anila nodded and moved to position herself in front of his door. Leo, on the other hand, went to go inform the anviao about taking up posts in the dungeons.


Mikey carried the little bundle of fur into the infirmary. He went looking for his wife and luckily, he was able to catch her as she was coming out of a room. "Hey, Avery." Mikey called out gently so he wouldn't disturb the other patients.

The first thing she saw was the little animal cradled in her husband's arms. "Michelangelo, why are you holding an uxto?"

"Some angry lingcuds attacked him when he stole their egg. Can you help him?"

"Dahwey, Michelangelo." she said exasperated.

"I know, I know. But can you help him?"

Her eyes met his puppy dog expression for second and she almost instantly caved. She knew how he was. This wasn't the first time he brought home an injured animal and his brothers warned her about this habit of bringing strays in. "Very well." she said, taking the small uxto from him. "I will see what I can do."

"Thank you, I love you." he added in for good measure.

"Aye," she rolled her eyes and took the creature to an empty room.

Mikey went back outside to meet with Casey. "Sorry, I wasn't much fun."

"It's fine." Casey said with a shrug. "I didn't expect much while you're injured."

"Yeah, well on the plus side, Raph should be back soon. I'm sure he'll figure out something for you guys to do."

"I actually have the perfect thing for us to do." Raph said, coming up behind them with Rocsi.

"Hey bro, perfect timing. You two have fun." Mikey encouraged them to leave while he went back inside.


Don's mind was in a fog. He didn't know where he was, or even what happened. All he heard was a voice. "Donnie!" the voice echoed. "Donnie! Wake up!" that sounds like April. Why is April calling me? The fog his mind was in seemed to clear up a bit. He could suddenly feel her shaking him. "Donnie!" It took all of his energy, but he finally forced his eyes open. "Donnie, you're okay?" he forced himself to sit up off of Luna's fluffy fur and immediately gripped his leg as a searing pain shot through it. He still felt out of it, his breathing was still shallow and he felt like he would pass out again. He looked around him to get a better idea of where he was. He was in a cave. Luna must have brought him here along with April while he was unconscious.

He suddenly remembered everything that happened with the cromols and snapped out of it. "I'm... not okay." he said. He tiredly laid back on Luna. Luna gently nuzzled Donnie's cheek, whimpering softly

"What?"

"I'm not... okay." he said through labored breaths. "I'm still poisoned."

He saw the fear and uncertainty in her eyes at that moment.

"I need you to make the antidote... and we need to hurry." it was like he could feel the poison rushing through his veins. They couldn't waste any time.

"What do I need to do?" April said, panicking.

"First... I need you to calm down." Don said.

"How can I calm down right now? You're dying."

Don groaned in pain. "Because if you don't, I really will die." he said with all the seriousness he could muster after another pained wince. "You won't be able to make it back on your own... and Luna doesn't really like you... she will leave you behind."

April glanced at the gray lakra and Luna growled back at the red head. April took a couple deep breaths to calm her nerves. "Okay, I'm calm."

"Good. Now, where's my bag? Everything you're going to need to make the antidote is in there." he winced again, growing weaker by the second. "...And it's easy to make."

April held out his bag and opened it up. "It's right here."

"Take out one of my... canteens." she did what she was told, taking out one of his half full canteens. "In the front pocket, there's herbs. You want the uddia. The one with red, jagged shaped leaves."

April quickly searched through the pocket and found the herb she was looking for. "This is it right?" she had looked back up at Don only to see that he had shut his eyes again, he was fading. She had to shake him again to wake him up. He opened his eyes, exhausted and still in pain. "You've got to stay with me, Don. This one?" she asked again holding the herb out for him to see.

Don looked at it and nodded weakly. "Take the leaves off the stem... put them in the canteen... They'll dissolve." he explained to her through haggard breathing.

April did as she was told and pulled all the leaves off the herb and put them in the bottle. She watched as the red leaves instantly melted into the water. "Okay, I did it."she breathed a sigh of relief, but when she looked to her friend she saw that he was barely conscious at this point. "Now what?"

"Bandages... in my bag." he pointed to his bag again. "Take a piece of that... soak it... and put it..." he gestured to his thigh, too tired to talk anymore.

April grabbed the roll of white bandages, ripped a piece off and poured some of the water onto it. The water had turned a light pink color as a result of the herbs. The strip of bandage absorbed as much as it could. She then wrapped the bandage around Don's leg, right over the two tiny holes where the quills were. "Okay, done. Anything else?"

He pointed to the canteen. "...Drink."

She picked up the bottle. "You have to drink this?"

He nodded weakly. She helped him drink the remaining contents until there was none left. After that his tired eyes finally closed as he fell asleep. April had to fight back tears and hope that she did enough to save her friend's life.