A/N: Hello! Sorry for the long wait! Here is chapter 2! Thanks for all the comments so far!

R&R and most of all, Enjoy!

EDIT: I SHOULD PROBABLY MENTION THAT TIGER CLAW STILL HAS HIS TAIL!

Chapter 2

"Then love knew it was called love.

And when I lifted my eyes to your name,

suddenly your heart showed me my way"

― Pablo Neruda, Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada; Cien sonetos de amor

If Hamato Yoshi was going to live the rest of his life in hiding from the world he had once known, he knew he wouldn't be able to do so without a few essentials from his old home back in the city of Tokyo. Though he knew it was quite a foolish thing to do, especially considering his current form, there were just some things, even as a rat, that he simply couldn't live without.

Then there was the issue concerning the children.

He couldn't simply leave them in the forest on their own; the very reason he had taken them under his care in the first place was to prevent something like that from ever happening. Taking them with him to his old apartment was out of the question as well, for they would be too much of a hassle for him; they could barely even talk as it is, though it surprised him that they were able to start walking so quickly.

Where could he possibly hide them and know that they would stay there and be safe?

Well, to his surprise, the answer would come to him sooner than he had thought, three days after their transformation, when he and his four little boys were exploring the forests that they had come to call home.

For now, that is.

They had begun to start teaching themselves how to walk properly on their own, stumbling on their own two feet towards Yoshi and to each other, which made the mutant rat smile. However, it was during their little practice that the smallest (and most likely youngest) of the turtles had stumbled on a rock in his path, and he had fallen flat onto his face, scraping his right elbow in the process. He didn't cry at first, but as soon as he had struggled to get into a sitting position and had seen the red fluid dripping from his elbow and trickling down his arm, his big baby blue eyes began to overflow with tears as he began to cry.

From where he stood beside Brown Eyes and his blue eyed brother, Yoshi turned to see Freckles sat on his rear and crying, and was about to rush over to pick him up and heal his hurt, but someone beat him to it. Green Eyes had also seen what had happened, and before Yoshi could move, the little turtle actually ran over to him. He had just learned how to walk, so why so suddenly did he start running?

As soon as he was beside the crying turtle, Green Eyes sat down on his knees before him and stared at him. Freckles saw him staring, and his crying eased to simple sniffles and hiccups as he rubbed his wet face with the back of his hand. Green Eyes then nodded once before looking at his bleeding right elbow. He gently took it in his little green hands, though it made freckles wince slightly, and he glared at the blood dripping down from the wound. It was only a little cut, but it was enough to make the little one look as if he wanted to hit something. Raising the elbow a little higher, Green Eyes actually licked off the trail of blood, making Yoshi's brow rise in shock and confusion, before Green Eyes then planted a little kiss on the wound.

He lifted his head to look back at Freckles, and he gave him a smile. Freckles sniffled, and then he smiled back. Green Eyes used his hand to wipe away the tears from his little brothers' face, before helping him stand back up again, glaring down at the rock that had made him trip in the first place and kicking it away with an angry grunt in the process. He held his hand as they both toddled over to Yoshi and their brothers.

Yoshi stared at the green eyed little one in wordless surprise, and then a warm smile graced his lips. He bent down and patted his head. "Well done, little one, for looking after your little brother so well," he said fondly, "You are quite the healer, aren't you?"

And then he was granted with another little surprise.

The little turtle finally looked up at him and smiled.

Throughout the course of the day, Yoshi had been able to identify each of his sons not only by appearance, but by the personalities that he had seen them start to display. Blue Eyes, whom he had deemed the oldest of his brothers, was the calmest out the four, seemingly more mature for his age, and also the most observant; he was always looking back at his brothers ever few minutes, as if he was worried that they would wander off or get hurt, which Yoshi found both admirable and adorable. Green Eyes, the second oldest, was by far the most protective, which he had seen as such on the day of their transformation, and just a few hours earlier when he had rushed over to help Freckles when he was hurt. Freckles was definitely the happiest and most hyperactive of the boys, always bouncing around and giggling at the slightest thing. He even picked up flowers for Yoshi to have, and his hands were already full.

Brown Eyes, Yoshi discovered, was the most curious of his brothers, always wandering farther ahead of the others and stopping to examine his surroundings with immense interest. Still, there were moments where Yoshi would sometimes lose sight of the snooping turtle, and he would have to use his new heightened sense of smell to find him again.

This time however, even his nose couldn't detect the scent of him.

And Yoshi started to panic.

He would have tried calling out to him, but he realized that he had given none of them names. So he resulted in simply picking up the remaining three turtles into his arms and scanning the trees and thick bushes around them, praying that nothing had happened to one of his little ones, not this soon…

As he burst through a thick wall of bushes, Yoshi let out a breath of relief as he finally spotted the olive colored turtle standing only meters in from of him, his shell facing him as he stood there on a long dirt path, sucking on his thumb. The turtle turned around to face Yoshi, who had put his other brothers back on their feet and was about to scold him, but then he pointed his little green finger towards the long dirt path, and Yoshi followed his finger to find that the path led to an old, long abandoned traditional Japanese house, surrounded by trees and bushes. The house actually looked similar to the one that he had once shared with his previous family, only this one was a one-story house with old but fully functional sliding doors.

Yoshi blinked once, and then looked down at the olive turtle, who beamed back up at him.

How did he find this place?

His silent question was never answered as all four turtles began to giggle excitedly and stumble their way towards the house, already climbing up onto the wooden platform and crawling their way inside. Smiling, Yoshi followed them, carefully opening the sliding doors and peering inside the dark room. It was old, dusty, and many areas were in dire need of fixing or replacing, but it was big, very spacious…and judging from the bushes and trees surrounding the area, it was very well hidden. He doubted anyone would think of coming through here. In fact, he doubted anyone actually knew this place existed.

For what seemed like the umpteenth time within the space of a few days, Hamato Yoshi found himself surprised on just how adaptable and strange these four turtles were, and on just how little he knew his own homelands. It was the brown eyed turtles' curiosity that had found them a new place to live instead of simply staying within bushes or abandoned burrows.

He was an intelligent young one, that was certain.

Nodding to himself, he watched as his four little ones played together in what would very soon be their new home.

At least for now.

Yoshi had thought that putting Miwa to sleep had been a challenge, but he was proven very wrong when after what seemed like an eternity of chasing little turtles around, who seemed to think it was a game of sorts and enjoying watching him chase them, he finally managed to settle the four boys down side by side, fast asleep and wrapped up in an old blanket he had found in one of the closets. He let out a long and tired sigh as he watched the four brothers sleep together peacefully.

It tore him inside to leave them alone, but this was something he knew he had to do. He just couldn't live without something to at least hold on to the last few strings of the fabric of humanity that he had left.

Making sure that his steps were light, he exited the room, shutting the doors behind him and sending up a prayer to whoever was listening in that moment to watch over his sleeping charges as he made his way back into the forests, towards the city that he had left behind.

However, as he left, he couldn't help but feel an odd sensation tingle in the back of his mind…as if someone was watching him. He had been having that same strange feeling ever since their mutation, and he had wondered what it was. Could it have been those strange men that had turned him into what he had become?

Or…was it something else that even he had not been aware of?

He had been watching him for some time now.

He didn't understand why he was though. He was just another mutant victim of those strange creatures. Maybe it was because of the way he had been able to adapt to his new body and his new twist of fate so quickly…and those little creatures that followed him like sheep.

He had never seen a mutation quite like this before. He figured that it must have been due to some physical contact that the rat must have had with them before their exposure to the ooze, which was why they looked so human. And they seemed so intelligent, especially the little olive coloured turtle that had discovered their current place of hiding. However, that really meant nothing in the grander scheme of things; they were merely nothing but cubs, ignorant little beasties that had no chance of survival. They were so fragile and weak, they would be torn to pieces should they ever be left alone –

Speak of the devil and he shall come.

Hidden in the bushes, the tiger watched in silence as the rat crept out of the old house, turning his head left and right in search for anyone that could be watching, and his ears twitching atop his head, listening to everything around him. The tiger kept completely still. The rat couldn't smell him, for he was still adapting to his new rodent body, and the stripes that patterned his fur coat prevented him from seeing him, but the slightest sound would set him off like a bullet.

After he was sure that no one was there, the rat nodded to himself before he fled back into the forest, moving as silent as a ghost through the bushes.

The tiger watched him leave in confusion. Where did he think he was he going? Why was he just leaving his little cubs in that house alone to fend for themselves? Was he deserting them, or was he simply that much of a fool? Wasn't he aware that there were other creatures in these woods that could smell their reptilian scents from miles away, and wouldn't hesitate to kill and devour them all as soon as they were unguarded?

Including the giant cat himself.

The tiger frowned to himself in thought. Yes, he could just go in there now and rid these turtles himself if he wanted to. After all, with the way they were living, how could they possibly survive? There was no way that they could reveal themselves or walk amongst humanity without being shamed, or even experimented on.

He would be doing them all a favour, sparing them from the hatred of the world by disposing of them himself. He slowly reached for the gun in his belt. He would make it quick, clean and painless.

This was for their own good.

Suddenly, just as his paw touched the handle of his gun, the front door slid open, and the dark blue eyed one stumbled through it, before closing the door again behind him and sitting on the wooden platform, letting his little legs dangle over the edge as he stared in the direction that the rat had left in. He didn't move an inch from where he sat as he continued to stare intently and patiently at the dirt path. The tiger raised a confused brow as he observed him from his hiding place in the bushes. What was the little one trying to do? Was he waiting for his so-called 'father' to return to them? Or…was he actually guarding the house and his siblings from danger? How very strange. This child had far more wisdom than he had thought a boy his age ever could. Not that it would matter; he couldn't defend himself if danger were to come.

He would be dead without ever knowing what hit him.

The blue eyed turtle suddenly turned his head towards the bushes, and his eyes widened a fraction. So did the tiger's as they made eye contact.

The turtle had spotted him.

Neither of them moved at all as they continued to stare at each other. The turtle, though his eyes were afraid, remained as still and calm as a tranquil river, refusing to move from his station in front of the door. The tiger refused to come out of the bushes, as not to alarm him further and make him scream; if the rat heard him from however far off he was, his cover would be blown.

"…boo."

The tiger started. What? Had the turtle just said something to him?

The child then stood up and raised his arms in the air. "…boo. Boo!" he repeated.

The tiger creased his brow further in confusion. "…Boo?" he said. What was he doing? Was he trying to talk to him?

The boy then raised his hands higher above his head, as if he were trying to appear bigger than he actually was, which didn't work at all. "Boo!" he said again, a little louder this time, his face creasing into what was supposed to be a threatening frown, but ended up looking like a childish pout.

It was then that the tiger realized what the turtle was trying to do…and he actually wanted to laugh.

The child was trying to scare him. He was actually trying to scare him away.

His mouth forming a restrained grin, the tiger cleared his throat to stifle the laugh that threatened to erupt from him, and he stood up from his crouch on the grass, which made the child back away slightly at the sudden movement, making the tiger smirk. "Very well," he said, deciding to humour the child as he gave him a little bow. The sound of his voice shook the turtle a little, but it only made it harder for the tiger not to laugh. "I will leave you and your home alone. You are a very worthy opponent, my little friend."

With that, the tiger turned and walked away, stealing one last look at the little turtle, who hadn't moved from his spot as he watched him leave, and an actual smile finally graced his lips.

He was a brave little one, wasn't he?

It was nearly dawn when Yoshi returned to the abandoned house, now dressed in a red hakama with dark red flower patterns that he had grabbed from his bathroom; even though he was covered in fur, he still felt very exposed. Sneaking into the apartment had been easier than he had expected. Tokyo was just like any other city; no one really paid any attention to you. Also, y the time he had arrived, it was already very dark despite all the city lights, and with his dark fur, no one even noticed him as he moved through the alleyways and using his claws to scale up the building. As soon as he had entered, he had put on the hakama, and gathered all the things he knew he would need, and taking one last look around him before he made his swift exit.

On his back, he carried a sack full of mere essentials that he would need. As well as another separate bag filled with personal items of his that had miraculously survived the flames…

On his arrival back to the house, he was more than surprised when he saw the blue eyed turtle sprawled out on the platform, his mouth hanging open as he snored lightly. Yoshi stared in puzzlement. Had he been waiting for him to return all this time? How did he even know that he had left? Did he wake up and see him leaving?

Despite the slight fear that the boy could have been spotted by someone or something, Yoshi smiled. It was almost as if the poor boy had stayed up simply to watch out for his sleeping brothers in case there was danger, until his father returned. Such a brave little one, wasn't he?

He shook his head with a smile as he carefully scooped up the sleeping turtle, cradling him in his arms as he opened the doors again, laying him back down under the blankets alongside his brothers. Green Eyes immediately rolled onto his other side and wrapped his arms around his brother's neck in his sleep, which made Yoshi chuckle softly as he watched him snuggle against his bother. Looks like someone had missed his big brother.

Yoshi let out a breath as he sat cross-legged next to his sleeping boys. He opened up one of the bags and unpacked what he had brought; a large multi-coloured blanket that had once belonged to his daughter, his old futon, and something he would treasure for as long as he lived…

A simple black and white photo of himself, Tang Shen, and little Miwa in her arms.

His ears drooped slightly against his head. It was still a miracle that he had been able to carry on after everything that had happened. But then again, he never thought in his entire life that he would be transformed into a giant mutant rat, or come across four baby turtles that would soon become his sons.

Which reminded him. He still needed to name them. But what names could he possibly give them?

A thought clicked into his head as he rummaged once again through his bag until he found what he was looking for, and pulled out, smiling fondly down at it. It was his old book about the great Italian renaissance sculptors and painters. He and Tang Shen had both held a deep passion and respect for these fine artists, and had been one of the main reasons they had been able to bond so well. And he found it very ironic that there were four artists in particular that he had favored the most.

Opening the book, he quickly flipped through the pages, searching for the on that Tang Shen had loved the most. He had been the one that had painted the woman, the Mona Lisa…ah! Here it was. His name was Leonardo Da Vinci, an artist and scientist. Yoshi raised a brow in thought, and then turned to gaze down at the blue eyed turtle that had cuddled up to the green eyed one.

Leonardo. The meaning behind the name Leonardo was 'lion' or 'brave lion'. And it was clear that this little boy had been brave enough that night to stand guard for his family whilst their guardian, their father, was away.

Yoshi smiled, laying a soft hand on top of his head, rubbing his thumb across it in a soothing gesture. "Leonardo…" he whispered. The name was all too perfect for his little brave lion.

Now, for Green Eyes. He already had a good name in mind for him, but he still wanted to flick through the pages just to be sure. He stopped on the page about Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino…

…that was a very long name, too long for a child like him. Fortunately enough, however, the famous painter was better known as simply Raphael. That sounded better.

That name meant 'God has healed'. How perfectly fitting for a little protector like him. But he was by no means simply a gentle one. If someone ever hurt his brothers, he would hurt them twice as much. Nodding to himself, he put his hand over the second turtles' head, who shifted under his touch. "Raphael…" he said.

Now for his third little one. Choosing the right name for him would be difficult; he was very bright for his age, as well as resourceful, but he was also very quiet, keeping to himself most of the time. He still played with his brothers, yes, but there were moments where he would go off and play by himself in the backyard, near the small clear lake, and play with the sticks. In fact, if he recalled correctly, he actually used those sticks to make something similar to a house…so he was a builder, a tinkerer.

He knew of a man that made sculptors. His name was Donato di Niccolo di Betto Bardi…another very long name, which was shortened to Donatello. His name meant 'Gift' or 'Gift from God'. This youngster was indeed a gift, as well as being gifted himself.

"Donatello…" he said, stroking the olive turtles' head. He seemed to smile as he slept, revealing that cute gapped tooth.

And last but by no means least, Freckles. He was so very tempted to keep that name for him, but no; imagine all the teasing his brothers would put him through. So he needed something that reflected him not simply by his appearance, but by his personality; energetic, loving, kind…

He stopped at a page of one of his favourite sculptors; Michelangelo. His name meant something similar to 'Angel'. Now it was a big name for such a tiny one, but it was all too fitting for his innocent, freckled baby angel.

"And my little Michelangelo…" he said, stroking his cheek softly. Michelangelo stirred slightly, sticking his thumb into his mouth and sucking on it. Yoshi chuckled, carefully removing his thumb from his mouth before he closed the book and set it aside.

But what about himself? He could no longer go by the name of Hamato Yoshi. His life as a human was over…in fact, Hamato Yoshi had died long ago, along with the flames that had taken everything away from him. After that, he had merely become a shell of the man he had used to be. Without Tang Shen and Miwa, his life had no meaning…

But this life, this new one that he would start with his new, strange yet beautiful baby boys that had breathed the life back into him during the darkest of days, held more meaning to him now than ever before. He would leave the past behind him, leave it but never truly forget it, and head towards the future.

A thought then came to him. Well, it was more than a thought, it was a memory. A memory of him with his dear friend, Oroku Saki, before the rivalry had begun and tore them apart. It was back when they had served in the army, long before they had met Tang Shen. They and their fellow comrades had given each other humorous nicknames as a joke, and they had eventually stuck. Saki had gained the name 'Shredder' for his weapon involved using retractable blades, and he would 'shred his enemies to pieces' so to speak. Yoshi's was bar far the funniest; it was 'Splinter'. He was very thin back then, before he actually built up muscle, but the name still stuck…

Splinter…that would work.

Smiling to himself, both at the memory and the old name, he lay down beside his sleeping turtle sons, closing his eyes as sleep finally swept over him, the sounds of his sons breathing by his side comforting him as he allowed himself to rest at peace at last.

Hamato Yoshi was gone. And all that remain was Splinter, and his four precious children.

Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo…

A/N: Well, there is chapter 2! I hope you liked it! More coming soon!