A/N: Hello everyone! Chapter 5 here! Thank you so much for all the comments you guys! They are really funny and awesome to read!

I OWN NOTHING!

Enjoy!

Chapter 5

"A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world."

–Leo Buscaglia

4 years later…

The moment Tiger Claw awakened, before he even opened his eyes as the morning finally came, he knew that something was wrong. For starters, when he patted the space in front of him with his eyes still glued closed, where he knew a certain hard-shelled body should have been, he found that it was no longer there. His brow furrowed, and he finally opened his eyes to find that there was no one sleeping next to him at all on the futon. His eyes widened as he sat up, looking around the room in search for his son. Leonardo hardly ever woke up before his father did, and if he did, it was only to go to the bathroom.

And what was even stranger, and very troubling, was the fact that he couldn't even smell the boy…

"Leonardo?" he said, standing up and scanning the room, a slight flash of panic running through him. He sniffed the air, hoping to catch his scent in case he was just in the living room or the kitchen, and he was just overreacting, but he caught nothing but the smell of leaves and muddy earth. "Leonardo?" he called again, and still no one answered him. No he was beginning to worry. Where was he? Where did he go?

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Someone roared and leapt down upon the unsuspecting tiger's head from the roof, and Tiger Claw actually let out a cat-like yowl before he whirled around ready to attack the intruder, his claws and teeth bared. Then his expression turned into a mixture of flat annoyance and slight relief at the sight of a very muddy eight-year-old Leonardo, who was rolling on his shell and laughing as he clutched his stomach in pain, on the verge of tears as he howled in laughter. He managed to stifle it enough so that he could sit up and point at the startled tiger, "I-I scared you, dad!" he chortled breathlessly.

Tiger Claw let out a sigh, retracing his claws before Leo could see them as he reached out and rubbed his muddy head. "Indeed you did, Leonardo," he said with a huff of amusement as the turtle tried to playfully bite his paw out of giddiness. Tiger pulled back his paw and made a face at how much mud was coated on it, and he looked back to Leo, who had simmered down a little as he beamed up at his father. "…why exactly did you coat yourself in mud?" he asked.

Underneath the muddy coat, Leo's cheeks turned pink. "Um, you remember that technique you taught me about hiding my scent? Well, I woke up to go the bathroom, and then I had the idea to try it out on you and see if it worked! And it did!" he cheered, pumping his fist in the air triumphantly.

Tiger Claw shook his head and smirked. "Well, that is good for you. I'm very proud of you, since you had actually listened to the advice given to you…but you do realize that it is you who is going to clean up this mess, don't you?"

Leo blinked as he looked down at the now muddy wooden floor. "Aw, come on dad, that's no fun!" he pouted, and then he beamed again as he stood up, running behind the tiger as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders, "let me off just this once, since I did good? Pleeeease? Oh, I'll show you my impression of you when you go hunting!" he said, and narrowed his eyes as he proceeded to do a decent impression of a tiger's growl.

Tiger Claw chuckled. "Very well, I will do it," he relented, prying the child's muddy arms from around his neck, "so why don't you go and take a bath before I give you one myself?"

Leo let out a squeak as he ran from the bedroom, "Ewww! No, I don't want a cat bath!" he teased, "besides, you'll get mud on your tongue if you did!" and he ran to the bathroom to fill up the bath, leaving a trail of muddy footprints in his wake.

Tiger Claw huffed out a laugh as he stood up, heading towards the closet and taking out his Japanese day clothing (a dark blue, white flower patterned kimono) and tied it on, rolling up the sleeves until they were above the elbow as he stepped out of the bedroom. He was still quite surprised that Leo had remembered what he had told him during one of their training sessions out in the forest. Ever since Leo turned five, Tiger Claw had decided that keeping the boy cooped up inside during the course of his training would be less than beneficial for him, so from then on he would take Leo out on occasion, depending on what he decided to teach him that day, be it how to hide or find specific trails in the earth, or how to wield the two new weapons he had received as a gift from Tiger Claw's last mission; a pair of two, beautiful and well forged katana blades, which the turtle had loved to death.

Eventually, Leo had developed a great love and attachment for the forest, and had asked if all of their sessions could take place outside. Tiger Claw would often see him running through the forest and bounding from tree to tree with a smile of pure delight on his face. Once or twice he caught him actually hanging upside down from vines and branches like an ape.

He was a wild one when he wanted to be.

But other times, Tiger Claw found him sat underneath one of the sakura trees near the lake, where he and his previous family had first been mutated years ago, his eyes closed and his legs crossed as he seemed to be meditating, which Tiger Claw had introduced him to not long after he had realized why his family had left him…

Tiger Claw frowned at the thought. He had been so devastated; he barely spoke or ate anything for the better part of a week, simply sitting on the grass outside and idly picking the petals off the flowers. After the seventh day, Tiger Claw had had enough of it, and decided to teach the boy how to meditate, how to be at peace with both the body and the mind…and after a few days, it seemed to have worked. Now, he always meditated during the late afternoon somewhere within the forest. He believed that it somehow helped him feel calmer once he was 'connected to the forest', or at least that was how Leonardo had put it.

Although the meditation was helping, he knew that deep down inside Leonardo, there was still something brewing inside his heart, something that Tiger Claw was all too familiar with, and something that showed on his face whenever he went through katas on his own in the forest.

Hatred.

Someday, Tiger Claw would have to teach him how to contain that anger properly before it turned outward...but until then, he had a messy turtle to chase once he realized that he had gone back outside to roll in the mud again. With a playfully predatory grin, he chased after the dirt covered Leo, who let out a shriek as he ran through the house, trying to escape his inevitable fate by the hands of his father.

After breakfast, Leonardo was finally scrubbed clean from all the mud he had plastered himself with earlier, and after his training session with Tiger Claw, he was allowed to roam the forest by himself, just as he had done countless times. He had his two Katanas strapped to his back with leather sheaths and belts that Tiger Claw had brought back for him on one of his missions. Someday, Leo wanted to go out there and do just what his father did; fighting, putting his ninja skills to some good use.

Leo had heard of these creatures called 'humans' or 'people' once when Tiger Claw had come home from one of his jobs, and he had described them as strange, furless beings that walked the earth in millions. Did Tiger Claw protect the 'people'? He didn't actually know what a human looked like, or what an assassin was supposed to be, but he bet that it was cool, and that they were supposed to protect the people from those who would do other people harm.

Yeah. An assassin sounded like a cool thong to be! He could help Tiger Claw protect the creatures called 'people' too!

He stopped walking as soon as he reached his favourite spot in the forest; the sakura tree that stood tall and beautiful next to the lake. He never understood why, but whenever he was in that area, he always felt so calm and almost connected with the quiet, peaceful world around him. He felt free…

He took in a deep breath and let it out in a long controlled sigh as he sat underneath the tree, its beautiful pink petals shielding him from the hot rays of the blazing sun above. He crossed his legs and rested his hands on his knees as he closed his eyes, and just as his Sensei had taught him, he relaxed his muscles and cleared his thoughts from his mind, simply listening to the trickling of the waters, the chirping of the birds, and the quiet whispers of the wind as they blew softly through the trees. Even though his sense of smell and his hearing were far superior to that of regular creatures thanks to his extensive training with the mutant tiger, Leo could smell nothing but the sweet aromas of the flowers around him, and hear nothing but –

"Hello there!"

What the –?

Leo snapped his eyes open, and he saw a pair of sandals with five toes peeking out of them. Five toes? He only had three. His gaze slowly travelled upwards, and he saw that the one with five-toed feet was wearing a red kimono with pink flower patterns and a yellow sash tied around the waist. And then he finally saw their face…and his eyes widened to the size of saucers as he let out a gasp.

The young, pale skinned creature was leaning forwards with her five fingered hands on its' knees as it stared down at Leo with a large, toothy grin that nearly split its pretty little face in half. Its dark, golden-brown eyes were large with wonder as she gazed down at the younger turtle. It didn't seem to be afraid of him, but Leo was frozen with fear. What was that thing? Where did it come from? How did it find him? Why was it just staring at him like that?!

Wait…could this be one of those 'people'? Was this an actual, real-life 'human'?

The human shuffled closer to him, and he scooted backwards from it, his wide blue eyes never leaving it as he scooted farther away. Though he had always dreamed of meeting a real human face to face, he never thought it would actually happen…and he was admittedly quite scared. Would it try to hurt him? Would it eat him? Tiger Claw did say that humans also hunted for food, just like he did…he prayed that it didn't want to eat a turtle like him!

Its smile grew wider as it brushed its dark fur from its eyes. What kind of fur was that? It wasn't like Tiger Claw's fur. His wasn't as long as the humans; in fact, it was only on its head, and it looked like it had been cut to that length. Why would it cut its fur like that?

"What are you supposed to be?" it suddenly asked, and that made Leo jump again. They really could talk! Just like him and Tiger Claw! Leo didn't answer as the human began to draw closer to him, and he stood up and backed away in fear. Should he attack? But it didn't attack him first, and it seemed like it had no weapons with it. So instead, he turned tail and ran from it. And he didn't have to look behind to know that it was following him…and it was laughing.

"Sensei!" Leo cried, bursting through the bushes as he ran down the dirt path towards their house, not stopping until he was inside, "Sensei, t-there's a thing, t-there's a person in the forest! It's following me – ooff!"

Leo collided with a solid black bulk as he ran into the living room. He stepped back and rubbed his nose from the tingling sensation, and he looked up to see what exactly he had run into…only to find, to his utter horror, another much taller human standing in front of Tiger Claw, who watched them both with a calm expression.

Leo swallowed thickly. This human…his face…it was half burned…

The human turned to face him fully, and he blinked in surprise at the sight of the wide eyed turtle child staring up at him as if he had seen the face of death. Despite his surprise, he offered the turtle a small smile. "Hello there," he said, his voice deep but oddly friendly, but Leo wasn't fooled as he let out a high pitched yelp and scrambled in the opposite direction. He barely heard the voice of his father calling out to him as he scurried away, only to let out another squeak as he came face to face with the smaller human again.

"Found you!" it giggled.

Leo ran back the way he had come again and this time whizzed past the taller, scarier looking human and hid behind Tiger Claw's legs, peering from behind his father skittishly at the two humans that had intruded his home. The taller human chuckled as he folded his hands behind his back. "What a ball of energy he is," he said, smirking slightly as he raised a brow at the young turtle behind the tiger.

Tiger Claw chuckled as well as he nodded. "Yes, he is," he said, and he moved aside so that Leo was no longer behind him, and he kneeled down beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "This is my son, the one I have told you about, Leonardo," he introduced. Leo looked down at his feet, a nervous blush covering his cheeks as he shifted his feet.

The human nodded his head, and he placed a hand on the smaller human's head as she bounced next to him. "This is my daughter, Karai," he said. "Karai, this is Leonardo."

The human called Karai bowed politely at the two of them, despite being so giddy a few seconds ago. "Hello Leonardo!" she piped up with her bright little smile. Leo blushed, quickly averting his eyes from her as he instead looked towards the wall. He didn't understand why, but whenever he looked at her, his stomach started to flutter, almost as if there was an entire horde of butterflies in there. What was wrong with him?

Karai frowned in confusion at his lack of response. "…I said hello," she insisted, but Leo only backed away again to hide behind the giant tiger again.

Tiger Claw smirked at his bashful son. "Well, aren't you going to answer her Leonardo?" he asked.

Leo shook his head.

"You're not afraid, are you?"

Leo pouted sourly and shook his head again.

"Well then, go ahead," Tiger Claw said, standing up and pushed Leo forwards towards Karai. Leo stumbled slightly, and looked up at the human who waited patiently for his reply. Leo turned back to Tiger Claw, who motioned his head forwards. "Go on. Say hello, Leonardo," he pressed.

Leo swallowed again, and he shut his eyes and lowered his head as he finally muttered…

"…hello."

That seemed to set her off again as she laughed and bounced up and down giddily on the spot, making Leo's eyes fly wide open in a mixture of surprise and complete fear. What did he say? All he did was say 'hello' and she suddenly set off like a bomb. Were all humans like this? He didn't want to find out as he ran out of the room again, squawking as she followed after him again, chasing him outside and into the back garden. Tiger Claw and the other human shared a look, and they shook their heads. "Well, children will be children," Tiger Claw sighed, "I was not expecting you, Oroku Saki…in fact, I had no idea you knew where I lived."

Oroku Saki chuckled. "You should have known by now; I do have over a thousand ninjas at my disposal scouting the forests. It was only a matter of time before one of them came across you, my good friend."

The tiger smirked, beckoning him to follow him towards the kitchen. "You are correct," he said, moving to go and prepare some tea for the both of them, "I must remember to be more careful from now on. Don't want anyone spying on me, eh?"

Saki nodded as he accepted the steaming cup of tea offered to him as they sat at the table. "Yes you should be. You never who might sneak up on you next," he mused. "I see by the swords he carries on his back, that you are training him to become a warrior like yourself, correct?"

Tiger Claw nodded, lapping at his tea. "Yes. I had intended it to be only for self-defence purposes, but now I have come to see that he possess the greater potential to become a deadly assassin…"

They heard a high pitch yelp from the back garden. That was Leonardo again, still being chased by the hyperactive Karai.

"…once he grows out of his childish habits, of course," Tiger Claw finished with a small sigh.

Saki shook his head with a chuckle. "I can see that. But as you said, children will be children. In fact, the reason I sought you out was to ask you something…" He set his cup on the table as he regarded the tiger mutant with a serious expression, the burns on his face making him seem more sinister. "…I have come to ask if you and your son will join my army."

Tiger Claw looked up from his cup in surprise, setting it down as well as he regarded Saki with slight confusion at his sudden offer. "What? You want us both to join you in your army of Foot Soldiers?" he asked, "Why do you ask?"

Saki narrowed his eyes. "From what my sources have reported back to me," he began, "Your son has indeed shown to have great skills, skills that far exceed most other young warriors of his age. Both you and Leonardo would prove to be very useful assets to my slowly growing army. You see, there are people out there that I wish to…eradicate, and with both your skills combined, not only will those who I seek out be dispatched quickly…but my clan would become unstoppable, and at long last become the most feared clan of ninjas in all of Japan. I am training my daughter Karai for the same purposes, and to one day carry on in my place as the leader of the Foot Clan. She and Leonardo will work together on occasion. Also, if you agree to my proposition, I will reward you handsomely for every target successfully wiped out. Are we agreed?" He held out his hand for the tiger to shake.

Tiger Claw stared down at the outstretched palm. Should he accept his offer? He though he was doing fine without his help. He had been receiving messages from other sources for quite some time, and he was getting enough payment to support both himself and Leonardo for the next few months or so. But to be fully accepted into a clan of ninjas as an assassin? And have his son by his side to learn his ways? Was Leonardo ready for that yet? He was still so young and innocent. Could he really take that away from him so quickly? In fact, why was he even thinking about this? Leonardo was nowhere near ready to be out on the battlefields with him yet; he had barely started using his katana, and he had only just met his first human (whom he was still running away from). There would be no way on earth that he would survive their first job…No. He would be ready. Like he had said many times before, Leonardo possessed more skill and strength than he had ever expected for one his age. He could adapt, become smarter and stronger through this experience. And though he has never killed before, he would have to learn, just as Tiger Claw had done before him, that life was not kind…

Though inwardly it pained him to admit it, especially after everything he and his young cub had been through, but it was true…Leonardo would have to grow up.

He reached out and took Saki's outstretched hand and shook it firmly. "Yes. We are agreed."

"So I guess your favourite colour's blue then, right?"

"Yeah. It's been my favourite since I was little. Master Tiger Claw says that it means loyalty, wisdom and faith. He says that it suits me."

"Huh. I guess it kinda does."

Leonardo and the human girl Karai had finally stopped their pointless chase, and after Karai had convinced him to come out of the tree had had climbed up, they agreed to start over. They had gone back to where the two of them had first met and lay down underneath the sakura tree, looking up at the clear blue skies and the fluffy clouds that moved on above their heads. They had started off by asking each other normal questions, such as what they liked to do to pass the time or what their favourite food was. To both their surprise, they had the same kind of pastimes; practicing katas and meditating. Leo was shocked to know that Karai was also training to become a ninja like him. For a strange human girl, they had a lot in common.

He really liked her!

Karai herself had never seen anything quite like Leonardo before. She had only heard of kappa from the tales that her father told her when she went to bed at nights, and that they were fearsome creatures from other realms. So when her father told her that they were going to the forest to meet two very special creatures, she was beyond excited. The tiger mutant didn't disappoint her at all; he looked very fearsome! But when she had been allowed to wander into the forest and saw the turtle…he didn't look fearsome at all. He was just sat underneath the tree with his eyes closed and his legs folded, completely at peace with his surroundings. When she had actually approached him, she expected him to try and fight her. Instead, he ran away from her, and she gave chase. He wasn't fearsome, but boy was he fun! And after talking to him, she realized that he was just like any other kid, though she was still a year older than him. Also, they both had a lot in common, even though there wasn't much he could tell her, because he had no T.V, but she promised him that he could have her radio.

She really liked him!

"Y'know," Karai began as she turned on her side to look at Leo, "You sound like you have a pretty cool life."

Leo quirked a brow as he looked up her. "How?" he asked, "You're the one who gets to live in the city, has a T.V thing and a radio. I don't even know what a T.V is, and I have to live in the forest."

Karai lay back down on the grass as she sighed, watching the sakura blossoms falling from the tree. "Yeah…at least you're free out here," she said quietly, "…you don't have to be stuck in a boring old building with no one to talk to all day. I mean, this place is way more beautiful than the city, and you can run around and do whatever you want…I can't…"

Leo gazed at her, watching as her expression turned somewhat sad. How could she be sad about something like that? Now, Leo loved the forest, but he had always wanted to see whatever was beyond it, to that place called Tokyo that Tiger Claw always talked about whenever he came back from one of his missions. But he supposed he could see why Karai envied him. The forest made him feel so free, able to do whatever he wanted to whenever he wanted. In the forest, he could let out his emotions, his laughter, his love…his hate…

He turned over to look at Karai. "…you can always come and visit me, y'know," he said brightly, "I mean, you're weird and giddy and jumpy and stuff…"

Karai snapped her head to him and narrowed her eyes as she pouted.

But Leo wasn't finished as he continued. "…but you're really cool. And I really like you."

Karai's face softened into a look of surprise, and then a full-fledged smile covered her face. She had never been told by anyone at her school that they liked her, because she was the weird one, the one that no one wanted to talk to because she did martial arts, and she didn't like the things that the other girls in her class liked. Even the boys thought she was weird. But Leo, a turtle from the forest who had never even seen another human before in his life, thought she was cool? He actually liked her?

…wow.

Her grin broadened as she shuffled closer to Leo, and before he could react, she placed firm kiss on his cheek. When she drew away and saw that his face was as red as a tomato, she giggled as she sat up. "I like you too, Leo. Can we be best friends forever?" she asked.

Blinking away the stars that danced across his vision from that little kiss, Leo nodded without hesitation, sitting up as well and taking her hand in his own, squeezing it.

"Yeah. We can totally be best friends!"

A/N: Bet you didn't see THAT coming, did you? Haha! I DO NOT OWN BAMBI, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR! Uh oh, so Tiger Claw plans to bring Leo on a mission with him soon? What will that do to him I wonder? Stay tuned and keep reading to find out!