Yo, I'm Rori.

This will be a couple of shots of Leo's time in South America. We'll see how this goes.

I don't own TMNT

Chapter 2: The village

Rain poured from the angered skies, drowning my feet in muck and rushing water. I fought my way uphill, using my newly acquired machete to cut a ragged path through the tall plants and tree limbs. I slipped backwards a few steps as I lost my precious footing. Grabbing a freshly cut limb, I cursed. This would be so much easier if there wasn't mud. The weakened branch snapped off in my hand and the weight of my cargo dragged me all the way back down the hill.

I hit the box with a crack, sending off blinding white pain in the back of my head. Shaking away the stars as a wave of dizziness set in, I clambered back to my feet. I took a few unsteady steps and looked down at the medium sized wooden crate, on a makeshift skateboard big enough to hold Leatherhead. My mind flashed back to a child's sick face and I found the strength to make it up the hill.

Once at the crest, I looked down to see the dark, quiet village I had taken under my wing. The beginning of my second my month had just started, and I had just found a place to settle in and had come across the village. I sent out my first letter, only to find that the children were coming down sick and needed medicine. I hiked to the closest big city and had...acquired overstocked medicine.

It had taken almost a week to get there and back, between walking and taking an impounded vehicle for a spin. But I couldn't chance them seeing the vehicle, which was why I was walking in the rain, in the middle of the night, to their clinic.

I just hoped I wasn't too late.

-TMNT-

Another few weeks passed and a letter was due from home; the first one since my being here. So between the village before mine and my village, I would sneak into the mail jeep - yes, a jeep - and rifle through. When I wouldn't find anything, I would shrug it off. But what I wasn't expecting was a big blue package with my name written on just about the entire surface. I recognized Mikey's handwriting immediately.

It brought biting tears to the corners of my eyes; I hadn't realized how much I had missed them until that moment.

How much it hurt to be so alone.

I hurried back to my new home with a speed that could rival my youngest brother's. Once I was below ground and in my lair, I tore open the package with shaking hands. Inside were four smaller packages, each tied with a colored bow. That, again, was probably Mikey's idea. I grabbed his yellow and orange package first. Carefully opening it and saving the ribbon, I found a letter, a family picture and two packs of fresh batteries.

Yo bro!

So, I got to thinking about the radio and I was hit with an idea! You need more batteries, so that we can talk at least AT LEAST once a month. You got me bro? I don't like the idea of not hearing your voice.

So yeah. Things have been quiet. Master Splinter cut our patrols to like twice a week and Raph isn't happy about it. Raph's being Raph, ya know? But Casey and April can come over any time, and they've been coming around a lot more. Well, Casey has. April got a new job, like world wide. Collecting old dusty things. Artifacts. Whatever.

So, I was thinking about getting a job. Nothing big! Or bad! Or dangerous! Just like, entertainment or something. I was thinking about drawing comics professionally, or starting a game place - with Casey's help. He'd be the manager.

We really miss you bro. Like, so much.

With love, Mikey.

Oh, and ps, WRITE BACK AS SOON AS YOU GET THIS!

I pulled my knees to my plastron and tried my damnest not to cry. Life was going smoothly back home, without me. I wasn't needed. I wasn't sure how to take that. Suddenly, this seemed less like me becoming a better leader and more like a time out for being dragged into a stupid fight. Gritting my teeth, the tears slipped past and I threw the batteries against the far wall, hearing them clatter and roll.

I didn't touch the the package for the rest of the night.

-TMNT-

The end of the second month came with a bit of a surprise.

Shock would be the more accurate word.

I was hiking along the outer ridge of the village when I stumbled onto a stream. I saw a flash of black through the green undergrowth, heading upstream. Against all better judgment - because honestly, what could possibly be really fast and have black fur other than a jaguar or something? - I followed it. I thought I was being sneaky, because I was using all my ninja training to stay hidden, but I guess I wasn't staying quiet enough.

I stopped by the edge of a clearing, light filtering through the thick canopy, when something made my sixth sense go off like crazy. I turned in time to see something very dark and very pissed lunge at me.

We tumbled through the undergrowth, down a small slope and into the edge of the river. I kicked whatever it was off and jumped to my feet, pulling out one of my kananas. When I turned to face my opponent, I was not expecting to see a five foot jaguar standing tall. He wearing brown leather pants and a grey-green sleeveless hoodie. Glittering, silted green eyes stared back at me.

I put my hands up in a calm gesture, very aware that I was alone and any movement on my part could send him into a rage.

"Get out of the shadows," he barked angrily.