Are you ready? This one's a doozy. I listened to 'Waiting for Superman' as I wrote it. Doesn't quite fit the mood, but I thought it fit the general theme well. You might see it as you read through this arc. I hope you like it! Enjoy!
To Donnie's relief, that talk never happens. The healing of their drastic wounds becomes top priority and even once they are mended they are distracted. Leo has a sneezing fit and everyone focuses solely on him. It isn't really bad. He just has a runny nose and watery eyes. Still, Raph being Raph he makes a big deal out of nothing. And naturally Mikey follows right behind his role model. So Donnie does too. He blends in and tries to pretend he isn't freaking out about the Slash incident – and not just the Slash part of it. Alopex weighs heavy on his mind then and every moment afterward.
The next day their wounds are much better, they all are really. Still, Raph can't keep himself from fretting over Leo. "How you been feeling?" Raph moves around the couch and sits by Leo.
Leo lets out a heavy breath. "Raph, I'm fine." He clicks the channel button and watches the screen flicker with an array of colors. "You act like I went into shock or something." He clicks it again and again and again. "It was just sneezing. Just a bit of congestion."
Raph snorts and turns his head away from Leo. "I know." He crosses his arms over his chest. "But it doesn't hurt for me to ask."
"Only me." Leo grumbles under his breath.
"What?" Raph jerks his head back around to Leo. He narrows his eyes.
Leo smirks. "Nothing." He grows bored of the people running across the screen and channel flips some more. There's a cooking show, soap opera, something musicy. He doesn't even bother stopping on any of them.
Raph starts as he sees an unnerving image flash across the screen. Then it is quickly gone again. "Hey, hey." He jostles Leo's arm. "Go back." He directs his hand sideways. "Go back!"
Leo scowls at his brother, but he does as he wishes. He pushes the opposite button, going more slowly now. He takes in each scene they go back over until he reaches one that freezes his hand. His mouth slowly goes agape and his eyes widen.
It is the news and a woman who speaks melodramatically. Only this time Leo is afraid it's warranted. "Early this morning the body of a young man was found dead in the streets. Authorities can not say for certain what happened here, but it's obvious this was no accident."
"Hey, guys." Donnie says from behind. He walks up and rests his elbows on the back of the couch. "Whatcha watching?"
"Shh." Leo and Raph hiss in unison. They press their fingers to their lips and look hard at Donnie. They then quickly shift their gazes back to the television screen. They hold their breaths as the woman on the screen finishes. "The man's throat was torn out and savage slash marks scour his body." An image of what is left of the man flashes across the screen.
Donnie's face pales. Those marks...they're claws. His throat tightens and blood runs cold. His hands clench on the couch. And teeth marks too. His heart beats double time. This can't be a coincidence. The timing is too terribly perfect to be.
"Aw yes!" Mikey cries from the far side of the room. "It's tv time!" He speeds toward the couch and flips over it, landing next to Raph. "What're we watching?" He clenches his fists and bounces lightly in his seat.
"Hush Mikey." Raph snaps. He turns quickly back to the news.
"Up next," The woman says. "A fire devastates the downtown area. Find out how-" Leo clicks it off. He shifts his gaze to Raph, his expression tense and eyes hard. "There's no way this was an accident." He looks carefully at Donnie. "What do you think it means?" He already has his suspicions. It's just better if Donnie admits it and saves them the argument.
Donnie opens and closes his mouth around empty words. Terror twists his face, but he forces it down. He breathes methodically in and out. "I…" He stares intently at his hands. His fingers dig a little too hard into the couch. But he can't relax.
"Donnie," Leo prompts. He waits as patiently as possible given the circumstances. His gaze grows increasingly hard.
Then another horrible thought corroborates Donnie's panic. "April…" He gasps. He jerks his head up, his eyes wild. "April! She'll probably be out to come here tonight!" He leans hard into the couch. He is only inches from Leo and Raph.
Mikey starts slightly. His heart speeds up just from hearing Donnie's tone. "What?" He urges. He looks frantically from one brother to the next. "What's going on? What's gonna happen to April?" He grabs onto Raph.
Raph shrugs Mikey off and looks unimpressed, but his words are not harsh. "Nothing's gonna happen to her." He lays a hand on Mikey's shoulder. "Donnie's just being overprotective." He shoots Donnie an irritated look.
Donnie finds his bearings enough to scowl right back. He opens his mouth to fight back too, but Leo beats him to the punch.
"No, Raph," Leo shakes his head grimly. "This is serious and you know it." He licks his lips and looks Mikey dead in the eye. "Mikey, someone was attacked early today, probably even before daybreak. It was likely random, but no accident."
Mikey sucks in a sharp breath. Panic sets in and he jumps forward. He grabs onto both of Leo's shoulders and shakes him. "But what about April? Is she gonna get attacked too?"
"Mikey, chill." Raph wrestles his younger brother off of Leo. He forces him back on the couch and pins him there. "We don't need two Donnie's." He glances at Donnie and sees instantly he is continuing to fight a storm of emotions. At any moment he'll crack and probably rush off to find April. Which is a terrible idea.
Mikey's lip quivers. "But-But…April."
Leo sighs. "Don't worry Mikey. I'm going to call her and tell her to stay away for the next few days until we sort this out." If they can sort this out. He stifles a grimace. If it's the creature from last night it might be too much for them. It was even too much for Slash after all. It tore him to pieces.
In the next instant, footsteps resound through the lair. They all jump and spin around. Their breathing hitches and hearts skip a beat. They watch with wide eyes, as if the attacker will be the one responsible.
"Hey, guys." Instead it is April. They let out a collective breath. April waves to them and smiles brightly. Once she comes closer though her cheer falls away. She notices how tense they all are. "…What's wrong?" She blinks.
Donnie moves like a speeding bullet. He swoops in on her and pulls her into a tight embrace. "Thank God…" His voice wavers with the desperate relief. His hands tremble around her. He doesn't even register their close proximity he is so overwhelmed.
April stiffens in his hold. Her eyes widen as she peers over his shoulder at the others. "What is it?" She says to any of them that are willing to answer. She wants to push off of Donnie for a better view, but she can feel his body quivering against her and she doesn't want to push him over the edge. Whatever this is, he's shaken up by it.
Leo drums his fingers on his knees. He can't lie to her – at all actually. He just hates to tell her the whole truth. "There has been a…um…issue. Something happened this morning and it's pretty bad. With you being out, Donnie was worried. We all were."
Donnie breathes out heavily and finally releases her. He steps away, back to the side of the couch. Even then he doesn't take his eyes off her. He acts as if at any moment she might disappear.
April picks up on his ever present fear and she too becomes uneasy. Leo's words only make it ten times worse. Her lips stretch into a tight grimace. "Well, what happened?" She says slowly, as if she doesn't really want to know the answer. Her skin crawls with the possibilities.
Leo averts his eyes. He can't say it. Not to her. He might be able to tell Mikey, but Mikey is not as weak as they pretend he is. April is different. He doesn't want to freak her out more than he has to.
Donnie bows his head. He keeps his lips pressed tight together. There's no way he can say it.
Raph looks from on brother to the other. Then he groans. "Oh brother." He rolls his eyes. "Look April, someone was murdered."
April stares blankly at Raph for a moment. In the next instant she bursts out laughing.
All four perk and stare stupefied. They blink twice and then Raph scowls heatedly. Color rises in his cheeks and he frowns deeply. "What're you laughing at?" He snaps. "It's not funny! This is serious."
April stifles her laughter and wipes at her eyes. "Guys, come on." She snickers. "People die like that every day. It doesn't always have to be connected to you or the Kraang. Heck, I know a guy at my school who overdosed a month back. Not a murder, but still." She shrugs. "Bad things happen. Normal things."
Leo shakes his head stiffly. "No, you're wrong April." His expression is tight and grim. "We saw the images of him and this was not normal. Whatever killed him wasn't human. Guarantee it."
A small frown works its way onto April's features. "Which mutant do you think it was?" Her voice is suddenly soft and trembling. Her mind automatically jumps to her father. Still, this was only one. If it were him or any of the old ones surely there would be accounts.
Donnie finally breaks his stare. He bites his lip and looks intently at the floor. There's only one person it could be. The thought echoes in his head. And you know it. So just tell them. No. Never! He can't be sure. Leo can't be either. The evidence is circumstantial at best! But it is daunting nonetheless.
Leo shakes his head. "We can't be sure yet." He glances fleetingly at Donnie, gauging him. "But we think it's a new one." A new one Donnie has known about for some time. "We don't really know what it is yet. We barely saw it the other night. So we're going it go find out more."
Donnie cringes despite himself. Of course it would come to this. He feels horrible in that moment, but he actually hopes for Leo to have another spell and Raph needlessly direct the focus back on him instead of searching for Alopex. Just one night. All I need is one night. But Leo has quickly learned to keep his distance from Donnie and there's nothing to trigger it anyway.
Leo does not miss the microexpession on Donnie's face. He sighs beneath his breath. "Hopefully we'll figure this out before any more people suffer. Or at least we'll figure out if it's even this thing's doing." April could be right. Maybe it's just a gang murder. Still, those bite and claw marks burn in his memory. Somehow he doubts it was human.
Donnie jerks to attention suddenly. "Hey!" He jumps a little and swivels to face April again. "What about April?" A different kind of worry creases his face now. His fists clench and tremble slightly.
Mikey peers around his other two brothers to Donnie. "What about April?" He looks back to April with wide eyes. Was she in danger here?
April understands the implications. "Oh, no, I'm fine." She smiles. "Besides, I'm safer here than I would be at home." She raises a brow and nods faintly to silently urge them toward the same conclusion.
Donnie shakes his head fiercely. No. There's no way I'm leaving you here. Maybe you'll be fine, but who knows when we'll be back. It could be two or three in the morning. That's way too late for you to wait to go home. And there's no way you're going home that late without one of us."
April sticks out her lip. She crosses her arms and glares at Donnie. "'m not a child." She kind of is, but the literal sense is not what she's going for. "I can fight you know."
Leo sighs. Normally he'd brush off Donnie's efforts as overprotective and stupid, but this time a very real fear has ahold of him. Maybe it's because the Slash attack still has him rattled and they're not quite recovered yet, but he says, "Sorry April."
Raph nods. "Yeah, Donnie's right for once. There's no way I'm letting you go out there that late either." The body of that man flashes across his eyes and he shudders involuntarily. "That guy was killed early in the morning. And it could easily be you next."
Mikey nods fervently. "Yeah! You can't go alone!"
"Ah!" April looks absolutely offended. As she sees it makes no difference how she feels she huffs and snaps, "Fine! Then I'll just go right now!" She turns hard on her heel and stomps toward the exit.
Donnie starts. He scrambles after her and leaps over her head. He lands perfectly in front of her, blocking her path. "Come on, April." He pleads. "Please don't do this. Don't be stubborn like you usually are." He clasps his hands. "We just want you to be safe.
April glares heatedly at him. A deep frown curves her lips as she waits expectantly for him to remove himself from her path. Again, she is not obliged. This time, however, she sighs bitterly. She hangs her head and shakes it slowly. "Donnie," She looks back up at him, sad but still heavily disapproving. "If it will really make you feel better. Then fine."
Donnie lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He smiles and his eyes dance with joyous relief. "Thank you, April." He nods to her. She doesn't know it, but he's using her as much as he's helping her. Once he drops her off it will be the chance he needs to track down Alopex. He feels a twinge of guilt over it, but he really can't be bothered in the moment. Only later will he feel like crap.
Leo stands. "Alright." He props himself against the arm of the couch. "We'll be waiting for you to get back. Then we'll go." He levels a hard look at Donnie. "Together." He sees the intent in his brother's eyes. He better not go out after that thing alone.
Donnie bites his lip and looks away from Leo. He focuses instead on April so it doesn't look too suspicious. "Right," He sounds a little too quiet and he knows it. "I'll be back as quick as I can." At least that's not a lie. He really will make it fast. "Come on April. Let's go."
April smile softly at him. "Alright." She glances over her shoulder as they go and waves back at the others. She really wishes she could stay and hang with them. She sentenced Casey to homework earlier and can't interrupt him now. Although he would probably love her for it.
They all wave back. The moment the two are out of sight though the remaining cheer evaporates from the room. Raph turns to Leo. "You think Donnie will be back?"
Leo shakes his head. "I don't know." He wishes he could say it would be because of April, but now he doesn't know. What's worse is he doesn't know where Donnie's desire to pursue the creature stems from. Donnie knows the thing, but it could easily be a rivalry, one where Donnie wants to deal with it on his own and keep the rest of them from being hurt. "We'll need to monitor where he goes."
Mikey looks back and forth between the two. Worry quickly builds in him. "You really think Donnie'll go on his own?" He ducks his head in apprehension. He doesn't want Donnie to get hurt like that guy on the news his brothers keep talking about.
Raph shrugs. He wants to reassure Mikey, but, "Anything's possible." Unfortunately. Maybe he should have followed the little geek. It would have kept him from going off like an idiot at least.
Mikey hangs his head. He whines softly.
Leo smiles sadly at his brothers. "Let's trust him though." He wishes that were as simple as it used to be.
Donnie walks side by side with April. It's a moment he's wanted for so long – alone time. Yet he can't enjoy it, not even a little. He barely focuses on her at all. His eyes dart around ceaselessly. His body tenses in preparation for the worst. If it is Alopex she won't threaten them, but a part of him thinks it could be an ordinary killer. In that case he must be ready to protect April.
It takes only a few minutes for April to realize that something is off with Donnie. She frowns deeply and eyes him suspiciously. Normally he would be cockblocking himself so hard by now. He would be stumbling over words and actions, his whole attention on her. But it's not.
She doesn't say anything at first. She waits for him to get comfortable, but it never happens. So with a heavy sigh she says, "Donnie, what is wrong with you?" And it's not what he wants her to believe. It's not the murderer. He could take a human blindfolded. It must be something else coupled with this that is making him act so strangely.
Donnie starts and jerks his head around to look at her. "Huh? Oh, oh…yeah, sorry. This whole thing is just…" His gaze flits to another alley and the thought dies on his lips.
April blows out a heavy breath. She shakes her head. Oh well. So what if he isn't paying her all the attention in the world. It's not like that bothers her. Ha. No way. In fact, it's nice. Yep. Nice. Right…? She folds her arms around herself and looks disconcertingly at him from the corner of her eye.
Donnie notices April's shift and he takes his eyes off of the alley for a moment to address her. And he misses it. A pair of golden eyes shine out of the darkness and a deep growl rumbles from the depths. Down on all fours Alopex crouches and tenses in preparation. Then she launches out at them.
April sucks in a sharp breath and jolts backwards. Her throat tightens and for a moment the sound is trapped, but in the next it opens and a bloodcurdling scream escapes her.
Donnie doesn't miss a beat. He swirls around and leaps over April. He draws his bow and swings it with all he has. As he comes down on her shock and horror twists his face, but he can not stop himself. He smacks her roughly across the face.
Alopex is thrown back and hits the wall hard. Her back arches with the blow and a sharp yelp escapes her lips. In the next instant she is on her feet again with her teeth bared and eyes narrowed into thin slits. Saliva froths from her mouth as she faces them.
Donnie draws back and gasps. "Alopex!" A jolt of fear and guilt intertwine. "I-I'm sorry! I-"
Alopex jumps at them again. She opens her jaws wide and snarls at Donnie.
Donnie starts and throws his bo staff up in front of him. "Alopex!" His eyes search her face desperately. Stop it! It's me!' What's wrong with her!?
Alopex attacks the weapon fiercely with her jaws, scrambling to snap it right in half. She swipes furiously with her claws to reach Donnie with them and throw him off balance.
April stands immobile. Her eyes are wide as bowling balls and her mouth agape. Her heart pounds relentlessly in her chest and her body quivers noticeably. W…What is…? It was a wolf! A wolf did this to me. Casey's words come back to her strong. "Oh. My. God." He wasn't lying.
Donnie shoves her back with as little force as possible. "Alopex!" His voice cracks. "Come on! This isn't you! Talk to me!"
Alopex crouches to make another go, then a flash of startling orange catches her eye. She jerks her gaze around and fixes her eyes on the small, defenseless girl. Yes…a human. So much better than a turtle. Than Donnie. Her ears droop for a moment and a tiny whimper escapes her, then it's gone again. She charges at the girl.
April shrieks. She jolts into action. She jerks her weapon up and slams it forward.
Alopex hisses as the blow makes a clean hit, leaving behind a gaping cut on her face. She glances down at it and then back at the girl. Her lips curl back and her razor sharp teeth show. Her ears flatten all the way against her head. She attacks.
April strikes out again.
This time Alopex ducks low. She springs back up and snaps her jaw around the weapon and tears it out of the girl's hold. She tosses it to the side and turns back on the girl. She licks her lips as she creeps closer.
"No!" Donnie screams. He throws himself between the two not having enough time to defend.
Alopex clamps her jaws around his wrist and digs in deep. The blood flows thick into her mouth and satisfies her hunger.
"Donnie!" April shrieks.
Donnie cries out and struggles to wrench himself from her strong hold. "Alopex," There are tears in his voice. "Don't hurt her." He pleads. "Don't hurt April."
Alopex freezes. Her grip loosens and a stunned realization sweeps over her. She releases him completely and slips back to the ground. "A…pril…" She shifts her crazed gaze to the girl just behind Donnie. The girl he had taken an intense blow for. So this is her. The girl he talks so much about. The heartless witch.
Donnie grasps at the wound and cringes in pain. "Yes," He heaves. "April. It's April. The one I told you about all those times. So please, don't hurt her."
"What?" April gasps. "You…you talked to this monster?" Fear continues its stranglehold on her, but a healthy dose of contempt lies in her eyes as she glowers at the monster before her.
Alopex's ears flatten and she snarls furiously. "April." She seethes. This witch makes Donnie cry every other day and then she has the audacity to call her a monster? Alopex digs her claws into the ground. "April…" The blood drips from her teeth and pure hatred, clear and certain, shows in her eyes beside the insanity. She snarls and makes a quick circle of the pair. She jumps at April.
April instinctively reaches for her weapon, but remembers a moment too late it is no longer in her possession. She throws her arms up as a last resort.
Donnie hates himself for it, but there's no choice. He rears his weapon back and smacks Alopex.
Alopex misses gasps at the force behind the blow and it thrown to the ground. She breathes heavily. She staggers up and faces Donnie, hurt swimming in her eyes.
Donnie sees it there and grimaces. His hands tremble around his staff. "Sorry…"
Stop apologizing all the time. She told him that once. She growls lightly and the hurt quickly fades to the background. Rage surges and her dark desires take ahold of her all over again. She doesn't care. She doesn't need April. Not now. She charges at Donnie.
Donnie's face shatters. "Alopex!" He holds up his weapon, but it is with little conviction. "Stop!" Tears sting his eyes.
Alopex does not. She scuttles between his feet and leaps up, twisting herself around. She latches onto his back and sinks her teeth into his shoulder. She tears mercilessly, the warm blood egging her on.
"Donnie!" April screams his name over and over again.
Donnie jabs her hard in the face repeatedly. He screams, but among the pain is evidence of emotional turmoil just as crippling.
Alopex relents after the fifth hit. She recoils and paws lightly at her face.
Donnie nearly falls over. He grabs at his shoulder and shakes terribly. This…this can't be happening. No. It can't really be this way.
"Donnie!" April rushes to him. She touches his gently. "Are you ok?" Her voice quivers and tears well in her eyes. This isn't like all those times before. This is serious. He's bleeding so badly.
"April," Donnie girts out. "Go."
"W-What?" April stares with wide, confused eyes at him.
"I said go!" He snaps. He regrets it instantly. "Please," He says softer but with no less desperation. "Get out of here. I can't let you get hurt too." I can't lose two people… "And I can't promise I can protect you like this."
"But…" April jerks her gaze to the animal. It's getting over the many blows Donnie gave it.
"Now." Donnie urges. He leans heavily on his bo staff.
April jolts forward. She scoops her weapon up as she races down the street and doesn't look back. She wants to. Oh how badly she wants to. She wants Donnie running right by her really. But she has something else she has to do. For both of their good. "Leo!" She screams into the t-phone. "Leo! Raph! Pick up!"
Leo's voice reaches her through the device. "April!" He tries not to, but he sounds just as frantic as she is. "What's wrong?" His heart clenches in terrified anticipation.
"Donnie!" She heaves. "Donnie! He-He-" She breaks off to draw in a deep breath. "He's being torn apart by this animal!" She chokes up.
Leo freezes. He nearly drops the t-phone he is so struck. No…
"What!?" April hears Raph in the background. His next words are loud, his mouth right up to the phone. "Don't worry April. We'll get him."
"Ok…" She whispers. She wants to stop then, her mission complete. But Donnie told her to run and she knows he meant to run home. So she doesn't stop, not until she reaches her aunt's apartment. Then, weak kneed, she collapses inside the door. She sinks down along the wall until she is sitting.
She draws her knees up close and closes her arms around them. Choked sobs escape her and tears finally run in a slow stream down her face. She lays her head down in her knees and shakes. She didn't want to run. She's no coward. But she ran. "Donnie…"
Donnie staves Alopex off as best he can, but both his arms are weak from the injuries. Sharp pains shoot through his limbs just by pushing his weapon against her teeth. His arms tremble with the effort.
Alopex bites down hard and at the perfect angle. She snaps the bo staff in half and lunges at Donnie. She takes him down in a breath and tears into his neck.
Donnie bucks beneath her and her aim is thrown off. Still, her teeth dig into his other shoulder and he screams. He wrestles her jaws open and pushes her back. Her teeth scrap his hands and they bleed freely.
Alopex stills suddenly. Her ears flick and her eyes dart back behind her. Voices. Familiar voices. She licks her lips and with a final cold look at Donnie's bleeding figure she leaps from him. She rushes forward and disappears into the night. The farther she runs the more her emotions catch up with her, settling on her in a thick layer that's nearly suffocating. Yet it never lasts long. Soon it will all be blurred beneath the raging desire for blood. She'll feel nothing again as she tears more people apart.
Donnie slowly sits up. He stares blankly ahead of him. Faintly he hears voices. It is what scared Alopex off. His expression shatters. Alopex… His lip trembles and tears rush up in his eyes. The voices grow louder still. It's his brothers. "Why?" He chokes out. Sobs rise in his throat and his whole body begins to shake. "Why did you do this?" The tears rush forward, spilling down his face and stinging as they mix with the cuts. Her claw marks.
Donnie sobs heavily. He brings his hands to his face and hides it there. "Why?" He says over and over again. His shaking turns to harsh convulsions. "I don't understand…" His is so absorbed in his turmoil that he does not hear his brother's reach him.
"Donnie!" Raph's sharp cry brings him back to reality. He lifts his face to reveal the heavy tears flowing down them. Red handprints are left behind as well. "Are you alright?" Raph kneels down and touches Donnie's arm gently.
Mikey drops down on his other side. His face contorts with fear. "You're bleeding all over the place…" His voice is tight. It is too much like that night with Casey so long ago. Only worse. His eyes are particularly drawn to the claw marks on Donnie's face. Could it be…had Donnie lied to him all those nights ago? Lied to them all?
Leo's brows furrow as he stands above the others. He looks hard down at Donnie, but his gaze perhaps is the one most sympathetic and concerned. A tight grimace stretches his lips. So that's it. He knew it. Poor Donnie. While the others fuss over his physical wounds, they don't see the real reason for his heavy sobs and tears. His little brother's heart has just been broken.
It is a wound that might not ever heal. Leo knows all too well. Whoever this animal is, she is not so different from Karai in Donnie's eyes. Which means they must stop her. Donnie will have to learn the hard way that feelings must be abandoned. Because a broken hearts may bleed, but it's better than one that does not beat.
Ok, so the premise behind this is that once animals get a taste for human they will primarily attack them. I don't know the validity of it, but I planned this without even thinking about that honestly. I was thinking as a fox she normally hunts her prey and once she got the thrill of attacking and subduing Slash like that she'd want the same thing over and over again. In the end I combined the two. Also, since Slash is a humanoid turtle, he is similar enough to humans to set off that instinct in her. Heck, you could go a step further and say her mutation made her unstable and so while a fox wouldn't normally react this way to blood Alopex's mutation made her all the more volatile.
So what did you think? I hope you liked it. I know I'm having fun. Please review!