Chapter 21: Strangler's Hill

Leo let out a small yawn as he hardly slept at all during the night, it's been a good day since they left Emberheim and camped out for the night, though he wasn't alone, April and Arna had also hardly slept, they all were occupied about the incidents in the past two towns they've been at, or atleast Arna was. April and Leo were still concerned about the unknown presence following them even now, and the major fact of April and her possible telekinesis powers.

Leo told her to keep them hidden for now as it was probably best for specific reasons that she understood, and Arna also kept her mouth shut about it for now.

"So is Strangler's Hill like where people got strangled to death?" Mikey questioned confusingly, "Why would you even ask that..?" Casey remarked, "Because of its name, duh." Mikey added. Arna gave a small chuckle, "No Mikey, it's nothing like that. It's just a name for the place, though there is a large cult that lives there and are bad people, if I remember correctly, the elder likes to hang out there because of the bar and drinks and the fact that cult actually likes the elder and accepts him to stay. I do not know why they do, the elder most likely did something to help them in order to allow this, or it could be something entirely else, I'm unsure. But there was this one young girl who actually did get strangled to death by a drunk cult member many many years back, rumors of it still go around."

"Spooky." Raph stated sarcastically, "Oh wow.." April remarked as she stopped and stared at what was ahead, Arna walked up beside her with a smile, "Beautiful, what are they?" April questioned her. Arna crossed her arms, "Willow Sakura Tree's, though they're more reddish and pink than just pink, they never die out or lose their color."

Leo let out a small sneeze, "Well I hope i'm not allergic to them." Leo remarked covering his mouth with a tired look, "I don't think that's it.. Something smells rotten, though hard to make out." Donnie stated as he glanced around, Leo just gave a weak wave to leave it as he walked past them all and continued to march on as sitting and standing around wouldn't get them anywhere.

The Willow Tree's had a very pretty dark color tone to them, they all were lined up and surrounded a large area with a path in the middle, and it seemed there was traditional decorations of white rope and strange red wood rectangles that hang from them that were lined up across through the entire path where they were all decently high up. April honestly liked it alot as it made her feel pleasant, she always loved chinese or japanese traditional decorations and festivals, though she's never been to one.

After a good while of walking down the path, they all stopped for a short break. Arna had stated along the way that Stranglers Hill was a large building and had a very tall tower that could be noticeable from afar, but where they were was somewhat difficult for that with all these Sakura Willow tree's that were huge.

April glanced around and noticed Leo was missing, Casey and Mikey were arguing over the best video game and Raph was sharpening one of his sai's, Donnie was talking with Arna to know more about this Dimension. "Where's Leo?" April questioned, "Up there." Raph remarked as he pointed with his sai.

April glanced up and saw him crouching on one of the traditional ropes, scouting and looking ahead and also to get a better and higher view for the building, Jogo was next to him on the rope as well and she was directly staring and looking down at April and gave a small meow when she noticed her look up.

"Should he really be up there?" April remarked as she glanced at Raph who shrugged lightly, "You know how he is, he ain't going to let some broken bones stop him if that's what you're worried about." Raph stated as he looked up at her, "Well not just that, pretty sure would have to be higher to even notice the building…" April added unsurengly.

Raph chuckled lightly, "I don't know how Leo does it, but he can spot the smallest mouse lurking about from a pretty good distance. I'm sure he already has eyes on that building despite the tree's and his ribs." "No wonder you fear him a bit." April mocked with a small smirk on her face, Raph hesitated and gave her an annoyed glare but didn't say anything or perform any action, April knew she wasn't wrong as he didn't deny it.

Leo stood up on the ropes and lightly leaned to reduce the weight on his right side where his broken bones were as he turned around to face the group, he glanced down and noticed Arna already looking up at him. "Do you see it, Leonardo?" Arna questioned him as she had to shout up at him.

Leo raised an eye at her, "Just Leo is fine… but yes I see it." Leo stated as he raised his arm slightly and pointed behind her, "And something intimidating behind you." He added.

Arna gave a confused look but turned around to see what he was pointing at and referring too, both Casey and Mikey were directly in her face and made stupid faces right in hers as she turned and let out roars, this frightened her as she leaped back with a yelp.

Both Mikey and Casey started laughing loudly, "Got you good!" Casey laughed, Arna gave them a small glare as she let out a deep breath of relief, "Very funny...and uncalled for." She remarked unpleasantly. Arna began to back up slowly with a frightened and worried expression on her face, Mikey and Casey both stopped laughing from this as they instantly noticed.

It wasn't just Arna, Leo had a hand on the hilt of one his swords and became defensive up on the rope, Raph also became defensive with his sai, April also had a frightened and unsure look on her face, Donnie pulled out his staff and also backed up towards Arna to protect her. Mikey and Casey both turned around to where they all were looking at and becoming defensive towards, there, right in front of them, stood a large zombie looking wolf, staring dead at them all.

Casey and Mikey clung to each other frighteningly, the wolf didn't do anything, it just stared at them all. "Z-Dog." Arna remarked surprised, "That thing is huge, you didn't say they were this huge!?" April growled lowly, "They aren't normally this big, this one must've been alive and around for ages for it to be this size." Arna added.

The Z-Dog was about the size of the Willow tree's, it also smelled very bad, rotten. Leo glanced down at Jogo, she hardly reacted or became defensive, she also just stared at the creature and didn't seem frightened at all. Leo removed his hand from the hilt of his sword and glanced back at the Z-Dog, "Put your weapons away." Leo stated at the others.

"What!? Are you insane!?" Raph growled. April remembered what Arna said about the Z-Dogs, they were just like Jogo's species and were friendly unless they were hungry or felt threatened. "Do what he says!" April growled at him, Raph growled lowly to himself but listened as he sheathed his sai, Donnie also put his staff back into its sheath.

The Z-Dog continued to stare for a while longer but immediately began to be on its way as it slowly turned its head away from them the second they all put their weapons away and vanished into the trees with a small rumble purr.

Leo jumped down from the branches as they all were astonished and stared at the general direction it walked off towards, Leo let out another large sneeze and covered his mouth with a small annoyed growl, "Yep… that was it.." "Again, you never cease to amaze me." Arna remarked as she turned towards Leo, "I heard rumors there was a Z-Dog that lived and lurked around here, though I figured they were false." Arna added with a finger to her chin as she thought.

"Just because more people say it's not true doesn't mean it's possible that it could be." Donnie remarked. Arna shrugged with a small sigh, "We should camp out ahead, it's getting dark."

Mikey and Casey glanced up as Arna was correct, and seemed they'd been walking a while without realizing it, and this sudden occurrence of the Z-Dog held them off on time as well even though it wasn't long, But then again, days didn't last very long here in this Dimension.

Mikey and Casey immediately pointed at each other, "Night Shift!" they both shouted at each other. "No way, it's your turn dude! Leo did it last night!" Casey growled, Mikey gave a small bellow, "Nuh uh! When's the last time you ever were helpful and pulled a night shift!" Mikey growled.

Casey dropped his hand and gave a small annoyed sigh, "You got me there… fine i'll do it." Mikey giggled in victory and both him and Casey glanced at the others who had already left them to argue over night shift. "Wait up!" They both cried as they ran to catch up to the others.

The building they saw was still a distance aways and would still take a good few hours of more walking, night time was far more dangerous than day when you're venturing out and about. The group setup camp in the trees a distance away from the path, Mikey and Donnie were the firsts to pass out and fall asleep after eating and then Raph shortly after.

Casey was lurking in a tree and sitting on a branch, keeping watch considering he lost the battle with Mikey for the night shift turn. Leo and April glanced at each other as they both felt the same presence again of someone following them, all this time they've came to the conclusion who ever it was, was either just studying and spying on them to learn about them or were waiting for them arrive somewhere, or could've been something else entirely, but they stayed cautious.

Jogo was sitting below Leo and stared at him as he was leaned back against a tree eating some soup, this was her way of begging for food. Leo wasn't entirely hungry himself and already had a few bites, he rested the bowl beside him and next to Jogo to let her have the rest.

April knew Leo loved Jogo quite a bit, he just didn't like to show it. She gave a small smile and turned to face Arna who was sipping down the last of her soup, "So what are we expecting at Stranglers Hill? By how silent you've been about it, it must be dangerous."

Arna gently put the bowl down and wiped her mouth as she gazed at April and gave a small sigh, "I wanted to wait until we arrived fully there, but yes, it is a dangerous place. Like I said, it's where a large cult lives. It's one large building where they all stay at, outsiders are welcomed under certain circumstances that I don't really remember what they are due to the fact they usually change often. I also heard that this cult knows stuff that the outside world does not know, though that's just rumors as well."

"So in short, we're headed right into a dangerous cult motel?" Leo questioned as he slightly gave a small glare at Arna knowing she wasn't entirely telling everything. Arna returned his glare with one of her own and nodded, "They're called The Stranglers of course, enemies of the Blanders too, so hopefully we don't run into a small war or invasion of them in the morning. So yes, they're known to be ruthless killers when needed."

Arna layed down and faced her back at the two, "Now get some sleep." April glanced at Leo and shrugged, seemed like if she was hiding something they wouldn't find out until they arrived at the so-called Stranglers motel. Raph had finished sharpening his other sai and went off to sleep himself, after a few hours, almost everyone was asleep and passed out, some snoring away, including Casey who fell asleep as well.

Leo couldn't sleep again, he just sat back against the tree petting Jogo who rested on his lap as he stared at the dimming fireplace. Leo gave a small sigh and slumped down sadly, "Only time will tell, huh…" Leo mumbled lowly as he remembered past training with Splinter in recalling the future, Splinter always said that to him and his brothers when questions couldn't be answered.

Jogo instantly shot her head upward and stared in a general direction, Leo froze as he immediately realized why Jogo reacted so quickly. It was the Z-Dog, the same one from before on the path, staring down directly at him and none of the others. He was completely lost in thought and didn't even sense, hear or notice it, he wondered how long it stood there, staring at him.

He didn't even notice or react to the rotten smell it produced until now as he covered his nose and mouth with a hand and stared back at the zombie wolf. Leo was confused and unsure what to do, him and Jogo were the only ones awake and it didn't seem like this creature posed a threat, and the fact it approached their camp, Leo was unsure if the creature was blind or not.

But considering the fact it was staring directly at him, it was unlikely that it was blind, it's eyes were pale and looked blind, though, then again, the creature was practically a zombie. Jogo hardly reacted at all, she only stared back at the creature herself too and didn't do anything, it was pretty much a staring contest it seemed like.

The creature hardly reacted at all to the others around him, even with Raph's loud occasional snoring. The creature slowly walked up towards Leo, it hardly gave off any sound from it's footsteps, no wonder Leo didn't hear it.

Leo didn't bother to stand up or become defensive, he allowed it to approach him, though he did dislike and hate the rotten smell it gave off, and the closer it came the stronger the smell. Leo came to the conclusion that the beast most likely didn't like him and the others in its land, but if that was the case, it would've attacked.

Jogo still did nothing and only continued to stare at it, despite how close it was getting too. The large beast stood right next to Leo and lowered its head to his level and came nose to nose with Jogo, Leo only watched and stayed calm.

Jogo gave a small growl and then a gentle meow, the creature turned its head to face and look at Leo, only to stare at him a short while before letting out a large wave of air from its nostrils right onto Leo. Leo almost felt like passing out with how bad the smell was, he was trying to hold back a sneeze as well.

Jogo gave another small meow as she looked up at Leo also, Leo glanced down at her unsurengly and then back at the creature. Leo slowly removed his hand from his mouth and nose as the creature seemed to have a gentle and pleasing look in its eyes, it also shortly gave a small happy sort of purr.

The creature most likely felt alone, maybe even abandoned, Leo remembered that Arna said that this one Z-Dog considering its size was old and has lived for ages, so it made Leo wonder how long this poor creature must've felt alone and having to survive on its own without any help or someone to at least help or acknowledge it, just like Jogo.

Leo felt bad for it, he gently placed his hand on top of the creature's snout, despite it's nasty smell, it was surprisingly soft but also boney. The creature closed its eyes, it almost looked happy and/or relieved as it seemed to also have a smile, it also gave a small purr, in short, it seemed to be saying thank you.

Letting out another wave of air from it's nostrils right in Leo's face, the creature turned around and slowly walked away into the trees and slowly vanished. Leo had small tears in his eyes from the smell and let out a sneeze, covering his mouth he let out an annoyed growl and grasped his side as it hurt from the sneeze, 'Now im for sure not going to be able to sleep.' Leo thought with an unamused expression on his face.

Leo and Jogo managed to fall asleep after a while, the fireplace died out about another hour after. Arna and Donnie were the first two to wake up, "What is that smell?" Donnie remarked as he slowly lifted himself and covered his nose, "The Z-Dog." Arna stated as she cleaned up most of the camp.

Donnie only gave her a confused look, "The Zombie Wolf, seems like it visited us during the night when we were asleep, but no one's hurt." Arna said as she gave him a stern and unamused look.

"More like it visited Leo." April stated as she lifted herself, she had just woke up herself and heard the conversation. Both Arna and Donnie looked at her confusingly, April shrugged lightly as she was unsure herself.

Leo let out a sudden sneeze which spooked the others, he had a hand covering his mouth and nose and was giving them an unamused and tired look, "Sorry…" "You're most likely allergic to the mold that creature had." Donnie stated as he tilted his head slightly, he could smell it.

The sneeze even spooked Jogo in his lap as she shot her head upward frighteningly. "You've been sneezing almost all night, best we wake the others and leave already considering that thing lives in these trees and has that smell all over." April stated worriedly, she knew his allergies with the smell of the mold and rot from the creature would just get worse the longer they stayed in its land, he wasn't the only one, she personally was getting tired and sick of the smell herself, so were the others most likely.

They didn't argue or disagree, Donnie, Arna and even Leo wanted to leave and get to their destination already. Raph and Mikey were the hardest to wake up, Casey woke himself up as he pretty much turned over and fell off the branch he fell asleep on.

After everyone was awake, they spent the rest of the good hours walking and following the trail. Jogo had vanished again and knowing her, she would reappear out of nowhere again like she always did.

"Woooaahh!" Mikey shockingly stated as he slumped a bit in amazement, "This place is so much larger than I thought you said it was…" Donnie added, also in amazement. They all had finally reached the Stranglers Hill building and stared directly at it with its large tower also, "And it's pretty awesome looking." Raph remarked with small confusement.

They all approached the doors and came to a halt, the door had a magical barrier on it and a sign above it in an unknown language that only Arna seemed to be able to read and understand, though she needed a short while to make it out. Mikey and Casey randomly started to play rock paper scissors while Raph, Donnie and Arna stared at the sign, Leo and April weren't entirely interested with how tired they were and April was fidgeting with her nails and fingers.

"Well, what's it say?" Raph growled at the two nerds. Arna turned and gave him an unamused look, "It says, only couples are allowed to enter." "Couples? Then me and Donnie will go in." Raph remarked as he wanted to find this elder already, Arna gave a small annoyed sigh, "It's not that simple, couples are two people, a boy and a girl that share a close relationship or semi-close relationship."

Raph gave an unamused look, "Then why don't you go with one of us?" Arna facepalmed as she was beginning to be annoyed and angered, "I still hardly know any of you, and haven't even built any kind of good relationship with any of you yet. Even if we still did that, that barrier wouldn't allow us in, it will know if we share a good relationship or not."

Raph came to realization and instantly had a smirk on his face, Arna only stared at him confusingly as it sort of scared her. Raph slowly turned, "Leeeooo, Aprrilll." He slowly mocked happily, Arna and Donnie instantly realized what he was planning and thought out and they both smiled along and looked at the two who were standing next to each other and the other two.

April glanced up as she wasn't entirely paying attention and noticed all three of them staring at her and someone else, she glanced to her left and noticed they were also staring at Leo who only gave them an unamused look, Leo had already overheard their conversation and wasn't saying anything as he wasn't going to deny it or be negative towards it.

April immediately picked up on what they were planning and she shot a surprised look at them, "Oh no, no, it's not like that!" April growled somewhat embarrassed, "Why don't Arna and Donnie go?! You two have been getting along!" She added.

"We hardly even gotten along just yet, meanwhile you two have known each other before I even met you all." Arna remarked happily, "There's gotta be another waayyy!" April growled annoyingly, she hated how they seemed to see her and Leo, she didn't want to say anything about he's always wanted a sister.

Arna sighed lightly, "There is no other way, Raph, Donnie." Donnie and Raph smirked as they walked up to the two and grabbed them, April and Leo were both tossed through the barrier forcefully. "The barrier didn't reject them, so cute." Arna chuckled lightly, "Leo is so going to kill us afterward." Donnie frighteningly stated with a small sob, "Please don't remind me." Raph added.

The barrier faded away and the doors slammed closed behind the two after they were thrown in and entered the building, April shot upward angrily and ran at the doors trying to force them open as she gave a large annoyed growl. "You guys are so getting it when we get out of here!" April growled, "If only… I knew… how to control this damn telekinesis… I could've thrown them in here instead!" April added angrily.

The door wasn't budging at all, it was completely sealed with magic. The door was going to stay closed and wasn't going to reopen until they had entered the actual part of the building it seemed.

April leaned back a bit with an angered expression still, "They seriously don't know the complexity of a brother and sister relationship." Leo was very quiet, April noticed this, she stopped and glanced over at him. He was sitting slumped on his knees with his head drooped down and grasping his side, April gave a sad and worried look knowing his ribs were excruciatingly painful right now, especially after being tossed in against own will.

Leo already knew April was looking down at him but he didn't bother to move or look at her as he was showing and admitting his pain, April let out a small sigh and walked over to him and knelt down beside him. "You really should be resting." April stated worriedly, Leo only lowered his head a bit more, "Sorry…" He remarked painfully.

They both knew they didn't have that kind of time, it would take several weeks to two or four months for them to fully heal. April already knew he was enduring the pain all this time since the first break occurred, and he was really damn good at hiding it. April let out another small sigh, "Just… Promise me you'll take it easy at least? I don't want you to develop pneumonia or severe pain when breathing."

Leo gave April a small confused look, he was unsure what pneumonia was as he hardly knew any medical terminology himself, April noticed this instantly and gave him an unamused expression, "It's an infection in the lungs and normally broken ribs cause it if they worsen." April stated seriously, again, she was glad she took a medical class.

Leo gave a small sigh, "I can't promise you, but I'll try." That's all April needed to hear, even if he couldn't promise it, the fact he would try relieved her, even if it was just a bit. April was sick and tired of losing people she cared about, and she wasn't going to lose anymore, especially Leo and the others, including Arna and Jogo.

April was about to help Leo as she was about to stand, but they both froze and halted when they heard a small sound approach them. Leo looked down beside him and April also peered over, "Jogo!?" April remarked shockingly. Jogo let out a small meow as she rubbed her side happily against Leo and then sat down with another small happy meow, Leo gave a small smile and petted her with his free hand.

"How did she even get in?" April questioned as she glanced around, "Probably a crevice or something, either way she's a little rascal." Leo remarked, April only gave an unamused expression as she didn't see any crevice nearby, though she did agree with him on Jogo being a little rascal.

All three of them froze in slight frighten and shock when a loud growl echoed throughout the hall and room they were in, both April and Leo gazed at where the growl came from, it was extremely close. "Did Arna mention anything about a guardian or monster when entering?" April questioned frighteningly as they all noticed something large move around in the side of the room where it was dark and hard to see.

Whatever it was, it was decently larger than any of them and slowly approached them. It slowly showed itself as it came out more into the light and turning to face them, both April and Leo became shocked and somewhat frightened with what they saw as it stood in the light and stared at them with its large pure gold eyes. April was unsure what it was entirely as it also appeared different, but one thing she knew for sure what it was based on any mythology creatures and what they've all already encountered was a major and simple fact, "A Dragon!?"