A Turtle on the Outside, a Wolf on the Inside

by Sairey13

Before Yoshi got the turtles from the Pet Store, Leo was found playing with the manager's dog, who was told to be a wolf-hybrid. Right before Yoshi took the turtles away, Leo ate some of the canine's fur and when he got mutated, the mutagen somehow enhanced the inside of his body to match a wolf's behavior and abilities. NO T-CEST, LEORAI or APRITELLO!

8. How Doth the Sewer Monster

Flashback: April 17th, 2007; a Month and a Week Later...
"C'mon, Leo. You've gotta still be in the sewer somewhere." Raph said to himself, making his way down the tunnel of a closed off section of the sewer, after removing some of the wooden boards to make a hole big enough for him to get through with ease.

Normally, he nor his brother would ever think about going to any of the closed off sections of the sewers. Mostly, because Splinter told them how dangerous they can be and those dangers, alone, are usually the reasons why they're closed off in the first place. Not only that, but the closed off section that Raphael just entered has a current, which is another trail connect to his, that leads to a large waterfall and a couple of pipes that has the waters leave for the ocean.

Because the water level has been rising because of some non-stop rain they've been having, the preteen has to be careful to not run or move too quickly, for the ground he walks on is terribly wet and if he were to make so much as one slip off the ground, no doubt the current will be carrying him to his watery grave.

"Leo, can you hear me?!" Raph hollered out, his message echoing off the walls and traveling down the tunnel he trail leads to. Nobody called back to the turtle, much to his disappointment. "C'mon, Leo, give me some sign that you're here!" Again, nothing and nobody answered back to him. Tears swelled up in his emerald-green eyes, which he refused to wipe off his face or to even acknowledge them in the moment. "Please, Leo! Give me a clue at least to help me figure out wherever you are, and get you to come back home!"

The only sound he hears are the raging waters underneath the floor he stood on, the random sewer rats who pass him by in search for food and the fading echoing of his voice carrying off into the distance. Frustration coursed throughout his entire being.

"Even when I say 'please', you still refuse to answer me..." He said to himself, clenching his hands into fists. His heart beats heavily from the discovery, but it still burns with determination and refusal to give up. "With or without your help, bro, I'm not gonna quit finding you!"

With his head held high and having a gut feeling that he's going to find his big brother, he continued on with his quest, heading for the other end of the tunnel... Only to find himself at a dead end and no more concrete to walk on, only a waterfall pouring water and a deep pool of water blocking his path. The turtle rubbed his hand on top of his head.

"A dead end?... Did I took a wrong turn, or is this as far as I can go?" Looking around, besides their being a couple of pipes hanging up higher on the walls and a few wires that are most likely old electric wires that went dead and no longer connected to any electricity, it was pretty clear it was the end of the line for the turtle and needs to head back to his father and two younger brothers.

With a heavy deep sigh and eyes downcast, Raphael turned around and slowly walked his way to where he came. Five steps into the tunnels, he ceased his walking when his ears captured the sound that sounded like a very deep gurgling coming from the water. Turning his head, he stared back at the water, where he then saw bubbles forming near the ground he was just standing at. He knew that they weren't the foam-like bubbles that waterfalls would make, but the kind of bubbles that would form when something... better yet, somebody, were moving in the water or releasing air from holding their breaths for too long.

Taking a few steps back to the dead end, Raph leaned in forward over the water, staring at the bubbles with major curiosity and hoping that it was a sign to tell him that it was Leonardo.

"...Leo?... Is that you?" His answer to that, is the bubbles getting bigger and a loud rumbling that almost sounded like it was telling him 'no'. '...That ain't Leo...' His stomach felt itself twisting into knots when the rumbling sound didn't ceased or the bubbles continues to increase its numbers and size.

"Ggggrrrrrrrrrrr..."

The rumbling sound grew, that the red-mask turtle swore that it caused an earthquake to come to New York. He lost his balance when he felt something bang itself against the concrete he stood, along with being spooked by the bubbles growing like water boiling over a hot stove, and fell on his shell. 'What's the shell's going on?!' If he had known that thinking the question would answer his question, he would regret ever thinking it if he had known it would be answer by the sound of a large figure leaping out of the water and coming down on him.

"RRRRAAAAWWWWWRRRRR!"

Immediately, and thanks to his ninja training for enhancing his reflexes, Raphael pulled back and backflipped himself away from whatever it was that tried to jump at him... When his emerald-green eyes laid its sight on the being, his jaw dropped and immediately had a look of fear and horror when he sees a savage, blood-thirsty albino crocodile standing right in front of him and ready to take another bite at him.

From what he could see and guess, the massive beast looks like it can be thirty feet long and seems to be a few inches taller than the midrange of the five foot height, along with its weight being three-thousand or more pounds of pure muscle. The fangs are long and thick, ready to tear through flesh and solid steel. It's dagger-like claws dug into the concrete floor, making cracks and small craters to form from the beast nailing itself above the surface to not allow the current to drag him away from where he now stands. The scales, obviously, are white and appear to had been rubbed to sharpen its body. Although, for some reason, some of the scales looks as if they're falling off of its body as if it was shedding its scutes, which the crocodile could most likely be going through since crocodiles don't shed their skins like snakes do. While most of the tail hangs off of the ground and remains within the flow of the water, no doubt it was what hit against the concrete floor and could be dangerous to get near of if the turtle believes the back would be weaker than the front.

The bloodshot-red eyes of the crocodile zeroed in on Raphael, who stood paralyzed in fear from the sight of the mighty beast, sending a clear message that not only did it not appreciate the ten year-old for intruding in its territory, but now sees him as its next kill. It let loose a low growl and snapped its jaw into the air, as it slowly but calmly stalked its way towards the boy, its tail dragged out of the waters and swaying side-to-side in case it would need to be used to subdue the turtle if he tries to flee.

As it slowly approaches its prey, Raphael took a few steps back with every step it took, not really thinking on what the plan is but to keep his distance, until he tripped over a brick and once again, fell on his shell. Once he was down, the crocodile moved in and pinned the turtle down with its right-clawed hand, its long-nails inches from piercing his skin and having to use barely little strength to keep the turtle down. Raph squirmed underneath its hold, trying to break free, but proved to be a waste of effort when the beast kept him locked in place and ready to bite his head off with its massive jaw.

"Oh, god... Oh, holy mother of god..."

He knew, right there and then, that he's literally staring Death in the face and his fate is in the hands... Er, claws, of the white sewer crocodile and he there was nothing he can do to save himself from his fate. Not wanting to stare into the bloodlust-eyes of his soon-be killer, he had his emerald-green eyes turn their gaze to stare at something else, which is at the hand that pins him to the ground... And, to his shock and possible horror, he sees a blue-bandana tied around the beast's hand.

It's true that a lot of items are found in the sewers and a lot of humans will toss away any sort of items into the sewers, but Raphael knows that the beast didn't just gain that bandana from a human being wasteful. Just by feeling it rub off against his plastron and one of his arms, along with a faint scent of japanese incense that the turtle recognize the scent from the dojo, it's the same material Splinter used to make their masks with... Meaning that the blue-bandana, tied around the crocodile's hand, is Leonardo's blue-bandana.

The sick feeling in Raph's stomach grew, as did his anger when his gaze stayed on the bandana, which he also noticed a couple of darker-spots that isn't from being soaked in the water.

"...Where... Where did you get that bandana?" He growled out, glancing up at the face of the crocodile, who simply let loose a few hissing sounds when he spoke to it. He can also see the anger in the red-eyes, along with disgust, rage... But most of all, satisfaction and vengeance. Raph got his answered from the look in the creature's eyes, which made him even angrier. "What did you do to Leo?" The creature simply snapped its jaw into the air, trying to scare the turtle, but he didn't back down that easily this time. "What did you do to my brother?!" That time, something else answered his question: The growling sound of the crocodile's stomach.

Putting two and two together, the red-masked turtle felt his entire world fall apart. Thinking that his big brother must've also came to this closed off section, just to get away from his family and brothers in thought that they truly never cared or loved him, only to be found by the white beast and... Eaten... It was enough to get Raphael to slowly pull out one of his Sais from his belt, which the crocodile wasn't pinning to the ground, and, with the flick of his wrist, jabbed the middle point of his weapon straight through the monster's hand. The jab was enough to spill blood, forcing the crocodile to lift its hand off of the turtle and freeing him from its grasp. Before the beast pulled away, Raphael made a quick grab for his brother's blue-bandana, clutching it in his grasp and around the handle of his Sai.

Now free, and letting his anger get the best of him, but not before he tied the bandana around his Sai and bringing out his other Sai, he clashed the two weapons together in front of his face.

"Teme (You [bastard/bitch])...!" He snarled out, uncrossing his weapons and rubbing one over the other, forming sparks to jump off the metal and onto the wet-concrete. "I'll kill you, Yajuu (Monster, beast or wild animal)!" The crocodile let loose a mighty roar, daring and mocking the turtle to come at it, which it worked.

Raph charged, surprisingly keeping his feet firmly on the ground and able to avoid tripping or losing his footing, then he launched himself in the air and aimed his Sais down at the beast's head. Already having an idea on where the turtle wants his weapons to be at, the crocodile shifted itself to have its tail take over the spot where its head used to be and, when the turtle got close, whacked him to the other side of the tunnel, pushing him aside as if it was swatting a fly away.

The mere force of the creature's tail knocked the wind out of Raph and landed harshly against the wall with his shell, forcing him to release both of his weapons and to gain a major headache, as he slid down the wall and back to the ground. Taking the opportunity of having the turtle down and temporarily disoriented, the crocodile crossed the current with ease, sat the upper-half of its body above the water and aimed its snout and fangs at the turtle.

Move!

His ninja sense gave him a quick command and after shaking the ache and dizziness out of his head, after staring up to see the crocodile about to do grab him with its snout, he forced his body to roll to the left, barely able to dodge the attack just in time and for the beast to ram its head through the wall. With the creature's head still inside the whole and finding one of his Sais next to his feet, Raphael made a swipe for his weapon and launched himself in the air, aiming his weapon for its neck. Unfortunately, his timing was a bit late than he anticipated, because the albino monster pulled its head out of the hole and when it saw the turtle flying towards it, the creature once again lifted its upper-half of his body off the ground, now having the turtle's aim for its face and in front of its snout.

Too bad for the albino crocodile, for when he was about to open its mighty jaw, Raph made a risky move on tossing his weapon aside and spreading his arms wide open, landing perfect on top of the beast's snout and wrapping both arms and legs over its jaw, preventing it from opening its mouth. Looking straight into the crocodile's blood-red eyes and seeing he had prevented his enemy from opening his jaw, Raph let loose a wide smirk.

"Ha!" He mocked, keeping a firm grip on the creature' mouth. "I got your big, fat, mouth shut! What ya gonna do about it, huh?!"

That was his big mistake to do and to ask; to answer his question, the albino crocodile let loose its own smirk, followed by a rumbling sound mixed with a low hiss... Then, it forced the upper-half of its body backwards, sending the both of them back to the waterfall and into the pool of the deep water.

Before they went under, Raph was able to gasp out a mouth of air to help him last longer in the water, though when they hit the water, he almost screamed when his shell splashed into the water and a course of pain spread throughout his back from being slammed against the wall, shell first. Instead of screaming his pain, he clenched his mouth shut and tightened his grip onto the monster's snout, refusing to let go of his enemy.

Annoyed and irritated by its prey keeping a firm grip on his mouth, the albino crocodile tried to shake him off by jerking his head from side-to-side. The ten year-old didn't let go. It then dived up for the surface and, with the upper-half of its body out of the water, tried to shake him off and even slammed its head back into the water. That time, Raph's grip slipped from the water and being slammed back into the water, sending him flying back into the water.

The gator dived back down and swam after the boy, who struggled to get back to the surface. It then opened its mouth, all his fangs aimed for the boy's head, and clamped down hard... It missed the turtle's head, but it grabbed of the tail of his bandana. Feeling it has something within the hold of his teeth, the albino crocodile performed the Death Roll, spinning its body as fast as a boat propeller would spin when at full throttle. In just five spins, the tails of the bandana shred, and Raph, feeling himself slipping and getting a bit dizzy, shifted himself to face the beast's head and clamped himself back down on the crocodile's snout.

Beyond angry that its prey's putting up a fight and that he missed biting the boy's head, it decided that it was time to put an end to this childish game. It ceased the Death Roll, launched itself and Raph out of the pool, landing harshly back into the tunnel on its belly and rammed its head against the wall. The harsh pain of having his shell and back of his head slammed against the wall, again, got Raph to let go and to cry out in pain, sliding down the wall and to lay on his side when he finally found himself on the ground. He lifted only the upper-half of his body off the ground and placed a hand on his head, trying to shake off the pain and dizziness inside his head.

With its prey trying to regain focus to what's going on and to put up another fight, the monster stomped over to the turtle and, once again, held him down to the floor. Only, this time, it chose to slam its paws on Raphael's legs, forcing a cry of pain and fear out of the turtle when one of it's claws embedded itself into the ten year-old's right-leg. Blood surfacing from underneath the claw and the palm of its hand pressed down hard to damage his left-ankle.

"AUGH!" Raphael had no doubt that he would scream his lungs out. Never in his entire life had he screamed out so loud, that the humans from above would probably be able to hear his cry of pain. He tried to wrench the crocodile's claw out of his leg, but the sharp-nail stayed firm in its place, slowly digging further for the tip to nearly scrape against the bone. And with both his Sais far from his reach, he has no use of weapon to help him fight off with his enemy.

Once again, he's in the mercy and staring up fearing into the blood-eyes of the albino crocodile. This time, he has no possible chance on getting himself free or to continue on putting up a fight... He now accepts his fate of dying, and he's not going to get the chance to say goodbye to his family or to even tell Leonardo that he was sorry.

Gritting his teeth together and allowing the tears to stream down his face, Raphael laid his head down on the concrete floor, showing no sign on fighting back and letting the albino crocodile know he's surrendering.

"Gomen'nasai (I'm sorry) Leo... I'm so sorry." He whispered to himself, slowly closing his eyes to envision his big brother as the last thing he wanted to see and not the killer that's going to eat him. "...I love you, bro."

---

Leonardo's POV

"AUGH!"

I lifted my head when I heard a scream echoing off the walls and down the tunnels of the sewers. My Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes widen in horror when I heard the cry; I knew that cry from anywhere. I knew that scream of pain. I know the voice of the one who cries out in pain and fear... I know who it was, because that scream belongs to my brother, Raphael.

I sniffed the air and let loose a low snarl when I smelled not only my brother, but I also smelled his blood... And, the scent that albino monstrosity that rules the West parts of New York's Sewer: White Death, the Sewer Monster.

"Leo? What's wrong?" I turned to Mamoru*, a black-rat with white on his stomach and over his eyes, who hopped on my shell from behind when he heard me snarl.

"White Death." I growled out, forcing a hiss and the rise of his fur from the rat from simply saying the creature's name. "And he has one of my brothers." He cocked his head to the side in confusion. He knows that I have brothers, but isn't sure which of my brothers I'm referring to.

"Which one?" I gave him a sad glance in my eyes.

"...The one who wished I die." His brown-eyes widen from the information, then he hopped off my shoulder, standing in front of me with fear in his eyes. He know that if I can smell the monster's scent anywhere near from our scavenging areas or turf, then it means he's coming for us and/or whatever else he can find while searching for food.

"We must warn the others and head back to the Colony!" He informed me, sprinting underneath me towards the direction we came from. Mamoru's right that we must leave before White Death comes after us, but my blood ran cold on the thought on what he could do to my brother and to the rest of my pack if the monster finds them.

My heart beat heavily from the thought of my hotheaded brother, wanting to head for White Death's Den and rescue Raphael from being eaten, but also reminded by the hurtful words he told me... The very reason to why I ran away from the den in the first place, and now living with a colony of rats in the eastern parts of the city's sewer... Which, honestly, I'm more happy to be in than upset and/or angry, even though I'm very hurt and upset of the situation.

I was about to follow Mamoru, but just a single step towards his direction, my body froze still and my protective instincts as the big brother demanded that I go save Raphael.

What are you doing?! Raph needs you! Go to him!

I shook his head.

'No, he doesn't.' I thought to himself, glaring down at my reflection of the calming current of the sewer water underneath the floor I walk on. 'He and the others are no longer my responsibility. Besides,' I stared up to the tunnel in front of me. 'The Colony's my new pack, my new responsibility, that I must protect. Splinter will save him.' I took another step forward and immediately, I felt like a kick in the stomach when I sensed my Conscience not being the only one who's fighting me.

PUP DARES TO ABANDON KIN?! ABANDON OWN FLESH AND BLOOD, TO BE KILLED BY CLAWS OF WHITE DEATH?! COWARD! TRAITOR!

The headache build up inside my head and I would've fall into the ankle-length water, if I wasn't on all-four and my hands didn't catch me when I lost my balance for a moment.

PUP SWORE TO PROTECT KINS AND ALPHA FROM HARM, NOT RUN OFF SCARED WITH TAIL BETWEEN LEGS! PUP MADE PROMISE TO NEVER LEAVE PACK UNPROTECTED!

I let out a roar of a snarl, slamming my own head against the wall to try and beat the pain inside my head with pain, itself.

'Newsflash, in case you forgotten: I already left them!' I yelled in his mind, oblivious to Mamoru had ceased his running and came back to me, concerned when he heard my snarl of frustration and anger. 'And don't think that I wanted to leave them; I would've stayed and continue watching over them, protecting them from those who would harm us! However, Raphael made it very clear that they don't need me, let alone wanted me in the beginning!' I then slammed my hand into the water, not caring what was in the water that splashed back at me. 'MY GOD, HOW MANY TIMES DO I NEED TO KEEP ARGUING WITH YOU BOTH THAT IT'S OVER?!"

Until we get through to your thickhead that your family needs you, as much as you need them!

'...They don't need me... They never needed me in the first place...'

Despite knowing to stay away from me when having an argument with my instincts and/or Conscience, Mamoru urgently padded his paw up at my arm to regain my attention.

"Leo, c'mon! We need to go!" The rat reminded me, pointing a paw over to the tunnel they came from. I simply panted deeply, my eyes staring up at the tunnel.

'...I'm done being their protector, when they won't accept me for who I am or even let me be what I want to be.' I growled out. '...I'm free, like I should've been years ago, and have a new family who welcomes me with open arms.' Shaking the small droplets of water off of my maskless face, I lowered my head and took a third step forward, trying to fight off the tremor coursing through my body while forcing myself to ignore the urge to go save my younger brother, who told me a moon ago that I was a burden in the family and should've never been with them.

You take one more step for the Colony, and you'll regret it for the rest of your life!

I froze in my step, then slowly sat down on the ground and leaned my head up against the brick-wall. I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes.

'I'll admit that I am a coward for turning my on saving Raphael... I'll even admit that I am a traitor for leaving his fate into the claws of White Death and will always be a traitor in the pack, But know this: The result of Raph's undoing is on him, not me. I had nothing to do with it and as sure as hell wanted to play in any part on getting him killed.'

If Pup hadn't left den, left pack, Beta-Brother Raphael wouldn't be in claws of White Death!

'Even if I'm the reason he went into White Death's territory, he knew and was told to never go off into the closed off sections of the sewers. Again, it's on him and not me.'

Silence went by, besides the nervous squeaks Mamoru would give out, until I finally gotten a reply.

...What if Father had them, or worse, allowed them, to go search for you in the closed off section of the sewers?... What if Raph went into White Death's territory and Father doesn't even know about it? Would he still be rescued, or would it be too late and White Death goes off searching for the rest of your family?

'...' I knew what the answer to that means, but I didn't know what sort of excuse to think to prove my point that I wasn't needed.

Pup knows Beta-Brother Raphael will be killed by White Death... And once Beta-Brother dies, rest of pack will die and blame will be on Pup.

My cerulean/sapphire-eyes widen from the information, despite knowing it's the truth.

'...What?' A low growl came out of my throat, my hands clenching into fists and leaving scratch markings onto the concrete ground.

You know what'll happen if Raph dies; Father will be depressed, struggle to keep going for Don and Mikey, until he either takes his own life or get caught and killed by his past enemy. When that'll happen, Don and Mikey won't be able to take care of themselves, and will eventually be with Raph and Father in the Afterlife.

'...And it'll be my fault... I would be the cause of my pack's death, even though I'm doing what I believe would make them happen and protect them from danger...' Low whimpering and a few whines came out of my throat, my fangs clenching against each other and eyes held back tears.

Pup's heart in right place, but Pup's action and decision is wrong... Pup swore to be there for Kins and Alpha, no matter what, and Pup must fulfill promise.

I knew, right there and then, that my instincts and Conscience are right; I made a promise, a promise by my own blood, that I will protect my pack and will always be there for them... Even if it meant they never loved me and disowned me from the clan, I'll still be there to save their lives, gladly exchange their lives with my own to make it right. The decision has been made.

"Leo? Are you alright?" Mamoru questioned me, cocking his head to the side when he saw the anger on my face replaced with a calm expression and my eyes held with fire. "Are you ready to head back to the Colony?" I stared down at the rat and shook my head.

"Sorry, Mamoru, but you're gonna have to warn the others and head back to the Colony, without me." Mamoru's eyes grew from my response.

"What? Why?! We need to leave if White Death's actually heading our way and warn the others! Why aren't you coming ba...!" Within a few seconds, he immediately get and understood what was going on. "...You're going after White Death." I solemnly nod my head. He gave me a glare of hate and anger, but it wasn't towards me. "Why should you go after White Death and get yourself killed, when it's your own brother's fault! He and the rest of your previous pack-members are the reason why you're living in the sewers! Heck, look at you!" He sat on his hind-legs and gestured to my appearance. "You almost died the last time you fought White Death, because of them!... Why throw away the freedom you finally gained to go back and save him, when they never cared for you and disowned you from the pack?!"

Despite making the decision, I also wonders why I would do it, when an answer from somewhere inside of my heart gave me an answer to tell him.

"He may have renounced his claim of me being his brothers and disowned me of being family, but he's still my brother by blood, just as the rest of my previous pack is still my family by blood and I still care for them, even if they no longer care for me." I then calmly turned around and made my way across the water, standing in front of the tunnel I heard my brother's cry of screams came out from. I then stared at Mamoru. "I also made a promise, swore by my own blood, that no matter what, I'll always be there... Even if it means they disown me, or lead me to my death." I gave Mamoru a sad smile. "I'll try to avoid getting myself killed and return to the Colony as soon as I can, but should I fail... then give everyone my gratitude for accepting me into the family."

Who said anything about you going back to the Colony after this?

'I only agree to saving Raphael from White Death, I didn't agree to go back to the den. Whether I stay with the Colony or go back to the pack that never loved me from the start, will be my decision to make... I'll still look out for them from afar and be there if they're in any sort of danger, but that will be all.'

...Very well, Pup. At least Pup will still keep promise on protecting pack and be happier living with Colony, motivate Pup to watch over pack... Go, and rescue Beta-Brother Raphael from White Death!

Earning a nod from Mamoru, with tears being shed for me, and watching him scurry to the Colony on his own, I let loose a low growl and, getting on all-four, sprinted down the tunnel. By using my sense of smell as my guide and following the sound of growling, I ran through three tunnels and two closed off sections to find myself at White Death's den... With the sight of the white beast pinning my brother to the ground, blood surfacing from Raph's leg because of a claw digging into his flesh, ready to have him as his dinner.

"Gomen'nasai (I'm sorry) Leo... I'm so sorry." My heart clenched at Raph's apology. His words still hurt me and I knew he meant it if he held it inside for so long, but even before I heard his apology, I still forgiven him. He may had told me he hated me, but my love for my brother will never fade away... Even if part of my heart and soul feels nothing for him and the rest of the pack. "...I love you, bro." Another clenching feeling in the heart, but I fought off the feeling; now wasn't the time to get all emotional, because White Death had opened his mighty jaws, attempting to grab for Raphael and ending his life to eat him.

"It was fun while it lasted, Shrimp. Time for me to eat!"

I let out a low growl, stopping White Death from using any of his long-fangs from grabbing for my brother.

"What was that?"

Now, Pup! Strike!

Pulling out a weapon I've made on my own from my belt, I sprinted down and launched myself in the air. The albino beast lifted his head to the sound of my snarl, but wasn't quick enough to dodge my attack when my weapon came down at him and slashed at his right-eye.

"AH, FU-! MY EYE!"

He let out a roar of pain, removing his hand that pinned Raphael to the floor. I landed behind White Death, narrowly dodging his thrashing tail, before I shifted myself to stare back at him and, seeing he lifted his right-foot, I charged underneath him and used all of my strength to flip him on his side by shoving his stomach with my shell.

"What the hell?!"

He fell on his back, stilling roaring and trying to nurse his bleeding right-eye, giving me enough time to get to Raphael, who still had his eyes closed and had shielded his face with both arms held out in front, and drag him a couple of feet away from my enemy. Taking a good look at him, he was soaked to the bone and his right-leg is badly hurt, a stab wound to almost being broken from how deep the claw went into his leg.

'Raphael's lucky that White Death prefers to play with his kill and toy with them, before he decided to break every bone in his body and then use the Death Roll.' I let out a low growl, watching White Death roll himself back on his feet and try to focus his attention on who got him in the eye. 'One of these days, Raphael's stupidity is going to get himself killed.' "I knew you were an idiot, but I'd hope you would be smart enough to not go to the closed off sections of the sewers... Guess I was wrong."

I heard him gasp out a deep breath, no doubt stunned and shock to be seeing me standing before him.

"Le... Leo?" I simply gave him a disappointed gaze, folded my arms in front of my chest and calmly shaking my head.

"Your lack of smart hasn't changed a bit."

---

Raphael's POV

I never thought I would ever be so happy to hear and see my big brother before me, until now, after he pulled me away from the monster and stood in front of me before my eyes... And be so horrified by the appearance of his condition.

"Le... Leo?" I whispered, not sure if I'm actually seeing him right and the cause for my terrible sight is my bleeding leg. Staring up at the turtle, standing beside me, isn't the same turtle who was the eldest son of Hamato "Splinter" Yoshi, or the big brother Don, Mikey and I recognized knew is our big brother.

The turtle before me is completely covered in scars, fangs and claw-markings carved up in his plastron and shell that I knew was done by the white beast that almost ate me. They looked painful but, luckily, didn't appear deep to have his shell and/or plastron cracked or chipped off and will fade away into non-existing scars.

The scratch and bite-marks also ran down his arms, legs, neck and back of his head, including a crescent-like moon scar over his right-eye. The scratches on his left-leg and the back of his head, along with the bite-marks on his right-arm, had an odd dark-coloring, which I hope were simply bruises and not a sign of infection... Which I, unfortunately, believe it is, which would explain why he looks ill and why he can't seem to stand up straight without swaying or having to use the wall to support him up. Also, because the wounds with the odd-coloring had a bad smell that wasn't good to know.

And... Dear god! I thought he was skinny back at home, but now... Damn it! He's nothing but skin and bone underneath that shell of his! If he wasn't able to get that sewer crocodile on its back, I'd think he lost all of his muscle and became a walking skeleton that still has its skin. And without his blue-bandana covering his eyes, I could see he hasn't been sleeping well from the black-marking underneath his dull, hardened eyes.

Nevertheless, despite his startling appearance, I'm happy to have finally found my big brother, after a whole month of endless searching for the brother I feared to have lead him to his own death. I've missed him so much, that all I wanted to do was give him hug and never let him go. I missed him so much, that I even miss the way he teases or remarks about my lack of smarts.

"Your lack of smart hasn't changed a bit." On second thought, I didn't actually miss him always teasing me, let alone remind me, on how I'm a hothead and have the mind of a raging bull with no mind to think. Well, I have something to say to him.

"Well, I wouldn't had came here, if a certain someone didn't ran away from home in the first place!" I stated, giving him my own glare and tried to get back to my feet, only for the pain to shot out from my right-leg and grab at my injured leg. I didn't notice Leo bringing my Sais back to me, until I saw him holding out his blue-bandana I tied around one of the Sais and tied it on the wound.

"Baka (Idiot)," he muttered to me. I winced when he tightened the bandana around my wound, but I didn't stop him from wrapping it up, knowing that putting pressure on a bleeding wound will clot the blood and stop any more blood loss. "You're lucky that I heard your cry, or you would've been White Death's meal for the day." I cocked my head to the side to what he just said. White Death? Who the shell's White Death?

I was too caught up on keeping my attention on my brother, that I've forgotten about that white beast, until I heard a loud thump in the water and a loud hiss coming from behind Leo. He had a smirk on his face and, after he finished bandaging my injured leg, he turned his back to me and now between me and the monster in front of him.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, White Death?"

---

Leonardo's POV

After I finished tying my blue-bandana around Raph's injured leg, I turned my attention back to White Death, who finally stopped his crying of his eye and gave me the deadliest look I've ever seen in his blood-lust eye.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, White Death?" I properly greeted, smirking from the blood oozing out of his closed right-eye and satisfied I left a painful mark on him, just has he done to me the last time we fought.

"You...! What the hell are you doing here, in my territory?! My den, no less?!" Yep, he's mad as hell. Good.

Keep taunting White Death, Pup. Have White Death's focus on you and away from Beta-Brother Raphael.

"What's the matter, White Death? I thought you would be pleased to be seeing me, again, especially after that friendly fight we had together."

That fight I was talking about, it wasn't friendly in the least; it was a blood slaughter fight and it was the only fight I had with the monster when we met. I accidentally wondered into one of his territories and stole a couple of fishes from the water he was planning on getting, himself. I offered to let him have the fishes, but had decided to teach me a valuable lesson on what happens if you take food from the sewer monster that's supposed to be his kill. I fought as hard as I could, using only my ninja skills and fangs since I left my Katanas back with Splinter and the others, but I stood no chance against White Death.

I ended up with scratch and bite marks on my shell and plastron, which he nearly cracked and ripped off if I hadn't gotten out of his grip and/or attacking him in the mouth, deep cuts in my left-leg, back of my head and right-arm that got badly infected, and a permanent crescent-moon scar over my right-eye that I nearly lost. I thought he was going to finish me off or worse, eat me, but for some reason, he chose to take my catch and left me to die, taking my blue-bandana with him. And I would've, too, if the rats hadn't came to aid me in my time of need.

Ever since that dreadful fight, I trained myself to one day take another crack at the beast... And now is that time. I gave him a hateful-glare.

"You should've killed me when you had that chance, White Death. And now, you're gonna wish that you had, cause now I'm gonna show you what happens when you try to eat one of my brothers." I heard Raphael once let out a gasp, which I assume he's stun that I would still refer to him as my brother, but I ignored him for the time being. Right now, I need to keep my focus on the monster before me. I then flashed the monster a daring smile. "And I think I'll teach you that lesson, by using a certain souvenir you left me with a month ago."

I held up my weapon, which is a fang from White Death, himself... Actually, believe it or not, this fang I have before in my hand, is the oldest tooth the beast had all his life. Not once in his entire life from the day he hatched, had this fang of his came out and regrew itself and had been with him in all his life... Until I kicked it out of his mouth and had him leave with a missing fang in the process from the fight we had a month ago. Staring at the fang in my hand, he let a tongue slide out of his snout and rub against a fang that I see has fully grown to replace the missing fang.

"It's as the old say goes: An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." He hissed at my remark, thumping his tail roughly into the water. "Looks like you already moved on and had already regrown a new tooth to replace this old one, which is great. You look a lot better without that missing fang of yours."

"You're going to pay for what you did to my fang back then, mutt. And this time, I won't make the same mistake on letting you live!" He snarled, banging his tail against the wall and scraping his claws against the floor.

"Best luck to that, Dead-Eye McGee." I taunted, before I turned my attention back to my brother, who now has both his weapons in his grasp and is trying to get to his feet. He'll end up being a major distraction, a hindrance, if he stays and tries to help me fight. "Raphael, leave this place." I ordered him, staring back at my opponent.

"What?! No way, Leo! I'm not gonna leave you here and get eaten by that monster!" I knew he was going to refuse, but even he knows that he'll only get in the way. "Besides, there's no way I'm going back to the Lair without you!"

See? He not only apologized to you, but has also admitted that he wants to take you back home. That proves that he does cares and love you.

'Now, isn't the time to talk me into going back to the Lair. Right now, I have a sewer monster to take care of.'

Pup's right; time to fight!

"...Whatever, just stay back here and out of the way; you're in no condition to fight." I didn't bother to wait for his reply, as I took a few steps forward to stand in front of the monster's snout. He smirked at my boldness at standing face-to-face with him.

"Hope you said your goodbye to your brother; it'll be the last time you'll get to see him." He told me, then lifted the upper-half of his body in the air and let loose a mighty roar. "Get ready to die, mix-blood!" I simply twirled my weapon in my right-hand and crouch low to the ground, letting out a snarl of my own.

"Let's end this, Allidile!"

---

Normal POV

Hearing what Leonardo just said to him, White Death's left-eye widen that the ten year-old knew what he really was, but pushed that thought aside and forced his upper-half to land back down to the ground. At that moment, Leo launched himself in the air, over the monster's head and onto his back. Then, grasping the fang with both hand and leaning over, jabbed the fang into the monster's side and pulled back, blood surfacing underneath the fang.

Feeling a tearing at his underbelly at his side, White Death let out a hiss of pain and tried to turn at his side to snap his mouth at the boy to get him off his back. Leo leaned back, pulling the fang out of the monster's side, and flip himself to the left-side off the allidile.

Duck!

The sound of rushing wind came from behind, the approaching sound of White Death's tail coming down to whack the boy. Leo ducked as his instinct told him to do, but didn't see on time that the tail was a distraction.

Look out!

Before he saw it coming, the left-foot of White Death slammed down on his chest, pinning him to the ground like Raphael was pinned.

"Leo!" His brother called out, trying to get back to his feet but ends up crumbling back to the ground and forced to watch White Death pressing down harder to crush his big brother into the pavement.

Feeling useless and at fault for Leo's would-be death, Raph stared down at his hands... Where his emerald-green eyes sees one of his Sais glistering in the faint light, as if telling him 'you know what to do'. Clenching his hand around the handle of the Sai in his right and, staring up to glare angrily at the turned head of the monster, the ten year-old leaned himself against the wall and, with all his might, tossed his weapon... It hit its target: The ridge of the right-side of his neck.

White Death let out a roar when he felt something sharp pierced into his neck and, when he turned to see it was Raphael that tossed his weapon at him and seeing the Sai sticking out of its neck, Leo felt the pressure leaving off of his chest. Seeing an opening to strike and to remind the allidile who he's fighting with, the maskless turtle jabbed the fang beneath the ball of the albino's foot. Making sure it would put the monster at a disadvantage, he shoved the fang deeper into the foot until he hit bone and jerked it to the side to have the tip slam into the bone.

He then yanked his weapon out of the foot, forcing out another roar from White Death, and leap into the air, aiming the blood-covered fang for the head-area. Despite having to writhe in pain from both his neck and foot, White Death was ready for the boy's attack from the air and, turning over, used his tail to whack him off to the other side of the tunnel. However, thinking he would slam into the wall like Raph did, he crossed the current way and launched himself out of the water, its mouth gaped open to grab the turtle the moment he hits the wall.

Before he hit the wall, Leo placed his weapon to his face to have his teeth hold on to his weapon and, shifting his body to prevent his back from being slammed, he landed on the brick-wall on his hand and feet to break his fall and launch himself forward. Shocked to have seen his enemy saved himself in the nick of time and not having enough time to snap his jaw at the boy when he landed on his snout to leap away and snapping nothing but the air, White Death rammed his head against the wall.

Landing off to the right-side of the allidile on all-four, Leonardo turned to his stunned eye brother.

"Raphael, his eye!" He cried out, having his weapon back in his hand and charging at the stunned monster. "Do it, now!"

Shaking his head to rid away his stunned look and, focusing his second Sai at the monster's undamaged eye, Raph took a deep breath and flung his weapon across the tunnel. White Death heard the sound of rushing wind coming for him, but only had enough time to turn his head and see what was coming at him, before the weapon pierced into his eye and saw nothing but darkness and pain shooting throughout his body.

At the very moment the sai hit its mark Leo slid on his shell and, quickly pulling out the first sai out of the ridge of the neck, jabbed the fang underneath the throat and allowed gravity and wind to help him drag his weapon deep into White Death's throat. Once the fang was out of the flesh, Leo shifted on his right-side to pull the second sai out of White Death's left-eye, who was all but thrashing and hitting the wall and ground.

"Quit helping each other, damn hatchlings!" He snarled, blindly attacking nothing but the air, wall, ground and water around him. "Why would you both be working together, when he and the rest of your previous pack cast you out of their clan?! Why are you even here in the first place, when it was he who I have the right to punish for trespassing onto my territory?!"

Leonardo simply let out a calming sigh, his eyes focusing on the movement of his enemy until he saw the perfect opportunity to make his finishing blow.

"I already told you before, White Death, at our last fight we had a moon ago: We're a pack..." Leo twirled the fang in his hand, flung himself in the air for a third time, landing perfectly on the beast's neck. "And a pack fights as a team, protects one another and never abandon their own... Even if that pack member is no longer welcomed in the pack."

Without any hesitation, he plunged the fang into the side of the neck at the base of the skull at the right. When White Death reared back and let out his snarl of agonizing pain, Leo pulled the fang out from its spot and pulled at the monster's bleeding neck while leaning back, forcing the gator to lean farther back and to plummet into the strong current of the waters. Before the monster fell into the water, the ten year-old had allowed himself to slide off the mighty beast and use White Death's snout as a springboard to help him leap back to where Raphael remained still in his spot.

Both ten year olds saw White Death's body disappear into the fast current, vanishing as if he was just a figment of their imagination. If not for the cracks against the wall and floor, the hole in the brick-wall, the trail of blood left by the monster and a dark, murky-red color in the water that the current carried down the tunnel, they would've believed that it was just their imagination.

There was no sign of White Death coming back up and, with the air smelling of copper and water, it was all Leonardo needed to tell him that this closed off section of the sewer is no longer a danger or threat to him or to his pack: White Death has been slain.

'And that's the end of the Sewer Monster, White Death.' He thought to himself, wiping the fang against his belt to get rid of the blood that he used to spill his opponent's blood with and placing it back underneath the belt against his shell. He let out a deep sigh, allowing all his fear and worry of White Death to flow away like the current in front of him and his brother.

...You did it... You actually did it!... You've defeated White Death!

Pup has done well. Pup finally put end to the reign of White Death, and now sewers of city safe for pack and colony to roam. No more fear or worry of albino devil.

'Yeah... Finally...' Leo thought to himself, before he, out of respect of Bushido and an honorable samurai/ninja, placed his right-fist in the open palm of his left-hand and gave a low bow to where he saw White Death vanished within the waters. 'Despite your cruelty, traitorous plot to fight and kill those who're weaker than yourself, even for your bloodlust for power and dominates, you've fought well... May you rest in peace and be but a fainting memory of the past, White Death... Let's head back to the colony and have them spread the word to the others.'

"...Leo?" A voice from behind regained his attention, reminding the maskless turtle the reason he fought the allidile and that he isn't alone.

First thing's first, Pup. Get Beta-Brother Raphael out of White Death's former den and back to pack.

'...Right.' He calmly made his way to his brother, kneeling in front of his stunned but concerned brother. He stared at his blood-covered blue-bandana, seeing that the flow of blood exiting the wound has lessen and, taking a quick sniff at the wound, doesn't smell like it's getting infected. He gently placed his hand over the bandana, adding a bit of pressure to feel the wound. It forced out a wince of pain out of Raph, but the soothing touch of his brother didn't hurt as much as the allidile's claws did. 'It doesn't look completely broken, but no doubt it could be a minor fracture to the tibia. He won't be able to walk for the next moon, but should make a full recovery if he doesn't push himself.'

Luckily, White Death's den isn't too far from the Lair... He'll have to lean on you to move and, judging from the size of his muscle had increased a bit the last time we saw them, he'll be too heavy to carry.

"Can you stand?" Leo asked his brother, hoping that his judgement on the leg isn't wrong and that he doesn't have to carry him on his shell if the leg is broken. Understanding what his big brother's asking and rather than answer, Raphael placed his right hand on the wall and forced his trembling body to stand.

"I, agh-!" He stumbled a bit, but used the wall on his right to prevent himself from falling back to the ground. "Got it.. Ugh." Leo rolled his eyes.

Stubborn Kin. Even when Beta-Brother Raphael just stared death in face and could've had both legs shattered instead of fractured leg, he still refuses to ask for help.

'Did you really expect Raph to change that much while I was with the colony, besides building up his muscles like he always do?' He walked over to his brother and, before Raph knew what his brother was going to do and try to protest, draped his right-arm over his shoulders to have the red-masked turtle to lean on him. "I asked if you can stand, not to damage your leg any further by attempting to walk." Raph blushed in embarrassment on having to lean on his big brother, but his eyes widen from the information he was just told.

"You mean my leg's...?" Leo shook his head.

"It's not broken, but it almost did and is simply fractured." He explained to his brother, slowly leading them down the tunnels away from White Death's den and having Raph to hop with each step he made. "You're not going to be able to walk, without either the aid of a wheelchair or crutches, or do any training for the next month." Raph narrowed his eyes and growled in anger at the news of not being able to train for over a month. Leo let out a low chuckle. "Hey, be glad you're taking a lighter punishment than you would've had to go through and that White Death likes to play with his food before he eats them, or else the situation could've been worse and you wouldn't be walking for six months."

"...How is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Simple. You would've had both your legs shattered and would be tortured by Michelangelo from him doodling all over your casts, or annoying TV shows he watches to drive you crazy and won't stop blabbering to you when you won't be able to get up and pummel him to the ground." A small passed by the two ten year olds, then Raph had a smile on his face and let out a chuckle of his own.

"...Yeah, you're right, that does make me feel a lot better. But that doesn't mean I won't be having nightmares about that giant crocodile nearly eating me, twice."

'No doubt he'll be having nightmares of White Death for weeks.' "Splinter will make you some chamomile tea to help you sleep."

"Well, judging on how tired and exhausted we are from having to take down a massive ton of pure muscles with fangs that could've ripped us to shreds, we both can use some of that chamomile tea to help us get some well earned rest from fighting a sewer monster. Mikey and Don are not going to believe us when we get back to the Lair and tell them what happened, huh?"

Leo stayed silent at Raph's remarks, keeping his eyes and focus on walking them down the tunnel, his only distraction to avoid making eye contact with the red-mask turtle and to not answer his question.

'You're wrong, Raphael. I'm not going to return to the den with you... Once we're outside of the closed off section, I'm gonna knock you out the very moment your eyes are focused for the direction towards the den and leave you near the lair, where Splinter and the others will find you, safe from harms way and tend to your injured leg.'

Besides seeing a few rats that Leo knew aren't from the colony he's living in and the water never ceasing its speed, along with having his larger brother leaning a bit more on him as if gravity's trying to drag him down, the quietness was peaceful for the maskless turtle.

"You know? That was kinda fearless of you." Leo turned to stare at his brother, confusion written on his face, who gazed back at him with a smirk of a smile on his own face. "What you did back there, bro, fighting that giant sewer gator, that was fearless... Although, I don't get why you were talking to it, as if you two were having a conversation on your own." He turned his head away from his brother's words, staring down at the ground.

"I wasn't being fearless back there, Raphael." He told his brother. "I was simply taking care of a feud that's been going on between me and White Death for a whole month. As for me talking to White Death while fighting with him... Don't think for a second that he's a mindless animal, Raphael; he's far more intelligent than the average reptile you'll ever know."

Raph shook his head, the smirk still placed on his face.

"Feud or not, you saved me back there. I would've been dog meat to that gator, if you hadn't came before he could've shattered my legs."

Guilt ran through the older turtle's body, not in the least feeling happy or proud to have rescued his brother from harm.

'...I need to tell him. He must know the truth and must be given a reminder to why he despised me in the first place.' Leo stopped in his tracks. "...I wasn't planning on saving you." A pause went by the two brothers.

"...What?" The red-masked turtle asked in shock.

'There it is. First the confusion, then the anger, until his rage finally blows over. Best get it over with and explain myself to him, before he demands that I leave and never show my face in the sewers, again.' "I wasn't going to save you. In fact, I was going to leave you and let Splinter find you to do the rescuing, himself." He stared down at the raging water, his reflection appearing all fuzzy and stretched. "When you told me that you wish I wasn't your brother, you were also implying that you didn't want anything to do with me and don't want me to be there for you. I knew that coming for you would make you angry and more of a reason to hate me, that I decided to respect your wishes and leave you... But I couldn't, because no matter what, whether you despise and/or hate me enough to cast me out of the Clan, you're still my brother. All of you are still my family, that I'd still be there whenever you're in danger or in need of help."

...That was very touching. And you really mean it, too.

'From the depths of my heart... The part that truly do cares and loves them, the part that I'd actually bonded with them, I meant it... But, now that he knows that I never really intended to come and save him, he'll push me aside and would want me to leave, never to show myself anywhere near him or the rest of the pack, again... And I won't blame for it.'

He waited for the yelling, the screaming, the anger, anything to come out of his brother for learning the truth. However, neither of those options came out. Instead,

"...Well, then boy am I glad that you did came for me." Cerulean/sapphire-eyes widen from the emerald-green-eyed turtle, who simply had a smug smile on his face and gave a couple of reassuring pats on Leo's shell. "I really mean it, bro, and a good thing that you did came, whether I'd get angry or not." A sort of burning feeling burnt up inside his chest and a cold feeling filled up his empty stomach.

'He... He can't be serious!'

Sounds like he's very serious and you know that. He's silently apologizing to you and from the way he's admitting to you that he meant what he just said to you, is his way on saying how much he really missed yo-

'No, not that! He can't be alright with what just happened! He knew that he'd be dead if I hadn't shown up, hadn't chose to listen and get to him! How dare he treat this situation like it was some joke?!' "How can you say that?" He growled out, glaring at his brother and slightly tightening his grip on the arm over his shoulders. "I almost left you to die by the claws of White Death! I would've ignore your scream of pain, pretend like it never happened, and let you get eaten...! How can you say, be alright, with that when I could've been the cause of your death?!"

The smug on Raph's face instantly vanished and replaced with a firm, calm gaze. He let out a deep sigh.

"Because it wasn't your fault that this all happened to begin with," he answered. "It was my fault that I came here, not yours. The very moment Sensei, the guys and I split up, I came to this closed off section of the sewers, which I shouldn't had done. Master Splinter decided that after going through the routes we would take and the safe parts of the sewers and if we couldn't find you, then he would gave us the okay to go search for you at the forbidden parts of the sewers."

Foolish Beta-Brother. Kin basically placed self in claws of White Death by ignoring Alpha's words and disobeyed order Beta-Brother was given... Pup's not at fault for Beta-Brother Raphael near-death moment with White Death.

Yeah, but the only reason he went into White Death's territory is because he was simply looking for his brother. So, technically, half of it is his fault that Raph almost died.

"Also..." A pause came between the two brothers, until found his voice to talk again. "It's also my fault that you ran away in the first place, because from what I said to you." Emerald-green eyes stared down at their unmoving feet, shame and self-loathing held within his gaze. "I never meant what I said to you, Leo. I never hated you and neither did the others, not once did we ever think on hoping or even wished that you weren't our brother to begin with." He stared back to his brother, tears swelled up in his eyes through his mask. "I know that apologizing isn't enough and I won't blame you if it's already too late to even say it, Leo, but... Ugh, why is it so hard to say it?!"

While the red-masked turtle tries to get the words to come out, Leonardo let his attention focus on the water and to the sounds around them.

Beta-Brother Raphael speaks no lie... Though kin's stubbornness prevents kin from saying it and despite barking out anger on how Beta-Brother Raphael felt towards Pup a moon ago, Beta-Brother wish for Pup's forgiveness and rekindle bond kin has with Pup.

He didn't say or could even think of any word to say to that.

You'll forgive him, right?

Leo remained silent.

...You are going to forgive Raph, aren't you?

Nothing...

Raph took a deep breath, feeling a bit ready to finally say what he should've told the maskless turtle a month ago. He was about to speak out the first word that popped in his mind...

"You're right about one thing, Raph." He whispered, gaining his brother's attention and stopping him from trying to say those three words. "I'm different from the rest of you... I'm not like you three and Master Splinter, and will never be like you guys." Emerald-green eyes widen, stunned by what his brother just said.

"Leo-" The maskless turtle held out a hand.

"I already forgave you for what you said to me, Raph." Calling him by his nickname and not by his full name, which only Splinter would always call the turtle by, made Raphael happy and relieved that his big brother isn't angry at him. "However," the smile on Raph's face immediately went away. "know that it's hard for me to try and forget the choice of your action that occurred a month ago... I'm sorry."

Raph let out a sigh, understanding that just because Leo forgave him and knows that he's sorry for what he said, the red-masked turtle has to learn that it was going to take some time for his brother to get over what he said to him and for his heart to heal.

"...I understand, bro." He reassured, patting Leo's shell and giving him a comforting smile. "Hey, we'll work this problem out when we get back, okay?" He didn't wait for his brother to reply or to even give him a chance to tell him what's on his mind, for he was already taking a step out forward to continue on down the tunnels. "Right now, let's get out of here; it's making my skin crawl from the sight of this place, reminding me of that crocodile that nearly bit my head off."

Letting out a quiet sigh, knowing it would be best to keep his thoughts in his head for the time being, Leonardo and Raph continued on their journey, one helping the other to walk and guide each other away from the dead end that would've been their resting place. Eventually, the two brothers found the two trails, where the trail on the right leads them back to the sewers and a way back home, and the left trail leads to a waterfall and the pipe that pours the remaining water back to the sea. The problem, they're on the left-side of the tunnel and they need to be on the right to take the trail on the right back to the sewers.

With Raphael's fracture leg becoming a hindrance to the two brothers, which prevents Raph from leaping to the other side, with or without Leonardo's aid, if they want to risk him getting his leg broken, there was only one option Leo knew they'll have to do.

"Grab on to my shell." Raph only gave him an odd look.

"What?" Leo didn't bother to explain himself. He gripped Raph's right-arm that still held on to his shell with his left and, without any hesitation, dived the both of them into the fast water. "What the he-!"

They went under for a few seconds, both fighting off the current as hard as they could, until Leo made a grab for a hole in the concrete with his right and pulled them up above the surface. He reached his hand out and got the upper-half of their bodies out of the water. Raph hacked out water that he had swallowed by accident, pulling himself off of his brother's shell and back on to the ground.

"Next time, bro, give me a better warning before you pull a stunt like that, again!" He gasped out, glaring at his brother, who simply held on to the ledge when he discovered that the current of the surface keeps on trying to drag him down and pul him towards the left-trail of the two paths.

"It was either we swim across, or leap across and run the risk of breaking your leg in the process. Which one would you'd prefer?" He said to his brother. "You know what? Forget I asked and pull me up. The water's trying to pull me down."

"...Right, hang on." He muttered, searching around their area for something that he could use to help pull his brother out without having to lean in close enough to get sucked back into the current.

Lucky for him, a four foot small pipe happened to rest beside him, which he wouldn't had noticed if the sound of rats heading for White Death's den didn't catch his attention. On his left-knee and letting his injured leg to stretch out without any discomfort to the fractured limb, he backed away from the edge until his shell was resting against the wall and, grasping one end of the four foot pipe in both his hands, he held the other end out for his brother.

"Grab on, bro."

Leo lifted his left-hand out for the pipe, a few inches away from having his fingers brush against the end of the pipe. As he reached out a bit further for the pipe, his newly obtained sixth sense triggered warning bells inside his head and dread in his stomach.

We're not alone. Something's coming our way!

Not Alpha, nor either of Omega-Brothers. Pack's scent nowhere close to White Death's Territory... Can't locate danger, but sense threat coming!

"Leo, what's the hold up? Is it too far to reach?" Raph leaned forward, doing a little limp crawl until the end of the pipe hangs over the maskless turtle's head and he was in the middle of the concrete trail. "Can you reach it, now?"

Leo paid no attention to responding to his brother, focusing on what was it that's coming their way, but can only see the darkness surrounding him and his brothers and the roaring cry of the current prevents him from hearing all around their area.

'If I can't see or hear what's coming our way, then how can I sense the threat coming our wa-... Ah, damn it! I'm in idiot!' "Raph, stay away! Get back, now!" He cried, pushing the pipe away from his head and struggling to keep the upper-half of his body over the ledge.

"Leo, what's wrong?"

Raph couldn't hear the warning cry very well from the roar of the current and was too busy on trying to get his brother out, that he didn't noticed the trail of red mixing in with the raging water or the fast forming of angry bubbles popping up onto the surface, until his attention was drawn by the having splash of water and a large figure coming down for him and his big brother from above.

...It was White Death, bleeding heavily and using his blood-red right-eye to see, but still very alive and pissed as hell, itself... He came back for them, for revenge.

"If I'm going to die, I'm taking you with me!" He roared, his claws stretched forward and mouth opened wide to have his fangs ready to grab his victim.

Everything went by so fast, and yet it went slow at the same time, to Raphael, his body paralyzed by fear and his mind going blank that made his hearing muffle out his brother's voice in the background.

"Raph, move! Get out of the way! Hurry!"

He remained still in his spot... White Death's right-hand inched its way towards the red-masked turtle's face, the tip of one of his claws almost coming down to lodged itself in the pupil of the boy's right-eye...

It never made it to its target and barely brushed up against his cheek, allowing the ten year-old to avoid the attack, unscathed.

When the clawed-hand moved away from his eye, Raph turned his head to the right, wondering on why the monster missed him... Only to see that his brother, who somehow pulled himself up from the water enough to spring himself towards White Death's throat, having to risk his shell getting scratched by the albino monster's left-hand, and shoving the both of them towards the direction back into the water... Both got pulled in with the current... They took the left trail... They were heading for the waterfall.

Raph screamed for his brother's name.

"LEO!"

In his struggle to get up, he grabbed for the four foot pipe that was discarded away by Leo, using it as a substitute for a crutch and, using it to pole vault himself over to the other side and not damage his right-leg when he landed, ran as fast as he could down the trail to follow the brawl that continued on underwater of the current. "Hang on, bro, I'm coming!"

---

Leonardo's POV

I heard Raph call out my name, which means he finally come out of being paralyzed in fear, but I knew better than to call back to him. Doing so will make me lose whatever oxygen I was able to hold in when we went under, while struggling to swim for the surface, allow me to become an easy target for my enemy, even if we need to get out of the water before we get dragged towards our deaths by the waterfall.

Keep White Death in water! Only place to hold off White Death, keep Beta-Brother Raphael safe!

'That's easier said than done.' I thought to myself. 'I can't stay under for no more than fifteen minutes and that's what White Death's going to do; cut off my oxygen and grab me when I'm wide open and heading for the surface!'

White Death can't breath underwater either and can only hold his breath for three hours, and he's heavily damaged from what you and Raph did, so he shouldn't be able to last longer in the condition he's in. So, how about you use the same idea he'll get and cut off his time in the water to attack?

...It was not going to be easy, but it's worth a shot to do and is no doubt my only option left to do until we reach the waterfall.

White Death and I continued our fight in the water. When we both dived back into the water, we parted from each other by the pull of the current. I used the current to help me swim myself towards my enemy, who turned his head and saw me coming. He snapped his jaw at me, swiping his claws of his left-hand in case I ducked his attack.

Twist and bend, as Borivoj* taught Pup!

I twist my body to the right and forced myself to bend backwards, barely missing both his fangs and claws, before I grabbed for my fang-weapon and thrust it as hard as I could into his back. It wasn't deep to hit the bone, but it was deep enough to pierce through the flesh and dig into the muscle.

"Get the hell off my back!" He yelled in the water, trying to shake me off of his back.

Leave it in his back, he'll be too focused on trying to get it out his back that he'll leave himself exposed!

Perfect moment to attack White Death where enemy's more vulnerable at!

While I temporarily left my weapon in his back, I climbed up his back until I was sitting on his neck and, taking a risk at losing all my time underwater, bite down, hard, at the underbelly of his neck. My fangs dug in to the slash mark I gave him in our fight at his den, forcing more blood to spill and for him to get weaker from blood loss. Roaring in pain, he swam the both of us back up towards the surface.

Hang on, Pup! Don't let go!

He shook his head from side-to-side, before he lift himself up and curled back down into the water. He then did the Death Roll, but even that wouldn't get me to let go of my deadly bite. He then used the current, like I did, and rammed the both of us against the wall. This time, the force blow to my back and the sharp-parts of the wall scraping in the back of my head got me to let go and yelp underwater.

"Now, you're mine!"

White Death turned around and try to grab me with his mouth, only for me to let the current pull me down to dodge his attack and make a grab for his tail.

No, don't grab his tail!

Big mistake. He bashed his tail into the wall, having me to hit the walls face/plastron-first and tried to scrape me off his tail. I was only able to shield my face by pulling myself over the tip of his tail, but the sharp-parts of the wall dug in hard into my plastron.

"You can't hold on forever, Boy!"

He was right about that, but what he didn't realize is how close we were getting for the waterfall. I may not be able to talk underwater like White Death can, but I can still let out rumbling growls to communicate with the albino allidile. When he pulled his tail away from the wall, I let out my growls.

"No, but we won't be swimming much longer until we get dragged to our deaths."

I pointed a finger at what was ahead of us, which was to the end of the tunnel's trail and where the water falls to a drop at, to what some of the rats claim to be and hearing rumors going on from the few humans who still come into the sewers to inspect the pipes, about eighty feet to reach for the bottom, before they go to the one trail for the pipe that gushes water out into the ocean.

We both knew that if we keep on fighting and don't try to make an attempt to save ourselves, then neither one of us would get out of here alive. Rather than panic, he simply gave it a few second gaze and turned back to me, a calm but serious expression written on his face. He then let out his own growl, a small glimmer of rage held in his bloodlust, but tired eyes.

"That may be true, but at least I'll get my revenge on you!"

...Strange. Here we are, fighting against each other and heading for our death. And yet, he didn't really seem to care that if he was heading for a watery grave. It was like he knew that he was going to die and was okay with it... It made me wonder if, secretly, he was hoping to not make it out and had wanted death but was waiting for the right moment for that day to come.

I push back those thoughts when he lifted his tail up above his head, with me slightly dangling from the tip. He sprang his mouth forward, fangs exposed and ready to grab me...

Let go!

The instant my Conscience gave me a command, I let go of his tail and rolled over his snout, the very moment his mouth almost snap down... He bit his own tail and cried out in pain. I rolled myself onto his back and grabbed for my discarded weapon, yanking it out of his back. He swam away from me and I took that opportunity for the surface, knowing he's going to take a turn back around and come after me.

Brace for attack, Pup!

Instead of trying to grab me with his mouth, he rammed his snout against my plastron and brought us both up towards the surface. We leap over the water, almost like dolphins would do out in the ocean, our eyes and focus on only each other.

He opened his jaw.

Pull back!

Before I could pull away, he slammed his fangs on my right-arm. I let out a yelp of pain, feeling one half my humerus, and half of both my ulna and radius break like they were nothing but toothpicks to the allidile.

How dare White Death bite Pup's arm?! Payback, Pup! Bite back and pour both pain and anger into attack!

Enrage and in pain, taking a risk at further injuring my arm, I leaned up and clamped my own fangs at his already damaged left-eye.

"Leo!"

I heard Raph called out, which I was surprised to hear when I left him back to the midway point of the tunnel, but I figured he must've used that pipe to help get him across, without further damaging his right-leg, and is using it as a crutch to try and catch up to us. I couldn't take my attention off of White Death for even a second, despite wanting to call out to my brother, and simply bite down at the monster's damaged eye.

Try and take a breath! We're going back under!

We both sank back into the waters and White Death tried to get me to let go of his eye by shaking his entire body like a wild bull or bronco trying to get the rider off its back, while trying to keep his mouth completely shut and not wanting to to let my broken-arm go.

"You fool! Why don't you give up already?! Why do you keep fighting me, when you know we're about to fall for our deaths?!" He snarled out, performing the Death Roll but is unable to rip my arm off while I keep on hanging on to his snout.

"Because I know that you'll go after my brother, once you're done with me!" I growled out, casting a dark glare at his right-eye and still sinking my fangs into his closed left-eye. "And I may be going to my death for what he did, but at least I won't be dying alone!"

Even under water, I can hear the roar of the fall. I felt White Death trying to fight off the current and even watch him swim to the bottom to try and anchor the both of us to the ground with his claws, but even he wouldn't be able to escape his fate on falling eighty feet down to the bottom and his claws would slowly delay our deaths... I couldn't take the chance if he actually do get us out of the waters and, without him realizing that my arm trapped in his mouth was holding his fang this whole time, I twisted my hand inside of his mouth and plunged my weapon down onto his tongue.

He finally let go of my arm when he roared in pain and I was free to let go of his snout, but I kept my fang sinking into his damaged eye.

"Looks like we'll finally get what we wanted, White Death." I let out a deep rumbling within my throat, as his claws could no longer keep us still to the ground and the current carried the both of us towards the ledge. "We'll finally be rid ourselves of our rivals."

He gave me a death-glare, but didn't say or do anything else, except let the current carry us off towards our fate and doesn't even try to shake me off his face.

...This is it? You're just going to give up and let yourself die?!... How selfish can you be?!

'Only a selfish person would take their own life, when killing themselves for the wrong reason. I, on the other hand, had made myself a sacrifice when I saved Raph's life. And now, I'm going to bring White Death to the Afterlife with me, in order to spare and protect my Pack and rat Colony from the albino allidile... It's the only way to keep the sewers safe and for everyone to survive down here.'

I let out a tiring sigh, as gravity slowly pulled us down. We both went off the ledge and fell with the pouring waters. I allowed myself to shed a few tears when I heard my name being screamed out by my brother.

"LEO! NO!"

'I'm sorry, Raph... I really am.' I thought to myself, as I finally let go of White Death's face and released his injured eye from my fangs.

White Death will take opportunity to grab Pup with fangs! Ram White Death against neck to knock wind out of lungs, Pup!

Twisting my body to the side, with some help from the wind, I got myself underneath his body and shoved myself up against his throat.

...Eight seconds in the air, eight seconds falling for our deaths, we crashed into the bottom of the fall. We parted from each other when we landed... I was expecting myself to be more damaged than how beat up I was from my fight with White Death, but for some strange reason and besides having a broken-arm, probably some re-opened wounds and gaining deep bruises, I was actually alright. It was most likely because White Death went down before me and when I thrust myself against his throat, his mouth had actually pulled down and could've shielded me from most of the impact I would've taken in if he didn't go down first.

Unfortunately, with my right-arm badly damaged and my left-leg cramping up from some of my healed wounds being re-opened, I had to use my right-leg and left-arm to pull myself up towards the surface.

...You know, you could've launched yourself off of White Death and possibly avoid getting landing heavily into the water.

'I could have, but White Death could've made a grab for my leg and have me do a painful bellyflop. Even if he would miss, I couldn't take the chance of him getting a second chance to attack me when landing into the water.'

Best to have White Death be too distract to catch breath or have trouble getting up towards surface, rather than Pup making escape to avoid bruised injuries and leave Pup exposed for possible attack.

When I breach myself out of the water, I gulped in a mouth full of breath and hacked up water I inhaled when I crashed down to the bottom of the falls. I saw my blood mixing in with the water and the bubbles of the waterfall, giving me an upset stomach from the sight on how much blood I'm actually losing.

"Leo!" Raph sounded shocked when he said my name, but I can tell that he also sounded relieved to be seeing me alive. "Hang on, bro, I'll be right there!"

Keeping my head above the water and forcing myself to swim with just one arm, I tiredly made my way for the right-side of the pool and latched on to the ledge of the concrete floor. Most of my strength is gone, leaving me to only grab on to the ledge until Raph can pull me out of the water.

Hang in there. Raph will come down and once you're out of the water, you two can finally head back home and get the rest you need.

Too tired to argue with my Conscience on sticking to my plan, I simply laid my head on the ledge and closed my eyes to let them rest for a bit.

Pup mustn't fall asleep! Pup will let go and drown if Pup sleeps! Pup must stay awake!

I groaned, but opened my tired eyes to keep myself awake. As I waited for my brother to come down here and help me out of the pool, I felt an odd vibration forming within the water and, when I turned to see what was it that caused the suspicious vibration, saw bubbles popping out of the water at the other side of the pool... My eyes widen when I knew what was it and, in mere seconds, White Death popped himself out of the water and rested the upper-half of his body on the ledge to the left-side of the room.

He gasped for air, sort of like I'm doing, and seemed dazed to what's going on. Blood trickled down from his forehead, which I could guess could be when he slammed his head into the water. His right-arm hung a bit awkward on the ledge, most likely fractured from impact. I couldn't see the rest of his body, hidden underneath the water, but I know for sure that he took major damage at the harsh landing into the pool and doesn't seem like he can fight at all.

Is he made of iron, or what?! No doubt that he took serious damage from that fall, but how could he get himself back to the surface, without any help?!

His right-eye, still bleeding but not as bad as his left-eye, turned their gaze towards me, slit and narrowed. I couldn't read his face or expression on what he's thinking or is feeling, but I can tell that whatever's on his mind, it has me involved in it.

Despite my body having no more energy to fight, I narrowed my own eyes back at White Death and let out a low snarl, forcing my left-arm to slowly and wobbly pull myself over my ledge to try and stand on all four... My arm couldn't pull me up, but I was able to get almost half of the upper-part of my body out of the water and turn to the side a bit.

"Still want... To keep... Fighting?" I gasped out, coughing off the remaining water out of my lungs and trying to push aside my own weakness if White Death really wants to keep going. "I ain't... Going down... That easily."

He let loose a low growl and looked ready to push himself back into the water to come at me... But, for some odd reason, he stayed in his spot, looking rather tired and annoyed. After having a good old glare off for about a few minutes, he made his move and did something that I never thought he would ever do: He turned his gaze away from me and down to the concrete floor and water underneath him... And bowed his head towards me.

"...I submit to you, Boy... I surrender."

My eyes widen from what's happening before my eyes: White Death, the White Devil Sewer Monster of New York, the albino allidile who sheds blood without any hesitation and never spare the weak from death, has submit himself to me, admitting defeat! I narrowed my eyes at his sudden decision to give up.

'Is this some kind of trap for me to fall for?' I asked myself."What is this, White Death? Is this some kind of trick to get me to lower my guard and for you to finally kill me?"

White Death simply let out a tiring sigh and lifted his mighty head back up, gazing his red-eye back at me that held a stern look of tiredness and humility.

"If this were some trick, I would've decided to stay in the water and pretend I died crashing into the water, waiting for your brother to come lift you out of the waters and for me to come out of the waters and crush you both by my weight."

...He does make a fair point and in the condition he's in, he wouldn't really put up much of a fight while he's bleeding to death.

Still, Pup mustn't trust White Death so easily or lower guard from sight of wounds. White Death may still plan attack for Pup and Kin.

I didn't stop glaring at him, but I slowly allowed my body to rest and give my left-arm a break from having to lift my deadweight body with what little strength it has left.

"If what you say is true, then why toss away a chance to finally be rid of me? Isn't that what you've been waiting for this whole time?" White Death chuckled at my question.

"Honestly, Kid, I'm just getting tired of this." His answer confuses me, but I let him continue talking. "Always having to scavenge for food, that always ended up being trash I can't eat or prey that never hold me off for even a full hour, and having to deal with being on my own down here in this never ending maze of toxic darkness."

I can understand how he feels about being stuck down here, but from what he claims about being 'tired' have me confused.

"What are you trying to say, White Death? That all this time, owning the whole West-Side of the city's sewer and striking fear into the hearts of those who live down here, you were actually looking for a way out of this place?" He smirked at my question.

"You really are a clever wolf, Mutt." I let out a low growl at what he called me, but all that did was get him to laugh. "No need to get so worked up, Kid. You know that I speak the truth when I call you a 'mutt' and 'wolf', which is also a fact on why you called me an 'allidile' when we fought in my den."

I stopped growling, but my glare stayed firm.

"Tell me something, Kid: How did you figured out that I'm not a crocodile or an alligator, like your brother has mistaken me for being a crocodile?"

"The same way you know that I'm part wolf; the scent of your blood gave it away." I told him. "When I took your fang a moon ago. It was covered in your blood, and it gave away an unusual earth/fire-like smell. None of the rats or fishes carry that scent, other than yourself. Also, your body appearance and anatomy would make any human confused if you're an alligator with a longer, v-shaped head, or a crocodile that appears to favor freshwater and can't adapt very well to seawater... And we all know that alligators and crocodiles can't breed together, and yet here's one now, though I doubt you became like this by nature."

White Death seemed a bit surprised to my observation, but only to let out a deep sigh.

"Shouldn't really be surprised, that you would be able to smell my impure blood to being not from an alligator or a crocodile, considering that I most likely came out the same way you did."

I cocked my head to the side.

"'Came out'?" White Death nodded his head.

"Believe it or not, Kid, I didn't become an allidile by birth, like you already stated... I was made into this, by humans, in a laboratory. They injected me with some bluish-green substance, after putting me in a cage with an alligator and the moment they transferred it into me, I turned into this."

My eyes widen in shock when he mentioned of humans giving him a bluish-green substance; I knew who he was talking about and what substance he's referring to.

"Did your body felt like it was on fire, drowning and burning your insides to leave you gasping for air, when they gave you that glowing liquid?" His right-eye held anger and hatred at my question.

"Yeah, it did." He growled out. "I'll never forget about that burning feeling that burnt me from the inside-out, or how much I would want to kill a human as much as I did when they turned me into a monster. The only good thing about that dark gift they gave me, had allowed me to get my revenge on those humans and destroy their den. I eventually found myself in the sewers and had been here for twenty years, ever since."

'Even longer than we've been here, and before Master Splinter moved from Japan.'

Despite living on the South-Side of the city and him living on the West, White Death must've knew we were living down here, all this time.

'He could've hunted us down and eaten us, including Sensei, but he didn't... Why didn't he?'

"Something on your mind, Boy?" White death groaned out, not liking the awkward silence between them, despite the roars of the fall being the only sound keeping the silence at bay. "Best ask away, before that kin of yours get here."

White Death's right, despite still not to trust him. Beta-Brother Raphael almost here.

"...You knew we were down here for ten years... You could've eaten us years ago... Why didn't you eat us?" I slowly shifted my shell to rest against the ledge, to better face the monster. "Why didn't you eat me, when you had the chance to finish me a moon ago?"

White Death let loose a low hiss, but it wasn't towards me. His gaze was to what was behind me, which was a tunnel that leads to an old control room of the wastewater treatment plant that would either open the hatch to allow water to pour out of here, or close it if the machines from the Surface World aren't working properly to let clean water out of the sewers... And my brother, Raphael, who stood paralyzed at the sight of White Death on the other side of the room.

"Don't worry, Raph, he's not going to strike." I assured him, keeping my eyes on the albino creature and waiting patiently for him to answer my question.

"For your first question: I chose to wait and see if you'd all die from natural causes, before I would decide to eat you. You four were just mere hatchlings and wouldn't satisfy my hunger for being so small. Not only that, I can tell that your rat-father would be a difficult opponent to take down if I tried to come after you five."

I nodded his head, understanding his reason to not have eaten me, my brothers and sensei when we were but mere hatchlings.

"As for your second question, it's quite simple: You're the first to not only stand up against me, but was also able to hold yourself longer than those who end up killed by my fangs and claws." His claws dug into the concrete floor, almost describing on how much he enjoyed fighting me and seems to wanna go for another round with me, but his wouldn't give him a fourth try to take me down from the inflicted wounds covering his body. "You're the first thing that ever made anything down here fun and doesn't bore me, and I knew that we would fight again one of these days, so I chose to spare your life to live another day."

"And you left me that fang of yours, as a promise that we'd fight again. You even took my bandana to find me by scent when you want to fight again." I whispered, slowly holding out his discarded fang with my right-arm, which was really difficult to do when trying to use a broken-arm to function right, to present it into their conversation. He nodded his head.

"And a warning that the next time we fight, it would be a fight until only one of us is left standing."

"...You do know better than to play with your food, let alone give your meal a fighting chance to live, White Death." Raphael limped his way towards his brother, with the help from the pipe to get him moving, and kneeled behind his brother.

"You know me better than to simply give my preys a quick and painless death, Mutt. I prefer to see the look of fear in their eyes while suffering a painful death, I'm not one to show any kind of mercy to the weak. Besides, the fight we had really was payback for what you did to my oldest fang."

"What are you doing, bro? Are you actually talking to that Yajuu?!" Raph asked me, placing both his hands underneath both my arms, which forced out a gasp of pain when his right-arm grasped tightly on my broken-arm. He immediately let go my arms, not knowing what he did wrong until he saw the puncture marks on my right-arm.

"I already told you before, Raph. White Death's smarter and more intelligent than he appears to be. He can understand what we're saying to him." I grunted out, holding my broken-arm against my chest in case Raph tries to grab it again. I then stared back at White Death. "And now that the fight's over, I guess you'll want your fang back." I held out my arm and presented the fang towards the beast.

What are you thinking?! You'll be defenseless if you give White Death his fang! There's no telling on what he'll do if he does take it!

'I know, but he hadn't lied to me when he answered my question and I can tell that he wish to leave us. The least I can do is return what belonged to him from the beginning of his life.'

Better hope White Death doesn't pull any tricks, Pup.

The one-eyed allidile stared at the fang that once was his eldest fang that had stayed with him from the day he hatched from his egg, then back at me, a humanoid-wolf/turtle who can very much be the only creature close enough to be acknowledged as his equal. White Death let out a low growl and slowly shook his head at my offer.

"Keep it," he grunted. "I don't have any use for it, anymore. I already grew a new fang to replace it on the very day it came out." He opened his jaw, once again showing his many rows of teeth to me and my brother, before snapping it close on purpose to freak Raph out. He let out a chuckle when Raph yelped in a panic but was able to not stand up or even lean against his fractured right-leg. "Besides, I think you should keep it, as a sign of proof that you lived to tell the tale on how you fought the mighty Sewer Monster of New York... And a symbol of reminder that we're more alike than you think we're not."

I cocked my head to the side, but chose to ignore the comment.

"Now that you know where to get out of the sewers, where are you going to go?" I asked, slowly placing the fang back into the fold of my belt and slowly backing away when the allidile slowly made his way towards the trail of water that leads to the pipe pouring clean water into the ocean. He gazed at the small light, sitting at the end of the tunnel.

"Anywhere but here, and away from the humans... I'm going to find my freedom." White Death stared back at me and gave out a cocky smirk, until it slowly dropped to a calm and serious face... Almost looking as if he feels a bit sad that he'll be leaving the sewers... Almost like he was sorry that he was leaving me. "I know how much that means to you, wanting to go off and find your freedom... You know, I'd offer to take you with me, but it's pretty clear that you won't leave those nuisance that you call 'Pack' and don't trust me to not try and eat you when you sleep."

I gave him a stern nod, placing my left-hand on top of Raph's hand, clenching on to the hand to be sure my brother was still behind me and to calm him of his fear.

"Calm down, Boy. If you think I'm gonna sneak around a back way and ambush you two and then go after your remaining brothers and rat-father, you can think again. I may be a bloodthirsty killer, but I always keep my word." He thumped his tail against the water. "I gave you my word that I wouldn't go after your Pack, when I left you after our first encounter, and I'm still going to keep that promise to you... Although, if you would be so kind, consider this friendly advice, from one fellow half-blood to another."

White Death gave Raph a cold glare, who tightened his grip on his my hand and placed his other hand on my shoulder, before gazing back my Cerulean/sapphire-eyes.

"You may have done well keeping your secret from your Pack, but know that you won't be able to hide it forever and that it's bound to come out, sooner than you think. And once they realize that you're not who you appear to be, that you're not like them and are literally a wolf in sheep's clothing, they'll cast you out of the clan and leave you to fend for yourself."

I gave out a tiring sigh.

"...I know." I whispered, lowering my gaze to the water surrounding my body. White Death let out an annoyed snort.

"When that day comes, Mutt, don't shed any tears for them and know that on your own, the only person you need to look out for is yourself... That rat-father of yours need to know that eventually, even the most tamed and trained warrior will one day turn on their master, in order to protect the clan from their foes... Even if that enemy has to be one of their own, a monster."

He didn't a reply back from me, which I kept my gaze down to the water and, as if I look like I was having second thoughts, look as if I wanted to ask White Death to leave the sewers with him. The albino monster let out a deep sigh and began to limp his way down the tunnel... I couldn't let him go out, without my own friendly advice.

"You know that the humans will find you," I warned the allidile, stopping him in his tracks on following the trail of water leading for the pipe. "And the moment they see you, they'll capture you and put you in a zoo... They'll stop you from finding your freedom." 'Just like my Pack does with me...'

"Leo, what are you trying to do?! Let him go and leave us alone! Who cares if he gets captured by the humans?!" Raph exclaimed, placing his right-arm over my chest and, with his left grasping on to my left-arm, started pulling me out of the water. With little to no trouble on getting me out, Raph sat beside me, keeping his arm around me to trap me within his embrace that he, from what I can sense from his grip, wanted to give me for so long.

White Death chuckled at both of us, amazed that I, his former enemy and opponent, would warn his enemy of the humans, and not really surprised or blame my brother to not caring what happens to the albino monster.

"Let them come and get me," He tempted fate with a cocky smirk on his face. "I'll put up a fight and show them how I was given the name 'White Death'. And if they do catch me, at least I'll be in a far more better place than living down here... Besides, it should be about time my fighting days are put to an end, freed or captured." He then gave me a wink. "Take care of yourself, and never quit fighting for what matters to you the most... Moon Scar."

With that being said and saying his last words to his victorious opponent, White Death dived into the water and swam off towards his escape, vanishing forever from both mine and my brother's sights.

---

Normal POV

Minutes later, Leo let out a deep sigh.

"He's gone," he told his brother.

"Hope that he is." Raph growled out, tightening his grip onto his brother and glaring at the last place White Death was just standing at.

Beta-Brother Raphael can stop being scared. White Death's gone and won't comeback to sewers... White Death has gone for freedom.

You can't blame him for still being terrified of the thought of White Death coming back to finish the job! Let's hope that we don't ever have to come across him and his kind, again!

Don't speak too soon. Fate plays an unusual game, where Fate can either play fair or cheat to ones destiny that can be either good or bad. Pup may very well meet alligator or crocodile in mere future, but won't know when time will come.

If we do meet one, let's hope that the next alligator or crocodile is nicer and less bloodthirsty than White Death.

Instead of him being silent to talk with his Instinct and Conscience or try to reassure Raphael that the danger has past, Leonardo leaned out over the ledge of the floor and vomit out the sewer water that he had swallowed after falling into the pool.

"Leo!" Raph cried, having his left-arm folded over Leo's chest and his right-hand patting on his shell, trying to soothe his brother as he continued to vomit the water out of his stomach. The sound of his brother throwing up sickens the red-masked turtle and made him worried when he saw some blood in the mixture of the regurgitated water, only to see that the blood was actually White Death's when Leo used his fangs to latch on to the white demon.

A minute later, and the vomiting finally subsided, much to both of the brother's relief. However, just when Raph thought the situation was going to get better, it just got worse.

"Gomen'nasai, Raph..."

Leo's strength on staying awake finally sapped whatever energy he had left in him and allowed his body to almost plunge back into the water if his brother wasn't holding on to him. Raph kept a firm grip on his brother, pulling him against his chest to let his head rest on something that wasn't hard as stone. He placed a hand over his forehead, noticing how clammy his skin looked... He has a fever, a high one from how flushed his cheeks were and serious his wheezing was from panting for breath. The two fights with White Death took a major toll on the maskless turtle's health and having to not have eaten anything for so long, wasn't helping with the situation of the fever.

Raphael shifted Leo's body to lean on his left-shoulder, gently folding Leo's right-arm over his chest so the arm doesn't get in the way or hit anything to shock wave of pain throughout his body, and wrapped his left-arm underneath his brother's body. Grabbing for the pipe that sat behind his shell, Raph pulled himself up to his feet. From how it was easy for him to get back on his feet, broken leg and all and having to hold his brother with just one arm, he knew that his brother's weight was much more serious than he thought from just physical appearance.

"Damn it, Leo... I messed you up, big time." Raph muttered to himself, already heading for the tunnel he came out when finding a way to get down from the top of the waterfall.

It leads to a set of stairs that the red-masked turtle took to get down, which was a bit of a struggle for him to keep his balance and footing from slipping when he ran down the steps as fast as he could. Going up the stairs with a busted leg and a unconscious brother in one of his arms was going to be another challenge, but going up the stairs was the only direction that leads back for the Lair.

With only one option that could irritate Leo's wounds until they rest the top but the only way to keep his balance while going up the steps, Raph had to lean against the railing on his left, at times having to stop to reposition his brother within his hold that results on moving the broken-arm and forcing out either a yelp or gasp of pain from the unconscious turtle. Raph hates himself for causing more pain to his brother when he has already suffered enough in one day, but he knew that the moment they're at the top of the stairs, it would all end and be forgotten.

A few minutes and seventeen forced out grunts later, they finally made it to the top and Raph can finally walk, as normally as he could with a turtle in one arm and the other using a pipe to lean on for a substitute crutch, towards the tunnel and down the path back to the trail. It was going to be smooth walking from here on out, as long as he doesn't try to run or move too quickly that could make him lose his footing. Smiling in relief, Raph stared down at Leo, who was still gasping for breath but didn't seem to be that much in pain anymore.

"Hang in there, bro. I'll get us home and Otousan's going to fix you up in no time." He leaned his head down and pressed his forehead against his brother's, something that Leo has always done ever since they were toddlers and would always do whenever his brothers get scared or hurt and needed to be reassured that everything's going to be alright. It has always been his way of comforting his brothers and had never failed to do its magic, that Raph knew he needs to assure his unconscious brother, and himself, that their problem will soon be over. "It's going to be alright, big bro. Everything's going to be alright, I promise."

Reluctant to pull away from his brother but making sure his grip on his brother wouldn't falter, Raphael continued on with his quest to head home, where he knew that he can present the Hamato Clan their missing loved one and have them finally call off the search for eldest turtle... Little did he know, that it was much too soon to assume that the worst was finally over and that everything would return to normal for the Hamato Clan, when it was actually the beginning of something that's neither good nor bad.
End of Flashback...

TBC

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*: Mamoru is Japanese for "Protection".

*: Borivoj is Czech meaning "Great Warrior".

I don't really know how long that albino allidile/crocogator (I know that they call it an alligator in the episode: "Tales of Leo", but I stuck with crocodile until Leo stated his discovery of the white beast being half gator and half crocodile) was, but if it towers over Leo and Raph, no doubt it's larger and bigger than the humans. So, I just took a guess for the creature.

Also... In case you didn't know or had forgotten, but for the 2003 version of TMNT, of an episode of them being toddlers, there is a scene where we could see them running down the sewers. While they ran, there's one of them who ran on all-four (though it almost looks like he was doing leapfrog)... Which turned out to be Leonardo who was running on all four during that time. If you want to know the episode of the scene, there's only one that I know that shows it: S7E06 "Incredible Shrinking Serling".

R&R