The voice was so light and clear and sweet, and she sang almost every night, so much so that listening to this mysterious acapella concert was a part of his nightly routine. The mutant rat known now as Splinter, formerly the human called Hamato Yoshi, sat as still as stone in his chambers, but his spirit soared as the beautiful music washed over him, washed through him. It felt as if she sang only for him, but that was foolish. He knew she sang for all the rats, but this did not quell his desire to go to her every time the sweet tones surrounded him.

And, tonight, he decided to indulge that desire. He left his room, saw his sons were not home yet then stepped slowly through their front door, his ears pricked as he followed the sounds. But he only got a couple of tunnels away from their home before he was confronted by a large horde of rats, literally blocking his path. He did a quick count; there were at least thirty and probably many more.

"Hello cousins," he murmured softly, but several of the larger rats actually stood up on their hind legs and hissed at him, their teeth bared and their eyes sparkling with warning. They were telling him to go back or else.

And the singing had stopped as if someone switched off a radio. They must have warned her she was being tracked by someone

The Ninja Master sighed. "I would not hurt her," he murmured. Then Splinter slowly backed away, not from fear, but out of respect, and more than a little chagrin.

The singing did not begin again, not until he was back in his chambers.

"Well, my sons, what did you think?" Splinter asked the turtles as he came out of his room.

"Uh, about what, Sensei?" Raphael asked, dumbfounded.

The rat looked from one son to the other. "Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo! Didn't any of you hear that?" Splinter burst out.

"Hear what, sensei," they all chorused, looking at their beloved Master, their rat Father, in concern.

"The music," he said, but his sons gave no sign of recognition.

"The music that echoes through these sewers sometime between 11 PM and midnight every night," Splinter tried again. "It is the loveliest thing I have ever heard. It is practically a siren's song, but without malice."

The four turtles put their heads together.

"We've never heard any music, Master Splinter," Leo said at last.

"But how could you miss it?" Splinter demanded.

"Man, what's up tonight," Raphael burst out. "First, Mikey thinks there are Shaolin living in the sewers with us, and now Master Splinter's hallucinating."

Splinter fixed Raphael with a stern glare.

"Did I say hallucinating? No, Master, I meant, um, hearing pretty music ... that none of the rest of us can hear. Because Master never hallucinates—"

"Actually, he could be hearing something," Donatello broke in. "Rat hearing is way better than turtle hearing. He probably hears lots of stuff that we don't hear."

"I bet it was Shaolin Girl," Mikey proclaimed.

The other three turtles groaned, but Splinter's ears pricked up.

"Who?" he asked.

"Aw, please don't get him started again, Master Splinter," Raphael pleaded. "Mikey thinks we met some Shaolin girl tonight."

"Hey, even you can't deny that she kicked some serious butt, Raph," Mikey exclaimed. "She put half those guys down before we could even move!"

"Never said she didn't, but that doesn't make her Shaolin."

The two began arguing again as Leo and Donnie told Splinter what had happened.

"You are sure she was unharmed?" Splinter asked, his posture tense.

"Well, there was no blood left behind," Leo said.

"The only ones who got harmed were those thugs, Master, honestly," Donnie agreed.

Splinter gave a low chuckle. "She immortalized you all in song," he told his sons. "She sang tonight of the four great heroes."

"Hey, we're stars!" Mikey celebrated.

"You're gonna be seeing stars," Raph growled.

Splinter silenced them all with a look.

"Leonardo, who is this person?" he demanded.

We really don't know Sensei. We never even got a good look at her face, and she ran away without telling us her name."

"She did thank us very politely, though," Donnie put in. "And called us 'gentlemen'."

"Well, at least someone has good manners," Splinter said pointedly. "And she was alone, you say?"

The turtles nodded.

Splinter stood deep in thought for a long moment. "The next time you go up to patrol, see if you can make contact with her again. Find out if she needs food or help, and perhaps her name. I shall continue to search for her in the sewers. I don't like the idea of a girl being all alone on the streets up there." He suddenly grinned, his whiskers twitching. "The city is no place for a lone female to live, even if she can kick some serious butt."

"See, Raph. Master Splinter worried about her too, and he never even saw her," Mikey persisted.

Raph growled and lunged for his brother, and the chase was on.

Donnie started to head for his lab, but at a look from Splinter, he yawned. "Guess I'm heading for bed. Night everyone."

Splinter chuckled as his scientist son headed for his room. I wonder how long he will stay there? The rat Ninja Master mused affectionately. Then, he felt his remaining son's eyes on him.

"Something troubles you, Leonardo?"

"She's a good actress," the turtle said quietly.

"What?" That was not what Splinter expected.

"Mikey's Shaolin girl. She's an awfully good actress, Master. I mean, well, we'd have helped her anyway, but when we first saw her cornered, we all thought she was so defenseless and helpless before she exploded into action."

Splinter frowned. "And you are thinking she may be some kind of trap? For me?"

"Yes, maybe," Leo admitted. "Maybe for all of us?" The turtle broke off in a nervous laugh. "I know. Too paranoid, huh, Master?"

"Perhaps-" But now Leonardo had him thinking, too.

"Goodnight, Master Splinter," Leo said, getting up and bowing to his father before also heading off to bed.

Splinter retired to his room, but he did not sleep. Was Michelangelo's Shaolin girl and his Siren the same person? He was convinced they were the same, but Leonardo made a good point.

And, they certainly knew someone else who could control rats ...

A/N:

Hello again patient readers, and welcome back to mine and Raven Summersong's corner of TMNT land. We hope you've enjoyed your stay here.

As always, constructive feedback is not only welcome but very much appreciated.

Happy reading.