***
Venus grabbed Leo's arm. "Stop!"
"What?"
"It's Donatello. He's nearby." They all looked around.
"Where?" Leo asked. A manhole cover near him flipped open and landed on his foot. His yelped and pulled his foot out from under the slab of metal. Both Mike and Raph tried hard not to laugh.
"You're alive!" Venus cried.
Donatello climbed out of the hole. "No thanks to Bonesteel."
Leo leaned his shell against the alley wall and inspected his foot. "You did that on purpose."
"Stop being a baby," Raphael told him. "Let's go home."
***
The room was dimly lit by dozens of candles. A tall man leaned over a large book, slowly turning the pages as he read.
He looked up as Dextra cautiously entered the room. "And just where have you been?"
"I'm sorry, master. I was swimming and got caught…"
Hadrian slammed his fist down on the table. "How many times do I have to warn you about being seen!"
"I met one of the Shinobi's companions," she said quickly.
That seemed to calm him down just a tad and he motioned for her to continue.
"The one in the purple mask, they call him Donatello. He helped rescue me."
Hadrian stroked his short beard. "So, you've gained his trust?"
"Umm…sorta."
Hadrian raised an eyebrow. "Well then, Dextra, we'll just have to make sure you do."
***
"And then she runs up the stairs and I go back down and escape through the sewers." Donatello looked at the looks on his family's faces. "You don't believe me."
"It's not that we don't believe you," Venus said.
"But that's kinda hard to swallow," Raph finished.
"It's true!" Don cried.
Splinter raised his hand for silence. "The story of his escape is not as important as the fact that Donatello is back with us."
Leonardo looked around at his family. Usually they were so close, they had to be, or they would be killed, or worse. In the last month, after the Dragon Lord's defeat, he felt like they were all drifting apart. Raphael often spent his nights with Aura, and Venus was also spending time with the dragon queen, honing her magick. Leo liked Aura, she was a decent person, and they had settled their differences a long time ago. He didn't blame her anymore.
Donatello had gone out last night scavenging for parts, and was spending more time with his on-line friends, and he was pulling Mike into it. Even Leo felt less enthusiastic about 'family events'. And Splinter wasn't feeling well, although he'd never admit it. Leo worried that the old rat didn't have much time left.
It was hard to accept that his family was drifting apart. It hurt him to think that enemies were the only reason they stayed together.
***
Aura paced before the two dragons before her. They were young, capable soldiers and she would be sad to lose them if they did not agree to her terms.
"Hitoshi, Jiro, you know why you've been called here."
Hitoshi, the older of the two, narrowed his ruby colored eyes at her. "You wish us to pledge our loyalty."
"You did not require it of the other soldiers," Jiro added.
Aura stopped in front of them, shoulders back, and spine straight. "Rank soldiers swear their loyalty to the crown. If you hold family above that vow, I cannot let you go free in my army."
"I will not serve my father's murderer," Hitoshi spat.
Aura sighed inwardly. On the outside, she remained calm. "I hoped you thought differently, as I was not the one to strike the killing blow."
Hitoshi clenched his fist but remained silent. Jiro bowed his head.
"I however, will not kill you."
They both looked at her in complete shock. Their words were treasonous, and the penalty was death.
"I do not want to destroy my own kind. I need to keep our numbers strong. So I'm giving you a choice. One, you can forget about vengeance, put your father's death behind you, and go back to the Rank."
"And if we refuse?" Jiro asked.
Aura gracefully raised her hand and pointed at the mirror that sat beside her throne. "You may return to an eternity of nothingness."
Hitoshi glanced at the glass. "We are at your service, my Lady."
***
Donatello wheeled his chair over to the monitor when his security system went off.
Mike rolled his eyes. "That's the sixth time this week and it's only Tuesday! Dude, you have got to fix that."
Don sighed. "For your information, I did. Whatever it is, it's too big to be a rat this time. Or should I say 'they'."
"Looks like four of 'em," Raph said.
"Better check it out," Leo said. "Don and I will go, no use dragging us all out there for a rat."
Venus walked in. "What's going on?"
Mike smiled at her. "They've got to check out one of Don's false alarms."
"Again?" Venus asked.
"Watch," Raph said, "it'll be rats again."
"Should I come too?"
"Nah, not necessary, V," Mike said. Mike learned that 'V' was the only nickname Venus approved of. "Raph and I are staying here."
Splinter walked into the room slowly. He stopped and leaned heavily on his cane. "Another false alarm?"
Mike stuck his tongue out at Don. Leo frowned at his master's weakened state. "Are you all right, Master?"
"Yes, Leonardo," he said, waving them off. "Go see what the problem is."
***
Why did I agree to this? Dextra asked herself again as she ran through the sewers of New York with three Hell Hounds on her heels.
This better work.
Dextra glanced over her shoulder. She was so busy running from what was behind her that she didn't notice what was in front of her until she hit it. She stumbled back and looked up.
"Donatello!"
"Dextra?" He looked behind her and saw the large dogs. They had stopped and were snarling at them, hunger in their angry red eyes.
Donatello pulled Dextra behind him and he and Leo got ready to defend themselves. Suddenly, the dog's ears perked up and they howled. The sound sent chills down Don's spine and made Leo's blood run cold.
They turned tail and ran. Leo started after them but Don caught the edge of his shell. "No, they're gone now."
"What were they?" Leo asked.
"Hell Hounds," Dextra answered. They turned to her as if they'd forgotten she was there.
"Why were they after you?" Don asked.
Dextra pushed back a lock of green hair. "I don't know. I was out and they just started chasing me. I didn't even have time to shift."
Leo sheathed his katana. "Well, they aren't after you now." He looked her over. "So you're Dextra?"
"Huh? Yes, my name is Dextra."
Don grinned. "See, I told you."