Allora Swamp Lands .

For it all to come to a dizzying end and he hit what felt like grassy ground at a relatively soft 'flluumphf!' for the speedy drop and all!

The turtle laid there on his shell breathing hard for a few moments. Just letting the spinning slow and stop before he dared a glance around. though his nose and his earholes already told the leader in blue that he wasn't on that rooftop waiting for the daily kidnap to get underway eating delicious pizza!

Faaaa ummp! and a few bounces and -

Splash!!


He hit a patch of something he didn't know was spongy, and the color green and was soft... he bounced and bounced and rocked on his shell skidding and landing in - water! though little frightened squeaks escape as he had never felt mud beneath his feet before... of smelled water like this... or tasted it... and he hopped back onto the moss at first just gaping at the spongy stuff between toes squishing... the blue of his skin glittering and is shell...

And even with his nose wriggling taking in scents he had never smelled before... and seeing colors and soooo much space - it stretched and stretch and his little tail tucked between his legs... he was afraid... and could see no brudders….

Whimper.... biting his lower lip... he could not see brudders… but he saw... bigger ones... like his bruthers but not brothers... he makes his way over to them...

Don tumbled through the portal and though he landed on his feet initially, he was not expecting to sink another 8 inches into squishy, thick mud. He lost his balance and fell into the puddle. Though he caught himself on one hand, he still had a generous coating of mud.  He glanced around, but didn't see any immediate threats.

"Great. Just Great." He muttered under his breath.

"Why can't a portal just open on the ground for once? Why do they always have to open in the air?"

He stood back up, and tried to brush some of the mud off. Instead, all be managed was to spread it around. With a frown, Don looked up again to see where he had landed.

There was a small creature that appeared to be a blue turtle? Sort of. It seemed both young and nervous and Don softened his features as it approached.

"Hey little guy. Are you as lost as I am?"

He, chirps, sounding rather like a lost cheetah cub, pausing and looking about, another whimper no answering chirps from his brothers!

Then he blinks enormous watery blue eyes and nods up at this bigger … one of them, trembling and scared... and surprised big one spoke like hoomans! Nodding, "mmmm los… lossss… no bother.." maybe this one knew where his brothers were?!

Apparently this small creature had it's own language. Don didn't know what it said, but it didn't seem to get the response it was looking for.

"Hmm. Did you lose your brother?" He stood and looked around but didn't see anything else like this little guy. Nor did he see anyone else.

"You know... it seems I lost mine too. Shall we look for them together?"

Don held a hand out toward the small creature, but not close enough that it should feel forced to take it, then he retracted it slightly, when he realized he was still covered in mud.

"brudders loss... too?" curiously and the need to do what most three year olds would do in his position fading Liam tilted his head watching the bigger hand and then squeaking when it withdrew he catches the bigger thumb in his small fingers, nodding eagerly "fin bothers yes... pweeeease?"


He and his brothers had learned some human speak. the humans they had been with hadn't gone out of their way to teach them though just what they picked up. Usually he and his brothers would chirp and growl and hiss and churr to each other. This big one like him used human words though!


As any little boy he didn't care for the mud, well in fact unlike any little boy he didn't know what it was... and he touches some of it now on the big one... wondering...

When the small child reached out, Don allowed it to take his hand. He smiled and gave it what he hoped was an encouraging nod.

"Yeah... We should go find brothers." Don looked down and frowned at the look on the little guy's face. It was almost like...

"That's mud." Don stated simply, indicating the guck on his hand and offering the child another smile.  

"Sorry. I didn't really have control of my landing spot when I tumbled through someone else's portal." He stated.  "I don't suppose that's how you got here too? Or do you belong wherever here is?"  He paused there briefly and sighed. This child could barely speak!

"And... you probably have no idea what I'm going on about."

With another sigh, Don checked his surroundings again. He thought he had noticed another presence in the area, but it apparently wasn't in the immediate vicinity, and it definitely didn't seem to be malicious.  For now, he opted to focus on the child.

"That's okay. We'll just have to figure this out." He said reassuringly.

Though, to be truthful, he wasn't entirely sure who he was trying to reassure.  Because now he wasn't only responsible for his own safety... He had managed to take a small child under his proverbial wing.  And he didn't know the first thing about kids!  He had a feeling that Master Splinter would be laughing at how terrified Don was about this idea. After all, Splinter had manged not just one child, but four!

Liam tracing his fingers through the … "mmm uuud… mud? mmm uuu ddd ddd" playing with thei new unfamiliar word his tail wagging so hard when this big one said yes to finding brother his entirely shell wagged with it!


he shook his head no, he hadn't much understanding of what the big one was saying but tried to … and tried to answer..." wall, white... wall... hoomans… sciiines s... brodders…" trying to explain things he didn't know, a laboratory, scientists and his brothers... " no walls.... white.... scieness… brodders?"


He was trying, he knew it was important and the serious little face contrasted with the waggy tail. He looked much like a Leo with the serious face.

Don had to laugh when the child started wagging its tail in excitement.

And... this is a nod and smile moment. Don had no idea what the child was trying to say, though he picked up enough to decide that this child had fallen through a portal just like he had.

"You remind me of my brother Leo." Don laughed softly. He couldn't help it. The serious face and wagging tail. "Come on, let's go see if we can find anyone else."  He looked down at his muddy hand again.

"Aaaaannnd... Maybe see if we can find somewhere that we can wash off this mud."  Because even if the child didn't seem to mind, Don was beginning to.

" muuud -" that he knew and touched it again... and holds arms up - cause when hooomans said come on it usually meant he or one of this brothers was going to be picked up and taken to a room to have shiny pointie owies put in and red out. sometimes a cookie!

So he put his arms up to be picked up - ready and … yet also was a child so the muddy fingers went straight into the mouth. and back out with a bleurgh and scrunched snout. Mud no cookies!

"baaafff?" he adds curiously wash meant bath right?

Don frowned at the child lifting its arms up. It took him longer than he cared to admit to figure out what the child wanted. Then he laughed softly and lifted the child from the ground. He hoped that the child knew how to get into a good position to be carried, because Don sure didn't know how best to hold the young one.

He grunted gently as the child's muddy fingers went into its mouth.

Yeah... mud doesn't taste good. And you probably shouldn't eat it."

Don cocked his head at the question, and it took a moment for him to decipher what he was being asked.

"Um... sort of.  I don't know that we'll find a good place for a bath exactly, but a little water to get this mud off."

The harder task would be finding water that was safe to drink. He hadn't exactly had much in the way of supplies on him while hanging out in the lair before falling through the portal.

Liam yayed and he was a old hat at gripping bodies with his knees and putting an little arm about shoulders to hang on once picked up, hooomans had to tell hi to be gentle, he was a little stronger that human three year olds, and they lacked the body armor he had. this big one had the same he grips the shell edge with hand and pouts a little, "baaaafff… baaaffff … no cookie mud no …" he blinks and something more this one said came to him, "lll Eoooo? you lll Eoooo?" wonderingly, [color=#6495ED]" I L ll iii ammm." words slow and sounded cause he was not practiced at saying them. "hooomans says meee Lll iiia aam."

It took a moment to get the child situated, though luckily the small one seemed to know what to do! Thank goodness for small favors

The child was speaking again, and Don frowned as he did so. Once again, he couldn't make heads or tails of most of the words. When the words stopped Don smiled once more.

"Hi, Liam.  My name is Don."

The kid seemed to have enough trouble with speech. Don wasn't even going to try bringing his full name into this mess.

Don looked around the area. He wasn't sure this was somewhere he wanted to be after dark.  He frowned and made a decision. The sun... or whatever lit wherever here was seemed to be getting lower. At least that allowed him to create some sort of bearings. He turned in the direction he guessed was North.  As he moved, he listened for running water.

"D oooon… D d doooon." Liam played with the word though it intrigued him and he churrs, sounding like a kitty cat purring (though he had no idea what a cat was) nuzzling Don's shoulder and chattering happily to himself in a serious of small clicks and hums as they move looking about eagerly, he had never seem so much color or smelled so much or felt sooo much!!


then what was on his mind came back and he voices it, " lll eeeeo? ooooo lll eee oooo?" he asks, and then more words... piecing them together slowly "we go... owies? owies for red?" holding out his free arm, it had been some days since he had red taken, so the little puncture was a scab now. but older scars littered his elbow crook and back of his hand. Though in time those scar would fade too. Faster than any humans would.[/color]

Don chuckled softly as the child repeated his name and wiggled happily.

"Leo's my brother. He's nice." Don cut himself off as the child continued.

"Owies? What? No. No ow--" Before he could wonder what the child was talking about, Don received an answer.  He looked at the scars on the small arm. Don stopped walking and felt his blood boil. It was through sheer will power that he didn't growl as he didn't want to scare the child.  He was careful to keep his expression and tone calm, but inside he was seething.

"Did the humans you were talking about do this to you?" He was pretty sure they had.  The question was more rhetorical than anything else.

"No. No more owies. Not like that. Not as long as I have anything to say about it."

And... He would fight tooth and nail to make sure he had something to say about it for a long time. Was this how you accidentally adopt a child?  It seemed more like how you got a cat. Hopefully a better situation for the kid would come along.  He  wasn't sure of much in this strange world, but he was sure that he needed to find Liam's brothers. If nothing else, they were lost in this strange world too, and he didn't know if they could protect themselves. And Don was sure that he would do just about anything to prevent them from going back where they came from.  In the back of his mind, he could hear Master Splinter laughing again.

Looking at the child once more, Don wondered what exactly it was. It had a shell, so in that respect he'd say turtle, but... the rest of its appearance suggested some other sort of creature. Don just didn't know what. Not that it mattered at this point.   Making note of the sun's location, Don started moving once more. It looked like there were some sort of trees ahead and he moved in that direction. He wasn't really sure the trees were better or worse than here was, but they were different and would offer cover. Don didn't like being out in the open like this.  Also, they couldn't stay here. There was no safe water.

Liam missed the anger, Don controlled it well, smiling as Don explained who Leo was to him and nodding with again a Leo-ish serious face, "Ah n iiice… me … n iiice… brudders…. niiice." he chirps happily.

nodding at Don's question and smiling innocently, "mmmm hmmm wid shiny... owies… brudders… too -" hesitating now and then as he searches for words, not aware the land they were in now was swampy and growing slowly darker ahead. "for... um... musasen?" mispronouncing mutagen. "sooome times make... brudders - cry... I no liiithe dat... some times cookies... like dat."


Liam was not aware Don was studying him in a way, he looked like a small blue turtle, though he did have ivory buds on his shell rim behind shoulders that in late teens and adult hood would become spikes.

Usually he didn't like talking. but Don made him comfortable and actually enjoying trying it out. Sides, the big turtle had not answered his calling chirp earlier with one so maybe he didn't know it.

The land where he landed was unfamiliar, the place... unknown... and he was sure that was portaling again. " I really ought to be used to it really." this Leo mutters to himself and sits up right... just as he heard voices, one he thought was familiar and a child? yes he was sure that was a child. He skiddaddles to a tree to peer around and wait, see who was coming before showing himself.

The child's explanation of what had been happening in the lab is not helping Don feel better. Other than that he is more sure that the boy will never EVER go back. He was careful to keep his anger under wraps though, and hugged the child close as he picked up his pace.  They were nearing the woods.

There it was again. Don stopped suddenly, certain that they were not alone. He gently shushed the child, hoping he would understand, and ducked back behind a tree.  How was he going to do this if the other presence wasn't friendly...? He'd have to figure something out.

If it were just him, he would probably go see what was going on. The child changes things. With the boy in tow, Don is disinclined to take risks.  He glances around to see if there's somewhere relatively safe that he can put the boy if he has to do so.

Liam did understand, but he pouted and whispered... in that stage whisper sort of way kids had, "brudders?" and so hopefully his tail wagged again. and if not for the telling to shush he would already have given one of those loud and calling chirps.


he was content to be held. Never before had any big person held him like this for this long and he was an affection starved toddler, so during the walk Don had been treated to nuzzling and more happy churrs and the sounds of the little guy chirping, chattering and churring.

(( lildoragonkame chirps ;  https://soundcloud.com/maya-brenna/lilclone-chirps ))

"I don't know." I whisper softly to the child that's still in my arms.

"Stay here, stay quiet, silent." I wouldn't normally use both descriptors, but I want to have the greatest chance of the child understanding.

I spot a small space that should hide the child well and silently slip closer to the hiding place. For the moment, I continue to hold him. I need to find out what this new presence is, but it might actually be better to run than fight. Since I can't know that yet, I choose to hide and listen for the moment.

Nodding Liam confirms he was being quiet and shuuuushing quietly his finger before his mouth and 'hiding' by hiding his eyes by pressing his face into Don's shoulder and just barely peaking.

He was hopeful though it was brothers!

He was only unsure about the situation because Don was. Otherwise he'd be hopping about chirping and chirping and searching for that noise... soft as it was.

"Hello?!… was someone there?" Leo calls tentatively, the sounds had vanished and no one appeared into view... he steps from his hiding place puzzled and looking around. the L on his belt gleaming.

Sure he heard something.

And that he might have recognised one of the voices.

He had realised the swampy lands around him seemed quiet dense and unusual sounds of insects and plops and there was a sort of moist warmth to the whole place...

Don frowns as another turtle steps out.  It looks... sort of like Leo, but it's not. What is going on here? And what was up with the belt buckle? Weird. That said, he's pretty sure it's safe.

He glances down at the child in his arms and makes a decision.  Don also steps out of his hiding place, careful to keep the child positioned in such a way as to keep his own body between the new turtle and the child. It's clearly a protective positioning, and he's ready to run if necessary. It would be hard to draw a weapon with the child in his arms like this. He'll do it if he has to, but he's wagering it's okay.

"Hello. Leonardo, I presume?" It's an... educated guess.

oh wow -

Leo stops and stares a little. Not sure which shocked him more for some moments. He had met one other Don previously, who was maybe taller than them both but far leaner. So maybe it was the sight of a little blue turtle critter that was most surprising.

He relaxes and nods, "Yes I am Leonardo, you are a Donatello? by golly the second interdimensional one I have met." He greets relieved that this time the noises and voices resolved themselves into he presumed friendly company."Your son?... little brother?" he nods to the small turtle smiling, "Cute!"

Liam hung onto the bigger turtle and peeks curiously at this other... " Lll eeeeoooo? oooo brudder Llleee ooo?" so very curious and nuzzling Don's shoulder again.

He could plainly see the two turtles were very different from each other but he was sure this must be the nice brother Leo.

Tail was too stiff to wag now and he shifts a little … wriggling... a little...

Don is still wary, but it seems that this situation is okay.  Still... he can't bring himself to relax quite as readily as this Leonardo seems to have.  He nods at the correct assumption of his name. Then looks to the child and smiles gently, giving him another hug.

"Actually, the answer to both of you is 'not exactly'..."

Leonardo's question is easier to answer so Don responds to that first. "Actually, we just met." That said, Don's positioning is still strongly suggesting that Leonardo not cross him regarding the child though it has relaxed slightly. "His name is Liam."

Then Don turned to the child, though he was careful to keep Leonardo on his radar.  He has relaxed slightly, he has not let his guard down.

"And this is A Leonardo, not MY Leonardo. He looks a lot like my brother, but it's not him. I've never met this one"

He should be fascinated by this alternate version of his brother.  This is exactly the sort of thing that he should be asking a dozen rapid fire questions about. But he's not.  There are other things on his mind.  He's busy assessing the situation, and making sure it's safe for the child.

When Liam begins to wiggle, Don loosens his grip slightly, not enough to drop him, but to offer the opportunity for him to be put down if he so desires.  Don's a bit torn, he's hesitant to put the child down, but it would free him up to fight more readily if the situation were to change suddenly.

Liam wiggles feels the arms loosening and tried to hang on tighter his tail stiff though and it occurs to his young mind that Don might get angry like the hooomans did whenever he peed in places he shouldn't. Sides don had answered his question and for a few moments he had tried ignoring the pressing and growing more urgent need to try saying the full name. " L lll eeee ooo aaaa ooooo" missing letters but adding syllables...

Then it was to the point he was gonna have to ask or go on this big turtle ... and he didn't wanna upset big Don!


He whispers timidly therefore, " Dooon… I um... wans pee pee."

Leo looks about again after this Don had answered him and as he speaks to the child. Liam.

" huh Liam … nice name... wonder if it's a interdimensional Leo's kid then? now I see him better he looks like the other Leo I met once." he wonders out loud and smiles up at Donatello, " I've met one other Don from another dimension, strange fellow. And that Leo who I met was intense." He was no longer uneasy about the situation, as his happy chattering showed, uncomfortable that he could see none of his brothers. And didn't know where he was.

However he was with one of the biggest brains he knew, aside from his own Don, he was sure so was feeling better about this.

And DOWN! Don gently sets Liam on the ground so he can do his business.

"By all means. Uh... maybe by one of the trees right there?" He gestured as he spoke. Going on a tree seemed to be a thing. At least in movies. And the direction would allow Don to physically remain between Liam and Leonardo.  He realizes that he's not behaving like someone who just met the child, but he doesn't care. The child is under his protection.

He had no reason to distrust this Leonardo, but he couldn't quite bring himself to trust him either. Don can't help but bristle slightly at the happy chattering from the L wearing turtle. And that belt buckle is still ridiculous. Something about this chattering is just rubbing him the wrong way. That said, Don was perfectly content to just let the guy talk.  Don wanted to trust this Leonardo, but he couldn't bring himself to do so yet. Maybe it was because Raph wasn't here to be distrusting. He chose to blame that.  Was Leonardo paying attention to his surroundings at all with the way he was yammering?

And he was all but knock kneed now on his feet and looking up at the big Don - then down, his tail dangling and well boy bits beginning to slid into the open, cause he was nearing the point he couldn't hang on! doing alright for a three year old though... shuffling awkwardly and clumsily to the trees...

" trrr eeeee?" He eyes the thigs Don called a tree … sighing and knees sagging a bit as he finally lets loose and piddles! having to brace his feet wide apart cause he just had little aim control yet. " treeeee…."

ahhhh and he was finished! giving a little boy all over wriggle instead of just waggling the bit that needed it and then as it retreated back up into his tail and out of sight he reaches... for the tree thankfully above where he left a puddle and touches the bark... eyes wiiiiide he'd never felt something like this! He picked a bit of the brownish grey bark off and looked over dashing the couple of steps back to don and showing his prize off, " Dooon ooook t rrreeeee!"

This Leo was still turning on the spot, and noted now the Don was between him and the child. Well he didn't take it personally it was always strange and at first off putting to meet new other dimensional turtles he knew.

Chuckling though at the boys excitement, wondering how sheltered his life must be to be so excited over a tree.

"must be other turtles here somewhere." and not making moves to get around the bigger Don and closer tot he cutie. even if he did want to squish those cute cheeks.

Don wasn't staring, but he was aware of what Liam was doing. He put a hand over his mouth as Liam did the all over shake. It was adorable and horrifying all at once. The whole ordeal had just been...

And realization struck. Oh for crying out loud, had no one ever shown the kid how to toilet? Seriously?  This time Liam was hopefully distracted and far enough away... so Don allowed himself the slight growl at the situation.

He glanced over as Leonardo spoke again.  But at least it was useful conversation. And that was something he would respond to.

"At a guess... I would say at least 9. Don is paying attention to Leonardo, and finds himself relaxing a little more.  That said, he doesn't elaborate on the statement. "I'm most worried about his brothers. Mine," He glanced over at Leonardo briefly before continuing "and yours I assume, can take care of themselves."

Don then turned back to Liam. When he spoke, his tone was much gentler than it had been with Leonardo.

"Hey, Liam. Are you doing okay there, buddy?"  Frankly, he had his doubts, because that display had made it abundantly clear that the humans in the lab had neglected to impart some extremely basic knowledge to the child.  He laughed softly as the child called back about the tree.


"That's right, Buddy.  That's a tree. But you probably shouldn't touch where you just peed..." And yes, Liam was a little above the moist spot, but he was awfully close.

He knelt down to Liam's level and smiled. "This part of the tree is called bark. It's the part on the outside." Sure, it was more than the child needed to know, but it was just part of who he was.  He had to explain it to the boy. The fact that he hadn't gone on to explain the rest of a tree had actually required restraint on his part.

The small turtle had no idea his pee pee technique needed work. The big hoomans didn't fuss, just squirted them with the water at the end of the day.

And he was all wide eyes when Don came down to his level and told him about the tree. and bark. He ooooohs so very fascinated, fingers just touching the roughness of the bark on one side and the more smooth inside. " whooooa.. Treeeee… b bb aarrrrrk." his big blue eyes looking past the small piece of bag to Don's eyes and beaming in the way only children could when they were very happy.


And of course he was, Don was nicer to him that any human had ever been, he was trying to help him find brothers. And was actually teaching him new words! He like new words! He moves closer to Don and shyly offers the other turtle the piece of bark, b b bb arrk." he liked b b bark the b b b bit was fun to pronounce.

Leonardo nods thinking over these words and missing some of the bathrooming, though chuckling at the shell shaking. Dawwwww. " Looks like he needs a little guidance in that area." nodding to the now pee free tot.


then blinking, " oh wow yeah I hope … the little guys brother or brothers is with other turtles. With nine out there maybe turtle luck will be with them" He says worriedly. Nodding at the rest of the words, " my borthers… I will worry but they can look after themselves definitely."

(I have to back up and retrace a bit! LOL. Let's see...)

Leonardo's comment regarding Liam's toileting skills... or lack thereof, received a grunt, and Don is starting to have fantasies about what he wants to do to the humans running that lab that held these toddlers. Fantasies that he will keep to himself, though Don's own brothers would probably have picked up that they were there.  

He nods at the comment that Liam's brothers may be with other turtles. He hopes so.  And the fact that there are three of them here now makes Don think that the chances of the others being in groups are better.  There is an ever so slight bristling at the 'Turtle Luck' comment. His family does not use that term as a good thing... Though he's pretty sure Leonardo is so Don doesn't comment.

Kneeling near Liam, Don is smiling again as the child studies the bark and plays with the word. He pauses, unsure for a moment, when Liam offers him the bark. In the end, he accepts it.

"Thank you, Liam. This is wonderful." He looks at the bark, it doesn't look quite like anything he's seen in his world. Don then smiles at Liam again. "I'll hold onto this." If Liam doesn't actually want it back, he will carefully tuck the little piece of bark into a pouch on his belt.

Still kneeling near Liam, Don glances up at Leonardo. "We need to find somewhere relatively safe for the night. And I don't suppose you've seen any running water?"  As in, not the stagnant, swampy mess where he first arrived.

He grins watching the two, "awwwww, well suppose we'll just have to teach the little guy, I mean Master Splinter did it times four how hard could toilet training be?" Leo says confident about their ability to, watching the two then at Don's question frowning a little in thought. "No... but I could climb up a tree and try and get some bearings,"


Offering to do so because by now he had definitely noticed the protectiveness this Don had over the little turtle and figured he'd wish to remain close.


And it was a good way to lay of the lands they found themselves in. If only for a certain distance. He waits for agreement before he would scale one of the taller trees, and not the one with a piddle patch on it.

Content with this and pleased with himself Liam makes happy little sounds and Don was still close so he did what toddlers everywhere and sought out cuddles. he was beginning to feel hungry and missing his brothers.

Most toddlers would simply climb right onto the knees and hang onto shoulders.

He had learnt from big humans it was not always welcomed. And Don had not said come on so he didn't automatically put his arms up to be carried.

He hesitated.

Putting a little hand was on Don's shoulder and he was closer, "Up?" cause he didn't know the word hug or cuddles and didn't know how else ask, glancing up at the other big one. The Leo not Leo. Not sure what he was talking about.

"That might be best." Don responds as Leonardo offers to climb a tree and see what's nearby. Leonardo's unvoiced assumption that Don would be loath to leave the child is correct. Finally, Don has mostly relaxed, and was starting to trust this new turtle.

Don realized that he was starting to get hungry. Surely the child was too.  Then the child asked to go up and Don smiled more brightly.

"Of course, you can go up." He responded gently, lifting the boy. He gave Liam a brief hug before settling him on one side again. With his other hand, Don started digging through his belt pouches, looking for something, anything... And it wasn't much, but he did find an energy bar that he kept just in case. It wasn't a very good one, but it was food. He just wished they had some water too. The energy bar had come in handy before, mostly to quiet a hungry and obnoxious Mikey. He sighed, missing his brothers, before smiling at Liam again.

"You hungry?" He asked the child. "It's not very good, but it's food."

Chuuuurrrrrr Happy sound being snugged! and snuggling - he was a happy boy! and pee free - quiet content to nuzzle Don's shoulder, neck, lower chin repeating words he'd learned today, " leee oooo… D ooooon… t t reeeee… b b baaark…"

Don's question made him stop and nod eagerly belly adding a squishy rumbling as if to emphasize yes … yes he was hungry! " pwwweeaase?'

A grin at this bigger Donatello and a nod nawwing as he hugged the boy, picking one of the taller looking trees and scaling it easily enough, going up and up and up as much as he dared to.

Until among the thinner lighter branches and then securing hs hand and foot hols before taking a look around. Slowly starting one direction hand up to shield against the last bright burn of the day. He hums a little... nothing that way... or there...


Then... "looks like a pathway through this... swamp maybe a mile uuummm' he looks checking the last suns direction, " easterly of where we are... but looks like we will have to cut through this dense swamp to get there..."[/color] He was not an out doorsy turtle. He was a city turtle... but swamps were dangerous weren't they? And he spies... faint against the failing light.. "I think there is a camp fire some distance down the path... I can't be sure but it looks like smoke... we might find water going towards the path... but I can't see much solid ground for camping or any hillocks or anything... looks like dark clouds the other way..." telling the larger Don below all he could see from where he was.

Don broke the bar in half and offered one half to Liam. Then wrapped the other half back up and returned it to the pouch it had come from. "I'm sorry I don't have anything better." He said gently with a sad smile.

He then looked up at Leonardo in the tree.  "Just to make sure I have this straight, there's a campfire and unknown distance up a path that's a mile away through dense swampland, And it's getting dark."

"What do you bet those clouds head this way?" Though he's keeping his tone soft for Liam's sake, there is a hint of frustration.

"Where I'm from, this is 'Turtle Luck' running true to form." Don sighs and pulls Liam a little closer.

"So we either stay here for the night, or move our shells and try to get as far as we can before we lose light. And who knows what will come out after dark." He pauses briefly. "Then again, who knows what might show up during the day."

" About sums it up yeah." Leo hopped and let himself fall a little downward until he could land back on the ground, "I can't say if the camp fire is far away or being concealed or is just small the smoke trail was thin though from up there. The path looks wide enough for say a party wagon to drive along, and much drier than this ground but its definitely through the swamp that way." he confirms all he could see from up the top.


" and from what I could... estimate of the clouds being a city turtle we may have an hour... maybe a half more before it looks like rain."


his belly too rumbling, they were in a bit of pickle... at least with rain there would be fresh water … assuming the rain in this... place was water that is.

" oookies?!" the boy's excited squeak showed he didn't think it was anything to be sad of just having that for sharing! he takes the offered piece slowly and beams at Don, " you no oookie too?" curiously as he nibbles into the 'cookie'.

He didn't know this wasn't a cookie. It was similar though to the muesli bars the big humans fed them as a treat for behaving when poked and prodded, and they called it cookie so that's what he assumed it was. He chews happily, showing in the first bite he had all his baby teeth in place. None had fallen out yet.

And he blinks when the other Leo not Leo reappears... to him it looked like he just reappeared! he blinks and pauses mid chew to gaze at him in surprise... then resumes chewing when the other turtle talks, most … all of it flying over his head.

A party wagon? Don assumes that it's some sort of vehicle. Frowning at the information, he is sort of inclined to reach the path before it rains. He looks toward the sun. "Maybe if we move quickly? I don't want to trek through mud any deeper than what I arrived in..."

He then turns his attention to Liam again and nuzzles him gently. "I'm okay for now, Buddy. It's alright. You eat."

When Leonardo's stomach also growls, Don smirks. There's a little too much Mikey in this Leo, and it's messing with his head. He pulls the bar back out of his pocket, breaks the remaining half in two, and offers a piece to Leonardo. "Sounds like you need this though." Unfortunately, it's all he has and he will hold onto the rest. Hopefully, they will find other food and water soon. Another reason he wants to get as far as possible tonight.

"oh hey thanks!" brightly this Leo says thinking about all Don was saying and nodding as he now pops the piece of food in his mouth and chews.

[color=#0000CD] "I couldn't tell from up there how deep some of the much is... and I definitely would prefer the more solid ground of the path … well it looked more solid from up there. We might be able to catch some fish … or something in the muck as we go?" he suggests.


The 'intense' Leo from another dimension had showed him what his swords were really capable of.

though he'd never tried to fish with them... and perhaps it was not a great idea to attempt it... but he could try the throwing stars.


' we should move if we want to try and make the path before dark... or rain..." nodding ready to set off... their patch of ground stretched a ways but he realised it was sort of an island the mucky swampiness hidden and disguised by reeds and thick foliage and water growing plants... siiigh well no time like the present... starting off in the direction of the pathway.

his little tail flip flopped in delight and he chews... whilst snuggling against Don... oen around around shoulders as best he could the other lightly curling on the top of don's plastron and holding on, he had never experienced the world going dark like this slowly, or knew what rain was...

And wasn't much listening... very content if still hungry and thirsty and a wee bit tired.


" fannnnkss yooou Don."

"Lead the way." He is perfectly content to match whatever pace Leo sets for now.

"And you're welcome, Liam." He responds as Liam finishes his snack. "I'm sorry, I don't have anything else."

As they start off into the muck, he frowns. It takes a little experimenting to figure out how to move quietly in the goop, but after a few steps, he's figured it out.

"Go ahead and rest, Buddy." Don says softly to Liam, bouncing him a little to readjust him slightly higher and cuddling him close.

And, Don started paying even more attention to his surroundings though you wouldn't know it to look at him because he's just silently walking, rubbing Liam's back.  He's allowing his senses to drift in a manner that's slightly foreign to him, more Leo's kick, but his Leo isn't here.

And he won't say it aloud, but frankly, he's not convinced this new Leonardo can do it so he's trying.

Liam was happily unawares of the possible dangers they were in and very content to not be put down and moved higher, his arms loosely around Don's neck and a yawn - showing all his neatly rowed shiny same sized baby teeth. Nodding, " kaaay… mmm brudders…" a little sadly and half a small sniffle, he was used to sleep in a tangle of limbs and shells with his brothers, but being skin to skin with Don was a perfect substitute in his young mind and even as he mumbles he begins to sleep, head lolling after a little while on Don's shoulder eyes closed, and mouth opened in a slack o of true sleep arms loose, tail and feet dangling.

Leo broke of a branch almost as tall as the Don with him and was using it to poke into the watery merky swampy mess ahead of them, if it disappeard he held up his hand for Don to pause and would poke around finding a less deep patch... and he felt nervous imaging all sort sorts of critters were hiding out of sight ready to munch yummy turtles... he clears his throat nervously as they finely climb onto a slight rise and had a little mossy but sloid ground under them for a few moments, poking the stick ahead of him again to find shallowish water.


They had streaks of algae and plant life and mud on them now. " So... how old you think the little guy is?" to the Don behind him, the little turtle was asleep. " you seem a natural with him." stab poke and prod with the stick, pausing when a splash near by draws his attention, he leads on swinging the stick in the splashs way hoping to deter anything from coming close to them - it had been a big splash!... before he had to use it again to pick their way though the muck. Throwing stars in other hand encase a fish swam by... And a few times he though he saw large shiny scaled bodies...

This has been quite the learning experience. And as it happens, when small children fall asleep, they turn into liquids. Don had not been aware of that, and he's struggling to keep Liam curled up on his shoulder.

"Honestly, I don't exactly have and point of comparison.  Toddler age? So maybe two or three? It could be a deceptive four maybe? I..." He paused there. "Let's just say I don't think he was offered... normal care..."

There is a soft cough/bark of laughter at Leonardo's second statement. Don couldn't help it.  Apparently the struggle to keep liqui-child on his shoulder wasn't as obvious to outside observers as it feels to him.

"Leonardo, I have never felt more awkward and unsure in my life." He pauses for a moment.  "It's just..." He's angry, and heartbroken for the child. "My entire life, everything Master Splinter has taught my brothers and me, so much of it was to protect us from exactly the life he's lived. No child deserves that." The last sentence is barely audible.

Don freezes, there's something, right at the very edges of what he can sense. He glances out over toward the path, wondering how much farther it is, and hoping it's not as far as he's pretty sure it is. So far whatever it is is ignoring them.  Likely some sort of animal, but it's large and Don would prefer not meet it.  He looks at Leonardo, urging him to start moving again.