Allora Swamp Lands .

Leo heard... felt... um maybe both. Maybe it was the splash.

Whatever it was he nods and hurries their walk along, their shadows long and lean as the light grew lower on the horizon. The Stick alternating between sweeping ahead of them and poking, prodding when he felt the ground dipping down, the mud beneath their feet thick and gloopy, a swampy smell about the area.

And the murkiness was not helping.


" A toddler... wow so young. Sad to think about... and makes me a little angry, lil tacker is so cute. And how anyone could be cruel to a child is beyond me."

Glad for the chatter to distract him from the trek through the muck and at last he could make out the dirty trail through a groove of reed and tree and shrubbery... problem was as he felt about with his stick he realised they would have to swim or tread against this bit. " well you do look like you know what your doing, little dude went to and is still asleep." He grins then sighs... he'd marched several feet back and forth this part searching for a shallower spot to cross. " looks like a bit of a swim...." he says a apologetically looking about this time for …. anything... seeing a rotted dank log about as thick as the bigger Don's arm. "wanna lay him on the lay plastron down to float him as you swim or me to put him on your shell? or we can tread of course." Above was a rumble... but it was still distant sounding.

A liquid turtle, now totally unaware of his surrounding and the travel and all jelly limbed Liam responds to shifts with a soft burp. Eyes half opening for a few seconds and a sort of smile... but all in sleep, no lights on behind the gaze and the blue eyes vanish slowly, first nictating eyelids that made his eyes appear white slid up and then the blue lids closed again.

Don took some comfort in seeing Leonardo react to what he'd noticed as they moved onward.

Liam is well out of it, and therefore Leo's comment about cruelty is met with a dark growl of agreement.  Clearly Don is not just 'a little angry' about Liam's situation. He is furious. Don doesn't mention what he would like to (and probably could) do to those humans in the lab that held the child, but the fantasies remain. If the humans are lucky, Don will never find their dimension.

Don shrugs off the comment about knowing what he's doing because Liam is asleep.

"From what I can tell, all he's ever known is being poked and prodded inside a lab." There's a growl in his tone remembering when he was asked about 'owies for red' that dissipates before he speaks again.  "This has to have been a very long day. And children of many species have an instinct to calm down and rest when held. I'm not surprised he's asleep."

The need to swim is unwelcome, but also unsurprising. He sighs.  Don has been carrying Liam for some time.  He noticed awhile ago that his arms are getting tired, which is probably not a great thing in the water. Don has carried far heavier weights, even a brother on occasion, but the position he's holding Liam in and the weight distribution is strange. And it has been a long time.  It's not something he admits to out loud, but it does sway his thinking on the options presented.

"I hate to move him. I'm afraid he'll wake up. But we'd better float him." He admits.

Also searching the area, he spies a slightly smaller, second log behind him, and digs into the pouches on his belt again, this time coming up with a paracord keychain.  He undoes the end, and soon has a length of rope and nudges the second log toward Leonardo using his foot. "Here, let's lash these together. It should be more stable and less likely to roll over."

"if that's true that terrible. Will never be going back to that. no waaaay." Leo grunts himself angered by that and taking the cording and pressing the logs together. He was adept at this and lashed the wood together. Forming a small raft. It would be damp and smell and there was the possibility the boy would wake.


but he would ride easier on the wood. Leo knew as a turtle the boy probably had a instinct to swim, but if his life was as Don had said instinct would only take the little guy so far, and right now as darkness fell and there was that sound again of a splash somewhere off to the right it was not time to test or teach the little guy.



[color:c75d=0000CD]" Ready for him..." questions about the boys world, his age and ability to swim all questions that may or may never be answered at the very least they knew for certain he was a boy. And his name was Liam. He didn't offer arms out to help with the little fellow but was close and ready to help with the smaller turtle.

He was a jelly baby, a floppy limbed deep breathing jelly baby, contact, don's voice and the long looong day had indeed worn his little mind and body out for now. He barely moved, mouth hanging open in sleep.

Leo's comment receives a nod. He can't take anymore time at the moment to think on that. They're about to get into the water, and who knew what was in it!  

Don is very careful as he lays the boy down on the raft. He does so gently, and hopefully, if he does it right, he can manage to not have to shift him around afterward.  When he's pretty sure the positioning should float properly, he carefully tries to slide his arms out from under the boy. He hopes he stays asleep. He doesn't know how Liam would take to sitting on the raft surrounded by water.

And why does he feel like he's trying to deactivate a bomb when all he's doing is laying the child down?  And why is Master Splinter laughing softly in the back of his mind again?

Careful no to rush this bit Leo helps by keeping the boys feet and hands on the log and lifting some of the weight a little as Don settles him so he could slip arms out.


A little amazed. "I know... from Master Splinter, my Master Splinter... that my brothers and I were all so small once... yet quiet a different thing to see one, hear... touch one so young, small. If I were Mikey I might even be squeeeeeing about how pretty the shell is." musing quietly as they worked, though pausing now and then to glance about. But he couldn't fail to notice the moonstone blue of the boys skin, or the rich sapphire blue of his shell.

Liam stayed asleep, slack and floppy and heaved a soft sigh , maybe frowning a little as Don's contact withdrew slowly, and fingers sleepily dug briefly against the wood beneath him. But he still stayed asleep.

Don nods in agreement. Now that his arms are free, he rolls his shoulders and shakes his arms at his sides before stretching them a little.

"It really is. I noticed that earlier. Obviously he's not a 'normal' mutant turtle." Whatever that means, "but I have no idea what he is."  Don looks down at Liam again with a soft smile before turning his attention to the noise in the water.

"I don't think it's noticed us yet. We'd better get moving." He slides into the deeper water. Pulling Liam's raft carefully into the deep water.

Leo smiles, he was doing all he could not to imagine what sort of creatures would hide in swamps. Alligators among them and booooy did he not want to run into something like that.

He was trying not to focus on the thought of huge powerful jaws coming for them, biting at the bigger Don or himself... or... or.... ooooh it makes him shiver, or the little one whose shell looked like precious stone but he doubted he was actually stone. but he was nervous and it showed... "last... time I travelled we ended up in another New york with other turtles... as I said that Leo is kinda intense. Then again his master was too to no surprise there... the other you a bit of a sarcastic fellow and oddly had the same sort of voice my Raph does... it's just, just... this travel felt different. Very different, I can't be sure but I don't think it was quiet the same..." sure he still prattled but the voice was a whisper almost. Was going to touch a little blue cheek with his finger, realised it was wet and decides not to swimming along, shorter than this Don so he was swimming and treading sooner than he, and still using the big stick to keep trouble off. " kinda makes a turtle wonder how he could go about making one of those... huh?"

He slept, mumbling, a insect that looked like a mosquito but bigger buzzed past hovering over the boys open mouth.

he paid it no mind.

If Don is nervous, he's not showing it. He has a feeling Leonardo is though, because the chattering has started again.  It's the sort of thing his Mikey would do, not Leo, and he finds it amusing. Don doesn't really have anything to offer to the conversation, so he doesn't really contribute. He is the quiet one after all, and used to letting Mikey chatter like this.

As Leonardo stops himself from stroking Liam's cheek Don smiles as he swims along. Like earlier, he is still keeping his senses as open as possible. It's a little difficult with Leo's chatter, but the noise is also sort of comforting so he let's it go.

"Make one of wh-" Something was there. "Leonardo, go. Quickly." He states urgently though in a quiet voice emphasizing his words by pushing Liam's raft right up ahead of Leonardo and forcing himself a couple meters away from them.  Yes, the child that Don has been so fiercely protective over, and has almost pointedly kept away from Leonardo is now being forced at him.

Something he can't see in the murky darkness brushes against his leg.

And Don is ripped underwater.

Leo swam after the raft, hastily not questioning the need for haste and … yes! he felt mud beneath his feet! ahhhhh! he couldn't see all of what made the water ripple but the portion of body that briefly appeared was huge! and he yelps grabbing the child and raft and not caring this time if there was splash rushing for the muddy bank having to toss the raft up then child in arm having to grab for the branches and reeds of tree and grasses to pull himself and boy out looking back.


"Donnie!" horrified sort of cry and wishing he could see more as the water churned.

How long can Don hold his breath, especially keeping in mind that he's probably fighting something? A full minute ticks by and on the surface, the water stills.  A second minute.

Don finally comes up several meters from where he went under, coughing and spluttering.  He spots Leonardo and makes his way to the bank. It's not a smooth swim, at least in part because he's trying to keep himself from coughing.

He crawls out of the water, and doesn't have any obvious injuries.  On his hands and knees on dry(ish) land, he allows himself to cough violently. There's water, but whether he's coughing it up or throwing it up is open to debate. Honestly, he's not sure himself.

As the worst part passes and the violent coughing fit lets up, he allows himself to roll onto his side.  When he trusts himself to speak he does.

"So... bright side...?" He coughs twice more. "Pretty sure I know where we are..."  Sort of. It's not terribly helpful at this point though.  They're still very lost.  The coughing continues, but it's not the violent fit it was when he first exited the water.  He doesn't try to stop the coughing now that he's on shore. He's hoping it will help clear his lungs more. And he's not getting up just yet, though the ever darkening sky and threat of rain is concerning.

The suddenness of every movement had frightened Liam, and he was … sort of awake clinging to Leo and shivering... eyes wide looking about and hiccupping a little from being so startled.

But …

He didn't cry... though clearly as a toddler he definitely wanted too... however big humans had ever been displeased by this, he and his brothers all had learned to cry only among themselves and or to self sooth really quickly.

So whilst scared and shivery and clinging to the Leo not Leo he didn't wail or cry.
Just hiccupped.

Giving the shocked little turtle, poor guy, a snug and whispering, as he scrambles along the bank to Don and perring at him concerned, not daring to put the awake... but it didn't quiet look like 'lights on' kid down right now Leo knew he had spooked him calling out for Don. "Are you alright?!" gasped relief.

this may not be his Donatello he was good company. then Leo realised what Don said in the middle of adding in rushed excited breaths, " did... di something bite you? - wait huh? you know where we are?" surprised by that bit of news, still gently rubbing the hiccupping boys small shell.

As the coughing slows a little more, Don sits up carefully. "Sometimes, I love being a turtle." He almost laughs, but it comes out as a cough instead.

"I think I'm okay." He pauses to breathe and allows himself a couple more coughs. Breathing is harder than it should be...  That's probably not good, but there's nothing he can do about it.

"It got my shell, but I don't think it pierced it. Mostly it was the tentacles..." And the water he's still coughing up.

Don nods at the question regarding their location. He is pretty sure he knows at least what dimension they're in. Well... it's not really a dimension.

"We're-" He coughs a couple more times. "in the Nexus." He would explain more, but he can't at the moment.

Hic!

Liam peers anxiously at the two.... but the shell rubbing and the fact Don was there and the other turtle had him no longer smelled of fear … he smiles lazily at Don chuckling a few times, though he had no idea what he was saying.
Then those nictating eyelids slid back up into place and he begins to snooze again, still with a 'Hic' now and then.

Leo missed the childs eyes becoming whit looking - but he felt the boy relaxing and and naaawed a little at the hiccupping but nodded at don's words sighing in relief he said he was mostly unheard, shuddering a bit at his words about the tentacles, " eeeww really ewww….


Now moving his hand to this Don's shell the Leo instinct to pat and fuss was there1 patting the larger shell up between the Dons shoulders, hoping to help ease the coughing. " I haaave no idea what a Nexus is... and you sure you are okay?" Other arm still keeping the boy to him.

Don heard the disgust about the tentacles. "Try eating them sometime..." There's more coughing. Yes, there is a story. Yes, the tentacles were the last clue that told him where they were. No... He's not exactly in a position to tell the story at the moment.

"It's a world between worlds." Don says regarding the Nexus, and there's another coughing fit, not quite as violent at the first. When it passes, he can breathe a little more deeply.  He doesn't try to explain the championship at the moment. He will later when he feels better.

Don's probably not okay, not really, but he doesn't really feel like he has a choice.  He lets Leo pat his shell for a moment before forcing himself to his feet.  It takes a moment to find his balance, and in the end he pulls his bo from his back and leans against it.

"I will be. We need to move" Looking up, the sky is darkening, and the clouds are getting closer.

" hah ewww - You will have to tell me what that's like sometime." laughs Leo and stands with Don, watching him, worried. Stepping back when the staff came out.


He nods, still worried for the slightly larger turtle and shifts the boy a little higher on his shoulder, "The small trail of smoke I saw was.... some distance off … that way along the trail... maybe we should head that way might get lucky to find some shelter on the way or find someone?'


He sniffs the air a little and yep the threat of rain was closer, also the faint tinge of woody smoke. He doesn't rush them as he turns and set off in that direction, at first just to really see if Don was moving well enough, then quickening the pace a little.

Hiccuping had slowed and he was again a noodley limp liquid child.

Don gives a Leonardo a look of apology. He uses his bo as a tool far more frequently than Master Splinter would be happy to know about, and he hadn't meant to startle. He should have given a warning, but he's not thinking particularly clearly. He nods at the information, and is opting to trust Leo on the directions. Breathing is hard, talking is harder. Especially now that he's standing. Shelter would be good. Someone... may or may not be good, but he doesn't voice that opinion.

As they set off, Don is moving, just not particularly quickly though he is obviously trying, and he is definitely leaning on his staff far more than he would like.  Every so often he has to stop for a wave of dizziness to pass and to just breathe.  He is also still coughing, though they're starting to sound a little drier and not as thick and soupy.  The coughing helps, and the fits are followed by him breathing a little easier.  He is still trying to pay attention to his surroundings as they move, but most of his focus is on just breathing.

He was not Don's Leo.


As such not as familiar with this Don Leo was not sure how best to approach he was sure something was up. Even as unfamiliar he was sure the guy was hurting somewhere.


His return look was wary.


this time he didn't chatter nervously as they moved. walking along the soggy pathway, aware as it grew dark and thunder rattled and that they would be in for a storm... but at last even as slow as they were they were making progress and a small glow of light could be seen. He hoisted the boy up again, "he is like a over filled water bladder..." he mutters.... a glance at Don... "Should I... um would you be comfortable with me sneaking closer to look at the camp before deciding to join … whoever it is?"

The slight jostle made Liam frown and a sleepy slooooow and loud chiiirrrrrrrp escapes him, his tail flopping once or twice... then quiet, liquid again.

Don has given up hiding that he's having trouble breathing.  He is actually not in pain so much as he just can't get air as well as he would like. He hears Leonardo's comment about the overfilled water bladder and there's a soft laugh followed by more coughing. When he speaks, it's a whisper. "Yes, I noticed that." He's smiling. Laughing is bad.

When Leonardo offers to sneak closer to the fire to see who's there, Don nods. In fact, he would encourage the action! He returns his bo to his back. Again, when he speaks it's a whisper. "I can take Liam." He offers. He knows he wouldn't want to be running a recon mission solo with a toddler in his arms. Especially one that might partially wake and chirrup like that...

Leo had actually lifted the slinky child higher again and had prepared to set off, then looking sheepish and with a soft laugh of his own he nods and waits for Don to be comfortable... enough...

then offers him the slinky back smiling and nuzzling the small boy. " that's a good idea, I'll be quick and quieter without him for sure." he grins and nods at the boy. "he's slinkified sooo… good luck..." a playing grin then sniffing the air again he gives Don a thumbs up and once child free slips into the growing dark towards the faint fire glow.

Don accepts the slinky and situates the child on his shoulder. He nods at Leo to silently tell him that they're okay and won't go anywhere. Barring trouble, of course. Don is really hoping there isn't any. He still has some tricks up his metaphorical sleeve, but he would rather it not come to that.

As Leonardo leaves, Don leans against a tree and allows himself to slide down the trunk to the ground. He crosses his legs and looks around. Carefully, he allows Liam to slinky down into his lap. He smiles at the child and rubs a finger along the child's forehead before sighing.

Sitting against the tree, Don asks himself what Splinter would do to help him with the water he inhaled. Once certain that he is very much alone, Don sighs and stifles a cough before allowing himself to dip into a light meditative state for healing. Usually he has Master Splinter for guidance when he does this, but that's not exactly an option at the moment. He can't go as far as he would like, because he knows he also has to remain at least partially aware of what's going on around him.

It was the moments between switching arms that Liam moved even a little, a twitch and a eye lid popped open, but he was so far gone the nictating eyelid did not slid away so for a moment one white eye was there then gone.

Annnnnd he curled up in the lap small churrs escaping him.

Leo crept closer... closer...

Peering around trees, and he was going as quietly as possible-



He rushed back to Donatello - though as he closes in lets his footfalls be heard so as not to startle don.



blinking had Don gone to sleep?



"Dooooon… Donnieee." whispering and reaching out slowly.



A little excited. And he was dying to tell the other don what he saw, smiling down at the child snuggled where he was.

Don keeps his eyes closed for a moment.  He's laughing internally, as he's pretty sure he just messed with Leonardo's head by meditating.  Eyes still closed, he speaks.

"I heard you the first time, Leonardo." There's a slight smile, and Don rolls his shoulders slightly as he comes out of his meditation and looks up at his traveling companion. He doesn't feel amazing, but he's breathing easier now than before Leonardo left. "Actually, I heard you start purposefully make more noise." Speaking is definitely easier now than earlier, and this is probably the first superfluous information he's stated since the incident in the water.

"So, how'd it go?"

The lone Inaba's long ears had shot right up. she thought she heard... something...

But couldn't be certain, and though her twitching nose went up she didn't scent anything soooo relaxed long ears flopping back down and resting back against the rock, she'd sheltered here a basket beside her and small fire.

"you did, darn it... was trying up until a third away to be quiet."

He listens and smiles a little, " you sound a little better - and yes! I found... what I can only describe as a bunny. A actual bunny only she was sitting upright like a human. I mean I think it was a she, it had a dress on and hat... and she's alone." he fills in smiling down at Don's lap filler.

Don nods when Leonardo comments that he sounds better. "It was a healing meditative state. It helped, but I don't think I'll be running a marathon any time soon."

He raises an eyeridge and laughs softly when Leo says he saw a bunny sitting upright like a human. "This from a humanoid turtle?"

It sounded like a relatively safe situation for him and Leonardo to walk into. That said... This was the home of the Battle Nexus Championship, and as such he was loath to assume that anyone alone was non-hostile.  So he nods.

Don recalled the time he had questioned April on why she took a longer route home instead of using the alley between her home and the grocery store she frequented.  He had been somewhat taken aback by her response. He didn't want to scare their potential friend.

"But... maybe be gentle when we approach. She might be skittish, or well trained."

He carefully extricated Liam from his lap and started to reposition the child on his shoulder. Though he did use the tree to help get up, Don stepped away from it and is standing on his own.

"Lead the way."

Repositioned Liam presses face into Don's shoulder and neck crook heaving a contented sounding sigh tail flopping a couple of times.

Dreams of brothers and snuggles and all he had seen so far today keeping the mind busy.

Leo smiles, relieved - a little. " wow... Splinter does that sometimes.... hahaha yeah I know how that sounded, guess I was just surprised." totally sheepish and amused and watching - wanting to reach out and help but clearly not sure how his hands hesitating somewhere between offering to take the Slinky back or give hands to offer stability.


But the Don seemed... mostly firmly back on his feet and he nods a wee bit more satisfied with the relative okay health so far and leads off. This time moving with Don - he was right there was no need to cause fright.


She was not that far off... and they could clearly see her in the small fire light as they got closer.

Don decides to reveal their presence subtly, if they're just walking by it might be less threatening? They are looking for her, but still. He nods, trying to pull Leo back a short way on the path. When he speaks, he's using a conversational tone that should easily carry to the bunny.

"How long do you think we have before that rain hits?"

This time she definitely heard!


Her ears stuck up and nose twitching tail fluffing a little as she tries to decide what to do. They could be trouble!


Maybe they were goblins? or draks of some sort or like her they could just be some poor sods outted of their homes by the fighting that had broken out all over Nexus.

Either way she could not bound away now without attracting attention.

She grabs a hand made spear she had fashion out of a particularly flatish sharp edge stone she'd found in her wanderings and a stick holding the roughly done point out towards them and trying to stand tall her ears standing all the way up to make herself look taller she says very clearly " show yourselves! " barely managing not to add a please in her tone and keep it steady.

Don takes a chance and steps into what he hopes is the rabbit's line of sight. He is the one carrying the child, and he's hoping to use that to his advantage at the moment. He is careful to keep enough distance from the spear that he can move if need be. There is definitely time to move and let Leonardo in, and he can probably even put Liam down and get his bo out if he's properly motivated. His hope is that it doesn't come to that.

"Oh, hello." He offers the rabbit a slightly nervous smile before looking pointedly down at the spear and taking another step backward. It's not a difficult feat to pull off as he just walked into a potential fight with Liam in his arms.

Liam choose that moment to stretch and give a huge sleep yawn making the cute chew motions some kids did.

Haha without those ears the rabbit was perhaps his height!

But, he supposes now was not the time for the 'whats up doc' jokes that sprung to his mind. He follows Don into the 'spotlight' as it were and holds up his hands to show he is unarmed. though he had practiced with his swords a awful lot and could still get them out in the blink of an eye!



Hiding a nervous grin when Liam yawn - cause its cute!

She couldn't help but stop in surprise.

There was a child!

And if in response to the question she'd heard that alerted her and the companion hadn't answered there was the tell tale sounds of dripping....

" helloooo… um... quick... out of the rain... here - by the fire"clearly nervous and she had an accent though to her she didn't hear it. Gesturing to the fire, though she kept a hold of her spear it was pointed up and held like a staff the pointy end pointed up now.

Ah, that long before the rain. Nice... Don steps aside, allowing Leonardo through before settling near the fire. He is careful to remain in a position he can get out of quickly.

Don is exhausted and allows some of that to show as he gets settled.

"Thank you," He hesitates there as though waiting for a name. During the pause, he coughs twice into his shoulder and shakes his head in frustration. "My name is Don. That is Leo and the little guy is Liam."

" Hi." Leo answers and he hovers close to don encase he needed to offer the guy a hand down, or take the slinky kid from him whilst he got comfortable.

Only once down did Leo join him sitting cross legged beside him and eyeing the rabbit girl curiously, " pardon the intrusion miss... but we are kind of lost. Well at least sort of." sheepish cause Don had said it was a place called Nexus.


He eyes don and his coughing with some worry but hey if they could settle here by the small glowing warmth of fire and maybe he could meditate more and heal up some?


He hoped.

She sat back down when they both were, a tad uncomfortable being as she didn't know them - one large ear turned and listened to the rain and the darkening swamp around them, the other on the two sitting across from her.

She hums a little they looked wet and cool, and picking up on the hesitation smiles a little, " I am Inaba... lost?..." curious blinking at the coughing of the big one.


Too bad she had no herbs that would help him, only some for cooking. She unclips her basket reaching in for a oil skin which was wrapped with the fur facing outward. She hesitated again but stealed herself and got closer to Don slowly as there was more room on his side to spread the roll, saying as she does, " have yous been driven from your homes too? I... have never seen a Genio Innocuo… but I heard most live in the Iluka Islands... or used to a long time ago maybe locals of the islands see them but none have travelled to the main land. That I know of - perhaps some have gone to Araluen Capital..." she speaks and unrolls her map pointing out land as she spoke names. " We are in the Allora Swamp Lands."

She points again and looks at Don. "I have some herbs that can make a pepper up potion, but I am not an apothecarist or healer so can't help if its worse than a seasonal ailment." tad apologetically letting the two look over the map moving back to her basket and pulling out a thinner finer pelt of some sort, it had thin skin and soft scales on the other side. She offers it, "cover the wee one it will keep him warm."

In truth they were the first no nappers, goblins or threatening people she had seen for a while so was probably a bit keen to be helpful. Cause she was use to a Burrow of close family and community not being out on her own. Very few Wilhara like herself became lone Hares.

"Hello, Inaba." Don responds softly. He allows Liam to slowly slide down into his lap again.

He looks down, as Inaba unrolls a map. It's shape is familiar, but the one he had seen before had no labels. And even if it had, the last time he saw it was years ago.  He listens attentively as she speaks and he makes note of the various regions.

"You've been driven from your home? Has that been happening all over?" It's entirely possible that he has some inkling of why he is here. He looks over at Leonardo with a frown.  Leonardo and the child, however... That makes less sense.  Why would they be here too?

He smiles sadly at the offer of the pepper up potion and the small blanket for Liam. "Thank you," He accepts the blanket. "I'm afraid I had a bit of a run in in the swamp. Inhaled some water. It will pass, but thank you again." By daybreak he should be okay. At this point, he is dealing more with exhaustion, and as soon as he gets a chance, he wants to rest. He would prefer not have 'pepper up,' whatever that may be, in his system.

The map and information meant nothing to Leonardo, but he was fascinated none the less, listening and running his finger over the map, he shifted around Don to get a good loon, now on the other side of the fluffy bunny lady and his finger starts where she said they were and looks slowly over the map.

Somewhere in this world was his brothers. Don's brothers and Liam's brothers. He could not know there were two other sets of turtles too. Something else in her talking caught his attention however. " Genio Innocuo? are... they um... turtles like us? He was sure to be so cause she had called them that. And he was cautious about potion. "what exactly is pepper up potion?"


Managing he thought with effort to hide his own yawn.

Inaba nods sadly, " a lot of us smaller villages or communities have been, there had been a call to banners for fighters - I... haven't heard all that's going on but I know there is unrest and its possibly all over the world yes. I did hear the Daimyo has been ill for some time but I can't deny it or confirm it. She smiles and nods at the other, surprised by their voices that they were both male, she assumed one was a female, what with the child along and all.

She had sadly nothing big enough for all of them to snuggle under to rest and keep warm but she did smile reassuringly at Leo and Don, " yes... yous are... or look like what I have heard in rumours and folklore only that the Genio Innocuo look like. And pepper up is a … um.... well primarily a warming draught, it has some qualities to clear up sniffles and ease joint pains and muscle pains and ease coughs. Sooth head aches, teething in the young and could be important as you swallowed swamp water, there is nasties in swamp waters." She explains moving back to her basket.


She had to bank the fire up a little, make it a bit bigger and with a fresh log a tad hotter, and withdrew a little round bellied pot from her basket, " it will also help sleep.She was not yet tired, she'd rested through some of today mostly cause she tried to travel in the some of the dark where possible.

Liam slinkied his way back into the lap, he didn't stir much this time. If he had been awake he would have been so fascinated by the rain - never having seen it before. And possibly terrified by the rumble of thunder and the flash of lightning.


As it was he was deep sleeping, and cuddled in Don's lap was quiet blissfully unaware of everything.

A banner for fighters? That had to be related! Attention is captured though he immediately tries to school his features again. Oh shell, what have they been dragged into? Any where are his brothers, and why the other Leonardo and the child? And presumably their brothers. If he could get up and pace, he would, but Liam is in his lap. As it is, he rubs his hands over his face. They need to get to the capitol.

"We're not Genio Innocuo, we're turtles. I'm from Third Earth. Someone brought us here, but I don't know who or why." Don doesn't say where the others are from, he has no idea. He hopes someone knows where Leonardo is from though. That's not a particularly happy thought.

"I guess stagnant water is bad no matter where you are." Don frowns, he's hesitant to accept unknown remedies, but he knows that swamp water is typically not a good thing to ingest. Especially if it's something that's going to knock him out. It won't take much at this point. He glances at Leonardo, hoping the other turtle can at least keep a first watch if he takes it.

He misses his Leo. He'd feel a lot better taking something if Leo approved it first. Though it's starting to look like maybe it's not a bad idea, and he may not have a whole lot of choice in the matter. Unless of course, what he has just admitted has changed things.