Pleasant Dreams, Waking Nightmare
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Chapter Four
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Leonardo gripped the edge of the tabletop so tightly that his knuckles started turning white. He was feeling so many things at the moment, but the top two emotions were anger and fear.
He couldn't even bear to glance over at Donatello, lying with his face in his textbook. Ten minutes, that's how long he'd been gone, just ten minutes. Don had been gone for less time than that when Raph was taken, but this was different. Leo was supposed to protect them, and he'd failed every one of them. What kind of brother and leader let his brothers down like this?
"It's not fair," he managed to get out through gritted teeth.
He felt a hand rest lightly on his shoulder. He didn't need to look over to tell it was Splinter. There was no one else left.
"Leonardo. Leonardo, listen to me, this is not your fault."
"I should have been here!" He slammed his fists down on the table.
"If I am correct about what is going on here, there was truly nothing you could have done. Even standing guard over your brother would not have saved him. But he, nor the others, are lost to us, Leonardo. We can still save them."
Leo took a deep breath but his hands refused to unclench. He had faith in Splinter, but it all seemed so hopeless. "How?"
Splinter took the book from underneath Donatello's head. "I am working on that. I will have to leave to gather the things I need. I will not be gone long."
Leo nodded and slumped down into an empty chair. "I'll watch over them, and our home."
"I know you will do your best Leonardo." He gave Leonardo a confident smile before silently saying goodbye to his others sons and leaving.
Leo covered his face with his hands. How could he have let things get so out of hand? His brothers always counted on him, always looked to him for help, and he had let them all down. And he had no idea how he was going to save them.
He took a deep breath and sat on the floor. He needed to clear his mind. He wouldn't be any good to anyone swimming in guilt and self-pity. He closed his eyes and tried to drift away, but he wasn't willing to let his brothers' light snoring slip away from him.
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A crash startled Leonardo. His eyes snapped open and shot to his feet. "Who's there?" he demanded of the empty lair.
There was another thud and a muffled scream. It seemed to be coming from nearby, but outside the lair. Splinter! He ran from the room, snatching up his katana, heading towards the exit. Just as he reached for the door the wall to his left collapsed inward. He jumped back, but didn't manage to avoid all the debris.
He coughed and waved the clouds of dust away, squinting to try and get a look at whatever had managed to put a hole in the lair wall. Obviously, wasn't a bomb, he didn't hear an explosion. Sounded more like something had crashed through. But what was powerful enough to do that?
The dust finally settled and he got his answer. At first he couldn't quite make out the shape, it seemed like just a big black blob, but then it started to move... to slither.
No... No please, anything but that...
The huge snake uncoiled, heading back out of the lair. It looked big enough to swallow Leonardo whole without much effort. With his pulse pounding and sweat dripping off his forehead, he inched towards the hole in the wall. Since he doubted the snake could scream, there must be someone else out there.
Yes, it was a woman, cloaked, and half-hidden in the shadows. She was backed up against the wall, and seemed more afraid of the snake than he was. The snake...
Leonardo narrowed his eyes. He remembered a picture of a snake in the book Donatello had been reading. Perhaps this was the thing that had attacked his brothers. Though how something that big could get by unnoticed was beyond him.
"Help me, please!" the woman cried. He focused back on her and saw her staring at him. Without a second thought he tightened his grip on his katana and leapt onto the back of the snake. He brought the blade down on its spine, but its scales were like armor. The snake merely twisted its body and threw the turtle off.
It reared up, hovering over Leonardo, jaws open wider than should be allowed. It hissed viciously and Leo felt his legs turn to jelly. Before it could strike at Leonardo, a brick came flying towards it and hit the side of its head. The snake turned with a hiss towards the woman, who was ready with another brick in her hand.
"Go for its belly!" She yelled, throwing the brick. She'd managed to grab its attention away from Leonardo. Leo considered drawing its attention back to him, then realized exactly what the woman was doing. While the snake was distracted he jumped towards it, catching its attention just a second too late. The sharp blade sliced right through the soft under belly of the snake.
Leonardo landed several feet away, breathing heavily, and the snake collapsed behind him. It shuddered and writhed a few seconds before lying still. Leo slowly stood and turned, watching as the snake's body quickly disintegrated and melted away into the sewer floor.
At the sound of more movement Leo spun around, ready to fight again. He stopped just inches away from striking the woman who had helped him. He quickly lowered his sword and bowed. "My apologies." He straightened up. "Are you all right?"
The woman smiled. He could now see her face, young but not quite innocent, a look of wisdom beyond age. A few soft golden-brown curls fell in front of her gray eyes. "I'm quite all right. Now."
Leo smiled slightly, then he cringed and fell to one knee, clutching his side. The woman was with him in an instant. "You're hurt."
"No, I'm not," Leo answered, although it hadn't been a question. However, he did lean on the woman for support, she was a lot stronger than she looked, as they traveled back into the lair through the hole the snake had created. She set him down on the couch and began checking him for injuries.
"I said I'm fine." Leo started pushing her away.
"You were very brave back there. You came to my rescue though you did not know me. I would feel bad if you were hurt."
Leo sighed. "What's your name?" he asked, trying to change the subject. "And what was that thing?"
The woman placed her hands in her lap. "I am Lillith. That was a demon serpent, a Dream Eater. I've been tracking it for a long time now."
"Dream-? Then that must have been what attacked my brothers!"
Lillith nodded, lowering her head. "I am so sorry that your family was a target."
Leo was silent for several moments, collecting his thoughts before asking. "My brothers. Will they be-?"
"Your brothers will awaken shortly. The Dream Eater's hold on them was not complete, and they will recover."
Leo sighed again, this time with relief, leaning his head back against the couch and closing his eyes. He felt Lillith's fingers across his forehead. "You don't like snakes. It must have taken a lot out of you to face the Dream Eater."
Leo gave a non-committal grunt. Lillith leaned closer to him. "You must be a very brave warrior. Thank you."
Leo smiled a bit. He never got thank you's. It felt nice to be appreciated. Almost as nice as Lillith's hands trailing across his plastron.
"Fear is exhausting, isn't it?" Lillith whispered. "It takes its toll on the mind, you know. Slowly chipping away at defenses." She ran a single slim finger along the edge of his jaw. "Then it can easily take control, or let something else take control."
Leo smiled to himself. "I'm stronger than that."
Lillith slipped into his lap and he looked up at her. She gently pressed her lips against his and smiled. "Of course you are, my great hero."
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