The morning sun shone bright and warm as they gathered out in the garden. This day, they all were very serious as the trainingroutine set in. The silent meditation stretched for two hours afterwards. They all tried to focus on the task that lay ahead. TwoFeather was with them as well. Leo had explained that he was in this because he carried traces of the people that once were cared for by White Eagle Woman. When the last full-blooded one of the tribe buried the statue of her, she kept watch over his children. TwoFeather was the last one of his descendants. But his part in this was yet very undefined. But he had joined them in their meditations, watching them while having the white eagle statue with him. Candace, Kelly and Susan had taken care of the horses this morning, allowing the others to focus their attention on the coming mission.

***

As the saddlebags were being packed, the kitchen was full of people.

"Will ya get outta my way?" Mike squealed as he came with a hot teakettle to pour in the canteens. Raph ran aside, before the few drops that slipped away hit him. Candace was wrapping sandwiches, while Kelly dug out fruit and crackers from a cupboard.

"Whoha! Watch it! " Said Susan and bumped into Leo in front of the fridge.

"Watch it yourself, I have things to pack!"

"Yeah, my things!" she pointed out and gave him a sour look. Leo grunted something and got out of her way.

***

The horses were loaded with food and extra blankets. There was no use in dragging a tent along as well. There would be no time to set it up. Susan walked up to Leo as he was strapping the katana swords to the saddle, and handed him a map.

"This one will lead thru the forest and to the caves." When you cross Saschoona River, be careful. It has some rocky places, but if you go down where I have marked it, it should be no problems."

Leo looked at the map, memorising it in case he for some reason lost it later on.

"Good. It won't be a problem." He said, looking at her before he got up. "Thanks for letting us borrow the horses. I'll bring them back."

"You better do that..." mumbled Susan and returned to the porch.

***

Candace stood by the big stallion's head and slowly caressed the velvet smooth muzzle. She watched Raphael securing the girth before getting the beaten up westernsaddle readied. He glanced at her and smiled. "I'll be back, Candy."

Candace nodded and carefully stroke the white blaze on the horse.

"I will." said Raph and walked up to her. He wore the baggy jeans he'd brought from home, along with a big flanellshirt and a fleecevest on top of it all. Even if the sun occasionally shone thru, it was very chilly, and the others wore similar clothes as well. Leo and Don also wore long black coats that flapped in the wind as they turned the horses towards the Northwest in a slow walk. Raph saw Leo make a sign to hurry up. He glared at Leo, but then turned back to Candace. He hugged her tightly, leaning his chin on her hair. Candace closed her eyes, hoping it could never end. Hoping that when she opened her eyes, she'd be out in the forest, just like the previous day. That this was all just a bad dream. She looked up at him, and gently placed a kiss on his lips.

"Come back to me..." she whispered and turned away. She walked straight up to Susan and sat down on the top step of the stair. Raph took a deep breath before he got up in the saddle. Jordan neighed and reared half way up before he danced away after the two other horses. Venus and TwoFeather waved goodbye as well, before they set out.

Mike was slowly twisting a string of chestnut hair around his hand as he stood close to Kelly. They didn't say anything, just looked at eachother. Somehow they didn't need words, just the sheer presence of eachother. Mike stole a quick kiss before he mounted the black mare and sharply turned her away from the ranch. He couldn't stand seeing Kelly there. He knew she stood on the driveway, looking him straight in the neck.

Up in the front, Leonardo made Chamberlain pick up a fast trot towards the rocks. It was now or never. He could almost sense the danger. And the pursuers. They were out there...

Chapter ten

More to come soon...

Turtles Fanfiction

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