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It had been a quiet night when Donnie had slipped away from the camp site. With his nose to the ground he had decided to go hunting. Despite what the rest of the flock told him frozen carrion was not a meal he was particularly interested in. In the middle of the cold season it was fine but this was the warm season. He could afford to be a bit picky.
His foot steps silent as he moved through the dense forrest. His focus sharpened at the fresh smell of deer. Lowering his stance to make himself harder to spot he followed the smell. Each stride taking him closer and closer to his unsuspecting prey.
A soft sob caused him to freeze. His whole body stiffened; his fin raised to it’s peak. Completely alert he heard the sound once more and shot off in its direction. Weaving around tree after tree he frequently paused to listen. He slowed as he came to a towering bolder. Carefully he crept around the stone, there under an over hang was a very small Fawn cub.
Don looked around slowly trying to find the young one’s heard but there was no one not even a scent of an adult. His heart reached out to the little fawn. Instincts urging him forward he carefully and quietly inched closer hoping not to scare the cub.
It was such a tiny thing he noted, little arms wrapped tightly around its knees with its little brown head buried in its legs. Its long ears plastered against it’s back. The cub shuttered with another heart wrenching sob and he crooned. It was a low sound meant to comfort. The cub’s head shot up, startled from the sudden noise.
Large honey brown eyes stared at him in terror. The moment Donnie blinked the cub stood and with a loud terrified baaa it tried to run. Expecting this the dragon had lowered to a laying position, using his large body to keep the little one corralled between himself and the stone.
It took a few minutes but eventually the cub gave up and collapsed against a small corner in the stone. Tears streaming down its face. The image of the little one preparing for death broke the drake’s heart. He cooed quietly and ever so slowly lowered his head to the ground in front of the cub. Everything about his body language screamed safe, from the lowered fins to his claws tucked under his body.
The little Fawn watched his every move and soon enough it’s tears dried and it sat up a little straighter. With the monster before it not making any move to hurt it the cub gained confidence and reached out a tiny hand. Don gently closed the distance with his nose. Letting the cub touch his snout to prove he wasn’t about to bite.
When the brown eyes lit up in wonder, he gently pushed passed the outstretched arm and ever so gently pressed his nose into its little chest. Little arms carefully draped over his snout after a moment of tense silence.
“You’re not going to hurt me are you.” The little one stated, voice little more than a whisper. Donnie hummed, a low rumbling sound and closed his eyes in the hopes that the cub would fully relax in his hold. It took a while but eventually the little one laxed it’s mussels and gently started to pet his snout.
“I was playing with my mommy when some humans showed up and chased us.” Don opened his eyes at the whisper.
“I just want Mommy.” It hiccuped as new tears rolled down its face. The dragon cooed once more and ever so carefully bit it’s shall. Gently he pulled the little one out of the hole and close to his chest. Slowly surrounding the little one with his fore paws. It was only the size of one of his paws he noted. Don bit back a growl at his rising anger against the humans that dared to threaten a cub.
He gently groomed away tears and dirt on the cub, a low purr becoming a constant sound. Finding the cub’s Dam was going to be difficult he realized. He would happily take care of it should the Doe never be found. As the cub calmed in his grasp, he started to make a plan.
Usually he could follow the previous sent trail to lead back to the parent but this was a Fawn cub. They had no scent to trace. A sudden thought crossed his mind, he had a Flock for the first time. Yes, surly they would help him with the cub. Slowly he stood startling the cub a bit. He reached down and gently lifted the little one. The squeak of surprise made him smile. He carefully extended one wing and placed the cub between it and his back fin. Donatello took off at a comfortable trot through the brush. His smile widened hearing the excited giggling from his back.
Half way back to camp he heard a strange sounding rumbling coming from the cub. He slowed to a halt and looked back to see the little on holding its stomach. He churred and sat down allowing the cub to slide down his smooth back plating. The cub was hungry. Once it was safely on the ground he stood again and stepped forward sniffing bushes and trees looking for something it could eat safely. He was careful to keep his movements slow to both avoid crushing the tiny cub as well as allow it to keep up without struggle.
He chirped in happiness when he stumbled across a blueberry bush with ripe berries weighing the branches down. He turned to the cub and pushed it forward where it bleated happily and started to satisfy its hunger. Donnie was content to settle down to an alert position. Keeping an eye out for any potential danger to his little one. He sensed movement long before he saw it. It was large, much larger than him.
He relaxed with a smile realizing it his Flock’s leader. He stood to meet the gentle giant. He found himself excited to introduce his new cub to the flock. Soon enough a large rectangular head pushed passed the thicket. Red and gold eyes lightened upon spotting the smaller drake. Don chirped in greeting as the Larger drake forced his way through the trees.
Normally he would greet Raphael with a head rub but he was not comfortable leaving the cub’s side. This seemed to confuse the larger reptile but he simply shrugged it off. A light touch against the back of his foreleg made Don look down to see the cub had finished eating and was now hiding behind his leg starring up at the larger drake in wary fear.
A unhappy snort made shot Donnie’s vision back up to his leader. Horror flashed in his own gold eyes seeing his leader. The large reptile had his red fins raised in warning. His stance stiff and ready to pounce. Pupils just slits and sharp, sharp teeth bared. Sensing danger Don lowered his stance baring his own teeth for all to see. A threatening hiss erupted from his chest. His wings flared slightly making him look bigger desperately hoping to scare away his leader. His hope dashed when the larger Drake widened his stance and growled at him. It was a low defending sound.
Shielding his cub from view Don shrieked, a high piercing noise. His last warning. Raphael did not take it. All it took was one step forward to set the smaller dragon off. He launched himself at the larger on claws primed. He collided with the threat. Claws digging into the other male’s chest and teeth mercilessly ripping into the other’s neck. His Using his hind legs he forced the larger one back away from his cub. Large claws pressed into his stomach pushing freeing the male from his death grip. The two of them fought on their hind legs for a moment, Don keeping the other on the defensive. He was forced to pull back at a loud snap of jaws far too close to his neck.
The two giants roared and screeched at one another. One aiming to kill, the other trying to detain. Don ripped into the larger drake cutting through flesh like mud. Don struck for another bite to the neck only for claws to violently bury themselves in his neck. He was ripped off his feet and stomped into the ground in one swift move.
He didn’t get back up.
Raphael panted from the fight. Pain from many scratches and bites making it difficult to focus. He waited ready for when his younger brother stood once more. Only it never happened. A cold chill ran down his spine seeing the smaller dragons unseeing eyes.
He couldn’t move, he couldn’t even breath. Blood pooled under his brother’s head, the front of his neck a mangled mess. Raphael didn’t notice the little Fawn kid rush to his brother in tears he only saw the blood. There was so much blood.
Everything was a flash of movement from there. Their fight had attracted the attention of the rest of his family. Casey and April had to push his shaky form away as Leonardo tried desperately to save his twin. He killed his brother. It was the only thought running through his head. He killed him and it was just, so easy.
Donatello didn’t know how long it had been, he only knew that he was in pain and that he had to find his cub. He had woken in a nest of cloth, vegetation, and the flock in the middle of the night. The leader as far away as he could be without leaving the camp.
He had no idea if it were the same night that he had fought in or not. Slowly he stood careful not to wake anyone. He dared not risk it. A quick glance around confirmed that the little cub was not thankfully not brought here.
The pain was overwhelming, screaming down his body in waves at every move. He nearly collapsed twice before he made it out of camp. Excruciatingly slow he limped deeper and deeper into the forest. Once far enough away he started to call. It was a haunting sound.
Each second his cub didn’t answer his call the more desperate he became. The most horrible images flashed in his mind of the little one being devoured or killed by the leader of the flock sending him into a panic. He picked up his pace as well as the frequency of his calls. Stumbling though the thick brush he desperately ignored the pain shooting up and down his whole body now.
It took the better part of an hour before he saw a glimpse of little brown fur. He crashed trough the bushes, toppling over. He ended up laying on his side looking into the startled honey brown eyes of his cub. Alive and miraculously unharmed.
A happy but pained whimper escaped his beak as his little one rushed towards him and hugged his snout. He took the blissful moment to prepare for what he was about to do. Ever so slowly he forced himself back onto his paws, crashing back down onto the forrest floor only once.
It was a mistake for him to trust that his flock and leader would care for cubs not their own. It was stupid of him to assume that they would be as protective as he was. Pain ran down his spine as his wings flared. Carefully he cradled the cub between his jaws. He had learned his lesson. This was not a mistake he would dare make again.
Forcing his wings to move his feet left the ground. He would keep his cub safe and if that meant disappearing?
Then so be it.