Many Friends, Different Lives

Chapter 8: Hidden Valley

A/N: Anyone not like this story cuz I take forever to update?

Disclaim: Do I have to disclaim them every time? hears gun being loaded in the shadows Guess so. I don't own the TMNT. Only my characters. turns and faces the shadows Happy now? light bulb bursts Guess not.

The scene was something from a horror flick. Blood and limbs were scattered everywhere in the dungeon. Fresh blood dripped from a body swinging on chains bolted to the ceiling. Gashes across the torso, legs, and face were crusted with drying blood. The little light within the torture chamber revealed green skin which the crimson blood dripped from. The door to the dungeon flew open, bathing the place in light.

"LEO!"

Cold sweat had the sheets clinging to his skin. He ran a hand through his black hair which tips were still died red and trying to slow his breathing. Tears streamed down his face as his heart still raced. A figure shifted next to him and he opened his fire red eyes. The figure next to him continued sleeping and he gently slid out of the bed. Walking over to the window, he leaned against the frame as a gentle snow fell onto the veranda.

Please let that just be a nightmare.

"Raph?"

"Yeah, Leo?"

"You OK?"

"Just a bit startled."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Sure."

Ashara ran her hand on the wall. Rough and familiar. Sighing, she continued to follow the servant before her. It was going to be a long, long discussion and one hard to win. The servant bowed before her, knocking her back into reality, and she walked through the double doors before her. She was shocked at the sight before her.

"What? Where's Bendo?"

"Hold your tongue girl," the figure before the fire said. "He died, two days ago. I took the throne."

"You don't belong in the throne, Pentai," Ashara snapped. "Henotro does."

"Henotro hasn't been seen since you disappeared. They say that he died in the Forest of Lestro," Pentai said, turning around. Two guards gripped Ashara's arms.

"Pentai!" Ashara screamed as something was gammed into her shoulder. An ice cold liquid ran through her body and blackness hazed around her vision as she lost the feeling in her legs.

"Ten days you will live and you don't have that many to be able to make it home in time without losing your friends," Pentai chuckled. "Have fun trying to find them."

Pentai's laugh filled Ashara's ears as darkness took over.

"Where did you find her?"

"Just outside the forest."

"When is she to wake?"

"No clue. There's poison running through her veins and I'm guessing she has 13 days."

"10. He had said 10," Ashara said, shifting and sitting up, the light from the hearth dancing shadows on the two men talking in the room. A chair screeched across the floor before falling over as one of the two men jumped up. "10 days from the beginning of the full moon."

Ashara's fuzzy gaze landed on the standing male as sweet ran down her brow. The standing man walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You need to rest."

Ashara lied back down. "Where am I?"

"In the Forest of Lestro. You're in Patrick's cabin."

Ashara frowned. "Patrick? That isn't your name, is it?"

The man chuckled. "No."

Ashara's blurry vision got a bit clearer. "You're Henotro, aren't ya?"

"Ashara?"

"I was right. You are Henotro."

He shivered. The wind was cutting through his cloak but the hint to get out of the town was too strong this time. With solders asking around for the both of them, he was surprised that they had gotten out without being found out. He looked back at his lagging brother and stopped walking.

"You OK, Leo?"

"Yeah, just a bit stiff with the cold."

"There's a cabin just over this hill."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I found it last night. Don't ask me how."

His brother just nodded and he continued to climb, allowing his brother to get ahead of him so that he could support from behind. Slipping a thicker cloak out from under his, he wrapped it around Leo.

"Thanks."

"Thought it might come in handy."

"What about you?"

"What about me? I'll be fine Leo. I'm used to this remember? And we don't need you getting sick."

A chuckle came from the cloak before him and Raph smiled. He never got to take care of Leo often and loved it. He didn't feel so helpless when he could. As the wind grew, Raph took one last glance at the town behind him and continued up the rugged path.

Emerald looked at the map before her. So many things to think about with so little time. Sly shifted next to her and she knew that he was getting impatient. Sighing, she pointed to a spot on the map. Central Park.

"Our best bet. If we can keep everything under here, then we'll have a better chance of keeping an eye on the port."

Sly nodded and she knew that he wasn't satisfied. Stretching, she knew he would just have to deal with it. Right now, she had a job to do.

Raph stopped to catch his breath. Looking back, he noticed that Leo had fallen way behind. Hurrying back, Raph gripped Leo's upper arm.

"Come on bro, just a bit farther."

"I can't."

Raph punched Leo in the face. "Snap out of it! Yer going to make it! Yer going to get warm!"

Tears froze on both faces and Raph pulled Leo into his arms, holding his cold brother close. "I'm sorry, Leo. I just need ya to hold on a bit longer."

Leo nodded into his brother's shoulder and Raph pulled his brother onto his back. As Leo began to shiver, Raph pulled out the second cloak he had bundled up under his cloak and he roughly threw it over Leo. Looking up the path, Raph swallowed and began the labored journey.

Ashara shifted and placed a cold hand on her forehead. Pain was seeping through the cold and she looked over at the fire. A figure was blocking a good view of the fire and Ashara propped herself up on her elbow.

"What's wrong, Henotro?"

"Just thinking."

Ashara sat up. "Bout what?"

"Nothing."

Silence hung for a while and as both opened their mouth, a knock landed on the door. Henotro walked over and pulled the door open. A figure walked in with another on his back and Ashara recognized them instantly.

"Leo! Raph!"

The figure carrying the other looked her way. "Ashara!"

Ashara walked over and helped Henotro lift Leo off of Raph's back. "Is he OK?"

"I don't know." Raph showed several emotions he usually never revealed to many people. "I think he's sick."

"He is," Henotro said. He supported most of Leo's weight as he led him to the couch. As he helped Leo lie down, he said, "It's something that will pass over night if I can make the drink in time."

Ashara frowned. "In time?"

Henotro sighed. "If the concoction can be made before the moon rises, then I don't have to wait for another cycle."

"Month," Ashara said, answering Raph's unasked question.

"What I need is some peace and quiet till I'm finished."

Raph stepped forward. "Is there a place where we can go?"

"There is another cabin just up the path. It'll be cold till you get a fire going." Henotro threw a few things into a bag and handed them to Raph. "There's a kit in there to start a fire, some food, and a bit of water. I also put in some bandage and herbs in case one of you two get hurt."

"Thanks," Ashara said and she took one of the cloaks Leo had over him. She looked at Leo and asked, "Is it contagious?"

"My father had it once. You were here for that, remember?"

Ashara rolled her eyes and smiled. "That answered my question, thank you."

And with that, Henotro just ushered them off with the flick of his wrist and Raph followed a cloaked Ashara out the door into the cold evening.

"So what was that all about? Is he contagious?"

Ashara laughed. "No. What he had is something like pneumonia. It isn't contagious unless you get the virus that created the pneumonia. The thing that Leo has is something common to those around these parts but to you and your brothers, I'm not so sure. I know how Leo is when he gets sick. He just gets sick with no view of relief till the end."

"Yeah."

"The concoction, though, isn't that hard to make and it should heal Leo almost all the way but..."

"But what?"

Ashara stopped walking. "It depends on the person. If they can't stomach the concoction, they have to go through the illness unaided. That's the worst way to go."

Raph faced her and pushed himself to ask. "Why?"

"The illness is with the energy a person uses. Most people who are always worn out and getting little sleep or really stressed on top of either or both of those usually get hit with it. It drains a person even more and the illness eats away at the body. That's why one ingredient is the first moonlight." Raph just gawked at her and she sighed. "There is a lot about this world you don't know yet. Come on. I'm starting to freeze."

Raph chased after Ashara and the pair came to a cabin much smaller than the one they had just been in. Ashara opened the door and Raph hurried in as a snow began to fall. Ashara hurried in after him with a few logs that had been against the wall.

"Hurry with that fire will ya? It's cold."

Ashara shot him a glare that made him regret the comment. "I didn't see ya offer to help, Raphael."

"Sorry."

Ashara chuckled as she chucked the logs into the fireplace. "Don't be. Just light the fire and I'll see what's in here."

Raph nodded and opened the bag. As he knelt next to the fireplace, Ashara opened one of the few cupboards in the small one room cabin. As the fire began to crackle and light began to fill the room, Ashara could see more clearly how deserted the cabin was.

Cobwebs as large as her head hung in two corners and a handful of small ones hung in places Ashara avoided. Dusty cups covered in cobwebs were in the cupboard she opened and she moved her hand as a spider the size of a quarter crawled towards it.

"I vote staying close to the fire and not exploring."

"I second that." Ashara looked at Raph and laughed at the sight of him with a broom. "I hate bugs."

"And you're going to have to live with it for now." She picked up a rag and whipped two chairs off. "Pull these close to the fire so we can sit on them."

Raph did so and Ashara looked over at the only bed. Curiosity pushing her, she walked over and lifted the pillow. A locket of gold had been placed there with care and the design upon the heart was familiar yet not. Picking it up, she looked at it.

"What'cha find?" Raph asked, looking over her shoulder.

"A..."She faced him and hesitated before continuing in a low whisper. "...locket."

Raph...why do I feel like this all of the sudden for you?...Raph.

Raph leaned forward and made the first move. It was strange, at first, but soon the awkward feeling left and Ashara wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her closer by an arm around her waist.

Henotro placed a damp cloth on Leo's forehead. The concoction was made in time but it didn't have the same results when it should have. Leo's breathing was irregular still and he was still running a temp. Both of those shouldn't be happening to him right now. Henotro stood and walked over to the bookcase and pulled a book off the shelf.

"Healing? Why a beginner's book?"

"I don't know. It was the first book I thought of checking."

"Check in symptoms."

Henotro flipped to the back pages and quickly found each of Leo's symptoms but stopped. He flipped the book to the page about the illness he shows and read through a paragraph before putting the book away and opening another.

"What is it?"

"I don't think it's an illness. I think it has to do with a legend."

"And yet you're looking in a medical book."

"This book has what I think is going on." Henotro looked at the old man in the corner. "Please trust me on this one, Teacher."

The old man nodded and Henotro flipped through the book, finding the page he wanted. He read through it and flipped the page. Closing the book, Henotro walks over to the fire and picks up a piece of red coal with the tongs. Biting his bottom lip, Henotro breathed and placed the hot coal on Leo's chest. Steam hissed from around the coal and when Henotro pulled the coal back, he found that it was a cold black. He touched it and found that is was cold. Henotro looked at the spot that he had placed the coal and saw a design that hadn't been there before. Henotro traced it with his finger and found that it was slightly hot to touch. Henotro felt Leo's forehead and realized that the heat had moved from his head to the design that looked almost imbedded in his skin. It was so strange and he looked at the old man.

"He and his friends are marked ones too."

"But they were legend. The war hasn't even started."

"You say it like you expect it."

Henotro sighed and said, "Legend has it that the marked ones will appear at the beginning of the war that will decide the king of the land. The first to appear will be..."

"The Fire Mark," the old man completed. Henotro looked at the symbol on Leo's chest and he sighed. Nodding, he looked at the old man, saying, "Each symbol is to show up with the element."

The old man nodded and he held up three fingers. "Three more marks are to be found; Air, Water, and Earth. We already have Fire and we know who the Air Mark has chosen."

"Me."

"Yes. Now we just need to know which Ashara and Raph are."

"I'll go get them."

"Be quick. Time is running out."

Ashara opened her eyes when a knock landed on the door. Sighing, she stood up. She pulled her over shirt back on and answered the door.

"Ashara. I need you and Raph to come back now."

"We'll be there in a minute."

"I guess deciding to stop was a good idea," Raph said when the door was shut.

She looked at Raph who was pulling his shirt back on. "I didn't want to go any farther any ways. Thank you."

Raph chuckled. "Welcome."

Ashara pulled her cloak on and kissed Raph on the cheek as he pulled a shoe on. "Besides, I can't chose between you and Leo. Not when there's still the chance of me leaving."

"Ya ain't leaving. You're coming back with us. Everyone is going to be looking up to you for aid."

"For some reason, that doesn't sound as pleasing as you had made it seem."

"I tend to do that." Raph opened the door and the cold wind and snow blew the fire out. "After you."

Ashara gave him a sarcastic look. "Thanks."

Raph chuckled and closed the door behind him, the locket bouncing against his chest.

Ashara nodded. It was easy information to handle and she knew exactly what would have to happen to know which mark she and Raph had. Sighing, she looked up and said, "Let's do this."

Henotro nodded and walked over to the table. Two things sat on it; a glass of water and a rock. Henotro picked up the glass of water and faced Raph. He already had his shirt off and he just stood there. Henotro dropped a few drops of water down his chest and nothing happened.

Ashara pulled off her outer shirt. Henotro picked up the rock and placed it against her bare skin but nothing happened. Henotro removed the stone and Ashara looked down. She looked back up and met Henotro's worried gaze.

"Before you get all worried, try it the other way, me with water and Raph with earth."

Henotro nodded and tried it the other way but still, nothing happened.

"I don't understand," Henotro said, plopping into a chair.

"There may be a rea–"

Ashara never finished what she was saying. Raph leaped to her side as she fell forward and he caught her before she hit the floor. As her breathing became irregular, Raph just looked at Henotro, his voice not working. Ashara began to slip into darkness and as someone lifted her up, she could have sworn that a blue bandanna fluttered across her gaze as she was overtaken by the darkness.

"So then we don't have as much time as we thought."

"Pretty much."

"Why?"

"I don't know but the effects of the poison are different for her than any normal person here."

"Great."

"So then that means we have to go get the antidote?"

"Yeah. I have a bit of knowledge of the tunnels that go through and under the castle and the best place for the antidote to be stored."

"OK. We'll leave when Ashara is able to move again."

Ashara shivered. The wind was cutting through her cloak and even though she had a very heavy one on, it was still fricken cold outside. An arm was wrapped around her and she looked over her shoulder. It was Raph.

"Cold out, hu?"

Ashara chuckled. "Yeah, sure is."

As the group reached the castle at the dead of night, Ashara looked around. It was like the place was a ghost town and Ashara shuddered. Raph squeezed gently and said, "Ya OK?"

"Yeah, just thinking about when this town had been a ghost town."

"Funny, that's what I was thinking about too," Henotro said, having fallen back with Leo to walk beside them. "I was a lot younger though when it was."

"3 or 4 as I recall."

"And we need to be silent now because the guards aren't ghosts," Leo hissed and they all fell silent.

Henotro led them through a back door and several servants bowed or waved at Henotro. Henotro explained. "I was very popular among the servants when I was younger and living here."

Ashara smiled and placed her head on Raph's shoulder, who still had an arm around her. A headache was growing and she really didn't want to deal with it right now. As she shivered again, she felt like she knew what was going to happen. Suddenly, her body moved and she found herself with an arrow staff sticking out of her left shoulder as she stood with arms spread in front of Leo. She looked the way the arrow had been shot from and her body moved again and she found herself with a second staff, this time in the back of her right leg. She came around and chucked the dagger she held and heard the sickening sound of the dagger entering its mark. Slightly sick from the pain, she leaned against Leo for support.

"Ashara."

"We need to get out of here," she said, trying to support most of her weight on her own two feet but she could hardly stand. "If we don't, there's no way we can get home. He has this place swarming with servants that will aid his every whim."

"Raph, take Ashara and get out of here. Henotro will cover the front and I'll cover the back."

Raph nodded and took Ashara from Leo. As the group retraced their steps, more arrows began to fly. Raph carried Ashara on his back as Leo did his best to keep the arrows from passing him. One got past his blades and was aimed at Ashara's head.

"NO!" Silence fell as the staff embedded itself into flesh and blood began to hit the floor. Ashara turned around and looked at Leo. His arm was handing useless by his side as more arrows were shot. One right after another, they embedded themselves into Leo's body. She could feel Raph quaking under her but he turned and ran after Henotro.

"No, we have to go back and save Leo."

"Leo told us to get out of here."

"But–"

"What good are we dead?"

Ashara fell silent. As she looked back, two arrows missed her face and she watched as Leo fell forward. His name passed from her lips in a mer whisper as Raph ran into the cold air night with Ashara clinging to his back and tears in her eyes.

A/N: And eight years later, she gets an update up. Sorry guys for the delay. Stupid mind won't stop working on creating new ideas.