Soulbound (TMNT Fanfiction) **COMPLETED**

The Wound that Glowed

The night the quad stay the night at the campsite, the sky was brewing up a storm. This wasn't just any normal storm. Nizhoni's cries and angered screams are heard in the clouds. Hawk nuzzled closer to Griz, who held a lot of body heat. Same for Kri and Shado.

Rain poured like no tomorrow, drenching the fur on the animal bodies as the turtles stay dry.

Griz and Donnie's chests felt sore from the spiritual cord connecting strongly.

Thunder rumbled and drummed as the lightning flashes brightly. The fire was blown out, a flashlight is off inside the tent, it was dark. Tones of white shine down whenever lightning struck in the black clouds.

Night grew older and older until the hour of midnight hit. A new day began while the sun let the moon own the night until 6am. It was four in the morning.

All are asleep, peacefully. Nizhoni's temper tantrum calmed every hour and for some reason went silent. Even the rain stopped in a blink. Usually crazy weather will lighten up, not this time.

Thenking cheetah, Shado dreamt what it was like for her when she was human. She can see the deformed pictures run inside her head, reacting to them in her sleep. She switched and growled lightly and shot her head up, wide awake.

She feels someone. Not in touch, in instinct. Shado bounced up quickly and sniffed the camp, dragging her dark nose across earth to catch a scent. Her nose brought her to the bush line where they always exit or enter the brother's camp. The king cheetah bares her teeth, peeling back her top lip and growls darkly. She brings her head up to the shadowed figure.

Red glowing eyes, slim black body, transforming its body into a long, slender frame.

"Snake." Shado growled.

"Come with me, child." The snake hissed, disappearing into the bush and out of it to meet Shado up close. "I can change you back." Whispered the snake. It was female.

"Nizhoni." snaps, opening her mouth and making herself look bigger. "Get away. That's my only warning."

All the cobra did is flare her hood, showing off the haunting look of a venomous snake. Nizhoni isn't real anymore. She's spiritually a snake and is still able to deliver a deadly bite. Her white fangs leaking the yellow substance and slither nearer to Shado.

Mikey walks out of the tent to empty his bladder at a tree. That's when Nizhoni strikes for the first time, missing when Shado dodged the snake's fangs. The king cheetah lost sight of the king cobra. Checking in between her four legs, the dirt, near rocks and then snaps her head in the opposite direction of where she stands. Shado found the serpent making a bug mistake of her nasty games... Heading straight for Mikey's leg.

Shado roared, Mikey looked up from his business and Nizhoni readied her venom. With Shado's miraculous speed, she used it to use her excellent trait of bravery. Biting into the body of the cobra, Mikey yelled in shock and rushed back to the tent in panic as Shado wrestled the snake.

Hawk, Kri, and Griz woke up immediately to assist the fight in camp. The wolf is the second animal to grab Nizhoni's tail, Kri stomped, and Griz felt there was no snake anymore.

"Stop." She said. The other three animals. "It's gone."

Shado panted, feeling shaky and weak instantly.

The turtle brothers scurry out of the tent with flashlights shining on the floor animals. Mud was kicked up, showing how violent it got among the cobra and quads.

Mikey didn't crack a smile at Shado when he found her on the ground. He dropped to the spotted cat's side and examined her. The youngest Turtle ain't no doctor, but he sure did find what was causing her to make a scene. Two black holes in her shoulder.

Michelangelo was surprised at Shado's actions. Her bravery saved the orange masked turtle from being attacked. "You saved me..." He softly told her. "Why?"

"It's my job." Shado said tiredly. "Nizhoni would have sunk her fangs in your leg."

"Thank you, Shado."

It was only hours ago. When Griz used her tray of love, the cord connect it to her and Donnie. Now that Shado used the character trait of bravery, it was an orange cord.

Mikey hugged the cheetah tightly, feeling the pressure increase in his chest, Shado chirps. They hold onto each other for comfort, letting the pain pass. The hue in the cord brightened and intensifies pain. The both of them wince at the piercing needle.

Good thing Donatello's had a notebook when this happened. He jots down every single thing he was witnessing. He thought that this would be a very great story to tell one day.

As the cheetah and Mikey shared a bond together, the two fang holes in Shado's shoulder glow the same orange color as the cord. After another five seconds, it dimmed. It revealed a healed up wound on the wild cat.

They both pull away and greet each other properly with eye contact.

Leo and Raph were amazed at the cord appearing and disappearing. Hawk howled, Kri chuffed, and Griz lightly roared. The shades in the sky are noticeable, they changed from black to a navy blue. Everyone looks to the pine trees farther out in the forest.

"There're five days left." Donnie said peering at his watch and back to the brothers and quads.

Raphael sighed. "Five days. Is that enough time?"

"No, but we need to finish Running River's Soulbound or we stay like this forever." Shado strained, getting out of the mud and shaking the chunks of earth off.

The eight individual spoke for a few more moments until the companions emerged from the brush. And sun shined on the faces that stare at it.

Cobalt, Briar, Sasha, and Riki join the little morning party for a reason. They know what's about to happen.

"What's up?" Kri asked Briar. The barn owl companion. Briar replied.

"Running River. He's coming." She hooted in the tree.

Leo heard a sharp chirp in the sky, it was a bird, much bigger than the three flying animals here. The body of this bird blocked out the sun and wasn't clearly visible until it perched on a rock at the camp.

A bald eagle. Dark brown feathers, yellow beak, and the famous white head. It spoke in thought.

"Greetings, children." The eagle bowed his head.

"Running River? You're an eagle." Kri sat in front of the bird. The chief was not a ball of blue light or see through.

"Yes. This is my spirit animal. I come to you in this form to tell you your next step in Soulbound."

Donnie nodded. "Nice to meet you, Running River. What is the next step?"

He didn't answer for a second. "To face the Nizhoni. What she did to you tonight was only level one of her behavior. Once Hawk and Kri connect the cords with Leonardo and Raphael, that is when you come face to face with Nizhoni. Human, animal, and spiritual form. Be careful my children."

Running River's bald eagle form turns on the rock, opening his wings and lifted off into the sky. His big bird body disappeared into blue light. The chief was in the spirit world again.

"Two down, two to go." Raph says. "We can beat five days and Nizhoni."

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The reason I'm writing this one a lot is because I have a BIG ending coming up. I'm sure you'll all enjoy.