Mᴜᴛᴀɴᴛ Aᴘᴏᴄᴀʟʏᴘsᴇ 5: Bʟᴀᴄᴋ Mᴀsᴋs ❪✓❫

12 || 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒

𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝗼𝐫'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

The gates creaked open with about six human guards checking the group that came in. When each person dismounted the horses, they were patted down by guards but Donnie wasn't having it. He flinched and backed up when he was off the horse. It was only a precaution to see if weapons were on them but not much was needed when Vv and Duke were recognized by the guards. The guards at the gates carefully watched the two new girls and Donnie while they stood at their front door. The gates closed and April came to see who had come home.

"Hello, Vincent, Duke." She smiled, happy to see that they made it home without a scratch on them. But they did bring some potential EdgePort members.

Donatello was beginning to feel overwhelmed when many people were trying to say hello to him. He isn't used to this much social interaction-- not anymore. He held his injured arm close to his body and hunkered down behind Stamina, his large chestnut-colored shire horse. He feels bombarded.

Osa glanced at Donnie and sees the state he is in before she gets off Stamina and comes next to Amber. Both shifters stood beside each other for comfort. It was like a wild bull trying to remain calm at a rodeo where many people chat and holler continuously. Amber and Osa used the horses for protection as Vv and Duke said hello to April. "I told you we'd come back," Vincent said.

"You guys deserve some dinner and rest," April said as she was handed the seeds the couple found outside the walls. She is glad to see that her people will be fed for a long time. Then she saw Amber and Osa. "Who are your friends?" She asked, looking at them.

Vincent gestured for them to come out of their comfort zone for a few minutes. "Osa, Amber, it's okay."

Amber and Osa emerge from the horses, coming next to Vincent.

"Osa and Amber," April said their names for the first time. "Hello." She smiled at them. "I'm April. I'm the leader of EdgePort."

Then, as soon as Duke spoke and informed April of a certain fact, she felt threatened. "April," Duke said. "Osa is a really good friend of the turtle brothers. Amber is a new friend of ours. They're shapeshifters."

For some reason, April had lost her smile when she heard that Osa was a great friend of the Brothers. She always thought of herself as a great friend to them. "Oh, that's... That's..." April trailed off. "Okay. That's nice." Then she saw Donnie standing beside Stamina, stroking his muzzle and keeping his eyes off the human being in her black leather clothes and feminine beauty. "Donatello?" She smiled at him.

Donatello tightened his grip on Stamina's mane, looking up at her. He hardly smirked at her. "Hi..."

"Oh my gosh! Everyone thinks you're dead!" April tried to go in for a hug.

Donnie crippled his body up, rejecting the gesture from April. "I'm sorry. I can't..." He said softly.

April nodded and looks behind her to see three brothers walking forward. Their jaws were dragging because they were so amazed to see two people they haven't seen in a long time; Donnie and Osa.

Before things could move forward from here, a guard still needed to check Donnie for weapons. Of course, Donnie wasn't a fan of being touched by people he doesn't know. He backed up in fright, avoiding the guard's hands. "Stop." He said quietly.

****

𝐋𝐞𝗼'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

When the gates open I expected to see regular ordinary people. Just like the rest of the population here. But, this time things felt different. The moment I saw Osa walking with Duke and Vincent, I felt a lot of guilt on my shoulders. They found her and I couldn't find her myself.