Rays of Hope sumary

Silence… silence… footsteps… SPLASH… muffled voices… footsteps… KLANG… silence….

Master Splinter lifted up his head at the sudden disturbance in the respectively silence of their home. When it didn't return he tried to go back to sleep by his 'sons,' almost….

Loud heartbreaking sobs echoing against the concrete walls…. Splinters head snapped right back up, he stayed silent as he tried to pinpoint where it was coming from. He cast one last look at his sleeping sons before he left their home to search for the source of the noise. Every other turn, he had to hold still to refocus on the direction. Soon he reached a manhole cover where at the bottom of the stairs a bundle of blankets could be seen, as he approached he discovered noise was coming from an infant crying. The child was no more than three days old. He lashed his tail in annoyance as the wailing was hurting his ears. After contemplating his next move, finally he sighed and gave in. He bend over the infant and picked the entire bundle up. Splinter turned and went back to where he left his sons.

Four baby turtles where sniffing and clutching each other. The youngest of the four had woken up from a bad dream and when he noted the absent of his father he woke up his brothers. Now all four of them sat there, terrified of losing their father. This was the state master Splinter found them in and he was glad the child in his arms had gone to sleep for it would only alarm them more. The moment they spotted him they ran up to him. Hugging his legs and crying. He gently shooed them towards their nest. He lay the bundle in between his sons, they came closer, curious as to what their father had brought them. Splinter sighed and pulled back some of the blankets to show them. Their eyes grew huge as they saw a human child laying in the midst of the bundle. Master Splinter noticed just now that it was a baby girl. He also saw a silver colored dragon birthmark covering her right arm. A small dot of snowy white hair grazed her small head. As he tried to figure out what to do with her, the baby woke up. She didn't cry, she just lay there looking up at the large rat who in turn was captivated by her. Splinter had been caught off guard as the baby opened her eyes. Big silver-dotted-midnight-blue eyes held his own. He vaguely heard his youngest ask him a question. He looked up and the small turtle repeated his question. 'sooo, can we keep her?'