Standing on the top of the temple, Nava seemed to gleam in the sunlight. What trees stood taller than the ancient buildings left mottled green spots on the white leopard's pelt, as he continued to watch, simply watch. It had been a while since Sayen had left with her brother and mother to persue Lakshmana, and now... He wondered if he was ready to take lead of the colony like this, in his mate's absence. It was the job of the consort to take control when the ruling body was away, but when the ENTIRE ruling family was gone... He sighed, before climbing down slowly.
Pausing on her way out of one of the temples, Sayuri noticed a white form step off the largest of the buildings. Tilting her head, she went over. "They still haven't returned, have they, Nava?" Even she had to wonder if they were coming back. She'd seen how the white leopard paced, waiting for his love to return.
Jumping onto the main walkway, Nava looked at Sayuri. "I'm starting to wonder if perhaps... They will EVER return..." He stopped at the top of the steps, watching the paths leading up to the main buildings. "I'm no leader, Sayuri..." He looked at her, his black ears going back. "And while I'm destined to be a consort to a chieftess... I'm not Fu's consort." The white cat let out a sigh, turning to look out to the horizon again.
Staring out into the distance, the pink leopardess tilted her head. "Perhaps we should send somebody out to find one of them?" She looked to Nava, tail curling behind her. Slowly, she sat down. Looking up at the sky, she watched clouds in the distance. On this side of the continent, rain was the norm. It was almost always raining at some point, some days harder than others. "We need more leopards, anyway... After the disease from the south, our numbers are down drastically..."
Nava shook his head, before descending the stairs. "Pearhaps... But who do we send? As you said, our numbers ARE down. I haven't seen anybody in a while, besides you and Fu..." He paused, looking off into the jungle. The once teaming colony was so tiny now... It was as if those who had survived ran off in fear. In the distance, he heard the rumble of thunder, another storm coming to sweep the lands.
Looking to the storm clouds that gathered, Sayuri's ears went back. "I'll go... I'll find.. Somebody." The clouds covered the sun, turning the land dark. As the rain started to fall, the leopardess looked up into the falling drops. Each one that hit her pelt made the pink just a bit darker, the purples richer. She soon moved under a crumbling archway, at least minimally safe from the rain.
Following the leopardess, Nava looked at her. "Well, I wish you luck..." He watched the rain, noting the puddles that formed in centuries-old depressions left in the stone by as many centuries of paws. As the rain passed, he shook his fur out. "It didn't rain like this in America..." Getting as many of the drops of water as he could off his coat, Nava sighed. Sometimes.. He missed the zoo.
Looking at him, Sayuri tilted her head. Shaking the rain water from her own pelt, she stepped closer. "America? The place you came from?" She'd heard him mention it now and then. What sort of colony was this America, anyway? Living with humans, it was an absurdity to her. "What was it like, anyway?"
"Not exciting. You only had so much to do, cooped up in a cage." He started down a pathway into the jungle. "You should get going, Sayuri. Before the rains strike again... It's not easy to cross the mountains in the rain, and I get the feeling you may need to find some leopards from the plains if you have any hope of finding ANYONE..." While the jungle was deep and thick, he was sure he'd have seen somebody by now.
Regarding the male for a moment, Sayuri considered her options. As she began to walk, she pondered... Who would she look for? Certainly other leopards. But would she look for Nava and Fu's mates, or no? Jumping across a gap between two stones, she looked out into the trees. Black ears moving back, she let out a little smirk. Oh, she knew what she'd do... She'd find Mkorogo, force him back to the colony... Jumping down to the ground, she went into the trees, ears tuned to the sounds of the deep jungles of the Congo.
