Grumbling loudly, Mkorogo walked a good mile from where Kophi, Dongo, and the hares were sleeping. Darshana had told him to come to the river to fetch somebody, but he was left wanting to know why she couldn't. It was the middle of the damned NIGHT! As he drew closer, he saw somebody trying to hold onto the ledge. The mental complaints were forgotten as he rushed over. "Hold on and I'll pull you up!"
It was about time! Sayuri wasn't sure she could hold on too much longer, arms getting tired. The crocodiles weren't getting any less hungry, though, which worried her. Ears pinned back, she looked behind her, watching the reptiles hiss and snap. One even jumped close enough, she swore she felt it brush her tail. When she looked back, a pair of wide, gold eyes stared back. She nearly lost her grip seeing them. "YOU!"
Backing up, Mkorogo glared. "Nevermind, drop to the crocodiles!" He started to leave, but the soft cursing behind him made him stop. So did his concience... When did he get that thing, anyway? Oh, wait, when he met Kohpi. He rolled his eyes, before going back. "You'd better not kill me, I'm saving your life here!" Before she could protest, or even agree, he grabbed the female by the scruff and pulled, hauling her up onto solid ground.
As soon as she was up, Sayuri collapsed. Regardless of who had saved her, she was now safe from falling to the crocodiles. Rolling over slightly, she glared at Mkorogo. "Thank you... I owe you my life..." Tail curling, she looked back at the river. She could still hear the crocodiles, hissing and snapping. When she looked back, she saw that Mkorogo was walking away. "Wait, where do you think you're going?" Struggling up despite her protesting limbs, she hurried after him.
Looking back at the pink leopard, Mkorogo sneered. "If my father sent you, you can just tell him I'm never going back. And yes, the rumors are true." He wasn't about to tell her WHERE Kophi was, of course... He knew good and well that Lakshmana had trained Sayuri himself. She was a danger to be avoided at all costs. "Go home, Sayuri..."
Jumping in front of him, she got right in his face, glaring at him. "To WHAT? A disease killed half the colony, chased out most of what remained. Sayen, Nava, Fu, your parents, and I are all that's LEFT! And your family left to find YOU!" She shoved him with a paw, claws pricking at his flesh. "He's coming to kill you, Mkorogo."
"I don't care about the colony! I never cared about the stuck-up stuffies! They can all die for all I care!" He moved to walk around her, only to be shoved over. Glaring, he started to get up, only to be stopped by her words. "Father's coming to..." He looked around, jumping up. Lakshmana was coming to kill him? He had to get Kohpi back to her mother's pride. She'd be safe there... No leopard would be stupid enough to fight Mioyo... No leopard would be stupid enough to fight Mioyo with her father and two oldest sons at her side, either. "Oh, no..."
Ears folding back, Sayuri gave him a sour look. "Well, I was going to help you NOT get killed or something, but... I guess not now. I'll just, you know, go die with your ONLY sister..." Turning, she started to walk away, then stopped. "Though... I may know a way to try and avert his anger..." She turned back, going up to Mkorogo. "The colony needs young... While none of those of us left are related by blood, none is willing to breed with any of the others for loyalties to their own loved ones..."
Mkorogo gave Sayuri a disgusted look. "What, you want MY kids? And what about Kohpi?" He was worried about what she might say, to know he'd sired the cubs of another female. She had told him a few times to find a pretty leopard, leave his mark on the world in a lasting way, though. It was as if she knew, any children they had would likely never have their own. Ears still folded, he looked at Sayuri. "They're to never know my name, what I look like... Tell them what you care to, I never want to meet them."
Letting out a sigh, the leopardess looked up at Mkorogo. "Somewhere, deep down, you care about the colony... You just don't know how to show it..." Tail curling, she led him away from where his companions slept or fretted. Deep down, she herself was rejoicing. It flickered, almost dead with time, and the knowledge he loved another, but it was there... Since they were cubs, playing in the ruins, she'd had a crush on this leopard, with the wild orange hair and hard gold eyes. Maybe, just maybe... She would convince him to go back to the colony when this night was over.
