Mandarin gained pace, his feet fighting the muddy ground with great determanation as Sprx followed him close behind. It began to get darker as they ventured further from the mansion and into the maze, Sprx was determined to catch up to Mandarin, to keep him from his Nova at all costs and he was in plain sight.
CRACK
The thunder struck and it felt like it was splitting the sky in half and in the next glance Manadarin was gone and all Sprx could do was folllow the path. Before he could get any further he was dragged back from the entrance by Antauri and back to the foregrounds with a struggle to keep his brother back Antauri pushed him to the muddy earth beneath him making him stop in shock while he had Antauri and his other brothers pull him back to the house.
Not long after a drenched and distraught clayton came back into the mansion, "I came back to check on you guys..." the sight before him was upsetting to say the least Sprx was curled in a blanket shivering refusing help or banter from his brothers, Otto in tears while cluthing his teddy to his chest and a disheartened Gibson and Antauri. At this moment Jensen walked in in the same state shaking his head while looking at the floor. "Jensen, find out what hapened and look after the little ones" putting his coat back on he left.
'Have to find her, she has to be here', Mandarin's mind screamed as he kept at a constant pain ignoring all painful feeling in his thighs and lower legs, his muscles ached from the strain. Needles to say the orange monkey was determined to find Nova if not just for that he was a leader and protected his own but for that he was close to her more than the others and would be torn if she were to go. A sharp tun to the left had him skidding in the mud and breaking harshly before he went straight into the hedge. He stumbled trying to keep balance and fell over something. Something soft and alive. He crouched low with his bum in the air, baring his teeth defensivley cautious of what dangerous beast he may of disturbed to find the shivering mass back up as far as it could go.
"Nova?" He sat up, softening his features when the realisation dawned on him. She dared to look up. Waves of relief spread through her as she ran up to him clutching the fur on his chest pouring all the tears she had left as he held her close nuzzling her neck in an attempt to confort the little female. He then went to place her on his back to carry her back to the mansion, the coldness of her body under her fur was frightning to him as he picked up pace yet again.
Sprx had snapped out of his state and sat waiting at the window. He was still ignoring his brothers for the embarrasment they had put him through "Please Sprx, talk to us" Gibson reasoned climbing to sit next to him "What is there to talk about? You guys betrayed me! you know how i feel about her!", the tears welled up but refused to fall. He eyed them all up waiting for and answer to which the silence spoke for itself. "You didn't think i could find her..."
the lowered there heads some more "Mandarin's our leader, he's stronger and when we are older he would be most dominant..." Sprx head snapped to look to Antauri with a fir eburning in his eyes "SO HE HAS CONTROL OF HER? SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE!" the screeching outburst stunned them and the crimson male looked to the floor "...I spose you're right 'Tauri".
Clayton searched again when he saw to bundles moving towards him. He ran, scooped u the two and held them to eye level. Nova wrapped her arms around him and nestled into his neck while he sternly looked at Madanrin whose look challanged his own. "Don't do that again, you scared me".
The next morning was the same as usual, everyone got up for breakfast very tired from the night before but relived to see Nova and Mandarin back inside. Sprx picked at his cereal watching Mandarin collect some breakfast and take it over to Nova who was sat on the sofa in blankets. Clayton watched him watch the two and he rubbed his head in a conforting manner "Cheer up sport, just be glad they are back".
Everyone had been left to do what they wanted and most of which sat and watched 'The Aristocats' on DVD. "I don't want to be a cat! i like being a monkey!" Otto exclaimed merrily earning giggles and smiles all round.
Mandarin had been chattering away to Nova who was very happy to talk to him giving constant hugs of appriciation and when Mandarin was finally away from her he bumped into Sprx. He was about tho ignore him and walk off when... "Thanks Manny" he turned shocked at the statement "Excuse me?" "For Nova, Thanks For bringing her back" he smiled and walked off to watch the rest of the film leaving Mandarin stunned and a smiling Antauri hiding behind a curtain