'<i>Safe above all else</i>.' It was a sentiment Théadan could strongly get behind. More than anything he wanted their child to be safe a free to live the life they wished. They were bound to make the child unhappy at times, he could agree, but in the end it would be all for the child's sake, and they would over time be granted more and more freedom. It was these thoughts of their future child that kept Théadan company once Navia had drifted off to sleep. It had taken Théadan a little while to get their himself, the heat never seemed to cool in Khlurios, and that happened to be even more the case now they were in the jungle. Between the heat, and the sounds of the jungle, some occasionally making him jump with a sound so foreign to anything he had previous experienced, sleep had proven a struggle. His one comfort had been Navia snoozing softly against him, focusing on her and those quite sounds she made was what allowed Théadan to forget about the world around them, and slowly drift off into his dreams.<br/><br/>His sleep had gone untroubled for once, resting peacefully at Navia's side, or so it had felt. The only trouble came when he heard Navia call his name, it was far too early as far as his mind reasoned. He wasn't given much chance to continue his rest however, as he soon felt Navia take a swipe at his leg and hissing his name, making him groan an objection to being woken up before he was ready. Heavy eyes lifted, and a yawn was escaping him, Théadan was prepared to protest and just snuggle back up to Navia to rest further, only he spotted a familiar sight of the leopard in his dreams though now staring at him from across the fire, and there being no warmth in the creatures gaze. He heard Navia suggest he collect his sword, and for a moment his eyes moved over to her, and was caught questioning whether he was having another one of his dreams again.<br/><br/>It was the threatening guttaral sound coming from the leopard that drew Théadan from his tired stupor, his eyes suddenly widening in alarm as his instincts told him to sit up - perhaps a little too hastily for the leopard whose gaze suddenly turned his way with warning snarl. The realisation of the danger just mere feet away was quickly dawning on him, with Navia just at his side and the horses not far away from the fire, the need to protect them all particularly Navia was suddenly surging in him, and Navia's mention of his sword had him turning his head to his bag. He had not touched it since they settled down for the night, it lay just out of immediate reach, and he was unsure how the leopard would respond to him reaching for his weapon. He found himself ill-prepared to try and warn off this jungle cat, with the fire so low, and no sticks large enough to pick up and flash in front of the leopards eyes to scare it away, they were going to have to think of something to drive it off before one of them or their horses were injured.<br/><br/>Théadan reached for his sword as Navia suggested, but he kept his eyes on the leopard. He had never hunted a leopard, but like with any predator, turning your back on the creature only invited trouble. Keeping eye contact would keep it from suddenly lunging at him. Still as he moved the two feet that he needed to reach for his bag, he found the leopards remaining on him after he had made that sudden movement. He kept his movements slow as Navia had suggested, and had to blindly reach with his hand to get a hold of the hilt of his sword before drawing it from its sheathe. Once he had it though, he felt a little safer for having a couple feet o sharpened metal to keep between him and he jungle cat. Théadan positioned himself at a kneel, trying not to challenge the leopard, not yet anyway, instead he was putting himself just slightly in front of Navia, needing to protect her and their child. The sword he poised ready to thrust forward if necessary, holding it between himself and the leopard would have felt better, but the beast would not have understood the threat of the blade .<br/><br/>"We need to scare it away somehow." Théadan murmured, not taking his eyes off the leopard, as she now seemed to be sizing him up, and wondering if he was worth the trouble of dealing with. "She might go for the horses, and none of the sticks in the fire are big enough to swipe at her with to scare her away." They had limited options it seemed, but there could be no allowing this creature to bring harm to anyone in their company. The leopard may have been a sign in his dreams for many months now, but they had too far to have anyone hurt by its appearance.