It had been nice, to get away from the pride for a time. And even though he and Belle had returned, he wasn't nearly as busy as he'd once been. The pride was peaceful, and in turn that gave him much more time to himself. Time he spent with his mate, generally. He'd taken some of his time that day, however, to pick up something one of the Crafters had made at his request. And now he approached their den, the necklace of river-worn quartz clutched carefully in his mouth. He put it down at the entrance.
"Belle, love? I've a gift for you." He hoped she liked it. The Crafters were generally good at what they did, but...well, good didn't always mean the receiver would like it.
The sun was so bight and cheerful playing on her forehead it wasn't until Dovev was in their den area and spoke that she realised he was there. She smiled a sweet, tender smile to the big male and stood slowly stretching out her limbs. It was nice to sit half in, half out of the den, it was a change of pace for her to just relax. Of course their time away had been fun but she was so glad to be back home. Though home would and could be any where that Dovev was. He was her protector her lover, her friend. "A present?" she puurred hopping towards him as was her want, she was still young full of life and sillyness sometimes. a glorious smile lifted her lips as she approached the large green male.
Dovev smiled at Belle's energy, nodding and nudging the quartz necklace to her. "I ask one of the Crafters to make this for you. I saw the stones a few days ago and thought they'd look pretty on you." Though it was a simple design, he didn't think 'elaborate' really fit her. She was too...pure for that. Had too much life and beauty for things that took attention away from her instead of complimenting her.
The small deep orange leopardess smiled widely as she looked at the pretty necklace, it was simple but beautiful in it's simplicity. She loved that about Dovev he could see the beauty in things even if they were so understated. "It's beautiful." She whispers scooping up the necklace in her paw to take a closer look.
"You find such beautiful things outside Dovev. All those diamonds in the rough." She giggles and moves towards him pressing herself in to his chest while keeping the necklace dangling off of her paw.
Dovev felt the relief that she liked it wash over him, nuzzling her and giving the top of her head an affectionate lick. "I'm glad you like it." He was a bit bashful with her praise to him, though. He was generally a modest leopard. "I do my best. But it's because of you I can see the beauty in the things around me. You taught me how to see things with open eyes again."
Belle grinned up at him. "You're so silly Dovev." She whispers licking his nose with a quick affectionate flick. "You saw the world just fine without me, other wise you would have never found me." She giggles quietly and buries herself in his big fluffy chest.
"I'm so glad you did." She sighs happily closing her eyes. "Perhaps I should try this on?" She whispers moving back just a little and handing the necklace to Dovev.
"I'm glad I found you too." She was...everything to him. His lover, his friend, his charge. She was the reason he'd joined the pride...to keep her safe after their home had become unihabitable. He took the necklace from her gingerly, despite his size, and slipped it over her head so it could settle around her neck. He'd been right...the stones did look pretty on her.
She gazed up at the big male with a smile, he knew he would never hurt her, despite his size he was more gentle than anyone. "how does it look?" She questions her eyes dancing happily. She wasn't a vain person but she liked to know how she looked to Dovev, he was her one and only and she liked to look pretty for him. She made sure to preen a little, something she had learned from the other females, so she liked to know, liked to hear it from him, she did so love his gentle voice.
Dovev gave her one of the smiles only she saw, a gentle and wide expression. "It looks beautiful on you." He couldn't help but feel a little proud, that such a truly beautiful girl was his mate. Maybe there were leopards or gods out there more 'beautiful' than Belle...but to him, Belle had a beauty that was far more than skin deep. And she'd fallen for him.
She loved it when he smiled that way. it made his face all crinkly and all the more beautiful to her, it showed her who he was in that simple smile. "Lets go tot he waterhole, I want to see." She grins leaning up and touching her nose to his. "I'll race you." She purrs jumping to her paws and pounding off towards the water, her tail high in the air, a carefree feeling washed over the pretty little leopardess as she bounced along, carefree, loved. She couldn't be happier than she was when she was with her Dovev.
She was off before Dovev could really react, the larger leopard blinking for a few seconds before standing himself, chuckling. "A race it is than!" He started after her, making sure not to go too fast. It wouldn't be right if he didn't let her win sometimes. These small moments were the ones he enjoyed best, though. The times when it was just the two of them, doing whatever came to them at that moment.
Diving through the undergrowth the little leopardess stopped just short of the waters edge, she sits slowly and looks in to the water. For a moment she admired the necklace before sitting back and waiting for Dovev to join her, she closes her eyes, waiting for that warm touch that would confirm he was beside her once again. She wasn't sure what she did to become so lucky but it must have been something wonderful for her to have Dovev in her life.
"It's beautiful." She sighs, she couldn't have asked for a mow wonderful present or for a more wonderful person to be with.
Dovev wasn't far behind his mate, slowing his pace and finally stopping beside her. He ducked his head down to nuzzle her, that calm, wide smile still on his muzzle. "I'm glad you like it, love." His life couldn't get better at the moment. A beautiful day, his mate happy and safe, and peace so that he could spend more than a few stolen moments with her.