The lakes waters lapped quietly up the banks and besides those banks lay the young orange leopardess. She wasn't sleepy or particularly tired what she was, was a little bored. She was still young after all and the days just seemed to mill along in a boring manner. She wanted to play, wanted to laugh, wanted to live and love and just enjoy her life.
Right now, she was just bored though and the mild mannered female was feeling the silence like a lead weight. getting to her paws she pads to the edge of the lake and looks down at her reflection, her gentle loving eyes starring back at her. "I'm bored." She whispers to the lapping lake and to her rippling reflection. "So very bored."
Dovev was far less busy, now that Mioyo had returned. He could rest more often, and be more sure and sound in his judgements. After all...he now had another Commander to work with again. It was, to say the least, a relief. And...it gave him time to be with Belle, his precious mate. And since he was not needed for the time being, he'd gone looking for her.
She hadn't been in the den, or around the cubs, or mingling with the rest of the pride. So...he tried the small lake the river in the pride had. It was more of a pond, really, but it was large enough that three or more lions could bath in it with a lion length between them in all directions. Spotting his orange mate, Dovev quietly crept up...and pounced, landing next to her. "Good day, my heart."
The orange leopard jumped at his silent approach and pounce. "Oh Dovev! You scared me half to death!" She giggles and licks his cheek. He was still so much larger than her, so much the giant protector her always had been to her. Now though, he was more, he was her true love, her sweet gentle green giant.
"I thought you'd be busy today my love." She whispers looking out at the water her toes now dipped in the lapping waves, apparently she had more than mentally jumped at his surprise approach. Lifting a paw she flicks him with a few drops of water. "I was just thinking it was a little boring today, it's much more interesting with you here though." She purrs nestling up to him happily.
Dovev chuckled, snuggling her when she nestled up to him. The water hadn't phased him...he'd spent too much time in that swampy bit of jungle where they'd first met to be phased by it. "I was busy. But with Mioyo back, things are easier. Two heads are better than one, after all. And Primitus' advice has been a great aid to the both of us. We're far less stretched now, even with the new additions and Mioyo's trouble-twins still stirring up their excitement." Ah...but it was all worth it, for these moments. These small, peaceful moments with his innocent love.
"Well...now that I'm here, is there something you would like to do, my heart? A game, an adventure, a hunt?" Whatever she wanted to do, Dovev would go along with it. So long as he could protect her from harm. After all, he would always be her guardian, her protector.
Belle smiles and nods gently, yes things did seem rather more relaxed now that Mioyo was back, but was it a good sort of relaxed? She wasn't sure, truthfully, she wasn't sure she was cut out for primal life. This was something Dovev loved, her protector wanted to be everyones protector. She respected that, but he still belonged to the pride more often than not.
"Do you think Mioyo would mind if we took a few days away?" She sighs gently looking out in to the near distance. "I know it sounds odd, but I miss the otside some times. I miss it just being me and you. Is that strange?" She smiles at her big green hero, hoping her words wouldn't upset him. She knew how much he cared for the pride and its people.
Dovev blinked, then shook his head. "I don't think she'll mind. And I don't think it strange, Belle." He licked the top of her head affectionately. "We all need time away sometimes. And you saw so little of me alone when she was gone. I'm sure she'll understand the need for us to just get away and spend some time as just Dovev and Belle...two mates."
He'd missed spending large amounts of time alone with Belle. And...perhaps going off for a few days on their own was for the best. They could reaffirm their bond, and he could rest...truly rest, body AND mind.
Belle grins broadly and leaps away from the big green male her tail in the air a spring in her step. "Yay" She giggles turning back around and attaching herself to Dovevs chest. "Can we go today? Can we go now?" She beams broadly burying her face in his thick chest fur.
"I want to go and just be with you, just fr a few days, just like in the old days when you were just my protector." She whispers wriggling closer, if that was at all possible, to the big green male.
Dovev chuckled. "Give me a little to let Mioyo know, and we can depart today. Before the sun even gets close to setting." Yes...a little vacation, just for the two of them. Explore a little, spend time together...He could even hunt for her, just like the old days. He purred and nuzzled her, wiggling his tail so it wrapped around hers loosely.
The young leopardess sighs happily curling in to his chest. She liked this idea. She was starting to feel a little overcrowded in this place, despite the fact that it was home it was hard to call it home, hard just because it tore her away from Dovev. She had become so accustomed to being attached to him, so needy of him that to be near him but not able to be NEAR him was a problem.
"Okay, okay." She smiles licking under his chin. "Do you want to swim for a while then we can go to Mioyo? I could do with a bath." She smiles.
Dovev nodded. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, my heart." A bath was always a good thing. Got the dust and mud and stray grass seed off, and made him all bright green again. And he did like looking his best for Belle. He'd never been much of one for appearances, but for Belle...well, if she wanted him to, he'd let a baboon put a bright pink flower crown on his head.
Belle giggles quietly licking his cheek and pouncing away from him landing with a soft splash in the cool clear waters. She wades through the rippling clear waters until her paws could no longer touch the bottom and she floated her paws moving veery so often to keep her still.
"Come on my great green giant." She grins. " You have a mucky patch right on you cheek. "She smiles mischievously, her beautiful eyes dancing playfully.
Dovev chuckled and followed his mate, a sigh of contentment escaping his lungs at the coolness of the water. "Really? It's a good thing we decided on a swim, than!" He returned her grin with a smile...one of his smiles that was for her, and her alone, one that reached his eyes and was more than a quirk of his lips.
Belle purrs happily wrapping her paws around his neck as he drew close "Yes, right here." She licks a great sloppy lick up his cheek ridding him of the invisible spot of dirt.
"I'm so glad you're here Dovev, I think life would be very boring without you my love." She whispers kissing hi face all over grooming his large green face.
"And I'm glad I have you, Belle." He returned the kisses with his own. "You taught me to open up again, and show me the wonder of the world every day. You make me whole, my heart." He wasn't sure where he would be, if he hadn't ever met her. Perhaps still in his patch of swampy jungle, sequestered from the world and all its dangers.
