the secret garden

The reaction she gave him after he placed the flower behind her ear was worth sacrificing the flower. He couldn’t see the blush beneath her dark fur but he could feel it. The way her head tilted and she looked up at him bashfully. She made him grin, an easy expression as he looked her over once more. The flower was a striking contrast to her dark and violet pelt. Her eyes glittered even more, becoming more vibrant with the red and yellow petals against her face. Indigo might have gotten lost in her pretty features, but the sound of heavy footfalls broke any trance that held him.

Immediately Indigo’s fur stood on end, his nearly fully grown mane becoming even larger and he stood to his full height. ”Duchess.” He whispered, unwilling to take his eyes off the shadow in the forest. ”Stay low, and keep close to me. No matter what.” He wasn’t ordering her, but he desperately hoped he would follow his request.

A deep growl rumbled in his chest, his tail lashing at his hips as he bent his limbs and aimed to stand over Duchess, willing to put his body in harm's way to protect her. Indigo pulled back his lips to better reveal his long canines. He hoped intimidation would keep them from getting into a fight, but that hope was small.