When she placed her paw in his, she could feel the slight tremble coming from him. Or maybe that was her. She couldn’t deny the adrenaline and thrill rolling through her in waves- making her heart beat faster, her belly feel light and airy, and her thoughts, jumbled. If only they had done this the night of the ball. It would have been so ethereal, being twirled around on the dance floor, the ambiance of lively music and other couples dancing around them. Sure, she’d danced with Wilder that night. But that was far different than this. The older male treated Clove differently- he didn’t look at her like Akito did- didn’t see her, like Akito did. And Clove knew that, as time went on. Especially now that she had something to compare those feelings to- the way Akito made her feel. Did this mean she had a crush on him?
And those feelings amplified when he pulled her in close. Leaving only inches of space between them, their chests nearly touching, the tips of their fur intermingling. She had to tip her head back to look up at him, her breath catching in her throat, cheeks burning with overwhelming emotion. Part of her expecting there to be a long moment of silence- the tension between them nearly suffocating, threatening to freeze them in place. But, like the gentleman he was, Akito went straight into action. Whirling her around the clearing, paced and rhythmic, as if there was music playing.
Following his steps, and being mindful not to step on his paws. They glided around the clearing a time or two before the dance came to an end. Both of them a little breathless, Clove staring up at him with her citrine and azure eyes, shielded by those thick lashes of hers. “Oh, no-“ She says, a warm, bashful smile tugging at her lips. “I’m quite impressed actually.” Bathing in his proximity, savoring the closeness. She makes a daring move, driven by hormonal impulse. Muzzle tilting back, nose brushing against the side of his neck. Almost like a conservative kiss on the cheek.
And then, she pulls herself away from him. Taking a slow step back, as she becomes overwhelmed by her bold act. Was that a dumb thing to do? Was it too much? She decided to quickly change the subject, just in case it was. “Thank you for showing me the bamboo. It's very beautiful.” Looking around the clearing again, she takes another mental note of how the stalks look- wanting to jot down doodles of them later, on her growing map. “Maybe next time, you can come see me… and more of our castle? My room has an awesome view of the ocean… and at night, you can see all the constellations from my balcony.” An invitation for him to come and visit her, if he wished it. To come and hang out in her room… the thought was so thrilling.
"Speech"
