Dawnlark Plains kwana-ci

coväh grins, wide and easy, like the wind had just carried her words right into his chest and filled him up with something warm.
that is... i'm happy for 'ya! he declares, and for once, there’s nothing teasing in his voice, no playful quip to follow. he means it. really means it. because seeing her like this—glowing, strong, safe—it does something to him. a softening. a settling. ayovi had always been something bright, something fierce, and now she was all that and more.
but then, her words sink a little deeper, and his grin quirks, tilting into something a little more coväh. wait, wait, wait— he straightens, stepping back just slightly to study her with mock scrutiny. is this an invitation?
his brows lift, a glint of something daring in his gaze. meet the guy, meet the pups? he presses a paw to his chest, feigning deep consideration. i dunno, ‘vi, sounds like a lotta pressure. what if he doesn’t like me? what if the kids gonna like me too much?
but he doesn’t make her wait long. he exhales through his nose, shaking his head with a chuckle. i will go, he assures, voice softer now, real. but i wish to explore the plains first.
one last taste of freedom before he steps into the world she’s built. before he sees the life she’s made without him.