Hearing the loud laughter made Dawn look behind her. She was not all that familiar with the laugh.
She had not been aware that their male ranger could laugh like that. She had had him pegged as being a rather reserved character and had assumed him as being more restrained in his reactions.
Well, it was surprising to her but she did not dwell to much on it. It was nowhere near as nice as her husband's laugh anyhow.
She turned back to face the front of her griffin and scratched his neck affectionately. Zyph made an appreciative snorting puff to indicate that he liked the attention.
She heard Arrion clear his throat behind her and turned to look at him. He was staring at her with the barest hint of a smile on his face. His eyes had a world of affection in them that nearly made Dawn melt.
A smile came to her face unbidden. "Yes? Did you need something?"
"Well, need is a strong word… and I would hate to use it wrongly so let's just say it's a want. A rather strong want though."
"Alright. What is it you want?"
He leaned into her and kissed her lips. It was only a quick peck and he had pulled away before she had even fully registered the action.
"Sometimes I just get this strong urge to kiss my wife." He winked at her.
"Okay…," She gave him a slightly amused look and laughed, "But that was rather quick wasn't it?"
"A bit…," He laughed as well, and then nipped her nose gently, "But sometimes that is good enough. It reminds me that I have this right to kiss you and sometimes that thought alone is enough."
"You're easily pleased." She turned even more towards him and grasped the front of his shirt and kissed him more thoroughly. Pulling back, she smirked at him, "There, much better."
His eyes had widened and he looked just a little surprised. But then he just dropped his forehead against her shoulder. He mumbled into her neck, "Well, you've certainly learned how to tease me back… kudos – I was not expecting that."
She laughed and reached up her hand to just stroke his hair. It felt different than what she was used to her husband's hair feeling like, but really – she was sort of used to him having fur as well so this was not all that strange to her.
"Mmm…" He placed his lips to her neck and then straightened up and pulled her so she was sitting on top of his lap, "I think I like you petting me…"
"Then why'd you stop it?" She tilted her head back and leaned against him. "I would have continued."
"Because I wanted to hold you. You can always pet me again later."
"Oh? So sure I would?"
"It felt familiar, I don't think it's the first time you've done so… though I can't actually recall."
"…Usually when I pet you, you look like an animal. And have fur. You really don't remember changing your shape like at all, do you?"
"I do not." He shrugged, "But that's okay. I remember you and that's the important thing."
"I take it I'm your priority?"
"Of course! You're my wife and I utterly adore you, you know?" He chuckled happily and squeezed her in his embrace.
Dawn turned away from him with a smile. She was rather enjoying him acting so besotted with her. It really wasn't at all annoying like she had once found it.
It occurred to her as she looked in front again and saw just how Zyph was calmly plodding along that it was probably a good thing that her griffin was so well behaved. And smart enough to direct itself. Which let her be able to flirt with her husband without him wandering away from their route.
She patted the neck of the bird-cat in appreciation that he had been well-behaved even though his family had been messing around on his back.
"You know." Arrion said into her ear, startling her. "I could try to find him a female for companionship. He's fully grown now…"
"What brought this topic up?" She laughed.
"He is a bit lonely… and honestly I would rather like having some baby griffins around to play with."
"He is?"
"Just an undercurrent of it. Like he is fairly happy. He just would be happier with a lady friend. Honestly, if we let him go find one he would come back too, he likes us so much."
He laughed happily. And then grinned at her, "Or I could try to get a female and hope he takes a liking to her."
"Once we get home, we can see then." She kissed her husband's cheek affectionately. And smiled to herself as she turned away at the thought that her husband seriously wanted to play matchmaker for her griffin. She did not really mind. Zyph would appreciate the companionship when he was not being payed attention to by his rider.