COR: Girls Don't Have Cooties

 I can do this, I can do this, I can do it.

The young pup kept telling himself that, as he padded down the cave's he lived in. Dim light's glowing against the rock walls that surrounded him. In his mouth was a red rose, it was fresh from outside and new. He had pulled off the thorns so they wouldn't poke him as he held it, last things he wanted was thorns stuck in his tongue. It had taken a lot of convincing to get one of the adults to go get it for him. And he had made them promise not to tell anyone why he needed the rose. He would be so embarssed of the other pups knew what he planned to do, he could just see them. Laughing at him...

"You got a red rose for HER? Your getting soft! Don't you know girls have cooties?"

"Ew! Dove has cooties now!"

"Hahah your silly Dove. A rose? Really? She can't even see it, she's BLIND!"

he shook his head to clear it of those thoughts, they wouldn't do that to him surely? He must be over-reacting, but still he wanted to avoid any chance of the other pups finding out. Girls didn't have cooties, Dove knew better then that, that was just a silly tale told by the elder dogs.
He took the long-way around, that way he would run into less dogs and could avoid having to explain himself.

I can do this, I'm brave!  He puffed out his chest, taking in a deep breath through his nose. He determindedly padded down the hall, his large talon feet clicking against the stony floor. He walked to the entrance of a larger opening, where he knew the pup he was looking for would be in. But before he could pass through the archway, Haait walked through, almost running into him. Dove quickly side-stepped, dropping the red rose, and sitting down in front of it to hide the flower. He looked up at the leader, with a big smile and huge puppy-dog-innocent eyes.
 No one can ressit the puppy dog eye's right? Right???

Luckily, Dove didn't need to find out, because Haait was busy with other things and walked right by him without notice. Dove let out the long breath he had been holding in anticipation. Releived, having to explain the rose to Haiit of all dogs would have been even more embarrassing.

But the hardest part was still to come.
 Will she even like it? She can't see it...But she can smell it right? I hope she likes it...
He took a deep breath, stood up onto his paws- er - talons. And padded into the next room.

There she sat, her back to him, he could see the white and red-brown of her pelt. He took another breath in, then padded up to her. He tapped her on the shoulder, putting the red rose down in front of his talons. As she turned around to face him, wagging her tail.
"Hey Dove! Its good to see you again, how are you?" She asked, smiling the smile he knew so well.

"Nadia? I uh, I got this red rose for you...I know you can't see. But I thought you might enjoy the smell, since we aren't allow outside a lot. I, uh, I hope you like it..." He said, his ear's flattening against his head...

But the smallest of smiles formed on his lips.