There was so much more between them; so much more connection and intimacy and meaning and love. This was a man that long ago could not have uttered the word, much less felt and understood it fully – at least not in her imagination. He had changed alongside her; and there was a connection born of that shared experience. It was only they that had been witness to the way each other had grown to finally reach this beautiful, vulnerable moment under the stars. In those few seconds Raela dreamt of never having to take a step back; never having to part with his endless comfort. He was everything she had ever wanted in all the universe; security, joy and peace. Everything fell into place; everything was whole.
When she finally did feel the nagging want to pull herself back, it was only gradual. Her muscles relaxed, easing the intensity of her hug. Then their fur untangled, and the frigid air swooped in to remind her just how cold it was going to be without Gent's body there. Her golden eyes found their way up, locking onto his familiar ice blue. Just seeing his face after this caused an intense reaction. The already excessive levels of joy within her rib cage surged without warning – pure energy shot into her limbs and she twisted; bouncing back while it burst from her throat in a shrill bark. Her forelegs danced into the air and came smacking down into the powdery snow. Raela's tawny tail raced back and forth behind her, eyes landing on the black King once more.
Her body overflowed with this feeling, and in the blink of an eye she was moving again; skipping to the side and kicking up the frozen flakes in her exuberant display. Her scent had to be absolutely everywhere by now; dispersed and spread around by the movement. More excited yowling followed and she bounded; darting to his other side and slapping his iridescent shoulders with her paws. The Queen's pink tongue lolled out between widely grinning teeth. She wanted to celebrate. In the next heartbeat she was dashing; whirling from him and streaking wildly across the mesa. Her feet lashed at the virgin snow with abandon. The joyous run beneath the Aurora from before was nothing compared to this. This was something immeasurable, and it was the greatest thing she'd ever felt.