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OOC: Sorry for the wait! 
Thesis = no muse..
Anxiety was the only thing she felt when Zalen appeared from the mouth of the den. Nervously, she pressed her slender form in against the larger one of Augustus. A pink tongue flashed against leathery black lips as the Alpha approached. With her ears twitching, Ciara then folded them down and bowed her head as Zalen drew closer. She was too busy fretting to see the wagging of the sable male’s tail, but soon her earthen eyes caught sight of it and an elation she’d never experienced before filled her. When Zalen nuzzled her briefly, she let out a happy whine and licked beneath his chin in thanks, before turning to bury her nose against her mate’s fur. They were officially together in the eyes of their pack, the eyes of their Alpha, and Ciara could think of no way to express her happiness.
Then, Augustus found his own way. Shivers went down her spine as his joyful song sprang into the air. It was catharsis, the release of so much built up tension and before she knew it Ciara was tilting her head towards the moonlight and adding her own course. Her voice was light and joyful, all of the love and excitement pouring into the melody and turning into the longest howl she’d ever sung. When she finally tipped her nose back towards her mate, she moved to lick over his face repeatedly, more happy whines spilling from her throat as her tail lashed behind her at a happy velocity. Then, the pale form of her mate suddenly sprung away from her.
A laugh bubbled from the Epsilon’s throat as the ghostly figure of her mate was illuminated in the light of the moon. She wasted no time taking off after him, paws pounding into the earth below. Her heart was soaring as she caught up with him and ran at his side, the golden hue of her flank brushing his white and grey as they flew over the thawing ground. She was filled with a renewed energy that had nothing to do with her being in heat, but the effect of pure happiness. Having never thought that she’d find a mate to call her own, much less one that she looked up to as much as she did Augustus, she was absolutely overwhelmed and running with him brought her back down to earth. She would run at his side like this forever, if he let her, because when she swore herself to him she did so for eternity.
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