Gross!

The wintery season of Boreas reminded young Kumiho of his home across the sea. The cold, dry air tasted clean and refreshing, and a thin layer of snow lingered on the frozen ground constantly. Iho had done his best to prepare his little den for the cooler weather, stocking it with beaver pelts he'd hunted from the nearby river ways as well as the mammoth fur Kitsune had brought him some months ago. With every passing week, his den began to feel more and more like a proper home. The thought of leaving to continue on his journeys still lingered in the back of the voyager's mind, but he'd made a promise to Kit. He would hang around for a little while, at least until she was old enough to go exploring with him, or until her duties as a princess inevitably forced her to spend less and less time with him—or abandon him completely. Iho didn't mind that eventuality though. After all, she was a princess, and he was just a wayfaring stranger.

Iho had been gathering some deadwood to make a fire when he heard the shrill cries of a very distinct voice shrieking from nearby. Charcoal ears stood erect atop his skull, glacier blue eyes widening in panic. Kitsune! Dropping the wood with a clatter, the arctic wolf raced into the swamplands, following the little girl's screams until he spotted her dark ember-kissed coat flailing in a pool of water. He didn't understand what was happening until he got closer and saw the giant snake preparing to coil around her. Iho's eyes narrowed and lips peeled away from pearly white fangs as the wolf snarled and hurled himself straight into the water for the broad head of the anaconda. Teeth and claws met scaly flesh in an explosion of murky water, thrashing about with the snake to try and distract it enough to release Kit.

"Speech"