Race for the Morning Sun

The wayfarer and the princess spent the entire nightmarish night cuddled up with one another, doing their best to avoid the unholy abominations stalking the unprepared lands just outside the den. Kumiho and Kitsune had sung lullabies together in their shared tongue until they had each drifted off to sleep, comforted by one another's presence. Iho had been afraid that the terrors of the night would creep into his dreams, but fortunately he was so exhausted from the frights they'd experienced that he just slept without any visions in his head. When Iho did awaken again, it was just before dawn. The world was still dark, but the sound of crickets outside let him know the world was still somewhat safe.

Blinking ice blue eyes open through the bleariness of sleep, Iho glanced at the den door, straining his ears to listen to the world outside. He lay still and quiet for a good, long while. No strange screams or howls or screeches were heard. No shuffling feet or stumbling steps out in the murky swamp. Everything seemed normal—for now. Glancing down at the girl who was very nearly a yearling curled up against him and fast asleep, Iho felt a small smile grow across his lips. Never in his life would he have thought he'd ever be a protector to a princess, yet here he was, doing just that.

Being extra careful while extracting himself from around her, Kumiho rose out of bed and carefully tucked Kit in under the blanket of furs. He didn't want to stray too far from her, but he did want to check outside and make sure everything was okay and get a drink of water. Pressing his face to the gap in the door, a gasp of wonder left the arctic wolf's lips. Iho quietly moved the door out of the way and stepped out into the glowing wonderland of the world, gazing around at the glowing... everything! Absolutely everything as far as the eye could see was shimmering with the otherworldly blue-green glow. The mist had dissipated, but it looked like it had settled over everything it had touched, making it glow like the full moon was as it began to sink out of sight when the first rays of morning light began to appear to the east.

"Speech"