Race for the Morning Sun

This new near-morning world was a stark contrast to the horror show they had endured through the last dozen hours. This world felt mystical, corporeal, fantastical. It felt like a breath of life after the nightmare of death. The light sound of Kitsune's giggles brought Iho's eyes back to his smaller companion, listening to her explain how her brother's scales shimmered in a similar way to his fur right now. Iho gasped again when he saw Kit's markings glowing just like his white fur was, marveling at how the glow made her fur look like living fire now. "Kit, your markings!" he exclaimed, then gently ushered the small girl to look into the water. Her reflection would reveal the majesty that she wasn't able to notice herself.

Kumiho marveled at the world, marveled at their fur, marveled at Kitsune. She had been beyond brave to face the perils of the night with him. She had stuck by his side, healed his injury, comforted him just as he comforted her. Never before had the arctic traveler appreciated the presence of another wolf as much as he did her. Sometime during their admiration of one another's fur, the morning sun finally broke across the eastern sea. As golden rays of light broke the darkness of the sky and raced over the land, the supernatural glow began to fade away, gradually at first and then all at once. It was like someone had flipped a switch, and just like that the world was normal once more.

Iho gazed out across the horizon, squinting into the morning sun as normalcy returned to Boreas. His fur no longer glowed, nor did Kitsune's markings. Another day had arrived; they had survived the night. Iho's stomach growled, his other more base needs returning now that the survival instinct had receded. Breakfast was definitely in order for the conquering heroes. "What d'you say we find some breakfast, then we can get you home before your parents know you're gone?" Iho suggested with a grin to Kit. He craned his neck down to boop his nose against the young girl's cheek affectionately. "Thank you for keeping me company tonight, Kit. You were so brave."

"Speech"