Mycophobia

While he was mid-inspection of the strange fungi, Kumiho heard the sound of approaching paws. They were much too soft and light to be a large wolf, so he assumed it must have been Kitsune, coming to check on him as she had done every day since their shared night terrors. He had purposely been keeping close to the Ashen border, partly so Kit wouldn't have to venture too far from home and get in trouble for sneaking out to see him (because he knew she was going to come see him anyway), and partly because it felt easier to protect her when he was close by. He found himself feeling a strange compulsion to safeguard the little princess, especially after the night in the swamp. Was it out of some sense of duty? Honor? A life debt? Or maybe because he just genuinely liked the near-yearling pup?

Iho was too enthralled with studying the mushrooms that he didn't see Kit until she was right up beside him, pushing much more boldly closer to them to take a sniff. Iho gasped and went to swat Kitsune's nose away from them. His strike wasn't intended to hurt, but it was aimed to get her to recoil away from the glowing mushrooms. For someone who claimed to be a healer, she was being pretty reckless with an organism that was known for producing spores, some toxic! "Don't get too close!" he said sharply, then softened his expression as the panic ebbed away. "I'm sorry, Kit. I didn't hurt you, did I? It's just... You really shouldn't be sniffing at strange mushrooms, especially not these ones."

Kumiho turned his attention back to the mushrooms, reaching forward to carefully cut one from the ground with a claw. He turned the glowing mushroom about in his paws, studying it from all angles. It didn't seem to be leaving any glowing residue behind when manipulated, so perhaps they weren't producing spores currently? "They just started showing up when the days stopped being day. I don't know what they are though. Have your healers taught you anything about mushrooms?" He turned icy blue eyes to his little fire fox. She was the more knowledgeable about botany out of the two of them.

"Speech"