12. Fishing

12. Fishing

Hiccup.

Silence descended. The only sound left in the hushed space was the bubbling of air from the hole.

This hole was not the fishing hole Uncle had made earlier, nor the ice hole Uncle had entered to catch fish. It was literally a hole created by the explosion where I had been.

I stared at the devastating remnants with wide eyes.

“Wh-what…?”

The snow wolf, which had been at the center of the hole, left no trace behind. The surroundings were no better; the water pillar that erupted with the explosion had swept away all the surrounding snow and then frozen in its rough form, turning into a sharp, jagged ice-thorn carpet.

I couldn’t see the foldable chair Uncle had prepared either; it must have fallen into the hole. It was the chair I really liked because my tail could pass through the back. The only comfort was that the fish container was intact.

“Is… is Uncle okay…?”

Forgetting about catching the Arctic fox, I leaped over the ice thorns and headed towards the water hole. Unlike the snow-covered ice field, the inside of the lake was pitch black. So dark that I couldn’t see anything at all.

It might just be because of the clouds blocking the sunlight, but suddenly I felt scared. Could this shock be related to Uncle going into the water? What if Uncle was badly hurt?

I hate going into the water. I hate taking warm baths, so of course, I hate plunging into icy cold water even more. But if I have to save Uncle… I might have to go into the water.

“Ugh….”

I am a cool wolf, not afraid. I am a strong and powerful wolf, so going into water like this is nothing….

At that moment, a loud cry came from behind me.

“Kkang!”

“Huh? Wait, not that fish! That’s the one I caught!”

Turning around, I saw the Arctic fox I had let go, with a foolish grin, eyeing the container of fish. Startled, I ran across the ice and lifted the container before the fox could do anything.

I balance the container, which is as big as my body, on my head.

The fox, which had been coveting the fish, finally looked at me. Then it ran towards me, stood up on its hind legs, leaned in, and started licking my cheek ferociously.

“Pant, pant.”

“No!”

You foolish fox! In this urgent situation, you’re trying to steal and eat fish! That’s why foxes are no good. They have no responsibility and no sense, honestly!

I struggled with all my might to maintain my balance, protecting the container from the giant fox that was pushing and licking me.

Seeing that I wouldn’t give up the container no matter how much it pushed and licked me, the fox changed its plan and started circling around me.

White ball of fur, snow, white ball of fur, snow, white snow, ball of fur-

My eyes are spinning. I’m dizzy!

“You really…!”

Finally, to catch the fox, I started running with the container on my head.

The fox, seeing me, laughed “Kkang-kkang” and ran away, avoiding me.

And exactly ten steps after I ran, the place where I had been exploded again.

“Huk.”

Kuuung… The water pillar descended with a heavy sound. The spilled water flowed back down the hole with a “Swaaaah” sound.

By this point, I couldn’t help but feel that something was strange. Isn’t it as if the fox is guiding me away from the explosion?

I turned my head and asked the fox, which was panting with its tongue out while sitting still.

“You… were you helping me?”

“Kkang!”

The fox panted again. Looking closely, it really had a stupid face.

… This explosion shattered the thick ice sheet so easily. If I had been at the center, I would have been seriously injured, unimaginably so. Even if I had been lucky enough not to get hurt, I would have been soaked by the erupting water.

But when I chased the fox, the place where I stopped was surprisingly just outside the area where the water was pouring. It was truly a mysterious occurrence. It felt as if I were bewitched by the fox.

Thinking that far, I was startled and asked.

“It’s not going to explode again, is it…?”

“Kkang!”

The fox barked with a foolish grin. It had the same incredibly stupid expression as before, so I couldn’t possibly guess its intentions.

Judging by the fact that it’s scratching its neck nonchalantly with its leg raised while sitting, it seems like it won’t explode anymore. I narrowed my eyes and glared at the fox.

Even after a long time, the ice field remained still. The fox was the same.

The fluffy ball of fur looking at me.

Without lowering my guard, I gently set down the container.

“… I’ll trust you a little.”

Even though it’s the culprit who destroyed my snow wolf, I should acknowledge its deed of saving the wolf. You can brag about it to your friends, fox. You’ve been recognized by a great wolf!

The fox trotted over and stood in front of me, rubbing its cheek against my body. Such a fox-like behavior. A wolf like me wouldn’t do such silly things.

By the way, this fox’s tail is also quite fluffy. Ah, of course, I’m not saying my tail isn’t fluffy. My tail is the biggest, most proud, and most wonderfully fluffy tail in this world! It’s not a tail that a fox can covet.

After licking me a few times, the fox walked to the container, sat down in front of it, and looked at me. With its tongue sticking out and panting, it seemed to want to eat fish.

“Do you want to eat fish?”

“Kkang!”

“But I only have one, so I can’t give it to you.”

Except for the one I caught, all the fish in this container were caught by Uncle Polar Bear. That means it’s not my property. And since the giant fish I caught is also for showing off to Sister, I couldn’t give it away.

The fox drooped its head, looking dejected at my firm refusal.

“Kkang….”

“Wait, wait. Don’t be sad like that….”

But upon further reflection, Uncle catches fish so easily that it probably wouldn’t be a problem if one or two were missing. And since it’s the fox that saved me, not anyone else, maybe it’s okay to give it a fish.

I took out a frozen fish from the container and threw it to the fox.

“You have to eat only one, okay?”

“Kkang!”

Then, the fox smiled brightly, as if its previous dejection was a lie, and took the fish in its mouth. For a moment, I felt like I was being tricked, but then the fox, which had suddenly put its face into the container, lifted its head with as many as three fish in its mouth.

“Huk! That’s too much!”

The ball of fur, unconcerned by my startled reaction, gobbled down the fish. Despite its small size, the fox ate the fish greedily. It was truly immense gluttony.

What if Uncle Polar Bear comes and gets angry…?

Will he believe me if I say the fox did it?

Yes, come to think of it, that’s right. It wasn’t me, it was the fox. I only intended to give one, but this big idiot fox didn’t listen to me and put its face in the container to steal fish, so it’s not my fault! It’s the fox’s fault!

It seems all Arctic foxes are just idiots!

“Kkang!”

“Kkang? Huh, where are you going?”

The fox, having eaten plenty of fish, looked satisfied as if it were full, then cried “Kkang!” at me and started heading somewhere, wagging its big tail as if telling me to follow.

I followed the fox, feeling worried.

“If we go too far, we’ll get lost….”

“Kkang-kkang!”

The fluffy ball of fur walked excitedly.

Hmph, it’s nice that you have no worries. If I get lost again, I might be banned from candy for a month, not just a week.

“How far are we going?”

The fox, which had already crossed the ice lake and started heading back into the forest, stopped in front of the entrance of a large cave without answering, jumping over trees and walking through the snow.

“A cave…?”

“Kkang!”

Was there a cave here?

The fox barked at me once and then walked into the cave. When I tried to follow, the fox barked “Kkang” and prevented me from entering.

“What? You told me to come…”

After waiting impatiently, the fox returned to the cave entrance with something in its mouth.

“What is this? … A gem?”

“Kkang-kkang.”

What the fox gave me was a transparent stone that sparkled with various colors like a gem. Seeing it shimmer in rainbow colors, it didn’t seem like ice. I picked it up.

“Are you giving it to me?”

“Kkang!”

“Wow….”

This is the first time I’ve seen such a beautiful stone. It’s so pretty that all the stones I’ve picked up and kept until now look like ugly stones. It’s transparent like water and sparkles dazzlingly….

“Thank you!”

Giving me such a pretty stone. I thanked the fox. It felt like all the sorrow of the snow wolf, which had been shattered without even leaving any remnants, was gone.

I will definitely show this to Sister.

Definitely!

With the fox’s help, I retraced my steps and returned to where I was fishing. Just as I came out of the water, I saw Uncle Polar Bear, soaking wet and catching his breath.

“Uncle!”

“Hoo, where have you been? I was so worried you fell into the water…”

“I was just with the fox… Huh?”

However, when I looked back, the fox had vanished as if it had never been there.