This was an unknown mountaintop, buried in ice and snow. Not a single plant was in sight—only frost and white drifts.
Elise patted the three-tailed white fox on the head and said gently, "Good work. Go play for a bit."
The three-tailed white fox nodded, then turned and ran into the wind and snow, disappearing from view.
Ethan stayed where he was, quietly waiting to see what Elise would do.
Soon, Elise walked up to a wall of solid ice. She brushed away the fresh snow, and a small hole in the wall appeared.
She cleared the hole a bit more, then took out an iron rod about thirty centimeters long and pushed it hard into the hole.
The ice wall quickly melted, turning into clear water that flowed out.
A cave mouth opened before Ethan and Elise. Elise looked back at him and said, "Stick close to me. It's complicated inside—don't get lost."
She pulled the rod out and led Ethan into the cave.
