The house is getting out of wood to burn. Katsuo volunteered to get in the wood and collect some for Ayame. It's winter, when things are covered by the coldness and whiteness of snow. It's hard to find wood in this time. But Katsuo has no problem about it. He walks, feels the snow when they tell him where's the wood. They're controlled by Yuki - onna ( snow woman, a type of youkai in Japanese mythology ). 

 Miyuki, her name, means beautiful snow. Miyuki's a Yuki - onna, and Katsuo's childhood friend ( let's say for a hundred year ). She knows of Katsuo's leave, and full aware of his love to Ayame. She often helps Ayame with her housework, but only in winter. 

" Long time no see, master. "

" Miyuki, don't call me master, I'm not in that clan anymore. "

" You're still my master, even when you're not in any place. "

Miyuki loved Katsuo. But for the fate of a Yuki - onna, he won't have same feelings for her. She understands and accept the truth. Miyuki has beauty, power, as she is one of the most intimidating youkai in the world of ayakashi. But no matter how strong a thing is, it'll always have to belong to its core. Miyuki now sees Katsuo as her bother, and swore to be by his side forever. 

" Master, these're the woods that the spirit of the forest can give us. "

" Thank you, Miyuki, you worked hard. Care for some meal with us ? "

" Sure. I miss my Ayame. "

" You're so different to compare to a normal Yuki - onna. "

" And it's what makes me stronger than those ladies. "

" No doubt. Come along, Ayame would be happy to see you. "  

Miyuki is very childish today. She jumps and flies more often. " Today is a snowy day ", she says, " it's very helpful toward our Yuki - onna. ( let's just say I don't know if it's proper for the word " Yuki - onna " itself to be written in the plural form ). Snowy... is Ayame cold ? Will she be okay ? 

Since they're not human, they can ask the winds to carry them back to home. Since it's quite snowy and there's a Yuki - onna, it snows even more. 

" Is Ayame going to be cold ? ", Miyuki wonders.

" No she won't. But if she does, I will warm her. ", Katsuo calmly answers her.

" Thank you, I was worry because of my appearance, she might be cold. And how is she these days ? "

" As beautiful and caring and generous as always. "

" What a sweet thing to hear. Human changes a lot. "

" But only if they have something to get through. "

" True. But still is Ayame a human ? "

" Why are you asking that ? Of course she is. "

" Ayakashi and human, isn't it hard for both of you to stay with each other ? "

" Ayame is a exception. She is pure. "

" I don't refer to that, I know her well. How can you two get along so well ? That's a strange story. "

" We used to fight each other a lot at our first met. But we soon understand each other more. "

" I see. Well, isn't that her house ? "

" We arrived home. "

Ayame is sewing some kimonos at the living room, which its doors are opening ( she definitely is not cold, otherwise why would she open the doors so widely ). Her hands, those beautiful softy palely hands, sew the kimono as if they're dancing. Katsuo just can't look away whenever she sew something. Miyuki politely call Ayame . Ayame looks at the gate, and quickly overjoyed by her appearance and rushes to hug Miyuki. 

As Miyuki being a Yuki - onna, she's very cold for anyone to hug her, even if they're a fire ayakashi ( well she wouldn't come near to a fire one anyway ). Ayame hugs her as if she's just a pillow. This surprise Miyuki when Ayame first hugs her. If a weak one touches her, he/she would have died because their body cannot suffer her coldness, they will froze and will be crashed soon after that. When Ayame embraces her, she's surprised with the fact that Ayame has no problem, despite her look being slim. She thinks that living with Katsuo had made Ayame stronger and have better resistance to coldness. 

" Miyuki - san, long time no see, it's great to see you. "

" Aya - chan, it's so sad that I can only see you in winter. "

" Miyuki - san, I made you a special type of kimono. Come along and I'll show you. Katsuo, please make some fire. "

" Sure, no problem. "

" Miyuki - san, I have come up with the idea to use this kind of fabric to make your kimono... "

Ayame walks Miyuki away to her work room. Katsuo was left behind, sadly. 

" Miyuki, I thought bringing you to our place would help us with something, but I realize bringing you here only make Ayame stay away from me. You damn woman... "

He would  be shout and scolded by Ayame if he gets in, so he better stay out. 

" This might be a great idea. ", he funnily has an idea. 

Back to Ayame and Miyuki, our beauties. Miyuki is amazed by the kimono Ayame made for her. It's a simple pure white kimono, Uchikake style and it has a big white obi with long sleeves and a simple wooden zouri. It's very comfortable to wear, and very comfortable for Miyuki. 

" Miyuki - san, do you like it ? "

" Of course I do, I love it. It's hard for me to find clothes you know. "

" Come to my tailor shop more often, I will custom you a special one. Katsuo told me about your ability. I definitely will make more kimonos for you. Oh and I also have this tsuno-kakushi, wear it on and you will get better with the snow. "

" Thank you. I have never receive any bigger gift than this one. "

" My honor, Miyuki. I'd love making clothes for you. "

" Aya - chan is so sweet. "

" Tee-he. Wear it one and let me see if you fit it. "

It fits Miyuki perfectly. She looks graceful and beautiful. Like most of the other Yuki - onna, Miyuki is beautiful and tall. They has long black hair and blue lips, but Ayame advised Miyuki to wear red lipsticks, and she did. Miyuki's skin is inhumanly pale, and as an ability of Yuki - onna, she can make it transparent. Miyuki resembles a kind and generous goddess, rather than normal Yuki - onna. Ayame thinks that what makes her the strongest of her kind. 

Let's talk a bit about Miyuki's ability. Her eyes, which is big, beautiful with black irises, can strike terrors into mortal, unless she use it. She can float like a ghost, but in winter, which is her strongest time of the year, she can fly normally. She can also transform herself into a cloud of mist or snow. She can create ices, but they're much stronger, bigger and they have better resistance to fire than normal Yuki - onna's ices. She can also create snow storms in winter, where she is unable to be seen. Her breath can freeze people and things, and if she is in an anger, her power is even stronger.

Miyuki is very happy with the gift that Ayame gave her. Ayame and Miyuki walks up to Katsuo, but at the moment they got to the yard, they see him be with a... not so normal wolf. It's a big wolf stand almost taller than Katsuo, but completely taller than Ayame and Miyuki. It has white fur, beautiful blue eyes and seems to behave like a wolf, dog, cat. 

" Dear, what have you done ? "

" Ayame, I brought you a pet. "

" Pet ? "

" This is Ryuno , a wild ayakashi wolf grow in that mountain. If you do know, its species is in danger because of its power that every ayakashi wants, it's quite hard to breed this species, but a individual can live for as long as its love ones have all died. It's very loyal, playful, intelligent, ' fast, strong,... You'll need a protector and a friend whenever I go away. "

" Ryuno, is it a girl or boy ? "

" Girl, she is an adult by the way. "

" Live in that mountain must be very lonely, poor Ryuno. She's such a beautiful and gorgeous wolf. "

"With her species, especially the female, are extremely careful and motherly for her love ones. "

" I wonder where have you ever had one ? "

" Now I do, with you. "

Miyuki seems to enjoy Ryuno's accompany as well. Miyuki has her own wolf pack, thus she's very interested in wolf - likes species. 

" It seems that your wolf smell activated her wild playful nature. ", Katsuo says when he sees Ryuno jumping playfully around Miyuki. 

Such an adorable creature. Ayame cooked yosenabe, just enough for all 3. She worried that Ryuno is getting hungry, but Katsuo calms her and tells her that Ryuno wouldn't eat these and they would go to feed her later. 

Ayame's yosenabe is quite delicious. The fire that Katsuo made keep the yosenabe warm, for a cold winter. 

After the meal, Katsuo leads everyone to a place where there is a snowshoe hare.

" Winter froze all the ponds, birds migrated, most animals hibernated so we have no choice but to feed her some flesh. ", he says.

" Poor little hare... ", Ayame sadly says.

" Is it enough for her ? ", Miyuki on the other hand seems neutral. 

" In that case we'll have to hunt some bears. "

" As long as it doesn't waste its meal. "

" Well unfortunately, she knows she's beautiful, and she's quite sassy with the foods. "

" What about chickens ? "

" It seems not today. "

" How can you tell that ? "

" She muted chickens before she arrives here, and her pupil is getting more narrow, also she's grunting at it. Just one shot.  "

" Fine. Show me what you got, Ryuno. "

Ryuno is quite big to compare to that hare. But she doesn't seem to mind that. She crouches quietly, and slowly approaches the hare. She also makes a little sound like a baby hare. The hare looks back, and at the moment it realizes that it was tricked, it couldn't run anymore. Its body has in Ryuno's jaw, and Ryuno swallows it merciless. 

" It's such a miracle that despite that size, she can hunt that hare so quickly without problem. "

" She's a skillful hunter, and she is a predator, that's what she's born for. "

" I want her to be a little free, that's an animal's nature. "

" Not for an ayakashi animal. If she roams free, she will hunt everyone on her way down, unless you're able to tame her. And I think that she'd be a lot more happier when she is with her love ones. "

" So should I learn to ride her ? "

" You better should. Don't worry, it'd be very easy, thus, she loves you. "

" But could you mind clear that mouth full of blood ? "

Ayame says, and suddenly Ryuno licks her paws and starts to wipe her mouth. The blood that stuck on her paw are also licked away by Ryuno herself. 

" She's so smart, and elegant. "

" Told you she is aware of her beauty and acts carefully for it. "

" I think it is a cat - liked behavior, rather than the wolf or dog's behavior. "

" She might have adapted this behavior in her life. I have never saw this kind of action with this species. "