a large beast. She had no other words for it, as she had never seen anything anything like it before. With a cape of white fur and a gaping jaw of teeth, the beast bore resemblance only to things she'd read in story books. "What is it?!" she cried out. The book took off running, still holding onto her hand.

"It's the beast of Snowy Hill! He appears every year when the princess is found. Legend says that he was once a rabbit like us, but his betrothed betrayed him. He comes to still the new princesses away! Come!" Despite the legend, the boy appeared prepared. He threw aside a white tarp that hid something in the snow near them, revealing....