A single crane was struggling on a snowy path at the foot of the mountain. Its leg had been caught in a snare trap set by a hunter, and it was desperately trying to escape, beating its white wings against the snow. Its feathers were astonishingly white, almost seeming to blend into the falling snow. However, red blood dripped from its ankle where the trap had bitten in, staining the pure white snow in spots. It was a male red-crowned crane. The red crest atop its head swayed nobly, even as it trembled in pain.

The crane's black eyes stared intently at Yoichi. Strangely, the moment Yoichi spoke, it stopped struggling and became docile, as if it understood his words. When he forcefully pried open the hard metal fittings, the spring snapped and the trap came off. Fresh blood seeped from the wound, but it didn't seem to have reached the bone.