Permafrost Hollows locked up, naked with socks

He melts into the touch, turning his muzzle after a moment to nip lightly at the fur on Kratos's forehead. The response startles him for a moment, but it makes sense. Cold, He clarifies further, pleased that his mate helped him solve the puzzle. After awhile, the forest starts to thin and fade away, ground turning icy and a little barren. It's even colder here, and oddly quiet — and ahead, behind the scattered, precarious piles of sharp ice surrounding the mountain's base, something catches his eye. He slows, squinting slightly to get a better view between the looming stacks of ice. Is that a cave entrance?