The Centurion of Winter

The Centurion of Winter is a magical centaur which only appears when Snow Imps are in danger.
In winter, Snow imps proliferate a lot and you end up with a lot of them. Unfortunately, even if they are harmless, they have consequences for the environment. When winter comes, hunts must be made to reduce their numbers. But when Snow imps are in danger, the Centurion appears to protect them.
He kills anyone who attacks his proteges but spares those who ask for mercy if they throw their weapons and bow down to him. It has happened that children who wanted to capture snow imps to bring them home have been spared by the Centurion provided they release the imps.