What if the Snow Leopard Dies?

We need a fast animal that just runs around. What if it's like a cheetah? Cheetahs would die in the snow. But then if the dragon kills it, we still have the problem of a big dragon going and eating its body. Or taking the ore. We could attach the piece of metal to a rope. And hide the metal to it. And then the dragon will just be like, Oh man, I'm so hungry. I'm so feral! I've never seen anything like it!"