Qylar appeared behind him a couple of seconds later. “Well? What do you think?”
“It’s beautiful,” Kenji said. “We should have a snowball fight.”
Kenji stepped forward, only to be jerked back and led into the house. “Hey!”
“You’re wearing a sweater, a pair of thin pajama pants, and a pair of slippers, Kenji.”
Kenji sighed as Qylar urged him into Cryss and Alex’s bedroom. After Qylar had several layers on him, a snowsuit, boots, hat, and gloves, he was allowed back outside.
“This reminds me of that movie with that kid in so many winter layers he can’t move,” Kenji muttered, the extra padding making each step a bit stiffer.
“You’ll appreciate it later,” Qylar said.
“You’re not as layered up as I am,” Kenji said as he stepped back outside and towards the falling snow.
“I’m full Nefyrian. I can handle the cold better.”
“I swim in the cold, deep ocean all the time,” Kenji said. “Maybe I can handle it, too, you know?”
“Alex can’t handle it, so I’m using him as a guideline.”
“Alex can’t shift,” Kenji said, glaring up at Qylar.
Qylar lifted a brow. “If you’re too warm by the time we go back inside, we can try fewer layers when you go out again.”
“And I’m not a child, you know.”
“Excuse me for not wanting a mate-cicle.”
Kenji fought a grin. He reached over and scooped up a handful of snow and packed it tight.
“We don’t usually get such wet snow up here,” Qylar said, scanning the sky. “But then, it was rather warm yesterday when we drove in.”
“Warm? It was cold yesterday.”
“It’s normally in the twenties here. It was in the mid-forties,” Qylar said. He reached out and collected a handful of flakes falling from the sky. “Which makes wet snow.”
“I thought all snow was wet?” Kenji asked.
“Like everything else on this planet, there is diversity. High, cold places tend to get dry snow, which come in small flakes. It’s less dangerous on the roads and sidewalks. When the temperature rises, it can cause more moisture in the snow, which causes fat, large flakes that are more dangerous.”
“How?”
“Wet snow is heavier. Tree branches can’t always carry the weight, and they’ll break under the pressure. If that branch is close to a property, it can cause damage. You might start hearing loud cracking around here if this keeps coming down like this. But don’t worry. All of the trees here are far enough away from the house not to cause damage. I can’t say the same for the roads out, though. They might not be in great shape.”
“Are we stuck here today?”
“Not exactly. Wet snow also causes icier roads. Add in the potential for downed branches and trees, we’ll just need to be extra careful when we go back to the ship to send out those messages.”
“We could always wait until tomorrow,” Kenji said. “One more day won’t hurt anything.”
Qylar smiled down at him. “If you’re fine with that, we’ll wait.”
“Of course I’m fine. It’s my very first snow day…” Kenji turned and thrust the snowball, hitting Qylar in the middle of his chest.
Qylar narrowed his eyes, fighting a smile. “Why, you little…”
Kenji took off running as fast as he could in too many layers. A snowball hit him in the back, sending him lurching forward. He dropped to his knees and scooped up more to battle back. The ensuing snowball fight was epic, both sides unwilling to give in.It didn’t end until Qylar braved an onslaught to forge closer and pin him down in the snow.
