Further down the mountain path, Orion was miserable.
He was trudging through the snow, his little boots crunching with every step. His teeth were chattering a rhythm that sounded like a broken clock.
"I hate snow," Orion mumbled into his scarf. "I hate ice. I hate elevation. I want a bathtub. With hot water. And bubbles."
He stumbled, slipping on a patch of ice.
A hand grabbed his collar before he could fall.
"Watch your step, fish-boy," Astrid grunted, hauling him upright.
Orion looked at her. Astrid had Vivi clinging to her left arm, but her right hand was gripping Orion's jacket. She wasn't wearing her helmet anymore. Her cheeks were red from the cold, but she looked... happy.
"I am trying," Orion chattered. "But my legs are freezing. I think my knees are locked. I'm going to turn into a statue and you'll have to carry me."
He hugged himself, shivering violently.
Astrid rolled her eyes. She stopped walking.
