The forest just outside the inn was covered in a blanket of snow, barely disturbed by a few birds and rabbits that had walked over it. He wasn't sure he remembered was snow was like - not exactly, anyway - but it brought him a sense of joy he hadn't felt in some time. 

His companions needed to see it. Ezra pushed the curtain fully open, letting light pour into the room. 

"Hey guys, time to get up." 

"Uuuugh I thought we-" the rest of Lilas rant dissolved into incomprehensible mumbles, making him grin. 

Ezra stood and made his way to Calixa, gently shaking her awake. Meanwhile, Milo was silently sitting up, looking like had already been awake for some time. 

"It snowed?" The noble asked quietly, as his tired features lightened. 

"Yep, and her majesty has never seen it." 

"Her majesty was sleeping well for once." Calixa muttered. "Snow is for the winter court, I want nothing of it." 

"Come on, you're going to have fun." 

"Fun? In the cold and wet and ice?" 

Lila spoke up then. "Yeah you'll like it - you get to throw things at us with no consequences." 

"Throw things?" 

"Come on, time to show you a snow day." 

~~~~~~~~ 

Calixa hated the way her fingers were immediately too cold to not be covered by some strange pocket-like garments Ezra helped her put on. The way her shoes felt a little damp. The odd feeling of her hair at her face being cold. 

But the world around her had somehow become quiet. The rustling of leaves, the shifting of grass, it had all been muted by the snow. She could hear her friends next to her much more clearly, as well as every flap of a bird's wing and distant call of a deer. Somehow, things that mattered were more clear, while all the rest was blurred. 

She particularly enjoyed how the snow crunched under her feet; she had always thought it would be soft like the fur of a cat, but instead, it reminded her of the sound made when she would bite down on the ice slivers they would sometime have in drinks at the summer palace as a luxury. 

Calixa reached down to the snow, immediately frustrated at the odd garmet covering her hand. She tossed it off and ran her fingers through the strangers, cold powder. Somewhere to her left, she heard Milo and Lila laughing, insulting each other playfully, as something solid seemed to hit their coats. 

"Here, let me show you." Ezra hadn't left her side. "Pick up some of the snow like you would hold water to drink. Now uh... do... ok I'll show you." He took her hands and made them face each other, pressing the snow between them. What was once a powder was becoming a rather solid sphere.

"And what do I do with this?" 

Ezra took several steps back. "You throw it at one of us." 

"How, are you meant to catch it? Would it not fall apart?" 

Ezra's laugh was bright. "No, no. Throw it like... a gentle attack. It's a fight for fun, just like in training." 

"... I see..."

"No you don't!" Lila quipped from the other side of the clearing. Calixa scoffed, amused, and threw the snow sphere in the halfling's direction. 

"Oh sh*t she got me!" 

"That was impressive," Milo noted. 

"I see why this is fun." Calixa wasted no time in making a new sphere and throwing it in Ezra's direction. 

"Oof- ah no it's gone down my back!" Ezra all but squealed. 

It didn't take long for him to reciprocate, and for Lila to join in a vicious fight. Their laughs and shrieks were still muted by the snow-laden forest, making the moment feel almost cozy. 

Though Calixa couldn't help but notice Milo had stepped to the side the moment the fight had become more intense. 

"Milo, come join us!" 

"I'm trying!" 

Trying? 

Suddenly, a breeze picked up, making the cold air bite. It didn't take long before Calixa heard branches above her creak, and an odd rattle of leaves. Not a second later, she felt some of the snow hit her from above. Ezra and Lila must have felt it too - both of them were laughing in surprise. Enough snow had fallen from the branches to make Lila mostly buried in it. 

"Looks like I win," Milo said in the cheekiest tone Calixa had ever heard from him. Even Ezra seemed impressed by their friends demeanor. 

"Hey foul play, wind magic is cheating!" Lila protested as she climbed her way out of the snow. 

"Is it now? Where are the rules that say so? Ah!" Milo chuckled as Lila must have thrown snow at him.

"There, now it's fair. And now I want hot chocolate and I think Mister Fancy Noble Man owes us making some himself - that magic got snow in places there shouldn't be snow." 

Moments later, the four of them were sitting by a fire kept by the innkeeper, warm drinks in hand, chatting about things much lighter than the mission they were on. 

They could afford a snow day.