"-- No, not a trick!" He's quick to assure otherwise. "Not trickin' ya. I saw 'em! Got a bunch of shiny things, too..."

Glacius is even closer now and it's then he notices the cold. Why cold? Where's it come from? Without thinking a hand is flung out. Tries to touch. The curiosity is overwhelming and he knows seconds later it must be a great disrespect to something that lives above the earth, lives above all of them (sand-scrapers, lizards and bugs, every last one)-- but--