Nanoha picked the wrong time to bend down close to the ground. There would be somebody waiting for her.

The ground heaved from underneath the human female as Aeneas exploded to the surface like a breeching whale after a wounded seal, sending with him his own wave of slush and powder and excited screeching.

“Surprise!” came a pleasant trill as the alien gracefully cleared the floating one and disappeared within the deep snow behind her.