The first frost reached Hare Shelf while the return was still hot.
On day1681, Tessan woke to a white line along the workshop’s outer rail. Beyond it, the ridge fell into gray air. The lower roofs were invisible. Water in the shallow inspection cup had skinned over at the edge.
Renna was already at the bank.
“Slower restart?” he asked.
“No restart yet.”
The local housings had worked under their accepted turns. The colder ridge had always required a different warm interval from Rootwell. This morning’s difference was larger. The outer clean loop had cooled while the incoming return retained the night’s heat.
Opening full feed would ask the ceramic face to cross too much change too quickly.
Renna kept the local trip closed.
