An amused smirk played upon pale golden lips as she spoke, rebutting everything he had said. "It is Grandfather Earth who told me himself that taking out my pain on others is not the way to deal with it. He is the one who bonded Ilaria and myself. I know he would allow me to inflict any damage on his trees, rather than have anyone else hurt with me." He shuffled his wings and gave a soft laugh, voice deeper with age and softer with disuse. "Shall I go and apologize to our dearest pine tree?" he teased, smirk curling his lips playfully, hoping to break the barriers that seemed to keep her from relaxing around him. Cera had always had a way with others, but he was unaware of it, only knowing that he wanted to know more about the cold dame before him. She was certainly...interesting, to say the least.

At the very least she was sincere, and he bobbed his head easily to her admission of not knowing his father's name. "He is- or, was- the Sultan of the Throat. Though I must say," he gave a kind, unassuming smile towards her and tucked his feathers to his belly to ward of the chill, "it is a pleasure to meet you, miss Snö." He bent leg, opposite pillar stretching low and long against the ground as he bowed his chin to his chest. Ilaria gave a chirp of similar greeting, despite already having spoken long before the formal introduction. Straightening, the fire child gave a smile to the snow fae, marveling at how incredibly different they were. Though, surprise showed on his features as she mentioned her father. "Mauja the FrostHeart? I have heard of him, yes. But I don't know much of him, I can't really say much of him because of it. Except I wouldn't have met you without him," he stated simply, giving a small smile. Why should he condemn her for her lineage? It was just as bad as condemning her for the horn upon her head, merely because a similar one had carved the scar in his chest.

But he was soon distract from conversation with the pale mare by the cry of a bird overhead. And not just any bird. It was a cry he knew well, one that captured attention far easier and far faster than any simple songbird. Head lifted, he searched the skies, hooves moving uncertainly in a dance of recognition, wings lifting in a desire to find the phoenix surely flying above. He cast a distracted smile towards Snö. "Would you like to meet a fire bird?" he laughed. Seconds later Fina was diving through the canopy in a glow of red and orange. Cera nickered softly at her, glee shining in emerald eyes. Pale golden muzzle reaches up towards her, laughing as she dove to meet Ilaria in greeting. The red panda stood comfortably upon her back legs, waving her soft paws into the air and flicking her tail as she chittered and chirped excitedly in response to the beautiful predator's hello.

And then through the branches overhead a far larger body crashes through, and Cera startles, nearly sending Ilaria toppling. Quickly he lifts a wing in one sharp movement, cradling her in the back of his feathers as she lets herself fall into his embrace. His eyes widened and he instinctively turned to shield Snö, despite the logical part of him that knew that where Fina went Midas followed. Only when his name was spoken did he blink stupidly and lower his guard, wings dropping. "Father," he greeted simply, keeping still as Midas came forth to embrace him. Tucking his head over the shorter neck of his father in a brief return of it, he pressed their cheeks together as he slide away. Manners taught by the painted stallion himself dictated that he introduce the two. "Father, this is Snö. Snö, this is my father, Midas." Crown moved between the two as he introduced them, respectful.

Tilting his head curiously, he regarded his father, somewhat distant. "Father, what brings you here?" It was not common for Midas to venture into the Deep Forest, especially when it held such dark secrets for both him and Cera. Both having the same experience taint their views of the place. So where was he heading, to have encountered the fire child and his new acquaintance?