Whatever fears, doubts, or saddened musings that had plagued the cherubic stallion were washed away by the bright and eager faces that began to dot the horizon as if knowing he was at work and in need of help. The stallion’s breast swelled with undeniable, fierce affection for the Throat and their undeniable bonds with one another. Even if they held no title to crafting or metallurgy, they arrived to help and make Maren’s vision a reality. It hurt to love them all so intensely, with a passion that enveloped every sun-kissed and sand-dotted figure that wandered about across the herdlands.
 
Though perhaps he did have different levels of fondness, he thought to himself as Mesec bounded up to him with a bright smile and an undeniable eagerness. A greeting spilled cheerily forth and Cera trumpeted back his own reply, wings curling and fluttering with joy to see the lost soul he’d made into his friend. “Mesec! Over by the boulders please,” was clarified, head already turning to the new feminine voice that called softly around the worksite. Nasreen, the voice in his head reminded him, though he recalled the gentle girl from when she’d taught him how to weave vines into thick, braided rope. “The more the merrier,” Cera assured, shooting her a smile as he grappled the metal below the earth, dragging it to the surface for them to pull back to the boulders. Each piece lay glinting, raw and ugly, on the sand like a trail of tears where Cera wandered across the sands trying to find more.
 
And there, another friend! Though Ampere always seemed to be on the rough end of everyone’s tempers, she had kicked Cera’s ass out of the darkness and back to the light, and he envied and admired her passion in equal measures. She would always be family to him, but he believed there to be a friendship there as well, one that sent him kicking off across the sand to meet her with a glowing smile. “Well, it will be,” the Prince laughed, turning to regard the bare skeleton of something his mind helpfully built up into a final product only he could see the details to. “But no, we will likely collaborate with the Falls and the Edge most often for the materials we need. It’s hot enough here without adding roasting alive, don’t you think?” A cheeky grin and a mischievous wink accompanied the words, though he was admittedly far more intent on the fact that apparently, Ampere had a companion.
 
Instead of rudely asking and interrogating her, Cera lifted his wing in an effort to brush comfortingly against her flank, eyes darting to the parrot before returning briefly to Ampere. “I’m here if you ever need to talk,” the Golden assured softly, not attempting to be presumptuous by offering her aid. It wasn’t as if he knew how she felt about the bonding, nor the circumstances surrounding it. Or the child either, he thought, quite boggled and not sure what to think anymore with all of this going on. The one that called Ampere ‘Ma’ looked so clearly like Gaucho…and it hurt. You were never his child anyways, Cera chided himself harshly, though it stung to see the family in constant growth. Was Gaucho trying to prove a point? His virility perhaps? Was he…was he unsure of his masculinity or simply horny all the time?
 
Cera blushed just to think such sordid thoughts. He quickly turned his attention to the last newcomer, painted in brilliant shades striped across his bodice. The cheeriness was met in equal measure, smile bright and glowing on Cera’s face. “Greetings! I’m Cera. If you could just help haul the metal over to the boulders with everyone else, that would be a great help!”
 
Of course Cera actually had to start using that growing pile, and so he smiled at Tae – who was still nameless to him – and with a beat of his wings leapt onto one of the boulders with a soft clatter of his hooves. He began to pull on the pile, shaping and notching the metal as he formed them into beams. The small fire he’d built was mostly coals, but it was helpful where he stood upon the rock – it wouldn’t go out, and the boulder’s crevice kept it sheltered and burning hot, allowing him to mold and fuse the metal into the framework bit by bit. Maren arrived as well, smiling brightly and helping him with the framework before disappearing back into the sands.
 
But where were the other crafters?