Buried. His mind rejected the idea initially, and was summarily further confused by the next thought in his own head. A minute shred of innocence clinging to the idea that Midas loved him, that he would return even after seasons leading another herd. Why is he not buried here? Remembering why was almost as painful as the initial news. Except...no, nothing could surmount the agony of that realization. Even the gods could not rip him apart so slowly and mercilessly as to cause him this deep a pain. It hurt to know that he was buried in a place Midas had called home. When had that changed? Wasn't home made by family? What had he and Ranjiri done to deserve such desertion? And now...now Cera could not even visit his grave without permission from a stranger.

As he struggled to his hooves, swaying beneath weight too heavy for his already burdened shoulders, sand bit into his knees where he'd knelt in useless, belated prayer. His heart was cracked and bleeding, and though he'd sworn long ago to give his all to his Lord, he could not see why these trials were constantly placed upon and before him. He hurdled them every time, toppled and a little more broken though he always was after each one. So why must he continue proving himself? Was this a test of faith, of loyalty? Had he not already displayed that, by forsaking his father to remain in the sands he'd always lived on?

A mare with one wing. Cera's cheek twitched into a snarl. An uncommon, rabid sort of expression on his rather effeminate face. "Africa." There was no doubt to his words. The mare had disappeared, abandoning her post to live in the Falls with Midas. So all his father's possessions had been handed to a random lover, one who knew nothing of all the flaws and pores and scars of the man? Cera had known every in and out of the stallion, could recall every little detail if he so much as closed his eyes. And all of it, every last reminder of the man who had saved him, loved him, protected him - gone?

Building fury was quickly doused by his baby sister's words, her crumpled face and quiet, wavering voice. Turning he moved towards her, embracing her firmly as he threw his neck over her withers. Blood still stained his pelt, born from her teeth, but he pressed against her skin nonetheless. Blood. It was such a useless thing, Cera's entire family had never been founded on it. But he pressed closer nonetheless, as if he could somehow make that untrue with Ranjiri. "It's okay," he whispered. Even if it wasn't okay. Just a lie that they collectively buried themselves beneath, too afraid to look into the world that lay beyond its canvas shield. He couldn't promise they'd get something, but whatever he had been attempting to say suddenly fell to bitter ash on his tongue when she whispered out another confession he'd never wanted to hear on his lips.

A soft, moaning denial left his mouth and he pressed himself into the base of her mane, holding her all the tighter. "I'm so sorry," he murmured. "We...maybe we can have it erased?" It was a tentative suggestion, but surely the magic was available. Anything, anything to help her with the trauma that Cera couldn't even imagine going through. Except...maybe. The scar across his breast ached. Is dying as intense as watching someone die? "Or numbed, or blurred or...something. Jiri you can't - you can't live that way, it'll kill you. Trust me." His words echoed hollow and ancient at the end. Chuckling bitterly he buried his empty eyes into her frame. "I had to kill our father, after all." Did she even know about that? She'd never asked about his scars, and Cera had never told her. She didn't deserve that weight, that knowledge. But if it encouraged her to at least gloss over the memories...he'd do his best to explain just how much a mortal soul could wither away with that kind of weight on them.