Warmth had slowly bloomed in the beginnings of springs as Frostfall fell away. The Earth God reclaiming his title over the seasons once more. Cera had never been more thankful for the warm weather in his life. Cold weather did not agree with him at all. And as the snow receded, the itch to begin traveling again was pulling at Cera. With Mystique now accepted into the Throat, they could bypass the rule Kri had set of leaving the borders with another member. The babe couldn't be happier, enticed by the idea of exploring once again.

Following the trail Mystique had left behind her, Cera set out away from the borders heading North. Fluffy little tail flickering behind him cheerily as he trotted away from the borders. Tiny buds of green were flattened wherever his hooves touched, wings reaching out and stretching to brush trees that were stirring like hibernating bears. It wasn't hard to find Mystique, as he knew instinctively how to find others of his herd. That and she hadn't exactly been trying to hide her passing.

Snowy form appeared soon enough, muzzle lowered inquisitively. Cera nickered softly at her to announce his presence, making sure not to scare her by suddenly appearing. Prancing up to her, already smiling. he could tell today was going to be yet another adventure. "Mystique!" Feathers moving up above him in joyous greeting, circling her once before standing to face her with a bright smile.

Crunch of snow and ice followed the meeting of hoof and ground no longer. Melting away back into the wet earth, crawling deep into the soil to hibernate like a malicious grizzly until it would strike again. Cold tendrils still reaching up bitterly to linger as long as it could. But even this could not inconvenience the cherub on such a beautiful morn. Strikingly he had found his wings no longer the white infused bittern he normally awoke to. Instead, as if a thief had stolen his light patterns and replaced them, they were a heavenly white. Glowing crown had been discovered upon his head, though it was not by his own eyes. This had troubled him at first- was it harmful? Would it go away? Did it do anything?- but he had relaxed after that in a way only children could. If it didn't harm him, what was the use in worrying over it?

Call had roused the girl, head turning his way to greet him with bright smile drawn to in return. His own name fell from her maw in return, beckoning lengthy legs forward. Maws brushed as always upon greeting, familiarizing himself with her scent once again even if they had been apart for hardly any time. Cera was overjoyed to have a friend, especially one who not only enjoyed his adventures but could keep up with them. Cera knew he was much too energetic at times. 

In fact he had not taken much time to view the meadow since Birdsong's influence. Admitting that yes it was extremely beautiful. Buttercups and various small flowers of alternating colors. Trees pushing forth curled buds of green, desperate to awaken and live after such a harsh time under the rule of frost. "Yeah..." whispering it awesomely as he gazed about. Mind couldn't conjure words to describe it in its youth, after all the colt was still going through the grueling task of learning speech through Midas. Six months of life, almost four spent in solitude, we're hard to make up. The first months were most impressionable. 

Nudge of shoulder brought attention back to cheery words and crown bobbed in excited agreement. Had Mystique seen the places he had? Had she seen places he had not? The lining of the meadow would be far enough today. Spring would bring them the presents of new places to explore, with it's muddy lower levels and the better view clear of the all encompassing white. Turning little face to her with a smile. "Let's go!" Using whitened wing to trail along her side and urge her forward, face glowing both figuratively and literally under golden ring of faded glittering light. Prancing forward with a flourish, head raised high to view the world he so wished to discover. Turning and moving sideways in a diagonal direction to keep orbs on her. "There's a lake where the rivers meet?" He hadn't been there yet of course. Offering up the suggestion of a destination to her. 

Escaping the borders of the Throat had been a part of Cera's daily routine since he'd first been taken in by Midas. He simply didn't have anything to keep him there long. With no friends his age, and Lynx being the only other friend he had in the Throat, his hyperactivity had driven him to explore. Only ever returning to greet Midas home and spend time with him. He had only ever been late once- when he'd met Wanyecha. And swore never to do it again. Worrying Midas was a terrible thing to do. Not only that but it had been more than strange, not being beneath their tree to welcome him home. Now, though, a companion that fit his every way was standing beside him. Perhaps he would be occupied more with her presence. 

It truly was extraordinary to see how quickly spring seized the land. The flowers bloomed almost instantly once the sun came out. Eagerly escaping the clutch of Frostfall. Drawn back to Mystique as his forelock was tugged playfully. Squealing playfully and tugging on her mane in return. Smile only brightening when she eagerly agreed to his suggestion. Cera knew how to swim but liked frolicking knee deep more than anything. The water was going to be still a little cold but the youth didn't think of that. 

Mystique waited for him to lead her and he angled north, leading them forward at an ambling trot. Long legs propelled him above her, but not enough to make him feel awkward or gigantic. Giggling as she admitted to enjoying getting out of the Throat. "Yup! I go out a lot, I can show you around!" He loved his desert homeland, but his natural curiosity and endless energy was hard to contain. There was always some new place to explore after all. 

Though Kri had said to always travel in pairs or groups, and Midas had enforced it with a simple look, Cera couldn't help it. And anyways they were technically following the rules. Cera was oblivious to the horrors outside of his beautiful home, and he didn't pay much thought to the dangerous souls who could wish him harm simply for being feathered, Throat oriented, Midas' son, a child...anything could set off the monsters. What monsters though? Cera had never met someone mean, so what would he know?

White wing brushed over Mystique's side as he ambled a little closer to her to nudge her ear playfully with his muzzle. The struggling grass brushed his ankles as he led her towards the conjunction of the rivers. Humming happily, faded gold mist of a halo shimmering faintly in his emerald irises. 

[[No problem dear!]]

Bell like laughter swam around his ears, turning them towards the cream colored princess at his side. Hairs were pulled between the both of them, laughter painting the air around them as they frolicked and teased each other. Grass parted before them as their legs angled towards the lake, and Cera relished the feeling of the blades sweeping up his pillars. Such an amazing, yet welcome change. Excited whinny of words makes him smile, only amping up the adrenaline and happiness that comes with their age. Cera knows these lands well, perhaps too well. The wild lands are not a wonderful place to be, but he has yet to learn that. Safety of the herd is what kept their innocence in once piece, and the patron gods of the herds protected the entirety with the cooperation of the Leaders. Leaving it perhaps wasn't the best idea, but the need to get out and stretch his legs- and wings- was enough to make Cera abandon the borders with Mystique.

His wing touched her side, caramel on frost. She jumped as if surprised but relaxed when she noticed it was him. Bumping against him in retaliation. Laughing and pulling gently on her forelock in return, the never ending game of bumping and pulling continuing as they walked and pranced along. Shimmering of sunlight on water appeared through the trees and Cera nudged Mystique, eyes flashing with playful mischief. "Race ya!" Not giving her a chance to reply as he bolted towards the lake. Wings pulled in so that they wouldn't act like a parachute and slow him down. That and the trees were a bit narrow around the lake. As he made it to the sand he curled his forelegs and pushed off, wings snapping open and catching the slight wind as he went barreling into the water with a huge splash. Laughing as he pushed himself towards the shallow end, waiting until his hooves touched sand and peering up at Mystique. Wet and dripping everywhere but joy shining out of his boyish face as he grinned at her.

It seemed that two lonely souls had come together in a friendship that Cera suspected would stand strong throughout their lives. Hoping so, at least. Cera simply had so much love to offer, and he ended up constantly showering people with it. Mystique returned it wholeheartedly, and the colt valued her love and friendship. Such simple pleasures, frolicking around in uncharted territory, but every moment was cherished and held tightly in his memories. This day was already worming its way into the little space Mystique had taken up.

And yes, Cera knew that in a full race Mystique would beat him by a mile. He may be impossibly tall because of his legs and have quite a longer stride, but he couldn't achieve the levels of speed she could. Her method of fleeing was over land, when his species had always dictated that flight was the best way to escape an enemy. So as they both raced for the water the cherub wasn't surprised to discover that she was gaining on him rather quickly. Even so, his hooves hit the sand first and his wings had given him a bit of an advantage in that last leap. It was like an aerial cannonball. He was in deep, far past where he could reach, but once he'd felt the sand beneath his hooves as he swam towards the shallow end Mystique was already careening his way. Seeing already what she would have to do he shrank down, wings held in tight as she forced herself up and over him. Bobbing down into the water before splashing up in a bout of laughter that he soon joined.

Playfully he swept one wing through the water, sending it towards Mystique to splash her with the frigid liquid. Laughing and struggling a little through the mud and silt at the bottom of the lake as he surged up back onto the sand. Cera was soaked but didn't mind in the least, shaking himself like a huge dog and fluffing out his wings the best he could to try and dry out the individual feathers. Grassy irises turning to Mystique, sparkling playfully.