Was he guided here too? Aquila shrugged and had just as little of a direct answer for the young male. But he spoke with at least more certainty this time. It's not impossible you have. You know better than I if you're in need of help, of safety and a home, the sort of lion they love. And Aquila wasn't going to press @Bhaskar to say more on that or defend himself either way. Some lions have heard Maua guiding them here. Some lions who are here haven't. He couldn't explain why some heard Maua and others just seemed to arrive. Even some who didn't really need the space, need to use the resources. They just saw ample stuff here and came to take some of it. I don't think it matters how you got here, it's what you do here that matters. Now more than ever.

Aquila nodded a little more firmly again in greeting as Bhaskar gave up his own name and then continued to ask of Maua. I have. Maua was as warm as they were uncomfortable, every bit as confusing to see as you might imagine. Some days I wish I hadn't. Bless the ease with which confessing to a stranger came. Especially one as seemingly interested, but cautious about Maua as Bhaskar was. It's hard to know the thing that is enabling all of this... this change in my world is real. That they're not doing anything to stop what I see. To stop the hurt and doubt and pain.

The subtle shrug in response to Bhaskar's question made his uncertainty and disbelief trickle even deeper in the crevices of his young mind. Among all this he was certain of one thing: he came here along with the gang on their own, led by only their own decisions. A slight rise of his brow signified his dismay when he imagined the voice of this Maua ring in his head. "They hear it?" All this information was leading the conversation down an even freakier path. It felt like maggots were beginning to crawl under his peach fur, a bizarre hand reaching inside his mind to violate the darkest corners of his mind. It reached for his fears, for what he held dear, and for the most embarrassing secrets without anything that can stop it.

It's what you do here matters. Dull grey eyes looked down at his paws, still in contemplation of all the previously shared information that continued to overfill his mind and threaten to spill out of the edges. The notion of seeing this... thing, this Maua, was odd. "I thought.. you can't really see it? Is it hard to the touch like us? Does it have.. shape, like us?" @Aquila's disappointment in this Maua seemed to grow greater with each passing minute. "You don't seem happy with this Maua." Bhas noted, disregarding that his words might offend.

Yes. He didn't know just how strange the sensations were that @Bhaskar was experiencing in light of what Aquila was sharing. He'd himself grown up with this all being fairly normal, an expected part of life. And even if it was strange, sometimes confusing, it was never uncomfortable. Like a voice, a calling. Siren's song, a strangely apt description now that the world they were being led too might be harmful. Nothing of what it should be or promised... Did Maua even call lions here anymore? Was this just random?

Most of the time you won't see them. Some go their entire life without seeing them. But Maua has a shape like us yes. Their touch is... it feels different. Not like a pressure if I were to touch you but the warmth is there. He mused, trying to recollect his brief encounter. The challenge Maua had laid out for him... wondered if he'd made them proud or disappointed. Maua has been doing some confusing things lately... it's been hard to reconcile their plan. Weight their wants, their mission, potentially against his own safety and security and that of his own family.

The positive yes just made his anxiety spiral out of control. Bhaskar managed to tame it by using his hatred and silent rebellion for any type of authority. A voice. A calling. He clenched his jaw unnoticeably, staring off into the distance. Not if I had a say in it. The thought of the voice protruding in his mind was one thing, but imagining any of his friends being led by that strange being and having their minds brainwashed was a whole different deal. It sparked rage within his heart.

@Aquila's description of Maua helped the colossal lion build the vision of them in his mind. "Warmth.. not pressure. You can't, for example, wound them?" Hypothetically, of course. Just hypothetically. He won't pretend he wasn't looking for an answer to the question if you can defend yourself physically against that being, but Bhas wasn't going to ask directly either. He preferred to keep his schemes tucked deep into his mind. "You think this Maua has a plan?" He prodded further, his eyes locking in on Aquila's grey counterparts.

Wound Maua? A more fit and confident Aquila might have been angered by the idea but while surrounded with a shroud of doubt he regarded the idea as more of a curiosity than anything. Could Maua be wounded? I've never heard of them being able to be wounded. Tired out yes but not harmed. For a brief second Aquila's gaze flickered with scrutiny at the strange question, as if trying to parse together what thoughts were going on behind @Bhaskar's eyes but found himself unable to gather anything but his own thoughts.

His family had always spoken as if Maua had a plan, had something they must abide to and guide into the world. But he'd questioned that idea before, albeit briefly before his upbringing brought him back around to where he was comfortable. If they don't... well then this last year, all the changes and strife, has been for nothing. It's a painful thought. He appreciated the questions though, and something akin to admiration and thanks seemed to settle over his face. A peace he hadn't come into this Grotto with found him. For better or worse.

There was disappointment washing over his mind when @Aquila mentions that the "God" cannot be physically harmed. That must mean they have no.. physical form, right? His heart began beating faster, racing at the notion of a creature that was so powerful that one couldn't quite fight it. At least not physically. But perhaps there would be another way to defend himself against Maua. He was interested to learn more and the gold man that stood before him could appease his curiosity. The sneaking suspicion in his companion's gaze was left unnoticed by the yearling. He wasn't very good at reading faces.

There was an evident sadness in the older man's words, even if they made little sense to the newcomer. "Change is never meaningless." It wasn't always good, he knew, but you could always find the good side to any bad situation. "If nothing goes by Maua's plan, who's to say that's a bad thing?" Did anyone ever question if Maua acted in their best interest? "I'll get back now. Thank you for answering my questions, I appreciate it." He said monotonously, before getting up but then turning around to peek back at Aquila. "I hope we can meet again." Nodding curtly, Bhas moved slowly towards the exit.

exit

Depending on what Maua's plan was @Bhaskar's point could be true. It was the Achilles's Heel of belief, the assumption your deities's plans were in your favor all the time. That sentiment hit harder than Bhaskar could know, Aquila merely clenched his jaw a little and then nodded agreement. Change was constant, never without meaning. It only stood to be decided how that change would impact any one soul or group. And how they'd react from there. Until next time Bhaskar. Was Aquila anymore at peace than when he'd come here looking for some answers? Not really. He took a little while longer there in Maua's groove, looking upwards with only his own thoughts for company. It was quiet there once his company left... it felt, for once, empty.

/exit