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He trekked upwards into the Grotto, his pace a quick one as his feet swept aside ground foliage and his tail laid loose around his ankles. He shifted into the heart, deep into the Grotto where he paused. He closed his eyes and let go a held breath, hoping he might feel something. There was nothing. There was no warmth, no cold, it was just.. night air around him.

One eye opened, then the other. Well? Aquila tilted his muzzle upwards towards an opening in the vines. Moonlight washed down along the plants, painting their green facade a dark near black shade. It stuck across his face, illuminating his silver eyes and dulling the bronze colors in his mane. You- you- His voice turned accusatory, his eyes narrowed and he even bore his fangs a little at... nothing overhead. -you brought all these lions here... for this? Maua you are sick. He chastised the creator, scolded like they were nothing more than a child who needed to be taught better. He was disappointed, he was angry. And no more clear as to the why than a year ago. He'd met some of these lions, he loved some of them and saw the suffering they'd come from. But now... now Maua's land was no different. And to obey them, to not feed the cycle must he really roll over and show his belly? Let it happen? That was what they shouted, what they accused and begged for. That the peaceful must always oppose violence....

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What had started as just interest for the waterfall has turned into finding what seemed like a hidden room behind the cascading waters. He stepped inside cautiously, lacking any grace in his heavy movement. Droplets of sparkling water from the rushing waterfall beside him fell and evaporated once they touched his peach fur and crimson mane, bringing a nice sense of coolness across his whole body. What his dull eyes saw next was mesmerizing and unlike anything, he has seen so far. Not even the vast view of the tall peaks could compare to the cozy cavern, pools scattered across it as vines hung from the ceiling and entrances like chandeliers. There, in the middle, stood an unfamiliar man that spoke loudly at somebody. Bhaskar stood silently, his dull grey eyes searching the open space for the stranger's acquaintance, but found only the echo of the lion's voice answering back. There was no sense to be found in his words, either, and Bhaskar found himself completely lost. He decided to chime in and make his presence known so as to not aggravate the odd man. "Is this your home?" His voice prevailed over the booming of the waterfall, enhanced by the echo.

@Aquila

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Over the tumbling sounds of water Aquila did not hear an answer back from Maua, but nor did he hear the approach of the rubied man. It wasn't until his voice powered over the waterfall that Aquila seemed to notice. His head shifted downwards quickly, vision falling over the source of the sound and immediately began to wonder if this was a creature of danger or just one curious what in the world Aquila was doing. The lion he found there didn't seem to be moving to attack or posturing towards him after all. It was just a question. And one that should be easy. Hadn't he just told Aurum that any of Maua's creation was their home? He exhaled as he turned his silver eyes away from his company. His bronze chest curled in, the muscles shifting while breath left his lung- he muscles hung off his frame. It's the home of a god. And a very frustrating one at that.... He tilted his head upwards for one last narrowed look into the sky and then he lifted his head, turned to look at @Bhaskar.

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The tan-furred lion sighed almost as if in exhaustion, making Bhaskar wonder what kind of problems the stranger was having. The home of a... god? From afar, the man did seem quite older than the soon-to-be two-year-old, but when Bhas approached him, the stark difference in their age was much more evident. The colossal yearling halted a few meters away from the male, his head lifting so he could take a better look at the walls, the ceiling, and the wavy vines. Finally, he snapped his eyes back at his companion. "What is a god?" He asked sharply, completely unknowing of the definition of such word as god. Although already very large in size and perhaps daunting in appearance, Bhaskar was very young and his experiences were very limited. Religion was never something he has heard of, nor the concept of worship.

@Aquila

What is a god? He'd met a number of lions here with gods of their own, ideas of lore and mythology brought with them from their homes. @Bhaskar was the first to ask what. And it suddenly became a very hard question, it left Aquila silent for a moment while he furrowed his face in thought. A god is... He was not qualified to answer this. It felt blasphemous while his own doubts in Maua swam so close to the surface. ... It's more than we are. It's an authority. Maua was a creator but he'd learned of other god like creatures that were not and filled other roles, summarizing them so broadly was hard and felt as if he was taking a hatchet to split a thread in two.

The answer didn't come readily and it appeared to throw the man into deeper contemplation than Bhas expected. More than us. Authority. Bhas looked up at the vines, reclining back on his hind legs, before looking again at the lion. "Authority... like parents? Like Kings and Queens?" There was obvious distaste for the concept plastered across the younger lion's face. While he knew some lions enjoyed the company of their parents and of their leading figures, Bhas would never fully understand that joy. He has never experienced true familial love or righteous leadership. Where he grew up, familial ties didn't mean anything whatsoever. What mattered was power. If they were higher than you in the hierarchy, then you must answer to their authority and obey their orders. Bhas felt the hairs on his back stand on edge. The stone walls of this God's home were beginning to come down on him, threatening to crush him.

@Aquila

Kind of. Maua was very much like a parental figure that Aquila expected. They were kind, they took care of those in need. The allusion worked for his god but in his recent learnings knew it wouldn't be true of all. Some were more, as he also suggested, monarchs over something or souls. The god who lives here is like a parent to many, although not by blood. They help when we're hurting He bit his tongue, at least Maua was supposed to do that... and they try to teach us. Aquila tried to listen, tried to learn, and felt twenty steps behind where he'd started. I was seeing if they were listening today. Feeling need to explain his quasi-shouting to the air before.

Authority... that helps those in need? More and more questions sprouted in his mind, planted by his own confusion and wish to further understand this God thing. Why would they do that? If they have authority, why would they help you? Bhaskar knew what real authority meant. There was not even a drop of kindness there, only a straightforward structure that commanded respect. The yearling found it difficult to imagine anyone using their authority in a different way than that. And why would they let anyone trespass their home? Where are they? The gruff lion looked around as if half-expecting to find any sign of a lion. His nose caught no sign of another feline's scent, only the musky one of the man in front of him. Listening? They.. they can hear you everywhere? His eyes widened in mild shock, but the ominous expression remained plastered over his face as per usual. If that was true, then this God must be worse than any other authority figure Bhas has seen.

@Aquila

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Um.. well... Did he have an answer for why? Besides that Maua could and wanted to? @Bhaskar's confusion was almost mirrored on Aquila's own features as he tried to fathom an answer. All he could up with was to shrug his shoulders. They made the land and were lonely, so they bring lions to fill their creation. They see hurt, they see suffering, and try to help. Aquila stepped a little inwards closer to Bhaskar, making a light 'shh' sound as he did as the yearling began to glance around, began to wonder if someone else was here. Like I said, they're more than we are. They can do a great many things we can't. They might be listening right now but... I doubt it. He laughed dejectedly, glanced upwards and then sighed heavily. I'm Aquila Valour by the way, and I promise Maua, the god, isn't going to hurt you.

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Aquila's response was empty, Bhaskar's expression reflecting into the older man. For a second, he seemed unsure how to answer, but then explained that everyone here... was brought by this God, and they want to him everybody who is hurting. Well.. that only posed further questions in the young, impressionable mind. Does that mean that this God brought me here, too? No matter what Aquila said in response, the fiery-maned yearling was certain that nobody had such power over his decision. He was certain that he made the choice to come here on his own. He would never allow anyone to prod into his mind and his thoughts.

The stranger beckoned him to hush and Bhaskar did so, surprised that they really might be listening. ... But I doubt it. It was so uncertain, so... confusing. He wanted to learn more, simply because he didn't like not being aware of such a grand threat that this God could pose to him and to everybody he held dear. Aquila Valour. The God won't hurt you. Ah.. Bhaskar. He answered in a dejected voice, glancing away at the open space around them, not quite believing Aquila's words. "Maua.. they have a name, like us." That only further felinized the strange being that they call God. But if it was more than them, why would it stoop so low as to have a name? To have a place where they live? "Have you seen them? This Maua?" His eyes searched for Aquila's as if he can detect if the man was truthful or not in his response.


@Aquila