The serval rolls his eyes at the first young dame and her brother, dismissing her with a flick of his tail in an arrogant, leisurely manner. "Fine, go bond elsewhere little children," he mumbles, already turning his gaze away from them towards Zyanya. He grins at her, a phantom menace of smoke and turmoil. "Do you not believe the gods capable? Are you doubting their power? Or merely excusing why you hand pick only a few to be saved?" He had no real objection to her desires, but it was not his job to impose or reveal his morality. It was his job to make them think for once before encountering the Gods. The poor immortal fellows dealt with enough requests that were not thought out, and had to send the creatures on a quest to try and get them to think or adapt. The serval was accomplishing that beforehand on their behalf. Even if he took his own mischievous pleasure out of it.

But even if the twins bore him he cannot simply ignore them when they've so far done his bidding. "I'm not here to judge your question, it's my job to show you how vain and narrow most of your requests are," he stated simply. "Power? Is that all you desire? And those who also have power gifted by the gods? If they dole it out, you are still no better than the others. You would not be powerful at all in comparison." A skeletal grin complete with feline fangs is mockingly cast down at the power hungry babe. His sister is awarded an eye-roll. "Like I said to the other milk-drinker, you can learn of them without wasting their time. Do you have anything else you'd seek?" A bored drawl, hating to waste more time encouraging them rather than them taking the questions into their own hands.

Raeden is spared a glance and a contemplative grin. "But is their suffering not also a pain upon their parents? They are a symbol of the lustful desires and irrationality of mortals, are they not? So they must still hold a purpose." He turns to Eldala who speaks with respect, though the serval is not one most would call 'sir' considering his trickster, infuriating nature.

"Given the chance to speak with an immortal, omniscient god, you would ask only of a single mortal soul? You would not think to ask something more profound? Why is that?" And to Laume, he scoffs at her initial statement. "It is not their job to entertain and cater to you, child. If you seek knowledge, do so yourself." But he paid fair attention to the rest of her - now more respectfully spoken - explanation. "What an interesting, rare perspective. And if they do not want to speak of their day? What would you do then, child? Apologize for calling them down?" It was spoken with genuine curiosity, and a wave of refreshing warmth slipped over the filly as if rewarding her for her curbed tongue and better-worded explanation. It would make her feel energetic and at peace. He was not entirely cruel after all, just a firm-handed teacher.

Unfortunately only one fellow is truly affected by the serval's coarse nature, and he splutters indignantly through his half-shouted response. But the serval is unbothered, appearing onto the branch nearest Tilney with a grinning, excited smile. Ah yes, finally someone who reacted so explosively! "Are you so sure of that? Is there a God of Death? A God of Miscarriage? A God of Forest Fires?" He rolled into the air, floating above the branch and viewing Tilney upside down. "Ah, you're right, there isn't! Yet you place the blame of the natural order upon them simply because they are Gods, yes? How childish. 'The ocean took my ball away, it must be the Earth God's fault!'" But the feline cackled as he tried to valiantly threaten the serval. "Are you accusing me of being evil? How quaint. By your morality perhaps I am. How dare I try and educate the lowly mortals of this land?" Simpering, mocking voice croons.

But he cannot be partial just yet, and flicks his ghostly eyes to the next. "Honesty has nothing to do with how a person chooses to speak. Honesty can be shrouded by diction. I can tactfully say that you are an uneducated babe and I find your statements to be endearingly childish, or I can say that you are a stupid little girl who has no idea of what she speaks. Yet I am honest in both cases am I not?" A flick of his tail and a grin and he goes floating before her face, whisps of smoke tickling at her nose as he rolls seamlessly in the air before her. "And if lying puts someone's life in danger? If a mare flees a violent mate pregnant, and he hunts her down and asks why she flees, she must be honest and say that she did not want him to kill her foal. She is not capable of lying, and so dooms the child to death. Is this suitable for you?" An offhanded comment as she likely would try to reason her way around it regardless.

Volterra, like Laume, corrects himself beautifully and is awarded the same refreshing current of magic. "You are aware of your own mortal greed, how odd," he purred as he floated away from Erthe to the giant. "And now? In this very moment? If you had nothing to wish for, if your life was momentarily complete...what then?"

A gleaming grin is sent towards Albrecht. "Are courage and stupidity not synonymous? Can one truly make a change with tempered words and curt remarks?"

He regards them all as he transports himself back to the tree, tail curling wispily around his paws. Musing over the selection.

"I am only here to guide. But I do have my preferences." With a glint of his eye and a flick of his ears, two glowing white lilies appear in the manes of Volterra and Tilney. They will not wilt or wither, and their glow would remain until they were used. "Go. Seek your answers. Present these flowers at the shrines and you will have your chat." To all the others he waves one paw elegantly and they all feel refreshed, as Laume and Volterra had experienced.

"If you have any further questions of me, any rebuttals, speak them now."

- - -

Congratulations to Volterra and Tilney! They have been awarded a glowing white lily that they may place at the shrines in the Vein of the Gods to be awarded a god chat.

All other participants feel refreshed, healed, and energetic!

The serval will remain for one more round of discussion if your character would like to answer his questions.

Original List and Randomized List