Now he's here, with his hooves clacking heavily upon the hardened magma underfoot, there's the small task of deciding which bit of the volcano to steal from. Is it not akin to sacrilege to just snatch a piece of holy volcano? The onyx warlord gazes up at the four shrines, realising that they seem to be nearest to the volcano itself but finding it hard to make the decision to go up there and take a bit. "Hmmm," he finds himself rumbling, arching his tail and shaking his head as he ponders the conundrum that faces him. Going up to the shrines to pilfer a piece of rock from behind them could result in him angering the Gods, and he's not entirely sure that the possibility enhanced magic is worth the risk of a painful smiting.

Above him, a full moon crests in the sky, bathing him in a silvery glow that accentuates every muscle in his body. He certainly has the physical strength to chisel off a chunk of volcano for his quest, but it's another question entirely whether he's willing to risk the ire of the Gods for taking a piece of holy land. Volterra snorts unhappily and stares up at the volcano, his mind a haze of indecision.

The giantess's tail has Volterra's ears pricking forwards, his interest painted openly on his white-marked face. "I didn't know that," he responds, glancing curiously around himself. It's hard to imagine this barren spit of rock ever being lush or green, but he's also aware that Isopia's knowledge of Helovian history far outweighs his own. Her additional remark about the Earth God slaps him like a fist across the face; of course, he should have known that Father Earth would not set him something impossible, or something that would incite the wrath of the Gods for obtaining. "That's true," he murmurs sheepishly, feeling rather foolish for ever having doubted his patron deity. Volterra fears very, very few things in this world, but the ire of his favourite God is certainly one of them. Not just because the Earth God could undoubtedly crush him into oblivion with one careless flick of a hoof, but also because he idolises the giant tribrid so much that it would cause him immeasurable pain to disappoint him.

"Will you accompany me to the shrines? The volcano seems more....present up there." He begins to move, casting his massive head around to see whether the mare is following. "How are you, kis hollo? Motherhood suits you." And it does, which is a surprise given the giantess's somewhat frosty exterior. It could be Volterra seeing what he wants to see, but he thinks he's never seen anything more perfect than Isopia tending to their foals.

She quickly moves to cover the comment, and whilst the Indomitable is still suspicious about what she'd truly meant, he allows the smooth segue of the conversation. It also gives him an opportunity to mention something that has been playing on his mind since the twins' birth, when the Mountain spoke of her mother. "You mentioned your mother at the birth. You never really speak about her....what was she like?" He hopes he is not being too bold in his questioning, but he is truly interested in the maternal side of the giant mare's heritage. After all, Kahlua's blood now runs through the veins of his children, so he's bound to be curious about what she was like. He doesn't even know what species she was!

Her next words incite a deep, booming laugh. Normally the beast would recoil at such an insult or, indeed, quickly move to disprove it with force, but this time he knows the truth in the giantess's voice. All the same, he gives an exaggerated flinch and looks as mock-offended as he possibly can. "Ah, but in their rugged good looks and charm, they will take after me," he rumbles, tones jovial and eyes twinkling.

He's absentmindedly walking as he speaks, ascending the narrow path towards the shrines where he intends to take his prize of volcanic rock. As ever when he's with Isopia, though, other things are pushed out of his mind - he finds himself only able to focus on her, in all her glory.