Welcome to Gaia! ::

Apollo raised his head a little, looking in the direction of the young cat he had brought in from the cold, one of the two. They had both been tossed in the snow without anything to keep themselves warm. It had been cold that day, even his thick fur couldn't shed everything. Now here he was in the same place with at least one of the furless kittens he had whisked away from the elements. Sitting up and running a hand along his tail to smooth out the fur that was standing up from the friction between his robes and the fur.

"I am sure we can find you something. This place is warmer the further in you go. I just like it here cause it is quite peaceful." Apollo answered as he stood and walked over to where the young female was bundled up. "I do indeed have a family, at one time. I had a mate and children. Two sons and two daughters. One is around somewhere, I don't know what happened to the others. I am sure they are all well and minding themselves as they were taught.

His mind went back to the days when he was with Venus and his children. Those were good days until they all got separated and he and Luminaria made their way to the shrine. Now he didn't know where the whily kid had gone. Shaking the haze from his mind he looked back to the Sphinx as she asked if she could call him Papa. He didn't mind, not in the least. Having kids did that sort of thing sometimes.

"Call me whatever you like, just don't call me late for supper." Apollo grinned as he petted Sarina's head. "Lets go see if we can't find something to eat then. I'm sure the cooks here can spare a few scraps.

With that said, Apollo returned to where he had been laying to pick up the wrappings that usually covered his eyes and his staff. He wouldn't need to cover his eyes, the sim light didn't bother them so much and it was warm enough. Looking back he waiting for Sarina, trying to think of where they could find something for her to wear, he didn't like the idea that she would catch a chill, even with the brazors burning long and hot.

Apollo stopped and looked down at the Sphinx with wide pale eyes. Where were these questions coming from? Shaking his head, his long hair swishing over his back in its typical long braid. It was true that he had seen his time among the strays, he had lived a long and somewhat happy life. He didn't want to mention the troubles he had been put through to make it this far. The hearts he had broken, mended then broke again. His life was full of ups and downs, more of the downs than ups to this point.

"If there is someone out there for this old cat, maybe. But for the most part I prefer my solitude where I can meditate with the monks and not have to worry about certain things." He answered not wanting to explain everything.

"Most the monks around here eat mostly fish, soy and vegetables. They rarely eat chicken or anything of that means." Apollo said as he started walking again, peeking out around one of the doors that lead away from the room they had been in. "I never had this soft food you speak of. I rarely remember even having a human home aside from this place."

Glancing down the dimly lit hall, Apollo exited the room and stared down the hall. It might have been a little cooler here, but it wasn't so bad. As he went, the smell of cooking food drifted down the hall itself. It was mostly rice, fish and whatever else was on the menu. Keeping his pace slow, Apollo didn't want to have to make Sarina quicken her pace to keep up with him. But the smell of food might just change things.

"The worst that could happen is that they be surprised. Monks rarely hit or kick anything, even in when their tempers flare. Which it not often, they meditate their anger away and think of peace and tranquility." Apollo said as he trotted into the kitchen and over to the monk in charge of cooking.

The large Angora looking up at the Monk who was mixing something in a large bowl, a pot on the fire fed stove bubbled with stew. Apollo reached out and pulled at the monk's robes to get his attention. To the monk, as he looked down, he noticed the large white cat rubbing against his leg.

"Oh-ho my little friend, a little early aren't you?" The monk asked with a chuckle as he bent down to pet the Angora on the head. "come for your supper have you? And here I thought you had monkly manners." Again there was that laugh as he straightened back up.

Apollo, to the human, mewed a laugh of his own before looking back over to where the Sphinx was crouched, fearing that she would be struck. The monk, taking the que, looked over and smiled. Wiping his large hands on the apron around his waist he walked over to where Sarina was.

"I see my friend had brought a friend of his own." The burly monk smiled as he reached to pet the Sphinx. "So this is why you have come early. Your little friend is hungry and from the looks needing something to cover her self. Lets see if we can't find something."

The monk straightened himself up and went back to the table he was working at to dump something into the boiling pot. Then turned and walked over to another part of the kitchen and where another monk was sitting, his hands busy with cloth and thread.

"brother Mark, think you can whip something up for the poor cat over there?" the cook asked as he pointed over his shoulder. Brother Mark nodded as he looked over.


Apollo watched the goings on as he moved back over to where Sarina sat and wrapped his tail around her for a bit of added warmth. He knew no harm would come from this place, it was too peaceful and the monks were good natured. had this been any other place, he might have been more of a skeptic, but living here for the most of his life. Apollo had come to know most the monks at the shrine and none gave him much worry.