Today, after your morning high protein snack, you approach the arena's backstage with a sort of confused excitement. Crowds of cheering fans, gathered around a carved cliff wall, are celebrating the latest tournament results and comparing them against their favourite: you. It doesn't seem to matter how many times you've won - you just have that charm, and a unique way of simply being, that makes you stand out in a crowd of anonymity.

You walk through a corridor of lions, being patted, tackled, nuzzled, and greeted in such a condensed manner that you feel light-headed. Loud voices, cheers, and comments turn into a dazzling noise, eventually making you want to get away for a little bit. You climb up on the familiar rock, hopeful to see a friendly face. V'Kai always seems so easy-going and able to control the fans as if they were all his best friends.

You're not disappointed. V'Kai is awaiting you at the top.

"Brrrrooooo," he grows excitedly, tapping his pale paws against the dry ground like an impatient puppy. "These last tournaments were SOOO EPIC! My buddies gave your best move a name - the 'Thrust of Disgust'! HAHA. You know? When you push some dude away with your hind paws, and you make this awesome face like HNGNNRRRRRRBLEH. Bro. You have more fans than ever before! This is like, some, I don't know, 'LWE'! Lion Wrestling Entertainment!" He prances around you, describing other famous lions and how they can't even begin to compare to you.

You turn your head and notice Vashkartzen, sitting a bit further away from his brother, patiently letting the young extrovert express everything boiling inside him. Once a moment of silence appears, he takes a chance to speak.
"Yeah, yeah. This fervor of idolisation serves no purpose."
V'Kai whines and gives him a pointed look, silently calling him a hypocrite. "Then just what are you doing here, exactly?"
"It's important to become better as a warrior and build your character, even if the arena is just a safe excuse for gaining experience." Vash starts patronising him, but under the subtext, you see within this a sort of brotherly teaching moment. "Once another lion invades your territory, you will knock him down in no time after all this playful sparring within the gorge. You should join in, rather than just watch."

"It's no cheap entertainment, though!" V'Kai's rebellious side switches on. "Us weaker lions get to learn and be a part of something with epic proportions. These fighters ARE superstars to me! And, rather than be invaders, my pride will welcome ALL the wrestling buddies I make along the way!"
Vashkartzen gives his brother a baleful stare. They exchange looks, and, with an unsettled score, they turn that look to you.
"What about you, [NAME]? What do you think?"

The show is pretty exciting

Self growth is pretty important

"Of course!!!" V'Kai's face lights up and smooths all over, like gravity stopped pulling his narrowed muscles down. "This IS a show! These games and clashes bond us as a community! This whole thing lets us exchange wisdom and stories, and we get to meet fantastic lions, and make friends for life!!!" The young lion seems very inspired, finally validated by someone that he considers an idol, equal to his brother.
"We get to see dramatic fights, and admire the winners without the fear of losers being wounded for life! How cool is that?!" V'Kai hugs you and pushes you towards the crowd, while Vashkartzen rolls his eyes, accepting that his point of view isn't important enough.

Get pushed out

"All these fights serve a higher purpose than just a cheap show. They let you assess what other threats await you as you grow up. You get to learn what others can do, and what you cannot do. You cannot lead a pride without this knowledge," Vash nods, and you notice V'Kai's face droop down. Maybe it's time his childish views were replaced by a realistic version of the world.
"Brother, it's important to learn from others, even by watching. As the participant, you also get to lose without the fear of dying, which is important - to fight dignified, to lose with humility, and to win with the modest feeling of accomplishment." Vash gets up and nudges you towards the crowds. V'Kai pads along, his forehead wrinkled deep in thought.

Get pushed out

Vash swats at you with his tail, causing you to slow down a bit.
"Either way... it was great to meet you, and we'll be around until the event is over."
The brothers walk in to the crowd, the older one slowly, as if his injures hold him back, while V'Kai is prancing, bumping heads with his friends who recognise him from the crowd. It is indeed hard to believe that they'd invade each other's prides once they grow up. It's more likely they'd form a big alliance, and would be able to take down a winner of a big tournament some day. You consider both sides to have valuable insight on the event.
You watch them leave the gorge, noticing V'Kai trying to nibble his brother's ear.
And then steal his mane feathers.
And then Vash chases him through the valley.