<p>Stone lion cubs are curious, playful, and occasionally accidental mischief makers. Despite their still developing abilities, they eagerly hone their skills with make-believe missions. Many hope that they'll one day become responsible guardians like their parents.</p> <p>Smaller in stature and ferocity, stone lion cubs sometimes try to guard places of smaller importance, often including facsimiles of the same kinds of structures their parents attend. They're less than dependable as guardians, as they have the attention span and rambunctious nature of children. Their parents often need to call them to heel, ordering them to stay at the parent's side as parent and child both stay motionless for the rising day.</p> <hr /> <p>Stone statues of beasts can often be found paired and standing guard to either side of an entryway. While some seem like merely lifeless statues, others are far more than they appear to be. Guardian beasts ward against evil and misfortune. Some of these celestial spirits were assigned this task, while others assumed their roles out of a sense of duty. To allow them to maintain a constant presence in the material world, pious artisans carve stone vessels of the beasts in their likeness; these statues then serve as anchors for the guardian beasts' souls. Should the need arise, guardian beasts can merge with their stony form, becoming a dangerous foe with noble courage, an indomitable will, and few weaknesses.</p> <p>By day, guardian beasts stay in their vessels and pretend to be inanimate. Past nightfall, they might patrol the grounds in their stone form or leave the heavy vessel behind to go where a solid body can't reach. Some take this chance to visit the dreams of individuals they favor and send them messages, notifying them of strange occurrences or warning them of incoming danger. Despite their</p> <p>good intentions, the dream messages from guardian beasts can be obscure, often overshadowed by the spirit's personality or strange assumptions they make due to their nature as resolute guardians.</p> <p>While guardian beasts can work alone, they usually appear in bonded pairs who complement each other in nature. One could be a jokester, the other gloomy; another could be nurturing, the other strict. To make two otherwise identical-looking beasts distinct, sculptors often depict one stone animal with their young. In the case of stone lions, a common type of guardian beasts, this approach means carving stone lion cubs to accompany one of the guardians.</p>
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<p>Smaller in stature and ferocity, stone lion cubs sometimes try to guard places of smaller importance, often including facsimiles of the same kinds of structures their parents attend. They're less than dependable as guardians, as they have the attention span and rambunctious nature of children. Their parents often need to call them to heel, ordering them to stay at the parent's side as parent and child both stay motionless for the rising day.</p>
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<p>Stone statues of beasts can often be found paired and standing guard to either side of an entryway. While some seem like merely lifeless statues, others are far more than they appear to be. Guardian beasts ward against evil and misfortune. Some of these celestial spirits were assigned this task, while others assumed their roles out of a sense of duty. To allow them to maintain a constant presence in the material world, pious artisans carve stone vessels of the beasts in their likeness; these statues then serve as anchors for the guardian beasts' souls. Should the need arise, guardian beasts can merge with their stony form, becoming a dangerous foe with noble courage, an indomitable will, and few weaknesses.</p>
<p>By day, guardian beasts stay in their vessels and pretend to be inanimate. Past nightfall, they might patrol the grounds in their stone form or leave the heavy vessel behind to go where a solid body can't reach. Some take this chance to visit the dreams of individuals they favor and send them messages, notifying them of strange occurrences or warning them of incoming danger. Despite their</p>
<p>good intentions, the dream messages from guardian beasts can be obscure, often overshadowed by the spirit's personality or strange assumptions they make due to their nature as resolute guardians.</p>
<p>While guardian beasts can work alone, they usually appear in bonded pairs who complement each other in nature. One could be a jokester, the other gloomy; another could be nurturing, the other strict. To make two otherwise identical-looking beasts distinct, sculptors often depict one stone animal with their young. In the case of stone lions, a common type of guardian beasts, this approach means carving stone lion cubs to accompany one of the guardians.</p>
<p>石狮幼崽的体格和凶性都更小一些，它们有时会尝试守卫不那么重要的地点，通常包括与它们父母所护卫建筑同一类的复制品。它们作为守卫不太可靠，因为它们有着孩童一样的注意力分散和喧闹天性。它们的父母通常会让它们趴下，命令它们待在父母身旁，以亲子的形态保持不动直到被唤醒的那一刻。</p>
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<p>野兽石像通常成对出现，在门径两侧矗立。虽然有些看上去可能只是毫无生气的雕像，但其它一些则远不可貌相了。护院兽可以抵御邪恶和不幸。这些天界魂灵中的一部分被分配到了此项任务，而其它一些则是储运使命感承担此项职责。为了使它们可以在物质世界持续存在，虔诚的工匠雕刻出了有它们形貌的野兽石质容器；这些雕像充当着护院兽灵魂的锚。当需要现身时，护院兽可以与其石形融合，成为一个高尚无畏，百折不挠，毫无弱点的危险敌人。</p>
<p>白天，护院兽待在它们的容器里，装作无生命。夜幕降临后，它们可能会用石质形态在地面上巡逻，或是脱离沉重的容器前往固体身躯无法企及之处。有些护院兽会抓住机会造访它们喜爱之人的梦中，给它们传递信息，通知它们怪事异闻或是警告它们来临的危险。尽管它们目的良善，但来自护院兽的梦中信息往往模糊不清，被魂魄的个性所掩盖，或是出于它们作为坚定护卫的本性会做出奇怪的假设。</p>
<p>虽然护院兽可以独自工作，但它们总是会成对出现，在本质上彼此互补。一只可能爱开玩笑，另一只则会是阴郁沉闷；一只可能和蔼，另一只就会严厉。为了让两只外貌相同的护院兽有所区别，雕刻师通常会让其中一只石头动物带着自己的孩子。对于一种典型的护院兽，石狮子来说，这意味着会雕刻一只石狮幼崽陪同其中一只护院兽。</p>