{"slug":"","question":"Which Egyptian deity, predating Bastet, was depicted with a cheetah or leopard form and associated with royal protection?","topic":"CULTURAL HISTORY","answer_a":"Sekhmet","answer_b":"Bastet","answer_c":"Mafdet","answer_d":"Tefnut","correct_index":2,"fact":"Mafdet was an early Egyptian feline deity — often depicted as a cheetah or leopard — predating the more famous Bastet. She was associated with protection against snakes and scorpions in the pharaoh's chambers."}