[Contest] Love on the Sand - A Firekin Contest

[Motoujamii Lands]

Welcome to a pride-run RP contest! Despite allowing new rogues in, there's still a bit of a bottleneck happening because biggest families of the pride's old blood are just that prevalent.

This is us attempting to mitigate it.

Each of the lions below have a little bit of information about them(A couple will have OOC notations that have no impact on IC lives) - The vast majority are unrelated, with two noted exceptions, but all make up 6 mated pairs for 5 new bloodlines.

Yes, mated pairs. These are not casual flings, these are lions in committed and loving relationships. Will they expand their relationships to add others? That's up to you, somewhere down the road.

So, we're going to establish some ground rules!

1. They may not leave the Motoujamii - They were made exclusively for the Motoujamii. Their children, however, may leave if they want to(If they're not Huria - Huria will have to leave)
2. They don't have to have pride-fitting names! These are joined rogues, so they're not expected to give up the names their parents gave them. Their cubs are subject to pridal rules, though!
3. They don't need to be posted to join or do a duel to get in! They're assumed to already be members - You only need to complete an RP with an existing member of the pride!
4. You may enter for ANY combination you wish! But you will only win with one.
5. Yes, you may later see about customing family members for these lions!
6. Do not discourage other people from entering!
7. If there's any leftover lions, we'll think of something, don't worry!
8. And finally, have fun!

More might be added as necessity dictates! All lions were colored by Ecavi!

This will run from now until TBD!  

[Motoujamii Lands]

The lions

The Golden Luchador

The twin sister of the Red Luchador, she is also the older of the two sisters. Their parents considered her the more reliable sister.

OOC: She and her sister are based loosely on concepts for two sisters of Bodaway. They are not related to him, though!

The Red Luchador

Twin sister of the Golden Luchador, she is the younger of the two sisters. She is easily distracted.

Stripes

Her favorite thing to do is stargaze

OOC: She is based, in coloration, on some rogue-born lions with blood ties to the pride. She is not actually related to them, though. There's also no bonuses for guessing the family, sorry!

Scales

She might have been a secret Nergui spy, but love got in the way of that. Or IS she a spy? Who or what did she fall in love with...?

OOC: She's our joint favorite, and is based on an unrelated custom concept of Andranis'!

Dots

She claims to have blood ties to the pride - Is she really related? Who knows! She HAS had a mate before, though!

OOC: She IS based upon some of the original lions given out for the pride back when the shop start! But she is not actually blood related, she only claims it!

Arrow

She's one of MANY siblings - How many? Who knows! But her parents didn't really notice her leave to find a new home.

OOC: Subconsciously she wound up based on a rogue family. Whoops! She's of no relation to them, though, as the appearance of relation was unintentional.

Shoulder Eye

He came from a distant land and is no stranger to the shifting dunes of the desert! Or is it beach sand he knows? Hm..

Deep Red

He's a very strong lion, large in stature. He also claims he's related to some old blood of the pride.

OOC: Another intentionally picked to resemble old-blood lions! But that's about it, he's of no relation. Unless you actually find somebody from the family and they agree to it, of course.

Blossom

He comes from a land down under, can't you hear can't you hear the thunder a place THRIVING with flowers! He may not be as gentle as he seems, though..

Socks

He's not had a mate before, but he DID have a fling! Or more? He's got kids out there somewhere in the Roguelands! He's also met a god!

Vitiligo

As his name suggests, he has vitiligo! He inherited it from ONE of his parents, it's just a question of which one. He got his fabulously curly hair from the other parent.

OOC: This is his non-vitiligo'd image - Where he has yellow streaks in his hair is where there's a patch of white!

Bumblebutt

He's very quick and agile, and his favorite meat is hare meat!

 

[Motoujamii Lands]

The form

[b]Which male:[/b] (Put his codename here)
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Meaning:[/b]
[b]Who's playing him:[/b]
[b]Desired rank:[/b] (From Tier 6 only - So Soldier, Guard, Warden, Hunter, Water Seeker, or Medic)
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Little bit of history:[/b]

[b]Which female:[/b] Same deal
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Meaning:[/b]
[b]Who's playing her:[/b]
[b]Desired Rank:[/b] (See above)
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Little bit of history:[/b]

[b]How did they meet?:[/b]

 

[mouselet]

Which male: Blossom
Name: Zehir
Meaning: Poison
Who's playing him: mouselet
Desired rank: Water Seeker

Personality: Zehir's a friendly lion who often seems to shrug off problems with a grin and a pithy comment about flowers. He loves those pretty things, but is just as prone to pointing out their less-than-healthy properties. Poisonous plants are his preference, of course, but lethality is not always important. He's devoted to his mate, though he rarely mentions it outside of flower metaphors. If anyone hurt her, Zehir would happily shove poisonous plants into their bodies through orifices that didn't originally exist, and smile as he worked.

Little bit of history: As a cub, he was taught what plants to avoid because they were Bad For Him, but that didn't deter him one bit! Instead, he investigated said plants and made a study of their properties. Flowers became his preference because they were so very lovely...and some of those were the deadliest of all. In Zehir's speech, being compared to nightshade is the highest compliment he can offer, for what is more lovely than that which can easily kill you?

He ended up joining the Firekin because, while the pride doesn't dwell in an especially plant-friendly environment, he himself wanted to emulate nightshade and needed a place to prove himself, and to learn more. He might not have stayed, but he met this lioness...

Which female: Arrow
Name: Yaa
Meaning: Born on a Thursday
Who's playing her: Puhterodactyl
Desired Rank: Cub Sitter* (or Teacher)
In the long list of ranks, Cub Sitter is shown as open, but is not displayed on the chart anywhere? If not permitted, Teacher is fine.

Personality: Kind, but fierce when called upon to be. She chose a rank dealing with cubs to ensure no one would lack a loving upbringing the way that she did. She has some anxiety issues and self-esteem problems concerning interpersonal relationships, but she never doubts herself in a fight. If she was weak, she would have never left her family. She’s far more resilient than she gives herself credit for.

Little bit of history: Yaa got her name because when her mother was asked if she’d named the cub already, she said “Yeah,” so the father assumed “Yaa” (born on a Thursday) was the girl’s name and it just stuck. Her mom didn’t care enough to correct him. Yaa, to whom they had told the story while laughing about it- as though it was a good joke, felt the name was always a reminder of how unspectacular her parents viewed her birth. Her eldest siblings had names of power and beauty, fame, intelligence, and so on. Those closer to her in age had similarly lackluster titles. When she left her family, she didn’t really think it would be for good. Surely they would notice she was gone and miss her. They would realize how foolish they had been to neglect her. They’d come looking for her.

They didn’t.

So she kept going until she joined the Motoujamii.

When Zehir pursued her, it was electric to finally feel wanted. She would do anything to keep his attention. And from their mutual obsession, sincere love did grow.

However, she gets anxious when Zehir points out a deadly plant they come across. Is it an attempt at a subtle threat that she needs to do better? She’s scared to ask and too afraid to leave him because her entire upbringing taught her that she’s effectively disposable.

Often, Zehir’s displays of affection are presenting Yaa with a poisonous flower- one he finds that reflects her beauty. Unfortunately, it has the effect of driving her to fearful suspense- did he give her the deadly flowers to communicate that she’s made him mad? A warning or a threat? What did I do wrong?!
She’s too afraid to ask what she did to upset Zehir, so she responds by trying to make up for whatever it was by being really nice.
Zehir then thinks her being really nice is out of gratitude for the flower.
(someone get these kids to the Matchmaker or something to sort this out!!)

How did they meet?: Zehir had begun to idolize nightshade for being so beautiful and so very deadly. He knew himself to be a relatively good-looking lion, but he wanted to ensure that he was as deadly as nightshade as well. However, a lion needs to practice what a plant can do naturally. Then, having practiced, the lion needs to prove his skill. All of which led Zehir to a duel on the Motoujamii border.

The lion had focused on his opponent, but only for as long as it took him to notice the lioness standing nearby and all thought of his own improvement fled. She was as beautiful as the most stunning flower, and any lioness of the Firekin was certainly to be just as deadly as any poison. As far as Zehir was concerned, it was love at first sight. No, it was worse. An addiction. As if she was one of those plants which does nothing so long as you keep in contact with it, but as soon as your supply is removed, you die.

He lost that first challenge, being so incredibly distracted. But the male was far more set on joining the Motoujamii after that, and dueled until he was a member and able to court Yaa and ask her to be his mate.  

[Puhterodactyl]

Which male: Shoulder Eye
Name: Suska
Meaning: Dry, Arid (and uninteresting) (Bengali)
Who's playing him: oo DeD
Desired rank: Water Seeker
Personality: At first glance Suska can come off a bit daft. He has a habit of having his words leave his mouth before he's thought them through. To be fair, he has only the best intentions. Suska is quick to become compassionate about those around him. First to volunteer to lend a hand, regardless of the cost, Suska is almost excessively nurturing and trusting. The latter of those traits are certain to get him into a bit of trouble…
Little bit of history: The far-reaching deserts are an inhospitable place, though still not bereft of life. There was something about that sand that was inviting. To Suska's parents, anyway. Perhaps it was nostalgia. Or perhaps they had no other choice. His mother would whisper stories. Under the endless night sky, she would tell him of the land that was once her own. The land beyond the mountains. The land that belonged to her people.

He could never remember exact details of the group. They were from afar, and were attacked. Suska's mother, never really a fighter, was quick to cut and bolt. Knowing that she'd be labeled a coward and a traitor, she never returned home. Instead she made a new family in a group of nomads that moved through the sandy dunes from one squalid oasis to another. It was difficult, but it was a life. She found love. She had a son.

It wasn't any catastrophic event that led to the death of the group. Life in the desert wasn't without risk. Their numbers dwindled, bodies left to be covered by the shifting sands, until it was only Suska and his mother left. Then, he was alone.

Not so daft that he thought he could continue to survive alone in the desert, he made his way from the dunes to where life was more readily found. It wasn't until he heard stories of the Firekin. He heard tales of a refugee group that had moved there, and hopeful that there might be connections to his late mother, he turned tail and went back into the sands to find the land that would become home.

Which female: Scales
Name: Noio’okrae
Meaning: GIANT SPITTING COBRA- scrambled through the site used for the Nergui language
Who's playing her: Puhterodactyl
Desired Rank: Warden (what else would a spy choose??)
Personality: Noio is just trying to be a good little Nergui and strengthen the power of Tra Ord Omak is all. She’s competitive and often jealous, but less cruel and merciless than other Nergui. Her rigorous training as a shuko has made her charming, graceful, and an excellent liar (even if it seems a bit too practiced). And she won’t relent… Until she does.
Little bit of history:
Highly disciplined since being a cub to be a shuko, Noio showed immense potential. Every day was working towards the goal of being an ambassador someday. Her father had been killed in a skirmish with the newly-made-Firekin-Hongshan (an honor to die in battle, he was with Tra Ord Omak now)… Or at least so said her mother.

The skills she gained in training were the same she used to charm and convince the Worrurd and Kaars to deploy her to the pride, her motives a mix of religion and revenge.

Suska became the prime target of her investigation. Prying and inquiring to fill any gaps of knowledge she had about the Firekin, but more specifically, if the Hongshan plotted any retribution for their times as slaves.

Every day Noio asks Suska one less question about the Hongshan… and then one less… and another less…

She knows failure means execution. But would would the purpose of her life be, if not as the shuko getting revenge for her father’s murder? Suska was tolerant of her. Perhaps he suspected something was amiss about her, but he was patient (albeit a bit foolish for doing so, she judged). He once surprised her as she whispered a traditional, guttural war-chant of her home. She didn’t lie, admitting it was a meditative recitation, but all he did was gently chide her, reminding her that such behavior could be mistaken for worshiping Finar-Si, and if found by the wrong lion could spell trouble for Noio.

Is her resolve weakening? Suska asked her to share his den- to be his mate- and she acquiesced. She was now suspecting that Suska was not wholly forthcoming about his past, or perhaps he was better than expected at keeping secrets; either way, Noio couldn’t give up and move on to another target.

But now… If called upon by another Nergui shuko to act, who would she choose?

She told herself the Nergui, of course.

But her heart said otherwise…

How did they meet?:
Suska, for better or worse, was the first lion Noio saw who looked (to her) to be distinctly Hongshan. He himself hadn't even settled into the pride yet; hadn’t even gone to hunt down the refugees that might have known his mother. Having the undivided attention of a fetching female, Suska desired to be everything she wanted him to be. She introduced herself as a Hongshan descendant who had only just managed to find the Firekin and wanted to reconnect with her history. So when she asked him about old ways or sentiments and so on… Well, he had to tell her something. He believed he was answering her questions (however strange and prying they were) to the best of his ability, but perhaps he exaggerated at times.

Her mannerisms and everything about her (as peculiar as it could appear at time) had him fixated and growing increasingly fond of her. Regardless of what she may have thought, Suska never had any suspicions about Noio's past. He was far too thrilled at the prospect of connecting with someone with the same history as his own. His only wish was to impress her, and so he never thought twice about the at times interrogative questions the lioness had. Instead, he fudged some answers here and there in an attempt to impress the lioness with knowledge of the history of a culture… that honestly Suska wasn't even sure was his own. Suska was one giant soft spot and only saw their interactions as that of fate. So what if that fate needed a bit of nudging and detail faking.

They were fated lovers in his mind, regardless of the fabrications he'd told. He'd asked her to be his mate and told himself they'd work out the details of his lies at a later time. But the roles they play for one another are tenuous at best, more lies than anything else. Love has been founded on less, though. Which of the two, truth or fate, carries more weight is something only time can tell.  

[mouselet]

Which male: Deep Red
Name: Atmago
Meaning: Atma=Spirit, Ago=Fire in Nepali
Who's playing him: oo DeD
Desired rank: Warden
Personality: A lion of few words, Atmago tries to do his best in having his demeanour match his stature. He is more inclined to watch than he is to participate in interactions and often communicates in brief statements that he is fully aware come off as a bit rude at times. The gruff personality he presents is only skin deep, as the lion is in reality a sensitive soul with an appreciation for poetic narrative and all the beauty than can be found in the world.
Little bit of history: Raised by parents who believe themselves to be descendants of old blood Firekin, Atmago grew in an environment that praised strength and pride. It was this upbringing that promoted the gruff, almost brutish guise that he often exhibits. Mago grew far from the desert, but was often told tales of the fire-blooded group of large warriors. He questions whether or not he’d fit in with such a group, finding that his true desires and personality don’t quite fit the vision his parents held for him. Still, his toying with the idea of seeking out the Firekin has been a constant.


Which female: Stripes
Name: Umlindi
Meaning: Watcher
Who's playing her: mouselet
Desired Rank: Water Seeker
Personality: A quiet and studious lioness, Umlindi prefers the nighttime so that she can see the stars and observe their wisdom. She isn’t dumb or mute, she just tends to not have much to say, but don’t expect her to become all starry-eyed just because the stars tell her something. There’s a stubborn core to this lioness!
Little bit of history: Umlindi was raised to believe that the night sky held the secrets to the past, present, and future. That, with study and skill, anyone could view the world through that sky, could tell the future, could know the past and present. Umlindi’s inclined to take what she sees with a grain of salt, but most of the time the sky tells her the truth in a way just vague enough to work. Hmm, maybe the sky’s been taking lessons from those would-be fortune tellers?


How did they meet?: He’d always been a romantic. He’d never spoken of it with others, but he would hear tales of star-crossed lovers and secretly fantasize. It wasn’t difficult for him, then, to put himself in a position where such a tale might apply to him. For a long while Atmago had been catching a scent that wasn’t his own, and wasn’t of anyone he had seen during the day. A scent here, the remnants of a kill there. It was only bits and pieces at first, but after a while the signs of the lioness seemed to be all around him, but he could never find the source. He imagined what this lioness might be like, and soon found himself fancying the story that he was telling himself. Not being one to linger at night, Atmago never had the chance to cross paths with the stargazing lioness.


She really couldn’t have cared less if there was another lion, a strictly diurnal one, who happened to live in the same area as she. Nor did Umlindi have any idea how strongly that lion sought her. What she did know was that the stars urged her to stay up late, into full daylight. Well, the stars were seldom wrong, so she took the advice. That was how she met Atmago.


He was...nice enough, she supposed. Really, Umlindi was surprised that there could be anyone around who spoke less than she! But since he wasn’t utterly repulsive, she didn’t see the harm in continuing to spend time with him. Then, one night, the stars spoke of a journey in their future. Together. Naturally, she couldn’t think of any place the two of them might go. So she asked Atmago what he thought the stars meant.


The idea of a journey was a strange thought. He’d never thought himself as one for adventure, but the thought of a chance to get to know the real lioness, not the one of his imagination, was too hard to pass up. There was only one such journey he could think of, though. The journey into the desert and to the Firekin.  

[Epine de Rose]

Which male: Vitiligo
Name: Sdar’shan (aka Shan)
Meaning: From ‘Sudarshan’ Hindi name meaning "seeing one's self correctly; right vision." In mythology, this is part of the name of a sharp-edged, spinning disc-like weapon--Sudarshan Chakra--belonging to Vishnu who used it to decapitate various wicked personalities.
Who's playing him: Tanakako
Desired rank: Warden
Personality: Astute and deeply grave, he takes his responsibilities and duties seriously. He is a warden in the pride and is thoroughly dedicated to his job. He is somewhat reclusive, in that he doesn’t often mingle with the pride in large gatherings but prefers to speak to a single lion at a time. He has few friends but those he has are very dear to him and are more like family than anything else. He speaks little, takes life far too seriously and perceives personal failure as the worst slight. He holds himself to such a high standard that he spends all his time either on the job or training on the sparring sands.
Unfortunately his appearance doesn’t entirely match his personality as he has the most fabulous hair. The thick, luxurious curls attract many a lioness and he has something of a fan club. While he dislikes the female attention immensely he is more embarrassed by his untameable curls than almost anything else.
Little bit of history: Ever since he was a cub his mane, then a curly tuft, has been the bane of his existence. Teased as a youngster for his cute, angelic look, Sdar’shan retaliated by being overtly masculine. He fought with everyone and everything he could, he trained constantly and became a deeply serious young adol. Anything that was considered frivolous only served to annoy him and push him into a more and more austere, reserved attitude. He arrived on the firekin’s border after hearing about their legendary prowess as warriors. Hoping to finally settle in a land where his fabulous hair wouldn’t be seen as more important that his fighting ability, he decided to join. Sdar’shan was recruited as a Warden after he had proven himself in the army as a soldier. While his fighting skills were as good as any firekin he possessed a far more subtle and solitary mindset than many. With no family to divide his loyalties he was chosen as an ideal candidate for the role. He accepted and has been performing his duties ever since. His naturally reserved attitude and temperament makes him perfectly suited for the job.


Which female: The Red Luchador
Name: Tamira
Meaning: It's the name of a Spice!
Who's playing her: Epine de Rose
Desired Rank: Waterseeker
Personality:
Tamira is a bit of a ditz, and seemingly devoid of all higher thought. Or at least that's how most will perceive her when they encounter her given her apparent inclination to remain oblivious to everything. Truthfully, she isn't stupid, but she certainly lacks a considerable amount of awareness to the hazards in her surroundings. She's well known for being extremely lucky, gods know that's the only way she hasn't died from an accident and she's managed to walk away unscathed from so many near misses!

She's an optimistic sort, rarely looks on the darker side of life, and shes got quite a bit of gumption. Her intentions are good, even if she doesn't always seem to achieve what she sets out to.

Nevertheless, underneath the ditz is a rather empathetic creature who tries to do the best she can at her job. She certainly hasn't failed at finding resources, though she may not be the 'best of the best'.

Little bit of history:
To this day, no one is entirely certain as to how Tamira managed to join the Firekin. There is a considerable amount of agreement among those who know her that she won her duel through luck, rather than physical prowess. That wasn't to say that she was weak, but her ability in combat was rather lacking in the face of her other skills and yet she had somehow knocked out her opponent. Perhaps this was why she was regarded with suspicion from the day she joined, rather than the fact that she seemed to attract accidents anywhere and everywhere...

Nevertheless, when the lioness had joined she had done so with proper intentions... She had come from lands of a similar climate and knew nothing else, more importantly she had always liked it; however as time had went on she had recognised that in such barren lands resources were incredibly important. Despite outwards appearances and behaviour she had never been an idiot and she had conceded that in order to ensure her own safety and survival, it was more advantageous to be part of a larger force than just one being.

It had been luck (as always, in this lioness's case), that had permitted her to stumble upon the Firekin and it had been an even greater blessing that had allowed her to realise they lived in the very climate she was so accustomed to. Striving to secure her own safety, she had tried her paw at joining their ranks and in recognition for her natural ability to find resources, rather than her military prowess, she had quickly been placed within the ranks of Waterseeker so that she might continue to secure much needed supplies.


How did they meet?:
Tamira's apparent super power for attracting accidents gave rise to suspicion within the pride. Assuming she was a spy sent to sabotage their resources, the pride had her watched by one of their wardens.

Falling rocks? Puttered away just in time.
Angry wild life? For reasons unknown, found herself diverted.

...And how had she not even heard the loud 'bangs' as any rocks, trees, or otherwise, just happened to fall behind her?

There were many mysteries in life, and these were perhaps some of them.

As time moved on and the warden continued to observe her in her daily duties, he came to the conclusion that there was no way anyone so utterly ridiculous could possibly be capable of harm. This was further supported when she did eventually hurt herself (ever so slightly), and he realised that she absolutely, positively, hadn't the slightest clue what he was referring to when he remarked on the many times she should have died.

It was during this time that the pair were finally introduced; as he offered to tend to her sprain she was finally made aware of the fact the ever present lion existed. At first, it was a consequence of his fantastic mane, but as he seemed to take it upon himself to check up on the death-defying lioness, she began to appreciate that there was more to him than just tufts of hair. In fact, she became acutely aware that it was a source of considerable embarrassment to the poor male who seemed to have a long and insufferable relationship with his rather distinct mane.

In return, it wasn't just she who developed a greater awareness of her 'companion', rather than merely adopting a protective stance towards the otherwise ridiculous lioness, Sdar'shan soon came to develop an appreciation and fondness for her. One might say there were benefits to looking beyond appearances and even outward clumsiness to see what more important qualities lay beneath.  

[samus x]

Which male: Vitiligo
Name: Moto Maua
Meaning: Fire Flower
Who's playing him: Samus x
Desired rank: Guard
Personality: overly vain to the point one might say he would give the god of vanity a run for his money. other than his vanity he is also overly cocky and smug, so he tends to not have very many friends that can put up with him.
Little bit of history: as a cub his vitiligo caused him to get picked on a lot. when he was younger he hated his father for it as he inherited from him. so once he was old enough he left his parents and come to the firekin to start a new lift in a pride that was all about strength and power. when not being a complete overly vain punk, he actually can be a rather nice and takes pride in his job as a guard.

Which female: Scales
Name: Mkali Nyoka
Meaning: blazing snake
Who's playing her: I Lady Kiya I
Desired Rank: WaterSeeker
Personality: Mysterious and job oriented. She is normally focused on a job that she is given, and keeps to herself most of the time. She can be a bit cocky and thinks that no one can figure her out. She also likes to tease others, and keeps them double guessing. She loves her job as a spy, but also loves her secondary job as a waterseaker. She is a bit of a work-a-holic. She can be compassionate, but comes off cold when first getting to know her. She is a shell and tends to hide her true self, which makes her best for the job she has been given.
Little bit of history: Mkali'nyoka has always been one to seek trouble, always one for a little adventure and danger, became no surprise becoming a spy for those who know that she is one. Very few know, and she'll take that to her grave. She is an only child, and hasn't much to lose so choosing this line of field made sense to her. She is a snake in a bird's nest. A little adventure was what she longed for.

How did they meet?: While Mkali'nyoka was out "Waterseeking", she stumbled upon Moto Maua. While she thought she wasn't being suspicious, she kept eying the male in a manor she thought she was being sneaky. However, he did in fact, notice her actions. He confronted her and being as coy as she was got out of a tricky situation. Unfortunately, she gained a secret admirer.

Soon she found herself always in his presence wondering how exactly she had managed to get is attention so easily. Cocky as he was, vain even, he decided that she was going to be his muse. Something about her was different than the other females, and he had decided she was who he was going to pester. He always found reasons to visit her on his patrols, even escorted her on her job from time to time.

This made spy work quite hard, she had gathered. In the end, the more time they spent together, the more she forgot about her job. Not that she could do much of it anyways. He was a pest, a persistent jerk, but the days he had not been around where the days she wished he'd show up. It ended up making her angry, yet she smiled every time Moto Maua was there. Curse him. Curse him and his strange ways!  

[In Good Faith]

VOID. :HEART:  

[mouselet]

Which male: Deep Red
Name: Kayan Iyali
Meaning: Heirloom
Who's playing him: mouselet
Desired rank: Guard
Personality: Kayan Iyali is a "gentle giant". He's always been bigger and stronger than everyone else around him, so he tries not to touch them very much in case he accidentally hurts them. He's not a pacifist, he's just trying to not be a bully.
Little bit of history: Kayan's grandfather always steadfastly maintained that they were descended from the infamous Firekin pride. How that lineage works has never been explained to his satisfaction, but Kayan was willing to accept it to get his grandfather to just shut up. In fact, due to his size and strength, Kayan's grandfather has insisted it is his duty to go and join the Firekin. Upon that relative's death, he decided he might as well do as he was told.

Which female: Arrow
Name: Udda
Meaning: Odd
Who's playing her: nessiaing
Desired Rank: Medic
Personality: Udda lacks self confidence and is a little broken on the inside. She wants nothing more than to be loved. While she is kind and caring she does have a fighters edge to her and will fight for what she wants for.
Little bit of history: Udda never felt right within her family. While some feel nothing but love when surrounded by large families, Udda felt left out. Not only did she have more siblings than her parents would ever have been able to handle, but she also looked nothing like any of the family, or at least like none of the family she knew. She suffered a great deal as a cub and adolescent; she was never mistreated outright but no one in the family tried to make her feel better either.

It was shortly after she reached full adolescence that Udda decided she couldn't take it anymore. She wasn't sure how she was going to survive on her own but she also knew she wouldn't survive if she stayed with her family any longer. She snuck away in the dead of night, though if truth be known she could have waltzed out in the broad daylight and no one would have stopped her or even noticed she was leaving.

She did okay for a few days on her own but it didn't take long before the young adult realized she had little idea of how to truly take care of herself and be a solo rogue lion. This is how she ended up sick, dirty and living beneath a tree in some shrubs. She had all but given up on life, happy if for no other reason that she was away from her family.

How did they meet?: On his way to the Firekin, Kayan Iyali happened across the young Udda. Concerned because of her obvious and deep unhappiness, he paused in his journey in order to try and stir her out of her depression. As part of his cajoling, Kayan told her about the pride he was heading towards, and how her pelt, like his own, was sure to be acceptable and welcomed. Really, he kept talking, just trying to say anything that would make her stop crying, even offering to let her accompany him to the pride!

Udda had not originally expressed interest in Kayan Iyali or his plan to find the Firekin. However as the male stood by here she found her feelings growing for him. Originally she was just hanging out with Kayan Iyali because it was easier to live, she obviously wasn't ready to live all on her own. Things changed though before they ever made it to the pride. Udda had fallen in love with Kayan Iyali though her feelings weren't necessarily returned. She followed him all the way to the pride hoping that his feeling for her would grow.  

[Epine de Rose]

Which male: Socks
Name: Sandor
Meaning: Hungarian, "Defender of Man"
Who's playing him: Epine de Rose
Desired rank: Soldier
Personality:
Sandor is not one to be mistaken for an individual of conviction, but he isn't a malicious or bad lion at heart. Typically roguish, he has quite the charming disposition and this oten worked to his advantage beyond the borders of the Firekin. Nevertheless, 'age' has mellowed him, and having fallen in to the ranks of the firekin, he has developed a greater appreciation for strength and duty.

While he had no idea that he would be inclined towards such things, a disciplined regime has been complimentary to him, and while he hasn't lost his roguish smirk, he has grown considerably. An individual who was once fairly shallow and vain, he has now become someone who appreciates that there's slightly more to life than a quick fling and a brief stint by an oasis.

Little bit of history:
As a young lion, Sandor was an individual who cringed at the concept of responsibility. Anything that required him to put someone above himself often resulted in a weak excuse and an unexplained disappearance. Unsurprisingly, this left many a lioness without a 'mate' in her most vulnerable moments...fortunately, they were all false alarms (seemingly). This was a behaviour that continued for quite some time, without consequence, until one pride was less than appreciative of spoiling of one of their treasured daughters.

Once again the lion had fled, but this time he had been pursued.

They had been so determined that they had pushed him into the more barren and desolate lands that should have killed any who came from lands more forthcoming with resources. In fact, this really should have been his fate, he really should have fallen to the wayside at this point... But on this occasion it seemed that the gods had other plans and a possibility of redemption.

Through sheer chance he wandered in the correct direction to find his paws upon Firekin land, and while they were a pride who had no tolerance for weakness, they took him in when he demonstrated that despite his apparent cowardice, he could hold his own.

This generosity was something he didn't forget, and while they kick his a** to Timbukutu and back to get him into a much better shape, it transformed him into something much more worthy of notice and respect...


Which female: Dots
Name: Ithemba
Meaning: Hope
Who's playing her: Mouselet
Desired Rank: Soldier
Personality: Ithemba's not a stupid idealistic young cub. She's smart enough to have a good understanding of how people tend to think and operate, and how to use that to her advantage. Yet, for all her apparent cynicism, there are some hopes and dreams that she clings to ferociously and won't let go of.
Little bit of history:
She was an adolescent, he was an adult. He was strong and brave and handsome - everything a lioness could want in a mate. And so nice! He complimented her and courted her, flattering her until she agreed, against her parents' wishes, to be his mate, leaving her home to be with him.

Then he used her and discarded her like so much refuse. He was flirting with another pretty young lioness.

It hurt, to have her secret dreams crushed so hard. All she'd wanted was a perfect mate. And he had seemed like...like a god descended from the Havens. Instead she found that he was just as awful a person as everyone else, and she refused to be played for a fool again.

Ithemba wasn't going to give up her dream, of course. She knew that partnerships like the one her parents had were possible. She simply had to be far more discerning in order to claim one for herself. But...she could never go home, to face her parents with the true magnitude of disaster they had tried so hard to prevent. She'd never again hear her mother tell one of the family legends of how they were descended from the Firekin...

The Firekin. From what she knew of that legendary pride, Ithemba certainly had the coloration to be accepted. Not to mention the old blood. Whether the family tales were true or not didn't matter as long as the pride accepted her. And if she wasn't tough enough now...well...they didn't live anywhere near where she was now. She had time to practice.

And she would. She'd go to the Firekin. She'd find a new mate, a better male. And she wouldn't let this one stray. Ever.

How did they meet?:
Ithemba noticed Sandor first. How could she not? He was handsome, but she was not nearly naive enough to trust that as she once had. He flirted with a number of lionesses, but she hadn't seen any evidence of relationships beyond flirting. The Firekin certainly didn't frown on flings, from what she'd seen, but that was not her dream.

So she attached herself to Sandor one day. When he didn't object to her presence, Ithemba made it clear to him that they were going to be mates. Permanently. No straying, no cheating, no divorce unless if one of them died.

Thankfully, he didn't argue.  

[Tanakako]

Which male: Bumblebutt
Name: Keluwen
Meaning: Hunger
Who's playing him: mouselet
Desired rank: Hunter
Personality: Keluwen is not the brightest star in the sky by any stretch of the imagination. He knows what he's good at though, and that is his speed. He's awfully flattered to be the beloved of an attractive lioness, and is happy to do whatever necessary to keep things that way.
Little bit of history : Hare meat was always Keluwen's favorite as a cub, but when he began learning how to hunt, he was distressed to learn how difficult those preybeasts could be to catch! The lion worked daily to increase his speed until he could eat hare fairly regularly...and impress any lionesses around with that ability. As part of his endeavors to better himself, Keluwen challenged himself by learning to run on sand, a more difficult terrain. At that point he was discovered by a lioness...


Which female: Scales
Name: Vasuki
Meaning: Hindi myth name of a naga (serpent) of Hindu mythology.
Who's playing her: Tanakako
Desired Rank: Warden
Personality: She has developed a dual personality since coming to the Firekin. Back in the nergui her name was Vritra and she was cold, calculating and ambitious. When she infiltrated the firekin she took on a more pleasant, friendly persona called Vasuki in order to gain more intelligence and strengthen her cover. She is a brilliant actress -having always had to control herself in her old pride. She has immersed herself so deeply into the role of Vasuki that her new life has started to feel more natural to her than her old one.
Little bit of history: She took the job of Warden in order to gather critical intellegence on the pride. From her position she hopes to learn of the firekin's weaknesses.
As part of her cover she decided to flirt with a male, as any female would be expected to show some kind of interest in procreation. Having already befriended the hare-loving Keluwen she picks him as her romantic interest. It certainly helps that he isn’t all that smart and doesn’t seem to notice the rare few times when she slips up and reverts to her real self. What she doesn’t notice is that her acting slowly transforms into real emotions.
As her contact with the nergui grows more infrequent she moves closer and closer to becoming the lioness the firekin think she is and less like the nergui she once was.

How did they meet?:
Vasuki: Vritra came across Keluwen while making her way to the firekin. Deciding to test out her cover story prior to meeting the firekin for the first time she introduces herself as Vasuki. Swiftly realising that he too was on his way to the pride she was going to infiltrate she set about befriending him, intending to use him as a kind of buffer between herself and the Motoujamii while she got settled within the pride. The added bonus of having a legitimate ‘friend’ alongside her when she showed up on the boarder would, she hoped, make her seem less suspicious.

For Keluwen, he could not have imagined anything more perfect. He was faster over sand every single day, and then this gorgeous lioness started travelling with him. Then ended up joining this pride she knew of in the desert and now she's his beloved and when will there be cubs again?  

[Andranis]

As this has seen no entries in the past month, this is now closed! I... Meant to close it sooner, but I kept getting distracted when I DID have time 8D;;

As a note! There's a fair number of overlaps, and picking some winners will leave some pairs with only half the owner pair because of the heavy overlap, so please post if you are okay with being entered in a raffle of the remaining lions after winners are announced! Provided, of course, you aren't one of the winners rofl And then any lions left, we'll figure something out ~ heart

(Can we say: Drani overestimated?)

Tanakako

mouselet

Still quoting even with no quotes on

Epine de Rose

nessiaing

samus x

I Lady Kiya I

oo DeD

AstoraFallen

Syrius Lionwing

Puhterodactyl

 

[nessiaing]

I would be happy to be entered into a raffle smile