Queen Nosizwe 269

Alpha female of the Pride of the Sun, the 'mother of the nation', Queen Nosizwe is a powerful individual, in full command of her pride. She is named for her fierce but nurturing ways, which are such that even the older lionesses in the pride see her as a mother-figure of sorts, hence her name. Her background is unknown, beyond that she and King Amadu'o met each other at the Oasis. The Queen does not speak of her past, and the others do not ask; it is irrelevant to now, in her view, and no one dares to pry. All anyone else knows is that the King went to the Oasis a bachelor and returned proudly with a Queen at his side. He has since met and wooed other great lionesses at the Oasis, but Nosizwe remains first among them in rank and in the King's affections. Nosizwe is unfailingly obedient to her King and would not dream of angering or disappointing him - not for fear of his wrath, though that is indeed a legitimate concern given his personality, but because Nosizwe is proud and takes her role as First Wife very seriously. To the rest of the pride, however, she is a mighty authority figure to be obeyed, second only to the King himself. Though not the best huntress in the pride anymore, she still leads her own hunting team and goes out whenever the Chief Huntress's team is out of action - most often due to a pregnant and nesting member.

Despite the savagery of her mate - which she seems to fully accept and has never once criticized in anyone's hearing - Nosizwe herself has an almost beatific aura that draws other species to her side as loyal companions. She has befriended hawks, who bring her mice and other small snacks. The pond beside which she prefers to spend her time has an albino alligator in it, and the two frequently trade gossip. There always seem to be young animals, both lion cubs and other species, around her. The perfume of the Dawn Hibiscus always seems to hang around her. It is this almost mystical feeling as much as anything else that inspires awe and reverence in others. Even the brutal and ruthless King Amadu'o feels soothed and quieted in her presence, finding rare moments of peace in his violent life alone with his first and favorite Queen.