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Zoeza- Swahili for "to tame"
Born during the era of Mlinzi the Protector, died during the era of Mabaki the Terror.
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As you continue to explore around the Pridetree, you overhear a baritone voice coming from behind a stand of tall grass. You cock your head, puzzled, since you thought you had met all the males of this pride already. You turn the corner and are greeted with the sight of a breathtaking lioness being completely fawned over by a male who you recognize as one of the heirs to a neighboring pride. The young stud, who's practically draped his body over her at this point, whispers something into her ear - something lecherous, judging by his facial expression - drawing a coquettish giggle from the lioness. The beauty turns her head towards the source of the interruption, and her green eyes flash at the sight of you with an expression you've seen before in the eyes of your pride's best huntresses. She stands up abruptly, causing the engrossed male to comically flop forward onto the ground in a cloud if dust. The green-eyed lioness stalks towards you, swishing her hips in what you deem a rather unnecessary manner. "Hello, handsome," she purrs, nuzzling under your chin without preamble. "No doubt you're here to pay me a little visit?"
Quite taken aback by this, you lean away from the young female, but she doesn't seem to pick up on your reluctance. In fact, it only seems to increase her interest, as she starts rubbing the length of her body against you. "So where's a big boy like you come from? The west? The south? Not that it matters, really, I just love making new 'friends'..." She stops suddenly, having circled completely around you, and her expression darkens. "You... haven't brought me anything?"
Hurriedly, you explain to the lioness that you are just passing through. The look on her face changes to one of disinterest, and she leans in close enough to mutter without being overheard, "Well in that case, get lost, will ya? I'm this close to making it big-time with pea-brain over there, and I have it on good account that his father's pride has nearly full control of the Cape buffalo's dry season feeding grounds." You raise your eyes to "pea-brain," who's giving you a rather perturbed look as he dusts himself off. Without even waiting for a response, the lioness saunters away from you, unceremoniously kicking some scattered flowers and shiny beetles that you hadn't noticed before out of her path. The other male bumps heads with her and shoots you a challenging glance over the two-toned lioness's shoulder.
Truth be told, you wouldn't have minded having a "chat" with the lioness, but since you showed up empty-pawed, you doubt that she would have given you the time of day if you'd pressed things further. You decide to beat a hasty retreat before things get ugly. On your way out of the clearing, you pass a scraggly-maned adolescent strutting in the other direction, a bouquet of wildflowers nearly the size of his head clamped in his jaws. You sigh and shake your head, deciding to let the little guy learn his lesson for himself. Some things never change.
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