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Kusitawi was heavily pregnant when her selectively bred pride was attacked by a neighbouring pride. They had long been in conflict with the pride, but relations had soured rapidly in the leadup to the unexpected assault.
Being a small pride, their defences were easily overrun. Their King lay dead within minutes of the alarm having been sounded. Luckily, Kusitawi had been nesting in a secluded part of their territory, waiting for her cub to be born.
Her mate had squeezed into the small cave, eyes wild with panic, despite the intense relief that was clear on his face. He carried a tiny newborn cub in his mouth, barely a few days old, but clearly one of their own.
He dragged Kusitawi to her paws and rushed her to the nearest border, explaining what was going on. He urged her to take the now surely orphaned cub, to run, not to look back, not to stop. And then, with a nuzzle, she looked into the finality in his eyes and knew what would happen.
So Kusitawi turned away, and began to run. Her exile carried her deep into the darkness of night, all the while tears streaming, and she didn't stop until she felt the first pangs of labour. In a small hollow, beneath a log that had fallen and wedged between two rocks, she gave birth to a single, perfect daughter. She named her 'Ua', meaning many things; 'flower' for the beautiful markings true to her heritage, 'bloom' for her perfection would surely grow even further as she became a lioness in her own right, and 'kill', for even as Kusitawi's feelings mellowed as she nursed the two cubs, the agonising roars of her pridemembers as they were ripped apart by the enemy still echoed in her head. Kusitawi swore revenge.
For weeks after, Kusitawi survived by chasing scavengers from dead animals she came across, or hunting younger prey that couldn't escape her claws. Life was difficult, but they got by, and the two cubs were growing rapidly.
Kusitawi was tiring of living day by day, though. She longed for the security of a pride, and terribly missed her mate and home. She also wished that her adopted daughter, and her OWN daughter, should not have to live such a life. Soon she came to a land that belonged to the noble King Achilia. She waited at the border for his patrolling males and when one arrived, she begged for an audience with the King.
The speckled, pale brown male led her, and her two daughters to the den, and she proceeded to beg him for sanctuary, if not for herself, then for her daughters. She told him all that had happened to them, that she had been travelling for over a year just hoping to survive, and she offered her services as a huntress, to provide cubs, anything and everything he wanted from her, that she was able to give, she would.
Achilia was almost amused, but the gravity of her situation kept him serious. He told her simply that anyone who brought kindness and generosity in their hearts would always be welcome in his lands, and that Kusitawi and her kin could stay as long as they needed, and leave whenever they wished.
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Several weeks after her arrival in Achilia's lands, Kusitawa approached him to ask permission to seek a mate beyone their borders. The King was mildly amused by her request, and informed her she needn't ask permission for such a thing. Provided she notify him, she could come and go as she pleased.
So Kusitawi set out for a medium-sized Kingdom not far North-East of theirs. Their King was cold, harsh and loveless - just the kind of lion she needed. She wanted cubs again, and it pained her to think of being with another male after her mate's death, but there was no alternative. She couldn't bear the thought of falling for another male...no, this dark King was the perfect one for her.
She had heard that many of his lionesses were nursing young cubs, or pregnant. That was good for her - at the cusp of the dry season, hunting was becoming increasingly difficult, and for nursing or pregnant lionesses, it was especially dangerous. It made her plan for impressing him easy, and it also showed he had no issue with propagating himself among the ladies.
It had been many months since Kusitawi had hunted big game - especially on her own. But nothing was going to come between her and what she wanted. She tracked a wildebeest herd to just outside the border of the King's territory and brought down a fairly young female.
And then she proceeded to drag her kill to the scented border, sit beside it, and roar until someone came to see what all the fuss was about.
Soon enough, none other than the King himself came to investigate. He appeared on the rise of a nearby foothill, shaking his great mane and growling in warning.
Kusitawi immediately rolled in submission, waiting for him to approach for a closer inspection.
With a deep, raspy voice, he introduced himself as Karunda, King of the Northern Mountain Pride, and commanded her to rise and state her business in his lands.
She bowed low and presented him with the wildebeest, a gift.
The King frowned at her and curled a lip, flicking his tail as she continued. She explained who she was, where she was from, and asked that should he choose to sire her cubs, she would provide him with three days of fresh kills, from outside his lands if he so desired.
He contemplated her offer, before adding that any cubs he should father would have no claim to his Kingdom, and that should she request, he would grant her safe passage into his lands to give birth.
It seemed this cold King was not so heartless after all.
Kusitawi thanked him, bowing her head humbly.
That evening, she met him at a specified destination a small ways within his territory. He wasn't neutral - it wasn't as though what they planned was a chore for him. But he wasn't warm and welcoming either.
Afterwards, Kusitawi felt a small pang of regret, but quashed it instantly. She sat in the sun for a few minutes and groomed herself until Karunda approached her.
He seemed to grumble a little, then informed her that she needn't stay and hunt for three days; her initial gift was satisfactory.
Kusitawi nodded silently, then turned to look at him.
He certainly was quite handsome. Harsh, jagged, and probably a total ass...but he wasn't an ugly brute like some of the lions she'd seen in the past.
Tentatively, she leaned over and licked him a little, pausing to assess his reaction. When he didn't object, she continued for a minute or so, then leaned back again, and fixed her gaze on the distant glow where the sun had not long set.
A single tear rolled down her cheek and she lashed her tail at its presence, then looked back at him. She thanked him sincerely for what she referred to as 'the gift of treasured life', and wished his rule to be fruitful and long, then turned to leave.
Kusitawi was in tears by the time she reached the border. She felt dreadful; as though she had betrayed her mate, despite her plan for a meaningless conception. She was so overwhelmed she didn't know the Queen was so close until it was too late.
They rolled in the dry grass, slashing and snarling. Kusitawi roared with pain when her attacker bit down on her left ear, punching a hole clean through. She kicked desperately, and struggled away, but before she could escape, the weight of the other lioness dissappeared.
With an enraged roar, the dark King smashed into his Queen, literally tossing her aside like a rag. He slapped her down, compressing on her windpipe until she stopped struggling and twisted to reveal her belly. He snapped his jaws shut within millimetres from her face and bellowed at her that Kusitawi bore his cubs and was not to be harmed ever again.
With that, he commanded her to return to the den and await him. His tone was absolutely murderous. Then he lifted his heavy paw, relinquishing her. She was gone in seconds.
Karunda turned to her and huffed with irritation, then jerked his head towards the border.
Kusitawi leaned in for a tiny nuzzle as she slinked past, wincing slightly at the pain in her ear.
They say King Karunda has no heart. That may be so, but it doesn't make him a lion without honour.
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Kusitawi's birth was arduous and long, and tragically, fruitless. She gave birth to two female cubs, both tiny and stilborn.
She didn't return to the den for three days, preferring to mourn alone.
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At the age of ten years, Kusitawi became the first of the pride's Elders. She had survived longer than any other pride member, including the former King Achilia, and it was for these reasons that here wisdom was now officially revered by the pride.
Kusitawi means 'flower' and 'thrive' in Swahili.
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