Auryx

2350 Birth Stats

From a proud lineage of strong hunters, including her mother Alinor, many of whom were considered too small and weak before they proved themselves, she is very confident in her strength and existence. Kicked out of her birth pride due to overcrowding, she went off in search of a new home. The first lioness to greet her when she entered Nebulous' territory was Kimber, and she knew she had found her place. Kimber, also one of the smaller kind, had had to prove herself and by this point had become a confident lioness. After hearing how many of Auryx's ancestors had a similar appearance, Kimber explained that in this pride differences were seen as a blessing from the Gods. The pride fully believed the King Nebulous had been blessed with an extended life so that he could lead them in the Gods' path. Nobody alive today had been there to see his choosing, but in all her time in the pride Kimber had seen no signs of aging on the King, and so she too had begun to believe it.

Regardless of the superstitions the pride held about their King and Gods, Auryx felt like she belonged here among the lions who saw differences as strengths. She made a home for herself on Kimber's cliffs, near the river. Despite their age difference they became close friends, and were often seen resting together along the river.

One day Kimber witnessed an oryx fall from the cliff, a mixture of weakness, slippy rocks and poor judgement resulting in her untimely death. A calf, barely more than a few days old, looked out from some rocks and bleated for its mother. The aging lioness was reminded of her younger self, weak and timid, and a moment of pity caused her to take the oryx calf in. Unfortunately Kimber was getting stiff with age and unable to keep up with the energetic youngster, so she asked Auryx to look after it. A star hunter, Auryx didn't want to look after a creature she'd normally kill, but for whatever reason Kimber had saved it, so she did her friend a favour and raised the antelope.

The crocodiles that inhabited the river soon took note of this lioness, a strong hunter and fighter, who didn't kill the weaker creature beside her. They moved their nests to her side of the river, and by the next hatching season she became a common resting post for hatchling crocodiles. She knew if she harmed them their parents would end her, or at least make her home unusable. They knew if a different predator showed up she'd chase it off, protective of the oryx she lived with. A relationship was created, where she was allowed to coexist peacefully with the crocodiles, even to the extent of sleeping in the shallow waters, in exchange for her protection over their young.

One day a vicious brute came and murdered a lot of cubs in The Culling. Kiongozi was part of the force with Nebulous, Muddle, Eskimin, Auryx and Zippora, to take him and some of his pride down. They won but Kiongozi was badly injured and unable to defend the pride anymore. The brute’s pride left behind a cub, Kolivan, and the pride decided after a few days to have Kiongozi train him to eventually fight against his own blood to protect Nebulous’ pride. Auryx didn't mind Kolivan joining the pride so long as he stayed away from her river.

As though in response to her allowance of Kolivan staying in the pride, later she birthed a primal son who went on to become another pride's king.