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Maat, the mother of the savior’s heir, the Crown Prince, as well as the mother of pure evil. A kind, loving and beautiful lioness, favored by the goddess Bast herself. Before the savior came, she was a sort of “crown jewel”, the ruthless tyrants that reigned in the pridelands during her birth lusted for her and had frequently killed anyone who dared near her, including other lionesses. In fact it wasn’t uncommon for them to fight amongst themselves for her, even when she was only a lioness. When she had her first heat it was such an issue that one of the tyrants nearly blinded another before snapping out of his rage. The pride had secretly hoped they’d kill each other, but their rulers while cruel and monstrous, were also smart. They opted to lock her away so that no one could have her, as since they all desired for themselves, none would be content to share her like the rest. They wouldn’t allow one lioness to ruin their alliance. If only one was able to have her, none would. That didn’t mean they left her in peace though. They locked her away in the deepest cave they could find and seal the entrance, intending for her to starve in the darkness.
Fortunately or unfortunately, that didn’t come to be, as one of the lions eventually grew tired of the shared rule as a whole and murdered his brothers, declaring himself the sole emperor. He’d freed her and declared her his empress. Unfortunately for him her heat had passed and she needed to recover to bear his cubs.
By the time she was ready to bear cubs again the savior appeared. Despite their prides Soothslayer demanding he be driven off or they must sacrifice any and all cubs, they welcomed him as he overthrew their tyrant. Naturally he fell in love with Maat as any sane lion would. He wed her immediately and soon she was plump with his cub. But her body had never recovered it’s cruel treatment and they came early. She had four, one girl and three boys, but only one boy had survived. He was a runt and Maat nearly wept at the sight of her beloved cub but she couldn’t help feel an odd sense of fear and dread when he first opened his eyes. She’d never admit that she nearly lost control and killed him in that moment. She couldn’t shake the feeling he should have died but he was perfect to the pride. Everyone was happy. Their prince was intelligent and kind and strong in social skills, even taming the vicious predators who had plagued their lands and had convinced them to be ally’s as an adolescent. It was then that Maat finally shook off the feeling of dread and decided she’d just experienced a higher than average fear of motherhood and that her prince truly was perfect. The moment she did she completely forget she’d ever felt anything other than pride and love. After they’d driven off the soothslayer who tried to sacrifice their cubs secretly, everything was at peace.
But something strange occurred when their prince hit adulthood. Almost every lioness expected an intense heat at the same time, even those still nursing cubs. They all desired the Savior’s cubs, no one else’s. So many lionesses in the pride and all more than happy to throw themselves at him despite his age, marriage and their own mates. It was almost…unnatural how suddenly driven for his cubs the pride became. Equally as unnatural was how eager to breed the savior became. But it didn’t seem to bother Maat at all. The few that questioned the oddly sensual and unfaithful nature the pride had developed quickly dismissed it as the prides admiration for their savior and excitement for their freedom.
How could they have guessed what would happen next? Maat tried to save her son, unaware of his true nature, but in doing so, doomed herself to a fate she might have otherwise been spared from. Her second litter of “cubs” were born, liches and demons, devils spawn. They greedily fed from her, although they were not hungry for her milk. Her lich daughter ensured her soul never went to hell, but it didn’t go to heaven either. It burned within her daughter, becoming nothing more than energy to use like all food does.
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