Fotoulo

Story: Fotoulo was a rare breed, and greatly astounded the lionesses in the pride when he walked onto the pride's boarders. There, far in the distance, was a small obsidian colored cub with something white and ghostly looking in his mouth. Together, Queen Artic and King Cyi approached the young cub carefully, for he seemed to be in great distress. When they got to him, they found out that the ghostly white 'thing' in his mouth was a young, weak looking albino cub who cried constantly on the jouney. It's a miracle they weren't both hunted and eaten.

After much persuasion and kitten licks on Artic's behalf, King Cyi eventualy gave in with a sigh, and allowed the little black cub, who was unnamed at the time, to join the Sundown pridelands. He was given the name 'Fotoulo', a name meaning 'the enlightened one', and named the smaller cub, who turned out to be Fotoulo's little sister, 'Photine', meaning 'brilliant light'. As broodmother, Adhara watched over them, in happiness and in vain, because she knew Photine wouldn't make it through the rest of the cold season. Something strange seemed to be eating at the little white cub on the inside, making her sicker and weaker each day, refusing to eat, drink or play. Adhara knew her little light died, one night, when she found her in a dark corner of the main cave with Fotoulo standing beside her, a shocked and horrified expression on his face while tears ran down his cheeks. Adhara quickly ran up to him, trying to pull the traumatized cub away from the sight of his dead little sister. Unfortunatley, he had already seen too much.

Fotoulo blankly stared into the ground, unresponsive. No matter what Adhara tried, he wouldn't move out of his catatonic state. Suddenly, she remembered the ornate scarf she kept on her side of the cave. A gift from King Cyi, and a piece of man's civilization. She grabbed the piece of black and gold cloth, and with all the finesse she could muster, she tied the scarf over Fotoulo's eyes, blocking his line of sight. As she did, she told Fotoulo what happens when a cub dies far too early, like his sister.

"Worry not, young one. Your sister was blessed enough by the gods to have found a warm, and safe place to be rested.
Her soul will be taken upwards, to a place higher than any creature has seen in their lifetime. There, the kings of the past will greet her, and she will watch over you from the heavens..."

Ahdara finally secured the final knot of the scarf, and the black tails hung elegantly over Fotoulo's shoulders. She smiled fondly down at him, and hugged him with her paw. "It'll all be alright, Fotoulo. It'll be alright.."

At her words, Fotoulo was finally awoken from his trance. With the scarf still tied over his eyes, he cried, nuzzling closer to her for warmth. They stayed there until morning, when Fotoulo fell asleep. When he awoke, his sisters body had already been taken to the river, to be sent down stream on a boat of leaves and flowers. He stared off into the distance. He was still wearing his blindfold. He never took it off.

[Adolescent]- As Fotoulo aged, so did his wisdom and knowledge about the world. Although a fairly strong young lion, he wasn't interested in sparring with the others, and declined any invites to go practice hunting with the other lionesses. Instead, he spent his time studying the world. He watched, behind his blindfold, the scarce highland plants grow through the year round snow. He always wondered how they pushed through the harsh climate winds this high up in the mountains. He'd wander away from the infinite hallows, and ask the other animals about life and the struggles of the world. Obviously, this puzzled many a creature. He was at least given a few hesitant answers.

He disappeared for the longest time when he met a group of Carcals out in the middle of a wooded area. Though smaller than him and much weaker, the carcals didn't seem too disturbed by the lion. Instead, the cats seemed intrigued. After some questioning, and a display of peace on Fotoulo's part, the leader of the carcals, Melania, bestowed answers to all of Fotoulo's burning questions. She seemed entertained by the seemingly blind lion's curiosity. Over time, they created a mentor-pupil relationship that would last for a very long time. Fotoulo, happy with his answers, headed home.

King Cyi waited for him. By the time the adolescent returned, King Cyi had quite alot to say about it. He forbade him from ever venturing so far away from the pridelands, and reprimanded him with a few well aimed swipes. Neri, a young female lioness who had been smitten with him since cubhood, followed the angered Fotoulo back to his place in the Infinite Hallows. She was about to approach him, but stopped in her tracks when she saw that Deo was talking with him. She hid behind an icy stalagmite and listened in on their conversation.

"Are you really just going to let him trample over you like this? Huh?" A heated Deo asked, pacing angrily in front of Fotoulo.

"...I'm not letting him trample me, brother," Fotoulo sighed. "..It's just--"

"No, and it's NOT just that. Do you even care, Foto? Do you even realize that our future as males is as good as shit here?"

Another sigh. "Yes, I am aware that our future isn't quite as fair as the others, but as a submissive--,"

"Submissive! That's what they're calling us now. What are we, bitches in heat? We're males, Foto, but guess what? We'll never be able to mate with any female. Never. That lioness, Neri that you like so much? Never gonna get it bro. And it's all because of that tyrannts stupid power fetish that he's oh so hooked on like a damn--"

"Brother!" Fotoulo roared, displeased and uncomfortable with Deo foulmouthing the king. He stood and began to walk towards the cave exit, finding solitude to be a mistake. Neri gasped as her cover was about to be blown. "This is the way things are. This is the pattern of life, and by all things these mountains believe in, we must carry it out. 'Rhea', as it's called. It is our duty, do you understand me brother? We musn't oppose the divine orders of--,"

"Wait a minute.." Deo stopped in front of him. "Rhea. Where exactly did you learn that word? Or from whom?"

Fotoulo gasped out a breath of cold air, realizing his fatal mistake. Deo was no fool, despite his angered personality. He should have known better.

"No one. No one at all. Now, if you'll excuse me.." Foto tried to walk around his older brother, only for the male to step further into his path. Foto stopped, and shivered unsteadily as a cold breeze entered the cave. The frost winds of guilt. Deo smirked at him, anger dissipating and replacing with intrigue. The blue lion circled him, chuckling as though Fotoulo's sudden display of emotion was like a cub learning to pounce for the first time. Hilarious.

"Soo, someone's got a heavy secret on their paws, huh?" Deo chidded. "Must have taken a dangerous detour on your little exploration out in no-mans-land."

"Brot.. Deo. You know how much trouble this can get me into. I beg of you, realize the consequences before you.."

He was interrupted when Deo sniffed him, startling the dark lion. Even behind the mask, Fotoulo still looked horrified. Had he washed off the scent well enough. Deo was very capable when it came to tracking scents, and if he managed to figure it out..

"Carcal. You've been hanging out with cats?" Deo chuckled again, a more genuine laugh. Fotoulo snarled, backing away from Deo.

"There, now you know. Now, will you please leave me in peace?" Fotoulo finally made his way around the snickering lion. Until,

"Okay. Then I hope you know, Carcal-Lion allegiance is forbidden, ruled by King Cyi, apparently." Fotoulo froze at the mouth of the cave. His ears pinned to his forehead, as he slowly turned around to face Deo once again.

"..What?"

"Yeah, heared about it from the Queen. You know, my mother? She's really big on keeping the law in order around here. I heard she wouldn't even mind exiling a cool, intelligent SUBMISSIVE lion like you, if the divine order is broken. You see, carcals follow a.. different spiritual system. They don't believe in the kings of the past, which is in direct opposition to our natural culture. Associating with those little fleabags, means directly opposing the divine order. That's more than enough for say.. exile through execution." Deo explained, stretching nonchalantly over to the stalagmite Neri hid behind. She crouched in on herself, as much as possible, to avoid the lion spotting her as he raked his frrosted ice claws down the side of the cave formation. The scratch he left was terrifying and impressive.

"Buut, you don't seem to mind me knowing, and kings above know you won't stop me because I'll break every bone in your body, sooo, I'm just gonna run this information over to the queen. You know, as her bastard prince of a son, am I right?" Deo began to strut out of the cave. Fotoulo was now the one to jump in front of him, his jaw turned in a horrified expression.

"No! Please, have mercy Deo! What.." Fotoulo shook his head, exasperated. "What do you need from me? Anything. I'll.. I'll do anything, I can't risk exile before the great hunger.. Neri.. she'll need me. The rest of the pride will need me."

"Anything? Ha, brother I'd watch your words before you speak them. Otherwise I might've ordered you to help me murder the king."

"Murder the king!? Are you mad--?" Fotoulo jerked backwards in surprise.

"Haha, no, not the king. Me and Callista have come up with another plan. We need you in for it to work. A simple task, and I pwomise we'll keep you out of hwarms way." Deo fakely pouted, bursting into laughter when Fotoulo snarled at his impression of Queen Artic when she had found Foto and his little sister.

Deo pushed against Foto's side, not giving the male time to retaliate before urging him deeper into the cave. Their plans would have to be discussed deeper in the hallows. Neri, shocked into stillness with this new information, knocked herself out of her trance. She leaped away from the stalagmite she hid behind, running back towards the Sundown cave. She'd need some time to process this information. She swore she saw Deo turn back to see her before she was truly gone, and she prayed he'd think it was just a shadow.

[To be updated as he ages]