Sou

Cubs: https://www.lioden.com/cubs.php?id=794148301791

First Leopon born in my pride (22/02/2021)! Born male, but has Mottled Rosette and Cosmic Eyes... Pretty Boyyy
Birth stats: 16... Guess you're a runt ^^'
Albino base changed to Ice - HC that his coat got darker as he got bigger (which is literally the opposite of what happens w leopards, but shhh)
26/02/2021: Got impatient and aged up to 1 year 11 months, lmao
12/08/2021: Passed away from old age and promptly resurrected via Canopic Jellyfish - [You place the offering at your pridemember's resting place. It arises again and their decaying body turns into a moving, life-like vessel. How incredible it is to interact with them again!]
17/08/2023: Transferred back from main to side account to free up a frozen slot for Akari (and for Lore Purposes™)

[You were startled at the sight of a feline too small to be a lion stalking around on the outskirts of your pride. You were about to chase off this intruder, then you realized it was just Sou practicing his pouncing.]

[Sou plopped down next to you and began theorising about his great-grandad. Not this discussion again...]

[You rubbed against Sou, ensuring him that it doesn't matter who his ancestors are, that you will appreciate him just the same.]

-Lore-
0 months: Born to Setuna, a 2nd gen Leopon.
The rest of the pride are like "Welp! They sure are unique! Probably gonna get yoinked by hyenas or sth :/" Setuna is determined to protect her first child, especially since he's now the only other Leopon in the pride; but she's privately very concerned.


3 months: From a young age, Sou can tell he's different from the pride's other cubs and tries to avoid them. He prefers to play alone - usually at night, as his pale grey coat blends in better with the moonlit savannah than the sun-drenched yellow grasses.


1 year: Sou has grown to feel most comfortable in his own company. He takes to hanging around on the outskirts of the pride's territory, exploring the surrounding areas. His mother and aunts can tell he's slowly becoming independent, and they teach him to hunt solo. He puts the knowledge to good use, but feels vaguely unhappy - he refuses to admit to being lonely.


1 year, 8 months: While on his wanders, he encounters Arbiter, the heir of a neighbouring pride. Arbiter's confidence and his unabashed compliments of Sou's looks leave the Leopon bewildered and flustered, but he finds himself enjoying the attention. The two meet up regularly, and Sou spends a lot of time near the borders of Arbiter's territory.
1 year, 11 months: During one of their dates, Arbiter mentions an immortal Tigon who lives in his pride. Sou is eager to meet another hybrid, and nervously accompanies Arbiter back to his pride. The lions are all relaxed around him, and the decades-old Natalia is able to share wisdom that helps Sou feel more at ease with himself.
2 years: After some discussion and a goodbye to his family, Sou moves to the newly-kinged Arbiter's pride. The king is something of a heartbreaker and has many mates, but Sou only has eyes for him, and the Leopon holds a special place in Arbiter's heart.
2 years, 2 months: Despite his and Arbiter's efforts, Sou still feels uneasy around groups of lions. His anxiety worsens when he realises he's carrying the King's cubs, and he flees to a secluded area of the territory, where he makes a nest. Arbiter tracks him down, and after reassuring Sou that he can live wherever he's most comfortable, the nest becomes the leopon's permanent home.
10 years: Sou brings his latest litter - consisting of 2 female leopons - to the Den to meet their father. But on the way they are intercepted by an unknown male who seems to know Sou. The male, assuming that the leopon was already aware, claims that he is the territory's new ruler following Arbiter's recent death. In shock, the leopon moves to flee; but some of the pride's lionesses, who are friendly towards Sou, arrive on the scene to reassure him. He is properly introduced to the new King, Begonia Skies, before he and the cubs are escorted back to the Den to stay while they process Arbiter's death.
13 years: Sou's getting old; his mother has recently opted to become immortal - Begonia Skies tells him that can be an option if he wants it, Sou wants to think on it.
14 years: Sou's aunts, Anzu and Shin, pass away from old age. Setuna, Sou's mother, had thought that she was prepared, but when the time actually comes she's heartbroken at the loss of her littermates, as the trio had always been inseparable. Upon seeing her distress, Sou decides that he won't be able to deal with being left behind when his loved ones - barring Setuna and his dear friend Natalia - inevitably pass on. He opts out of immortality, and tells a disappointed Begonia Skies as much.
15 years, 9 months: Sou passes away in his sleep... A few hours later, he wakes up.
He is greeted with an ecstatic Begonia Skies, who tries to convince him that he had simply been resuscitated, but Sou - his eyes now restored to the sharpness of a felid in their prime - spots the canopic jar the king had tried to hide amongst the dry grass. Furious, he lashes out, both physically and verbally. Begonia Skies just takes the beating, and eventually Sou storms away, leaving the distraught lion behind.