Mentor Dione

𝓓𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒆
𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒔𝒉, 𝑰 𝒔𝒂𝒘 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒕
Dione is the eldest daughter of the bard Celerity, but the two couldn't be less alike in character. Dione is regal and reserved, and probably the most responsible lioness in her family. She's surprisingly close with her aunt, Vanity, and the two often swap flowers and salves for their fur. As a result, the scent of herbs wafts from her pelt. Together with Nephele and Ginkgo, she runs training classes in the Colosseum.

Every night when the moon is full, she travels to the far edge of the territory and stares into the trees. She never openly speaks of it, but lions whisper that she's waiting for Pirra, her adventurous sister, to return from her travels. Sometimes, on cold nights, Ryuu joins her. They sit in silent companionship, staring into the plains, waiting.

𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆, 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆,
𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍-𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒔 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒆.
For a while, it seemed like Dione was perpetually swathed in melancholy. Then something incredible happened. During one of her nightly vigils, a khakhi-coloured lion with shrikes dancing about his flanks appeared on the edge of the territory, carrying a cub.

"Are you Celerity?" he asked, his eyes bright with caution.

Dione frowned. "No. I'm her daughter, Dione. Who are you, and how do you know my mother?"

He introduced himself as Coda Boy, the king of a distant pride. He explained that a traveller had passed through his kingdom recently - a charming young lioness named Pirra. "This is her daughter," he said, nudging the cub with one paw. "Her name is Cinnabon. Pirra left her in my care after she was weaned. Unfortunately, my pride has fallen into hard times, and we no longer have the resources to care for her. Pirra told me, if anything happened, to go to the Acropolis and find her mother, Celerity."

Dione's eyes lit up. She immediately offered to take the cub home. Coda Boy thanked her for her kindness and left.

Cinnabon turned out to be an absolute blessing in Dione's life. She felt like she finally had a part of her sister back. She watched over the little cub in the Sanctuary, and when she grew old enough, she trained her to be a huntress.

𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒔
𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰'𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒈𝒐.
𝑭𝒍𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒆𝒙𝒕:
Dione was sulking after being lectured by their mother for wandering outside of the den. Grandpaw Achaeus sits down with the cub and shares a few battle stories of his time as king. Dione seems to be in a better mood after he finishes.
Having been picked on all day by their siblings, Dione has had enough. Preparing to pounce on a particularly bratty cub, Grandpaw Achaeus swoops in just in time. He scolds Dione for not showing forgiveness towards siblings.
You say hello to Dione, but then suddenly they pounce on your face. Ooof!
You move towards Dione to greet her affectionately, but she head-butted you in greeting too hard. Ouch, that smarts a bit.