Intro
This blind, immortal lioness names every single lion that makes a home here. She has been with every queen/king of this land, and her name has changed to match the era of the pride. She is referred to as
The Name-Giver in lore, so I don't have to keep updating her name.
When Christoffer was king, her name was Verðandi
Rostyslav - Avrora Аврора
Almas - Nebet-Hut
Sjoerd - Nynke
Æðelflæd - Wynnflæd
Story
He stood upon a short peak on the mountain, where the dirt and dust were swirling in and out of shapes. The sky grew unruly as the dust continued to grow. He bowed down toward the dust, terrified. The wind whipped around him, faster and faster. He trembled, trying hard to keep his balance through this fearful storm. The dust slowly started to take the shape of a blind lion cub. Christoffer gazed in awe as the dust cub rose and grew into an adolescent, then a full-grown lioness. The dust packed into the lioness shape, hardening into place, then the wind grew still once more.
Christoffer slowly rose, finding his feet once again. He inched his way forward to the lioness. She stood still, eyes closed, with a peaceful look gracing her face. As Christoffer grew near, she opened her eyes. Instinctively, Christoffer dropped down into a bow, lowering his gaze to the floor. When he looked up, he found her bowing to him. He stood up straight, and she followed suit.
“Who are you?” Christoffer finally spoke. “Where are we?”
She answered no questions but stared at him.
“I am no one,” Christoffer continued. “My mate and I have no home, no pride. Is this a place for me to start a pride of my own?”
Again, the blind lioness gave no answer but turned and started hiking up the mountain side. Christoffer watched her walk away, before remembering to follow. She stopped at the peak of the mountain where a nest of feathers and fur laid.
She finally spoke. “I know not who I am or where we are, but I do know I am in service to you and your future pride. This land will be your home.”
She stepped behind the nest, letting Christoffer walk up to the front. Confused, Christoffer asked, “What am I supposed to do?”
“An offering,” the blind lioness responded.
Christoffer reached the sack he kept on his shoulder, glancing at the meager items inside. What was he to offer? He rustled through the belongings, until his eyes landed on the cheetah skin his mate, Emilie, had given to him on the cold night they met. He had no materially rich items, but this cheetah skin was his most prized possession, the only worthy offering.
He pulled the skin out of his sack with his teeth and draped it over the nest. The wind started howling around him, pulling him off of his feet. He fell down to the ground, covering his eyes, terrified of what was going to happen. Then suddenly, the wind grew still.
Christoffer looked up from the ground, blinking and trying to regain his composure. As he went to stand up, he heard a soft whimper. He looked towards the nest and saw a small, purple cub laying on the nest, underneath the cheetah skin. He stood up and walked towards the cub, gentling nudging them with his snout.
Behind him, he heard footsteps, steadily getting louder. He turned around and saw Emilie running towards him.
“What happened? Are you okay?” she asked, clearly out of breath.
Christoffer smiled sweetly at her, motioning at her to come see the cub. She gasped when she saw them, and quickly bent down to embrace the cub.
“Who is this?” she asked Christoffer.
He turned towards the blind lioness, and she answered. “This is your first cub, Anmorata. She will bring balance to your pride and serve every king or queen who rules over it.”
Christoffer sat down next to Emilie and the cub. “I believe this is now our home.”
Emilie smiled sweetly, dropping her head down on Christoffer’s shoulder. “It’s good to be home.”
