Blue Jolly Rancher

Ms. Rancher ~ G7, 3BO, Blue Poinsettia Tobiano Pie

© G1 Tobiano 8BO tawnyCollar (#251887)
[ Cubs ] [ Heritage ]
𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒
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Original Owner: G1 Tobiano 8BO tawnyCollar (#251887)
‣ Don't chase/kill/reserve
‣ Don't *remove* decor/markings/etc without asking for the group's approval.
‣ You may *add* decor/markings/etc as long as it fits her theme.
‣ Cubs go to the person who bred her. If you receive the lioness, and she has cubs from another player that haven't weaned yet, you must send them back to the person who bred them once they are weaned.
‣ If the lioness is in your possession keep her lore up-to date if any is added/removed.
‣ She is to only stay in your pride for ONE year.

𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄
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[Introduction Blurb/Rancher backstory]
04/09/2023 ‒‒ First Travel (4.8YO): The traveling lioness breathes out a sigh of fatigue. Already so far from her home, and yet there was nothing but empty land for miles. She stood atop a small hill, eyes peering over a vast, seemingly barren territory below. Without much though, she descends down the hillside to continue her journey. The shadows around her shifted in her peripherals. She feels a chill creep up her spine, that eery feeling of being watched suddenly tangible to the lioness. As she whips around to face the shadows behind her, she’s greeting by a large, broody-looking male. She freezes in her place. The male peers down at her with sharp eyes, studying her as if she were a piece of prey yet to be caught. His eyes contrasted so vastly against his black pelt, she noted before averting her gaze. She noticed the male’s hoard of lionesses beginning to crowd behind him, each staring curiously at the foreigner and whispering amongst themselves. The male let’s out a breath past his large tusks, catching her attention once more.
“Who are you?”
He asks, his tone deep and naturally husky. Quite fitting for the brute.
“I am Blue Jolly Rancher.. or, uh… Rancher, for short,”
She rambles under his intense gaze. Her fur was pure blue, and yet, with the way his eyes were locked on her, she was starting to feel red.
“I am Silenus. Come, you look exhausted.”
he huffs as if annoyed, nodding his head for her to follow deeper into the territory…
— Cub Born: Jelly Bean.
— Blue Jolly Rancher is lying in your favorite sunny spot, fast asleep. You tried to nudge her off. Nope. A nip? Nope. You bodily flop on her. Nope, she is STILL not moving! Dang.
At the end of her stay in the pride, Rancher walks to the edge of the territory to say her goodbyes to the new friends she made during her stay. Many pride members coo over her and wish her safe travels, nuzzling against her and sharing a few words before she'd go. Silenus reappears, stepping up to the smaller lioness to give her a quick once over. For a moment she thinks he won't say a word, but instead, lets out a soft sigh and leans down to touch his nose against her's. He pulls away before she has much time to process, motioning for her to get going. She rolls her eyes in amusement and steps out of the territory, heading towards the horizon for a new adventure...

04/21/2023 ‒‒ Second Travel (5.8YO):
Blue jolly rancher continues on her journey she walks and walks and seems to get nowhere wondering if she maybe going in circles. She slowly lays down hoping to take a quick nap before continuing her travels until she hears some rustling in some nearby grass. She continues to sit in her spot unsure if she should check it out when suddenly a small lion cub pops out of the grass. The almost shiny purple cub is soon followed by a lioness. The cubs then sees jolly rancher,
"Hi what's your name" the young cub says excitedly now catching the other lioness attention, she looks as if ready to pounce.
"I'm Blue Jolly Rancher, Rancher for short. and you?" She says to the cub
"His name is none of your business" the lioness behind him says seemingly getting more irritated.
"Hey Blood Cloud that's no way to treat someone, I'm Schön" says the cub trying his best to be assertive "speaking of how you treat people, are you alright rancher? If you need, you can stay in my pride for a bit." The cub says eagerly awaiting her answer. Though the lioness behind him doesn't seem to be as excited.
"Your pride? Aren't you just a cub?"
Well yes I may be a cub but I'm also the king of my pride now that my father has passed" the cub says sounding a bit sad at the end.
"I'm so sorry" Rancher says "But yes I'll come to your pride for a bit" This seems to make the cub very happy.
He leads the way to his pride lands as they get there many of the lionesses give questioning glances before returning to what they were doing before. The lionesses she knows as Blood Cloud seems to have calmed down quite a bit.
"Let's go get you some food and a place to rest" says the lioness in a much calmer tone than she had had earlier.

The time has come and Rancher must leave again. As she prepares to leave, Schön comes up to her Blood cloud following close behind the young.
"I hope you enjoyed your stay Rancher" the young cub says, seeming a bit sad Rancher, she nuzzles the cubs head. The cub gives her a bop on the nose. Blood Cloud tells her "Please stay safe" over her time she has spent here she notices that it's really blood cloud that does most of the leading of the pride. Regardless, Rancher promises to stay safe and leaves on her way…

05/04/2023 ‒‒ Third Travel (6.9YO):
Mrs. Rancher, having only recently left Blood Cloud’s pride, made the decision to head north. She journeyed through forests and deserts before arriving in an area of steep valleys, bordered by beautiful snowcapped mountains. Having her ambitions now set, Rancher continued onwards in hope of finding a place of shelter to reside for the next year.

After many days of searching, she came upon two lionesses sunning themselves on a group of rocks. They introduced themselves as Kick and Ostrich, and whilst a little stuck up, invited her to meet the leader of their pride to arrange a potential settlement.

Kerubiel was her name, a soft spoken gray lioness who was in the process of organizing a hunting party when Rancher arrived. She was quite welcoming and even a little doting as she offered Rancher a multitude of things to keep her comfortable. Nests, food, keepsakes.. you name it. As she settled into her nest at night and looked up at the moon rising over the mountains, Rancher decided this place might just be an alright place to stay for a year…

…At last, a year had passed and Rancher was ready to move on to find a new home. The lionesses in the pride were quite sad to see her go— even the two stuck up ones she had first met upon arriving at the mountains. Despite not having any cubs to leave with the pride, she still felt as though she had a family she could always return to if she ever needed anything. Rancher said each of her individual goodbyes, ending with Kerubiel. The two smiled and touched noses, and Kerubiel offered a prayer for good luck in her travels. And with that, Rancher was off to find her next home… wherever that might be. . .

05/16/2023 ‒‒ Fourth Travel (7.9YO):
This fourth travel is lost to time...

05/30/2023 ‒‒ Intermission (8.9YO):
What's this....? As Miss Jolly Rancher was traveling along the shore to her new home, she found a funny hat. It'll be useful for keeping the sun out of her eyes, so she decided to wear it! Plus, it is pretty fashionable.

06/11/2023 ‒‒ Fifth Travel (9.4YO):
Filled with sadness and a heavy heart, Rancher knew that it was time to leave her current pride behind in search of a new home where she could find peace and belonging for another year to come.

Before her departure, an elder lioness whispered a secret into Rancher's ear. "Rancher, my dear, I have heard of a distant pride, a sanctuary far away. These are the coordinates to its location," the elder lioness revealed, passing a piece of weathered parchment to Rancher. "May it lead you to the serenity you seek."

With the coordinates in her possession, Rancher embarked on a solitary journey across the vast plains, her paws carrying her through tall grasses and over rugged terrain. Days turned into weeks, and the lioness pressed onward with unwavering determination, never losing hope that she would find the new pride she yearned for.

Eventually, Rancher arrived at the coordinates inscribed on the parchment. She stood atop a hill, surveying the landscape before her. To her surprise, she found herself overlooking a peaceful valley, caressed by a gentle breeze. But as her gaze swept across the terrain, she noticed only one lone lion resting beneath the shade of an ancient baobab tree.

Though seemingly ordinary in appearance, there was something intriguing about him that drew Rancher closer.

Their encounters became more frequent, and their connection grew stronger. They shared playful chases, gentle nuzzles, and heartfelt roars under the starlit sky. Rancher found herself falling deeply in love with this humble and endearing lion.

Their love story was whispered among the wind, a tale of two souls from different worlds finding solace and passion in each other's embrace. Together, Rancher and the dusty lion created a love that transcended appearances, proving that the heart knows no boundaries.

Sooner or later once again, Rancher had become a mother.

Days turned into weeks, and Rancher devoted herself to raising her cub. She taught the young one how to hunt, navigate the sprawling grasslands, and bask under the warm African sun. They forged a bond that was unbreakable, their love growing stronger with each passing moment.

However, the Serengeti is a land of both beauty and danger and as Ranchers fate was set in stone, she knew that this wouldn't last forever.

As time grew near Rancher ventured into the unknown, her solitary journey was filled with longing and sorrow. She yearned for her cub's company, their playful antics, and the warmth of their embrace. The lions and lionesses that she met over the months and the bonds she had created would mold into nothing but she had to keep moving. Who knows what the future holds.

07/31/2023 ‒‒ Final Travel (13.1 YO):

The pride of the Fallen Star... It had taken Rancher quite some time to travel here. Years of traveling to the far north, to a mountainous territory that bordered both the flower fields and, seemingly, the sky itself. The view off of these cliffs was... breathtaking.

She'd arrived precisely on schedule to witness the events that made this pride so famous:
The great Starfall, a legendary series of meteor showers that could only truly be seen from this exact location

The sky seemed to light up the moment her paws touched the misty rock beside the waterfall, drawing her eyes to the air as meteors began to streak past the mountain. What a sight, truly once in a lifetime.
She didn't linger long though, making her way through the tunnels into the lush cave that this ancient pride called their home. A rich, underground paradise, full of blooming heaths and rare flowering vines, populated by birds of all feathers, all nourished by the glacial water that guarded their home.

Much to her surprise, this foreign family greeted her with warm smiles and enthusiastic hello's, as if they had expected her arrival. Cubs bounced up to her feet, amazed by her pretty patterns and exotic scent. Pride huntresses invited her to join them and tell the spoils of her travels, complimenting her hat- even the birds seemed to like her!
There were only two lions who seemed absent from this greeting. The matriarch and her daughter, the joint rulers of this paradise.

It would be two days until Rancher was able to see them, catching glimpse of them sitting atop the waterfall while out on a stroll with a curious lioness known as Ambrosia. Even though they didn't say anything, it seemed like these two were beckoning her... requesting her presence at the waters edge.
So she joined them. It almost felt unnatural, sitting with such fabled lionesses.

"𝓜𝔂 𝓭𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓻," The matriarch was the first to speak. The legendary Asteria, a celestial lioness who founded this pride after falling in love with a mortal. She was benevolent, kind. A shepherd for lost spirits. Her soft voice seemed to echo with an ethereal tone. "𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓼𝓸 𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰, 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓷'𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾?"

All Rancher could muster was a nod.

"𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮. 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽." A smile appeared on Asteria's star-dappled muzzle. "𝓢𝓽𝓪𝔂 𝓪𝓼 𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮, 𝓶𝔂 𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰. 𝓜𝔂 𝓹𝓻𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾. 𝓞𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝔂, 𝓘 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓫𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓽𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮."

Rancher knew what that meant. She always had- there was a reason young lions rarely ventured here. This was a final paradise. A resting place.

She made the most of her remaining time. Rolling in the catnip valley, sharing warmth with the huntresses, sharing stories of her travels to the cubs and their watching broodmothers, even having a cub of her own. Her final daughter, her progeny. It warmed her heart, knowing that Sagara would be in such good hands, that her father would raise her to be a noble lioness like he was.

At the end of the 6th month, it was time. The pride held a festival in her honor, adorning her with cherished jewels, catching her favorite prey and sharing one last night together filled with stories and love.
In the morning, she bid them one last goodbye, gifting her daughter a single feather before joining Asteria at the mouth of the waterfall.

It was time to go home.

And for once, on this journey, her paws weren't sore.

8/8/2023 ‒‒ Blue Jolly Rancher's Return Home (Immortal)
After over a decade of traveling, Blue Jolly Rancher knew it was time for her to return to her home pride. She knew that her father, Frost Light, had surely died of old age long ago. However, it did not make the loss any less painful when she realized she could no longer smell her father's scent on his territory.

While it felt good to be in a familiar place in her final years, Rancher knew she wasn't quite done wandering. The lions in this pride were kind to her, as they had all been told that she may return one day, but almost all of them were born after Rancher's departure. They didn't know her like her family did. "Home" didn't quite feel like home anymore.

On a warm summer night, Blue Jolly Rancher turned her gaze to the starry night sky. She knew her time was up. She could practically see her mother and father's faces amongst the stars. With her last breath, she lept towards the skies, disconnecting her soul from her body. Now, she was free to walk amongst the stars, ready to wander once more...

𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑/𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐆
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‣ Endangered Hipwear [Koppie Blue], Feathered Leg Wraps - Guineafowl ‒‒ Donated by 𝓛𝓮𝓹𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓭 (#350878)
‣ Gentle Chains [Tanzanite] ‒‒ Donated by Sami dog (#364351)
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‣ Pose: Kind [F]) ‒‒ Donated by Mango [Side] (#162233)
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‣ Spoonbill Tail Feathers, Cowgirl Hat, Scare Blue Diadem Butterfly [2], Syrian Serin ‒‒ Donated by tawnyCollar (#251887)
‣ Cowgirl Hat ‒‒ Found mysteriously washed up on the beach...
‣ Royal Gem Bodywear [Anubis], Shrikes, Amani Sunbird, Hoopoe Feather Decor, Draco Whiskers [White], and Rain Donated By ShrimpCrockpot (G2 Mos CLRBM) {245091}