Cole

Cole (he/him) comes from a broken land far to the West, one where the rain roared but never hit the ground and where the sunlight always glowed a sickly pink hue. In this world, scarcity was commonplace. Many starved, died of thirst, or succumbed to the unrelenting heat. All of these were kinder fates than the victims of the sickness met. The sickness swept through the Lands of the Pink Sun, turning previously healthy lions into distended, malformed beasts with applesauce for brains and an affinity for violent outbursts.

Cole lived in this terrible world his whole life, barely surviving. He did survive, though- from no credit of his own. Aiden, a clever, suave, and skilled lion diligently kept him safe through their teen and young adult years. They loved each other dearly...so, so dearly.
Aiden loved Cole so dearly, in fact, that when an opportunity arose to save just one of them from the dreadful hell they lived in, he gave poor Cole no say in the matter. The opportunity, a magic stone with the power of just one teleportation spell imbued within it, was sold to Aiden for a hefty price from a certainly suspicious character. It was, however, their only hope. Cole said goodnight to his love not knowing how final a goodbye it would become.
"Goodbye my love. I'll see you again when the pink sun rises gold."
Aiden used the spell in the night and Cole found himself underneath a golden sun for the first time in his life.

Philia found Cole while he was on patrol investigating the palpable arcane disturbance caused by the use of such powerful teleportation magic. The boy was young, scared, distraught, and terribly unwell by non-apocalyptic standards. He was led back to the pride and welcomed with open arms by a new, unfamiliar family.

Today, Cole plays an active role in the pride. He collects soft bedding material for nesting lionesses, watches cubs during the workday, and grinds paints and dyes out of natural ingredients. He is safe. He is fulfilled. He may even be happy. Still, he can't help but hold onto the possibly foolish hope that Aiden is coming to join him someday in paradise. He never wanted blue skies if he could not share them. Every night he mumbles his final prayer before bed,
"Goodbye my love. I'll see you again when the pink sun rises gold."