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According to Google Translate, Jiaa is the Swahili version of the Greek name Gaia, the Earth Mother. Possibly a mistranslation, but I dig it.
A little one Wema brings home from the trading center. His plan is to raise her to be a talented huntress, and send her to the Kalahari Pride as an apology for ‘stealing’ Kaarina, who came to visit and never went back 🤣
Jiaa meets Rego during his exile, and joins his band of warriors. She’s great friends with Kuungua, a former Kalahari girl, and Kona, Rego’s mate. She’s very close with Rego and Kona after they are crowned, and bears her first litter with Rego.
She is also one of Anele’s first solo patients! She almost lost her right eye in a hunting accident, but Anele’s quick thinking and level head under pressure saved her. She sings the young healer’s praises relentlessly after that.
Jiaa’s girls from her first litter, Jinata and Moshi, stay in the pride for a few months after their coming of age hunt. They know their mother wants them around, so they try, really they do, to make pride life work. But, with their first heat approaching, Jinata finally admits to wanting to seek out a mate for herself. And not just a one night stand, she wants one to keep. It’s driving her nuts, in fact. Jiaa relents and gives Jinata her blessing to go rogue, and Moshi goes with her. Moshi really doesn’t care where she lives, so long as there’s decent hunting and warm rocks to nap on, but Jinata is her best friend. Life would be boring without her. So, they go together.
When Jiaa is approaching retirement age, one of the pride broodmothers, Urujuani, passes unexpectedly. With no young lioness lined up to take her place, Jiaa steps in. She loves cubs, and is glad of a chance to leave the hunting party a bit early, and save her joints some pain.
Oddly, the five cubs (Peleka, Nyara’s twins, Rose Muzzle and Stone Strike) Urujuani was looking after when she died don’t seem to need a new broodmother. Peleka, the eldest of the five, tells Jiaa it is because Miss Uru’s spirit was watching over them still, they could feel her. Jiaa isn’t sure if she believes that, but it does warm her heart.
(born 10/16/23)
First Litter:
1. Jinata ~ 794209743378 female, chased 1/24/24
2. Moshi ~ 794209743379 female, chased 1/24/24
Second Litter:
1. Jiuu ~ 794211079647 male, treed at age 1.11
2. Eusi ~ 794211079648 female, chased at age 2
Third litter:
1. Utulivu ~ 794212529357 male, treed at age 1.11
2. Kusumbua ~ 794212529358 male, treed at age 1.11
Fourth litter:
1. Uzinduzi ~ 794214279618 female, chased at age 2.2
2. Chui ~ 794214279619 female, chased at age 2.2
Fifth litter:
1. Sukari ~ female,
2. Jiwe ~ female
~As you prepare to patrol your territory, you notice Jiaa spending some quality time with Grandpaw Niko-Hai. How nice. "Uh... where do cubs come from? Well... you see, little one, when two lions love each other very much, or like each other enough, or hate each other--" Wait, what?! You quickly snatch Jiaa by the scruff of their neck and run away. They are too young to have "The Talk"!
~Young Jiaa didn't want to play chase with their siblings today - instead, they decided today was a good day to take a nap with Grandpaw Niko-Hai, who doesn't seem to mind Jiaa clambering over him.
~Happy but intimidated by your attention, Jiaa greets you shyly, then backs away to give you some space.
~You were napping, but some movement caught your attention. Jiaa was coming towards you with a gerbil snack, but then she stopped. Walked away. Came back. Now she looks like she wanted to bolt. You closed your eyes and pretended to be asleep still, and she finally delivered her gift to you. 2x
~As you walk up to Jiaa, she hunkers down a little, whispering back a greeting as she stares at you in awe. 3x
~You greet Jiaa perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. She just squeaked and ran off. Oops.
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