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After being cast out of her past pride, Elapid was guided by a small snake to the Giving Tree, where she waited patiently for a new pride to find her. Among the many other cubs, she felt small, so when she was accepted into a new pride, she was overjoyed.
Upon arrival, she saw a lioness grooming herself outside one of the dens. The king nodded towards the lioness and rumbled "Kiara, this is Elapid. She will be your student." He then turned to Elapid. "This is your mentor, you will listen and you will learn."
Elapid nodded and Kiara sent a small glare her way. "You reek of many prides. I don't know why you're here, but if you cause any trouble I will be the first to find out." The lioness growled.
Elapid nodded. "I am ready to learn."
It was then that Kiara hauled herself up and they began their training. Throughout the training, Kiara would often direct her snakes instead of helping Elapid herself. It was during this time that Elapid grew closer and closer to her namesakes.
After a year or so of training, Kiara deemed her training complete. Begrudgingly, she nodded to Elapid and hissed at one of her own snakes, and the snake slithered over to Viper. "You have trained well, I don't know what else I can teach you without skill. You have done well."
"Thank you, Kiara." Elapid whispered as she admired her new friend. "I will cherish him." It was on this day, which really began all that time ago, when she was lost, that she devoted her life to rescuing the creatures that saved her from death in the savanna and disappointing her pride.
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It was a sad day when Kiara left the pride. The lionesses gather around her to say their goodbyes. Elapid came up and nuzzled her mentor, assuming she could get away with it this one time. She was correct.
"Elapid," Kiara hesitated. "You are a good lioness, a good huntress. You are deserving of every good thing that comes your way." She flicked her sinuous tail in the way she had learned to communicate with her snakes. They slithered over to Elapid and stared mournfully at their mother, who had raised most of them their whole lives. "And they will help you when the world decided to hurt you."
Elapid headbutted Kiara's shoulder playfully. "You know, I know a place where you could hang out." She mused.
Kiara chuckled, a rare sound. "I'm not going to that tree, I know of a reserve that has some old friends." She lastly takes off the rabbit's paw necklace, one that Elapid has never seen her without. Kiara drops it over her head. "Don't forget your training." Her voice is gruff again, but she give Elapid an affectionate lick on the top of her head before turning and begins her trek to the nature reserve, the king joining her in companionable silence as they disappear over the horizon.
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breed
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