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Jivu was a generous, kind and caring young cub, but insecure and uncertain about himself. He was once the sole prince of his pride, in training by his father to become something he never wanted to be - King.
One season, when Jivu was still relatively young, he asked one of his aunts to show him how to hunt, so that someday he would be able to provide for the pride if ever the lionesses were sick or injured and couldn't hunt for themselves. He also asked one of the guards/scouts to teach him how to track, and how to fight, in case he ever had to defend the pride against rogue incursions.
For several months, he learned how to defend and hunt for himself and practiced every day, apart from his Royal lessons, of course. His parents, expecting a new cub or cubs soon, were thrilled. They assumed the news had overcome their son so much that he had finally accepted his role in the kingdom and had begun working so hard to ensure he would be able to protect his new sibling(s).
Jivu's friends knew something was up, however. He seemed driven by something, certainly, but it wasn't the idea of becoming the next King. When they asked him, he only told them what his parents were already saying - he wanted to protect his new brother(s) and/or sister(s).
A few weeks later, Jivu's mother gave birth to two cubs, a boy and a girl. The pride was thrilled they were so healthy, especially Jivu. His friends watched him emerge from the den some time later with an odd expression on his face. Happiness? No...relief? It was hard to place.
He disappeared from sight shortly after, but they quickly caught up with him at the border and confronted him.
And then he confessed.
Jivu was certain he would never be a good king...a helpful or a wise king. And certainly not a brave King. And now that his father had a new male cub, healthy and strong, he wouldn't be left without an heir should Jivu leave. He didn't necessarily wish to be a rogue, but he didn't want the life of a King or a Prince...he just wanted to be ordinary. And that was all.
His friends disagreed, but understood, and wished him only the best luck on his journey. The lied for him the following morning, saying he'd come in late that night, and gone out early to practice hunting. He was long gone by the time any search was raised, and in the rainy weather that had amassed at the time, he was impossible to track.
In his travels, Jive met few lions. Mostly females that didn't care about his existence, and males who didn't consider him enough of a threat to bother with. And that suited him just fine. He occasionally chased off hyenas from a carcass to scavenge, or hunted smaller prey. He wasn't an amazing hunter, and certainly not streamlined like a lioness, but he killed and stole enough prey to get by.
Eventually he met a lion named Adhabu, King of a smallish nomadic pride. The King was wise and kind and didn't ask about Jivu's past, but simply offered for him to travel with them. Jivu accepted and Adhabu evaluated his fighting skills...which he honestly found quite amusing.
On the provision that Jivu became his apprentice, and learned how to fight and defend like a rogue, Adhabu told him he would no longer need to hunt for his own meals. Jivu would become a guard for the pride when they slept so that Adhabu didn't have to rest at the expense of his lionesses after a hunt.
In truth, Adhabu had heard the rumours of the ashen Prince who ran away from home, and was certain Jivu was said Prince. He could see that Jivu needed much time to grow, without the pressures of a Kingdom weighing him down. So he took the young male under his wing. Perhaps someday he would return to his pride and take his place as King...or perhaps someday Jivu would lead Achilia's pride...someday when Adhabu turned back to the grass...
Jivu means 'ash' in Swahili.
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