Neo I
From the moment he was born his mother and grandmother knew he was different. Not only was he smaller than the rest of the cubs, missing part of a tail, and had flaming red eyes, but there was something about him. It screamed different. At first, the rest of the lionesses scoffed. He was the grandson of a vulgar lioness, who didn't even deserve the title of such, and his mother was a rebel, behaving in a rougher manner that served males more than females. On top of that he wasn't even born of Jahi. He was just a worthless little cat. No different than those before him. But even those who are different, are those that others need to be the most wary of.
As soon as his cub training started, Neo showed much promise. He was strong, and unafraid. Willing to push himself to the front of a race, or throw a cub in a fight. To his mother he was a blessing, and even the submales agreed that he was pretty good. Until he got ruthless. It didn't show as a cub. No, then he might say something snarky to whoever was teaching him, or make fun of the one cub who did the worst with the training that afternoon. These things were easy to dismiss or redirect. It wasn't until Neo became an adolesenant that the concern came.
Neo and Hakim, Jahi's surviving son, were the only two males to make it out of cub training. The young males both looked forward to patroling with the submales Jafari, Chidi, and Radishi. According to the process they would team up with one male for the whole day, learning the tricks of each. While Neo enjoyed it, the position also meant he got to see more of his leader Jahi. The rumors had it that when he started as king he was fair and lovable, but in recent years he'd grown...slightly insane. Neo could see that. Everytime he went to talk to Jahi there was a crazed look in his eye, like he'd had too many fermented Marla fruits, or something. He would go on long walks by himself doing who knew what until he came back. Neo was curious, but as a young lion he never questioned it...well to the king's face. He challenged his authority to close friends, and his family. His mother told him to not speak that way, his grandmother though agreed, and encouraged something that would lead to his destiny. Shandice encouraged rebellion.
At first no one knew, and no one cared as Neo was causing other problems. Namely with the young females. As Neo grew he became strong, and frankly better looking that the other males. He would frequently attract their attention, and fawning wasn't an uncommon sight. Many, many older females were disturbed by this and would often discourage their daughters from going outside their caves when Neo returned from patroling. For the ones born in the pride it worked...mostly. For the females brought from the oak though...not so much. One female in particular had caught his attention. A darkly colored lioness, with white thrashing. Jahi had named her Hadiza, and she was one of the snarkier adolescents in the pride. His mother was ok with her, his grandmother loved her, and the two could usually be found together catching up on pride gossip. This was how Neo really met Hadiza, and considering both were rejects? Well, to most of the pride it seemed fine.
To everyone except Hakim. The only son of Jahi, was jealous of the attention Neo was receiving. Neo was bigger, stronger, better looking, and had all the attention, while Hakim was weak, soft spoken, and pampered by his father. He wanted to make something of himself. So he did it in the only way he could think of. Some called it his worst moment, but to Neo it was the best. Fueled by his grandmother's thoughts of rebellion, Neo accepted the chance to spar, only he upped the stakes. They wouldn't fight in some hidden grove he wanted it in the open so the whole pride could see. He flattered Hakim by telling him it would be a chance for the pride, and it's upcoming females to see, who their next leader was going to be. On that note Hakim accepted. It was a trap. Hakim was beaten badly, and considering the two males were only a day away from being marked as adults he was more ashamed...he couldn't live up to his father's name, and he'd left his father exposed.
Later that night, Shandice got the idea that Neo should take his fight a step further. If the king's son was week, surely the king was too. They all knew he was. She encouraged him. It was his chance. He could be king! Hadiza, also present, agreed. Neo arrogant at his win, agreed. The next day, at his ceremony he would attack Jahi, and challenge his kingship. It was a plan set in stone.
The next day was surprisingly sunny. When he arrived Hakim, bruised and cut up, was waiting in front of his father. Neo though, stopped a stones throw from the king and called a challenge on his kingship. A once happy pride grew quiet whispers replacing the excitement. Jahi refused thinking it a joke, but Neo insisted, and they fought. It was brutal, more brutal than any fight the pride had seen before, but as Jahi's head hit the sand and didn't rise, the pride knew, Neo was now the king. Undeserved. Unwanted. Yet now he was king. As his red eyes scanned the crowd there was no denying it. Even Hakim fled.
Now he rules, and no one will stop him.
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