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LORE!! (Written by Cat🐈⬛ (#474561) )
The cerulean water of the oasis transforms into a lake of fire as the sun casts its final rays over the pridelands. Lions stretch and yawn as they prepare for slumber. The heated grass begins to cool beneath their tired paws. Broodmothers guide stumbling cubs to their nests, scolding those who are stubborn enough to sneak outside. Hunters deposit their final kills in front of their hungry families, ensuring that everyone takes their turn and shares the meal.
Watching over this tranquil scene is Zaidani, the pride’s flame-touched queen. Embers crackle wherever she walks. Her amber eyes glow brightly with hard-earned wisdom. She embodies the hearth light of creativity– the dancing flames which come to life as an artist begins to shape their most beloved creation. Though her preference for black and orange may render her intimidating, there is only kindness in Zaidani’s heart. She is well-known amongst her subjects for her generosity, her fairness, and her desire to nurture every member of the Fallen Sun pride to their full potential. She is quick to comfort a crying cub, settle a dispute, or mentor an upcoming artist. Under her rule, the lions of the oasis have lived joyously and prosperously, reaping the bounties that the oasis has to offer. This queen is a powerhouse guided by love. Her pridemates are lucky to call her their leader.
Zaidani is not one for simple solutions. She believes that any problem or puzzle is best solved with ample amounts of creativity and patience. For instance, when the oasis was in danger of drying up, many of Fallen Sun’s elders suggested that the pride move to a more secure water source. Their queen pondered this suggestion, but ultimately refused. This was their home. They couldn’t give up on it so easily. Besides, there was no guarantee that they would be able to find such a generous patch of land again, if they were to go somewhere else. Instead, she mediated on the issue and eventually came up with a rather unconventional idea. Nearby groups of voles and anteaters had been slowly encroaching upon Fallen Sun territory for quite some time. The pride hadn’t had many interactions with these creatures, save for cubs pouncing on them as they peeked out of their holes, or adolescents using them for hunting practice. The smaller animals were attracted by the water, but were hesitant to move closer for fear of getting eaten. Zaidani saw opportunity in their superior digging capabilities. Like any clever lioness, she knew that there was water to be found deep beneath the earth. She asked her pride for one more day to solve the drying waterhole problem. They agreed, trusting in her capabilities but wondering how she would figure out how to keep the oasis flowing in such a short period of time. With her head low to indicate she meant them no harm, she approached the anteaters and voles. She promised them safe access to the water if they agreed to assist her with some digging. Befuddled but not wishing to pass up such a generous offer, they agreed. Together, the Fallen Sun lions and the burrowing creatures of the pridelands dug around the oasis until they were able to reach more water. The waterbed swelled and expanded until there were no more concerns about it drying up. Ever since that day, Zaidani’s pride has always trusted in her creativity to solve any conundrum.
As an artist, Zaidani values the beauty in all living things. She creates paintings on the side of caves with her paws, carves statues out of clay, and shapes pendants out of shattered bone. She’s always eager to teach others about the satisfaction that comes from making something with your own claws. Many Fallen Sun lions have gifts from their queen in their dens. From feather earpieces to woven bedding, Zaidani has dabbled in just about everything. For her, art is relaxation. It’s a way to cleanse her mind and connect with the world around her. Thanks to her, Fallen Sun territory is always bursting with colorful decorations. Cubs are especially appreciative of all the wonderful hues. Many of them claim that they will be just like Zaidani someday, creating pretty things for their friends to admire. This makes the queen happiest of all, for she believes that creativity must be passed down from generation to generation.
Though her present life is full of joy and connection, this magnificent queen was not always so fortunate. She was abandoned as a cub, dropped off very close to the edge of Fallen Sun’s territory. Alone and scared, she bawled into the night until Lemoyne heard her cries. The gentle king picked up the quivering youngster by the scruff of her neck and brought her back to his pride. She was lonely at first, struggling to get along with the other cubs. They didn’t quite know what to make of this frightened little outsider. Eventually, Lemoyne took in a cub called Runevier. He told Zaidani that the two of them would stick together, since they were both orphans. He encouraged her to keep practicing her art and showed her how to play with the other cubs. She loves her brother more than anyone in the world and is grateful to him for transforming her from a skittish young thing into a confident queen.
As Zaidani grew older, she soon became infatuated by an odd lion named Kaimir. His mother had secret liaisons with a leopard and gave birth to him after his father rejoined his leopard clan. Zaidani knew Kaimir was the one when he attempted to draw a portrait of her face and was too embarrassed to show her because he thought he had failed to capture the ‘perfect spark’ in her eyes. Together, they lead the Fallen Sun pride with empathy and compassion. There is not a more perfect pair to guide the inhabitants of the oasis.
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