Divine Dark Shadow

Divine Dark Shadow, known by countless names and countless faces. The soul of the lion Dark Shadow is rumored to be generations older than the body it resides in. Though Dark Shadow’s age is the gentlest of rumors surrounding them. It is said that Dark Shadow was once a lioness born unremarkable in both pelt and skill. She was given her name in emphasis of her always living in the shadow of those prettier or stronger. As she aged she was chased from multiple prides with none willing to house such a useless lioness. Every rejection made her bitterness grow. Every lonely heat made her crueler. Every loss grew her hate. Eventually, she stumbled upon a lifeless quarry, abandoned by even the humans who must have created it. Here, she decided, at least she could die in peace. She was content to starve until an adolescent male, recently chased from his own pride, stumbled upon the quarry. The lion was a decent lad and took it upon himself to feed and care for the older lioness. Dark Shadow accepted his help and he thought that he’d found his first pride member. She was nothing special but she was his. He continued to care for her as he grew and got stronger until Dark Shadow told him she had an idea to create the strongest pride the lion could imagine. In his excitement, he followed Dark Shadow into her cave. Only the male ever walked out again, but his temperament was forever changed. His kindness became cruelty and he used his strength to amass a pride over which he ruled with an iron claw. The rumors say that in the cave, Dark Shadow killed the lion and used some kind of blood magic to steal his body, though none of this has ever been proven. Most lions seem to think it’s suspicious that every pride leader will always be called Dark Shadow and their temperament will always be the same. Only lions from Dark Shadow’s own pride would know the truth of these stories, but an outsider like you will likely only ever be able to speculate on Divine Dark Shadow’s true nature.