•Phantom Heart•'s Den

Pride Lore:(Current)

Nyxar's reign as king was shrouded in silent guilt, a feeling he bore alone despite his indifferent exterior. His remorse ran deep, though he kept it hidden from his pride. One fateful day, Nyxar went on a patrol with Blaze, a young and eager sub-male who had only recently reached adulthood. Ramla, his fellow patroller, was securing another border. As Nyxar and Blaze walked together, an ambush unfolded — poachers emerged from the shadows, cutting off their escape. Blaze, reacting quickly, managed to flee, but at the cost of Nyxar's life, though he didn’t realize it until he reached the pride.

When Blaze returned, breathless and panicked, he shared what had happened. Immediately, some of the females rushed to the scene, with Blaze guiding them back to where Nyxar had fallen. When they arrived, they found Nyxar's lifeless body, blood trailing from his nose and his eyes still open but dull. The scene was made more chilling by the sight of the strange metal weapons in the poachers’ hands. They watched helplessly as Nyxar's body was loaded into a truck. Realizing they were too late, Sunny, one of the eldest females, took charge. Although Tracy was the lead female, Sunny instinctively stepped up in this dire moment, gathering the pride members, especially those with cubs and the nursing lionesses, and leading them eastward to safety, away from the danger of the poachers. Blaze, knowing the path they took, separated to find Ramla and inform him of the tragedy.

The year that followed was difficult. Most male adolescents were sent away to start their own paths, and the pride’s cub numbers dwindled. With Ramla being infertile and Blaze still too young to breed, the pride seemed vulnerable and uncertain about its future. Then one day, a lone, unknown male entered the territory. Initially wary, the lionesses debated whether to drive him off. Yet, something about his demeanor led them to give him a chance. He introduced himself as Nama, though he preferred the name Phantom Heart.

Gradually, Phantom Heart earned his place. Blaze, who was initially aloof, began to warm to him, while Ramla offered him reluctant tolerance. Over time, Phantom Heart stepped into the role of pride leader, bringing stability and siring new cubs, revitalizing the pride. Phantom Heart remained in the dark about Nyxar's fate; the pride had chosen to bury those memories, rarely speaking of it. With the passing of Sunny, the pride continued forward, under the steady watch of their new leader, Phantom Heart.