Name: Arya (Hindu for 'Handsome, noble')

Sex: Male

Parents: Unnamed

Siblings: Unknown

Mate: Ashanti (formerly); Zainabu

Cubs: Kamau (w/ Ashanti); has none with Zainabu because of her condition

Personality: Very personable, and easy-going. Arya is a very gentle soul, would never want to hurt a fly. He has a honor system, and does not go out of his way to bully others in order to survive. Nevertheless, despite his outgoing nature, Arya knows that other lions are not as accepting as he, and therefore tries to stay away from other lion prides. He hates it, though, when he is mocked for his rather feminine name, despite the name itself being unisex in Hindu. He thinks that a name means very little, and shouldn't be the biggest concern of anyone's business.

History: Arya was born in a facility in South Africa that was designed to care for wounded lions, and to breed them in a safe and secure environment. Having been around humans since he was a cub, Arya has a natural fondness for them, and likes to please them. Reaching the age of five, Arya is put into the breeding program, and by age six, alone, he has sired a lot of cubs. He absolutely loves being a father.

One day Arya woke up to find the facility abandoned - the humans were gone, and the gates were wide open. He was the only one left within his cage. This absolutely devastated Arya, who never knew life outside of his containment. He sat around the building for a couple of days before gathering the courage to go journey into life.

It was difficult for Arya, and he had nearly been killed by several lions when he approached them. He was near death when the lioness, Adanna, found him. Taking pity, she helped him back to health, and in his gratitude, Arya stayed by her side at all times. Because the only females he had really gotten to know were the breeding ones, Arya assumed that he could repay Adanna by giving her cubs, but when he confronted her about this, she laughed and said she would never have them. This was Arya's first lesson at realizing just how different wild lions were from the ones he grew up with.

Adanna had issues, and with Arya's personable personality, she was finally able to admit to him all of her secrets that had caused her nothing but grief over the years. Arya listened patiently, and helped soothe her suffering. Afterwards, Adanna thanked Arya for listening to her, and she said that she was a much better individual now, and she was ready to let go of her demons to start anew.

However, they were soon ambushed by a hungry pack of hyenas. Arya was separated from Adanna, and doesn't know what happened to her. He encountered Ashanti shortly afterwards, and the two partnered up for a short period of time. During this, Arya impregnanted Ashanti, and ended up leaving her after the two ended up in an argument. He is unaware that he has a son with her. He ended up joining a small pride of rogues to survive.

One day his pride came across a larger one - it was Judas's pride. Judas had been dead for a while, and his son Ayodele had risen to power. His brothers Jiro and Erevu served as co-leaders of the pride, since their father had not declared who was the one in charge. They chased Arya's pride away, but before they left, Arya caught the eye of an older female, Judas's granddaughter Zainabu.

Zainabu snuck away from her pride to find him, and when she discovered Arya, it was as if they were long-lost lovers. Arya found her to be beautiful, and wanted to stay by her at all times. However, Zainabu knew her uncles would not be so keen on letting a rogue male into their pride, but she did not want to leave the pride she grew up in, especially when it came to her parents. She explained this (as well as the fact that she could not bear cubs) to Arya, and even though he's saddened by the fact that he would get involved with this lioness, knowing fully well that they could not have cubs together, he loves her so much where it's not a problem for him. They continue to see each other everyday.

Relation to TLK: Was friends with Adanna, daughter of Kiara and Kovu; mates with Zainabu, great-granddaughter of Mufasa and Sarabi

Also adopted from Smash! Thank you so much ^^