Name: Maalik (African for 'experienced')

Sex: Male

Parents: Malka and Halla

Siblings: Deceased

Mate: Ari

Cubs: Samanya (w/ Rena)

Theme Song: "The Unforgiven" by Metallica

Pride: Highlands (birth/formerly); Ari's Pride (formerly); The King's Court (Heaven/currently)

Generation: Ninth (Kopa's Generation)

Personality: Unlike his parents, Maalik is not a religious or bloodthirsty zealot who wishes to show other lion prides his strength. He is gentle, soft-spoken, but will speak aloud if he disagrees with something. Maalik, however nice he can be, is also unstable due to all of the inbreeding on his father's side. He quickly loses his temper and also gets sick easily. Though he is a very strong lion, because of the genes from his father's side, Maalik is guaranteed a shorter lifespan than the usual feral lion, and he knows this. Maalik wants to see to the end of his father's religious values and wants to see the end of all the misery they have caused.

History: Maalik's birth was a celebrated one, at least to Malka and Halla. Deeply in love they were, Halla ended up giving birth to several cubs; however they were small in size and did not live the night. Maalik, the first-born, was the strongest one, and because he was Malka's only son, Malka had high expectations for him. He forced all of his teachings onto Maalik once he was older, but as Maalik became an adolescent, he soon found he disagreed with many of his father's points. Maalik was also the butt of many jokes while growing up because he had his mother's colors and did not carry the signature black fluff on his ears.

As he developed into an adult, Malka and Halla decided to engage Maalik to one of his cousins. Not wanting this, Maalik stepped in and the confrontation divulged into a huge argument with his father after Maalik pointed out all of the deranged policies their pride had. In anger, Malka exiled his son because he was unwilling to have him killed by his own family. So Maalik left, glad to be away from his deranged family.

Not long afterwards Maalik bumped into Rena who had also left her family for her own reasons. Finding a similar purpose in each other the two struck a bond, and eventually Rena found herself falling in love with Maalik. She seduces him while she is in season, and this enlopement resulted in Samanya. However, Maalik politely told Rena that he had no feelings for her and, her taking it to heart, she leaves him suddenly and abruptly.

Without his companion, Maalik continues to journey on his own until he eventually comes across Ari's pride, whose policy was to accept any rogue at any opportunity. Wanting to join for safety in numbers, Maalik was met with resistance when Ari did not want him to join. It took efforts from her friend Chari to finally sway Ari's opinion, and allow Maalik to join. However, she was cold to him, therefore leaving him no room to try and develop a companionship with her.

Now having a new life to live, Maalik tried to keep his behavior under control while trying to help the others in anyway he could, especially Ari since he did not want his experience living in her pride to be just as bad as his old family pride. So he helped her whenever he could, and Ari finally stopped acting coldly towards him. The two ended up developing a friendship.

It took longer for Maalik to realize his growing attraction for Ari. Because they took in rogues, Maalik started feeling secretly jealous that there were males in the pride who were interested in Ari. Having developed a good bond with Chari, Maalik openly admitted this to the young lion, and was surprised when Chari told him that he was feeling something more for Ari. Still confused and recalling his past incident with Rena, Maalik was scared and so he did not act on his feelings until Ari made the first move.

When she professed her love for him, he equally and enthusiatically returned it, and the pair became mates. Though already having a powerful position by being Ari's advisor, Maalik became something of a co-leader alongside Ari, though he let her do most of the decision-making as the pride had been her idea. He grew to love her more and more, and though the pair had discussed a family, they had never acted upon it.

Then came The Great War. When news reached them by Adanna and Timira that Abel was planning an assault against Ari's father Judas and his pride, Maalik urged for Ari to go. Secretly, he had planned to not be far behind her, as he felt uneasy about her going off on her own. It turned out to have been for the best, as Abel launched his assault not too long after Ari arrived. Leading their pride, Maalik threw himself in between Ari and Abel, and fought Abel himself. Despite being older and bigger, Maalik proved less to be a powerful match against Abel. He was gourged severely, and he died, not before seeing Ari one last time.

Family History:

Great-Great-Great Grandparents: Joe and Gbemisola

Great-Great Grandparents: Mohatu and Thema

Great-Great Grand Uncle: Emeka

Great-Great Aunt: Asabi

Great Grandparents: Ahadi and Uru

Great-Grand Aunts: Nakato, Kanika

Great-Grand Uncles: Bakari, Asante

Grandparents: Mufasa and Sarabi

Great Uncles: Scar, Mega, Uzoma

First-Cousins: Nuka, Zara, Reno, Ekene

Uncles: Judas, Gotto, Simba, Tojo

Aunt: Aboyo

Third-Cousins: Kayode, Ari, Zuri, Kesi, Jalena, Jiro, Kayin, Lindiwe, Gwandoya, Ayodele, Erevu, Duni, Kopa, Kiara, Firion, Jengo, Adwin, Ngosi, Katura, Hasani, Duka, Rena, Sarafina, Abrafo, Gacheru, Winta

Fourth-Cousins: Zainabu, Abeni, Ayira, Lesedi, Adanna, Abel, Rahim, Akachi, Zaina, Caius, Tafari, Thairu

Fifth-Cousins: Nkechi, Nkiru