Name: Nyimak (Means “Small Fire” in African)

Gender: Female

Parents: Unknown (Deceased)

Siblings: None

Crush/Mate: Raimi (Formerly, deceased); Zarah (crush/future mate)

Rival(s): Lesedi

Cubs: Alitaka and Merlissa (Adopted/Step daughter)

Strengths: Tracking, hunting, not afraid to speak her mind, isn’t easily offended, fighting (verbally)

Weaknesses: Says things that can make others her enemies, fighting (physically), does things that she regrets immensely  

Likes: Zarah, Maalik, Raimi, relaxing, being with Zarah, playing with cubs, taking with her pridemates, eating, sunbathing

Dislikes: Her father, hyenas, fires, making mistakes, hurting her friends (verbally), her pride in danger, Zarah being unhappy

Personality: Is very snarky and impulsive. She has a sharp tongue with a temper to match, and is quite nasty to those she detests. She’s extremely blunt, and has no problem whatsoever with going up to your face and telling you what’s on her mind. Most that know her think she’s rude and a piece of work, but to those who see the better side of her have a friend for life; she’s not all sweet and friendly, even to those she likes, but she’s still genuinely good friend. She’s loyal, and stands by her word at all cost, and does whatever she can to keep them safe, even at the cost of hurting them.

History: Nyimak’s mother, (while she was pregnant with Nyimak), was returning to her pride after going out for a little walk when a rogue lion viciously attacked her. Nyimak’s mother fought her best, but was no match for the lion, and only when her mate and few pridemates went out to find her did the rogue eventually leave. Nyimak’s mother was kept under close watch, and stayed by her mate’s side at all times, but despite being careful about what she did, her wounds eventually grew infected, and she grew extremely ill. When it was time to give birth, Nyimak’s mother was very weak, and as a result died while giving birth to a very weak and frail Nyimak. Her father grew extremely defensive and overprotective over his cub (And also developed an extremely deep hatred for rogues/lone lions), due to his mate’s death and his daughter’s state of weakness. He named her Nyimak, which means ‘small fire’, because he knew, like a fire, his cub would be strong and not be put out easily.

As Nyimak grew, her father noticed that, despite being born as a frail and fragile cub, she was becoming very robust and almost fearless. He had immense pride in his cub for her hardiness, but despite Nyimak’s growing progress in health, her father was extremely overprotective of her, and had to know what she was doing at all times; in or not in his sight.

As she grew into a young teen, Nyimak became more rebellious, and often went against her father’s wishes; sneaking away from him and not paying attention to him whenever he lectured her for not listening to him in the first place. During one of the numerous times she snuck off on her own, she was wondering about, doing her own little thing, when she literally bumped into a strange new lion, who was about her age. Despite her father’s lectures about lions aside of the pride being cruel and evil, Nyimak was rather intrigued by this new face, and her first response to him was to know his name. The lion was rather reluctant to tell, but after being curiously interrogated by Nyimak, he told her his name. She immediately told him her name, and before long, the two were happily chatting away before Nyimak eventually bid him farewell and went back to her pride, where she went through another of her father’s lectures.

Over the next few days, Nyimak kept seeking out to find Raimi, happy to be with someone outside of her pride. She found him yet again, and they agreed to meet. Over the next few weeks, the two grew closer and closer, until they both were deeply in love with one another. One night, during their meetings, the two mated, just to ensure their bond together.

That same night, when Nyimak was making her way back to her pride, her father confronted her. He furiously called her out for mating with a rogue, and Nyimak grew furious with him that he had followed her. Her father said that she better break things off with the rogue or else he would. Nyimak knew that her father would kill Raimi, and with an extremely heavy heart went to find Raimi, who was still at the spot where she left him. She quietly went towards him and told him that things needed to end between them. He was baffled, and questioned her, but Nyimak turned his questions down and told him to go. And then she watched as her first love left her, and unknown to her, it would be the last time she would see him. She returned back to her pride and then, it was her turn to confront her father. She called him out and her relationship with her father shattered. She explained her hate for him and that she never wanted anything to do with him ever again.

The next morning, when one of the patrols of the pride came back, they announced that hyenas were pushing into the lands, and that a few lions were already dead near the northern border. Nyimak realized that was where Raimi left, and after a brief fight with her father about checking the area, she eventually bolted away towards the northern border, where she found it; Raimi’s scarred and ragged body. She collapsed beside his body, and stayed there for the rest of the day, mourning her mate’s death.

The next morning she covered Raimi’s body with what she could find, and with one last farewell, returned to her pride, where she attacked her father and viciously told him about Raimi, all the while crying and taking all of her rage out on him for Raimi’s death. The pride quickly got Nyimak separated from her father, and after discovering Raimi dead, Nyimak being secluded and withdrawn from the pride, her father especially, and would often go off on her own to where Raimi’s body was, and just sit there quietly and think about the past and her times shared with Raimi.  

Over the next few days rain was barely falling, and it grew very hot: the dry season was approaching. And in the dry season, fires were always a risk. It just so happened that a wildfire did occur, and Nyimak’s pride was caught in it. Thy all bolted for safety, but only Nyimak survived the fire. She sadly left the land, filled with mixed emotions, and traveled for a long time, and she even ended up in the desert. She was starving, parched, and close to exhaustion, and was accepting the fact that she could die. However, she was saved by an angel in the form of another lioness, Zarah, who was a bit older then her. They both had fled the fire and were the only survivors of the pride, and they also were both alone and in need of a companion, so they joined together as companions.

They journeyed together for a while, growing closer and closer until they were both best friends. They shared their secrets with each other and knew everything about one another. They were wandering together, still in the desert, when they ran into a pride of lions and lioness. Nyimak was immediately defensive, but the leaders of the pride, Ari and Maalik explained that they weren’t looking for trouble. Zarah calmed Nyimak down, and talked to Ari and Maalik. Ari then asked if they wanted to join the pride, and though Nyimak was nervous about it, Zarah convinced her to go with it, and so she did.

As the pride traveled, Nyimak grew used to living with a lot of lions again, and at the same time she developed a strong attraction to Maalik. She knew that he had a mate though, Ari, and although she never spoke of her attraction to him to anyone, not even Zarah, she continued to admire him from a distance, wishing of what it would be like if they were together.  

Over time though, Nyimak’s feelings for Maalik ultimately subdued, and new feelings rose in the lions place; feelings for Zarah. Nyimak was extremely confused over how she felt, and was baffled at her feelings for Zarah, but she couldn’t deny them and knew that she was developing a crush on her best friend. Ever since she and Zarah joined the pride, Nyimak was extremely defensive of Zarah, but after feelings for her arose, she became possessive of her friend and always stayed with her.

Soon Nyimak noticed that another lioness, Lesedi, was trailing after Zarah. Feeling extremely jealous she got snappy towards Lesedi, who was slowly yet surely gaining a friendship with Zarah. Soon Nyimak's jealousy boiled over and she physically attacked the opposing lioness.

Zarah was furious and she and Nyimak got into a huge (verbal) fight, with Zarah defending Lesedi and Nyimak expressing her hurt that Zarah was abandoning her. The two came to the conclusion to break off their bond, and they did, and after this Zarah left the pride momentarily. Nyimak grew extremely secluded and often stayed to herself, bitterly watching as the pride went on in their daily life.

In this withdrawn state Nyimak learned that she was pregnant with Raimi's cub. She was petrified and desperately wanted to tell someone, and even though she and Zarah had cut off each other, deep down Zarah was her best friend and she needed her. So, the younger lioness sought out her friend, and told her that she was pregnant, and terrified. Zarah consoled her about it, and Nyimak spilled that in their time away she had missed Zarah more then ever and that she needed her. The two rekindled their bond, and revealed their feelings for each other, and in turn, became mates.

And though Nyimak trusted that Zarah felt no feelings but friendship for Lesedi, it was still a long way before she would actually trust the lioness, but with Zarah's encouragement it wouldn't be too long before she did.

More Soon~

Relation to TLK: Is pridemates with Ari, the granddaughter of Mufasa and Sarabi.

Body base (c) SixNewAdventures