Shani: 'Curiosity' (Swahili)

Age: Uru's generation
Pride Affiliation: Pridelands (birth), Northlands (choice)

Father: Mohatu
Mother: Ingine
Siblings: Uru (half-sister)
Other Relations: Teseka (uncle)

Mate: Kaaroonet
Cubs: Chanzo, Nyigu, Ukali, Mchanga

Likes: Being alone, spending time by the river
Dislikes: Large crowds, the Pridelands

Personality: One might call Shani a loner, but she likes it like that. She is seldom seen in a large crowd, and is happiest with her family or by the riverside, where she can be at peace.

Bio:

Shani's birth was an accident.

Right from the start, Mohatu had never meant anything to come from his and Ingine's relationship, as he already had his Queen. But there was something about Ingine, something that drove him, made his blood burn for her. Of course, Queen Jaris had no knowledge, so it was fine. What she didn't know couldn't kill her, right?

But Shani was born, in a cave near the Pridelands, where Ingine was left alone in her suffering. Mohatu could not be with her for the birthing, which pained Ingine enough for her to leave him. He was happy with Jaris, so why risk breaking it all up?

As soon as Shani can walk, her mother plans to take her to the Northlands, a part of the Empire, where she was born. Shani cannot object, for she is but a cub, but she doesn't like it. She's the Crown Princess, the heir to the throne of the Pridelands, and a potential Empress-Queen. How dare her mother make her leave?

The journey takes them many days, and as soon as they cross the border, Ingine collapses. Shani is terrified; she doesn't know where to go, what to do, who to call for help and whether or not her mother will be okay. So she waits.

A kindly stranger approaches them, a Northerner, by his markings and accent. He carries Ingine on his back despite Shani's protests and scoops her up in his powerful jaws. What does he plan to do with Shani and her mother?

The stranger deposits them in a small cave near a river, where he tells Shani to sleep. She doesn't dare, not while her mother's life is in the stranger's paws, so she waits, while the stranger takes Ingine outside and lays her by the riverbed. He chants something in an unknown language, something inaudible to Shani's ears. He gathers up plants and herbs and crushes them until their juice flows. He gives the juice to Ingine, and takes her back to the cave. Shani falls to sleep; she is tired, and she can't keep up with what just went on.

It turns out that the stranger is Ingine's brother, Shani's uncle, and he is overjoyed when Ingine wakes the morning after. But Ingine insists on leaving; she has to get to the Northerner Pride. And she does - she leaves very soon after she wakes, Shani in tow, and finds the Pride very quickly. The leader there, Lord Mchungaji, is the High Priest of the Pride, and welcomes them. It is then that Shani learns about the strange Northerner beliefs, and she is fascinated by them.

Shani grows up in this environment, and becomes Lead Huntress when she comes of age. She meets a young male, Kaaroonet, one a solo hunt, and befriends him. It turns out he used to live in the Northlands, but he left - he was the son of the High Priest, and the responsibility was too much weight on his shoulders.

When Shani discovers she is carrying Kaaroonet's cubs, she is overjoyed. Her mother, however, is not. The older lioness is harsh and tries to persuade Mchungaji to exile her from the pride, but Mchungaji does not. After all, she carries his grandchildren, and that is enough for him. Kaarooonet returns to the pride, welcomed with open arms.

Shani births four cubs, two males and two females. She names the males Chanzo and Nyigu, and the females Ukali and Mchanga. 

When the cubs come of age and are capable of taking care of themselves, Kaaroonet and Shani flee the Northlands without a trace, determined to live out the rest of their days by themselves. 

Relation to TLK: Mohatu's daughter

Bases: Wolfgirl50