Ancestors to Guide Me
♪ Sleeping at Last - In Her Honor ♪
The Tale of the Exiled Six
Quina Harta is one of six cubs exiled by Dohali when the tyrant first took power, the other five being Eiravati, Jian, Nangai, Rukan the Gray, and Felicina. These cubs were chosen because they were the last born under Sanu Kavya's rule, and Dohali wanted to make a show of dominance over the already-frightened Pride by tossing these youngest lions to the desert to die. This move was met with opposition from their mothers, of course. Firrah and Charoo were elderly and badly wounded after trying to protect their daughters, and they later died from their wounds. Meanwhile, Hitakshi and Rennie the Humble were easily held at bay by the pridemembers who welcomed Dohali's rule. With help from such lions, the new Queen took hold of the children and brought them to the farthest reaches of the Pride's territory. Eiravati was the oldest, having just turned two, and assumed the leader role with Quina to help her on hunts. The second oldest, Felicina, began caring for the three younger cubs: Nangai and Rukan the Gray at seven months, and Jian at five. They managed to survive this way for about four months, hiding in a cave they'd found away from the border of their home and munching on the small prey that their two hunters managed to catch. Quina had reached two years of age at this point, and was jolted awake one night by distant thunder. She'd grown uneasy during her exile despite her lazy nature, and got up to pace and calm herself down after she noticed nobody else had been woken up by the far-away storm. Sat just outside the den, Quina decided to keep watch for a while, and peered past the haze created by incoming rain clouds.
"You should move spots. That storm is going to be harsh." A sudden voice made Quina jump, but it was unfamiliar. She glanced to her side and noticed a lioness she'd never seen before sat next to her. Something seemed off, however, as the lioness' purplish fur seemed to be shimmering just the slightest bit. Her heart raced, but a strange peace was also present. Quina felt as though she could trust this stranger.
"You think so?" She replied, tilting her head and watching as the lioness faced her with a nod and a smile.
"I know so," the stranger said, "My name's Niharika, but you might have heard of me through nursery stories under the name Stormhowler."
She was right, Quina had been told stories of the Stormhowler before.
"But, the Stormhowler died over a decade ago..."
"You know your history." Niharika cut Quina off with a tail over the confused lioness' muzzle as she passed in front of her. She suddenly looked worried. "I'm sorry about what happened to you cubs," She said, settling down directly in front of Quina after pacing some, "and I'm sorry about what's to come."
"What do you mean?" Quina still hadn't quite wrapped her head around speaking to a dead lion, and had no clue what Niharika was apologizing for. She watched as the old lioness glanced to the ground and tapped her tail anxiously, obviously trying to figure out how to explain. After a few minutes, Niharika opened her mouth,
"There's a storm coming, but not in the weather. I'm afraid you specifically have a long journey ahead of you."
Quina still wasn't quite grasping it, "What?" She said, jumping again when a shimmering lion stepped from the cave to join Niharika. The Stormhowler looked relieved, and let out a sigh.
"Sorry for spooking you," the lion said kindly, "I'm Khadir Nal, the second king of the Pride of Western Winds." He paused, but Quina was too speechless to question, so he continued, "Niharika here is only mildly prophetic, so what she sees is accurate but fuzzy. We'd be able to explain better had one of the former Healers been called to watch over the Pride after their time, but instead they went to join the Celestial Lions. Trust what we tell you now, and embrace the powers we give. You've been chosen to protect those still loyal to the Good ways Christiano began for our pride. We don't know exactly what will happen, but there will be war within the Pride."
Quina scrunched her face up trying to process this, lowering herself to the ground in thought.
"Why me? Eiravati's the leader of us six, and I'm pretty sure she and Felicina have stronger blood ties to the Pride than I do."
"Blood isn't everything," Khadir Nal explained, "This Pride didn't originate from blood, after all. It became what it was from the goodness of those who comprised it, and that often stemmed from the lions brought in, not bred."
Niharika spoke up after the King completed his explanation, "Like your mother, Niroj. Sanu Kavya brought her in after finding her abandoned at the Tree. Dohali only seeks to destroy and feel in power, and that kind of leadership has no room for kindness. We've come to give you the strength to help return the Pride to Good."
"You've a long way to go yet," Khadir Nal said, his starshine eyes warm, "but you've got us to help you through it." As he finished, a little more than twenty new shimmering lions appeared behind him, each looking encouraging. The second King stepped forward and lowered his nose to touch Quina's, and the living lioness shuddered. The fallen pridemembers chanted as the her coat rippled with stars and lightened in color, and small fledgling wings sprouted from her shoulders. She felt weak in that moment, but her strength from months of meager meals was gradually returned. She sat up and stretched once Khadir Nal stepped back and the chanting died down, and from that night the ancestors of the Pride of Western Winds told her their stories and helped her grow strong enough to defend the morals set by the first King. Two years passed, and Quina Harta returned to her birthplace with her small gang of exiled lions. With the strength of those past in her corner, the young lioness opened her wings and stood tall against Dohali and her followers.
"We were cubs when you saw us last," she spoke clearly, her voice weaving through the trees and across the river as though she were right next to each individual lion, "but we've grown in strength since then, and have come to return this Pride to Good."
At her sentence's end, Quina unfurled her wings, now fully grown, over her companion's shoulders. She called to those who did not feel at home under Dohali, urging them to follow their little group to a different part of the territory. There, they would keep to their traditions and morals while they searched for an heir that shared the ideals Christiano founded the Pride in. Many lions stepped forth. Some where attacked by Dohali and her supporters as they tried to reach the Exiled Six, and a fight broke out within the pride. Lions on both sides perished, and when the dust settled, each side was tired.
"We will return," Quina Harta vowed, "your reign will not last."
Thus, the Pride of Western Winds was divided into two groups: the New Rule, which welcomed Evil; and the Old Rule, whose members sought fervently for a new leader and devised plans to take back their home. Most of the Exiled Six stayed within the Old Rule, despite two having conflicting natures. Rukan the Gray, however, came to view her exile as a test of strength. Not long into the civil war, she defected and returned to Dohali.
bronze >> hallowed
Sleeping Quina sighs when you call her. She slowly sits up and forces a happy greeting, then goes back to sleep when you're no longer paying much attention.
Qᵤᵢₙₐ ₕₐᵣₜₐ lets out a loud yawn mixed with your name, then she starts bathing her paws, forgetting you just arrived.
Qᵤᵢₙₐ ₕₐᵣₜₐ grumbles a hello from between her paws, very busy sunbathing laid back with her legs wide open.
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