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(A grumpy little cub brought home from the Giving Tree, Maalum is named for her beautiful strawberry coat. Her foster mother is Sandstone.)
Maalum grows up loved and cherished in the Kalahari Pride, but when an opportunity pops up across the border, she leaps at the chance.
Dahlia is the one who discovers Niko-Hai, a nearby rogue with a small territory. She relays this information to Maalum, who comes up with a plan. Niko-Hai has no pride of his own, and many of Brond’s younger lionesses have been getting that itch to move on…so Dahlia, Maalum and Mzuka cross the border one day ask to join Niko-Hai’s pride. He accepts, of course. Why wouldn’t he? Shortly, Wema follows….
Maalum is thrilled when her takeover plan goes off without a hitch! She fully expects to be named queen, as is her right, so when Wema takes that INTERLOPER Asta instead…her fury knows no bounds. Then, to add insult to injury, Wema’s first litter of cubs are conceived with Unastahili, who is neither Queen nor Hunt Chief. Maalum stews quietly, waiting for her own cubs to be born. If she can bear a son surely Wema will see her potential.
She instead has a daughter, and curses her rotten luck. Though…the little runt is kinda cute…
(The cub is called Timira, and grows up loved, her mother couldn’t help it. She becomes an excellent huntress, and leaves the pride as an adult.)
Her second litter doesn’t yield a son either, but one of her daughters is born with a flawless albino coat, a good omen! Maalum is incredibly proud of little Hatimaye. Finally, a sign of her worth.
Her third and fourth litters are uneventful. Strong cubs, beloved, but all girls. And, none feel the need to stay in the pride as adults, not with the enticing Wide World at the feet. Then, Queen Delilah, who displaced Queen Asta, passes. AND, Asta has recently born cubs with another king. While that’s technically allowed, Wema was very offended, and did not reinstate Asta as Queen. Maalum’s glee turns to greed when Wema approaches her instead.
When Maalum FINALLY bears her long-awaited son, Wema keeps his word and names her Queen. She will not reign long, already being in the winter of her life, but she intends to make the most of her times. And, she intends that her son will be king.
Unfortunately, Maalum doesn’t even get to see her son reach adulthood; her age catches up to her two months before his second birthday, when she takes a midday nap and never wakes up. She is greatly missed, despite her aggressive and unforgiving nature, because she was one of the founding members of the pride, and always one of the strongest.
Her daughter, Hatimaye, accepts her mother’s passing with as much grace as she can, but young Moto is lost without her guidance. The prince is used to the strict routine of life with his mother, and without her firm paw, finds himself floundering. For the first time in his life, he has no one to tell him what to do. Soon, he is seen in the company of Crown Prince Yowë…
First litter:
1. Timira: female, adopted then chased 😔
Second litter:
1. Hasira: female, chased
2. Hatimaye: female, kept
Third litter:
1. Mwasi: 794208573081 female, chased
2. Tangawazi: 794208573082 female, chased
Fourth litter:
1. Maua: 794210734805 female, chased at age 2
2. Kutu: 794210734806 female, chased at age 2
Fifth litter:
1. Moto: male
~You pass by Maalum and nod a greeting. She is smiling calmly, and returns your greeting. That... can't be a good thing. 3x
~Maalum catches your attention - she has an idea! She knows of a secret path into the hyena lands...if everyone uses it to sneak in and destroy everything, perhaps your pride could triumph over them once and for all! 2x
~As you pass by, Maalum glares at you intently until you are fully out of her sight. You still feel uneasy a while afterwards. 3x
~You pass by Maalum lurking in the shadows. She narrows her eyes as she watches you walk by. You are unsure if she is showing contentment or contempt, but it unsettles you. 2x
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