Kishetani

~Newborn cub dialogue~

"He is weak, but not that weak." That was all that King Kuzidiwa said of the newborn Kishetani, an unexpected cub born with his fangs and his mother's form. If he had been born a common lion, like Msaliti's brother was, then he would have been slaughtered or sent to the Gorilla Enclave. Those gray eyes looked up at his mother with surprising intelligence after they first opened; he wasn't like her, or like his father, but he was unique. He would be allowed to live, just like Kusho, because he was a mutant.

Like all children whose mothers had given their worth through their offspring, Kishetani's faced execution just like her two common sons that she'd also had at the same time he was born. Kuzidiwa's rule was that common lionesses were allowed to live so long as they produced mutants of interest or status, but now that Kishetani was born, she could stay until he was weaned, and then her throat would be in the king's teeth.

The tiny babe knew none of this, of course. He nursed, grew strong, listened, watched and learned as well as any cub below five months of age did. He was practically ignored by the king, but the females in the pride all took care of him. They would need to because Kuzidiwa would end the mother's life before he got a clear image of her face in his mind. There would be no reason to remember someone he decided wasn't worth the memory.

Kishetani would be changed forever by this. For once, Kuzidiwa succeeded with one of his surviving offspring. He would have a son that would grow to murderously hate him.

~Cub dialogue~

By the time he was a mature cub, Kishetani showed off his growing fangs with pride and intrigue to any cubs alive in the pride, often more than once so he could get as many compliments as possible. They were proof of his lineage, of his royal birth and right to status. His older sister Isihe thought it was adorable, but didn't let it get to his head. Such fangs could prove as dangerous to others as they were to him; they could be weapons to keep threats away, or perhaps human hunters would decide his head would be handsome upon a wall. Maybe poachers would want them grounded up into powder for lands far away.

So, Kishetani curbed his attitude and practiced showing off in secret. He was the most interesting and attractive cub in the pride--in the sense that it seemed like all the predators and scavengers came after him first because he couldn't blend in as well and because he made a show of his presence. To keep him from getting killed, in addition to having Isihe watch over him, Prince Msaliti was assigned to help him train.

The prince, at first, was confused and slightly disturbed. He actively made an effort to avoid his younger siblings, especially since his common brother was killed by their father. He eventually relented because Vuka, in Yenza's body, convinced him that one day he would also sire cubs of his own. This would be the perfect training, outside of combat and patrol, that would help him be a better protector one day.

In this manner, the prince started to heal his wounds over losing his brother by bonding with an even younger one. If the king noticed their care for each other, he made no effort to stop them. Kishetani would live as a submale and Msaliti would be king, so it would be up to the younger primal to decide how he wanted to treat his "lesser" sibling. To make this attitude apparent, he was even given the cub cave, full of deceased siblings to weaken his morale. It only made the want for revenge stronger with the stench of death.

Together, the younger and older brother grew strong, resilient, and focused on their goal. It wasn't just that King Kuzidiwa would simply claim Msaliti would reign...not while Kishetani was around to help him overthrow their father.

~Adult dialogue~

"Got you!" Khishetani shouted playfully as he ran up to one of Jugram's cubs and tapped them with his paw. He then trotted away, going to another one who wasn't playing with them, and tapped that one. "Got you, too!" Then he ran over to one of the females and pressed his paw down on her forehead. "And you!"

"The mothers are watching the children, grandson," Jugram called as he passed by. "I hear Levi might have some fun playmates who will chase you around. You should go show them your pearly fangs."

"No one has pearlier fangs than my granddad," confidently stated Khishetani. "Mine are just pale shadows of a shiny reflection."

"Don't belittle yourself," came the gruff voice of his older brother. Isiphepho blinked vile eyes at Khishetani. "You are just as worthy as any sabretooth. Your lack of muscles and a short tail do not change that. Lock your teeth with another cat whose fangs match yours, and you will not find yourself lacking strength."

"You're all heart, big bro," chuckled Khishetani. "But we have a lot of work to do. Father's evil didn't just reach our territory, it followed the immortals when they made their way to Jugram and Hilbert. Levi is still chasing off demons that snuck over there during October. It's not just our pride to consider anymore, but all three of them."

"Yes, I know," rumbled the storm-colored king. "Playing with the cubs in each pride is good for them. It makes them stronger. Just as good to protect them from threats."

Jugram yawned and stretched his jaw so far that it cracked before he shook his head, some of the blossoms on his antlers floating off. "I'm making my rounds towards the meeting spot. Levi will show up in a few hours."

"I'll return to my pride," replied Isiphepho. Khishetani jumped at the chance to follow their grandfather.

When they reunited with Levi, the spotted male ran and launched himself at the patched king, rolling head over tail and growling playfully. Afterwards, while the two kings spoke and sat together, Khishetani trotted off into Levi's territory to find his own cubs and lionesses. Many hours later, he finally dragged himself home, still panting with the exertion of running and hiding for so long among the younger generation.

His older brother found him where he always did, tucked in the cave where albino pelts were stored for nesting material. Khishetani did just the same the day before that he did today. He'd do it all over again tomorrow, no doubt.

~~

The only survivor out of three male cubs from an unknown lioness captured by Kuzidiwa, "Kishetani" is the Swahili word for diabolic, earned by his mane type and unpredictable nature. Intended as a "spare heir" if things soured between the primal prince and his father, Kishetani has always been looked down upon by the king otherwise, fueling an intense desire for revenge. This hyperactive son grew up always resenting not just the albino primal king, but rules and pride structure in general. Although he became a fine submale, he was always snapping at anyone who tried to give him due praise; this was because he took that as acceptance of following the rules, which he hated to do. On the other paw, when he brought back things of value, he did admit that those journeys were worth taking (and it usually implied that he snuck into other territories to steal them). Having a thief submale proved surprisingly useful. He could sneak into human camps and make off with all kinds of strange items. This was how the pride later got crafting material for outlandish, un-lionlike things.