How Merethal came to be...
Merethal was but a cub when his old pride was torn apart in a battle. He saw his pride, his family, die right in front of him, and his pride leader did nothing to stop it. He decided it was time to leave, sneaking away after saying final goodbyes to his friends. After weeks, maybe months, of travel - and barely avoiding some quite detrimental situations - he finds himself in the land of Nyria; a land of… well… mediocre lions. The ruler, Haul, was kind, despite his mediocre appearance and name. Haul had managed to claim and rule over many lions and territory during his reign, but Merethal could tell he was getting a bit old.
Not many lions got to rule to such an old age; Haul was considerably lucky, and Merethal knew this. He admired him. Haul would occasionally find Merethal staring as he trained the other cubs, ate, or fought off intruders. Merethal wanted to rule a pride just like Haul did - he wanted to be him.
Some months passed and Merethal grew older - an adult finally. His old caretaker, Tyima, had spent her remaining years in Nyria caring for the new heir, Merethal - a name she had decidedly given him. It meant “primal” and “born in memory of”. He would ask her what she meant by the second half of his name; born in memory of who? He had assumed Haul, but Tyima denied it. Of course, she never told him, saying he would find out if he ever dug deep enough into the past of the pride. He figured “digging in the past” would be simply asking about it, but according to Tyima, it was more than that.
Soon, Tyima passed; and later, so did Haul. Merethal has had no time to grieve; he is the new pride leader… a king… He is Merethal Valam, as he named himself. As he picked up the shattered pieces of the pride - all grief-struck by the two recent and detrimental deaths - he created new roles in the pride, starting with “Valam”, a role fitted for a king and queen.
He continues on piecing together the pride; a better one than Haul had left. He recalls those awful days as a cub in his old pride; how they would constantly be at the throats of other prides - evil, hateful, and cruel. He would be worried everyday that someone he loved would be killed in it all. He aims to achieve so much more and create a living paradise for those under his care, never having to worry for their own lives, but will he be able to? Or will he have to hope that the heir he chooses after him will pick up where he left off?
"mare-eh-th-all" "v-a-lum"
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