Shijima, The Silenced One
"Beware, the wrath of the silence."
Silenced for his ability to use the lich fire, Shijima is a mysterious sort, observing the area around him with a calm, indifferent gaze. The leather that holds his mouth closed is reinforced with metal, the bones that decorate his fur and body fused into his skin. He is powerful, often underestimated until he actually begins to fight. If there were a creature to fear, it would be Shijima when the muzzle is removed.
Formerly known as Scoria
As a cub, Scoria was distanced from his pride, preened as a strong fighter but never really shown kindness. He lived this way for a year, praised for his unique strengths but never told how to use them. As such, he closed himself off from many, secluding into the nights and leaving the pride.
He wandered for a long while until he came upon an odd skull-wearing Primal who took in Scoria's odd appearance, offering the silent cub a place in his pride. The Primal wore the skull of a human for a necklace, claws dipped in gold that showed off the sharpness of them. He was awfully scarred up, but still well within his prime. Figuring it would be no harm, Scoria took his offer, gaining the king's name in return; Skairo.
Skairo was an odd king. He had a sister that lead the pride with him, another Primal called Kurama. Skairo and Kurama shared the tasks of the pride together, and it was Kurama who first showed Scoria the kindness he'd never known from his own mother and original pride. Scoria was introduced to a scarred, oddly horned male called Black Steel, the sub male tasked with training Scoria on the habits of the pride.
Scoria and Black Steel patrolled many times per day, with Black Steel teaching Scoria what to do or expect. Sometimes they brought things back, other times they didn't. The two males grew close, with Scoria seeing the black primal male as a brother. During this time, the more latent powers of his came forth, and during the night his skin sprouted bones and glowed with an underlying blue glow. The queen of the pride, Khione gently helped Scoria through the odeal, letting the cub dig into her legs as wings spattered with embers and sun-glow sprouted from his back by force.
Khione patiently let Scoria breath through the agony of his transformation, wisely advising him that until the young lion could control the flames, to keep his mouth muzzled closed so that he did not harm his pridemates. Scoria, instead of being appaled by this suggestion, only nodded and pulled the muzzle and other leather straps on. From then on, the lion was mute, which suited him just fine.
The silent lion continued his travels with Black Steel, the older lion not minding his new silence, instead filling it with stories of the old king and what he was like. Scoria was glad, that despite no longer wishing to speak and now staying mute, that his pride did not think any worse of him.
Skairo eventually approached him with an offer that took Scoria by complete surprise; to take over the pride when he had to retire. The Primal was getting on in years, definitely, but it was not a request Scoria had expected. Still, humbled by the ask, he agreed.
After a time, Skairo finally stepped down as the king, letting Scoria take place at the head. With wings flared outwards, he denounced his old name for one more fitting; Shijima. With his new name, the king stepped forwards to lead the pride.
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