𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕞𝕒𝕤' 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪
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Lurker in dreams and pride interpreter, ᴅɪꜱᴍᴀꜱ serves as more than mere king to his den-mates. With the assistance of his seers, he takes his role of protecting and serving them very seriously. His gentle gaze and soft paws hide beneath a stern and protective personality that seeks, above all, to keep his pride safe
at all costs.
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕂𝕦𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕒 ℙ𝕣𝕚𝕕𝕖 - ℝ𝕠𝕝𝕖𝕤
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𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐫 (𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠) - ᴅɪꜱᴍᴀꜱ, leader of the pride and dreamwalker. Reads from dreams and assists in interpreting the prophet(ess)'s visions.
𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭(𝐞𝐬𝐬) - 𝓢𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓮, receives visions from an unnamed entity, can loosely interpret these visions on their own or seek out ᴅɪꜱᴍᴀꜱ for assistance.
𝐀𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫 - 𝓣𝓱𝔂𝓻𝓪, mediator and settler of disputes within the pride, as well as with external disputes (whether between prides or species).
𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 - 𝓜𝓪𝓮𝓻𝓪, 𝓐𝓵𝓮𝓴𝓽𝓱𝔂𝓼, crucial for the pride's health, hunt and provide for Kuranga. They get first pick of prey.
𝐃𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 - 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓵𝓮𝓲𝓪, caretakers of cubs while pridemates are away, are capable of adopting even the youngest of cubs.
𝐂𝐮𝐛𝐬 - 𝓘𝓸𝓷𝓮, will receive their permanent role upon reaching maturity. Many cubs will leave the pride in search of their own purposes and they are encouraged to explore as they wish.
𝐙𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐫𝐬 - 𝓔𝓹𝓱𝔂𝓻𝓪, 𝓝𝓮𝓹𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓮, temporary residents of Kuranga's pride. Primarily lionesses, they seek out ᴅɪꜱᴍᴀꜱ for company and safety, traveling once they recover their strength. Some may leave their cubs (those born outside and inside the pride) in the 𝐃𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 care.
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕂𝕦𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕒 ℙ𝕣𝕚𝕕𝕖 - 𝕆𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕚𝕟𝕤
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The collection of lionesses, cubs, and sub males wasn't always his. The nomadic group, once known as the Kuranga pride, was ruled over by Morosi, whose bloodied claws and fangs fell upon friend just as often as foe. They wandered, no regard to territories or their kin, only leaving corpses in their wake. The few lionesses who attempted to flee his iron rule were silenced, often for good.
Morosi, however, was arrogant. And that alone would prove his downfall.
When ᴅɪꜱᴍᴀꜱ appeared on the dusk-darkened horizon, his hulking, intimidating form contrasting his quizzical, soft gaze, the leader of the Kuranga pride was swift to address this newfound threat to his ego. He sought to kill the stranger, turn him into a lesson to those few that survived his long rule. But as he pursued the fleeing stranger, he became acutely aware of the shimmering figures that stalked him, cloaked in the mist of the day's end.
A hulking beast of a king, Morosi was no easy fight. And yet, as the strange forms ambushed him, he found no purchase on their glowing fur, no blood being shed with each bite or swipe of a thorn-clawed paw. While he roared and snarled at his attackers, they were horrifyingly silent as they overwhelmed him.
The spirits had no struggles as they tore into his pelt. Their fangs and claws were measured in their strikes, their glossy, luminous eyes narrowed into slits. The hatred that spilled from the torrent of phantoms was personal, never letting up their barrage of attacks until they were certain he would not recover. Once his body had collapsed into the prickly, dried grass beneath his paws, their translucent figures vanished.
And as Morosi's life began to fade from his sagging, bleeding form, ᴅɪꜱᴍᴀꜱ merely gazed upon him with apathy. Even as he witnessed this strong lion's death, the primal male appeared unshaken by the ethereal assault that had occurred only seconds ago.
Once again, the standing lion tilted his head inquisitively, not saying a word as the eyes of the great tyrant before him began to darken.
The Kuranga pride was no longer ruled over by a cruel and merciless king, and the few of the pride that survived Morosi's rule were quick to stay by the side of their savior, despite unknowing fully what happened during that dusk several moons ago.
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Art by Bluebell (#281374)
