𝙨𝙝𝙚/𝙝𝙚𝙧 | 𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙨 🐠 | 𝙡𝙙𝙩+3

ＬＩＯＮＳ　ＦＯＲ　ＳＡＬＥ　 | 　ＡＲＴ　ＳＨＯＰ　 | 　ＳＩＤＥ　ＡＣＣＯＵＮＴ　

the tale of persephone

written by TabbyBri (#430441)

The huntress stalked her prey, silent step after silent step. The target was entirely unaware of the one-and-a-half-year-old lioness' ghost-like approach. One more step... Persephone shoved against the ground and pounced forward, landing on top of her victim with a victorious growl. She bit down upon the neck of her prey-

"Whoa!" the young male lion shouted, springing upward and sending the laughing Persephone toppling off of his narrow back. "What on earth?" He scowled at the laughing gray-and-white female where she laid on her back, one paw resting on her chest as she chuckled. "Oh, yeah, just sneak up on the sleeping lion..." He huffed.

"Sorry," Persephone chuckled. "It was just too easy." Rising to her paws smoothly, she smiled at her older cousin. "So, your coronation is tomorrow. Are you excited?"

The young male, Pistós, chuffed. "Well, I was calmly sleeping, but now I think you scared some gray fur into me." He eyed her mottled pelt. "Not like you would find that a problem, I guess." He shrugged. "Eh, gonna be king tomorrow. Big deal." He eyed her sideways, then smirked. "Duh, I'm excited, Persephone! Wouldn't you be?"

This, of course, was true, and Persephone smiled at her uncle's son, knowing his father, the king, was equally proud to see the young male rise to the throne.
---
One year later, Persephone watched in alarm as Pistós backed away, panting, before the attack of an older, larger male, one who had come to challenge the young king for the throne. The challenger, a well-muscled lion of around five-years-old, swatted hard at Pistós, knocking the four-year-old lion to the ground. Pistós groaned as the challenger pinned him, and Persephone lunged forward as she saw the male about to end her cousin's life.

Slamming into his side, she sent him stumbling, then stood protectively over her cousin's injured form. “No, stop!” she begged. “You have won – you're the new king. Just allow Pistós to live!”

The larger male lion snarled, angry at her interruption, and swatted her to the dirt. Glaring down at Persephone for a moment, the new king snorted. “He can live. I doubt he'll prove to be a problem with that injured leg of his, anyway.” Still, he stalked forward and placed one paw on Pistós' flank, lowering his teeth until they hovered over the side of the young lion, who lay still, trembling beneath the dominant male. “Do you yield?” the challenger demanded. “If you submit to me and will serve as my sub-male, you may live. Otherwise, I will kill you. I will not have any uprisings, do you understand?”

Pistós panted quietly for a moment, his gaze darting from Persephone to the king who held sway over his life. “I... I submit,” he choked. “You are the new king, as Persephone said.”
---
In the following days, Persephone cared as best she could for her injured cousin. Their new king had been correct; Pistós had been made lame during the battle for the crown, with one hind leg having been broken and subsequently healing awkwardly. While Pistós was otherwise healthy, he would not be fighting again; certainly not against the larger, dominant ruler. Their new king ruled the pride decently enough, but to Persephone, he remained a source of frustration and anger. She would not forgive him for the injuries he had inflicted on her cousin, who surely deserved better. Regardless, she was thankful that Pistós had been spared.

However, three moons later, as Persephone came into heat, her cousin warned her that their new king had begun to view Persephone as a potential mate. Knowing her feelings towards the king, Pistós asked Persephone to obey one final order from her former ruler – leave their pride and build herself a good life. Pistós wished to remain behind to care for his pride mates who remained, but of his cousin, he wished not to see her become the mate of a lion whom she so disliked. Reluctant to say goodbye to Pistós and her other pride mates, Persephone nonetheless agreed, and under the cover of night she left her pride's lands behind, traveling outside its boundaries with the goal, simply, of living her own life as she best saw fit.
----
As the days passed, Persephone traveled the Savannah, and soon found a group of young lions, little more than cubs, who had been abandoned by prides who had no use for them. Having gathered together beneath the sheltering branches of a tree, the young lions regarded Persephone warily, but soon realized her kindness. They submitted, with abandon, to her nuzzles and licks, quickly attaching themselves to her as a small, motley pride.

Not long after, Persephone and her small group found themselves in new lands, seemingly unoccupied by any lion pride. Here, she made her home, and began to patrol her new territory, making it her own. Here, with the young lions whom she had found abandoned, she formed a new pride. All of those who joined her pride understood that Persephone was their queen, as she carried with her a regal air; one of competence, generosity, and kindness that made all who visited feel at home.

Queen Persephone had found where she belonged.

goals:
[] have a cub born with a lethal mutation
[] have a first gen leopon or tigon born

pending art:
- 6gb fullbody - unpaid