Name: Kion
ID: 272725
Personality: kinda aggorant, doesn't care, very blunt
Backstory: "My father wanted me to marry some idiotic brute from some other pride to form an alliance. Ever wondered how he got the veil covering his eyes? I gave him a piece of my mind, now he knows better. He allows me to do what I want. My best friend needed advice on a male she liked. she said; "I could get lost in his eyes for hours, his sweet scent makes me heart crash. Help me, I don't know what to tell him." I thought about it for a second. "If you are 100% sure you want this one, just say that his eyes shine like the moon and that solely his scent is sure to make your step falter." I said bluntly. She glanced at me gratefully. "Thank you so much. You are the best friend anyone could wish for." She threw the words over her shoulder as she bounded out of the cave. So I became the matchmaker of the pride. Lions, male and female, come to me when they need help. Oh! Why I have a snake? Simple, I've had him since birth and he never really left. I don't know why. My hood? You really ask a lot of questions. I think I'd probably be better if the lions didn't have to make eye contact with me. My name?

Black Adder."

I hope you like it. It's short but it's like she talking to someone so I hope it's good.

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That was somehow the only rule I missed, I'll fix it in a bit. Sorry!

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TheBookKid, please read the rules, thank you!

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Ok, so I finally got to writing this contest entry. I'll try to keep it short, but no promises

Name: Uchawi
ID: #251085
Personality: Sharp-tongued, timid with strangers, sometimes acts like a rebellious teenager, is a real sweetie at heart
Backstory:

Black Adder was born to a loving mother and a mostly absent father. And by an absent father, I really mean absent. Monarch was as interested in his daughter as he was in leading the pride. As a cub, it made Adder rather upset. Sure, she had a fantastic mother, but it was her father that she wanted to impress, for him to notice her finally.
To be able to play with him or even just talk to him. Her desperation boiled over one day, and she did something she would regret for the rest of her life.

It was during the dry season. A terrible drought caused many animals to die of hunger or thirst, or just of exposure to the sun. Adder's pride was struggling as well, barely able to find enough food. It was during this time that a forest fire started near the pride's camp. Adder, being a teenager at the time, wanted to prove herself to the pride and to her father, and in a desperate act for attention, rushed into the open flames. She tried to save as many animals as she could, but it quickly stopped mattering after she was trapped by the fire. A fallen branch, engulfed with flames caused her fur to burn. She passed out of the pain and was later found by her pride mates after the flames have subsided.
The Herbalist did everything in their power to treat Adder for her injuries. She survived but ended up with painful sores on her paws and face. She was also permanently blinded by the flames.

For the longest while, Black Adder's life was a misery. She couldn't hunt with the rest of the pride, she could even barely walk without bumping into something. One day, she was unexpectedly visited by the pride's Ìyánífá - Velvet Moon. The lioness was holding a small sack in between her teeth. She dropped it in front of Adder, much to the other lionesses' surprise. Velvet told her that the orishas have big plans for her, therefore they decided to give Adder their blessings. Right after the Ìyánífá said those words, a snake slithered out of the sack. It was a black adder. It slithered up to Adder and coiled itself gently around her neck. She felt a sudden pain in her eyes. She opened them, to see Velvet Moon standing before her. But her vision was blurred and coming from a strange angle. It was only when she moved her head to look at the snake that she found it staring right back at her, and she could see her own burnt face that she knew. She could see through the snake's eyes. Before she could thank the older lioness, or even say anything, she felt a sudden, stabbing pain in her back. Through the eyes of the snake still coiled around her neck, she could see black, feathered wings, growing from her back.

Since that day, it's been way easier for Black Adder to function in the pride. She still couldn't hunt, but she quickly found herself in a different role in the pride. She became a Matchmaker after many of her pride mates asked for her advice regarding their romantic endeavors. She was happy to help them until someone who she'd never expected visited her.

To say Adder was stunned when Monarch of all lions walked up to her would be an understatement. At first, she got defensive. How dare he, after all those years of ignoring her, not giving a damn about what happened to her, now he wanted to talk? And he had the absolute nerve to ask something of her. She growled at him and made sure he knew he wasn't welcomed. That was until she heard those few words escape his mouth: "I'm sorry". It was then that she decided to listen to what he had to say. And he talked. He told her everything. Everything that was heavy on his chest. How he didn't want to be the king in the first place, how he met Windward and the reason why he left the pride for so long. And she listened. She paid attention to every word, as her father poured his heart out in front of her. She calmed him when he cried and encouraged him to get everything out when he was starting to question why he was telling her all of this.

Now, Black Adder has a mission. To help her father, no matter what. She did not forgive him for everything he's done. Not yet at least. However, she feels duty-bound to help him, and maybe she's willing to give him another chance. All she knows is that she'll do everything in her power to help.

Wow, that was long. I knew it would turn out like this. I just couldn't stop writing once I started I hope this entry is alright, and perhaps even interesting (?) Good luck to everyone else who is participating in this contest!

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Name: AJ
ID: #93329

Personality:
A black adder is a type of dangerous and unpredictable snake, which might not be a bad description of Black Adder, despite it not being her namesake. Like her true namesake, a type of giant hyssop, Black Adder did attract a lot of attention, and was quite stubborn, being quite resilient and bold throughout the changing seasons. She often tries to mask her identity, not all that proud of her family, with the mixed opinions on her father and his leadership. She often has a quick temper, and makes impulsive decisions, sometimes with little regard for her own safety. The only thing she seems truly passionate about is helping the woeful romantics of her pride, though there's likely more lurking beneath the surface.

Backstory:
It might not be surprising that the daughter of a king might act out on occasion, but Black Adder was a special case none the less. As Monarch pulled farther and farther from his pride, others started to look to his daughter for solutions to the growing hardships they all faced. It was a lot of pressure for a young lioness, perhaps too much pressure. It drove her to a place of aggression at times, as her rebellious streak really took hold and she broke rules left and right, none of which caught Monarch’s attention in the slightest.

As she dove deeper into her spiral, lashing out against those who sought her attention, and trying to drive the pride away with her mysterious ways, and ornery attitude, there was still one question that always caught her attention, that of love. The pride was quick to realize that most of their questions and woes were met with outbursts, except those of a romantic persuasion. Perhaps it was simply a feeling, somewhere deep in her tortured soul, that her father's true downfall came from matters of the heart, but whatever it was, she found herself titled as the Matchmaker of the pride. Despite her efforts to push others away, she did take pride in her work, trying to help the others sort out their love lives, and the pride took some comfort in having some sort of direction from the daughter of the King. A tiny bit of hope that they could continue to hold onto, and perhaps that tiny bit of hope was why Adder did it.

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Name: Bigmemes
ID:#267700
Personality: Uncaring/low to no empathy, cold, sometimes matchmakes lions to make drama when bored, also rebellious, if you say that she has to do something boring not only will she not do it but neither make the problem worse or do it so wrong that no one asks her to do that again, If you are on her good side then you are on her good side (word of advice: Stay on it.) On her good side (aka a her being your friend) she is a great listener, advise giver and a shoulder to cry on (outside of her job), if she just tolerates you don’t except a shoulder to cry on.

Backstory:
when Black Adder Was born there was not much different form her and the other cub Minus that she was the child of the king. When she was growing, thing she did was... mean at best, some examples but not limited to: Bulling, Stealing, Terrifying other cubs, being mean to other cubs that she or other cubs called a friend, has been accused of starting a fire (that she ACTUALLY has started one can't be confirmed or denied, if you ask her she will just shrug and walk away) and holding a fellow cub's head under water while they were drinking in a nearby lake (when asked why she did it, she said "I didn’t like what they did.") Of course, her mother was worried for her but also she was a cub hopefully she will grow out of it.

Adolescent age was something... She cranked up the evilness up some levels + teen angst, not a fun time for anyone so it’s not talked about much.

she had no idea what she wanted to do when she became an adult. She had already cross out some like being a hunter it’s too boring and repetitive, warrior too much responsibility and all the other jobs was neither too boring, too much responsibility, not entertaining or a lot of work.
One day she was with her father running some errands or something she can’t quite remember and why she was brought with? It was a bigger pride, so it had more Jobs to keep it in control her father thought it was a good idea sense nothing in the pride has caught her interest. What she remembers is wander off and finding something that caught her eye, it was this makeshift tent and it had the words "matchmaker" on it so she went inside to check it out and inside she meet a lioness and from her she learnt about Matchmakers and it cheeked all of the most important boxes
It is interesting
It is entertaining
It wasn't repetitive
and she could have fun with it
sure, it did come with a bit of responsibility, and she had to work to become good at it, but it if she was right about this, then this is the job she wants.

Then she was an young adult, she had begun to travel to nearby prides who had matchmakers to get more advice to become better at it, sure she was good and had trained in her late adolescent age (on other adolescents because they mostly broke up within a month if not 2/3 broke up within the next month, with her advice the second longest was 6 month the first is still going) but she wanted to be better not because she wanted to be the best. She wanted to be as close to impossible to be replaced, she knows that she made enemies with some of the lions in her adolescent age, and some are not willing to let her go off the hook so easily or are holding a grudge against her. She knows that some even had plans to sabotage her in some way and it was not just her losing her place as a matchmaker, some wanted to get her as close to dead without killing her, but she always had a counter plan to hit them back with. That’s when the first round of rumors spread: that She hears and sees everything all at once, some even said that her shadow had a par of ears around the pride. The rumors did not last whey long.

When she had visited all the nearby pride that was less than a day to get too and back form, then 3 days to get to and back and then a week. she discovered that She cuoate liked to travel but she could not see herself to do that for her whole life, she likes her home better. during one of the week trips She found a Hood that looked cool and decided to where it to appointments she had, her reason is "too spear me form they questionable chooses of mates" and "it makes me look and feel cool." this is also the time that her nickname "ash" came around because too many lions where mispronouncing the last part of her name (how? she don’t know,) that wasn’t also the only reason, it was also to move away from the adolescent Black Adder. Sure, she is still what other lions consider “rude” and “mean” but its tamer then that age, she won’t scream death treats when you did/are doing something she don’t like or are unreasonable rude, but she will give you very bad advice or tips to get someone.

One day she went on something that she said was a week trip, but she didn’t come back after a week. After a day after the date, she was supposed to come back and still wasn’t. Other lions begun to worry and the second round of rumors began. where is she? She is never this late, especially to something she set the time for! Did she leave the pride without telling? Is she lost? there was a storm in the west. But she went east! or did she? Did she find love and wanted to stay with them? Is she dead? did she get murdered? kidnapped? Did Satan finally drag his spawn down to hell?!

After another week and ash was still not back, her father decided to go in the same direction as her and try to trace her steps. He asked around prides he meet on and ask if they had seen her, mostly they said that she walk past a 2 week ago and had not seen her after that. He arrived where she had stayed and asked. The lions in the pride said she had arrived and came the day she was supposed, meet with the matchmaker and left the day she was supposed to (walk for 3 days, stay a day, then make the journey back.) The prides that he met on said that they didn’t see her on the journey back, so she still had to be in the aria, right? At the 1-month mark, they started to look for a body, she had not made much of an effort as a hunting apprentice, so they doubted that she had the ability to hunt for food and doubted that she had the strength to fend off most rouge lions or large animal or a pack of hyenas, hell most likely scenario is that her body was found by hyenas and eaten. But her Father dint give up. After 2 months most of the volunteers had given up, saying that "there is no use to look for bones that are most likely in hyenas’ territory by now" and "There is no use in using my time and energy to look for a dead lioness." Most tried to convince the king that there is no use and stop wasting resources to find bones. 2 months and 2 weeks the search had no more volunteers and was called off.

3 months after a young huntress was out hunting in the plains in the middle of the day. When she stopped because the zebra she was chasing got away and was looking for new pray, she noticed an unnatural black figure in the distance. The huntress got an uneasy feeling while looking at this figure, it wasn’t better that the huntress when hunting alone in this part of the plains but swallow the feeling and letting curiosity take over, she when towards this figure. with each step that the huntress took closer to this Unnatural black figure the feeling became stronger and overwhelming in their chest, but the figure started to become clearer to see: What is that? Are those wings??? Is that a vulture? But are vulture this big? Are there even vulture in this area??? Wait, are vulture color even black aren’t they brown?? But that looks like it’s the purest black they have ever seen. Wait, are those horns??!?

Now she is close enough to see the body of a lion, with wings and horns?? They don’t seem hostile, they are just kind of… siting there, there’s no mane so a female? Or a maneless male? Female most likely. There are no maneless males in the area... well the same can be said about a lioness with wings and horns. The grass around where she is siting is dead.

She was now to the side of the lion(ess) and they were looking at her... great... well at least they know that she’s there. "ummm, hello? May i ask who you arrrrrrreeeee Oh GOD THATS A SNAKE" moving away and staring in shock as this black snake (later identified as the Mole Snake) slither up their leg and neck and up to their ear, it seems like its whispering something to them but she can’t hear it. After what felt like an eternity (but really was 10 seconds) they turn their head to look at her "where... am I?" "Uh, oh yeah you are a bit north from the pride I live in, (or /insert huntress pride name\) but em... what is your na-" "My name is Black Adder but I like ash better." "ok cool cool um, are you lost? I haven’t seen you around before?” "Yes, I believe I am, I don’t know your pride" "ooooook, do you want to come with me, back to my pride so we can help you." "Yes, that would be wonderful" Their voice had a cold tone to it and the feeling of uneasiness was still there, the feeling of "something is wrong" even after talking to them.

So, the huntress leads ash to the pride she lives in, and of course there was stares, it’s not every day that someone with wings comes through. The huntress went straight to the king of the pride, explained to him the situation and left ash there to speak to the king, all they said was their name, where their form and that she’s a matchmaker. The king of the pride said that it will take a bit before a raven gets to her home pride with the news and that for a lion the route to get to her home pride is confusing and long (especially when they don’t know how they got here) so best for someone that knows the way to come get her if not, then they will let someone form this pride guide her for a price of course but while waiting for the raven to come back, the pride will provide her with food, water, and a roof over their head in return they want her matchmaking skills (when or if she want to, they’re not evil)

When the raven arrived with the new and info about his daughter, he was glad that she was alive but how did she get there without anybody seeing her? Maybe she can answer that when they get home. He sent the raven back with a new letter about him coming and began his journey to the other king’s pride.

When he arrived, it was a shock (despite he not showing many emotions) seeing his daughter after 5-6 months thinking that she was maybe dead, now with wings and horns, a snake on her ear and a smile like nothing happened. When walking back he began to ask questions: Where have you been? How did you get here? Do you know how long you have been gone? How did you get lost? and all the world dad questions. Most responses that he got was "I don’t know" or "I can’t remember" but there was one question "How did you get a pair wings and horns?" now this made Ash freeze but just for a second then begun walking again never giving an answer. When asked again later she answered "you already asked that" then he saying he never got and answer, she said "oh, I don’t remember how"

When arrived at her home pride, like their king was shocked at ash’s new appearance and friend but except for that ash was normal. She was still what most will call rude, dose her job extremely well, yes, she did her goal of being next to impossible to be replaced and still wears that hood to appointments, she does take it of sometimes but would not. There was still something, something behind those eyes, that smile, an emotion, was it fear? Confusion? Pain? None can’t really see because half the time she’s wearing that hood and the other she not smiling, or they get too close, and it disappears. She also has unexplainable moments where she mumbles to herself, some have said that it doesn’t sound like a language that exist and where it looks like the snake is whispering something in her ear, some said in the same language. That is when the third round of rumors: How did she det her wings? Did someone make her do something for those wings and horns? Did she make a deal with the devil? Did she die then got revived with wings and horns? Did she go to hell then come back with them? Did she learn the language of the devil? Is the snake a demon? Did Satan finally mark his spawn? She won’t answer any of the questions that most ask her herself. But after a month it all dimed down and when to normal minus the occasional question about her appearance but now it’s back to when it was before she disappeared.
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aaaaaaAAAAAAA I am done, done I tell you. Sorry That it took so long but as one can see I have been busy, and yes, I know I may not win and that this is not the best out of all but that’s fine and I tried, I am proud of this and if it doesn’t win I'll just use it some of the aspects myself but if it does win then I wouldn’t blame you if you shorted it. Now some notes i think may be important:

She has She/her or them/they or both Pronouns depending on the occasion. The snake is not always on her ear (like the Javelin Sand Boa decor) but it is close by if you see her (outside or where she has appointments, i left that blank because idk how you pride is set up but I mostly wrote this with a tent in mind.) The part where she is in a different pride is up to you if it’s your second, another pride or just some random pride. On how she does her job, its mostly basted on logic, how well the personalities work together or genetics. The pride doesn’t know if she can fly with the wings but if she can none have seen her fly. I know the horns it a part of the seer's hood, but I think more interesting that it can with the wings. Yes, her nickname is ash because idk how to say the last part so I imagine that some don’t know either (aka the lions that pass by.)

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Sorry to be late, everyone! Submissions are closed and I'll have the winners posted by this evening. Good luck, everyone!

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Alright, I have the winners!

First Place: Uchawi!

Second Place: Aj!

Third Place: Bigmemes!

I'll be sending out the prizes shortly. As for the rest of you, thank you so much for participating! I hope you all have a lovely day!

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