Ilani

(ee-LAH-nee)

Gender: Female
Age: Four and a half years.
Species: African lion
Pride: Outlander, former Desertlander
Rank: Adult

Appearance: Her pelt is the color of sand, but ashen, appearing to be light gray rather than tan. Her underbelly, muzzle, and inner ears are pure white, an unusual trait for a lioness who is not albino. Her nose is a darker ashy shade, and the same color surrounds her eyes, which are yellow and vivid, bright blue. There is a thick mess of bangs above her brow, in usual disarray. For a female African lion, she is below average in height and weight, but she uses this to her advantage. She is quiet, stealthy, and these talents allow her to easily sneak around without being detected. Because of her small stature, she does not have the build to be a good hunter, and physically, she is greatly disadvantaged in a fight. She recognizes this weakness and instead attempts to reason rather than battle.

Personality: Lani engages in a daily battle inwardly, to fight the things her parents indoctrinated her before she joined the desert pride. She was raised to be sneaky and selfish, taking whatever is available without any remorse. When she was adopted into the Desertland pride, after watching them slaughter her family, she became very quiet and eager to please, for fear that she may meet the same fate. She is fiercely determined to survive, despite to odds. Intelligent, she is not the type to lose her temper and start a fight, knowing that physical altercations are not her forte.

When her mind is made up, Lani will do whatever it takes. She berates herself for being selfish, for being like her biological family, who she has mixed feelings about. Memories of her family are fading, but she can still recall the desperation and difficulty of life without a territory, their callous attitude towards their offspring. She has nightmares often, recalling the day that her parents were killed by her adopted pride. While she has tried to be loyal to the Desertlanders, she feels that they do not trust her because of her heritage as a rogue.

Family: Father: Lebu (deceased). Mother: Acha (deceased). Various deceased/unknown siblings.
History: The first year of Lani's life was spent traveling. Her ragtag pride consisted of her father, his three lioness companions, and a mess of cubs. Her mother named her Ilani, which meant "warning," but everyone called her Lani, meaning "curse." They were a pride without a kingdom, instead traveling through neutral territory, with occasional raids on the local prides. The rulers of the established territories loathed the band of misfits, who refused to obey the laws of the land. They would send a diversion, a lone lioness or cub to distract the local pride while the others hunted on their territory. This tactic did not bode well for many of the young cubs, but the adults didn't mind sacrificing the occasional offspring. Most of the cubs born died within days from neglect, or they were abandoned hastily when the group found itself under attack, left at the mercy of the pride who discovered them. The ones who survived were used as pawns.

Needless to say, this environment was completely lacking in parental love and guidance. In spite of the odds, little Lani outlived most of her siblings. She was smaller than the average cub, due to poor nutrition, and perhaps her size is what discouraged her family from using her. But her gypsy lifestyle came to a swift end in the Desertlands, when she was a year old. She had outlived her littermates and other young siblngs. With no other cubs to use, Lani was cast out to distract the desert pride while her family raided the territory. But all did not go according to plan. The pride was discovered before little Lani, and the ruler of the desert quickly destroyed the invaders. The cub witnessed the entire bloody scene, and she watched in horror as her entire family met their demise.

The king of the Desertlands had mercy on the orphaned cub and allowed her to join his pride. None of the lionesses took full responsibility for her, unwilling to adopt the scruffy little female for fear that she would turn out just like her vagabond parents. With no other options in sight, Lani stayed with the desert lions, constantly trying to prove her worth to her new pride. She made herself useful whenever possible, though as she aged, she proved to be too petite to be an effective hunter. Her spy skills surpassed all others, due to her past, and so she would regularly go on missions to the neighboring kingdoms. Most lions tolerated her presence, even when she was trespassing, because of her demure nature. On one venture, she found herself in the Outlands, where she met her first real friend, Kiume. But her loyalties were in the desert, and she returned to the only home she had ever known.

As she reached maturity, the lions of the pride began to take notice of Lani, who was fearful of their advances, avoiding all when she came into heat. Time passed, and Lani began to wonder if a better life was beyond the borders she called home. Without breathing a word to any of her pride mates, Lani disappeared from the desert to build a life elsewhere.


OOC Alias: Bee
Best Way to Contact: PM
Rp Sample: See Scar

Approved!

(LANI! =D)