Name: Ari

Parents: Judas  and Tamu

Siblings: Erevu, Duni, Kayode (deceased), Lindiwe, Gwandoya, Jiro, Zuri (deceased), Jalena, Kesi, Ayodele, Kayin

Mate: Maalik

Cubs: Samanya (semi-adopted)

Personality: Ari is a unique lioness, named for her grandfather and, in some ways, she is like him reborn. She takes a little after her mother, kind and patient, but like Judas she is a strong and capable leader, willing to sacrfice her own wants for the sake of her pride. Ari can be judgemental and can act cold towards those she doesn't come rely trust. If you threaten or come between her and anyone she loves then you will regret it.

History: Ari was the first cub that Tamu bore for Judas, when she was born Tamu thought that she was male and named her after her own father Ari only to discover that the cub was actually female. The name, however, stuck.

Ari grew up fast and constantly hung around either her father Judas or her elder half-brother Kayode (much to his general annoyance). For some reason, her grandmother Sassia didn't like her that much (mostly because she wasn't a boy and therefore would not have the chance to become the pride's leader) but she never really minded as she never liked the elder lioness herself.

Ari grew up into an excellent huntress and beautiful female, the departure of her elder brother Kayode saddened her deeply but she knew he had to leave eventually. However nothing could have prepared her for what happened next

One day, Zuri came back to the pride after being missing for a long time. She brought with her terrible news. That she had murdered Kayode. Zuri, clearly insane, boasted of how great and easy it had been to kill him. Ari snapped and attacked her half-sister, back soon by the rest of the pride.

Ari was the one to finally finish off Zuri. After that, she left her home pride to strike off on her own.

it wasn't long before she ran into a group of wandering rogues and she soon rose to become their leader, willing to take in any rogue who wanted a place in her pride. She didn't want Maalik to join her pride at first, but was convinced to allow him to join by Chari and a surprisingly sympathetic Neema. She acted cold to him for a long time but when their pride ran into danger, Maalik would always help her defend her people. Eventually the two struck up a friendship.

Soon, Ari's feelings began to grow for Maalik but was reluctant to admit it because she felt as if she was betraying her pride and Kayode's memory by falling for someone who was from an enemy pride. She didn't know what to do especially when she saw other members of her slowly growing pride becoming close, she felt left out and confused about her feelings. Eventually, she couldn't take it anymore and confessed her feelings to Maalik. As it turned out, he felt similarly to her, which both shocked and delighted her.

Ari's Pride grew in strength, new lions, lionesses and even some cubs joined the ranks. She grew into leadership, leading her pride to different lands in hopes of finding somewhere safe for them to live. Eventually, the pride did settle and things seemed to be looking up. She and Maalik grew ever closer as mates and equals, she came to love him truly and depend on his strength when she couldn't find her own.

Happiness, however, was not to last. A frantic message reached her that a lion named Abel was coming to attack her father's pride to avenge Zuri's death. Since she felt it was her duty and responsibility to own up to her actions, she left the pride in the dead of night and all but ran back to her former home.

By a minor miracle, Ari managed to arrive before Abel's forces and stood beside her family when he attacked. The fighting was brutal and she had to cut her way through the ranks of Abel's lionesses to reach him. She confronted him face-to-face and declared that it was she who killed Zuri and she was willing to accept death at his paws on condition he leave her father's pride be.

Relation to TLK: Granddaughter of Mufasa and Sarabi, niece of Simba and Nala, cousin of Kiara