Name: Saada (meaning ‘help’ in Swahili)

Age: Adult

Breed: African Lion

Gender: Female

Parents: Unknown

Siblings: Mabaki (c) me

Crush: None

Mate: Arif (c) me

Cubs: Two children with Arif, and adopted the three cubs from Arif’s first and failed marriage as her own, all (c) me

Likes: Her brother and Arif and his family, helping Arif when he needs advice or someone to listen to, stargazing with Arif and his cubs, patrolling with her brother, and hunting with the lionesses in the hunting party, her role as stepmother to Arif’s children, and her position as the Pridelands Princess and new hunt leader.

Dislikes: Fighting, when her stepchildren and or Arif are bothered by something

Personality: Quiet and gentle, loves talking to need someone to listen. She and her brother were very close and she is thankful he’s around. She was born and raised in the Pridelands and grew up with a number of other cubs save her, her brother and the royal twins, Baraka and Arif. She found herself in love with Prince Arif when they were young but discovered it much too late, especially when he married his first wife.

History: Saada was born to a lioness of the pride, along with her brother, a white colored male with brown spots on his body. Both of them share the same sky blue eyes. She and her brother have a good relationship and get along well. They were seen playing with the royal Princes along with the other cubs born in the pride and nearly all of them formed a lasting friendship. Growing up Saada formed a deep friendship with the second royal Prince, Arif, and it was often speculated that the two would marry one day. When she heard Arif was going to become a shaman she was one of the first to congratulate him. As they continued to grow, Saada was inwardly heartbroken when she discovered that Arif was planning to marry a lioness named Akase, who had decided to leave her home in the Eastlands. Although she was happy for Arif and saddened for herself she secretly made it her mission to be the cub-sitter for the Prince and Princess whenever they had any. In time, they did: three, and developed a special fondness for them, the only daughter, especially, Princess Njozi, and enjoys cub-sitting for them, watching them play with their friends. It reminded her of her own cubhood days. One day Prince Arif came to her, telling her that he was having problems with Akase. It was in that moment that she realized her old feelings for Arif had sprung up again but she did the best she could in advising her lifelong friend. When the Prince and his mate separated, Saada found that she was being drawn closer to the three young cubs and would often comfort Njozi, who by this time was suffering dreams. Arif, on his days off from working with Rafiki, would spend time with Saada and his children, thanking her for looking after them. The more time they spent together the more she realized her feelings for Arif had never truly went away but she was able to control herself for his sake and the sake of his cubs. She came across Princess Njozi one time in the savannah, asked what was wrong with her, and was confronted by the young Princess’s mother, Akase who accused her of taking her place in her children’s lives and that of her mate. Arif defended Saada and Akase stormed off. During the walk home, Njozi was telling herself that she and her brothers would be better off with Saada as their mother. On another time Saada was watching the Prince and his children at a distance and left because it caused her heartbreak to see them while knowing she wasn’t truly part of the family, something she’d always hoped for. While walking she was again confronted by the ex-Princess, interrogated on her relationship with Arif and the children. She merely told Akase that she was just looking out for them, told her that she should return and quietly walked away. She was attacked and left for dead. Her brother Mabaki found her, brought her back to the caves, and in the royal chambers she was healed by the lioness Etana. Hearing of Akase’s death she went down to the grave to pay her respects then continued to look after Arif and his children, who, were becoming more convinced that the lioness would make a better mother and mate for their father. One night out on the back ledge Saada and Arif at last confronted their feelings for each other and were married in a double ceremony with King Baraka and Etana, who was to become Queen. Saada, in her marriage to Arif, was named the new Princess, and given the hunting position of leader, the same one Akase had once held.

Relation to TLK: Mate of Arif, the son of Kovu and Kiara

Headshot and Body Picture (c) Me