Name: Kifaa (meaning 'useful')

Parents: Makwetu and Njoki

Siblings: None

Mate: Dulani and Onani

Cubs: Sumai

Pride of Origin: Nyasi

Personality: Kifaa is very divided between the wants of her people what her own heart wants. She tries to put her own feelings aside for what she sees as the good of the pride but sometimes she makes impulsive decisions due to her strong emotions. The pride view her as an upstart because she chakes under the long-established traditions of the Nyasi Pride and the fact that, if given the chance, she would completely do away with most of them.

History: Kifaa was the only living child born to King Makwetu and Queen Njoki but her birth was not entirely a cause for celebration. She would be the only heir that Makwetu could have and he needed a strong boy (as only males could inherit the throne from their father) but instead he got Kifaa. He and Njoki had tried before but all their children either died young or were stillborn.

So, Makwetu was forced to settle with a daughter and pass his throne onto her betrothed when they came of age. He had a particular boy in mind, Dulani, the son of his most trusted general and oldest friend.

From a young age, Kifaa was schooled in the laws, traditions and histories of her pride. She was forced to learn as much as possible of what would be expected of her, how she should act and how best to serve her future mate and king. The young lioness chafed under this and soon began to question why her pride is so restrictive? Why can't she become Queen in her own right? Why is it so hard for a lion or lioness to climb the ranks? Is it really necessary to kill a rogue-born cub and its mother too?

Kifaa resolves that she is going to change all this as soon as she comes of age. Makwetu has other ideas and despairs for his only cub.

When she is finally old enough to mate, she is married to her betrothed Dulani. Although she does care for Dulani, but as a brother not a lover, she doesn't want to marry him and begged her father not to go through with his plans. Her pleas fell on deaf ears and she was forced to suffer her arranged and loveless marriage.

Then, she met the rogue Onani. 

She fell for the rogue almost immediately and he for her in return. She wanted nothing more than to run away with him but her strict loyalty to her pride prevented her from leaving. It didn't, however, prevent her from mating with Onani. Soon after she found out she was with child but she wasn't sure if the cub was Onani's or Dulani's.

Soon after her son Sumai was born (thankfully, it was Dulani's cub) news of a civil war in the Pridelands reached the Nyasi Pride. Makwetu held no love in his heart for the Pridelanders and considered them inferior but Kifaa argued that they shouldn't abandon such a powerful potetential ally. After constant pleading, Makwetu finally agreed to send the princess as an ambassador to the Pridelands and take her son with her.

Little did Makwetu know that Kifaa planned to travel with Onani. 

When she arrived in the Pridelands, Kifaa was treated with a mixture of caution and awe. It was very rare for the Nyasi Pride to interact with other prides and so everyone was wary of her. The only person who treated her like a friend was the Princess Kiara and Kifaa found her liking the future queen, and the philosphies of the Pridelanders.

She hoped that maybe someday she could convince her own pride to live a similar lifestyle as their cousins.

Relation to TLK: Ally to the Pridelands and close friend of Kiara