Name: Naanda (meaning 'begun')

Parents: Wemusa and Jahia

Siblings: Sarabi, Tarik, Diku (half-sister) and Dwala (half-sister)

Mate: Unknown Male

Cubs: Ainran and Onani

Pride of Origin: Bahari

Personality: Naanda is a very cold, hard and uncompromising lioness, some would call her cruel and harsh. She is opinionated and very vocal about it, believing if she shouts long enough and loud enough then people will begin listening to her. She also has a fierce and unshakable loyalty to the Bahari Pride and it's customs, believing them to be superior and this makes her suspicious of all outsiders. She tends to let her actions speak for her and so it can be difficult to really understand her or get to know her. She is who she has to be, she thinks.

History: Naanda was the first born of three to King Wemusa and Queen Jahia of the Bahari Pride, born only minutes before her sister Sarabi and brother Tarik. Unfortunately for her, Bahari Pride law dictates that the throne must pass to the eldest male cub and only to a female if there is no male cubs. This, however, did not bother Naanda and when she was old enough to truly understand her brother's future, she quickly declared that if he was to be King then she would be his Second (an honorable position in the pride which is, as it's name suggests, second only to the king and is a combination of personal bodyguard, advisor and majordomo).

When Naanda, Sarabi and Tarik were teenagers, a message was sent from the Pridelands calling out for a female to be betrothed to their prince, Mufasa. Since Naanda had decided that she was to be Tarik's Second (and Wemusa and Jahia couldn't persuade her otherwise), Wemusa sent his own Second with Sarabi to the Pridelands in hopes of making her Mufasa's betrothed. Naanda was furious that her sister was being sent away but at the same time she understood her father's reasoning. When her father's Second finally returns, he brings with him Neema, the Princess of the Pridelands, in exchange for Sarabi to be Tarik's betrothed. Naanda was wary of the new female, surely Tarik's betrothed should come from the Bahari Pride! This outsider didn't understand their ways and was probably to stuck-up to learn them. But a deal is a deal and Naanda would have to stew in silence.

Eventually, Wemusa passed on and Tarik took the throne with Neema as his Queen and Naanda as his Second. Things were peaceful and, for a time, life was good. Soon Tarik and Neema had two healthy cubs and named them Tojo and Kula. Despite Naanda's dislike for Neema, she adored her niece and nephew.

Then, everything changed when Naanda caught a Jabali Pride scout on Bahari land during one border patrol. She killed the scout, savaged the body and dumped it over the border as a message. The Jabali Pride were not welcome and should stay on their lands, or else. Less than a week later, the entire might of the Jabali Pride arrived and set about slaughtering the Bahari Pride. In the chaos, Tarik was killed along with Jahia and several other pride members. Neema called for a retreat but Naanda refused to go, fighting until she was exhausted and then, realising the fight was hopeless and it would just lead to more pointless death, Naanda finally retreated leaving the land of their pride in the hands of their most hated enemies.

After this, Neema suggested that the pride seek sanctuary in the Pridelands. Neema's brother, Mufasa, wouldn't turn them all out and would gladly welcome them. Naanda, however, argued that they should rest and regroup then focus on taking their lands back. Infuriatingly, most of the other lionesses agreed with Neema over Naanda. Despite her arguments, the pride decided that Neema's course of action would be the better one and Naanda grudgingly tagged along for two reasons. The first, her half-sisters Diku and Dwala were now motherless and needed care and secondly so that their homeland and traditions wouldn't be forgotten and that they would return someday.

As Neema had said, the Bahari Pride was warmly welcomed by King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi. The grief and anger Naanda had felt was temporarily replaced with joy at being reunited with her sister. Sarabi encouraged her to leave the past in the past and rebuild her life in the Pridelands but Naanda refused to let go of the lands she had called home. Life was well for a time. Neema gave birth to a third and final cub, Kamaji, and Naanda was happy. Diku and Dwala also grew up well under Naanda's watchful gaze, learning about their lost homeland and traditions through her. 

However, life was not all happiness. Soon after the pride arrived, Mufasa was killed along with the young prince, Simba. Mufasa's brother Scar then took the throne and thing went downhill fast. Naanda tried to convince her pridesisters that now was the time to leave and reclaim their lands but Neema believed she could reason with her younger brother and so the pride stayed. However, Scar soon exiled Tojo and his friend Chumvi because he saw them as threats to his rule. It was Sarabi's level head that stopped Naanda from ripping Scar's throat out. Now the future of the Bahari Pride rested solely on little Kamaji.

Years passed and finally Neema relented and agreed that there was no hope for her brother and that they should take their chances with the Jabali Pride. However, a lion claimed to be Simba arrived at Priderock and a fierce battle ensued leaving Scar dead and Simba as king.

Naanda was sceptical about whether it was really her nephew or not but the Bahari Pride didn't stay long after that and began their journey back to their home. Along the way, Naanda began to seriously train Kamaji in the art of war, preparing him for eventual battle and was impressed by his skill. She believed that the Bahari Pride may have a fighting chance. 

In a single bloody battle, the Bahari Pride chased the Jabali Pride out of their lands and retook their homeland. Kamaji was officially crowned their king and Naanda couldn't be prouder. Finally, she was home again and she couldn't remember being happier. Kamaji took a young lioness named Adla as his mate and the pride settled down to rebuild what they had lost.

Then, trouble began when Adla announced her pregnancy. Kamaji decided to break tradition and name his firstborn heir regardless of the cub's gender. Naanda was shocked and questioned Kamaji about this and then he shocked her again by stating that he was also abolishing the position of Second and replacing it with a regular majordomo. Naanda had expected to remain as Kamaji's Second as she was still healthy and strong enough to fight in the position. Now enraged, Naanda stormed off. Kamaji, she decided, was not worthy of the position of King if he was going to change everything that made the Bahari Pride who they were. She blamed Neema corrupting him with her Pridelander ways.

Naanda intended to deal with this. Kamaji was no longer worthy and so she would find a worthy king.

For the first time in her life, Naanda sought out a mate. She needed a fresh mind to mold and who better than her own cub? She was of royal blood, if Kamaji's line was tainted then she would provide a new and better line. She was quick to find a rogue and mated with him, leaving him quickly as soon as she was sure that she was expecting. Then she set to work planning out exactly how and what she would train her cub in. The art of fighting, the history and customs of the pride and most importantly, to eliminate any faults in the current line with any means necessary. She tried to recruit Diku and Dwala to her side but her half-sisters wanted nothing to do with her plot, 'madness' they called it and 'treason'. She would show them. She would show them how Kamaji was not worthy to bear the title of king.

A few months after Kamaji's son, Obi, was born, Naanda's own sons were born, Ainran and Onani. Since Ainran was her firstborn, she singled him out as her future king and all but ignored Onani, he wasn't useful to her. She set her rigourous training into motion, not caring how the pride scorned her for her treatment of Onani. Soon, a second cub of Kamaji was born, a female named Aida and Naanda had a plan for her too. She would be an excellent candidate for Ainran's Queen, corrupted line or no, and her lack of voice would make her even more promising.

Soon, Ainran was reaching his teenage years and Naanda could see that her son was becoming a fine young king. To her delight, Obi abandoned his betrothal and his home to chase after a Jabali female, further proof of the unworthiness of Kamaji's line. The only kink in her plan was that Aida was sent away but that was no matter, she could always find another young lioness from among the pride. However, then Adla became pregnant again.

Unable to bear the risk of Adla having another son who could challenge Ainran, she lashed out and attacked the pregnant Queen. She scared her trying to claw the unborn cubs from her belly but was quickly set upon by Kamaji. Their fight was long and brutal, Naanda couldn't help but respect how well he had learnt her lessons but eventually Naanda grew tired and Kamaji took the oppertunity to wrap his jaws around her neck and silence her for good.

Relation to TLK: Sister of Sarabi, aunt of Tojo and Kula