Hediye: 'Gift' (Turkish)
(heh-DIE-yee)

Age: Mfalme's generation
Pride Affiliation: Western Vale (birth), Uhuru Pride (adoption), Tesa's Scavangers (stolen)

Father: Kovu
Mother: Kiara

Adopted Father: Hadhi
Adopted Mother: Tawanya

Brothers: Kivuli
Sisters: Jivu, Aliona
Adopted Sisters: Sita

Paternal Grandparents: Choyo and Raziya
Maternal Grandparents: Simba and Nala

Uncles: Siri, Kopa, Fluffy, Adui, Kivuli
Aunties: Safi, Jivu

Nephews: Joka
Nieces: Araawa, Meeyse

Mate: Tesa (forced)
Cubs: Kishindo, others desceased

Likes: Hunting, fighting, training to fight
Dislikes: Tesa, being told what to do

Personality: Hediye was sweet, as a cub, and would have never hurt anyone. She inherits the childlike innocence of her mother, and even though she never meets Kiara, she has a lot of similar quirks to her persona. However, during her adolescence, she becomes cold and aloof, and prefers fighting to hanging back. She is fierce and quick to anger, and this change is a permenant one.

Bio:

Even though Kiara ran off with Iba, it did not mean that she did not love Kovu. Their single cub was proof of that, and Kiara doted upon her. Of course, Kovu never knew, and it was likely Kiara would never tell him. So she raised Hediye alone and told Iba that she was his, despite Iba questioning her brown pelt, inherited from Kovu.

When Aliona was born, Hediye was pushed aside, despite being an infant. Her mother was caught up with caring for the only cub she loved, and Hediye was left alone, only brought inside to be fed. As soon as she was onto solid food, she often took to running away from the den. It would take hours for Kiara to even notice she was gone, and by that time, the Pride Leader, Ushirikina, had already found her and was caring for her himself. After a while, Ushirikina began to notice Kiara's negligence and arranged for a couple from the sister lands to come and collect Hediye to adopt her as their own. Kiara was distraught, as was Hediye, but, being so young, she forgot about the event in a short time.

She grew up in the care of Hadhi, a stoic lion with a fierce regard for law and order, and his mate, Tawanya, a soft creature with a love for cubs. They had a single daughter, Sita, who became close to Hediye, and the two could not have loved each other more if they were blood. They got up to all sorts of mischief together, but they enjoyed every minute of it.

As adolescents, Hediye and Sita lost their mischievious attitudes and settled, becoming more mature in their ways. Tawanya and Hadhi could not be more proud of their daughters, especially when they both passed their Msako Sherehe, their hunt ceremony, with flying colours. It is around this time that a large pride came to settle in the Uhuru Valley, and this worried Hediye's parents. When the lead male, a pale lion with a scarlet mane, came to visit Huria, the pride's leader, the pridesisters were shocked to find he left her dead. Tawanya and Hadhi told their daughters to run, to never return, and they dead. Fearing for their safety, the went north, where the Pridelands were said to be. Their journey was brought to a standstill, however, when two males of the pride captured them and killed Sita when Hediye fought back.

Now their prisoner, Hediye lost all her courage. They beat her strength out of her, and gave her brutal scars that she would wear for the rest of her life. The lead male, who was now known to be called Tesa, often visited her, and was kind to her, in a way. He did not beat her or taunt her. He gave her food and warmth and if any tried to hurt her in his presence, he would strike out at them and teach them not to be so 'cruel'. Hediye's relief was short lived, however, as Tesa's true intentions were made clear. He was trying to make her trust him, trying to make her love him, so that he could have her as his. And when he tried to make her his, she fought back and took his eye. This only angered him, and her efforts were in vain.

For months on end she waited and waited, and when her litter was finally born, all of them were stillborn, save for one. She decided to name him Kishindo, for the bloody revenge she would wreak upon Tesa and his pride. She hid her son from the lead male until he was an adolescent, training him to hate and to be strong. She would have no weakness. She would only have strength.

Kishindo eventually went against Tesa, clawing and screeching and fighting with all his might. Hediye would have helped, but she was too weak to do so. When Kishindo beat Tesa and finally killed him, mother and son took off into the night. They travelled for months until they finally came across the Ndona Pride, where the King, Mfalme, accepted them into the pride.

They now currently live there, safe from any dangers, but Hediye is never the same again.

Relation to TLK: Kovu and Kiara's daughter

Bases (c) Wolfgirl50