Name: Makwetu (meaning 'our place')

Parents: Ojore and Kioja

Siblings: Badrani

Mate: Njoki

Cubs: Kifaa

Personality: Makwetu is a lion who is feared almost as much as he is respected, it is widely known that no one goes against his wishes if they want to remain alive. He is stoic, hard and uncompromising in his beliefs and loyalty to his pride. However, he is haunted by the past and is determined through sheer will that he will not become his father and that the Nyasi Pride will once again flourish.

History: Makwetu was the second-born son of King Ojore of the Nyasi Pride. From he was very young, Makwetu was considered all but worthless by his father and his elder brother Badrani was favoured over him because he was the eldest and future king. The young cub was often left in his mother's care whilst his father took his elder brother on lessons. It was widely accepted that Makwetu would either marry the daughter of a general or be exiled from the pride on pain of death.

Makwetu learnt from an early age that his father was considered a tyrant amongst the Nyasi Pride and even beyond, tales of Ojore's cruelty were not hard to come by. No one knew this more than Kioja who herself was often the victim of Ojore's temper. Despite his age, Makwetu was fiercely protective of his mother and would often throw himself between her and his father, earning himself several beatings and his father's digust. From then on, Makwetu was labelled weak in Ojore's eyes, not even worthy of the title of prince.

Makwetu grew up strong, despite his father's abuse, growing to dwarf both his brother and father in size. It was then that Ojore realised how large a threat Makwetu could potentially be to Badrani (whom was following in his father's footsteps and becoming just as ruthless as he was) and to rectify this, he kicked Makwetu out of the royal pride to a relatively small and powerless minor pride in a relatively isolated part of the Nyasi territory. Officially he was there because he would be marrying one of the pride's females to cement closer ties to the royal pride but it was widely known that it was an exile in all but name.

At first, Makwetu resigned himself to his fate with his only regret being that he had left his mother to deal with his father and elder brother alone, and was instead determined to make the best of his new life. He settled in fairly quickly to the way of pride life and even grew to somewhat like the more relaxed attitude of his new pride. He quickly earnt respect and even affection despite the less than stellar reputation that Ojore and his family had.

However, everything changed when news soon reached the small pride. Kioja had been accused of treason and Ojore had enacted the only punishment for that crime: death. 

An anger like he had never known overcame Makwetu and he realised he could no longer ignore the crimes of his father and elder brother any longer. He approached his pride's general , Baakir, and told him of his intention to take the crown from his father and brother for the good of the Nyasi pride. Despite some concern, Baakir agreed that it would be for the best if Ojore and Badrani were removed from power before they could bring any more ruin to the Nyasi Pride.

Word was sent secretly to other generals in the Nyasi Pride who were known to harbor mistrust or outright hatred for Ojore and rally them to Makwetu's cause. Soon enough, Makwetu had the support of a good majority of the Nyasi Pride and decided to act first rather than wait for Ojore or Badrani to uncover the conspiracy. What followed was a series of intense and brutal battles but eventually Makwetu triumphed, killing both Badrani and then Ojore, himself, in single combat.

Now crowned King of the Nyasi Pride, Makwetu set to work rebuilding what was lost and abolishing some of Ojore's crueler laws. He ushered in a newer and more peaceful era for the pride and many were glad to see an end to the dark days of Ojore's reign.

Makwetu surprised everyone by his choice for his queen, Njoki. Many thought she was far too low on the social ladder to ever be considered for queenship but Makwetu was quick to point out that she had been Baakir's niece and was the sister of the pride's new general, Keto, who happened to be one of his closest friends. However, Makwetu's lack of heir after several miscarriages led many to believe that Njoki wasn't truly a fit queen (something that often led to a very direct and often painful rebutal from Makwetu) until eventually a daughter was born, Princess Kifaa. Most grumbling stopped after that but some still misliked the queen for only being able to produce a daughter as an heir.

Makwetu's happiness at finally being a father was overshadowed by his concern for Kifaa. Not only was she not truly eligible for the throne but also she was showing increasingly radical thinking. Makwetu knew that if he didn't act then his daughter would be vulnerable when he died. So, he turned to his old friend, Keto, and made a pact that Kifaa would marry his son Dulani and that his crown would pass to him as his daughter's consort. 

Makwetu taught both Dulani and Kifaa all they would need to know for their future rule, teaching Dulani how best to handle the conclave and patrol the lands whilst teaching Kifaa the laws and history of the pride. When the two eventually reached adulthood, they were married as planned and despite Kifaa's misgivings and pleas not to go through with it. Contrary to what Kifaa though, Makwetu was affected by his daughter's words but he knew that if she didn't marry Dulani then she would be torn apart when he eventually passed on and power came to her.

Relation to TLK: Ally of the Pridelands