Name: Dwala (meaning 'rock')

Parents: Wemusa and Ama

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

Mate: Hatua

Cubs: Afua

Pride of Origin: Bahari

History: Dwala and her twin sister, Diku, were the result of Ama's desperate wish to have cubs. Too afraid to leave the pride to seek out a rogue to father children on her, she instead went to her sister, Queen Jahia, and asked her if she would allow her to mate with the king in order to have cubs. Whilst not exactly thrilled with this plan, Jahia has no real reason to say no...but only under one condition. Ama's cubs, male or not, will never be in line for the throne. Ama agrees and Wemusa, with his queen's permission, mates with Ama.

Not long after, Dwala and Diku are born, to Jahia's relief that they are both female and so cannot be in line for the throne anyways.

Both twins got along well with their elder half-siblings, despite the unusual circumstances that led to their birth. Dwala was only a very young cub when Sarabi is sent away to the Pridelands and so she doesn't remember much about her other half-sister, a fact that Naanda is always wanting to rectify. She doesn't really understand why Sarabi had to leave but all she knows is that one day Sarabi left and not long after another lioness named Neema arrived. 

Initially, Naanda tried to ward the twins away from Neema, claiming she wasn't one of them and so was nasty and that her pride had taken Sarabi away from them. Diku wasn't convinced but Dwala always remained somewhat distant. She didn't know if Naanda was telling the complete truth or not (her mother claimed not but Dwala wasn't quite sure). However, that changed when Neema was finally wed to Tarik and produced two cubs: Tojo and Kula.

When Dwala was in her early teenage years, the Jabali Pride launched a surprise attack against the Bahari Pride leading to the slaughter of most of the pride, including Ama. Dwala, Diku and Kula were seperated from the other pride cubs and soon were set upon by the Jabali Pride's king. Tarik sacrficed himself to save them and they were able to reach safety with Neema, but not before damage was done. Seeing the violence and death first hand both shocked and horrified Dwala.

After that, what remained of the Bahari Pride sought sanctuary in the Pridelands where they would be safe from further violence. However, this didn't last long with the sudden death of Sarabi's mate, Mufasa, and her young son, Simba. Despite Naanda's any protests that the Bahari Pride should leave and try to reclaim what was once their's, Neema refuses, believing she can talk some sense into her brother before his madness goes further. 

Finally, the Bahari Pride take their leave of the Pridelands when Simba reclaims the throne from Scar. Now lead by Neema and Tarik's youngest son, Kamaji, the pride decide they will retake their lands from the Jabali Pride. Dwala, whilst wanting to return home, is nervous at the thought. Whilst Diku managed to recover from seeing the devestation left by the Jabali Pride's attack, Dwala still has nightmares filled with blood and carnage. 

It is on this trip back that she encounters a rogue named Hatua. He tells her that he knows of her pride's plight and wishes to help them reclaim what was rightfully theirs...but at a cost. Dwala must mate with him. Unsure at first, Dwala declines but, after thinking it over, she decides that her pride need as much help as they can get and if she loses any more of her family she won't be able to live with herself knowing that she had the chance to help save them. She mates with Hatua and, when the sun rises the next morning, she finds him gone. Cursing herself she returns to her family and prays that no one will notice the smell of a foreign male on her.

Unfortunately, her tryst with Hatua leaves her pregnant.

Once the Bahari Pride, after one successful yet brutal attack, manage to drive out the Jabali Pride, Dwala settles down to a life of peace...sort of. She still is not completely comfortable in her old home but it is better than the life she knew in the Pridelands. She soon gives birth to a healthy male cub whom she names Afua and decides that despite her shame over how he was created, she would love him no matter what. 

When Kamaji's son, Obi, is born suddenly Naanda comes to Dwala and Diku with a plan. A plan to stage a coup and put her cubs on Kamaji's throne. She argues that their nephew is too unlike them, too Pridelander-ish in his ways and that will lead to the ruin of the Bahari Pride. Both twins reject their sister, calling her plan both treason and madness. Not long afterwards, Dwala leaves the Bahari Pride and takes Afua with her back to the Pridelands. She will not be a part of Naanda's madness and she believes that if she distances herself completely from her then she and Diku won't be accused of helping Naanda.

She raises Afua in the safety of the Pridelands but inevitably the question of Afua's father arises when it is observed that he resembles Scar. He isn't too much older than another known son of Scar, Rickon, and Dwala refuses to either confirm or deny the rumours. They were just rumours, after all, and would eventually be forgotten about...but they weren't and she and Afua were hounded by the lionesses further when Zira's treachery was discovered and she and her band of followers were exiled.

After this, Dwala moves her and a young adult Afua back to the Bahari Pride only to discover that both Naanda is dead (killed by Kamaji) and that Obi has abandoned the pride after breaking a betrothal. Despite this, Dwala is welcomed back with open arms and Kamaji takes Afua under his wing. For the first time in a long while, Dwala could call herself truly contented.

When Afua wishes to leave the pride with Shani, Dwala gives him her blessing and bides her son farewell.

Relation to TLK: Half-sister of Sarabi