Name: Kirījah (meaning 'hate' or 'despise')

Parents: Unknown Male and Nyaka

Siblings: None

Mate: Imara

Cubs: Nyamô and Thelugi

History: Kirījah was born in the Pridelands after her mother, Nyaka, sought out a rogue mate to get cubs off. From the day she was born, Nyaka filled her head with the same self-absorbed nonsense that filled her own, waxing lyrical about how superior they were to the rest of the pride. 

However, Kirījah had something her mother lacked, cunning and with it she developed a ruthless streak a mile wide. She took to bullying the other cubs, pushing them around and trying to get them to follow her lead. Some did, out of fear, but some did not. Eventually, she was called out on her behavior by none other than Prince Tanabi, and a fight ensued where he emerged victorious and she was left lying in the dirt, enraged. Seeing their tormentor soundly beaten, all the cubs who had marched to her time quickly deserted her.

It was from then on that se vowed that if power was her's again, she'd keep it and she would use any means she had to.

Prince Tanabi, and his friend Rickon, disappeared and were presumed dead, Zira and her followers were exiled, a new princess was born and the Pridelands continued on only with increased skirmishes between them and their newly formed sister pride, the Outlanders. This provided Kirījah ample excuse to brush up on the finer points of battle. Whenever the two prides met in battle, it was always Kirījah at the centre of the fray where the fighting was thickest and soon she grew a new reputation as a fearless and brutal warrior.

Of course, Nyaka was positively horrified at her daughter, she believed that Kirījah should be just like her, a delicate wallflower who's only reason for existence should be to look pretty. Kirījah had other ideas but kept them to herself. 

When two males, Chumvi and Tojo, came to the Pridelands seeking a mate for their ward, Nyaka jumped at the chance to suggest Kirījah. She managed to get their attention through deceit saying that her daughter had been Prince Tanabi's betrothed before his unfortunate death. Unknowingly falling right into Nyaka's paws, Chumvi and Tojo take Kirījah and Nyaka back to the Mzuka Pride.

Once in her new home, it quickly becomes apparent to Kirījah that the lionesses of her new home are much smaller and seemingly weaker than herself and her mother, even though they both share this pride's blood. This makes her think that she could rule her quite effectively...once some obsticles were removed.

First, Kirījah brings Imara under her heel. Despite being a large lion, he is remarkably unwilling to use his power which makes him an easy target for Kirījah. Using her claws and her words, she cows Imara, making him both afraid of her but also too afraid to reveal her treatment of him. She makes sure never to mark him up too badly and plays the part of the love-struck female with him when they are around the rest of the pride. It isn't too long before they become mates and then Kirījah sets her sights on the next part of her plan.

She turns her attention on Chumvi and Tojo, the only people stopping Imara from assuming the throne completely. Carefully, she spikes their food with poison and, playing the dutiful pridesister, delivers the poison. There is just enough to make them very ill but not enough to kill them. With her two bigest threats out of the way, there was nothing stopping her from ruling the pride through her browbeaten mate.

Soon, Kirījah was pregnant and gave birth to two female cubs: Nyamô and Thelugi. The first she named out of the great sense of shame she felt at not having a healthy son to take her place but the second her mate's mother named for her snow-white fur.

When her mother confronted her, Kirījah revealled her plan, thinking her mother would congradulate her. After all, it was Nyaka who planted the seed that she should one day be queen. When she reacted with disgust and horror, Kirījah then promptly silenced her in the best way she knew how, by tearing into her mother's pretty face. She wouldn't go near the pride now that she had lost the looks she valued so highly.

However, she underestimated the pride and soon suspiscion began to rise. Imara's mother, Nasra, and sister, Oseye, both believed that Kirījah was behind the sudden illness of their leaders and that she had managed to get her claws into Imara somehow. Under her nose, the two began to investigate and eventually turned up the truth. Kirījah was using them all and ruling like a tyrant.

However, Kirījah was far from blind and planned for their enevitable confrontation.

Relation to TLK: Former Pridelander