Given to me by Maltathecub, thank you Malta!

Name: Kamau

Meaning: quiet warrior

Gender: male

Age: depends on use

Breed: African lion

Appearance: strong, Kovu-like build; front colored paws; scruffy mane and chin; thick eyebrows and an outlander nose

Fur/mane colors: gray pelt and darker gray mane/tail tuft with a white underside, chin, muzzle and front paws; lighter gray eyeshades and dark grey ears

Eye color(s): deep yellow and red

Personality: quiet, serious, reserved, thoughtful, humble, a little shy around new people

When Kamau came into the world, he didn’t utter one cry, which earned him his name. He isn’t really much of a people person, preferring to stay mostly by himself. He hates coming across as intimidating, or being intimidated in turn. He enjoys the life of a rogue and has adapted well to it, but sometimes he longs for a mate that will stay beside him. One would also be wise not to underestimate him, because he knows all the tricks and how to stay in the fight. Above all, his actions tend to speak louder than words and he knows how to get his point across quickly and clearly.

Likes: peace and quiet; his mentor Ni; life on the road; napping in the shade; eating; a challenge

Dislikes: seeing his mother depressed; loneliness; being driven away; being judged by others; hot sand; fighting for scraps; Ni’s lectures; wildfires

Wants: to find a mate who would accept and understand his way of living

Mate: none, open

Cubs: none, closed for now

Crush/crushers: none, open

Relations: Malka’s Mother (mother), unnamed father, Malka (half-brother), Asali (adopted sister), Hami (brother in-law)

Friends: Ni; open

History: Kamau’s story began not long after Asali left her homelands, the Mountain Pride. Malka, the prince, had made the decision to leave also and form his own pride, leaving the king and queen without an heir. One day, a strong, mature male came to challenge the king in a fight for leadership of the pride. The king accepted his challenge, although he knew he was outmatched. The battle only lasted a few minutes, but when it was over, the challenger was victorious and therefore proclaimed the new king of the Mountain Pride. The queen was absolutely heartbroken. She knew it was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier to see her mate go. The new king picked Malka’s Mother as his queen, and before long she was expecting his cub. The new cub, a male, came into the world quietly, earning him the name Kamau. The new king was very pleased to have a son to take his place someday, but paid little attention to the grief his queen was feeling for her lost mate. Her one light and joy was little Kamau, and she promised that nothing would ever happen to him. Day by day, Kamau grew into a handsome little fellow that everyone doted on. Even though he enjoyed the attention paid to him, he found that the peacefulness of spending time to himself and thinking his thoughts made him truly happy. The other cubs in the pride were jealous of the king’s son though, and tormented and teased him from sunup to sundown. They called him a freak, and told him that even his parents didn’t want him around them. Kamau was deeply hurt, but said little about it even though his mother knew he was being bullied. She told him every night that no matter what happened, she would always love him as much as her other children. Kamau was comforted by her words. While Kamau was busy growing up, his father was becoming increasingly paranoid that he would be deposed. It got bad enough where the queen tried to keep her son away from him, fearing that he would see him as a potential threat. But his fears were realized when yet another male came to take over the pride. The queen was afraid for her son’s life; he was still a cub and they might kill him if given the chance. She told him only to run for his life and know that she would be fine. Kamau, terror-stricken, escaped noiselessly while the lionesses tried to hold back the marauder. As soon as the cub came to a full stop and caught his breath, he looked back and saw his former home in the distance. It was beginning to get dark now, and predators would be lurking. Kamau prayed for a savior of any kind. As he lay down to sleep and started to cry, a lion heard him nearby and went over to see what the matter was. There before him was a scared, sad cub sitting all by himself and begging not to be eaten. The lion explained that he wasn’t going to eat him at all, and introduced himself as Ni, a rogue. Now Kamau had been told all his life that rogues were dangerous and evil, but this one seemed sorry for him. Every bone in the cub’s body told him to run away- could he trust this guy? The stranger said that if it would make him feel any better, he would leave. Kamau had prayed for a savior of any kind, and this had to be it. So, Ni lay down beside the cub and fell asleep. The first thing Ni did was teach Kamau how to live in the wilderness. He taught him how to find food and water, how to hunt, how to fight and defend himself. Over the years, Ni became a sort of adopted father to Kamau and they were always together. Kamau was much more talkative around Ni than anyplace else, and felt at ease around him. Ni even allowed Kamau to call him Dad. Even when Kamau was fully grown, he still hung around Ni. One day, as the two were walking, they met up with another group of males around Kamau’s age. Even though Kamau didn’t say much to them, they all took a liking to each other and decided to stay together as a pride with Ni as their de-facto leader. Kamau was happy in his little group, but wanted to see his mother one last time and asked to make the trip. Ni consented, and soon the young lion was on his way. Many questions filled his head. Was she alive? Would anyone even remember him? As soon as he got there he was confronted by some lionesses, one familiar one among them. It was his mother, old and frail but still alive. Tears filled her eyes as she beheld her now grown son. She was so happy to know that he was alive. She asked him all sorts of questions and told him all sorts of things, like how Malka had come back to avenge his father, and how he had a family now. Kamau almost wanted to stay, but he knew that this wasn’t his home anymore and that he’d have to go back sooner or later. His mother was sad to see him go again, but he promised he would be back someday, maybe with a family of his own. Relieved, the old queen bid farewell to her young son as he made his way down the mountain he grew up on, the mountain where he was born.

Relation to TLK: Malka’s Mother is his mother, Malka is his half-brother and he was mentored and adopted by Ni.

Malka’s Mother, Malka, Ni, original images and all locations belong to Disney. Asali, Hami, Kamau and the renders belong to me.