PLEASE NOTE: I do not own 'The Lion King'. The following content is mostly fan theory, and the canon articles are all © Disney, as are the canon/semi-canon characters. My characters and theories are © startwinkle450.

The History of the Prideland Empire

Ah, a traveller in the dark. The Prideland is a dangerous place, my friend. I would tread lightly if I were you.

Oh, you were wondering my name? My name is Uru, a former queen of this land. And yours? Ah, yours is a lovely name. Why are you so shocked? You are surprised you can hear me? You are surprised that you can understand and speak back to me? Those that have lingered in the Domain of the Great Kings do not leave without knowing some magic, dear one.

This ground you walk has a grand yet dark history, young one. Oh, you wish to know? Oh no, I don't mind at all, young one. The night is young and I have all the time in the world.

Let's begin, shall we?

*****

Malkia and Sadaka

The story of the Pridelands begins with two sisters, Malkia and Sadaka. They were born as rogues, as were most of the lions in the past.

Ancient prides were small, made up of about three to four lionesses with their male leader and some cubs, and would travel often to avoid other prides that would fight to eliminate them. Rogues were killed on sight, unless they were lionesses, which would allow them to be offered a place in the pride.

Malkia and Sadaka's mother abandoned them at birth so that she could be with her mate, the cubs' father, who was a cruel beast and despised his daughters. He told the cubs' mother that if she left the cubs, she could stay with him for the rest of her life. If she didn't, he would kill the cubs and leave never to return.

And so Malkia and Sadaka were left to fend for themselves as soon as they were weaned.

It was clear from the start that Malkia was the more powerful of the sisters. She had a strong build but a reckless head on her shoulders. Sadaka was the voice of reason to her sister; she was smart and eager to learn, but all the while shy and demure. This proved to be both beneficial and problematic when the two were wandering the wilds.

Malkia and Sadaka were survivors though, and they both lived to be healthy young adults. It was only when they were this age that they began to lose their cooperative views.

Malkia began to go off on her own, picking fights with rogues and sometimes, members of neighbouring prides. Sadaka disliked this, but said nothing, for she had her own secrets.

Sadaka was a weaver of words, and had conned two prides into being at her disposal. The two sisters were able to keep their secrets until one day, Malkia began to get territorial.

She would bully other prides into being under her control, for the males of the pride would, more often than not, be weak, in both mind and body. Malkia soon had her own large pride, about twenty-five strong. Sadaka was just the same – her word weaving had given her around the same amount of followers. But when Sadaka told her sister that she wished to leave, neither of them knew it would change the future forever.

Sadaka settled her followers in a large, plentiful land that she named the Herdlands, for there were many prey animals that lived in large herds. She also decided that she would name her pride the Tambuzi Pride.

Malkia and her followers settled (unknowingly) in the other side of the Herdlands, attracted to it because of its plentiful food source. She named her pride the Kali Pride.

The two prides were able to live in harmony, all the while unaware of the other's existence. It was like this until a lone huntress of the Tambuzi Pride stumbled across a patrol made up of Kali pridesisters. The patrol killed the lone huntress and returned her body to Malkia who decided that she would lead her pride to war with the pride that shared her lands.

When Malkia found the Tambuzi Pride, she led the Kali Pride blindly into battle. Sadaka stood on the sidelines while her pride fought, and it was then that she saw her sister, ploughing her way through the pride's defences. She leaped into action, and stopped Malkia before she could kill any more than she already had. The two sisters quarrelled, both of them saying that the Herdlands was theirs. It was then that Malkia suggested a war over it. The winner would take the Herdlands for themselves and the loser would either be killed or be driven with her pride into the wilderness. Sadaka agreed, and Malkia retreated back to her side of the Herdlands.

Over the next Moon Cycle, Malkia amassed an army of forty-two strong that she named the Kali Savages. All forty-two of her warriors could not be supported in her half of the Herdlands, so she used her army to gain control of large spreads of land that she could house her warriors in. Sadaka did the same for her fifty Tambuzi Thorns. Malkia had three other lands under her control and Sadaka had two.

((((( The lands under control of Malkia are now named:

• • • Grasslands

    • Eastlands

    • Northlands

The lands under control of Sadaka are now named:

• • • Drylands

    • Westlands

      )))))

When the day for war came, the two prides gathered under the giant rock formation in the centre of the Herdlands. Malkia and Sadaka climbed to the top with the aid of their lieutenants. The prides were instructed to fight as soon as their leaders reached to top, to prevent any help from their superiors.

Halfway through the battle, the rock formation crumbled. The two sisters were thrown from their position on top and ended up dangling from a ledge halfway down. The ledge was failing under both of their weights and both of them knew that either one of them would have to die. It was Sadaka who poured out her heart to her sister before letting go and plunging down to the sharp rocks below.

Malkia climbed down once she was sure it was safe and stopped the fighting. They had seen the rock formation crumble but had carried on as was ordered. Malkia told them that Sadaka was dead and the Tambuzi Thorns bowed down to their new Queen and Empress. Malkia sent the lions from other lands back to their homes after they'd sworn allegiance to her. This left her own Kali Pride and the original Tambuzi Pride, which she took over.

She was then known as Empress Malkia of the Pride's Lands.

*****

Yes, young one, the ancient prides were as brutal and as territorial as that, but it all changed with the founding of the Pridelands. The Pridelands did actually cover six lands, those being the Grasslands; the Eastlands; the Northlands; the Drylands; the Westlands and the Herdlands.

No, young one, the Herdlands were not known as the Pridelands from the start. The six lands together, however, were. The modern Pridelands were once just the plain old Herdlands.

Yes, Malkia did take the throne of all six lands when her sister died. She was a ruler like none other. What did she do for heirs, you ask? Well, I'll tell you.

*****

The Heirs of the Pridelands

After Sadaka's death, a lion named Moyo grieved the most. Sadaka had promised herself to him, saying that after the war was over and when they had won, she would make him her King.

Of course, that was never going to happen now.

Malkia discovered him one day and befriended him and realised that he had loved her sister. She told him that the place of King and Emperor was still open to him. He reluctantly accepted, trying to let go of his past and Sadaka's promises.

Malkia birthed one cub from him, the Princess Binti. Moyo treasured her above all else and said the she was a sign from Sadaka that she approved of his new love for Malkia.

Binti grew to be a fine Queen and Empress, after being taught well how to rule not just one, but multiple lands at a time. She had one son, Hadithi, who was known as legend among the Pridelands.

During Emperor Hadithi's reign, King Kusini from the South, a wild, savage land, tried to claim the Pridelands Empire for himself to be part of his Empire. Kusini was as wild as the land he ruled and wore the bones of his victims as decorations in his mane. It was said that Hadithi went into single combat with Kusini and they fought for three days. Only Hadithi walked free from the battleground.

Hadithi had three daughters, Zima, Nusu and Kirai. Zima was strong like the sun, Nusu was clever like the fleeing hare and Kirai was swift like the racing wind. These three daughters were all legitimate heirs for the throne, but unfortunately, Zima was killed during a skirmish with a hyena and Kirai left the kingdom to travel. This left Nusu to rule alone with help from her ageing father, who died soon after. Nusu disliked the suitor that she was betrothed to, but birthed two heirs for the kingdom. The youngest was killed at an early age, while the oldest lived on. His name was Simba, for Nusu wanted an inspirational name for the next Emperor.

Simba ascended to the throne of the Pridelands at an early age, for Nusu was killed during a skirmish at the watering hole. Simba was good friends with Giza, son of Kirai and Counsellor of the Eastlands. Simba took Ero of the Eastlands as his mate, Queen and Empress. Unfortunately, she died giving birth to Simba's sons, Mohatu and 'Selfish'. Simba refused to name him, as his name had died with Ero. Simba often consulted with Giza on raising cubs, as Giza had his own son, Imara. When it came to choosing the next King and Emperor, Mohatu was fist in line while 'Selfish' wasn't considered.

Mohatu rose to the throne shortly after his father's death, but first had to quell a disagreement with his brother. 'Selfish' was killed, leaving behind his vengeful mate, Kichaa, and their two daughters, Elosa and