The following three prides are sister prides. There are three brothers and each brother is a leader of his own pride. Each pride never accepts outcasts. They will only allow males or females from sister prides to integrate and mate with their own pride members. This is a common practice as it helps with any inbreeding problems that could occur. Any candidates for future pride leaders must have a bloodline that traces back to the original leaders of that pride (Ashki for the Hanja Pride, Hakimu for the Eupe Pride, and Rubani for the Eusi Pride).

The Hanja Pride: Most of my characters are part of this pride. Their leader is Ashki.
They all have brown shaded pelts. The lions of this pride ALWAYS have stripes and/or spot markings. Although the spot markings are limited to their face the stripes can be found on the face AND body. They can also have other general lion markings (socks, stocking, belly and chest, eye area, and muzzle). The markings are traditionally only brown or white in colour. They live on the plains bordered by a river and have their own watering hole.

The Eupe Pride: This pride is run by Ashiki's brother, Hakimu. All the lions in this pride have white pelts. Their markings are usually minimal but they ALWAYS have some sort of stripe markings. They can also have other general lion markings (socks, stocking, belly and chest, eye area, and muzzle). But it is rare for them to have too many markings (other than stripes) and their white fur always dominates. There are few members in this pride and it is the smallest of all three sister prides. They live in the mountains that tower over the plains of the Hanja pride.

The Eusi Pride: This pride is run by Rubani. All the lions in this pride have pale golden pelts. The lions of this pride ALWAYS have some sort of dotted markings on their face. They are never seen with stripes. Most of these lions never grow out of their cub spots and some are just left with cub spots on their legs and tail. The spots can vary and size and shape. Some cause bands to form on their tails. They can also have other general lion markings (socks, stocking, belly and chest, eye area, and muzzle). Their markings are always white and/or a lighter or darker shade of their pale yellow pelts. They live in the jungle that borders the plains of the Hanja pride.

Name: Anisi
Pride: Hanja Pride
Name Meaning: Pleasant/Delightful
Father: Ashiki
Mother: Tayibu
Mate: None
Litter Mates: Cheshi
Other Siblings: Upepezi (older half sister), Keesha, Ushairi
Offspring: None

Other info: Anisi is the local flirt of the Hanja pride. He has had a lot of relationships with lionesses of his own pride and sister prides but he can never seem to commit. He likes flirting too much but he can never commit.
He is VERY lazy and doesn't do a lot to help out his father, Ashiki, even though he is Ashiki's first born son. Don't be fooled by his good looks he'll be gone as soon as he finds someone else to flirt with.

Name: Ashiki
Pride: Leader of the Hanja Pride
Name Meaning: Love
Father: Unknown
Mother: Unknown
Mate: Jabari (deceased), Tayibu
Litter Mates: Hakimu, Rubani
Other Siblings: None
Offspring: Ushairi (first litter), Anisi and Cheshi (second litter), Keesha (third litter), Ushairi (fourth litter)

Other info: Ashiki lives up to his name. He is extremely loving and caring with his pride members but still will not let other lions join his pride unless they are born of a sister pride. He takes care of any disputes that may arise. He may be older than everyone in the pride but with age comes experience and he seems to always be one step ahead.

Name: Cheshi
Pride: Hanja Pride
Name Meaning: Amusing, Humorous, Funny, Comical
Father: Ashiki
Mother: Tayibu
Mate: None
Litter Mates: Anisi
Other Siblings: Upepezi (older half sister), Keesha, Ushairi
Offspring: None

Other info: Cheshi is the joker of the Hanja Pride. He really never takes anything seriously in life and finds it easy to make his family and friends laugh. Although he tries to impress the ladies he often fails miserably and he ends up as the joke of the day. He can be quite clumsy and makes a terrible hunter (as most males do)!

(Adopted from Emphibivian)
Darkini is extremely close to her brother, Kidogi. The two were born as littermates although they differ a lot in appearances. She is the more serious of the two and she is very agile and more mentally mature than her brother.
She has a necklace that has been passed down through many generations of lionesses, mother to daughter. The first lioness to bare the necklace was the companion and friend of a magician named Merlin. He gave his lioness friend the necklace and told her that no matter how far away she roamed that she would always know how he felt at every moment. This was because he put some of his magic into the emerald leaf.
Now that Darkani bares the necklace she too has the same ability. It enables her to feel the emotions of her closest loved ones. No matter how far away they are. It is not constant and she can call on the power when she wishes. Like her mothers before her, she will one day pass it onto her own cubs.

As cubs Darkani and Kidogi were born to a solitary lioness. They never knew why she was with no pride but they grew up with her until they were adults. They never questioned their mother about the fact that they were with no pride.
Shortly after Kidogi and Darkani turned three years old their mother was killed by a herd of buffalo when hunting alone. It was the fatal consequence
of not living and hunting with a pride. Kidogi and Darkani have been traveling ever since. They long to join a pride but have not yet found one.

(Deceased)
Name: Jabari
Pride: Hanja Pride
Name Meaning: Brave, Fearless
Father: Unknown
Mother: Unknown
Mate: Ashiki
Litter Mates: Unknown
Other Siblings: Unknown
Offspring: Upepezi

Other info: Jabari was Ashiki's first mate. Together they only had one daughter, Upepezi. Jabari was extremely courageous and would do anything to protect her mate and cub. This eventually caused her death. She died protecting her cub from the jaws of crocodiles as her cub struggled to swim in the river. Ashiki was just in time to save Upepezi but it was too late for Jabari.

Name: Keesha
Pride: Hanja Pride
Name Meaning: Great joy.
Father: Ashiki
Mother: Tayibu
Mate: Khan
Litter Mates: None
Other Siblings: Ushairi (half sister), Anisi, Cheshi, Ushairi
Offspring: None

Other info: Keesha is quite a hard lioness to understand. She is really open around lions that she trusts but is very reserved around strangers. It does take a while to gain her trust but if you could manage this you would have a true friend for life. She does love to have deep and meaningfuls but only with those she can trust. She is completely in love with her mate Khan and she feels that no one knows her better than he does.

Keesha is my fursona I guess. Her personality has grown with mine over the years and in summary she is generally happy, tries to be kind but can often make sarcastic remarks that she regrets later on. Her feelings are easily hurt because she can be naive but she is normally a gentle character.

Name: Khan
Pride: Was born into the Eupe Pride but was later accepted into the Hanja Pride when he fell in love with Keesha who is in the Hanja Pride.
Name Meaning: Prince
Father: Hakimu
Mother: Unknown
Mate: Keesha
Litter Mates: Unknown
Other Siblings: Unknown
Offspring: None

Other info: Khan was born into the Eupe Pride. His father is Hakimu who is the leader and founder of the pride. Khan was next in line for the thrown but he threw this all away when he fell in love with a lioness of the Hanja Pride by the name of Keesha. He joined her pride to be with her and in doing so he eliminated his chances of being king in his birth pride. Khan is quite wise for his young age and will do anything to protect those he loves. He is a strong fighter and is the envy of most males. He is reserved and quiet and only shares his secrets with his mate, Keesha. The pair have an unbreakable bond.

Kidogi is extremely close to his sister, Darkani. The two were born as littermates although they differ a lot in appearances. He is the more easygoing of the two and quite flirty with lionesses. He can be quite the stud muffin. Kidogi is genuine wimp and doesn't mind being a follower rather than a leader. He will avoid conflicts with other males at all costs and it is often his sister that will stuck up for him or do all the talking.

As cubs Darkani and Kidogi were born to a solitary lioness. They never knew why she was with no pride but they grew up with her until they were adults. They never questioned their mother about the fact that they were with no pride.
Shortly after Kidogi and Darkani turned three years old their mother was killed by a herd of buffalo when hunting alone. It was the fatal consequence
of not living and hunting with a pride. Kidogi and Darkani have been traveling ever since. They long to join a pride but have not yet found one.

Name: Lia
Pride: Hanja Pride
Name Meaning: Weary
Father: Unknown
Mother: Upepezi
Mate: None
Litter Mates: Lutik
Other Siblings: None
Offspring: None

Other info: Lia is the twin sister of Lutik. She is very boisterous and energetic. There is never a waking moment where she isn't moving around. This is why Upepezi name her Lia. Because she made her 'weary'. Lia is always trying to get her brother to play with her but he is quite reserved and likes to do quiet things. Lia on the other hand will explore and get her nose into anything she can find.

Name: Lutik
Pride: Hanja Pride
Name Meaning: None
Father: Unknown
Mother: Upepezi
Mate: None
Litter Mates: Lia
Other Siblings: None
Offspring: None

Other info: Lutik is the twin brother of Lia. He is very quiet and likes to ponder on a lot of things rather than acting upon them. He stays close to his mother, Upepezi, and rarely strays far. If he was to find a butterfly he would sit and observe it quietly but on the other hand Lia would chase it.

Pampo is part of a small herd. She spends so much time wallowing in the mud that her legs and trunk are stained brown. ^.^

She's too cute and she knows it. She'll use this to her advantage. She has no fears of lions because she has never met a full grown lion before.

Pampo is very adventurous and her mum and aunties spend a lot of time chasing her around and making sure she's not getting into any trouble.

Rohan's name means "red-haired, ascending". Rohan's mother was a lioness while his father was a panther.
The three of them had always lived together. He looked after them as the got old. He provided for them and protected them. All three of them lived in a jungle. His fur was dark as night, like his father's.

One night he smelt smoke as he was resting under a tree. He awoke to find that the whole jungle was on fire and his parents were no where in site. Running through the fire he could feel his paws burning. Cringing from pain he found his parents lying unconscious next to the river. Fearing that they were dead he pulled them up over his back and made his way through fire and smoke to eventually make his way out of the jungle and onto the plains. Carefully he lay his parents down. Their pelts where blackened from smoke but they were not breathing... they had passed on.

Rohan was so mad with himself that he hadn't even noticed that the intense fire had turned his mane and tail a brilliant fire orange. His anger, sorrow, and grief built up so much that he almost found it unbearable. Suddenly thunder and lightening cracked open in the sky. It startled him and he wondered if his own emotions had caused it. He began running... not knowing why he was running. Tears run down his face but suddenly he was struck down by lightening.

After a few moments he managed to stumble to his legs. He pulled himself to the nearest watering hole and looked at his reflection. The lightening had left streaks in his mane and other white markings on his body and tail.
He was shocked and couldn't understand why this was happening to him. But from then on he carried his grief with him. He regretted the day his parents died because he was too busy sleeping. And he found that he could control the elements of fire and lightening.

Now he wanders aimlessly with no real purpose or hope. He has lost all he ever cares for and hopes to find someone else to care for one day.

Name: Tayibu
Pride: Hanja Pride
Name Meaning: Be Kind
Father: Unknown
Mother: Unknown
Mate: Ashiki
Litter Mates: None
Other Siblings: None
Offspring: Anisi and Cheshi (first litter), Keesha (second litter), Ushairi (third litter)

Other info: Tayibu is very kind and can be somewhat submissive. She is always there for her mate, Ashiki, and will give him quiet advice if she has to. She is very much the main mother role of the Hanja Pride and loves comforting her pride.

Name: Upepezi
Pride: Hanja Pride
Name Meaning: Gentle Breeze
Father: Ashiki
Mother: Jabari
Mate: None
Litter Mates: None
Other Siblings: None
Offspring: Lutik and Lia (first litter)

Other info: Upepezi hardly speaks to anyone. She tried to swim in the river as a cub but was soon struggling and had a crocodile closing in on her. Her brave mother, Jabari, fought off the crocodile while her father pulled her from the river. It was too late for her mother who fell victim to the crocodile. Upepezi has felt a heavy sorrow ever since. It is said that wherever she goes a gentle breeze follows her.
Unfortunately while deep in thought about the death of her mother she wandered into the Kavu Plains south of the Hanja Plains. Lions that belong to no pride wander here and she was taken advantage of by a male black lion. She was rescued by her brothers who had been searching for her. But the damage had been done and she fell pregnant. She eventually had two cubs who bared black markings that sets them apart from the sister prides and shows of their father's origins. Upepezi never told them who their father was but loved them as their own.

Name: Ushairi
Pride: Hanja Pride
Name Meaning: Beauty
Father: Ashiki
Mother: Tayibu
Mate: None
Litter Mates: None
Other Siblings: Ushairi (half sister), Anisi, Cheshi, Keesha.
Offspring: None

Other info: Ushairi is beautiful and she knows it. She is extremely vain and stuck up. She loves annoying her older sister, Keesha. Ushairi can be extremely loud mouthed and outgoing. Her moods are all over the place. She is grumpy when she wants to be and can chuck incredible tantrums. This most likely comes from being the baby of her brothers and sisters.