Intruders

„You said this territory was vacant“, Bachur muttered through clenched teeth, but Liron merely smirked. She's led her pride straight into the Pridelands. She knew there wasn't much to fear from Simba and his pride since she had three males and besides Simba, there was only the washed-up Kovu. Simba didn't need to know that Liron's oldest male, Bachur, was actually a coward with a snarling mother behind him. And Kelba was hardly larger – or manlier – than an average lioness. Only Nehedar, a very large thin male with a black mane, was truly reliable in battle, but he was flirting with Nala instead of staring down her king.
„She did it again“, Kelba growled to Imara, Bachur's mother, „She's gotten us into trouble...“
„If only she wouldn't involve my son all the time!“, Imara snarled back.
„Well, if it wasn't for Liron, you two would be an eight-paw-pride“, Nehedar sneered. He'd noticed Imara's dispise for Liron way before her own son had. Kelba had been a rogue before he'd met Bachur, and both they and Imara had ran into Liron once more when they'd grown up and Liron, then set on leaving the rogue life behind, had taken them in. Bachur and Imara's pride had fallen apart when Bachur's father deserted them because of the insufferably jealous and overprotective Imara.
But Liron didn't only have a big heart, she also spelled big trouble wherever she went. Yelda, the scrawny cub, was a souvenir she'd brought home one day, she'd snatched her from a cage from a human ranch. If she was to be believed, one of her scars was from a bullet grazing her as she ran off with the cub in her mouth.

„What are you doing here?“, Simba asked. „Who is your leader?“
„I am“, Liron said confidently. Simba raised an eyebrow.
„You have three males in your pride“, Vitani tuned in, „Yet you lead it? Why?“
This was the question Liron had been fearing. If Bachur, Nehedar and Kelba were so great, then why wasn't one of them the leader? Nehedar stood as tall, if not taller than Simba and Kelba wasn't big, but bulky. Yet Liron was the one with the most muscle and the biggest fighting spirit, too. But despite all that, she stood no chance against Simba, possibly not even against Kovu. She hid these fears well behind a smirk and a firm stare into Kovu's green eyes. With the tip of her tail, she brushed against Bachur's to tell him: „Do something. Roar.“
„We're so sorry“, Sharlila meddled. „We took one of your zebra, but please be merciful, we had to leave our territory due to the drought, and our only cub is in poor shape. Please let us finish this kill, then we'll be on our way.“
„Sharlila, so polite!“, Nehedar snickered. „Why don't you do what you do best and win those guys' merci with your charming backside?“
As a matter of fact, there was hardly a male lion in Africa Sharlila hadn't been with. Since she was with Liron's pride, she'd stuck to Nehedar, but who knew what she was up to all those nights she'd disappear and come back in the morning? Unfortunately, she'd never managed to raise any cubs from those encounters.
Ahu, a white-faced lioness with black ears, came closer to jump in in case the Pridelanders attacked. She was only the second largest lioness after Liron, and Imara was also impressive but not to be relied on when it came to backing up her dispised leader. Her sister, Uha, was busy protecting her piece of zebra gut.
„Where are you from?“, Simba asked. „You don't look like many of you are from the same family.“
Bachur was still flicking his tail nervously but decided he should try and hide his fear by engaging in a conversation. He explained their situatin and how they became a pride. „And Tama-“
„Tama!?“, Simba and Nale gasped simultaneously. Indeed, there she was.
„You know her?“
„She was with us until..“ Nala paused. „Until Simba's uncle claimed the throne and brought us alot of grief. We both escaped to find help but I thought she didn't make it.“
At the last words, Nala shot Tama a reproachful glance, but then her eyes softened. They'd been so young and why not escape that sad excuse for a life?

Kiara found all this to be very confusing. A former pride sister seemed to be with the intruders who were lead by a female and Kelba, the bright, stubby male, reminded her of herself: Bratty, snotty, and feisty. Yet his demeanor was that of a lioness rather than a lion. And the pale one was hitting on her mother..?
Meanwhile Vitani couldn't take her eyes off the tiny, malnourished cub. It must have been rescued only recently; and its poor condition and long fur reminded her of herself when she was its age.
For little Yelda's wellbeing and because Liron had technically reunited his pride with a former pride sister, Simba decides to let them stay – temporarily.



Liron (Hebrew: My Song)
Two and a half years old, a rogue lioness who picked up other rogues to form her own pride. Feisty, frank and emotional, she lacks the good judgement one would normally expect from a leader. She's on the heavy side. Scars from battles and bullets cover her body.
Love interest: Bachur
Mutual hostilities toward Kelba and Imara, Bachur's mother

Bachur (Heb.: Young man)
Two-year-old male. He and Nehedar were in the same pride until Bachur's father deserted it. As cubs he met Liron for the first time when she was roaming in search for a pride by herself. They'd become best friends, but Kelba's and his mother's influence keep him from living his feelings for the bulky lioness to their full extent.
He's rather shy and likes to keep to himself unless approached by others. He shuns needless aggression and tries to be diplomatic, but he often finds himself heavily influenced by dominant characters such as Liron, Kelba or Nehedar, and then he can engage in the same mischief.
Love interest: Liron sends him on and over the edge, but is it love?
Hostilities: None

Nehedar (Heb.: Awesome)
Two-year-old male. Very tall and thin. A womanizer and prankster with a healthy dose of sarcasm and very proud. He's a loyal friend to both Liron and Bachur, although he doesn't think a coward like Bachur is right for her. He's usually very relaxed and debonair, but he can pack a punch. Nobody knows where he comes from, Bachur's father had just taken him in as a cub. And nobody ever knows what he's thinking either.
Love interest: Sharlila (casual), maybe Liron?
Hostilities: None, but manages to piss anyone off.

Kelba (Heb.: Female dog, bitch)
Two-year-old male. Small and bulky. He had joined the pride of Bachur's father when his own pride had deserted him. Kelba seems to be interested in males rather than females which makes him useless to create a legacy. Bossy and dominant, he often steps on Liron's toes and if it wasn't for the good impression they wanted to leave on their mutual love interest, Bachur, they would have long ripped each-other apart, both over Bachur and other things such as the leadership (not that he'd stand a chance against the larger lioness). He's often found with Imara, gossiping and plotting to get rid of their leader.
Love interest: Bachur
Mutual hostilies with Liron

Imara (I think it's Hebrew of „mad mother“)
Seven-year-old lioness and Bachur's over-protective, jealous mother. Her character had been so unbearable to her mate that he'd deserted her and her son. Of course, this is not the story Bachur was told. Since he'd become the only significant male in her life, and Liron seems to be trying to take him away from her, she is torn between putting up with Liron for her son's sake or getting rid of her. She loves Kelba for being such an influence on Bachur and just as „unfond“ of Liron as she is.
Love interest: None
Mutual hostilities with Liron

Sharlila (Heb.: Whore)
A rogue lioness with ash-grey fur who'd sustained herself by playing her charmes on each and every male she encounters until she met Nehedar who'd introduced her to Liron's pride.
Love interest: Nehedar, but anyone will do
Hostilities: None

Ahu & Uha
Two lionesses that joined Liron's pride