Kuukeni

[Kina]

Name: Kuukeni
- Name Meaning: Feminine / In the female line.

Age: Adult / 6 Years

Gender: Female

Species: Panthera Leos (Lion)

Appearance: She stands just shy of 4 and a half feet at the shoulder, and weighs around 280ish pounds. Her dainty build is cloaked with thin muscle, making it fairly simple to catch others off guard in sparring. Kuukeni’s pelt is a shiny tawny-gray shade, being more tawny than gray. Her subpelt is a softer beige color, blending smoothly. Her eyes are a soft amber color, a true mother’s gaze in ability to harden and melt the heart with the shifting of moods; though the fur around them is almost white it is so pale. But, as she is getting older, her pelt is also lightening with age. Her dark claws are usually sheathed, though like nearly any other lioness, her black pads are hardened and do not easily become tender.

Personality: Even in cubhood, Kuukeni was always very mature for her age. That did not change throughout her life, the lioness becoming a mother figure to younger cubs when theirs was hunting with the full group pride members. She is fairly quiet overall, and will not stand up for herself unless necessary or the situation passes her tolerance. Kuukeni is content with being subordinate, so long as no one attempts to take advantage of those weaker than them. Then, one had better move out of her way. Fur will fly if she sees it happen, to put it simply. Friendship is fairly easy to attain with her, and she refuses to throw an alliance away because of disagreement or a spat. Those she considers her close friends, though, earn a protective eye whenever she is near. Much like she raised Kina to be, and will for Sufura, she will take injury to protect those she cares about.

History: Kuukeni was born to a pair of rogues, but was not alive long enough to know her birth parents before suffering from drought and injury caused them to perish. A scout from a small, obscure pride was one who found the tawny-gray cub. Although the pride had only just formed mere moons ago, the Queen had recently given birth to her own cubs, not much younger than Kuukeni. The delicate female cub was allowed to nurse off of her until she was sufficiently grown, though took her namesake from her build.

As she grew older, she grew attached to both Gumu and Neema as a sibling despite not being blood-related. Although Neema was a bit haughty of her position as Princess in the pride despite her parent’s warnings, she did mean well to the others. Kuukeni preferred Gumu’s company, though, and often her level temperament leveled out his need to gain masculine approval. When she was a year old, it came to their notice that they had become betrothed. While her best friend didn’t object, she found it cause to be admittedly a bit flustered around him.

However, the following dry-season-turned-drought halted all of the pride’s progress in the circle of life. Food and water became scarce, to the point of starvation. Mere mice alone would not keep an entire pride alive, even if it was small. They moved on from there with time, in search of a new home. Their group lived as rogues for some time, before the elder pride members could go on no longer. With their numbers steadily dwindling; either agreeing to being taken in by another pride or succumbing to the results of their insistence, they were reduced to four — She, another lioness, and the royal siblings.

Kuukeni continued to follow them, though, not wishing to let them go and risk losing them. They eventually found a place to stake claims temporarily, though disaster struck during a hunt. She was kicked in the head by a wildebeest after slipping off of its back, and then hit a large rock. Due to not awakening for some time, they believed her dead … And when she did awaken, it was a clean slate. She remembered nothing.

The next year was spent attempting to recover herself, memories slowly coming back with the right prompts from those around her and her travels. At four years old, she came across two young cubs being attacked by hyenas. Although she was unable to save the male, she adopted Kina as her own young. Kuukeni spent nearly two years teaching the russet lioness everything she knew, before the time came for them to part ways for a little while.

Upon meeting Gumu, Neema and Tii by an off chance; though, it confirmed the hazy memories that had resurfaced recently. It took some time for all of them to catch up, or even accept the reality that they were all still alive and together, but peace was made between them once more. Gumu and herself carrying out his parent’s wishes, but out of personal affections — Realizing the true depth of their feelings for the other during their separation.

A month later, they encountered a male named Amri. He had begun his own pride around when Kina had departed, and was open to outsiders joining so long as Gumu did not challenge him. With them simply seeking peace rather than dominance, they finally conceded to join another’s pride … And in perfect timing, as Sufura was born not long after. Their first cub.

Skills: She is a skilled tracker, as well as huntress. Taking down a wildebeest by herself presented no problem to her in her younger days, even. Age does begin to restrict some of the things she can do, but Kuukeni still has many years left. She can still outclimb the best of the younger lionesses, even.

Other: N/A

Alignment: Good.

~ ~ ~

Pride: Sheni Pride.

Position: (Past Rogue) Nursing mother / Subordinate Female / Huntress / Scout

Family: Unknown — Neema (Adopted sister).

Mate: Gumu.

Young: Kina (adopted), Sufura (weeks old).

~ ~ ~

Stories:

Roleplays:

[KiarasMate]

Another extremely detailed and rich character you've made here Kina. ^^ Once again, I sincerely applaud you on all the thought you put into this OC and this just makes me even that much more eager to read your Fan Fic when you get it started. Great backstory for Kuukeni and she sounds like a very sweet lioness. ^^ Can't wait to see her in action. Keep up the amazing work as always my friend. ^^

[Kina]

*Smiles* Thank you, my friend. I didn't think you'd like all of my characters so much, but I'm definitely happy that you do. (And there are at least 12 more profiles. This is the biggest concentrated cast I've done yet, but hopefully I'll manage to do them all justice.) And, yes, Kuukeni is sweet. ^_^

I'll try, KM, I'll try. *Nuzzles.*

[KiarasMate]

*nuzzles Kina and purrs*

Well, I'm a very easy lion to please Kina but that definitely doesn't take away from the fact that your character bios are still some of the best to ever grace MLK. lol. Like I've said, it just goes to show just how much time, energy, love and devotion you put into your writing my friend. Looking forward to more and you're most welcome as always Kina. ^^

[Kina]

Hehe, I appreciate the gesture, KM. And, you're right on that, XD. I'm not sure how to phrase it so it doesn't sound conceited, XD, but; I do tend to put a lot of effort into my writing, even on the building blocks. More will be coming soon, though. ^_^

[KiarasMate]

I understand Kina. ^^ Even though you totally do have the right to be as proud of your amazing characters and writing, I know what you mean. You never can be too modest in my view. ^^ Still, if I put that much thought and detail into my OCs, I'd definitely be proud to say the least.

[Kina]

*Nuzzles* Hehe, I wouldn't necessarily say "amazing", but I'm really glad that you continue to find them so intriguing. (That is, after all, an author's primary goal. ^_^) As for the last, XD, well, I guess I just have really high standards for my character sheets. ^_^

[KiarasMate]

*purrs and nuzzles Kina*

lol, as should everyone though, since our OCs are (in a way) an extension of ourselves to some degree. ^^ Not as if every character we make are modeled after ourselves mind you, but I always try to put a few traits from my being, into every character I make.

[Kina]

Mmmmhmm, I agree. Even if the character bears almost no likeness, it is still a part of it's creator since time and effort was put into it. That aside, there will always be someone with which a certain character just clicks. ^_^

[KiarasMate]

Most definitely Kina. ^^ I think the only challenge with having so many characters in one story, is finding the right balance so they all are as endearing as possible. I've read lots of Fan Fics that have just way too many characters in them and it's hard to grow attached to all of them, since most of the time, only a select few are given enough storytime and detail to even pull the reader into their character, while the rest sort of fade into the background. ^^