Narifia's Back-Stories

[Narifia]

Well, I've been thinking. I've never really posted or talked in-depth about the back-story behind this roleplay, and for some dumb reason I've just now realized it! So here it goes: I'm going to post a few short back-stories for my characters, just for the hell of it.

Actually, I'm also posting this here because really, it belongs in Narifia's past in her profile. The problem is that when I wrote this, I realized that I had rambled on so much that I'd ended up writing a friggin' mini novel instead of the short biography that a profile calls for. So, I scrapped this and wrote a seriously cut down shorter version for Narifia's profile. I still wanted to post this, however, because Narifia's story isn't complete without it.

I don't care if this old fossil of a forum is dead, I'm going to post this anyway. Why? Because I can.


Without Further Ado: The Story of Zira

Back during the time of Zira's reign in the Outlands, the pride of outsiders faced many hardships that threatened their very survival. Famine, drought, and disease were amongst their greatest hardships. It was a cruel fate and a harsh punishment that they endured simply for being loyal to Scar; how could Simba knowingly send them to this fate so heartlessly? Wasn't it enough that Zira's lover was killed before her and her son Nuka's very eyes? What purpose did Simba have in sending the pregnant lioness, her young cub, and their spare few friends to die slow deaths in such a barren wasteland?

Worse still was one simple fact and fear that loomed over them every single day of their lives; until Nuka and Zira's newborn cub Kovu came of age, there were no males amongst the outsiders. Any rogue male who got it into his head to come in and take over could quite feasibly do so. It seemed as if life wasn't even worth living with so many odds pitted against them like this.

However, Zira was a strong leader. She brought the outsiders closer together, unifying them as a pride and as a family. Zira instilled in them a will to live and a will to fight; she promised them that if they stuck together long enough for Scar's chosen heir Kovu to grow and complete his training that they would not only be saved from this nightmare, but they would be avenged. Unhindered by fear and with nothing to lose but their lives--and everything to look forward to in the future--they fought off any males who attempted to usurp kingship in their land, and as a unit they became a strong enough entity to make Aiheu himself shudder in fear.

There was one lion, however, who could not easily be fought off. His name was Kito. He was a white as the snow-capped mountains with a crimson mane and paws, and mint-green, vicious eyes. For a short while, just before Kovu left to accomplish his mission in the Pridelands, Kito reigned terror in the Outlands. The fledgling Kovu and the sickly Nuka were easily run out of the pride during his reign. He fathered several cubs in his time there, including two named Anasi and Johari. He even managed to overpower Zira long enough to impregnate her. However, this was the last straw. The lionesses would take no more of the terror; they pulled themselves together, regained Nuka and Kovu--who had grown to strengthen himself during his exile--and put an end to the usurper for once and for all. Having proved themselves as a strong unit, and Kovu as their true savior after all, things were definitely beginning to look up for the downtrodden outsiders. Zira sent Kovu off on his fateful mission to the Pridelands shortly thereafter.

Everything came crashing down for Zira and the outsiders when her eldest son Nuka was killed, and--most devastating of all--their would-be savior Kovu turned against them in favor of the enemy. Their dreams, their hope of a brighter future, and their very survival was at stake now more than ever. Fueled by anger at the betrayal of her son, Zira led the outsiders on one final crusade against Simba and the Pridelanders--even though she was still pregnant at the time with Kito's vile seed. Vowing to end the feud for once and for all, Zira was determined to bring Simba to justice so that Scar's spirit could finally lay in rest and so that her pride and family could finally live the peaceful lives they deserved.

Fate decided not to side with Zira in the overall scheme of things. During the final standoff between Zira and Simba the duel was interrupted by an unwanted disturbance: Kovu and Kiara--who was the reason for his betrayal--leaped in and stood between Zira and her final revenge. Kiara's naive words of love and forgiveness penetrated the hearts of the outsiders but were lost on Zira, who wanted now only the peace of mind of avenging her fallen lover and son. In the end Vitani--Zira's only remaining offspring--her family, her followers, and her last remaining hope abandoned her in favor of Kiara's naive ideals.

Zira resigned herself to death rather than throwing her soul away by joining the likes of Simba and his foolish pride. In one last, desperate effort--and in knowing she was throwing her life away for once and for all--she leaped at Simba with all of the strength and fury she had left. Living didn't matter anymore. Her lover was dead, one son was dead and the other a traitor, and her entire pride whom she had cared for as a family had all abandoned her. Kiara, once again getting in the way, protected her father and as a result the two lionesses went tumbling down the cliff-side together. Kiara caught on and saved herself, then offered her paw in help to Zira. The lioness was already dead on the inside however, and with a half-crazed grin she whispered out, "No... never!" and then let go of the rock wall. She tumbled to her apparent death in the waters below.

Strangely enough, Zira survived the fall and the river. However, whatever strength she'd had during her reign as the queen and caretaker of the outsiders was gone now. Zira was but an empty shell. She wandered on for days in her weakened state, still carrying the burden of a rogue's vile insult in her womb and the weight of utter defeat on her heart. Finally, she collapsed as she came to the Kube River.

Her rescuer couldn't have been any more of a surprise to her.

Scar--alive! Impossible though it may have seemed, it was real. Her lover was alive and taking care of her now! He explained to her how he had survived the hyena attack. In reality, they had decided against killing him and insisted instead on taking him prisoner and torturing him as a thanks for using them. He'd managed to escape to Kube, where he lived a life of solitude and regret. After reflecting on his life, Scar finally let go of his hatred of his brother Mufasa and realized with horror what he had truly done to his family and pride. Scar didn't feel as if he deserved happiness, and that is why he had never set out to find Zira again. However, if he had only known what life had been like for her and the outsiders... he would have been there to take them away from all of that pain.

Zira, happy at last just to be with her beloved, let go of her vendetta against the Pridelands. She resigned herself to forgetting those fools who had abandoned her and now looked forward only to a solid future with her mate. The reality of Zira's unwanted pregnancy could not be avoided, however. On the day of her cubs' birth she delivered five cubs: three that resembled the rouge Kito and two that resembled Zira, although one of the cubs resembling her was stillborn. Zira, unable to stand the sight of the rogue's vile offspring, killed the cubs that looked like him and was nearly about to kill the one that resembled her as well. Scar, however, stopped her from doing so. He thought that the cub was beautiful because it looked so much like its mother, and he was willing to act as its father even though it wasn't his. Zira was moved by this and spared the cub, and even grew to love it. It seemed as if she were finally going to get to lead the peaceful family life she had always wanted to live with Scar. Sadly, however...

... Several days passed after she gave birth, and Zira's health greatly deteriorated. The battle, the fall into the river, and the malnourished lifestyle she had been leading in the Outlands was finally beginning to take its toll on her body. The weaker she grew, the less clear her mind became. One night as Scar slept, Zira took her only living cub and left their quiet cavern in Kube. Her mind was disoriented to the point of no longer knowing what she was doing anymore. She wandered throughout the night and came, ironically, to the border of the Pridelands. As if some strange will was guiding her, she left the cub hidden beneath a small growth of vegetation. Zira herself wandered away, still unthinking and disoriented, and finally perished but a few yards away from where she had left the helpless cub.

Early the next morning, two Pridelanders were out for an early morning stroll together. It was Sarafina and Vitani, who had begun to bond with one another in the short time after the outsiders joined the Pridelands. They noticed a gathering of vultures on the border of their land and went to investigate. Stumbling upon the body of the fallen lioness, they decided to keep well away from it in case the poor creature had perished due to disease that could still spread to the living. Though Vitani never ventured close enough to tell for sure, she somehow had a feeling that the dead lioness looked strikingly familiar.

Sarafina and Vitani heard the cries of a helpless newborn just as they had turned away to go back home and report the incident. They noticed that there were a few more buzzards gathered around the source of the cries and ran over to scare them away. This is when they discovered the cub, and taking pity on it Sarafina decided to take it back and raise it as her own. She named the cub Narifia, after her own mother, and thus the story begins.

[Narifia]

The Story of Young Narifia

Narifia was raised in the Pridelands by Sarafina, who found her as a newborn and adopted her. Narifia never knew that she wasn't Sarafina's true daughter however, as she grew up happily as a Pridelander never once even thinking to question her parentage. Growing up right alongside her was Morobi and Leah, the cubs of Kovu and Kiara, and another cub named Sarai. The four cubs were inseparable friends, although at times Narifia and Sarai would often quarrel.

One morning, the cubs were warned by Zazu to stay close by Pride Rock and never stray too far from their mothers because there was a herd of human poachers out on the prowl. Being the curious and adventure-starved beings that cubs are, Sarai suggested that they go invade the camp and steal away some human treasures for themselves. Although at first Narifia refused, she eventually gave in to Sarai's taunting. However, once there they were soon discovered by the human poachers. The cubs barely escaped from the dangerous situation, and Narifia received the worst of the injuries as she had nearly been captured by the humans. Morobi was the one who outsmarted the humans and saved Narifia's young life.

Narifia and Sarai's friendship was never the same after that incident, and although Sarai apologized for goading Narifia into going in the first place she never really seemed sorry afterward. From then on, Sarai and Leah relentlessly bullied Narifia. Although Narifia could usually hold her own and think up quick, witty comebacks, sometimes the two bullies would take things too far. Morobi would come to Narifia's rescue when she needed it, and back off to let her fight her own battles when she requested it. They developed a strong friendship, but although Morobi had developed a crush on her Narifia was quite naively oblivious to it, and Narifia came to see Morobi as the older brother she'd never had.

Narifia and the others grew into their "teen" years. Morobi's first fluff of mane had grown in, and there was soon to be a mantlement celebration in honor of his coming-of-age. However, before the ceremony took place, Narifia stumbled upon a conversation between her mother Sarafina and her mother's closest friend, Vitani, that turned her entire world upside-down. They were discussing whether or not Sarafina should tell Narifia the truth--that she had been adopted--when Narifia walked in on their conversation and heard the startling words. Devastated, Narifia ran away from Pride Rock that night and lay under the stars, weeping and trying to sort out her feelings.

Narifia had had every intention of going back home, however fate somehow decided that something quite different should happen instead. The ghostly apparition of Narifia's real mother appeared before her and offered to lead her to her father, who was still alive. Curious to know who her real father was, Narifia accepted the offer and journeyed to Kube with her ghostly mother.

When at last Narifia found her father, she learned the startling truth about her true origins. Her mother was Zira, former queen of the outsiders that had been the Pridelanders' enemy in the past. Her father was the infamous Scar she had heard dreadful stories about back home--the same lion who killed the former King Mufasa, exiled the young Simba, and usurped the throne with a legion of hyenas at his side. He had seemed like a demon in those stories, however as he stood before her he in reality was just a lonely, gray, and tired old lion.

Narifia sat and listened as Scar and the ghost of Zira told her the entire tragic tale of the past, starting from the trouble between Scar and his brother Mufasa and ending with the day Zira died and how Narifia came to be adopted into the Pridelands. They even told her of her biological father, the rouge Kito, and how Narifia was the only one of his cubs born that Zira and Scar allowed to live and vowed their parental love to.

When all was said and done and Zira had gone back to the spirit world, Scar confessed that all he wanted now was forgiveness from his dead brother and from Simba, whom he had wronged so terribly in the past. Narifia convinced him to return with her to the Pridelands, as she was convinced that Simba would forgive him if only he asked. So, the two of them returned to the Pridelands together. The shock of Scar's reappearance stirred up old feelings of anger and hatred within the hearts of the Pridelanders--especially those who had lived through that time and especially Sarabi--but through Narifia's naive and idealistic reasoning Simba came to accept Scar and forgive him at last.

Scar died not long after his return to the Pridelands.

During the time Narifia had been away, she had grown into adulthood and she found out that Morobi had also--with a full, lustrous mane to prove it. She realized with a pang of guilt that she had missed his mantlement ceremony when she had left to find her father. Morobi was forgiving, however, and was happy only to have her back in his life. Narifia, still innocently oblivious to his feelings for her, was quite shocked when he proposed to becoming her mate. Narifia was at war with her own feelings, however, as now that she knew the truth about her heritage she wasn't sure that she wanted to stay in the Pridelands. She had a yearning to go visit the place where her mother had lived with the outsiders, and she didn't quite know why. Morobi, however, confessed that he would follow her to the end of the world if she wanted, just so long as he never had to be separated from her again. Narifia accepted, and the two left the Pridelands together in search of whatever it was Narifia was looking for.


A little bit more about Narifia:

Narifia has often been described as having a lethal amount of naïveté tucked away inside of her. Truthfully, naive though Narifia may seem to be at times, she's in fact quite more worldly than she lets on. In reality, her biggest downfall comes not from her naïveté but rather from her child-like belief that every living creature must be good at heart, and everything must have a happy ending. Narifia is gentle and kindhearted, especially to strangers and loners, which worries those close to her that she may end up befriending the wrong person one of these days.

However, kind and gentle though she may be, don't be fooled into thinking she's a pushover. Despite her small stature, she's quite the ferocious fighter when she feels her family or loved ones are being threatened. Being Zira's daughter, there is a bit of her mother's dark fury tucked away inside of her. Though Narifia has a strong hold on her emotions most of the time, if she were to be pushed to her limits she would undoubtedly make anyone who threatened her or her loved ones suffer quite dearly.

[Narifia]

I actually had longer versions of Morobi, Sarai, and Leah's stories as well. I'm going to post them in completion here, whether or not this roleplay's story has advanced far enough or not. It's not like we're ever going to see any new posts, anyway, and if I post this stuff then maybe finally I can let it go and lay this old forum to rest.


The Story of Young Morobi

Morobi was born to Kovu and Kiara of the Pridelands. He grew up alongside Narifia, Sarai, and his sister Leah. He always secretly harbored a crush for Narifia while at the same time having to push away Sarai, who likewise had a crush on him but was obsessive to the point of stalking him over it. As for Morobi himself, even as a cub he tried to get his feelings through to Narifia but she remained naively oblivious to his feelings all the same.

Life was fairly normal for Morobi up until the day Narifia left the Pridelands to search for her real parents. Not only was it a shock to learn that she had been adopted, but it was also a striking blow that Narifia had left just before Morobi's mantlement (coming-of-age) ceremony was to have taken place. He hoped she would come back, but time passed and she never returned. He grew to adulthood without her, and worse still was the fact that Sarai was now even more relentless now that Narifia was gone.

Finally, Narifia returned with her father to the Pridelands. Morobi got to meet Scar--the lion of the horrific stories he'd always heard as a cub--and actually found that he wasn't so bad as the stories made him out to be after all. Not long after, Scar passed away and Narifia--restless and no longer feeling like she belonged--decided to leave to discover her destiny for herself. Morobi vowed never to let her out of his sight again, and he tracked her down, finally confessed his love, and went on to rule the newly-restored Outlands with her.

[Narifia]

Sarai is undoubtedly my most complex and as a result is probably my favorite character. This little blurb just doesn't do her justice--only roleplaying her can really do that. However, this is a more full story than the one I posted in her profile, so we'll just go with it for now


The Story of Sarai

Sarai was born a Pridelander, and as a cub her best friends were Leah, Morobi, and Narifia. Early on in life Sarai developed a mild crush on Morobi, and a slight jealousy towards Narifia for the affections Morobi gave to her rather than to Sarai. What was worse was the fact that Narifia never even seemed to notice Morobi's feelings at all--it was a complete and utter waste! Still, the innocent cub Sarai could look past it and get over it--after all, they were her best friends.

One day, Zazu told the four cubs about a herd of human poachers in the area and warned them to stick close to Pride Rock and never stray from the safety of their mothers. Sarai, full of bravado and arrogance, dared her friends to go with her to explore and raid the human camp. Narifia, Morobi, and Leah were reluctant, but finally agreed. Once they were there, however, they were soon discovered and nearly became captives of the human poachers. Narifia herself received the worst of the injuries, leaving Sarai feeling quite guilty over the entire ordeal. She committed herself to apologizing to Narifia as soon as she had recovered, but she never got the chance.

A dark spirit got a hold of Sarai--he came to her in the form of a lion cub and deceived her, telling her that the injured Narifia was taking all of the attention from Morobi that should have been given to Sarai. He even went as far as to say that Narifia had gotten hurt on purpose, just to steal Morobi away from her. The dark spirit fed on the innocent cub's jealousy and helped it grow and fester until he finally had a way in. He nestled himself within Sarai's heart, and from there Sarai dramatically began to change.

From then on Sarai became obsessed with Narifia and Morobi. She used her cunning to spite Narifia--she even turned Leah against Narifia for a long time. When Narifia left to find her parents, Sarai thought she had won. Then Narifia returned and took Morobi away with her--and that was the final straw. Sarai, crazed by jealousy, vowed a revenge on Narifia worse than death: Sarai planned to murder Morobi.

Using her wits and cunning, Sarai set up two of Narifia's own pride members--manipulating Kurunzi and framing Koagi--as the real killers, and using them she led Morobi into a trap. She recruited the help of a crocodile named Raku to kill Morobi. Despite her careful planning however, she was discovered and Sarai fled to the Hellcat pride, now wanted for the murder of not only the Outlander King, but the son of Kovu and Kiara of the Pridelands--but at least her goal had been accomplished, as now the grieving Narifia was now in a world of pain that nothing could relieve.

Sarai's soul-searching final journey would not begin until the birth of Narifia and Morobi's granddaughter, Tabiri...

[Narifia]

Leah's story here is basically the same as in her profile, with a few differences. I cut some things out in her profile because they haven't happened yet, and I re-worded some things because it looked better. I'm just posting this for completion's sake, and because of the final paragraph that I omitted from the profile.


The Story of Leah

Leah grew up with her brother Morobi always watching out for and protecting her. Her closest friend however was always Sarai, whom she looked up to and always saw as a natural-born leader. Although at first Leah was friends with Narifia, as soon as Sarai began picking on and harassing Narifia, Leah followed suit.

As Leah grew older, she soon began to see how spiteful and vindictive Sarai really was. Sarai's relentless obsession with her brother Morobi was starting to put a strain on the relationship between Leah and Morobi, as Leah was really too afraid to do anything about it.

When Sarai insulted and made fun of Narifia just after they found out about her being adopted--and Narifia left the Pridelands because of it--that was the last straw. Leah broke away from Sarai's friendship, though she could never have guessed at what price that would cost her. Sarai turned her vindictive behavior on Leah, and never missed a chance to ridicule or otherwise abuse her cubhood friend.

Time passed, and Morobi forgave Leah, Narifia returned and left again with Morobi to go rule a new pride in the Outlands, and Sarai's psychotic behavior worsened. Leah soon stumbled upon Sarai's plot to murder King Morobi, however when she tried to warn her fellow Pridelanders of the plot, they would not believe that "sweet, innocent Sarai" would ever attempt to murder her cubhood friend and laughed her off. When finally Morobi was murdered, she was all but shunned by her pride and family for not having the courage to do anything to prevent it herself. She fell into despair.

Sarai showed up just once after the death of Morobi--just to torment and torture poor Leah. Leah was left for dead, and only then did her family finally realize that they were wrong to blame her in the first place. Kovu and Kiara were especially grieved that they had nearly allowed their only remaining offspring to die as well. Leah eventually forgave them, but forever remained distant from her family and pride and spent most of her time thinking and brooding in solitude...