Heatwave
Information
Name	Heatwave
Gender	Cisgender female
Pronouns	She/her
Sexuality	Bisexual
Territory	Incandescent Valley
Rank	King (temporary traveller in AU)
Voice	TBA
Theme	TBA

Summary

Heatwave rules over the "Incandescent Valley", which is a patch of dry savannah with cyclic wildfires during the dry season. The denizens and flora of such a harsh geographical oddity have adapted to this, with plants consuming the nutrients from the ash and the kingdom itself having taken advantage of the unprepared fleeing animals to score easy meals for herself and her subjects. The pride faces the flames as not something to be afraid of, but rather as a disguised blessing from the Great King, having come to associate them with destruction and rebirth of nature and change. Many unwilling lions have been caught up in this hostile territory before in their travels, and Heatwave saw to it that while she ruled, these travellers had a place to heal and recompose their strengths before they're sent on their way. One could say they're "lifesavers" of sorts. Her subjects describe her as kind and just. By her size, you can tell she's in charge, yet she has never acted above anyone in her surroundings or lorded her strength over another.

Personality

Heatwave is definetly a "stop and smell the flowers" type gal. She has an extremely relaxing aura that envelops her, one with an ability to listen so deep that it's easy for lions to just lie down beside her and tell her their troubles while using her mane as a soft cushion. Although Heatwave isn't much of a talker, she seems to be very friendly and slightly playful as a tease when she does. Flipside, she's not perfect - sometimes too many compliments get to your head and Heatwave has a habit of overestimating herself, resulting in a surplus of excessive confidence. She's not particularly humble but at least not really too annoying or "saviory" from it. Having someone she doesn't like around is quick to activate her own "passive-aggressive" modus operandi. Thankfully, this is rare. She loves being around cubs and being in good company, being a good companion herself due to her profound listening, empathy and willingness to just contemplate the beauty of life, influenced by her own pride's culture.

Relationships

Alight

Alight is Heatwave's mate and one of the pride's consorts, as well as the mate of Flame and Char. She sires the cubs in the pride, but doesn't really consider himself the parent of any of them in particular as she tends to be a bit awkward around cubs. Doesn't mean she doesn't care, but he likes her space and Heatwave makes sure this is seen to.

Flame

Flame is Heatwave's, Alight's and Char's mate as well as the pride's jester. She is extremely nonconfrontational to a detriment and silly, being a loud jokester and surprisingly efficient mediator when she's not taking her prolonged daytime naps.

Char

Heatwave's, Alight's and Flame's mate and knight with "lame aunt" syndrome. Char doesn't like the title of queen and much prefers sticking to her role as a knight, especially because it means this lovebug of a lioness gets to spend a lot of time with her king when she can. Not only, but Char is a great advisor and a greater fighter - she cares deeply for others and her pride in general, to a point this otherwise goofy feline can have a surprisingly aggressive streak in her.

Careful (BI!Careful AU)

In this alternate universe, Heatwave leaves her pride in temporary charge of her three main mates as she sets out in the savannah to seek for advice as a traveller on how to rule a large kingdom and gain their wisdom. On the way, she meets Careful - Jasper's consort from the Golden Grove, entirely by chance. Her two cubs (the then named Troublesome and Aggravating) ran onto her while exploring, and when she and Careful locked eyes, Heatwave was almost instantly enamoured by that lioness' gentle face. The two begun a friendly dynamic with a bit of initial hesitance from Careful as she was talking to a foreign king, but eventually, Heatwave became her main consolation from all the tension the Golden Grove thrummed with. Heatwave has taken a liking to her and her cubs - she wishes she could take them away, keep them safe - but knows the journey is treacherous and that Careful fears for her cubs. All she can do is be a shoulder for now, and Heatwave is more than happy to comply if it means seeing her smile.

(TO EVOLVE AS COMIC PROGRESSES)

Name Meaning

"A prolonged period of abnormally hot weather."