Laani's Links
For a while, Laani loved Akilia, seeing her as one of the few members of the Isle of Roses who treated her as a complete equal in spite of her curse. She was eager to please the Oracle because of this, especially once she was named her Learner Oracle. However, her Teacher was always insisting on giving her different tasks to do, and Laani quickly learned that, despite being her Learner, she wouldn't see much of Akilia. It was an odd arrangement, one that Laani wasn't super satisfied with. Being the pride's Oracle was already a lonely job, so she assumed having her Teacher would at least be a bright spot in the solitude; instead, it somehow made her feel even more isolated. It wasn't till recently, when the ancestors were certain she was trustworthy, that they told her the truth. Imagine Laani's surprise when she learned the lioness she had looked up to was the one who made her be isolated by many of her pridemates, fabricating a curse to protect her own secret. Since then, Laani has closed herself off to Akilia, which wasn't all that hard since Akilia didn't want much to do with her anyways. Laani assumes that Akilia doesn't see her as anything but a liability, to right now, she is waiting for the chance to expose Akilia for the fraud that she truly is.
Akilia pities Laani, namely because she knows she has made her Learner suffer to keep her own secret safe. (Though Akilia doesn't know that Laani is aware of this.) However, it is necessary for the good of the pride; maybe, once she has reformed the system, she can clear Laani's name of the curse Akilia declared she had since she was a cub. After all, her mother had urged her to say it, saying otherwise, Laani, who she sensed had a genuine connection to the ancestors, would expose her. Still, that doesn't stop Akilia from pitying Laani, whose only real crime was serving as a liability. It doesn't help that the lioness is fairly sweet; Akilia tries to keep her Learner pretty busy to avoid having to see her, as the kinder Laani is, the guiltier Akilia feels. Recently, Laani seems to have closed off a bit though, and Akilia isn't sure if that should be a relief or worrisome. It's hard to get a read on a lion you can't bring yourself to stay around for too long.
Laani likes Cheka. She is one of the only members of the pride to completely ignore Laani's curse, seeming completely unfazed by the idea that something is wrong with her, making her believe and sense things that aren't true. Cheka doesn't seem to see Akilia has a hero for taking Laani on as her Learner and promising to "help her work through and break her curse," just seeing Laani as another pridemate. In return, Laani doesn't judge Cheka for being different because of her upbringing or for being the Isle of Roses' Assassin, though she'd never tell anyone she knew that particular secret. It helps too that, in some scenarios, Cheka at least personally seems to trust Laani's judgement over Akilia's; though Laani is fairly certain Cheka isn't aware of what Akilia is planning, it is nice to see someone not just blindly accepting what one lioness who claims to speak for the ancestors has to say, especially when there's another right next to her who might say otherwise. The few matters Cheka has consulted Laani privately on have helped Laani to feel that she at least is having some effect on the pride, even if she can't reveal Akilia's treachery yet.
Laani's heart breaks every time she sees or hears about Jino. She wishes so terribly that she could tell Jino the truth, even if it meant that Jino would hate her, because she can't bare to see the path not knowing has driven Jino down. It has consumed her daughter, creating an obsession in her to learn who would abandon their children, and Laani aches knowing it is her decision that did this to her. Because Laani didn't want to give her cubs up, she never wanted to, but what choice did she have? If she accepted the fall for breaking the pride's rules, would she have been forgiven? Jino would most likely tell her that she should have been their mother regardless, because they deserved to know at least one of their parents, but Laani can't bring herself to risk letting the pride fall to ruin. If she's the only one who knows the truth about Akilia, then she needs to be around, even if it means she can't raise her own cubs. She's tried to be as involved as she can, and while she thinks Ua will respect that, she's not sure Jino ever will.
Though Laani has issues with how Tenga raised her, she does not have these same issues with Jiwe. She always been a daddy's girl, and unlike Tenga, her father never showed any favoritism towards her or Sasa. He always made time for both of them, whether he do things with them individually or as a whole family (save Tenga, who grew more and more busy as the cubs grew). He still tries to find time to spend with his daughter, even if she has to be isolated more and more, and Laani will always appreciate that. Like with her brother, she can forgive his belief in Akilia's declaration about her being cursed, even if she wishes he could see through Akilia's lies. Laani wishes more than anything that she could tell her father that Jiwe and Ua, who he adores despite them not seeing him as an adoptive parent, but is afraid of how he might react to learning what she did.
Laani pities Kifo more than anything. It's hard, seeing him being treated so terribly, like he's the lowest of the low, but with no way to prove the truth, there's nothing she can do about it. After all, any defense she made for him would likely be interpreted as her curse acting up, and therefore would invalidate it. At the moment, she hasn't even dared to tell Kifo she knows the truth, as she doesn't want to risk him being upset with her because of her inability to help him. Currently, though she hasn't really interacted with him, she has made a point to leave him extra prey (it's better than the dregs he gets to pick over once the rest of the pride has eaten), among other things, like small baubles she finds that he might like for his den. Currently, it's the only way Laani has found that allows her to support Kifo without risking ire towards either of them.
Kusafiri mystifies Laani. He is one of the few lions that the ancestors can tell her nothing about; something is blocking their ability to sense it, which confuses her beyond everything else. After all, she would like to know what the deal is with him that is keeping the ancestors from being able to read him. It's confusing, because what could possibly be blocking them from learning about him? It only adds to her theory that Kusafiri has to be the one of legend, because otherwise, why wouldn't they be able to read him? It's peculiar and not an issue she's run into with anyone else. If it is the case, it explains the weird protection over Kusafiri, as it could perhaps be a side effect of his deal with the devil; otherwise, she can't think of any explanation for it, because what could possibly be more powerful than the ancestors except the devil itself?
If Laani pities Kifo, then she despises Msaliti. Laani cannot believe the horrendous actions that Msaliti took, because no matter what they may or may not have done, how could you do that to your family? When the ancestors confirmed the truth to her, she was shaken to her core. Not only did she kill her father, her own father, but then she pinned it on her brother, who had only been trying to protect her. However, in spite of her righteous fury over Msaliti's actions, Laani also fears her. If the lioness was crazy enough to murder - and, if Laani's suspicions are right, attack her brother afterwards and scar him - then she does not want to risk her ire. Instead, Laani stays away, trying to find a way to expose Msaliti for the crime she has committed but so far coming up dry. It doesn't help that Laani essentially committed the same crime Msaliti murdered her father for; if Msaliti knew what Laani had done, would she try to murder her too?
Laani is intrigued by Mzatamo and his disbelief. It's peculiar to her, knowing someone who doesn't believe in the ancestors. It's almost refreshing, after knowing so many people that blindly believe Akilia. While she's not sure whether Akilia knows about Mzatamo's disbelief, she has enjoyed bantering with Mzatamo when they've spent time together. Laani has made it a goal to try and show him the truth, that the ancestors are indeed real, but has yet to figure out a good way to. Instead, the two just playfully bicker back and forth, though both are genuinely debating when they do. Laani knows Mzatamo will never convince her, since she has personally spoken with the ancestors, though she's not sure if Mzatamo is aware of that fact. However, she doesn't know if she'll ever convince Mzatamo either, as he decided he didn't believe in the ancestors before Laani even had a chance to show him otherwise. It's quite possible that the two will be locked in a stand still, especially since Laani doesn't get to see him all too often.
Laani absolutely adores her daughter Ua. She is so proud of her, seeing what an amazing lioness and Learner Healer that she is growing into. Laani wishes more than anything that she could tell Jino and Ua the truth about their parentage, wishes she could tell them that she is their mother, but she knows that would put her at risk. Nasaba wouldn't be an issue, as he is very forgiving (probably too forgiving) of typically forbidden romances, especially once someone seeks his approval for it (which he gives out far too easily). The bigger issue is the taboo nature of Oracles having babies, because at this point, she can't risk endangering the pride by getting kicked out. Otherwise, they will have no tether to the ancestors, and no one will be there to try and thwart Akilia's plots. So instead she simply must watch from afar and savor the few moments she gets to spend with Ua, leaving the interactions they could have as mother and daughter for her dreams.
Barakoa is an enigma to Laani, one that greatly intrigues her. Part of that stems from the fact that Barakoa heralds from a far away pride, a pride that Laani does not know the inner workings of. Despite Barakoa's intent to join the Isle of Roses, it is obvious that she is not intending to simply adjust every bit of her life to match their way of doing things. That sets her apart from the rest of the pride members that have joined instead of being born into the pride like Laani; they all are quick to try and form to what the Isle of Roses expects, but not Barakoa. This distinction also makes it hard for the ancestors - and therefore Laani - to get a read on Barakoa, making her all the more intriguing to the Learner Oracle. All she has been able to read about Nasaba's newfound daughter is that she is powerful, powerful in a way far beyond most (if not all) of the Isle of Roses' pride members are.
Cuore is not aware of just how much Laani knows about him, but he knows the pride has proclaimed her as cursed. While he also believes she's cursed, he views it as a bonding point between them, and Laani doesn't seem to mind. (Though that's actually because she knows it will help later, when she finally is in a position where she will be believed when she tells him the truth about the prophecy, as he isn't catching on to her subtle hints at the moment.) The two spend time together when possible, though Akilia often keeps Laani busy. He can tell that Laani genuinely appreciates having him support and respect her even when believing that she's cursed, as far too many members of the pride generally disregard anything she says because of her supposed curse. Since Mzatamo also doesn't really mind Laani despite not believing in the ancestors, when Msaliti is busy and Laani has some free time, she will come and chat with the two of them while they work, so long as the two Healers won't find it distracting. She also enjoys playfully debating with Mzatamo over the ancestors, and Cuore doesn't mind debating as much when she's around, as generally it means he can sit back and watch the chaos as the other two bounce arguments off one another. It also allows him to not think as much about how he is cursed because of the ancestors, which he normally ends up dwelling on when it's just him and Mzatamo arguing about it.