Cuore

Name: Cuore

Gender: Male

Rank: Healer

Role in the Pride:

Cuore is one of the Isle of Rose's healers, tasked with taking care of the sick and injured in the pride. The Isle of Roses only has two Healers at a time, though there can technically be a total of four if both Learner Healers are accounted for, so it is an honor to hold the position. As Mzatamo is much less tolerant of cubs' shenanigans, that is generally Cuore's forte. He is far more likely to be the Healer at the Healers' Den because of this, as when there is a mother with cubs on the Isle, one of the Healers tries to stay by the Healers' Den to be available for emergencies.

Due to his position, Cuore knows practically everyone in the pride. If he were the only Healer, he'd probably know them all better, but that's a small price to pay to have someone to share responsibilities with. It helps that he and Mzatamo get along so well, and that Mzatamo also takes the position so seriously. Both are dedicated to the welfare of the pride and each know their stuff, so they are able to work in tandem to solve problems as equals, though Cuore often defers to Mzatamo, seeing him as his superior.

Playlist:

Not Another Song About Love (Hollywood Ending) - If there was ever a song to explain just how Cuore feels for Haraka, this would be it. Cuore always makes it very clear to everyone that he detests Haraka, and yet anyone with half a brain and a pair of eyes can tell he has feelings for her. In spite of his insistence, even a part of Cuore deep, deep down realizes that he doesn't actually hate Haraka; in fact, he knows he's quite fond of her, or else he wouldn't always be there when she asks him too despite her consistent pattern of going back to hating him again afterwards. He may hate it, but the simple truth of the matter is that Cuore has feelings for Haraka, no matter how much he denies it. He wants - no, needs - to be around her, and maybe one day he'll be able to admit it. If that day ever comes, he'll just have to hope that she says the same.

Unaligned (Natewantstobattle) - When Cuore first left his colony, he largely felt as if he was drifting with no guiding point. The prophecy seemed to declare that he was bad, something he didn't want to believe, but he certainly didn't feel good after lashing out at his mother the way he did. During the vote, he had the choice to make himself something along the lines of a martyr to his colony, leaving to keep them safe even if it put him in danger or made him miserable. However, when he saw his mother, he ruined that idea, ultimately lashing out like a monster because of the betrayal he felt. After fleeing, he didn't know what to make of himself, knowing he was now adrift with no real direction on what kind of person he was meant to be. The choices he was making were going to shape him into something, but whether that something was good or bad, Cuore wasn't sure. Since then, Cuore has gained a lot more direction in his life and feels he has finally aligned himself with a path, the path of good, but that doesn't stop him from sometimes still being anxious about where he is headed.

Everything I Ever Thought I Knew (Tangled: The Series) - Ever since he was little, Cuore has been told he was cursed, the subject of a terrible prophecy. As mentioned previously, it’s why he had to leave his family and home in the first place. He struggled to find his way in the world at first, not having a home and simply drifting from group to group, ultimately sticking to himself. Finally, through a scrap with two of the Isle of Roses’ Soldiers, he ended up joining the pride as their Healer, and it suddenly seemed like everything had fallen into place. Surely this had to be his purpose, the place he was meant to be since he could not stay with his home. However, this song really represents Cuore’s future, because when Akilia finally strikes and overthrows Nasaba, Cuore’s whole world is set upside down. Suddenly Cuore realizes that the pride became his home, and when Laani approaches him in secret, she is finally able to tell him the rest of the prophecy that has loomed over his head for his whole life. In that moment, everything changes for Cuore; as grateful as he is to know that what has happened is not his fault, he still feels as if his life could have been so much different, because it almost feels like it invalidates everything he struggled with up until this point. Cuore realizes he is not the one who brought about destruction, but instead was meant to be the one who knew it would be coming, and now is meant to circumvent it. Cuore’s whole life is altered once he learns the truth about the prophecy, and then he is left to pick up the pieces himself as he tries to figure out who he is now.

Touch Off (Natewantstobattle) - Once again, this is a song that applies to Cuore’s future. When Akilia takes over, Cuore can’t help but feel betrayed by the lions on her side, but also by her in particular. While he may not have been close with her, he respected her and viewed her as trustworthy; now she’s proven herself to be a liar and a traitor, and that stirs something up within Cuore. When he learns the truth about the prophecy, Cuore may feel lost on who he is, but that doesn’t stop him from knowing what he needs to do. Akilia has betrayed the pride, and if they ever want things to get better, they have to take things into their own paws. No matter how painful it is, Cuore will fight for the future of his pride, his home, because he knows there has to be something better than what they’re facing right now. There is a future beyond the pain.

Fools (Lauren Acquiliana) - This song embodies Cuore’s deepest fears. Most clearly, it represents his fear of being in love with Haraka. While he would not call them friends as it stands, the dynamic they have right now is good; Cuore is afraid that telling her he loves her will disrupt the fragile equilibrium they have. What if they were foolish, and that ruined everything? He doesn’t want to lose what he has with Haraka, even though how things stand right now still leaves him hurting. However, this fear of love goes even deeper than romantic love; due to the prophecy pronounced over him, Cuore is terrified of loving anyone. If he was destined to destroy his home, what will stop him from destroying whoever he loves? That is not a risk Cuore is willing to take; his heart would not be able to handle the guilt. And besides, what if he does it wrong? The idea that he could mess everything up terrifies Cuore. He doesn’t realize how much he cherishes his pridemates already. And he certainly doesn’t realize that he already loves them, or that they love him. They are his family, whether he realizes it yet or not. They are his home.

The Weight of Us (Sanders Bohlke) - When Cuore finds out the truth of his life, he's terrified. Suddenly, there is so much more riding on him; before, it was an expectation that he would ruin everything, but now? Now he is meant to save everyone? He isn't ready for that responsibility. He isn't ready to deal with the thieves and manipulative leaders and secrets. And yet, he has to be, because if he doesn't, who will? Cuore must force himself to push through the secrets and the pain, to be strong in spite of all the new things he has learned so that he can competently figure out how he is to properly take down Akilia. All Cuore can do is hope he doesn't crumple under the weight of the responsibility that has been thrust upon him as he tries to be brave enough to do what he needs to do. It's time, whether he's ready for it to be or not.

Stitches (Shawn Mendes) - Cuore has dealt with a lot of different creatures in his life, but dang, if Haraka isn't one of the harshest he's encountered, he doesn't know who is. Over and over again, he finds himself getting hurt because of her (or finds himself hurting her). With the consistent heartache she causes him, he knows he should just let her go, both for her sake and his; yet every time Haraka approaches him to meet privately, he can't help but say yes. Each time he knows it'll just end with them both being hurt, but he still goes, because he savors those brief moments of closeness that the two of them share. Those moments are the ones when Cuore is most lucid, realizing just how much he loves Haraka; if only the two of them could both get over themselves enough to compromise for each other, because as it stands, that is the one thing holding them back.

Scared to be Lonely (Martin Garrix and Dua Lipa) - Cuore knows that he loves Haraka. He refuses to admit it, but he knows deep down that he (and, if he's being honest, everyone else) loves the red and gray lioness, however difficult she may choose to be. That's why he never can deny her when she wants them to meet at night, why he keeps choosing to go when he knows in the morning they will just pretend that nothing has happened. He would much rather believe it's because he is afraid to be alone rather than being in love with a lioness who seems to make it clear that she will never love him again, especially when it seems like that is the only reason Haraka seems to keep seeking him out.

Fun Facts:

Paw Preference: If a task involves one paw, Cuore is most likely going to be using his left paw. His father constantly tried to hammer it out of him, but it didn't work, partially because his mother consistently stepped in and told him off for it. It helped that his mother was also more inclined to use her left paw for a single-pawed task. Cuore knows it's the less common preference, but he could care less. If for some reason he couldn't use his left paw - like if he had twisted it or something similar - he probably could get by using his right paw, but it's less than ideal, so he does his best to avoid that even being within the realm of possibilities.

Snoring: Cuore snores. Loudly. It is one of the few things Msaliti and Mzatamo can agree on, namely because they both hate it: Msaliti has tried to be a bit nicer when pointing it out to him - though she still ends up begging him to solve the issue - but Mzatamo is incredibly blunt with his friend. Cuore has tried a few things to fix it at their behest, but ultimately just shrugs and laughs now when they bring it up, telling them to find a solution if it bothers them so much. (To which they say, “Believe me, we’re trying!”)

Painting: Cuore really enjoys painting with berries, or anything else that can be converted to paints. He tends to paint on cave walls, though he will paint on other surfaces if he feels the need to or has to. He is the one who taught Laani to paint, allowing her to have that way of communication opened between her and the ancestors so that she can receive messages from them.