BACKSTORY

Toren is a seasoned lion now, ruler of his own pride; but the position is hard-earned. After a coup in his birth pride he was chased off, still a young adolescent. Life was hard for the next couple of years. He hunted for himself, or stole from weaker animals, or even ate carrion. He stayed with a troop of baboons long enough for them to give him the distinctive tattoos he still wears, but in the end he had to move on. It didn't feel right.

Among other incidents, a wound from a warthog at age three and from a mother zebra at age four and a half taught him caution and an honest assessment of his own abilities. Humbled and wiser, by the age of five Toren was better prepared when he encountered a pride he couldn't just walk away from.

Their head male Jarlath wasn't just harsh as dictated by nature; he was a cruel tyrant. The females lived in terror, and even the most playful cubs wouldn't dare reach for his tail. For a few days Toren watched all this from the outskirts of the pride. Then finally he stepped in to stop Jarlath from killing a cub— not for its transgression or even its weakness, but for its mother's error.

The older male hadn't missed Toren's presence nearby and seemed to have been expecting this. Righteous anger and the alliance of the pride once they saw him fight combined to help him win. He very nearly could have managed it on his own being quicker and younger, but Jarlath was bigger and more experienced at fighting other lions, so he knew how to use his size to advantage instead of letting it be a weakness. As Toren began to see victory slip away and his own death loomed on the horizon, others joined the fray.

Together he and the pride ousted Jarlath, and so began the current reign of peace. It hasn't been without its own struggles, but they generally lead a good life with a strong and kind leader. As for Toren, he loves them all, but hasn't found a mate to raise above the others as queen.