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He's my Uncle, but, uh, he's not way too much older than me. So he feels like a cousin.
Though he met Maji at the same time as Jiwe and fought more with her, Cuore is much less frightened by the lioness. Perhaps it's because, upon entering the pride's camp, she was revealed to be a sweetheart, though a bit overprotective. This kindness was bestowed to him once it was revealed that he hadn't actually meant them any harm, and Cuore quickly found Maji to be one of his closest friends in the pride, though it was a different friendship than the one he struck up with Mzatamo. The two very easily fell into a teasing banter. Furthermore, although Cuore chose to become a Healer in the Isle of Roses, he still wanted to keep his fighting skills honed, if not improve upon them. Maji pounced on this opportunity and quickly took Cuore on as a sparring partner; though Cuore has improved, she generally has no issues sweeping the floor with him during their fights even now. She has tried to subtly push Cuore to accept his feelings for Haraka, but he's oblivious enough that he has completely missed it. Now that she's gotten together with Kusafiri, she's happy the lion she loves and one of her closest friends are finally getting along, and enjoys spending time with both of them together.
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.
At first, Cuore could not get a read on Kusafiri. For whatever reason, he wouldn't have anything to do with the new Healer; it wasn't until Maji presented him with a rose that Kusafiri actually began to speak with Cuore, which is when Cuore realized his pridemate had been jealous, afraid he was being replaced by Cuore. Since then, the two have become friends. Despite his best efforts, Cuore has not been able to figure out whether the myths are true; Kusafiri keeps very quiet on whether or not he is the one who made a deal with the devil, and if so, what the details of said deal are. Cuore wishes he knew, because maybe then he'd have Kusafiri as a true kindred spirit, but the Hunter doesn't seem intent on giving up that information any time soon. So instead, Cuore contents himself with chatting with the quieter lion from time to time, and sometimes hunting with him if Kusafiri invites him along. Most commonly the two will eat together in silence, neither having any issue with the peace and quiet. Sometimes, Maji will even join them, and Cuore enjoys seeing the way Kusafiri lights up at the sight of her. He fully supports their relationship and is so pleased to see them as a couple.
To be honest, Cuore could care less about Kokoto. He thinks the Soldier is pompous and egotistical, both things that get on Cuore’s nerves. It’s one of the things that first brought Mzatamo and Cuore together; after dealing with a mild injury Kokoto sustained that he was acting far too overdramatic about, Cuore made a quiet quip about the ridiculousness of the situation, sparking some laughter from Mzatamo. Since his first encounter with Kokoto, Cuore has just tried to avoid dealing with him, or enjoys giving backhanded compliments that Kokoto will miss but that might get Mzatamo to break and chuckle. However, Kokoto seems to believe that Cuore adores him, and so makes a point to at times seek him out to speak with him. It's almost gotten to the point where Cuore is going to snap at him, but so far, Cuore has managed to bite back any blatantly rude comments. So far. Mzatamo thinks it's hilarious that Cuore has managed to dig this hole for himself, which is not what Cuore was going for when trying to get Mzatamo to laugh while working.
Ever since Kifo was caught trying to hide the evidence of his father's murder, Cuore has had no respect for him. Cuore would generally not be one to treat any particular role in the pride worse than others, but knowing that Kifo is a murderer has stirred up a hatred for him in Cuore that just can't be abated. What sort of scum kills their own parent, and then tries to deny it? Cuore lashed out at his mom, not even with an intent to kill but merely to hurt, and sometimes the guilt still threatens to eat him alive. To see Kifo still desperately try to deny it when the subject is broached, even though the whole pride knows, infuriates him. While he still would have had issues with him for the crime he committed, maybe he could've somehow found it in himself to forgive Kifo, or at least try to see past his horrible actions, since Akilia declared that the ancestors said he could be redeemed; however, the fact that he won't even admit it makes the crime even worse in Cuore's eyes. Because of that, when bad things happen, Cuore can't help but wonder if Kifo is somehow involved, and if Kifo needs medical treatment, he leaves it to Mzatamo to take care of, as both he and Msaliti can't bare to be the ones to treat him after the horrible thing that he did.
If they didn’t bare a resemblance and hadn’t been found together, Cuore never would have guessed that Ua and Jino were related. Though he’s intimidated and at times frightened of her sister, Cuore adores and treasures Ua. The small cub is much more perceptive than her sister, giving off a much more mature and peaceful demeanor. It helps that the young lioness has also expressed an interest in Cuore’s role in the pride. She is intrigued any time Cuore enters the nursery to check on them for health purposes, and is eager to take in any knowledge she can. On a few different occasions, Cuore has heard Ua reference some healing thing she heard or saw him doing while she and Jino play as if they are their own pride. Cuore would do anything to protect her, and often finds himself getting roped into her games, which are a lot more like puzzles than like a game of tag, or some other physical game. It is one of his favorite things to do in his spare time. However, Ua has a tendency to ask him the hard questions, which Curoe always struggles to answer. When she asks why her parents might have abandoned her, he is at a loss for a response, because he wonders the same thing; how could two lions leave behind such a sweet girl? She also is a very sharp cub, and sometimes her assessments catch Cuore off guard, though he also notes they would make her a good Healer some day. One time, when she had asked him to help her see the sunrise, she broke the silence to say, "You know, Jino may seem angry and scary sometimes, but she's really just sad. I think it hurts her more that our parents than gone. Should it hurt me more?" Cuore didn't know what to say to that, and fumbled through a response. In the end, Ua simply ended the conversation thread by saying, "It's okay, you don't need to have an answer for me. No one knows everything." Sometimes Cuore has to wonder if she really is a cub, or if she is some ancient spirit simply trapped in a cub's body; thankfully he's seen her play and frolic with Jino, so he feels safe saying she is what she appears to be, and is simply smarter than most would expect a cub to be. If Cuore has only grown more distant from Jino, then he has only grown closer to Ua now that she has grown. It helps, of course, that she has chosen to follow the path to become a Healer. Though she is Mzatamo's Learner, not his, Cuore still plays a large part in her training, and still views her as a niece of sorts to him. He is very protective and proud of Ua, especially when it comes to how she has handled Jino and their past. Somehow, she still manages to stay optimistic and tolerate Jino, even when Jino seems to be trying everything to push everyone away from her. Her patience and dedication to her sister is something that inspires Cuore, reminding him that there is always hope; though she doesn't know it, Ua's kindness is constantly surprising Cuore, as it seems to know no bounds. On more than one occasion, a wise word from the far too intelligent Learner has also served to be given at just the right time, despite her having no way of knowing what Cuore is thinking at the moment.
When Laani came back with two orphaned cubs, Cuore helped take up the task of caring for them. Of course, how much he did was fairly minimal in terms of actual care taking - that was Tenga's job - but, having always been the healer that generally handled cubs and that side of health, Cuore was very involved with watching them. However, Cuore has struggled to connect with little Jino, who is simply too aggressive and destructive - though she declares it to merely be passion - for him to really understand and interact with. He really can't get over the fact that she and Ua are actually sisters when they act so differently from one another; in comparison to her littermate, Jino is a tiny terror. Cuore knows even Tenga struggles taking care of her, which is something that has brought the two a little closer, though he still can't bridge the gap to friendship due to his fear of Jiwe. Actually, Jino's behavior makes him connect her with the idea of a more extroverted Jiwe, which only added to the intimidation he already felt towards them both. Now that Jino has grown up, Cuore hasn't grown any closer to her, but instead has grown even more intimidated by her. He feels bad, because he adores Ua, but her sister has only grown even more bitter towards the world. She is consumed with the knowledge that her parents abandoned her and is desperate to know who would do such thing to helpless cubs. She has closed herself off to everyone in the pride except for Ua, and Cuore isn't sure what he could really do to try and help the lioness. Instead, he just watches from afar, heart aching for the brown lioness who obviously desperately needs love she refuses to let herself get.
As someone who so staunchly believes in the ancestors, it makes sense that Cuore would respect Akilia, the pride’s communicator with them. He is always eager to listen to what Akilia has to say, and believes that the messages she delivers must be true. Though she does not often stick around the pride, when she does, Cuore is generally inclined to trail after her like a lost puppy, something Mzatamo thinks is ridiculous. However, Cuore doesn’t mind; he views Akilia as having almost as much authority in the pride as Nasaba, and likes being able to hear what she has to say, as it isn’t always predictable when she will get a message from the ancestors. Besides, since she so often keeps to herself, it is very rare to have an opportunity to stick around her and hear what she may have to say, as otherwise he would only likely hear from her if she heard something specifically about him from the ancestors, or if she for some strange reason got sick. Despite this, he is often rather nervous to approach her since he sees her as an authoritative figure, and unlike Nasaba, seems a bit more concerned about how she views him...probably because he worries it will affect how the ancestors view him. Of course, once he learns the truth behind her motivations, though Cuore will pity her, he is also going to be ticked.
There is no relationship between members of the Isle of Roses so strange as the one Cuore has with Haraka. Any time they have a conversation with each other, the tension in the air is palpable. The two are constantly butting heads on just about anything, sometimes merely on the principle of refusing to agree with the other about anything. In spite of all this, the two have an undeniable chemistry, though if anyone ever tries to broach the subject with them, they're lucky to escape without getting their heads bitten off. Part of Cuore's annoyance with Haraka stems from the fact that she is constantly acting and speaking without thinking; she gets into plenty of unnecessary trouble, and while he claims it annoys him simply because it forces them to use more of their supplies than they need to, it is obvious that he is concerned for the huntress. The moment they run into each other, one of them will instigate some sort of argument, whether it be over Cuore being "overly concerned" and "no fun" or over Haraka being "reckless" and "dumb." Most of the pride fully expects the two to get together in spite of the fact that Healers are sort of expected to stay celibate, though most don't have the guts to say it to their face. Mzatamo gets plenty of enjoyment over teasing Cuore on the subject, and those are some of the rare moments you might catch the older Healer loosening up a bit as he dances around the cave to avoid his companion's claws. Cuore definitely thinks Haraka is attractive, but claims he sees her as too infuriating to harbor any feelings for. However, the two have met up a few times at night outside of camp to be with each other, and in those rare moments seem almost like a couple. However, each declare it to be a mistake by the end, and pretend it was a lapse of judgement to even come. By the morning, both pretend nothing happened, and if anyone knows about their midnight meetings, they haven't said anything. Deep down, even Cuore recognizes that he has feelings of some sort for Haraka, but since it seems obvious that she will never feel the same, Cuore puts them aside. Perhaps that is why he is so willing to meet Haraka at night when she claims she needs a distraction, which is her way of saying she wants a shoulder to cry on (though she'd never cry in front of anyone) or someone to vent to; it is the closest he is ever going to get to actually having her. Perhaps it's easier to believe he hates her, because for Cuore, it's scarier to love her. If he loves her, he could lose her, so Cuore takes the easier path instead to avoid risking heartache. Even if that path is even harder on his heart.
Though he knows that his pridemates who are close to Jiwe insist that the gray lion is an absolute sweetheart, Cuore is not convinced. The silent and seemingly cold behavior is too off-putting for Cuore, as he is used to being able to get a general read on his pridemates' emotions; since he cannot figure out what Jiwe is generally thinking, he cannot fully trust him. In spite of this, he does not think poorly of Jiwe, but merely finds him intimidating. It is off-putting for Cuore to see him interact with his family - Tenga, Sasa, and Laani - and be so bright and open, especially since he will quickly shut down when almost anyone else tries to interact with them. Overall, the entire situation is too odd for Cuore to ever be comfortable with, and so though he respects Jiwe and appreciates his protection of the pride, Cuore would rather keep as far away from the stoic lion as possible, and seeing as Jiwe has never shown any indication that he would like to change that, Cuore assumes that both of them are perfectly okay with the relationship that they have. They have spoken a bit more frequently since Jiwe and Tenga broke things off; that seems to have gotten Jiwe out of his shell a bit, an Cuore has grown more fond of the stoic, despite not growing very close.
Generally, when Nasaba needs to consult a Healer, he goes to Mzatamo, not Cuore. If they were any closer, Cuore might be a bit offended by this, but as Nasaba and Cuore are nowhere near as close as Mzatamo and Nasaba, Cuore doesn't mind. He knows that the two are closer and that Mzatamo has held the position longer, so he also feels that Mzatamo should be deferred to instead of himself. As Cuore's leader, Cuore definitely respects Nasaba, though Mzatamo has at times 'joked' that Cuore seems to respect Akilia's authority more. Though he sometimes wonders about Nasaba's decisions, he ultimately believes in his capability to lead, especially since Cuore knows he could never lead his own pride. He does think Nasaba could do with a bit less worrying though, as Mzatamo and he have both discussed how several times the pain Nasaba has come to them for alleviation from has been rooted in anxiety about the pride and its fate, as well as what the pride thinks of him as a leader. Cuore ultimately sees his leader as almost untouchable in terms of anything more than an authority figure though, seeming to act as though it wouldn't be okay for them to be friends.
Msaliti is Cuore's Learner, though both Mzatamo and Cuore are a part of her training, especially since Mzatamo currently does not have his own Learner. However, Mzatamo still generally rejects teaching Msaliti, something Cuore cannot understand. Despite what the pride has generally agreed on about the death of Msaliti's father, Mzatamo still doesn't seem to believe that Kifo is really the one to blame. Mzatamo never seems to fully trust Msaliti, as if he is still suspicious of what role she had to play in the matter. Cuore, however, does not agree. He believes Msaliti is a sweetheart, one that has suffered a horrible tragedy but who obviously cares about her pridemates. She also is advocated for by Akilia, who the ancestors told that Msaliti was innocent of the bloodshed. Cuore believes that this clears his Learner's name, but Mzatamo does not believe this. It is one of the few things the two have ugly disagreements over, and for the most part Cuore just tries to avoid the subject around his partner, even though Mzatamo refuses to agree to disagree on the matter and often tries to bring it up when Msaliti isn't around and he sees an opening. Msaliti, however, shows a strong dedication to her practice and a natural knack for it, having switched to that role after her father's death. Furthermore, she is very open with Cuore and the two often talk, causing Cuore to wonder if perhaps Mzatamo is merely jealous and anxious that his pupil with take his place as one of Cuore's closest friends. Msaliti is just too sweet to have done what Mzatamo thinks she's done, right?
Seeing as the two work alongside one another as the pride's two Healers, Cuore counts himself lucky to have garnered Mzatamo's respect. He knows that Mzatamo has issues with many of their pridemates due to their beliefs in their ancestors, however, due to Cuore's logical outlook, Mzatamo generally seems to forgive his faith in what Mzatamo deems unreasonable. Cuore is one of the few pride members that even knows about Mzatamo's disbelief, as Mzatamo trusts him not to reveal it to the entire pride and enjoys debating his skeptical outlook against Cuore's. The two both take their job seriously, which is, in the end, what really matters to Cuore. Besides, though he might disagree with Mzatamo's point of view, he certainly respects him for believing what he does in spite of what their entire pride thinks. Both lions are fairly in sync with each other, generally knowing what the other needs in terms of healing supplies before it's even asked for. They work well as a team to heal and take care of their pridemates, and when there's time, may slip in a debate or two in between. It is ironic, really, that Cuore will never believe Mzatamo's claims, despite wishing he could. Cuore knows the prophecy about him; it's why he left home, after all. So as much as he'd like to accept Mzatamo's point of view, Cuore can't shake the truth from his mind. There is nothing that will ever convince him that the ancestors aren't real, even though he'd love desperately for the prophecy to be a lie. Though would that be any better? Knowing it was fake and that he left for no reason? Maybe not. Though that sort of evidence could be enough to sway Mzatamo's belief, Cuore highly doubts it'd change his friend's stance, and even if it did, Cuore has no interest in sharing his prophecy. It is his burden to bare...and he doesn't want anyone to know the destruction he was meant to bring down on his home.
Galilee is the little sister Raimo never had. When he found her as a prisoner to one of his target's, he was determined to get her back to her family, only to learn that she had no clue who her family was. He'd initially intended to simply find a safe place for her to live after that, but they soon grew close enough that Raimo couldn't imagine parting with her. He'd also initially tried to keep her involvement in his business to a minimum, but she weasled her way into being his apprentice. Though he will tease her, Raimo would do anything for Galilee. Despite his intimidating presence, something he has used to his advantage in his work (especially when he pairs up with Kaia), Galilee doesn't ever seem to be frightened by him. If he's being honest, her almost idolization of him frightens him, because he worries what might happen if he disappoints her. However, he does his best to guide her and remind her he's not perfect while also protecting her.
Galilee adores Raimo. He rescued her from a group that he'd been hired to kill, and ever since, Galilee has stuck to him like glue, only partially because she has nowhere else to go. It is obvious that Galilee adores him, wanting to be just like him, even if Raimo would rather she be better than him. It wasn't necessarily Raimo's intention to take her on as an apprentice, but somewhere along the way she began to act as such, and since then Galilee has been determined to be as good as her savior at his job, if not better. She views Raimo as an authority in her life; she has no recollection of her parents, so he is the closest thing she has to that sort of adult in her life. In spite of this, their relationship is much more akin to that of a brother and sister; Galilee wants to be just like him, and Raimo desperately tries to look after her. She is more than happy to tag along with him, and gets very panicky when he does go on a mission that he refuses to take her on; she has become incredibly attached to Raimo, and the thought of something happening to him gives the small half Snow Leopard nightmares.
Msaliti detests Kataa. If it weren't for the fact that it was really happening, it would almost be humorous. Msaliti wanted to keep her daughter, Cleo. She was the one who looked the most like Pango, and from the moment the two were born Msaliti preferred her to Kataa. However, Pango took Cleo away, and Msaliti was left with Kataa, who she literally named "reject" due to her harsh feelings for the girl. Msaliti has done nothing that a mother should do for Kataa, viewing her as a disappointment and a disgrace. She is never impressed by anything Kataa does, and very obviously wishes to have as little involvement in her daughter's life as possible. No one in the pride really understands their dynamic. Msaliti could care less if something happened to Kataa; honestly, she would likely be quite pleased if something happened to Kataa, as it might give her the chance to see Pango and Cleo again, and would also get rid of the daughter she detests so deeply.
For the longest time, one of the only things Kataa wanted in life was Msaliti's approval. Growing up with not just a lack of a mother's love, but with a mother's burning hatred, did a number on Kataa that she is only now beginning to overcome. No matter what Kataa did, it was never good enough, and when she was little, she could've given her mother a run for her money in terms of who was crazier. However, Kataa has finally reached a turning point in her life; she is beginning to realize that if her mother doesn't love her for who she is, she was never a good mother in the first place. Msaliti made her decision about her feelings for Kataa before Kataa had even opened her eyes, something that Kataa still doesn't understand and cannot forgive. However, Kataa can move on and allow Msaliti's toxic parenting to have as little effect on her life as possible, and slowly but surely, Kataa is undoing the damage done to her because of her mother.
they say love is blind...i'm blind and i can totally tell he has a crush on me. and i'm just gonna tease him about it till he figures it out for sure himself.
i MOST DEFINITELY don't have a crush on you. no way. nope.