Rapt, the Anchor

Rapt's origin is abnormal, in a word. As a cub, he was found by the Prideless lion Kova at the Worldstone's base. Rapt does not recall why or how he ended up there, but it is widely believed that he emerged from the Worldstone's "roots" fully-formed.

Kova raised Rapt in absolute solitude, fearing how other lions would react to his strange appearance. However, Kova was quite old when they found Rapt to begin with- she passed (fortunately quite peacefully) while Rapt was still a young lion, leaving him orphaned once more. In his grief, Rapt buried Kova in the highest place he could think of- this would be the first time Rapt scaled the Worldstone. 

Rapt would've spent much of his childhood alone if it weren't for the vultures and ravens. Kova was kind to the carrion birds in her day, always making sure to leave scraps of her meals behind. Rapt continued this habit as he hunted alone, and quickly befriended the birds sharing his meals. He traded meat and bones for information, learning of faraway lands and the customs of prides he may never meet. And, of course, gossip. Plenty of gossip.

As the birds became more regular companions to the young Rapt, rumors and gossip spread about the lion himself. Flocks of birds whispered words of a shadow-headed lion who lived on stump of an ancient tree. Lions began journeying to the Worldstone, seeking out this strange lion. They found what they were looking for, alright- a strange, almost otherworldly figure, oblivious to social performatives to the point of seeming almost regal to the average pride lion. 

At first, Rapt did not know what to do with these lions who had flocked to his plateau. They were outcasts and loners, or simply lions hoping for a new start, all looking at Rapt as a leader. He had no idea how to lead, so at first he simply ignored them. The group quickly grew too big to simply ignore, however, and Rapt began to grow desperate. He slipped away one night, planning on never returning.

Rapt met Duke that fateful night, as he attempted to leave in secret. The two quickly grew close after spending several days together on the lowlands. Duke, as a former pride-heir banished after a violent coup, knew how to handle a pride even if he had no true experience as a leader. He convinced Rapt to return to the Worldstone, if only to offer sanctuary for the gathered lions. And so, the two founded what would became the Pride on the Worldstone.

As the Anchor, Rapt is the pride's, well, anchor. He is what keeps the Worldstone pride together. Much of his role is of a figurehead. His duties as an Anchor mostly culminate into simply being the "final word" in matters. If the Anchor says that the Outrunners need to descend the Worldstone and focus on hunting, the Outrunners will hunt. If the Anchor calls the Byrgisa to arms, they will rise up and fight. If the Anchor tells the Skreeleens to send word, they will sing at the top of their lungs. He spends a lot of his time interpreting the many, many reports of the Worldstone's Skreeleens. He keeps track on how much prey has been caught or eaten. He compares the movements of zebra and gazelle herds and predicts where they might go, their pace, their size. He makes sure that there's enough water during times of drought, or rations food during famine. He keeps the river flowing and the Pride breathing. To him, the pride is a single being, and each part needs to work together in harmony to ensure the pride's survival. He does not worry about the individual lion, only the fate of the masses.

Rapt is like a lake- the surface calm, flat, and inviting, with terrible currents rushing in the depths. He is outwardly calm and steady. His paws always land true and his head is always held high. He acts and moves with an almost ghostly smoothness. His voice is kept level and calm. However, Rapt is very intense internally and in private. He is quick to get irritable or uncomfortable when communicating with most other lions, so he often will avoid one-on-one conversations with any lion other than Duke whenever possible. He's a nervous soul who is much more comfortable speaking to crowds, since it's far easier to think of his pride as a living, breathing thing- a rushing current he must care for. He's quite skilled with dealing with the movements and actions of the whole and getting the "big picture," so to speak. His advisors (particularly Duke) are the only lions he's really close to. The relationships are draining, so Rapt feels like he can only maintain a few at a time. This extreme distance from the pride members only adds to their perception of Rapt as some sort of mystical being.

+quick-witted and intelligent
+natural strategist
+level-headed

-distant and aloof
-secretive and untrusting
-overly cautious, almost to the point of timidness