Kismat: "Fate" (Arabic?)
Pride Affiliation: Gladiator (capture), The Free (adoption)
Generation: 8
Voice Actor: Andrew Francis (Shining Armor, MLP: FiM)
Relations: Son to Haditi, Subira; Brother to Ajali; Semi-mate to ???; Mate to Mwanga; Father to ???, Hirizi

Much like his father and brother, Kismat is captured when barely growing into his mane as a youth. He is forced to fight with lions and creatures he has never even heard of, much less seen, from the time that his black mane runs along his spine. His life is full of bloodshed and fear, and leaves deep, emotional scars on the young Barbary lion. But the worst has yet to come. This is only the training, the 'weeding out of the weak,' as the pale apes seem to think.

The most atrocious is forced on him when he is barely mature enough to sire young. Between matches, which Kismat barely wins despite inheriting his father's bulky size, the apes force him into pens with the females that are receptive. They stab and slice at him with their sharp non-claws and sticks, while the lionesses screech and yowl at him with enough hate and venom to melt the faces off the stupid apes, until he realizes what they want him to do. But he refuses, fighting the constant barrage of stabbing and clawing and ignoring their angry voices.

That doesn't get him killed, as he provides some entertainment for the spectators, but Kismat isn't let off the hook. Oh no. They still try to force him on the females, and he wishes they'd just listen as he apologizes and takes the force of the blows from the apes, trying to protect them. What would his mother think of him, if he didn't?! What would his father, his brother, and his dearest friend Kana think of him?

Oh yes, Kana was his friend. How happy do you think he was when Kana, the stunning lioness his brother chose to be his bride, showed him nothing but kindness and acceptance? In fact, by suggestion of that quiet but sweet natured lioness, Kismat was able to travel between and live with both his parents' territory and his brother's. And no other creature could claim they spoiled little Kidhi more than Ajali than Kismat!

So it is to be expected that Kismat too was sent into a blind rage as he witnessed first his nephew, and then his best friend die at the hands of the apes. He can offer no comfort to his brother, lost in his own grief and hatred. After Kana's and Kidhi's passing, there is a new fire in him, a fire to kill and maim and hurt as many as possible.

He doesn't know why he does it. Maybe he's finally doing as the apes want? He doesn't know, nor does he care. He still refuses to breed, and they stop trying as frequently, but he knows it won't stop forever. It makes him sick, so he buries himself in the angry and gory work of killing his opponents in battle.

That is, until she finally speaks to him.

Kismat's mane is growing thickly along his chest, creeping it's merry way towards his belly, signaling his final years of adolescence. Normally it would be celebrated among his people, but for him, it just signals more suffering.

The dark lioness in the cage next to him is beginning to grow grey about the muzzle, but she has not lost the youthful spark in her eye. Now and then Kismat would see her smirk, or flick her tail in approval when he would manage to get one of the apes good and mad. But then she spoke to him, and it surprised him more than he ever thought it would.

"Lad, you did all you could," she began. Kismat glanced all around, until she cleared her throat, and he saw it was HER that spoke. "You aren't like the other males, using claws or silver tongues to get us to crouch for them. You 'ent even tried asking nicely. You could beat some into submission, but I been watching you since you was brought in, and you have more honor in you than is tolerable. I'm going to be bred next, so might as well get to know each other before, eh?"

She was the first one that had actually reached out to him. The first out of only two. And so it was that he came to a reluctant agreement to befriend his cage neighbor, and would eventually breed with her. With this female bred, Kismat became resigned to his fate; he didn't like it, but he no longer fought as hard against the chains and ropes and whips.

Then, his cage was open, and it wasn't an ape standing in front of him.

"My name is Mwanga," she said, panting through thick smoke. "Now run!"

Kismat nodded, bolting from his cage. He looked to his semi-mate, whose cage was already vacated. The young lion could only hope that she, and their unborn cubs, had managed to escape safely.

So it was that Mwanga led them (them being Kismat, and a gaggle of creatures, lion and not) out into the deserts, and back to Africa. Over time, the shields that Kismat had built up around himself, to distance himself from his emotions, began to dissipate. He mourns the loss of his family, of those who did not make it out of the fire, and eventually, those animals that split off from their strange group. He finds close friendship with the huge male tiger, Namdev, and the lone she-wolf, Rajani, who eventually join them in The Whispering Hills among a deeply religious but welcoming pride known as 'The Free.'

As the years pass, Kismat finds his sense of humor again. He enjoys making others laugh, but he especially loves seeing the laughter coming from Mwanga, the beautiful gladiator lioness who freed him. He protects her, provides for her. They become lovers, and bear a son. Their lives finally seem to become peaceful...

And then, The Free is torn apart by The Daggers. Due to the fighting nature forced into Kismat and the sheer will to live, he and his love manage to escape, but in the fight lose their son. Into the mountains they flee, to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.... Just when things begin to quiet down, a dark pair approaches them. The female, the more outspoken of the two, smiles at Kismat, her eyes strangely familiar.

"Do you remember the old lioness you were neighbors with?" she asks him. Kismat is shocked to silence, and then smiles, nodding to her. The lioness and lion rush to him, and he nuzzles his eldest children.
~~~

I had a LOT of fun with this guy's design and story! He took the pen from me now and then; I guess after losing his son he still wanted to have a family. <3

This guy is for *Rinjapine, of course. 8B

LOINS FOR RINJA! >8U