Writing Betrayal of the betrayed
by lew_leon
Short: The Pridelands are in peace. King Mohatu is ruling and his two daughters, Uru and Makali are preparing to replace him one day. But when king falls in love with his ruthless chancellor and is going to disown sisters in favor of chancellor's son, the coup of a government seems the only solution. And what role will hyenas play in this plot? Inside: one war, lots of dirty political tricks, dark humor, tragedy, romance.
Author's Note1: I do not own The Lion King or any of its characters except the ones I created. It's a kind of trivia, including some character sheets and interviews with book characters :D
The Pridelands
Royal family
Mohatu - male lion, the king of Pridelands Pride. He's decisive, cruel to his enemies and merciful and understanding to his friends, as he says about himself. He's pretty manipulative, his long rule taught him lots of dirty political tricks.
Kutojali - male lion, brother of Mohatu and previous king of Pridelands (mentioned in story). He tried to restore the old pagan cults, he was defeated in the war against Mohatu.
Hatia Samawi – a female lion from Pridelands Pride, mother of Uru and Makali, wife of king Mohatu. She committed a suicide in the prologue.
Uru - younger daughter of king Mohatu, She's witty and intelligent, selfish and egoistic, the only lion she looks after is her older sister. During the story she becomes very ambitious and concerned about the pride's affairs, she starts her fight against Ghafi. She turnes out to be a great commander.
Makali - older daughter of king Mohatu, heir to the throne. She's absolutely brilliant, but shy and indecisive, she has a lot of conflicting feelings she has to fight with. She's good-hearted, has a great sense of rightness.
House of Dhahabu (golden)
Chancellor Ghafi from the house of Dhahabu, aristocrat, chancellor, mother of Wajinga. Intelligent, ruthless and sometimes cruel. She's a member of the great house, but she had to fight for her position on her own, making many concessions and compromises. She wants to make her own son the king of the Pridelands, disinheriting Mohatu's daughters.
Wajinga, king's guard, son of Ghafi and Chuma called 'Selfish lion'. He's stupid and cruel, but pretty brave and strong.
Chuma Dhahabu called 'Selfish lion', king's counsellor, father of Wajinga (mentioned in story). He seemed to be very intelligent and ambitious.
House of Msemaji
Imani, female lion from Pridelands Pride, friend of Hatia, wet nurse of Uru and Makali, mother of Nzuri and Elimu. She's extremely caring and good-hearted for her children and nurslings, but she also seeks for power, fighting with Ghafi.
Nzuri- female lion from Pridelands Pride, daughter of Imani, friend of Uru. Calm, very intelligent and refined, she seems a perfect candidate for a next chancellor. She has a great sense of smell, which makes her exellent scout at hunts, although she's phisically weak. She's brave and very loyal to her friends. Even Kribi fears her sharp tongue. She loves the night time.
Elimu, young male from Pridelands Pride, son of Imani, friend of Ahadi. He's shy and smart, his only friend is Ahadi.
Other Pridelanders
Kumt'ii - female lion from Pridelands Pride, friend and collaborator of Ghafi, mother of Maridadi. She's very loyal to Ghafi, she loves her only daughter even if she thinks that she's too weak to be a good hunter in the pride.
Maridadi, female lion from Pridelands Pride, friend of Uru and Makali, daughter of Kumt'ii. She failed her hunting exam twice - that's why she's considered to be a wimp and disgrace to the entire pride. She wants to get another chance, so she trains hard in Makali's team. She's also very loyal to her friends.
Kribi, daughter of one of Imani's friends, friend of Uru and Makali. She's very carefree and witty, she loves making antics, which often are funny only for her. She thinks very high of herself and hates being defeated. That's why she tries very hard to be the best in everything. Her strange sense of humor makes her the character that can be only loved or hated. She has respect only for Uru (because of her exceptional fighting skills) and for Nzuri (a bit).
Mpira - daughter of one of Imani's friends, distant relative and friend of Uru and Makali. She's playful and witty, she has great imagination and stays between her real world and her imaginated one. She seems carefree and sweet, but in fact she has some complexes and she's pretty vengeful when hurt, especially by Kribi.
Ndogo and Kidogo – Mpira's cousins. Playful and mischievous.
Ahadi - male lion from Pridelands Pride. He's a friend of Elimu. Being a son of rogue bard, he's pretty well-educated and intelligent, but he fears that he will have to leave the Pride. That's why he allies with Uru, and after some time, he falls in love with her, although at first he can't stand her. Being an orphan, he's very understanding for Uru, who lost her mother.
Colonel Mengiste –male lion from Pridelands Pride, friend of king Mohatu and his vassal. Cruel brute.
Rogues:
Usiku, boyfriend of Uru. He loves Uru but when she brakes with him, he wants to kill her. Very short-tempered.
Joma, boyfriend of Makali. Crude, but pretty sweet. Very loyal to Usiku, his only friend.
Mwanga, love of Makali, he appeared in flashback. He was killed by Mohatu.
Hyenas:
House of Mahima (glory)
Matriarch Dhabba– ruler of all Pridelands' hyenas, best hyena's politician. She fights against Hillary.
Hatyara Mahima, (murderous) oldest Matriarch's daughter, probable heir. Great fighter, she fears that Hillary wants to disinherit her, so she fights against him. Cunning and merciless. The Matrarch treated her badly in her childhood.
Sajjana Mahima, (good) Matriarch's daughter, the highest priest of the Elephant Graveyard. Good-hearted and understanding, she tries to help everyone. She opened an orphanage for orphan hyenas. She's a bit in love in Hillary.
Akela Mahima,(lone) Matriarch's daughter, wife of General Hillary Yena. She has lots of lovers, because she feels very lonely. She doesn't love her husband, Hillary.
Mitha Mahima (sweet) daughter of Hatyara Mahima, beloved grandchild of the Matriarch (mentioned in story)
Hillary's Yena family
General Hillary Yena – male, chief of hyenas' Royal Representative Battalion (Mwakilishi wa kikosi), husband of Akela Mahima. He seems a witty, sometimes ribald friend of everyone. But he's pretty intelligent, sometimes cunning, he knows how to behave in the world of politics. He wants to gain his power to help the low-ranked hyenas, who are ill-treated by the aristocrats.
Krura Yena (cruel), oldest daughter of Hillary Yena, second in-command in the batallion, bloodthirsty, brave and focused only on war.
Banagi Yena – son of Hillary Yena, pacifist. Smart pupil of Sajjana.
Shenzi Marie Predatorra Veldetta Jaquelina Yena – daughter of Hillary (born during the story)
Others
N'yaya (justice) – young hyena, seeking for corruption in Hillary's battalion.
Alingana (cuddle) female, soldier of the representative battalion. Permissive, although she's a priest.
Suravira (knight) male, soldier of the representative battalion. Cruel and ribalt, very self-confident.
Banzai – boy from Sajjana's orphanage. Not very intelligent, but strong and brave. Very self-confident. He wants to become a soldier of the Royal Battalion.
Accha – girl from Sajjana's orphanage. Very sweet girl, friend of Banzai.
Northern pride (the Mzee Pride).
king Kimya –previous, king, he died before the main story.
Razmyan, - the oldest son of Kimya, the next king of the Northern Pride. Smart, but lost in great politics. He foolishly trust his counselor Mkwezi from Ushindi Pride, officially a mediator in civil war against brothers - he eventually gets used by the counselor. In love with Kikatili.
Bathya and Hetum - sons of Kimya.
Vizuri – the youngest son of Kimya. Cruel, cowardly and somehow morally degenerated. Supported by Mohatu against his brothers.
the Ushindi Pride (Victory Pride)
Prince Chafuko 'Kivete' – ruler of the pride. Authoritarian and sly. The main antagonist of Mohatu.
Ghadhabu – prince's counselor. Well-educated and very straightforward, very he thinks that Ushindi is the best Pride in the world.
Mkwezi – Chafuko's vassal ruler. Sly and deceitful, although at first he seems very good and understanding.
Bure – Chafuko's spy in the Pridelands, officially a bard.
The Mwandamo Pride (Lunar Pride) - the Pride of bloodthirsty, mercenary Amazons-lionesses. Males can't belong to the Pride.
Kikatili (cruel) – female, queen and the only ruler of the pride. She's a great fighter, a cruel, cunning, brave lioness. King Razmyan discovers her weaker, emotional side. Eventually she falls in love with him.
Others:
General Saman'ya – hyena, one of fathers of the Royal Battalion.(mentioned)
General Vijeta – female hyena, genial tactician, Hillary's first love. (Appears in a flashback.)
Interviews:
With Uru.
Me: Hi, Uru. I think that you're readers favourite character along with Makali. Did you like your role?
Uru: Yes, a lot. I loved that it was emotionally engaging and very developed. I could show my physical strengh as I had lots of fight scenes, and my intelligence and a great voice during the dialogue scenes and songs . The funny thing is that in a very first plot my character was called Makali (sharp.) and Uru was a shy and indecisive older sis. But it was chaged to build up the tension and because my character is better and could be considered a Mary-sue. So I became the semi-canon character.
Me: That's interesting. Some other backstage info?
Uru: Yeah. In very first plot. I was supposed to fight against Makali for Ahadi and that was why one of us betrayed other. There was no Makali's team, their characters were developed much later. But I was supposed to make up song lyrics from the beginning.
With Hillary Yena:
Me: Mr Hillary, would you like to tell us a bit about your role?
Hillary: It was bloody demanding. Being a pretty fat hyena, I had to ran and fight all the time. Terrifying. I hope that author knows that.
Me: I'm sure about that. How did your role evolve?
Hillary: I appeared in a very first idea, although I wasn't the main character. The book was bloody lion-centric and it had to be changed. I'm happy that author accepted my changes and build up my role. Especially that I was supposed to DIE! Bloody nonsense. And I didn't have that pretty romance with Sajjana and I didn't have my wife and children. Then I was supposed to have romance with Makali (and don't like hyena females at all). But It was changed when Makali became Uru.
Me: You are also Shenzi's father and Banzai's adoptive father.
Hillary: yes, I'm very proud of that. Shenzi was my favourite TLK character. Banzai is also great (even if he's a bit stupid).
Banzai: Hey!
Me: Thanks for your interview.
With Sajjana about hyenas' religion:
Me: Hi, Miss Saj. Could you tell us a bit about hyenas' religious doctrine?
Sajjana: Well, the Divine Matriarch, our good goddess, created the world from chaos. It was a kind of paradise, where all the animals lived in peace. But the Dark God, as primeval as the Divine Matriarch, attacked it and almost destroyed. The Divine Matriarch created her army, commanded by the Lesser Gods (worshipped by lions and hyenas around the world, like Aiheu and others) and won the Dark God. Defeated, but not destroyed, he plots against the creation. Hyenas and lions can help the Divine Matriarch to make the good win, or help the Dark God and be punished. Their souls will eventually join the good ones, but after the punishment in fire that will purify them.
Me: Thanks. But why The Divine Matriarch is pictured as a fire?
Sajjana: Because she gave an energy that moved the world starting its creation. The fire is the most similar to that energy, that flows in our bodies. That's why places where the fire is naturally coming out of earth, like on the Elephant Graveyard, is especially saint. The bodies of dead clanmates and sacrifices are burnt. The sun is also embodiment of the Divine Matriarch, giving heat that is necessary for everyone. That's why in the night it's so cold. It's the time of the day what the Dark God's strength is the greatest.
With Rafiki about lions' religion.
Me: Great to see you, Mister Rafiki. At first, I'd like to ask you why your role is pretty different from the one we know from The Lion King film?
Rafiki: Ah, I was supposed to talk about religious stuff, but well... I'm portrayed here as a very young mandrill, at the start of my career. That's why I don't have my enigmatic manner of speaking. But I'm trying to be a gray eminence, having a great impact on politics, just as in the film. I'm also a healer and priest like in film.
Me: Thanks. So now about the religion. What is it based on?
Rafiki: Our great, only god Aiheu, revealed himself to great Easter Prides. He's the only real god, that's why his religion spreaded across the world. Aiheu created the laws of the world, natural law for all the animals and the Royal Law for lions. He asked lions to look after the whole world's balance, called the circle of life. If it's violated, the world may be destroyed, the great droughts, fires and other disasters occur.
Me: What do you think about "the old gods" and the Divine Matriarch?
Rafiki: They're made up. As the Aiheu created the world as good, even if it was contaminated by a the sin of first lions, the all lions' and hyenas' creations have good and bad sides. I understand them, and I'm not a great converting zealot, but I can't worship the imaginations.
Me: What's that sin of first lions?
Rafiki: First lions and hyenas lived happily in the paradise, but one of lions was jealous about his brother. He thought that his brother is more loved by Aiheu, so he killed him in fury. Aiheu exiled all the animals from the paradise, but after the end of known world, the good ones will come back to it. And the bad ones will be doomed, along with free souls, winged lions called angels that revolted against Aiheu.
Me: And what do you think about ritual uncleanness of lionesses during the cubbirth or menstruation?
Rafiki: It isn't connected with religion, it's just a tradition. The leading lioness prepares purification rituals, so i don't take part in them. I think that it's a kind of superstition. The culture of lionesses is very old and strange, with many rituals of unknown origin. And if it comes from nowhere, it could be good or bad, so we should be very wary.
Me: Last question: What do you think about shamans' organisation.
Rafiki: Shamans are mostly baboons, coming from few old houses. On one hand it helps to preserve the traditions and the saint word, on the other hand I don't agree with many their decisions.
Me: Thank you for the interview. And a few words to the readers. Did you find it useful? Do you have any important questions? I'll answer them all! :)