Amani Dynasty- 25 generations, 24 to live until marriage
Serilda had forced Raiden to the ground, angry at his selfish act. "You've not only killed the king, but my husband!" Raiden got up and was screaming his reasons for killing his brother Maverick and Salim, Serilda and Maverick's son. "All my life Maverick treated me like I was dirt under his feet! We were only born a few seconds apart and he treated me like that gave him authority over me!" Raiden was almost in tears thinking about his past. Serilda growled, "Do you even realize how Maverick felt about what he had done to you? He felt horrible, he wanted to make peace!" Raiden had heard enough nonsense from her; he knew his brother never intended to apologize. "Maverick never wanted peace between us; he waged war a long time ago and never planned on surrendering!" Serilda shook her head. "You don't even realize what Salim means do you?" She was almost in a whisper. Raiden had never thought about the meanings of any names. Now that he thinks about it Serilda is an "armed warrior woman". Serilda sighed, "Salim means peace. Maverick wanted that to be a sign of his remorse." Raiden had lain down on the ground as he listened. It was the end of the Amani dynasty, though. He couldn't help it now. There was no way to keep it a secret; no lioness would ever want him after what he had done. After twenty-five generations, he had ended it all.
All families have some instability. The Amani Dynasty had lived in peace for generations, a few "glitches" here and there. To begin the genealogy, there were two rogue lions that started their pride from the ashes of an old one. Takani was princess of a dynasty lasting longer than the Roman Empire. Leon was a rogue, forbidden to join her pride. After much debate Takani took off after Leon. They had a beautiful baby girl named Sucoya. Not much is known of Sucoya except that she was in love with Dimitri. He was a sinful lion. He had a child with both Sucoya and Takani, but banished Sucoya and her son. In his last moments he begged for forgiveness. Dimitri and Takani's daughter was named Isis, who married Orion and they had a son named Nicoli. Nicoli married Nalani and had Drew, who married Alexi and had River. River married Rani and had Skylar. Skylar married Stephen and had Lotus. Lotus married Spencer and they had Selena. Selena married Tripp and they had Evalyn, who married Drake and had Trajan. Trajan married Nevaeh and had Natalia, who married Tertullian and had Delilah. Delilah married Oliver and had Noelle, who had one red and one green eye. Noelle married Preston and had Chloe, who married Weston and had Gavin. Gavin married Peyton and had Anthony, who married Nefertiti and had Achilles. Achilles married Keira D, a dark colored wanderer. They had Kaliope, who wore a pink flower on her head from birth until it fell off in her anger. It returned to her the day she had a daughter with Kairos. Their daughter, Kirke, married Degare, Sucoya and Dimitri's greatest grandson, and they had Sophie. Sophie married a rogue named Mheetu who was a peachy tan with aqua eyes. He was kicked out of his pride after the death of his king, and the rise of "the evil one". They had Clarity, a spitting image of her father. She married Zedd, who was attacked as a child and lived with his scar for his entire life, and they had Ross. Ross married Kacey and they had the last peaceful offspring, Natasha. Natasha married Andi, who was also scarred from an attack as a child. They had twins Maverick and Raiden, where this story begins.
Maverick was a dark brown lion with lime green eyes; he was born five seconds before Raiden, and he showed in his strength that he was an elder. Raiden was golden with light mint eyes. One day Maverick had been bragging about being king and Raiden made a comment along the lines of "Who would want to be king anyway?" Maverick was severely offended and lashed out at Raiden. He left a scar slicing Raiden's left eye.
Raiden held a bitter resentment towards his brother as it never got better for him. His best friend growing up was a lioness named Serilda. He longed to be loved by her, but she showed her affection towards his darker brother, Maverick. He was heartbroken and felt his icy heart had finally shattered. He tried to live in solitude for years, but he found out that his love had a child with his brother. He despised the child, Salim. He looked everything like his mother, and yet he was a spoiled brat just like his father. He grew hatred towards his nephew, whom he barely knew. The child was fond of him though, and trusted him. Raiden found it easy to trick Salim into thinking it was his fault his father had died.
It was a sunny morning when Raiden brought Salim to the waterfall. "Uncle Raiden, what are we doing here?" The naïve cub asked. "Alim," Raiden's nickname for the young cub, "the scene is so beautiful and peaceful, you've been told about your father's past interactions with me, right?" The child nods. "I'm awful sorry about that Raiden, but I know my father's changed for the best." The way the cub speaks tugs at his heart a little. "Alim, I just want to make peace with him, that's all. Show him I forgive him for all his terrible actions." Raiden feels horrible for lying right through his teeth. "Alim, why not wait here while I go get him." The cub jumps up and down. So far his plan was working. As Raiden reached the pride he got his acting face on. "Maverick, quick! It's Salim! He fell over by the waterfall! He's clutching to a branch, but I don't know how much longer it can hold him!" Just like Raiden said, Salim had curiously gazed down he waterfall and right off the cliff, and was clinging to the branch. Maverick lay on the ground, reaching for Salim's hand. Just as he was about to grasp his paw, Raiden only needed a light push to get him off balance. He watched as his brother tumbled down the cliff, while Salim screamed "Daddy!" Raiden reached for the cub's paw, grasping it and pulling him off. Salim raced down the steps of the cliff, closely followed by Raiden. Salim got to the bloody scene of his father and was repelled. "This is my entire fault." He muttered. "Indeed it is, Alim. If you had not been curious your father would still be alive." The cub was in tears. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Raiden wanted to comfort him. "No one does, but accidents happen. This being your biggest one." The cub looked at his uncle. "Raiden, what will my mother think?" Raiden could not hate the child in that moment, being vulnerable as he had once been. "Your mother and I used to be best friends, she'll understand." He hugged the child, deciding not to kill him, yet. The child smiled and as they headed back to the pride he jumped. "I guess curiosity really did kill the cat!" That caught him off guard. The kid's father just died and he jokes about it. He had held in the anger long enough. "How dare you joke about an event like this!" He lashed at Salim, knocking him to the ground. He scourged him and when he had finished the job he realized he had killed the child. "No, this was not supposed to happen!" He screamed as he ran, covered in the cubs blood.
Serilda had seen everything, standing at the top of the cliff. She was aghast at Raiden's actions. She began talking to herself. "I have known him all my life, never would I have guessed that he'd be this dynasty's undoing." She thought of her cub. She was angry with herself for not protecting him when she could have. Raiden walked into the cave. "Serilda, my love," he began, but was interrupted. "Don't you dare call me that, you monster!" Raiden was taken aback. How could she have known of the murders? He cleaned himself in the river. "I saw everything! You pushed your brother off the cliff and then killed his offspring in a moment of rage!" She was in tears. "We rusted you Raiden!" "Love, it was a moment of weakness." Serilda had forced Raiden to the ground, angry at his selfish act. "You've not only killed the king, but my husband!" Raiden got up and was screaming his reasons for killing his brother Maverick and Salim, Serilda and Maverick's son. "All my life Maverick treated me like I was dirt under his feet! We were only born a few seconds apart and he treated me like that gave him authority over me!" Raiden was almost in tears thinking about his past. Serilda growled, "Do you even realize how Maverick felt about what he had done to you? He felt horrible, he wanted to make peace!" Raiden had heard enough nonsense from her; he knew his brother never intended to apologize. "Maverick never wanted peace between us; he waged war a long time ago and never planned on surrendering!" Serilda shook her head. "You don't even realize what Salim means do you?" She was almost in a whisper. Raiden had never thought about the meanings of any names. Now that he thinks about it Serilda is an "armed warrior woman". Serilda sighed, "Salim means peace. Maverick wanted that to be a sign of his remorse." Raiden had lain down on the ground as he listened. It was the end of the Amani dynasty, though. He couldn't help it now. There was no way to keep it a secret; no lioness would ever want him after what he had done. After twenty-five generations, he had ended it all. "I guess anger and violence is the end of every great kingdom."
