Akiva

Appearance
Akiva is pretty much the clone of her mother and grandfather, carrying the russet gene that many had feared. The female has her grandfather's bright jade eyes and his eye shades as well. What sets Akiva apart from other lions in her family are the 'socks' that form on her ears, being the same color as her tail. Sporting her mother's Pridelander-esque nose, Akiva bears resemblance to her deceased aunt Ari as well. Her claws are never unsheathed just as her father's and she always carries a smile on her face. Even though she was once to be bigger than her mother, an early pregnancy stunted Akiva's growth in her late adolescent years and now she remains slightly smaller than her petite mother. But even though she carries the genes her mother didn't wish for her to carry, Akiva will prove everyone wrong, that being a russet lioness was not something that one needs to be scared of.

Personality
Once an innocent cub, Akiva had had to grow up rather quickly. Being forced into motherhood was something that she never thought would have happened to her; especially as early on as it did. But she loves the product of it, even when she remembers his terrible father. Once having never been able to see the bad in anyone, Akiva now knows the true definition of evil, and she wishes to protect her child from that. She may be small, but Akiva fears nothing, and she never wants her child to be forced to deal with any of the danger out there. She doesn't want to be over protective, but Akiva doesn't want to be absent either. She just wants to be a good mother to her child, something that she knows her mother was too.

Like her father, Akiva has a heart of gold that's ten sizes too big. She always has a smile on her face and wants to make sure that everyone is happy no matter what they're doing. Death hasn't ever really bothered Akiva as much as it should, but that will all soon change when her family starts dropping like flies. Her love for her family will grow, and so will the love for her friends; especially one very very special lion from her childhood.

History
It all started two generations ago, a simple promise and twisted lion had started it all. Scar had seduced Heshima into baring him four cubs, all were inadequate in his eyes. However the story of the Pridelands quickly shifted to the Lowlands when Akiva's mother Giza became lost on an outing. Her mother ran and found a place in the Lowlands where her father Upendo found her and took her into the pride. Upendo's story was not that much different. He too had been sired by a sick and twisted lion, kept by his mother as his father split the family in two. Giza was one of four, Upendo one of five. The two cubs instantly bonded and almost never left one another's side.

Upon them both reaching adolescence and adulthood respectively, the two had set out on a journey to find missing siblings. They succeeded in finding Ziko, however he had become lost once again. It was as Upendo was turning into an adult that the two lions fell in love and became mates, confessing their love and joining themselves together. The two returned home, but Ziko did not return until later. A trip to the Ashlands by Giza had her discover that she like her mother was pregnant and due within the coming months. Overjoyed, Upendo vowed not to be like his father, he would not dare split up his family again. Akiva was the last to be born, the only one to inherit her mother's bright russet coat. Her brother Potevu is the closest cub that shares her looks, but he still looks more like their dad.

Upon one faithful trip to the Ashlands, fire struck and the cub watched as her grandmother brought home the news that Nako had died. It was a very sad week for the cub, but she soon returned to the Lowlands, where yet again she almost lost her life to a raging river. Giza had saved her, and the two became so much closer. However, when Akiva was almost an adult, her life was about to turn upside down. Upon traveling around the border, a male lion named Wembe snatched her up and kidnapped her, forcing her to breed weeks later. She gave birth to one cub in which Wembe insisted was named Kisu. When Kisu was a year old, Akiva stole him back and ran away to the Lowlands, where she was reunited with her family and her friends.

During the Lowlands battle, Akiva watched as her mother raced out after her little cousin Teka, however both of them didn't return. After months of heartbreak, her father passed away as well. Akiva fell for a childhood friend named Arjana resulting in three wonderful cubs.