The Mlinzi Pride

Once powerful protectors of the Kijabi.
┗ Defenders ✦ Powerful ✦ Healers

The Mlinzi pride is a pride dedicated to equality and protecting life. They defend their territory fiercely, manage resources carefully, and consider the Kusitawa hyenas as friends. The pride once ruled the Kijabi before the Mother’s reign.

About The Mlinzi

The Mlinzi pride is known as a clan of healers with a strong will to protect life. It is common practice for almost everyone in the pride to learn how to use herbs for healing. The pride functions on the basis that everyone is equal, except for the two shields who hold a higher status. No rank or role is above another; everyone has a vital job to do. The Mlinzi pride is not typically violent like their hyena counterparts. They are fiercely protective of what is theirs. They will defend their territory, resources, and members with unwavering determination and at any cost.

The pride is highly adaptable to its leaders, seamlessly shifting its views from one leader to the next. The Shields, have a profound influence on the entire pride

The pride is very particular when it comes to hunting and collecting resources. Having watched the hyenas for years wasting what they have has only strengthened this mindset among the lions. They are mindful of prey populations and take great care when picking herbs, often growing their own to ensure sustainability. Being wasteful is the worst thing the lions can do. When making a kill, they ensure to use everything and, if unable, they give the remains to the Kusitawa hyenas.

They share a unique bond with the Kusitawa hyenas, considering them equals, while regarding other hyena clans as inferior. The lions still hold grudges against other hyena clans of the Kijabi. The Mlinzi pride used to rule the Kijabi until the Mother came along and took their reign.

Life in Mlinzi
From a young age, all lion cubs in the Mlinzi pride are taught the art of healing using herbs and special techniques. Mornings often begin with clan members guiding the seekers and cubs around, identifying various herbs and demonstrating their uses. The braves are always the earliest risers, to ensure that food is prepared before dawn, ready for pride when they awaken.

The pride spends a lot of time with the Kusitawa clan. Any matters of importance, such as trials or disputes, are addressed after everyone has had breakfast. Kusitawa hyenas are frequent visitors, mingling with the pride and offering their help. It is strongly discouraged to start fights or arguments with them while they are in the camp, as they are honored guests.

While the pride has essential duties like hunting, patrolling, and herb cultivation, there is flexible. Lions are encouraged to follow their interests, provided that these tasks are completed.

Appearances
Due to their openness to accepting outsiders, the Mlinzi pride has a diversity of pelt colors and stature.

Fighting style
Intimidation plays a key role in their fighting style. Mlinzi have aggressive styles marked by direct and forceful tactics designed to overwhelm their opponent. Rapid, successive strikes are delivered to keep the opponent on the defensive and inflict full damage, often targeting weak points.

Health
The lions are doing well despite controlling only a corner of the Kijabi. They manage to keep themselves well-fed during good times. However, they do face challenges when prey is scarce, often relying on the Kusitawa hyenas for assistance for food. With every lion understanding how to use herbs, they are arguably the healthiest out of even the hyena clans.

How they treat non-pride born lions
The lions are very welcoming to new members who wish to join their pride, as it helps their ability to protect what is theirs. Outsiders are able to quickly blend right in with the pride born. Minor prides outside the Kijabi know of this pride to offer help to those in need of a home.

Hierarchy

Long ago, the Mlinzi pride was led by a single male accompanied by a group of females. Over time, however, this structure changed due to rivaling with the hyenas.

Now, the pride includes multiple males, and leadership is shared equally between two lions appointed by the pride. These leaders remain in their roles until they retire, pass away or the entirety of the pride decide they are unworthy to hold the title.

Ranks

Shields
Always two appointed by the pride. The shields serve as primary decision-makers. One of the shields primary responsibilities is to provide guidance and direction for the pride. These two stand on equal terms.

Sentinel
They are responsible for safeguarding the pride's communal den and the surrounding territory. These lions patrol the borders to ensure safety of the pride.

Braves
Braves are trained to excel in both combat and hunting, ensuring they effectively protect and provide for the pride. They are often found at the front lines during battles.

Court
Courts are elder lions who, having become too old for their role in everyday pride activities and or retire early due to many reasons, who now serve as decision-makers in trials. They spend their time sharing stories with the pride and its cubs, offering wisdom and guidance.

Empress
Empresses serve as nannies for all the cubs in the clan, allowing mothers to focus on providing for the clan. They often take on the role of primary caregivers due to their frequent stay with the cubs.

Injured lions who are healing may join the empresses if they choose and can remain there if their injuries prevent them from returning to their original role. While it is rare for a male to take on this role, it is possible, and the term "empress" is still used as it is considered gender-neutral.

Keeper
Keepers are gardeners responsible for maintaining the pride's special growing areas within their territory. They also keep track of plant and prey populations to the best of their ability.

Builder
These lions dedicate themselves to building and repairing communal dens. With meticulous attention to detail, they mend any structural damage to existing dens, reinforcing walls and entrances to withstand the elements and potential threats.

Seeker
Seekers are apprentices who act as scouts. These juvenile lions are training for their desired rank. Due to their smaller size and speed, they also take on the added responsibility of scouting for danger during their training period.

Cubs
Cubs are young lions who are still in the early stages of their development and have yet to be able to take on a rank.

Authority

Shield
┗ Ireti

"I promise I'll do right by them, no matter what it may take."
┗ Ireti is a warm and approachable presence within the Mlinzi, consistently prioritizing the needs of the pride over her own.

Leadership style
Ireti is committed to ruling with fairness above all else, guided by her kind and compassionate nature. Their confidence and charisma make it easy for them to engage with others in their pride, and they take each member's concerns seriously. Despite her position, Ireti doesn't see herself as above those she leads and strives to remain relatable, often using humor and jokes to connect with them.

However, her profound love for her pride can sometimes lead to excessive worry, particularly for the younger members. To some, this concern might come across as a bit overbearing. Though their primary goals are happiness and peace, that doesn't make them weak. If necessary, they won't hesitate to put themself in harm's way and fight tooth and nail to defend their pride.

In-clan reputation
Many see Ireti as a strong and compassionate lion, someone they find approachable and enjoy talking to. They likely feel safe and content around her, trusting her to make the right decisions to ensure their well-being. However, those who prefer their own space might find them a bit intrusive, especially because of their tendency to worry and frequently check in on their pride mates.

External reputation
Outside the pride, many might view Ireti as naive for her tendency to see the best in others, even when most hyenas are hesitant to be around lions. However, those from Magi Giza are likely to encounter a more angered and distrustful side of her, one that most may not even realize exists.

Written by @kipanimations

Shield
┗ Wiey'ahi

"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
┗ Wiey'ahi is graceful, outgoing and ready to prove that she has what it takes to lead the Mlinzi Pride, exercising the best of her personality to increase harmony and trust amongst her comrades.

Leadership style
On the terms of pride-mate conflict, Wiey'ahi is always ready to provide counsel, ears open for anyone in need of a listener or mediator for a hostile situation. In the more serious matter of trials, she is a lot harder to read, confident and strict in order to reveal the important truth, ensuring fairness to all parties without becoming unnecessarily dominant, unruly or unladylike.

In-clan reputation
Wiey'ahi has a good reputation with the Mlinzi Pride-members, born and raised inside of its customs and belief system. Not only that, she's an exceptional healer of her time, using her curiously impulsive ideas to cure most if not all of her patients' ailments. There are some in the Pride that may hold suspicions of how capable she is based on her heavily happy go lucky attitude, fearing she is not as committed or prepared as they'd hoped.

External reputation
As a leader of lions, it's no doubt that the hyena population outside of the Kusitawan do not view her favorably. However, the ones that do generally can see beyond the strange differences of their species, relishing in her constant desire for generosity, fun and merry-making.

Written by @bear9476

Laws & Customs

Clan Law

Do not prolong the suffering of prey; kill quickly and efficiently.
Show respect in some form when prey is killed, use all of it, be thankful, feed it to other needy animals, give the bones to the Kusitawa clan to make use of.
When traveling, ensure that you do not damage any useful plant life along the way.
Only hunt within the hunting grounds, going hunting outside of this area will result in punishment. If a lion wants to hunt elsewhere, they must seek permission.
Kusitawa hyenas are not allowed to hunt freely, report any unauthorized hunting to the shields.
Do not allow any hyenas besides the Kusitawa to roam the pride's territory.
Any lions must be reported to the shields. Though they are allowed to roam freely as long as they do not make the territory their home.

Assessments
┗ If you wish to roleplay a rank up (aka an assessment) please request so in here: #Assessment Requests

Shields
Shields are not subject to formal assessments, as they are selected by the pride. However, there are specific requirements for being considered as a candidate. A candidate must be an adult who has completed their training and has been part of the pride for at least four seasons. The Court is responsible for gathering potential candidates and overseeing the voting process for new Shields, ensuring that the selection is fair. When a Shield falls, the entire pride gathers to vote on their replacement.

Sentinel
They are tasked with patrolling both the lion and Kusitawa territories on a multi-day journey, circling the entire area to ensure its safety and integrity.

Braves
Every Dry season, the pride holds an event for Braves, where eligible Seekers in training are tested by hunting a large prey item, such as an elephant, buffalo, or giraffe. This challenge not only tests their combat and hunting skills but also their ability to work as a team. Successfully bringing down the prey rewards the pride with a feast and celebrates the Seekers' transition into full Braves of the pride.

Court
When a lion reaches the age of 30, they become eligible to retire from their original role and transition into a position within the Court. There is no formal process for joining the Court; typically, eligible lions simply approach the current Court members and express their readiness to join.

Empress
Empresses typically do not go through a formal process to attain their rank within the pride. Instead, they are often chosen for the role based on their natural affinity for nurturing or their demonstrated competence in caring for cubs.

Keeper
After a lion has completed their training, their final task is to nurture a plant from a seed to full maturity. Once they have successfully grown and proven the plant, they are recognized as a full Keeper of the pride.

Builder
Individuals are often appointed to the role based on their interest and skill in construction activities. They often take lessons from the current builders of the pride while working alongside them.

Special Ceremonies
┗ Explanations about ceremonies found in the Mlinzi.

Rank ups (Cubs to Seekers)
When cubs reach the age to begin training, they are granted the rank of Seeker and given the opportunity to choose their training path, along with being assigned a mentor. This milestone is typically celebrated by a parent and/or an Empress, who helps groom away as much of the cub's shed fur as possible. This tradition in the Mlinzi pride symbolizes "shedding their baby pelts" and marks their transition into becoming a Seeker.

Rank ups (Seekers to ___)
Just on the edge of the pride's camp stands a special tree called Ukuaji. Newly ranked lions go to this tree to offer flowers, animal bones, and other tokens, seeking nature's blessing for a healthy life as they step into adulthood.

The Trials
A trial in the pride is a formal process where disputes, major decisions, and punishments are addressed. A trial involves several key stages:

Presentation: The issue or decisions are presented, and an individual involved may argue their case if they choose to.
Witnesses: Witnesses can be called to provide additional information, though this is optional.
Jury Decision: Pride members act as the jury, determining whether the individual is innocent, guilty, or voting on a decision.
Judge (Courts): The court, made up of all elder lions, decides on the punishment and enforces it. In decision making they tally up the votes.

Territory

Mlinzi Territory is a unique area of the Kijabi by its three distinct terrains: the towering mountains to the south, the vast plains in the central area, and the dense forests in the north.

Their territory in Kijabi is one of the most resource-rich, rivaling that of the Zuvan, thanks to their efforts to avoid overhunting. They have access to a diverse range of food sources, a lot of other species animals live here due to the lions not being as greedy as the hyenas. The terrain becomes more mountainous as you head toward the Zuva. During the dry season, the forest provides ample shade from the heat.

More Information

Reputation Among Other Clans

┗ "Hyenas are vile things, are they not?”

Kustiawa
┗ Good

TBA

Nyota
┗ ???

To be determined!

Zuvan
┗ ???

To be determined!

Magi Giza
┗ ???

To be determined!

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