Valley of Kings #300 - Firedancer77's Form

[Firedancer77]

VoK #300

Username: Firedancer77 | Pride: Isle of Roses | Name: Cuore
Name Meaning: Italian for "heart" | Gender: Male

Pride Status | Relationships | Playlist | Prophecy | Birthplace
Elephants | High School | Fun Facts | Midnight Meeting | Bring Her Back | Sunrise

by DraconisSumeris

[Firedancer77]

Cuore is one of the Isle of Rose's healers, tasked with taking care of the sick and injured in the pride. The Isle of Roses only has two Healers at a time, though there can technically be a total of four if both Learner Healers are accounted for, so it is an honor to hold the position. As Mzatamo is much less tolerant of cubs' shenanigans, that is generally Cuore's forte. He is far more likely to be the Healer at the Healers' Den because of this, as when there is a mother with cubs on the Isle, one of the Healers tries to stay by the Healers' Den to be available for emergencies.

Due to his position, Cuore knows practically everyone in the pride. If he were the only Healer, he'd probably know them all better, but that's a small price to pay to have someone to share responsibilities with. It helps that he and Mzatamo get along so well, and that Mzatamo also takes the position so seriously. Both are dedicated to the welfare of the pride and each know their stuff, so they are able to work in tandem to solve problems as equals, though Cuore often defers to Mzatamo, seeing him as his superior.

When Cuore first arrived at the pride, it was because Jiwe and Maji had caught him trespassing in pride territory, and they had gotten into a scuffle. Nasaba had been surprised at the damage the rogue had managed to inflict, and though they were skeptical of the odd cat's appearance, once Cuore explained he'd assumed they were like a hostile pride he had met much earlier on, they relaxed a bit. After all, it explained why he had immediately gone on the offense; he had simply been trying to protect himself. When Nasaba called for Mzatamo to take care of the three of them, Cuore had been eager to see what they had in terms of medicine; he and the Healer fell into conversation quite easily as they discussed medicine, both getting something out of the encounter. The other three were all surprised to see a rather fearsome fighter know so much about medicines and healing.

Nasaba insisted Cuore stick around for a few days to heal, especially when he heard that leopard legitimately had nowhere to go. The leopard took quite the interest in watching the pride, obviously intrigued by the entire set up, and stuck close to Mzatamo especially, learning some of his medical practices and teaching some of the ones he'd learned in his travels. After a few days had passed, Nasaba approached Cuore with the offer to stick around, which Cuore eagerly accepted, though he was obviously a bit surprised - and, if Nasaba was reading him correctly, honored - to have received such an invitation. Nasaba was happy to have him though, and having seen him sparring with Maji a few times since his arrival, fully expected him to wish to be a Soldier when he asked what position Cuore would like to hold in the pride.

Needless to say, he was surprised - though not too surprised, when he thought about it later - when Cuore requested to be a Healer alongside Mzatamo, but Nasaba granted the request, realizing that Cuore was obviously patient about helping the pride's sick and injured. Besides, Cuore could still help in a fight if necessary.

What Nasaba, Mzatamo, and the rest of the Isle of Roses don't know is that there is more to Cuore's decision than a passion for medicine.

When he was younger and still living with his family in a leopard colony, there was a prophecy, a prophecy that involved him. Cuore was declared to be a herald of disaster, one that foretold the destruction of his home so long as he was present. His parents managed to defend him for a bit, insisting he was simply a cub, but once he was old enough to go out on his own, things were put to a vote. Should Cuore be allowed to stay with the colony, even if it meant he destroyed them?

The votes were not in Cuore's favor. However, while that was upsetting, nothing could have prepared Cuore for his mother's decision. She was the one that had advocated for him his entire life, insisting that he should be allowed to live among them. Even when everyone else was against him, his mother stood firm. To see even her turn against him in such a manner, to basically betray him, was the final straw; he snapped. He let out an anguished cry as he asked her why, and she tried to defend herself, claiming that it would be worse for him to stay in a colony where so many others didn't want him. In a fit of rage, Cuore leaped at her, and his father had to drag him off. Cuore didn't know what came over him in that moment, but his mother was staring at him in shock and his father in disgust. The entire colony - at least all those who were present - were murmuring, asking if that sort of thing was what the prophecy spoke of.

Before anyone could say anything directly to Cuore, he fled.

Ever since, he's done his best to go in direct opposition of destruction, and that is one of the primary factors that led to his choice to be one of the Isle of Rose's Healers. He left his home colony to spare them there, and now believes that by healing his pridemates, he can do even more to thwart the fate that looms over his head. If it weren't for the prophecy, he might believe the same thing as Mzatamo, that the ancestors do not exist, but the prophecy has been a part of him for so long - and been identified by several who are close with their particular ancestors - that he is certain there is no way for the ancestors not to be real.

If only Cuore realized that by leaving the colony, he had actually found his home: the Isle of Roses. His arrival there foretold that it would be destroyed, but what Cuore doesn't realize about the prophecy is that no one has ever heard the end. If they had, they would have realized that it is not Cuore who will destroy his home, but someone else, and that he might be the one meant to save it.

by Hush

[Firedancer77]

Mzatamo - Close Friend
Seeing as the two work alongside one another as the pride's two Healers, Cuore counts himself lucky to have garnered Mzatamo's respect. He knows that Mzatamo has issues with many of their pridemates due to their beliefs in their ancestors, however, due to Cuore's logical outlook, Mzatamo generally seems to forgive his faith in what Mzatamo deems unreasonable. Cuore is one of the few pride members that even knows about Mzatamo's disbelief, as Mzatamo trusts him not to reveal it to the entire pride and enjoys debating his skeptical outlook against Cuore's. The two both take their job seriously, which is, in the end, what really matters to Cuore. Besides, though he might disagree with Mzatamo's point of view, he certainly respects him for believing what he does in spite of what their entire pride thinks. Both lions are fairly in sync with each other, generally knowing what the other needs in terms of healing supplies before it's even asked for. They work well as a team to heal and take care of their pridemates, and when there's time, may slip in a debate or two in between. It is ironic, really, that Cuore will never believe Mzatamo's claims, despite wishing he could. Cuore knows the prophecy about him; it's why he left home, after all. So as much as he'd like to accept Mzatamo's point of view, Cuore can't shake the truth from his mind. There is nothing that will ever convince him that the ancestors aren't real, even though he'd love desperately for the prophecy to be a lie. Though would that be any better? Knowing it was fake and that he left for no reason? Maybe not. Though that sort of evidence could be enough to sway Mzatamo's belief, Cuore highly doubts it'd change his friend's stance, and even if it did, Cuore has no interest in sharing his prophecy. It is his burden to bare...and he doesn't want anyone to know the destruction he was meant to bring down on his home.

Msaliti - Pupil
Msaliti is Cuore's Learner, though both Mzatamo and Cuore are a part of her training, especially since Mzatamo currently does not have his own Learner. However, Mzatamo still generally rejects teaching Msaliti, something Cuore cannot understand. Despite what the pride has generally agreed on about the death of Msaliti's father, Mzatamo still doesn't seem to believe that Kifo is really the one to blame. Mzatamo never seems to fully trust Msaliti, as if he is still suspicious of what role she had to play in the matter. Cuore, however, does not agree. He believes Msaliti is a sweetheart, one that has suffered a horrible tragedy but who obviously cares about her pridemates. She also is advocated for by Akilia, who the ancestors told that Msaliti was innocent of the bloodshed. Cuore believes that this clears his Learner's name, but Mzatamo does not believe this. It is one of the few thins the two have ugly disagreements over, and for the most part Cuore just tries to avoid the subject around his partner, even though Mzatamo refuses to agree to disagree on the matter and often tries to bring it up when Msaliti isn't around and he sees an opening. Msaliti, however, shows a strong dedication to her practice and a natural knack for it, having switched to that role after her father's death. Furthermore, she is very open with Cuore and the two often talk, causing Cuore to wonder if perhaps Mzatamo is merely jealous and anxious that his pupil with take his place as one of Cuore's closest friends. Msaliti is just too sweet to have done what Mzatamo thinks she's done, right?

Nasaba - Respected Authority
Generally, when Nasaba needs to consult a Healer, he goes to Mzatamo, not Cuore. If they were any closer, Cuore might be a bit offended by this, but as Nasaba and Cuore are nowhere near as close as Mzatamo and Nasaba, Cuore doesn't mind. He knows that the two are closer and that Mzatamo has held the position longer, so he also feels that Mzatamo should be deferred to instead of himself. As Cuore's leader, Cuore definitely respects Nasaba, though Mzatamo has at times 'joked' that Cuore seems to respect Akilia's authority more. Though he sometimes wonders about Nasaba's decisions, he ultimately believes in his capability to lead. especially since Cuore knows he could never lead his own pride. He does think Nasaba could do with a bit less worrying though, as Mzatamo and he have both discussed how several times the pain Nasaba has come to them for alleviation from has been rooted in anxiety about the pride and its fate, as well as what the pride thinks of him as a leader. Cuore ultimately sees his leader as almost untouchable in terms of anything more than an authority figure though, seeming to act as though it wouldn't be okay for them to be friends.

Jiwe - Acquaintance
Though he knows that his pridemates who are close to Jiwe insist that the gray lion is an absolute sweetheart, Cuore is not convinced. The silent and seemingly cold behavior is too off-putting for Cuore, as he is used to being able to get a general read on his pridemates' emotions; since he cannot figure out what Jiwe is generally thinking, he cannot fully trust him. In spite of this, he does not think poorly of Jiwe, but merely finds him intimidating. It is off-putting for Cuore to see him interact with his family -Tenga, Sasa, and Laani - and be so bright and open, especially since he will quickly shut down when almost anyone else tries to interact with them. Overall, the entire situation is too odd for Cuore to ever be comfortable with, and so though he respects Jiwe and appreciates his protection of the pride, Cuore would rather keep as far away from the stoic lion as possible, and seeing as Jiwe has never shown any indication that he would like to change that, Cuore assumes that both of them are perfectly okay with the relationship that they have.

Haraka - Rival with Benefits
There is no relationship between members of the Isle of Roses so strange as the one Cuore has with Haraka. Any time they have a conversation with each other, the tension in the air is palpable. The two are constantly butting heads on just about anything, sometimes merely on the principle of refusing to agree with the other about anything. In spite of all this, the two have an undeniable chemistry, though if anyone ever tries to broach the subject with them, they're lucky to escape without getting their heads bitten off. Part of Cuore's annoyance with Haraka stems from the fact that she is constantly acting and speaking without thinking; she gets into plenty of unnecessary trouble, and while he claims it annoys him simply because it forces them to use more of their supplies than they need to, it is obvious that he is concerned for the huntress. The moment they run into each other, one of them will instigate some sort of argument, whether it be over Cuore being "overly concerned" and "no fun" or over Haraka being "reckless" and "dumb." Most of the pride fully expects the two to get together in spite of the fact that Healers are sort of expected to stay celibate, though most don't have the guts to say it to their face. Mzatamo gets plenty of enjoyment over teasing Cuore on the subject, and those are some of the rare moments you might catch the older Healer loosening up a bit as he dances around the cave to avoid his leopard companion's claws. Cuore definitely thinks Haraka is attractive, but claims he sees her as too infuriating to harbor any feelings for. However, the two have met up a few times at night outside of camp to be with each other, and in those rare moments seem almost like a couple. However, each declare it to be a mistake by the end, and pretend it was a lapse of judgement to even come. By the morning, both pretend nothing happened, and if anyone knows about their midnight meetings, they haven't said anything. Deep down, even Cuore recognizes that he has feelings of some sort for Haraka, but since it seems obvious that she will never feel the same, Cuore puts them aside. Perhaps that is why he is so willing to meet Haraka at night when she claims she needs a distraction, which is her way of saying she wants a shoulder to cry on (though she'd never cry in front of anyone) or someone to vent to; it is the closest he is ever going to get to actually having her. Perhaps it's easier to believe he hates her, because for Cuore, it's scarier to love her. If he loves her, he could lose her, so Cuore takes the easier path instead to avoid risking heartache. Even if that path is even harder on his heart.

Akilia - Trusted Authority
As someone who so staunchly believes in the ancestors, it makes sense that Cuore would respect Akilia, the pride’s communicator with them. He is always eager to listen to what Akilia has to say, and believes that the messages she delivers must be true. Though she does not often stick around the pride, when she does, Cuore is generally inclined to trail after her like a lost puppy, something Mzatamo thinks is ridiculous. However, Cuore doesn’t mind; he views Akilia as having almost as much authority in the pride as Nasaba, and likes being able to hear what she has to say, as it isn’t always predictable when she will get a message from the ancestors. Besides, since she so often keeps to herself, it is very rare to have an opportunity to stick around her and hear what she may have to say, as otherwise he would only likely hear from her if she heard something specifically about him from the ancestors, or if she for some strange reason got sick. Despite this, he is often rather nervous to approach her since he sees her as an authoratative figure, and unlike Nasaba, seems a bit more concerned about how she views him. Probably because he worries it will affect how the ancestors view him.

Tenga - Acquaintance
There’s one particular reason for Cuore’s fairly surface-level relationship with Tenga, and that reason just so happens to be her mate. While he knows Tenga is sweet - he’s never had a sour encounter with her when she’s coming needing medicine - he simply cannot get over the fact that she’s Jiwe’s mate. This wouldn’t normally stop him from befriending the huntress, but the issue is that she and Jiwe are practically inseparable. As cute as the two are together, Cuore is still terrified of Jiwe, and therefore generally keeps his distance from Tenga to avoid any awkward interactions. Tenga has gone a bit more out of her way to speak with Cuore, as she does with most of the pride, which makes him feel a bit guilty for not returning the favor. However, since she always seems to be talking to Jiwe when he sees her, Cuore figures it’s best to leave well enough alone.

Jino - Acquaintance
When Laani came back with two orphaned cubs, Cuore helped take up the task of caring for them. Of course, how much he did was fairly minimal in terms of actual caretaking - that was Tenga's job - but, having always been the healer that generally handled cubs and that side of health, Cuore was very involved with watching them. However, Cuore has struggled to connect with little Jino, who is simply too aggressive and destructive - though she declares it to merely be passion - for him to really understand and interact with. He really can't get over the fact that she and Ua are actually sisters when they act so differently from one another; in comparison to her littermate, Jino is a tiny terror. Cuore knows even Tenga struggles taking care of her, which is something that has brought the two a little closer, though he still can't bridge the gap to friendship due to his fear of Jiwe. Actually, Jino's behavior makes him connect her with the idea of a more extroverted Jiwe, which only added to the intimidation he already felt towards them both.
Now that Jino has grown up, Cuore hasn't grown any closer to her, but instead has grown even more intimidated by her. He feels bad, because he adores Ua, but her sister has only grown even more bitter towards the world. She is consumed with the knowledge that her parents abandoned her and is desperate to know who would do such thing to helpless cubs. She has closed herself off to everyone in the pride except for Ua, and Cuore isn't sure what he could really do to try and help the lioness. Instead, he just watches from afar, heart aching for the brown lioness who obviously desperately needs love she refuses to let herself get.

Ua - Adoptive Niece
If they didn’t bare a resemblance and hadn’t been found together, Cuore never would have guessed that Ua and Jino were related. Though he’s intimidated and at times frightened of her sister, Cuore adores and treasures Ua. The small cub is much more perceptive than her sister, giving off a much more mature and peaceful demeanor. It helps that the young lioness has also expressed an interest in Cuore’s role in the pride. She is intrigued any time Cuore enters the nursery to check on them for health purposes, and is eager to take in any knowledge she can. On a few different occasions, Cuore has heard Ua reference some healing thing she heard or saw him doing while she and Jino play as if they are their own pride. Cuore would do anything to protect her, and often finds himself getting roped into her games, which are a lot more like puzzles than like a game of tag, or some other physical game. It is one of his favorite things to do in his spare time. However, Ua has a tendency to ask him the hard questions, which Curoe always struggles to answer. When she asks why her parents might have abandoned her, he is at a loss for a response, because he wonders the same thing; how could two lions leave behind such a sweet girl? She also is a very sharp cub, and sometimes her assessments catch Cuore off guard, though he also notes they would make her a good Healer some day. One time, when she had asked him to help her see the sunrise, she broke the silence to say, "You know, Jino may seem angry and scary sometimes, but she's really just sad. I think it hurts her more that our parents than gone. Should it hurt me more?" Cuore didn't know what to say to that, and fumbled through a response. In the end, Ua simply ended the conversation thread by saying, "It's okay, you don't need to have an answer for me. No one knows everything." Sometimes Cuore has to wonder if she really is a cub, or if she is some ancient spirit simply trapped in a cub's body; thankfully he's seen her play and frolic with Jino, so he feels safe saying she is what she appears to be, and is simply smarter than most would expect a cub to be.
If Cuore has only grown more distant from Jino, then he has only grown closer to Ua now that she has grown. It helps, of course, that she has chosen to follow the path to become a Healer. Though she is Mzatamo's Learner, not his, Cuore still plays a large part in her training, and still views her as a niece of sorts to him. He is very protective and proud of Ua, especially when it comes to how she has handled Jino and their past. Somehow, she still manages to stay optimistic and tolerate Jino, even when Jino seems to be trying everything to push everyone away from her. Her patience and dedication to her sister is something that inspires Cuore, reminding him that there is always hope; though she doesn't know it, Ua's kindness is constantly surprising Cuore, as it seems to know no bounds. On more than one occasion, a wise word from the far too intelligent Learner has also served to be given at just the right time, despite her having no way of knowing what Cuore is thinking at the moment.

Kifo - Scum
Ever since Kifo was caught trying to hide the evidence of his father's murder, Cuore has had no respect for him. Cuore would generally not be one to treat any particular role in the pride worse than others, but knowing that Kifo is a murderer has stirred up a hatred for him in Cuore that just can't be abated. What sort of scum kills their own parent, and then tries to deny it? Cuore lashed out at his mom, not even with an intent to kill but merely to hurt, and sometimes the guilt still threatens to eat him alive. To see Kifo still desperately try to deny it when the subject is broached, even though the whole pride knows, infuriates him. While he still would have had issues with him for the crime he committed, maybe he could've somehow found it in himself to forgive Kifo, or at least try to see past his horrible actions, since Akilia declared that the ancestors said he could be redeemed; however, the fact that he won't even admit it makes the crime even worse in Cuore's eyes. Because of that, when bad things happen, Cuore can't help but wonder if Kifo is somehow involved, and if Kifo needs medical treatment, he leaves it to Mzatamo to take care of, as both he and Msaliti can't bare to be the ones to treat him after the horrible thing that he did.

Kokoto - Annoyance
To be honest, Cuore could care less about Kokoto. He thinks the Soldier is pompous and egotistical, both things that get on Cuore’s nerves. It’s one of the things that first brought Mzatamo and Cuore together; after dealing with a mild injury Kokoto sustained that he was acting far too overdramatic about, Cuore made a quiet quip about the ridiculousness of the situation, sparking some laughter from Mzatamo. Since his first encounter with Kokoto, Cuore has just tried to avoid dealing with him, or enjoys giving backhanded compliments that Kokoto will miss but that might get Mzatamo to break and chuckle. However, Kokoto seems to believe that Cuore adores him, and so makes a point to at times seek him out to speak with him. It's almost gotten to the point where Cuore is going to snap at him, but so far, Cuore has managed to bite back any blatantly rude comments. So far. Mzatamo thinks it's hilarious that Cuore has managed to dig this hole for himself, which is not what Cuore was going for when trying to get Mzatamo to laugh while working.

Kusafiri - Friend
At first, Cuore could not get a read on Kusafiri. For whatever reason, he wouldn't have anything to do with the new Healer; it wasn't until Maji presented him with a rose that Kusafiri actually began to speak with Cuore, which is when Cuore realized his pridemate had been jealous, afraid he was being replaced by Cuore. Since then, the two have become friends. Despite his best efforts, Cuore has not been able to figure out whether the myths are true; Kusafiri keeps very quiet on whether or not he is the one who made a deal with the devil, and if so, what the details of said deal are. Cuore wishes he knew, because maybe then he'd have Kusafiri as a true kindred spirit, but the Hunter doesn't seem intent on giving up that information any time soon. So instead, Cuore contents himself with chatting with the quieter lion from time to time, and sometimes hunting with him if Kusafiri invites him along. Most commonly the two will eat together in silence, neither having any issue with the peace and quiet. Sometimes, Maji will even join them, and Cuore enjoys seeing the way Kusafiri lights up at the sight of her. He fully supports their relationship and is so pleased to see them as a couple.

Laani - Curse Buddy
Cuore is not aware of just how much Laani knows about him, but he knows the pride has proclaimed her as cursed. While he also believes she's cursed, he views it as a bonding point between them, and Laani doesn't seem to mind. (Though that's actually because she knows it will help later, when she finally is in a position where she will be believed when she tells him the truth about the prophecy, as he isn't catching on to her subtle hints at the moment.) The two spend time together when possible, though Akilia often keeps Laani busy. He can tell that Laani genuinely appreciates having him support and respect her even when believing that she's cursed, as far too many members of the pride generally disregard anything she says because of her supposed curse. Since Mzatamo also doesn't really mind Laani despite not believing in the ancestors, when Msaliti is busy and Laani has some free time, she will come and chat with the two of them while they work, so long as the two Healers won't find it distracting. She also enjoys playfully debating with Mzatamo over the ancestors, and Cuore doesn't mind debating as much when she's around, as generally it means he can sit back and watch the chaos as the other two bounce arguments off one another. It also allows him to not think as much about how he is cursed because of the ancestors, which he normally ends up dwelling on when it's just him and Mzatamo arguing about it.

Maji - Close Friend and Sparring Partner
Though he met Maji at the same time as Jiwe and fought more with her, Cuore is much less frightened by the lioness. Perhaps it's because, upon entering the pride's camp, she was revealed to be a sweetheart, though a bit overprotective. This kindness was bestowed to him once it was revealed that he hadn't actually meant them any harm, and Cuore quickly found Maji to be one of his closest friends in the pride, though it was a different friendship than the one he struck up with Mzatamo. The two very easily fell into a teasing banter. Furthermore, although Cuore chose to become a Healer in the Isle of Roses, he still wanted to keep his fighting skills honed, if not improve upon them. Maji pounced on this opportunity and quickly took Cuore on as a sparring partner; though Cuore has improved, she generally has no issues sweeping the floor with him during their fights even now. She has tried to subtly push Cuore to accept his feelings for Haraka, but he's oblivious enough that he has completely missed it. Now that she's gotten together with Kusafiri, she's happy the lion she loves and one of her closest friends are finally getting along, and enjoys spending time with both of them together.

Sasa - Amusing Annoyance
In essence, Cuore sees Sasa is a more tolerable Kokoto. Sometimes, Sasa's pranks go a bit too far, and Cuore thinks the Learner Soldier needs to learn to take things more seriously. However, Cuore does generally enjoy Sasa's shenanigans, especially since he is getting better and better at learning where to draw the line. Cuore doesn't often hang around with Sasa, generally spending more time with his sister, Laani, even though she is meant to spend less time with the pride due to being an Oracle. This is mainly because they simply don't have personalities that mesh all that well together; while they get along alright when they do interact, they're just not the type of lions who would choose to hang out with each other in their free time. They both have their own friends, and they are alright with that. Plus, even if Cuore was overly annoyed with Sasa, he can't hate him because he's Maji's Learner, unless he wants Maji to kill him.

Shujaa - Adoptive Younger Brother
Shujaa absolutely adores Cuore, and it's obvious enough that even the leopard notices. Over time, Cuore has both unofficially and unintentionally adopted him as a younger brother, enjoying teasing him while also proving to be very protective of his naive friend. Shujaa has very quickly come to respect Cuore and often goes to him for advice. So far, the leopard has never failed to get back to him with an answer as quickly as possible, once he's certain it's advice he believes Shujaa should actually follow. Cuore isn't sure he believes Shujaa can achieve his dream of becoming a hero, but would never dare to say those words and crush his dreams; he cares a lot about Shujaa and his well-being, so he will encourage his adoptive brother in spite of the odds. He does find the myth of the chimera that Shujaa believes very interesting though, and wonders what led Shujaa's father to tell such a story to his son. Having never heard anyone reference a chimera before, he's not sure where the concept even came from. However, whether Shujaa actually believes in them or not, he at least wants to accomplish the same goal of being a hero like them, and Cuore will do his best to help him achieve that, even if it has to be in the smallest of ways.

Roho - Acquaintance
Cuore has not interacted much with Roho; he's played some games with her when he plays with all the cubs, however, Kokoto always seems to be lurking around the little orphan, having basically adopted her since he brought her back. She seems sweet enough, though she's very shy and hasn't actually ever spoken to him, just giggling when she joins in his games with Jino and Ua. However, Kokoto is very protective of his adoptive daughter, and Cuore doesn't want to step on his paws or deal with any of Kokoto's annoying habits. Besides, Roho doesn't seem too keen on getting to know too many of the lions in the prides; he figures if she wants to get to know anyone else and grows more comfortable with the Isle of Roses as a whole, then she'll come to him if she wants to have some sort of friendship.
Now that Roho has grown, the two still have not interacted much. This is not for any reason other than that the two aren't often in the same circles as each other. However, Cuore enjoys seeing the Learner Diplomat put herself out there, and can tell that she cares a lot about doing the right thing. If Roho ever does want to get to know him, he'll be happy to oblige; otherwise, he's fine just seeing bits and pieces of her success and appreciating her as a pridemate, without getting to know her more personally.

Cheka - Close Friend
Cuore absolutely adores Cheka, though he is unaware that she also operates as Nasaba's Assassin; he thinks she is simply an awkward lioness who is an absolute sweetie. She is the one with the oddest upbringing in comparison to the rest of the pride, so she and Cuore have bonded quite a bit over that. While his colony was much more lax, the hyena clan Cheka grew up in - a different one than the one led by Cackle that the pride often has difficulties with - was much more aggressive. There were constant fights for power, and once had to hold their own, so both Cuore and Cheka have learned a lot from each other's stories and from simply being a part of the Isle of Roses. Both were also cast out from their homes against their will, partially by the hand of their mother. When he can, Cuore enjoys getting to spend time with Cheka, feeling a bit more at ease with her since she also has not quite mastered the differences in the way a pride acts as opposed to her group. He finds her quirks endearing rather than frightening, and also has somehow managed to catch on to her feelings for Nasaba, so he does try from time to time to nudge her to say something to him. Naturally he was over the moon when she told him the two had finally admitted their feelings to each other.

Daraja - Acquaintance
Daraja has quite the silver tongue, something that never fails to surprise Cuore. Ruka's son is constantly finding ways to get what he wants, and knows exactly how to flatter someone; Cuore will be very surprised if he does not follow in his mother's pawprints and become a Diplomat. However, his ability to manipulate words has led Cuore to decide to not spend as much time with the sneaky cub. While he thinks he will probably do great things, right now Daraja is a cub, and at the moment, the cub is only occupied with getting what he wants. However, Cuore does look forward to seeing Daraja grows, and is fairly sure they'll become friends later in life. As of right now, however, not letting the little cub manipulate him is the primary goal.

Hadithi - Adoptive Niece
Cuore has a habit of adopting the orphaned cubs in the pride. Hadithi, the sweetheart, arrived, and Cuore immediately adored her. That made it all the sadder when he, the other Healers, the Oracles, Nasaba, and Cheka were informed by Maji that she would not be raising her daughter. From that point on, Cuore always went out of his way to spend time with Hadithi, telling her stories and playing with her and Kubariki when she wanted to play...but then she was stolen away. It broke Cuore's heart; he was inconsolable, but despite his best efforts and days of searching, he could not find her. It was Haraka who ultimately got him to accept the loss, but Cuore has not forgotten the little cub. In his part of the Healers' den, there is a small, crude drawing of a little cub with a rain cloud painted over it: the symbol elephants' used to represent pleading for forgiveness.

Hera - Respected Acquaintance
During Cuore's travels, he once encountered the Mountain Pride, and spent a brief amount of time with them. The pride was not a good fit for him, not to mention it was falling apart; Cuore did not want the pride to fail because of his presence. However, during that time, he saw Hera struggling to lead her pride. She was so graceful and calm despite the terrible state things were in, and Cuore has always had a respect for the purple lioness since then. After all, it takes quite a bit of strength to hold yourself together when everything is falling apart, and that is something Cuore will always admire. So, even after moving on, Cuore has thought about Hera, wondering (and hoping) that the queen has been able to fix her pride and bring it back to the glorious days it seemingly once had.

Tamu - Acquaintance
Cuore and Tamu aren't friends, but they aren't enemies. They're just acquaintances. Cuore appreciates the lion, however he cannot deal with his relentless optimism. His happy outlook at times borders on naivety, and Cuore can't help but feel that sometimes he needs a hefty dose of realism in his life. Therefore, though he does appreciate the kind things Tamu likes to do for the pride, Cuore does his best to avoid spending too much around the Hunter. He's afraid that if he did, he might claw out his ears in frustration, if he didn't claw out Tamu's tongue first.

Icarus - Hostile Curiosity
The Cub Stealer. Cuore has yet to meet the feline of legend, but he has heard plenty about him. On the one hand, Cuore is very curious about him, and almost eager to meet him. What could drive someone to act the way he does? It doesn't help that there are so many contradicting accounts on him. There isn't even one agreed upon name to call him, especially since no one knows the Sky Thief's true name. No one is even sure what he looks like, just that he exists and is dark in color. All of the stories threaten to drive Cuore mad with curiosity when they are brought up (Mzatamo is tired of hearing his conspiracy theories on the matter). However, Cuore has a more personal vendetta with the crook; after Hadithi vanished, stolen away in the night, Cuore has only found one thing he could lay the blame on: the Cub Thief. But why? And, of all cubs, why Hadithi? Cuore is determined to find her one day, or at least to find out what happened to her, and right now, the Night Lion is his only clue.

Jasiri - Nuisance
Jasiri is a nuisance; there is no other way to put it. The Huntress has no qualms over who she flirts with, and it annoys Cuore to no end. Especially since she has rapidly become a fan of Cuore, at times acting somewhat like a fangirl. The other Healers think it's hilarious - though Ua also often finds her best friend's to be humiliating and experiences enough embarrassment for the both of them - and get quite the kick out of teasing Cuore over it. As it stands, Cuore just does his best to avoid Jasiri, including hiding if she comes in to be seen by a Healer and waiting till she has left to come out. That avoidance doesn't work out too well, however, if he's the only Healer around when she comes in. Which is unfortunate because Msaliti (though sometimes the other two, with Ua doing it the least) has no qualms announcing to Cuore as Jasiri comes in that she's going to go do something ("we're running out of basil, Cuore, that's important and you never find the good kind"), leaving Cuore to deal with her. It has gotten to a point where, sometimes, Cuore will just...still refuse to deal with Jasiri. It really depends on his mood, because he tries to put up with everyone, he really does, but he just doesn't know how to deal with someone specifically fawning over him.

Ruka - Meeting Buddy
Ruka and Cuore are not best friends, however, they do get along swimmingly. This is partially due to Ruka seeing so much of the world while Cuore has seen so much of it, so both know a lot about other cultures. Their ability to get along so well is especially evident during meetings Nasaba holds with the more important rankings in the pride. Though Ruka is not in attendance at every one (then again, neither is Cuore, but he attends many more than Ruka), when she is there, the two end up snickering away like little kids if they're sitting next to each other. They try to not make it obvious, they really do, but they often get caught cracking jokes and not always paying enough attention as they should be. Each time they get caught, they just try to be more and more subtle with it.

Barakoa - Enigma
Cuore has no idea what to make of Nasaba's secret daughter, Barakoa. She doesn't always choose to associate with others, and does not seem eager to adjust to the Isle of Roses' way of life, despite choosing to join. He can tell that she has power - it's something about the way she carries herself - and wishes he knew what, because it might put him more at ease around her. Everything she does somehow ends up leaving him with more questions rather than less, but she never seems very open to others approaching her, so Cuore doesn't. He just sits back and watches, trying to get some sort of hint that will help him figure her out.

[Firedancer77]

Not Another Song About Love - Hollywood Ending
If there was ever a song to explain just how Cuore feels for Haraka, this would be it. Cuore always makes it very clear to everyone that he detests Haraka, and yet anyone with half a brain and a pair of eyes can tell he has feelings for her. In spite of his insistence, even a part of Cuore deep, deep down realizes that he doesn't actually hate Haraka; in fact, he knows he's quite fond of her, or else he wouldn't always be there when she asks him too despite her consistent pattern of going back to hating him again afterwards. He may hate it, but the simple truth of the matter is that Cuore has feelings for Haraka, no matter how much he denies it. He wants - no, needs - to be around her, and maybe one day he'll be able to admit it. If that day ever comes, he'll just have to hope that she says the same.

Unaligned - Natewantstobattle
When Cuore first left his colony, he largely felt as if he was drifting with no guiding point. The prophecy seemed to declare that he was bad, something he didn't want to believe, but he certainly didn't feel good after lashing out at his mother the way he did. During the vote, he had the choice to make himself something along the lines of a martyr to his colony, leaving to keep them safe even if it put him in danger or made him miserable. However, when he saw his mother, he ruined that idea, ultimately lashing out like a monster because of the betrayal he felt. After fleeing, he didn't know what to make of himself, knowing he was now adrift with no real direction on what kind of person he was meant to be. The choices he was making were going to shape him into something, but whether that something was good or bad, Cuore wasn't sure. Since then, Cuore has gained a lot more direction in his life and feels he has finally aligned himself with a path, the path of good, but that doesn't stop him from sometimes still being anxious about where he is headed.

Everything I Ever Thought I Knew - Tangled: The Series
Ever since he was little, Cuore has been told he was cursed, the subject of a terrible prophecy. As mentioned previously, it’s why he had to leave his family and home in the first place. He struggled to find his way in the world at first, not having a home and simply drifting from group to group, ultimately sticking to himself. Finally, through a scrap with two of the Isle of Roses’ soldiers, he ended up joining the pride as their Healer, and it suddenly seemed like everything had fallen into place. Surely this had to be his purpose, the place he was meant to be since he could not stay with his home. However, this song really represents Cuore’s future, because when Akilia finally strikes and overthrows Nasaba, Cuore’s whole world is set upside down. Suddenly Cuore realizes that the pride became his home, and when Laani approaches him in secret, she is finally able to tell him the rest of the prophecy that has loomed over his head for his whole life. In that moment, everything changes for Cuore; as grateful as he is to know that what has happened is not his fault, he still feels as if his life could have been so much different, because it almost feels like it invalidates everything he struggled with up until this point. Cuore realizes he is not the one who brought about destruction, but instead was meant to be the one who knew it would be coming, and now is meant to circumvent it. Cuore’s whole life is altered once he learns the truth about the prophecy, and then he is left to pick up the pieces himself as he tries to figure out who he is now.

Touch Off - Natewantstobattle
Once again, this is a song that applies to Cuore’s future. When Akilia takes over, Cuore can’t help but feel betrayed by the lions on her side, but also by her in particular. While he may not have been close with her, he respected her and viewed her as trustworthy; now she’s proven herself to be a liar and a traitor, and that stirs something up within Cuore. When he learns the truth about the prophecy, Cuore may feel lost on who he is, but that doesn’t stop him from knowing what he needs to do. Akilia has betrayed the pride, and if they ever want things to get better, they have to take things into their own paws. No matter how painful it is, Cuore will fight for the future of his pride, his home, because he knows there has to be something better than what they’re facing right now. There is a future beyond the pain.

Fools - Lauren Aquiliana
This song embodies Cuore’s deepest fears. Most clearly, it represents his fear of being in love with Haraka. While he would not call them friends as it stands, the dynamic they have right now is good; Cuore is afraid that telling her he loves her will disrupt the fragile equilibrium they have. What if they were foolish, and that ruined everything? He doesn’t want to lose what he has with Haraka, even though how things stand right now still leaves him hurting. However, this fear of love goes even deeper than romantic love; due to the prophecy pronounced over him, Cuore is terrified of loving anyone. If he was destined to destroy his home, what will stop him from destroying whoever he loves? That is not a risk Cuore is willing to take; his heart would not be able to handle the guilt. And besides, what if he does it wrong? The idea that he could mess everything up terrifies Cuore. He doesn’t realize how much he cherishes his pridemates already. And he certainly doesn’t realize that he already loves them, or that they love him. They are his family, whether he realizes it yet or not. They are his home.

The Weight of Us - Sanders Bohlke
When Cuore finds out the truth of his life, he's terrified. Suddenly, there is so much more riding on him; before, it was an expectation that he would ruin everything, but now? Now he is meant to save everyone? He isn't ready for that responsibility. He isn't ready to deal with the thieves and manipulative leaders and secrets. And yet, he has to be, because if he doesn't, who will? Cuore must force himself to push through the secrets and the pain, to be strong in spite of all the new things he has learned so that he can competently figure out how he is to properly take down Akilia. All Cuore can do is hope he doesn't crumple under the weight of the responsibility that has been thrust upon him as he tries to be brave enough to do what he needs to do. It's time, whether he's ready for it to be or not.

Stitches - Shawn Mendes
Cuore has dealt with a lot of different creatures in his life, but dang, if Haraka isn't one of the harshest he's encountered, he doesn't know who is. Over and over again, he finds himself getting hurt because of her (or finds himself hurting her). With the consistent heartache she causes him, he knows he should just let her go, both for her sake and his; yet every time Haraka approaches him to meet privately, he can't help but say yes. Each time he knows it'll just end with them both being hurt, but he still goes, because he savors those brief moments of closeness that the two of them share. Those moments are the ones when Cuore is most lucid, realizing just how much he loves Haraka; if only the two of them could both get over themselves enough to compromise for each other, because as it stands, that is the one thing holding them back.

[Firedancer77]

Several moons before his birth, Cuore's arrival into the world was predicted by his colony's Star Readers.

Betrayal from the one accorded
Destruction and other acts most sordid
The heart, a herald of what's to come
The destitute future for where he's from
Heed the arrival of the heart
Appearing at the snow start
For his home is doomed to fall

The Star Reader looking to the stars that night broke the trance, stumbling to awaken the rest of his companions to discuss what the prophecy meant before the whole colony awoke. Sadly, the meaning seemed all too clear: someone with great power would betray them, and when they arrived at the start of the cold moons, it would be a sign that they would soon bring destruction upon their home. The leopards agreed to be silent except for telling their leader, who agreed with the decision to keep the prophecy quiet till they knew who it was. When Cuore entered the world several moons later and received his name, the Star Readers heard it and immediately were certain it was he who the prophecy referred to. Slowly, the news was broken to everyone in the colony, and everyone stewed on what to do with the cub who was meant to ruin everything but didn't even know it yet.

However, if that initial Star Reader had not awoken from the trance early due to his panic, he would have been able to hear the rest of the prophecy, and maybe, just maybe, things would have been different.

And yet an ancestor's call
Has refused to go amiss
A champion clambers from the abyss
Cry out, heed the words that will ring true
The heart of a hero knows what to do

The prophecy came about not from the leopard ancestors, but from the Isle of Rose's, who wrote in the stars for the Star Readers to see. They were not aware that the leopards would be so panicked by the message that they would break the trance before hearing the entirety of the message. With that tactic botched and future attempts to contact other groups gone unheard, the pride was forced to wait, as Akilia was a fraud, not actually able to communicate with them (though that might have only been due to her mother's spirit's interference). As for Laani, though they were able to tell her early on, Akilia's pronouncement of her being cursed forced her to keep quiet, as she knew no one would believe her. In the end, the Isle of Rose's only hope lay in Cuore's path going the way he needed.

Ironically enough, things might not have worked out the right way if the whole prophecy had been passed to that Star Reader, for it was the reactions of the colony that ultimately sent Cuore down the path that would, hopefully, lead him to save the Isle.

Because the ancestors knew of Akilia's mother's plot, they had tried to raise forth a champion, and a champion had been named in a spot they did not expect. They had expected a lion, and at first thought their attempts had failed, till they realized their pride's champion would arise not from the pride itself, but from the leopards, of all places. His arrival in the pride, when he finally got there, would be the sign that Akilia's plot would soon be going into motion, and the responsibility of saving the pride would fall on his shoulders.

[Firedancer77]

by recherché

Cuore was born into a colony of leopards that is more than a little far from the Isle of Roses. As one would expect, he was raised in a very different style than cubs in his current home are raised.

The colony consisted of a loose collective of leopards; you were generally free to join or leave whenever you wanted, though the colony did have the right to decide whether or not they would allow someone in. The group of leopards generally stayed up in the trees, making Cuore one of the few members of the Isle of Roses who knows how to climb trees. Furthermore, snow would fall in part of the territory that Cuore's colony lived in, so he is also one of the only members of the Isle of Roses who knows what snow is. It was a very different climate, and though there are a few things he misses, for the most part, he prefers the territory that the Isle of Roses lives in.

However, the most jarring difference for Cuore, not just in the Isle of Roses but in any other group of animals he has come into contact with, is the difference in political structure. In his birth colony, there was no technical leader; it was all lead by democracy. The oldest leopard in the colony leads the vote, however, they have no control beyond that; it is only so there is someone who can help make sure there is some semblance of organization during the voting process. During the vote, the eldest leopard explains what the vote is for and what the options are. Every leopard then stands on the side of the voting clearing that represents their choice. At the end, whichever side has more of the colony there is considered the winning side; once a leopard is no longer a cub, they are allowed to participate in the vote.

More than that, the leopards do not believe in the typical spirits and ancestors, which never sat right with Cuore. They believe in a few select ancestors sticking around, but they had to do something either really terrible or really honorable to be marked among them. Cuore always felt like that couldn't be right, because why could only some ancestors remain to speak with the living? That was part of the reason he accepted the Isle of Roses' belief structure so easily. The leopard colony believed the few ancestors that had any impact would leaves messages in the stars for the Star Readers to decipher, so the colony always had around four Star Readers who would take a shift during the night to watch the stars for messages. This is how the colony received information about the future, which the Star Readers were left to figure out and then pass on. They would then share this knowledge, if deemed necessary and correct, with the eldest leopard, who would help determine if or when the colony should be informed of any messages received.

Despite the group sticking together, it was mainly for defensive purposes; there were no rules to dictate sharing prey or anything like that, so though some colony members did, for the most part leopards in the colony had to hunt and care for themselves. The general appeal of being a part of the colony was simply for the safety in numbers and nothing more, which is part of the reason why they were generally fine with leopards joining up or leaving on a whim. It was especially common, at least while Cuore was growing up in the colony, for pregnant and nursing leopards to join up with the colony. Sometimes they would stay after giving birth or their cubs would leave, or vice verse, or both, or neither. Cuore's family was one of the three that had stayed a part of the colony since the beginning for generations, making them a bit more highly respected in the colony.

[Firedancer77]

A while after Cuore left his colony, he came across a herd of elephants who called themselves the Gravekeepers. They believed that the first member of their herd had been tasked by one of their two gods, Baqi, to keep watch and guard the bones of the dead. The legend spoke of the battle between the elephants' two gods, Baqi and Ajal; Ajal had brought death upon the elephants, and Baqi fought to right things. Till they could be brought back, Baqi tasked the herd with protecting the bones of the dead, telling them to make sure they were not desecrated lest the elephant be kept from coming back. The first member of the herd was then named Baqi's Abdulbaith, and he taught the herd he gathered to take care of their dead so they could be ready for Baqi's victory. The Gravekeepers continued this tradition and continued respecting both Baqi and Ajal, though the former was much more beloved. They have even taken to claiming the tradition of having elephant graveyards as being their ancestor's doing.

When Cuore met them, the Baqi's Abdulbaith at the time, Khan, was very intrigued to meet a new creature. Though the herd had encountered a few lions and cheetahs before, they had never met a leopard, so the group was eager to find out all about Cuore and his customs. Cuore, lonely after wandering alone for so long, was eager to have anyone to speak with, so it worked out well. When the conversation turned to where Cuore was staying, he mentioned having nowhere to go, and the group eagerly begged Khan to allow him to stay, something Khan wasn't all that hesitant to offer. Suddenly, Cuore had a group to stay with again.

It was odd, at first, adjusting to some of the new aspects of the culture. His time with them has given Cuore much more respect for dead creatures of all kinds - not just his own - and from time to time he will still give Ajal or Baqi an offering, more out of instinct than actual belief.

However, all good things must come to an end, and for Cuore, it all came crashing down. The Gravekeepers had a unique role among them called the Bonereader. When the herd would find a dead bird on their travels, the Bonereader would take the bones and ask Ajal to answer one question for them. Though Ajal is believed to have a form of the elephant, he is also believed to view the word through birds, though not all birds serve him. Because of this, if one takes the bones of a dead bird, it is believed Ajal is forced to answer a question truthfully for them when the bones are cast onto the ground. Only certain elephants have the gift to interpret what the bones say, so there is typically only one present in the herd, though the Gravekeepers have had times where multiple have existed. Sometimes, the ability may not even be identified in an elephant if another formally holds the title, as they may never try reading them themselves. Sometimes, the Bonereader asks to receive an answer about a decision the herd needs to make. Other times, it is a more general question about the herd's future. However, the Bonereader can also ask for someone in particular, whether it be a specific question about them or just for general knowledge.

Cuore had feared that the herd's Bonereader, Qudsia, would wish to do a reading for him. He had avoided it for a while by either making himself scarce when the decision on what to read was made, so that no one would think to suggest a reading for him, or by adamantly supporting someone else's idea, even if he didn't actually hold an opinion on the matter. However, on that day Qudsia had her mind made up, and informed Cuore she wished to do a reading for him.

Cuore hadn't known what to do. He'd never decided what he'd do if Qudsia told him she wished to ask Ajal about him; he'd always intended to simply never give her the chance. Instead, he just stood frozen, not knowing what to say. The herd took it to be that he was flattered, and before Cuore could act, Qudsia asked Ajal to speak about Cuore and cast the bones.

The bones fell into place, but all Cuore could do was stare at them. He could not read them himself, but he still found himself trying to figure out what they said. It didn't take a genius to figure it out though. As he looked up and saw the horrified look of realization making its way onto Qudsia's face, he did the only thing he could think of: he ran.

The Gravekeepers trumpeted, desperately calling for him to return, but it was too late. Cuore didn't stop till he his legs felt like they would give out beneath him, till he couldn't hear the herds cries for him to come back ringing in his ears. When had he started crying? He didn't know.

However, had he not ran, things may have turned out much differently. What Cuore failed to realize was that it was not his curse that the bones had spoken of, but the tragedy that was his life so far. Qudsia's horrified realization was that Cuore was much more frightened and alone than she had thought, especially when reading in the bones that he thought he was cursed when he was meant to be a hero. Since Cuore ran before she could say anything, she was not able to tell him the truth. The herd looked for some time, but Cuore was faster and smaller, and they were unable to find him. Eventually, they were forced to give up, but Khan and Qudsia have made sure they didn't forget the leopard that had once been alongside them. At meal times, they still left a spot in the circle for him, though after Khan died from disease that habit was done away with. Qudsia has not forgotten though, for an elephant never forgets, and due to her feeling that his fleeing is her fault, she thinks on him often. Sometimes, she still reads the bones to see if he is doing alright; so far, she has found the messages bitter sweet, for though she is happy he seems to be doing better, she wishes he wouldn't have had to leave to find that happiness. The herd has, for the most part, moved on and accepted that Cuore will not return, but that does not make it any easier on Qudsia.

Cuore has also moved on, though he does sometimes think of the Gravekeepers and wonder how they are doing. Sometimes he wishes he could communicate with the ancestors or read the bones or do something to find out how they are. Though he thinks about them less and less often, and believes they probably think of him as a bad omen and are glad he left, he does not regret his time spent with them.

[Firedancer77]

I am in the process of creating a high school AU involving my lions, as I enjoy the idea of developing my characters from another perspective / dynamic as well. The basic concept is that the entirety of the Isle of Roses boards at Rose Academy as human students; they all have basically the same personality and relationships, adjusted slightly for their human forms.

So, where does Cuore fit into the AU? He's a jock, playing on the basketball and cross country teams as one of their star players. However, he also has proven himself to be a nerd with some of the highest grades in the class. Furthermore, he also is a part of the student government. Despite being on the teams, he doesn't seem to get along with most of the jocks, spending more time with the few "outcasts" he has managed to befriend. Some people think it's a little strange on his part, but Cuore doesn't mind; he has his own secrets to carry, and he likes the students who are on the fringes of the grade's social hierarchy just fine.

And, like any high schooler, Cuore has a love life, one that is perhaps one of the most complicated in Rose Academy. The entire grade knows that he and Haraka, a hot-tempered skater who is constantly skipping school on a whim, hate each other, but most of them also can tell there's quite a bit of chemistry between them. In fact, when Cuore first transferred into Rose Academy, the two quickly ended up dating.



However, Cuore felt Haraka acted recklessly and Haraka didn’t appreciate being scolded. Things quickly fell apart, with both declaring that they hated the other. Suddenly any time they were in a room, there were two kinds of tensions, and tempers would run high. They would make subtle - or not so subtle - jabs at each other just to try and get a rise out of the other person. It didn’t help that Haraka made the break up very public, stomping up to Cuore after one of the biggest basketball games of the season to break things off. There was a lot of screaming and, though it wasn’t shown, a lot of hurt feelings from both sides. However, the split had a note of finality to it.



A note of finality that has served as an awkward contention point between them since. Most students at Rose Academy don’t realize that Haraka and Cuore will still sometimes meet up at Haraka’s request, and they fall into the same dynamic that they had as a couple, when things were going well. But something inevitably happens and they fall back into hating each other, pretending whatever time they spent together didn’t happen. Both are too stubborn to admit that they were in the wrong, as neither one wants to admit that they need to grow. So instead, they dance around the obviously still present feelings for each other, and Cuore especially finds himself to afraid to risk ruining the dynamic they have. Because as much as he hates her recklessness, he has to admit that he loves Haraka, every piece of her...even the reckless bit. But he can’t admit that, not to her.



Thankfully, the two seem to have tempered out a bit. Despite the hostility, their banter seems a bit less aggressive and a bit more playful, though if anyone tries to say anything about it, they’ll get their head bitten off by Haraka or their butt handed to them by Cuore. Their classmates all are taking bets on how long it takes before the two finally get over themselves and get back together, and are also betting which one will be the first one to crack. The student council president, Nasaba, is especially desperate for the inevitable make up to happen already, because he’s tired of their meetings being used to facilitate bets on the status of the couple (and because he’s already lost enough money to the betting game as it is).

After all, they’re seniors, and if they aren’t back together by the end of the year, the class might collectively throw them off the roof. They have not tolerated this love-hate relationship for this long only to see it not actually result in anything. If it comes down to it, they will do their best to force the couple to accept their feelings, if not simply so that they didn’t all waste their time waiting for the relationship to blossom again.

Credit to these three dollmakers for allowing me to create these images

[Firedancer77]

Paw Preference: If a task involves one paw, Cuore is most likely going to be using his left paw. His father constantly tried to hammer it out of him, but it didn't work, partially because his mother consistently stepped in and told him off for it. It helped that his mother was also more inclined to use her left paw for a single-pawed task. Cuore knows it's the less common preference, but he could care less. If for some reason he couldn't use his left paw - like if he had twisted it or something similar - he probably could get by using his right paw, but it's less than ideal, so he does his best to avoid that even being within the realm of possibilities.
Snoring: Cuore snores. Loudly. It is one of the few things Msaliti and Mzatamo can agree on, namely because they both hate it Msaliti has tried to be a bit nicer when pointing it out to him - though she still ends up begging him to solve the issue - but Mzatamo is incredibly blunt with his friend. Cuore has tried a few things to fix it at their behest, but ultimately just shrugs and laughs now when they bring it up, telling them to find a solution if it bothers them so much. (To which they say, “Believe me, we’re trying!”)
Painting: Cuore really enjoys painting with berries, or anything else that can be converted to paints. He tends to paint on cave walls, though he will paint on other surfaces if he feels the need to or has to. He is the one who taught Laani to paint, allowing her to have that way of communication opened between her and the ancestors so that she can receive messages from them.

[Firedancer77]

It would be a mistake to go. It always was, every time.

That was, of course, why he went anyways.

He was a fool. A complete and utter fool who Haraka seemed to have wrapped around her paw. But he couldn't help it. Haraka had seemed so genuinely upset when she'd quietly approached him, slipping into the Healer's Den on one of the few occasions that all of the others - Mzatamo, Msaliti, and Ua - were all out and about. The pitiful look on her face as she begged him to meet her that night was one he simply could not deny.

Now, he was waiting for her when he was meant to be sleeping. Was this just going to be a waste of time? Was there any point waiting around? What if she didn't even show up?

"Thank you for coming," the words were barely audible, but Cuore managed to catch them.

He turned around to see Haraka staring at her paws. "Of course I came," was all he could think of to say. "I was starting to think you weren't coming, though."

The red and gray lioness shrugged. "I was having issues leaving camp. Maji was on guard duty, and she would have wanted to know where I was going if she'd seen me. I had to go the long way 'round to get by without her noticing."

"She does tend to get a bit nosy." Sure, Cuore considered Maji to be a close friend, but that didn't mean she couldn't be a pain in the rear sometimes.

After that, they both stood there for a few minutes in awkward silence, neither prepared to be the first one to speak. What were they even meant to say? Cuore certainly didn't know; he didn't even know why Haraka had wanted to meet with him again. It'd been at least a moon since she'd last asked.

Haraka suddenly sighed. "I hate you."

If Cuore could have raised an eyebrow, he would have. "You have me sneak out to meet with you just so you can tell me that?"

She scowled, but besides that, ignored his interruption. "You make things confusing. Things were so simple till you came and mucked everything up."

"What's that meant to mean?"

"No one is supposed to care about me and what I do. Even Nasaba, who invited me into the group, doesn't really care what happens to me." Cuore wasn't certain he agreed with her assessment, but let her continue, knowing there was no reason to get hung up on the small details. That wasn't why they were there. "But then you had to come around and suddenly someone is telling me off when I'm reckless. Calling me out on my crap. Suddenly, someone is actually...concerned about me."

Cuore's tail swished back and forth. "Well, it is my job to help take care of the pride. Your reckless behavior uses up valuable medical resources that we might need in an emergency but won't have because of your stupid decisions."

"Is that the only reason you're concerned?" Haraka's eyes were narrowed and her ears were pinned back against her head as she pawed at the ground in front of her.

"You're infuriating," Cuore responded instead. "I never know what you want from me. You love me? You hate me? You don't care? I can't read your mind, Haraka. Yes, of course I care. I wouldn't scold you so much if I didn't."

He was surprised when she suddenly closed the distance between them, brushing up against him. The gentle smile on her face was so unlike her that he couldn't help smiling too. With his eyes closed, he was able to imagine for a moment that maybe, just maybe, things would stay like this.

by Meekins12345

"This isn't going to last," he said after a few moments, pulling away from Haraka.

She opened her eyes, and her tail drooped as she mewled, "No, it's not."

Cuore chuckled bitterly. "Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we keep fooling ourselves by doing this? I don't know how you feel, but this only ends up hurting me in the end."

"I do love you," she said, sitting down beside him.

"Somehow, I still believe that."

"Maybe one day, it'll work out. One day when we're both not quite so stubborn."

Cuore sat down, and Haraka followed suit, leaning her head against his shoulder. "That will be the day."

He could feel Haraka purring against him. "If you weren't constantly telling me to be more careful..."

Cuore playfully nudged her. "Not now."

"Alright."

Tonight, let us both be someone else, he thought, someone who isn't too stubborn to accept their love for the other at the cost of their pride.

"Is that really why you asked me to meet you?" Cuore asked finally as he stared up at the stars.

He didn't look, but knew she shook her head because it was still resting against his shoulder. "I...I just needed someone to be with me. Sometimes, it gets a little lonely not caring."

Cuore intertwined his tail with hers. "Maybe that's a sign you should stop. Stop pretending you don't care. I know, some of our pridemates are annoying. Believe me, I know. You don't know annoying till you hear Kokoto cry over getting a splinter out of his paw, only to immediately begin praising himself for being so brave once it's out." That got a chuckle from the lioness at his side. "But Kusafiri is short-tempered, and plenty of the pride still likes him, and he doesn't even often involve himself in the affairs of others. Maybe you ought to try not pushing everyone away."

"Maybe."

They both knew she wouldn't change. Neither of them would, at least not now. When they returned to camp, it would be like this night - and all the previous ones - had never occurred. Even tonight, Haraka had barely allowed Cuore near her heart; she still didn't lay it bare for him to see, though he supposed he didn't let her see his either. They both had secrets from each other that kept them from letting anyone get to close. Still, for tonight, Cuore didn't want to think about that.

For tonight, he was just another leopard, and Haraka was just another lioness. Two strangers, passing the time together underneath the stars. Cuore gently rested his head atop Haraka's, unsure if she was still awake. Yes, tomorrow things might return to normal, but he could at least savor tonight.

Tonight, they both were somebody else.