History
Nirav's roots start within the Oasis. As a cub he struggled to get along and interact well with others his age leaving him to be more of an outcast then anything else. When it came time for Nirav to go out into the world as is tradition, the council decided to turn him into a spy for them and was tasked to infiltrate the rebellion to see what they are all about and then return with any information he gained from his experience with them. However, before he left the council all told him how important it was to keep the oasis and it's secrets just that, secrets. He took this vow of secrecy to a whole new level though. Before leaving to go out into the world for the first time he took a moment to prepare himself for what was to come. In that instant he realized he would never forgive himself if he accidentally told anyone anything of the oasis. Even his thoughts were at risk of other lions reaching into his mind and obtained information through abilities such as psychic and telepathy. In that moment, the second before his paws were out of the Oasis, he made a vow of silence to keep all he knew safe from the rebels as well as others by both locking away his words as well as his mind.
The journey to the rebellion was a long and hard one. Being on his own for the first time Nirav had to learn how to take care of himself in the harsh unknown lands, however it didn't take long to find one of Arknon's followers, a lioness who went by the name of Seraphina. Though he couldn't quite but his finger on it she seemed familiar to him, almost as though he had known her from somewhere before. The Oasis maybe? Though he wasn't sure who she was she knew she couldn't leave a cub out in the unknown lands by himself. Though hesitant and not very kind towards Nirav, she cautiously lead him back to the rebel camp.
Once within the rebel camp Nirav faced many problems with his new home. Many if not all the other rebels were very weavy of him, even as a cub and the fact he never spoke many simply called him pride scum or other rude names. Though it bothered him at first he learned to deal with it over time and simply built a wall around his emotions. Eventually Nirav got older and became an adolescent, and only then did Arknon begin to notice the mysterious cub.
Arknon was suspicious of him, and though everyone else just assumed him to be a mute, he wasn't quite ready to trust the young lion.
Nirav laid out in the starlight that covered the rebel camp. He felt at peace, his mind completely void of all thoughts, of all worries. Suddenly he heard some shouting coming from a far getting closer and closer with each call.
"Hey you little creep!" A male assassin called out.
Nirav lifted his head and looked at the male, "Surely this brute isn't talking to me?" he thought as his empty mind began to fill with questions.
"Yeah you don't look at me like you're stupid I know you at least know how to hear and comprehend words, unless you really are as dumb as you look." The bulky male snickered as he spoke, his tail twitching, "Now I don't know why but for some reason Arknon wants to see you in his quarters." he turned before glancing back, "Now."
Nirav's eyes widened, "Arknon? But why does he want to see me?" Fear began creeping into his mind, "Oh god what if he knows... What if I blew the Oasis's cover? What if..." he paused trying to reach into the deepest parts of his mind but clouds seemed to surround what information he knew, or at least what he once knew.
"COME ON! I wouldn't keep Arknon waiting if I were you!" The male's voice cut through Nirav's thoughts like claws through flesh and within an instant he was on his feet chasing after the brutish male.
It wasn't a very long walk to get to Arknon's quarters though it felt like an eternity to Nirav. The entire walk he felt his mind swirling like a storm, fear and anxiety ripped through it though the most terrifying realization was the fact that he was unsure if he could even remember anything of the Oasis. This entire time he was so focused on pushing it to the back of his mind to keep it safe that it was buried so deep within his memories he couldn't remember anything.
"Why did I ever come here?... What is the Oasis... Why can't I remember anything?" Doubt and fear continued to flash through his mind he completely forgot to watch his steps and ended up walking straight into the male who was guiding him.
"Hey silent scum watch where you're going? Don't tell me you're blind too?" The male huffed, "Wouldn't surprise me if Arknon just wanted to see how useless you are in person before killing you himself..."
Nirav narrowed his eyes, his markings sparking up slightly before calming himself down. He looked into the dark den enterance that was laid out in front of him. He knew he had to cut off his emotions, he has seen Arknon's powers and knew he wouldn't hesitate to kill him where he stood should he give Arknon a reason not to trust him. Slowly Nirav closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Within an instant the swirling emotions and dug up memories all faded away. He let his mind completely empty before exhaling and opening his eyes as he entered the den.
For a moment Nirav strained his eyes trying to see into the darkness. There was a strange scent that hung in the air, a smell that was far to similar to that of a rotting corpse.
“Ah welcome young one.” Arknon’s voice ripped through the air and Nirav felt as though his blood ran cold hearing the lion’s voice, “I feel as though this little… meeting is long overdue.”
“Meeting? What is he talking about?” Nirav’s mind raced as fear froze him in place. Arknon as well as six other lions all sat in a semi-circle around him with each lion’s gaze burning into Nirav’s skin.
With a wicked smile Arknon arose from where he was and began to slowly walk towards Nirav, “So, I have heard you are a mute? I’m sure no one has questioned it since you have been here, though I don’t fully believe you are telling the truth.” As Arknon spoke he slowly leaned in with each word, his hot breath on the back of his neck putting Nirav on edge.
Nirav glanced around at all the other lions in the room wondering who they were and why they were hear. None had spoken a word and none had taken their gaze from Nirav.
“So let me ask you, what is your name?” As soon as the words escaped Arknon’s mouth he felt a jarring pain flash through his mind.
In a panic Nirav finally understood who the other lions where, psychic and telepathy lions. Each lion ripping through his mind searching for an answer to Arknon’s question. Fear slowly creeped into Nirav’s mind and he knew he would not be able to hide everything from six different lions who were all in search of one question: Who was Nirav and why was he here? Nirav began to shake knowing he was caught before he felt another flash run through his mind. This one was different though. He knew it wasn’t any of Arknon’s psychics but what was it? A defensive reflex? In an instant Nirav’s mind was completely blank, to the point where he didn’t even know his own name.
Arknon looked around the room at all the lions staring at Nirav and one after one each shook their head, “Well so you don’t have a name? Interesting…” Arknon’s voice trailed off as he slowly circled Nirav only to stop right in front of him, “Where are you from?” This time Arknon’s voice wasn’t so pleasant as he pulled his lips back into a snarl.
Again Nirav’s mind was penetrated by the six and this time let out a faint groan of pain. This time the duration they were looking was much longer than before, the head pain almost dropping young Nirav to the floor. Nirav pushed himself back up though this time taking a deep breath and letting go mentally of all he knew and was. For a brief moment Nirav felt nothing. He no longer felt alive though he didn’t believe he was dead yet either. Mentally he was in a limbo of sorts, merely existing rather than being an actual lion.
“Still nothing Arknon.” The deep rumbling voice ripped Nirav from his dream like rift and brought him back to reality. Again he looked around all the lions turning to one another shaking their heads. “We believe the child may have been through something, a head injury perhaps that wiped his memories.”
For what felt like an eternity Arknon stood in front of Nirav, his face inches from his and his eyes looking into what felt like his mind as well. After a moment Arknon’s emotions changed from a hostile feeling into a creepy overly nice one. Slowly he drew his mouth back into a wicked smile.
“Well then I suppose I owe you an apology,” Arknon began, “First thing tomorrow I want to see you back here. We have a lot of work to do to make you of any use to me, though I am very confident you will be a tremendous help within time... and since you weren’t willing to share your name with me, from this point forward you will be known as Neelakantha."
Nirav’s ears twitched at the name, and for a brief moment Nirav was convinced that the name Neelakantha was always his name. In a moment his life flashed before his eyes, a life that wasn’t his. The Oasis was nothing more than a myth that he had never been to. The rebellion was all he knew, he was born into it wasn’t he? His parents had been rebels who had died in a battle, weren’t they? His mind spun to the point of making his stomach turn.
“You may want to get some rest for tomorrow Neelakantha, I won’t lie to you… If I am to make you useful…” His lips curled into a smile, “It will be a grueling experience.”
Arknon was not lying when he said his training would be grueling and difficult. He pushed Nirav to his limit and beyond even that and with each passing moment he spent within Arknon's presence he slowly lost himself. He soon forgot everything of the Oasis and even within time lost touch with who he used to be. Though he still has yet to forget his name he instinctively reacts to the name Arknon gave him of "Neelakantha" rather than that of his old one Nirav. Over the years of working under Arknon the two formed a master apprentice type relationship and even eventually gains Arknon's favor and becomes the ear that Arknon goes to when he wants to share sensitive information.
Eventually the two formed a strong enough bond that Arknon even allowed Nirav to pick out his armor from Arknon's own personal arsenal. Though he was not able to have a full set he picked and chose from the best pieces he was able to find, a few of which bared similar markings of what he thought he knew, one that matched the tail ring he always remembered having, the marking of the Oasis. Arknon even gifted him a special helmet made specifically for him.
The Oasis 
The Pride 
The Rebellion 
Attacks
