Dumisani - joined to a goddess

Dumisani – mate to Anga; father to Adabu, Mahiri

Affiliation: Woodlands

Born: 126 AD

Died:

Design and story by LilCheetah: greatmarta.deviantart.com/art/…

Prior to the arrival of Theluji and the founding of the Spiritlands encompassing the Lushlands, Shrublands, Shadowlands, Spotlands and Woodlands territories, the territory that was known as the Woodlands was dominated by a race of lions that called themselves the Earth Cats.  These lions were stockier than most other lion races, smaller but powerfully built, with powerful jaws and elongated canine teeth that enabled them to crush the skulls of their prey to penetrate the brain or use their canines to sever the windpipe and major arteries in one go.  Furthermore, their manes were short to help minimize entanglement on the thick brush while hunting. They would use ochre to paint stripes or spots upon their pelts to aid them with camouflage in their woodland home, making stalking and ambush much more effective.  

The Woodlands consisted of several small tribes of lions, their numbers ranging between 3 to 15 closely-related members, male and female alike, of which all would do the equal share of the hunting.  The males, being typically larger and stronger than the females, were usually responsible for taking care of the lionesses, and a group of lions could only name themselves a tribe if a male leader was present. Every one of these tribe leaders was subordinate to a “King” – the male who overruled them all.  The King did not have a Queen.  Rather, he was mated to the Mother Earth Goddess, their creator and the lioness deity who controlled the seasons; the rains which made their lands prosper; the one who could bring life just as easily as take it away.  The Earth Cat tribes celebrated her through dance and song, and through offerings of gems, flowers, fruits and unusually-shaped stones; thanking her for the annual life-giving rains and the flourishing of their prey herds.  The tribes were also in the belief that their Earth Goddess was brought into existence during a time when no colour existed at all; that the earth and the sky were equally as white as snow.  It was she who chose the colours of the world, leaving her own pelt white to signify her purity.  During the marriage ceremony, the King would be ceremoniously painted with streaks of white clay to symbolize his devotion to her. He was then expected to live alone, far away from the contact of other lions, deep in a forest cave that was considered to be the portal to the next world and where the presence of the Mother Earth Goddess was closest to the mortal realm. The cave walls were painted in homage to her, and tribe leaders would pilgrimage to this spot in order to offer gifts and to pray, to heal their ailments and ask for advice.  Despite all the privileges being a King could bring, his place was tenuous at best, for the Earth Goddess was a fickle mistress.  If the rains failed and food became scarce, he would ultimately be blamed for not doing enough to appease his volatile mate, and as a result, he would be ritually killed to provide sustenance for his people. 

Unlike other prides, an Earth Cat King was not chosen over the circumstances of his birth.  Such power was given to a male largely depending on his size and strength.  Once a previous King had been sacrificed or had died of natural causes, the tribes would come together in order to propose a new King.  Often, contests would be held - sparring, races across difficult terrain, bringing down difficult prey, retrieving the eggs of rare birds, eating toxic fruit without getting sick, enduring the bites of venomous snakes or the agonizing stings of a nest of ants, and other near-impossible feats of courage and strength.  All males between the ages of 15 to 40 were expected to take part in these contests, and if they refused, they were considered unworthy of their maleness and castrated, to be treated like lionesses from then on.

It is in this world a male cub is born.  His nose bridge is white – something that has never been seen before.  The tribes take it as a sign that the Earth Goddess has decided to choose her own suitor, and as soon as little Dumisani is weaned he is taken away from his tribe to the secluded cave, to be raised privately under the tutelage of the tribe elders.  At the tender age of 13, he becomes the youngest male in living memory to marry the Goddess and become King.  For his part, Dumisani deeply feels the weight of responsibility on his young shoulders.  The tribes look to him to make it rain, to make their forested home flourish and their prey to prosper.  It is a position he hates, knowing what fate would await him should he fail in his duties.  For all his power, he is still a scared, confused, lonely child, with no one to comfort him or offer a friendly word of advice.  As soon as he is married, the elders return to their tribes, leaving him to fend for himself.

For the first few seasons, Dumisani is lucky.  The rains come like clockwork, food and water is plentiful.  The tribes are pleased with the work of their King.  Clearly the Earth Goddess is satisfied with her mate. Until the 18^th season of Dumisani’s life begins, and the rains do not come. With each passing day, the tribes grow more and more restless.  Frantic, Dumisani conducts earth spells, he prays and offers gifts of meat and small trinkets in order to try and appease his wife.  What did he do to upset her? Where did he go wrong? Why was she no longer listening to him?

Talk among the tribes become more sinister.  They say that the Goddess is now weary of her husband.  She demands a new Consort.  The date of Dumisani’s execution is set.  But before that day comes to pass, a foreign group of lions arrive on the outskirts of their lands.  They are led by a big male, with a mane and pelt consisting mainly of white.  Not only that but his pride, too, are composed of the palest lions the locals have ever seen.  Though the foreigners speak in a language they do not understand, the tribes are in awe of them – especially of the one who calls himself “Theluji”.  They want him to be their new King. 

Theluji and his pride spend some time with the Woodlanders, teaching them their language and their ways.  It is enough to spare Dumisani from a gruesome death, for it is thanks to the distraction brought on by Theluji's arrival that his execution is forgotten, allowing time for the rains to finally arrive.  Dumisani is allowed to carry on breathing, for his death is no longer warranted to appease their bloodthirsty deity, and for that Dumisani is forever thankful.  Theluji explains that it is the Great Spirit, not some vengeful Goddess, who controls all that is, was, and shall be.  Theluji was the Great Spirit's messenger on Earth, and proposed that the land of the Woodlands become a province of kingdom - the Spiritlands.  He would rule over them, but one of their own kind shall remain as Governor of his people.  Since Dumisani was the only one marked with white, he was the obvious choice of Governor for the newfound province. Dumisani gratefully accepted; though he would have preferred to sink into the background, at least he was not expected to die should he be unable to control impossible forces of nature.  Now, no one would dare lay a claw on him for the belief that he carried the Great Spirit's white blood.  And now he could take a mate.  A real mate.  And have a real family.  

Working with the other lands within the Empire, the Tribes – now a single, united pride ruled under Dumisani and his Lady – were allowed to rotate between the lands, trading food and resources and choosing breeding partners among other prides.  It was a setup which benefitted everyone within the Empire.