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Description
I recently saw a news story (here ) about a lioness named Zuri growing a mane, and I was instantly inspired to draw Zuri from TLG all grown up and sporting a mane of her own. I haven't really had much interest in writing or drawing anything about her, but mostly that's because she hasn't really been an integral role in any of the stories I'm focusing on at the moment.

One thing I am interested in writing about for her life, however, is that she may be the one who takes over the role of Pride Shaman when Rafiki passes away. When Zuri began growing her mane in her late teens, Rafiki revealed to her what her destiny would be. He presented the Pride with somewhat forgotten traditions in their not-so ancient past. Before the time of Rafiki, it was believed that maned lionesses (or maneless lions respectively) held a special power, a certain magic in their souls that enabled them to be incredible shamans. Of course, this rare phenomenon only happens once every 2-3 generations, so the Pridelands had welcomed a new tradition of the wise baboons, such as Rafiki, to be their shamans until another fated shaman lion is born. Of course, considering Rafiki had already taken on Makini as his apprentice, Zuri graciously agreed to share this special role equally with Makini until she moved away to the Tree of Life. Rafiki was an integral part of their training until he retired and eventually passed away from old age.

Rafiki, Makini, Zuri, and many others in the Pride often wondered what these 'special powers' were that the maned lionesses, or maneless lions, were supposed to posess. While there was nothing evident to prove they were any more spiritual or magical than any other lion, most of the lions revered and admired Zuri anyway; an eerie flutter in their hearts and a pause in their breath as she passed them by- and a certain nervousness and astonishment when she healed them of their ailments.

Rafiki told tales of the lion shamans being able to see into the future. Zuri never was able to, and it caused her some feelings of doubt when she was just starting out. When Zuri became an elder, she would smile to herself when remembering it.. funnily enough, she never needed magic, just wisdom over the years to foresee some things.

Zuri grew a lot from this experience and became a very benevolent lioness, never holding arrogance about being the new Pride Shaman. She takes her role very seriously, and always does her best to treat other lions and creatures of their ailments, either physical or mental. Her advice was also relied upon heavily by King Kovu and Queen Kiara, and eventually King Kosi and his Queen. This was another role in the pride that she considered very consequential and therefore strived to always be genuine and helpful when asked for any advice regarding the Kingdom and its wellbeing.

--

While I am aware that Zuri is practically the opposite of this in the show The Lion Guard, and described as "easily upset, melodramatic, and sensitive," I would like to think that her experiences growing up and seeing things from a different perspective, as well as the seriousness of her new role in the Pride will have humbled her and made her much more well-rounded. At least luckily enough for her, she won't have to work on her dislike for hunting, as she isn't required to join the hunting party due to her obligations as a shaman.
(Also please note, almost nothing I tend to write in my own headcanon/AU will have anything to do with The Lion Guard. The Lion Guard is NOT CANON in my headcanon!! Please remember that <3)

Family wise, I am thinking she is probably sired by one of the lions in "Scar's Guard". By the way, there is no such thing as a "Lion Guard" in my AU as it's portrayed in TLG show, aside from the children's game that Kion and his friends play in my comic "Corruption of Kion".
"Scar's Guard" will actually more likely be a band of batchelor lions Scar roamed with briefly in his early teen years before ultimately betraying them, and surely one of these batchelor lions got lucky with a Pridelander lioness before Scar's betrayal (or being chased off by the King). Nothing really set in stone yet, but I'll get around to something more substantial for her backstory when the time comes.

Description
I recently saw a news story (here ) about a lioness named Zuri growing a mane, and I was instantly inspired to draw Zuri from TLG all grown up and sporting a mane of her own. I haven't really had much interest in writing or drawing anything about her, but mostly that's because she hasn't really been an integral role in any of the stories I'm focusing on at the moment.

One thing I am interested in writing about for her life, however, is that she may be the one who takes over the role of Pride Shaman when Rafiki passes away. When Zuri began growing her mane in her late teens, Rafiki revealed to her what her destiny would be. He presented the Pride with somewhat forgotten traditions in their not-so ancient past. Before the time of Rafiki, it was believed that maned lionesses (or maneless lions respectively) held a special power, a certain magic in their souls that enabled them to be incredible shamans. Of course, this rare phenomenon only happens once every 2-3 generations, so the Pridelands had welcomed a new tradition of the wise baboons, such as Rafiki, to be their shamans until another fated shaman lion is born. Of course, considering Rafiki had already taken on Makini as his apprentice, Zuri graciously agreed to share this special role equally with Makini until she moved away to the Tree of Life. Rafiki was an integral part of their training until he retired and eventually passed away from old age.

Rafiki, Makini, Zuri, and many others in the Pride often wondered what these 'special powers' were that the maned lionesses, or maneless lions, were supposed to posess. While there was nothing evident to prove they were any more spiritual or magical than any other lion, most of the lions revered and admired Zuri anyway; an eerie flutter in their hearts and a pause in their breath as she passed them by- and a certain nervousness and astonishment when she healed them of their ailments.

Rafiki told tales of the lion shamans being able to see into the future. Zuri never was able to, and it caused her some feelings of doubt when she was just starting out. When Zuri became an elder, she would smile to herself when remembering it.. funnily enough, she never needed magic, just wisdom over the years to foresee some things.

Zuri grew a lot from this experience and became a very benevolent lioness, never holding arrogance about being the new Pride Shaman. She takes her role very seriously, and always does her best to treat other lions and creatures of their ailments, either physical or mental. Her advice was also relied upon heavily by King Kovu and Queen Kiara, and eventually King Kosi and his Queen. This was another role in the pride that she considered very consequential and therefore strived to always be genuine and helpful when asked for any advice regarding the Kingdom and its wellbeing.

--

While I am aware that Zuri is practically the opposite of this in the show The Lion Guard, and described as "easily upset, melodramatic, and sensitive," I would like to think that her experiences growing up and seeing things from a different perspective, as well as the seriousness of her new role in the Pride will have humbled her and made her much more well-rounded. At least luckily enough for her, she won't have to work on her dislike for hunting, as she isn't required to join the hunting party due to her obligations as a shaman.
(Also please note, almost nothing I tend to write in my own headcanon/AU will have anything to do with The Lion Guard. The Lion Guard is NOT CANON in my headcanon!! Please remember that <3)

Family wise, I am thinking she is probably sired by one of the lions in "Scar's Guard". By the way, there is no such thing as a "Lion Guard" in my AU as it's portrayed in TLG show, aside from the children's game that Kion and his friends play in my comic "Corruption of Kion".
"Scar's Guard" will actually more likely be a band of batchelor lions Scar roamed with briefly in his early teen years before ultimately betraying them, and surely one of these batchelor lions got lucky with a Pridelander lioness before Scar's betrayal (or being chased off by the King). Nothing really set in stone yet, but I'll get around to something more substantial for her backstory when the time comes.