Anyone who met Anniqua Ade could attest that she was a very normal, sweet, and kind young woman. At the age of 16 she became the primary doctor of her village. She was of the Jorja tribe, a very secluded group of people. Her mother died giving birth to her and her father died shortly after due to a heart attack. She was raised by her grandmother her entire life. Her grandmother taught herself and little sister everything she knew. It was the knowledge that her grandmother instilled in her that made her who she was.
The villagers called her Aläja, which means witch in Jorjan. She was the healer of the community. She used the herbs that she grew and recipes from a book passed down throughout her family to make powerful elixirs that healed and protected people. After she mastered human healing she began to use her elixirs on animals to heal them. What her grandmother did not tell her, before she passed away, was that Anniqua had powers of her own.
Anniqua descended from a long history of healers. Her great-great-great-great grandmother Anima created an elixir that enabled her and all of the women in her family to speak to and read the minds of animals. It was a gift and a curse. When people found out about Anima's ability to communicate with animals they thought it was unruly and deemed her insane. She was held a prisoner without trial, and then killed shortly after by a rogue prison guard. Back then, people didn't understand the true power of Anima's gift. Her power to speak to animals passed on to all of the women in her bloodline and it became the Ade family's secret blessing.
When Anniqua learned of her power to speak to animals, she knew it was something she had to keep to herself. It was the one thing that would change everyone's view on her. In her community she was honored and respected. There was no telling what would happen if anyone learned her secret. So she kept it to herself, that is until she met Leon. Leon, the mystical lion who just so happened to be the king of the animal kingdom. He could transform from a lion to a man. This power allowed him to rule and watch over the animal kingdom while also staying up to date with what occured in the human world.
One day Leon limped into the Jorja village, in human form, with a bite on his leg and his arm bleeding out. He was brought straight to Anniqua.
"What happened to him?" Anniqua questioned with fear in her eyes.
"We don't know, he just came limping into the village," the villager answered. "It looks like an animal attack."
"Okay leave us! I will take care of this." she waved off the villager that brought in the injured patient.
Once the villager fully left the room Anniqua got straight to business. "What happened to you and I want the truth, I know what you truly are." She explained. "I can sense it, but I don't understand it."
He let out a sigh as he expressed a look of surprise, "But how?"
"Let's just say I have my ways," she smirked.
"Ah you must be a descendant of the Ade family," he smirked back. "Our families have been in contact for years."
"Yes I am! Now answer my question," she snapped.
He let out a big sigh then explained, "My name is Leon and I am the mystical king of the jungle. I am the only one of my kind. I received my powers from a wizard about 250 years ago. I was given a longer lifespan that also allowed me to transform from man to lion and control the entire animal kingdom with just one roar, but my powers come from my mane. Last night I was attacked by a traitor who wanted to overthrow my ruling. He was almost successful, but my best friend Kenjo gave his life for my survival. Now I am here to get healed and go back to save my kingdom."
"Wow, I am so sorry to hear that Leon, but it is going to take some time for you to heal," she explained.
"Well how long do you think? Don't you have potions that can fix me witch?"
She whipped her head around walked towards him and pointed her finger to his chiseled chest.
"Look I will help you, but you will not call me a witch. You got it?" She poked.
"I apologize, I am just angry at my own shortcomings and not seeing this betrayal occurring." he sighed. "How long will it take?"
"About 3 months, and you will need to remain in human form while you are here if you don't want people asking questions," she advised.
"Well I guess I have no choice," he surrendered to the truth. "Fix me up wit-... I mean doctor."
She smiled then passed him one of her antidotes. "Okay, but drink this first."
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That was the beginning of a friendship that quickly blossomed into love. Three months turned into 3 years and by then Anniqua was with child. The two were ready to live happily ever after, but Leon's duty to the animal kingdom was not over. Some of the toucans from the kingdom found him and told him that he had to return because the kingdom needed him, but he knew if he left it would be for good.
"Come with me my love, we can live happily ever after and raise our little cub," he insisted.
"It is too dangerous baby, we are not sure if she will be welcomed there let alone myself, a human," she doubted as tears began to form in her eye. "You must fulfill your duty we will always be here where you found us."
"I promise to visit once a year my love," he placed his forehead against hers and they prayed then he kissed her before transforming into his lion form and running towards the jungle. What Leon did not know is that Anniqua placed a elixir in his meal the night before that would keep him healthy and safe from any attacks.
As promised Leon returned once a year precisely on his beautiful daughter Kinyanna's birthday. Kinyanna received the same mystical gifts as her father and the same gifts of her mother. She was the perfect mixture of them both. She was the first lioness to have a mane and was often teased about it when she went to visit her father on his birthday once a year. She was truly one of a kind.
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On Kinyanna's 10th birthday, Leon returned to visit his daughter, but when he got there he found his second home in ruins. He scanned the room and found his daughter, in lion form, crying under the the table with blood around her mouth. As he scanned the room some more he saw a man decapitated and his beloved Anniqua lifeless and naked. She had been attacked and raped while decorating the house for Kinyanna. Kinyanna walked in as the attacker was naked on top of her mother while choking the life out of her. Kinyanna's lioness instincts quickly arose and she transformed into the lioness she was and swiftly bite the man's head off in one motion. Shock flooded her body. It was Kinyanna's first time taking a life and what she prayed would be the last.
