Mkodi, the Old King
Mkodi established the pride in his youth, after leaving his birth pride and striking out on his own. He was thin and lanky, but his kindness and candid attitude towards other lions soon began attracting prideless lionesses to him.
It was to them he owed his survival, and the pride he could now call home, so he asked for little in return from them, but they gave them their loyalty of their own volition.
He allowed and even encouraged the young lionesses to mate freely outside of the pride, as he seemed to have little interest in them himself.
His lack of a blood heir resulted in his eventual adoption of the orphaned cub Korofi as his own son and heir.
Though there are rumors, almost certainly true, that the young lionesses Kahawa and Ruka are his daughters, he only officially took a mate near the end of his life. Busara was a daughter of Dafina, the first lioness to join the pride and Mkodi’s closest friend and ally.
Her two cubs by Mkodi, Upendo and Mahaba, were named prince and princess, but Mkodi made it clear that Korofi was still his son as well, and would inherit first. It would be unfair and unwise to allow the young cub Upendo to usurp the title from Korofi, he claimed.
Mkodi sadly did not grow to know his children well before passing the throne to the new King Korofi.
King Mkodi’s rule is remembered as a time of prosperity and freedom in the pride, and the king himself as a good, just, and gentle ruler.