HOME | DD

Description
After drawing sketches of Bianka , I felt like paying a revisit to a character I drew only one other time: Nandi . She is my fanmade mother of Zira, and mate of Nyoka (AKA the Strange Lion). Her name has many meanings in many languages. For starters, it can mean "with me" in Swahili, it's also part of the Swahili word for "nice" (full word is "Kamnandi"), it also means "sweet" or even "here I am" in Zulu, and "joy" or "happiness" in Sanskrit. All words are appropriate for her, as I've come to find out.

Nandi was not native to the Pridelands. She began her life in Pride Rock as a shy advisor to Uru. Nandi was very unlike her ruler, as she was unconfident, meek, and soft-spoken. Uru naturally possessed an intimidatingly elegant streak, but cordially encouraged Nandi with advice in order to help with her self-worth.

Nandi joined the Pridelands after the banishment of Nyoka. Her naïveté of his story is what allowed her to meet with him in secret at the Outlands with hardly a problem. Nandi was charmed by Nyoka, and was eager to have a child with him. He eventually warmed up to the idea, but internally swore not to raise the cub like a cub, but an extension of him, with the idea of integrating her into the pride to slowly take over the kingdom that once belonged to his ancestors.

They both agreed on the name "Zira" for different reasons: Where Nyoka was from, it was a word meaning "hate", where Nandi was from, it meant "moonlight", which had been perfect for a cub born at night.

Later on in her life as a Pridelander, Nandi, along with Uru, partook in mentoring the next generation of huntresses, including her daughter Zira, her classmate Sarafina, and Uru's top student, Sarabi.

However, after Nandi and Nyoka's separation relationship-wise, Zira's hunting lesson schedule would often be interrupted by Nyoka's harsh training in the Outlands. Zira took on a zealous, fiery, conflicted personality, and her hunting skills had also been affected as she would show mercilessness with prey. Nandi noticed Zira's harsh hunting strategies, bottled-up emotions, and cuts and bruises when she would return from the Outlands.

Nandi finally put her paw down, and firmly demanded that Zira cease her isolated visits with her father. This had unfortunate outcomes: Zira, as Nyoka's teachings successfully corrupted her, had turned on her mother, fully believing her mother was only slowing her growth and dragging her down. After a rendezvous with Nyoka at the Outlands, while their daughter was away, her mate threatened her using his cobra friend, Kuuma, to keep her in line and out of his and Zira's business.

Feeling threatened that Nandi would tell the Pridelanders of his threats, Nyoka sent Kuuma to deliver small doses of venom in bites he would inflict on Nandi in her sleep. Zira saw Nandi's mind decline over time the last few times she ever visited her, and Nyoka would tell Zira that Nandi had been becoming too unfit to be an influence on her. Zira grew into adulthood trying to understand which parent had been in the wrong, as Nyoka would emotionally neglect her, but she truly believed his mischaracterizing words about Nandi.

Kuuma's venom didn't directly kill Nandi, but she did eventually pass before the events of the films from possible complications.

Her granddaughter Vitani greatly resembles her, sporting square features, a head tuft, dark periwinkle eyes, and freckles above her mouth. Her grandson Nuka also resembles her, inheriting her lanky frame, ear tufts, and grayish-brown pelt. Their personalities parallel her too, such as poor self-worth and skittishness respectively.

Description
After drawing sketches of Bianka , I felt like paying a revisit to a character I drew only one other time: Nandi . She is my fanmade mother of Zira, and mate of Nyoka (AKA the Strange Lion). Her name has many meanings in many languages. For starters, it can mean "with me" in Swahili, it's also part of the Swahili word for "nice" (full word is "Kamnandi"), it also means "sweet" or even "here I am" in Zulu, and "joy" or "happiness" in Sanskrit. All words are appropriate for her, as I've come to find out.

Nandi was not native to the Pridelands. She began her life in Pride Rock as a shy advisor to Uru. Nandi was very unlike her ruler, as she was unconfident, meek, and soft-spoken. Uru naturally possessed an intimidatingly elegant streak, but cordially encouraged Nandi with advice in order to help with her self-worth.

Nandi joined the Pridelands after the banishment of Nyoka. Her naïveté of his story is what allowed her to meet with him in secret at the Outlands with hardly a problem. Nandi was charmed by Nyoka, and was eager to have a child with him. He eventually warmed up to the idea, but internally swore not to raise the cub like a cub, but an extension of him, with the idea of integrating her into the pride to slowly take over the kingdom that once belonged to his ancestors.

They both agreed on the name "Zira" for different reasons: Where Nyoka was from, it was a word meaning "hate", where Nandi was from, it meant "moonlight", which had been perfect for a cub born at night.

Later on in her life as a Pridelander, Nandi, along with Uru, partook in mentoring the next generation of huntresses, including her daughter Zira, her classmate Sarafina, and Uru's top student, Sarabi.

However, after Nandi and Nyoka's separation relationship-wise, Zira's hunting lesson schedule would often be interrupted by Nyoka's harsh training in the Outlands. Zira took on a zealous, fiery, conflicted personality, and her hunting skills had also been affected as she would show mercilessness with prey. Nandi noticed Zira's harsh hunting strategies, bottled-up emotions, and cuts and bruises when she would return from the Outlands.

Nandi finally put her paw down, and firmly demanded that Zira cease her isolated visits with her father. This had unfortunate outcomes: Zira, as Nyoka's teachings successfully corrupted her, had turned on her mother, fully believing her mother was only slowing her growth and dragging her down. After a rendezvous with Nyoka at the Outlands, while their daughter was away, her mate threatened her using his cobra friend, Kuuma, to keep her in line and out of his and Zira's business.

Feeling threatened that Nandi would tell the Pridelanders of his threats, Nyoka sent Kuuma to deliver small doses of venom in bites he would inflict on Nandi in her sleep. Zira saw Nandi's mind decline over time the last few times she ever visited her, and Nyoka would tell Zira that Nandi had been becoming too unfit to be an influence on her. Zira grew into adulthood trying to understand which parent had been in the wrong, as Nyoka would emotionally neglect her, but she truly believed his mischaracterizing words about Nandi.

Kuuma's venom didn't directly kill Nandi, but she did eventually pass before the events of the films from possible complications.

Her granddaughter Vitani greatly resembles her, sporting square features, a head tuft, dark periwinkle eyes, and freckles above her mouth. Her grandson Nuka also resembles her, inheriting her lanky frame, ear tufts, and grayish-brown pelt. Their personalities parallel her too, such as poor self-worth and skittishness respectively.