[You did it Imp XD]
Name:
Ikarus
Nickname: Ika (pronounced Ee-ka)
Age:
Six
Gender:
Male
Pride:
Khomodimo
Rank:
Secondary male & lead guardian
Desired Rank:
He is fully satisfied as he is.
What Should the Pride do About the Hyenas?
He cannot claim to know what goes on in the minds of scavenging hyenas, but he recognises desperation when he sees it. He also knows that he will continue to vouch for more peaceful alternatives than straight out war with them- it will, after all, be he and his fellow guardians who will undertake the bulk of the fighting. He is fully aware that he and his fellow pridemates are certainly capable of taking these invaders on, but it is still a risk to them and he is never one for big risks - at least while things are still mostly stable. That said, even his usual patience is wearing thin, and as the hyenas continue to get in the way of the pride's daily life he is becoming more and more willing to agree to fight.
All else aside, if any hyena (or anyone at all) so much as looked at his mate or children wrong however, he would hunt them down himself and end them then and there. He'll protect his pride with just as much ferocity when the right time comes for battle.
Appearance:
Ikarus is a rather large and well-muscled male, and quite a handsome one at that (even if he'd never admit it.) He is so obviously built for the role of a lion - strong and heavyset so that he can he can protect his family through force and power. Beneath his medium length, copper-shaded coat lies an impressive display of that strength, and is backed up fully by his bigger size - reaching around 4.3 feet tall and a weight of just over 550lbs. His slightly intimaing stature means he can appear intimidating to newcomers, and certainly from a distance, but those who know him know better than to fear this soft-hearted beast. (Or at least if they're not causing him trouble.) His paws are also rather big and fuzzy, which - while useful in delivering scathing blows in combat - aren't great when it comes to quick manouvering. It's as if even his paws are slightly too big for him, like a cub's. Despite his long, powerful strides, agility and speed are certainly not at the top of his skill set; he is much more well equipped for patrolling and guarding the pride territory, as well as sending away intrudors. He is also rather clumsy when he isn't lazing around or in a state of action, and as a result can appear very unserious or even childish - some in the pride might even go as far as to question his leadership abilities. These ideas matter little to him, as he knows he is a capable warrior and commander, and as long as he can provide good protection to his pride, then he is doing his duty well.
Despite the clumsy reputation, of which he's mostly grown out of as a long-turned adult, Ikarus' general posture is quite alert and attentive. He doesn't exactly try to be, but even sometimes at rest he finds himself with his ears pricked up for any sounds, and his nose at the ready. He does take relaxing seriously though, and as a result of chillin' in the grass all day - or whenever he can - he has quite a pleasant earthy scent. His body language instantly relaxes at the sight of his family and close friends, but around others he can hold some tenseness in his shoulders, as if ready to strike. However, while his posture may seem uncomfortable when not with a loved one, he still makes efforts to maintain his usual gravelly but actually suprisingly gentle tone of voice. He may speak softly but his roar is a whole other deal: deep and aggressive, he can certainly strike fear into the hearts of his enemies when he wishes.
Ikarus has quite an impressive mane to his name too - a thick and shaggy thing that largely frames his head and shoulders. It gradients down from a golden hue around his face to a dark brown or argueably near-black at the back, stretching slightly down his back to join the dark line of fur stretching along his spine. He has equally dark and long fur on the tuft of his tail and the bottom of his chest too, adding additional bulk to his figure. For the most part the rest of his coat is a flat, dusky-flecked copper-blond, only interrupted by the occassional scarring. He has the majority of them on his face and shoulders: one deeper one on his snout and a a few on each shoulder. The only other visible scar (a very old one) is a few deep claw marks on a hind leg, but even those are the only ones towords his hindquaters - Ikarus rarely if ever runs from things. He also has a few smaller nicks and scrapes on his muzzle and his left ear is slightly shredded at the top, the usual tufted hair missing.
Ika has a very telling face, his pleasant rumblings equally as genuine. He cares not about hiding his intentions, and will gladly show whether he likes or dislikes someone - with a happy greeting rumble or a set of bared teeth respectively. He is fairly passive in disliking others anyway, so if one upsets him enough to bare his teeth then they should also expect to meet them. He also has big expressive sunray-flecked and brown eyes, etched in black teardrop markings, and a dark nose with softer pink speckling. Above his eyes lie dusky brown eyebrow tufts, and his whiskers are a simular shade, though beginning to turn white. His belly follows a simular fashion: darkest at the top and tapering down to a paler yellow tone - again almost white - and very fluffy.
Personality:
As a long experienced member of the Pride (despite growing up outside of it) Ikarus is an easy to respect figure. While most intruders or enemies tend to find him somewhat intimidating due to his impressive size, others under his guard will quickly come to admire his equally as impressive loyalty - especially to that of his closest loved ones. He may spend a significant propertion of time patrolling and guarding the pridelands, but his biggest motivation for this is keeping his beloved family safe; he loves nothing more than to relax out in the sunshine with his mate and the occasional annoying cub playing around them. Appearing highly sociable with his closest family, and for the most part with entended family or friends, it can seem a bit shock to a newcomer when he suddenly comes across as very detatched or withdrawn - even as far as seeming shy at times. His reservation is somewhat due to a level of insecurity, but he is aware these feelings are unfounded as he certainly has earned the respect he recieves through his continued service to the pride.
While he is not much of a talker to those he does not know well, he is very approachable and will do his best to assist those in dire need. Ikarus strongly feels empathy and ultimately values individual need over the more logical ideas such as driving out any threat without question. That is not to say he will not face a fight (he is certainly capable of a fight, in both power and courage) but he will consider the reasons that may have resulted in the skirmish occuring and work to solve the root cause, rather than the problem itself. He also carries these principles into helping train young cubs, helping them to form strong loyalties to eachother and ideally strengthening the pride long term. More confident as a teacher, Ikarus will spend a lot of time working with individual students as well, ensureing every one of his young pridemates feel seen and strenthened. While he is deeply committed to individuals (none more so than his mate) he also can be very adaptable, quickly establishing plans and stragetgies to deal with any issues. This means a lot of his time is occupied in thinking, and when this cannot be done on patrols (due to various fights with tresspassers) he does it in his own time, often being found with his eyes half shut and his stiff body tensed as he tries his best to independently work through issues.
Despite Ikarus' intelligence and his slightly anxious/cautious nature, he is still prone to being a pushover - especially if one appeals to his emotions. His soft, affectionate and honest behaviour is easy to toy with, as is his heart (though thankfully his is now safe in his mate's capable paws.) Avoiding conflict when he can, Ikarus can sometimes swerve from his own personal goals or ideals to try and resolve a conflict through more peaceful means, and his patience can lead to other taking advantage of him - but of course its very easy to go a step too far. And once one does finally break his everlasting patience, then they're doomed. Ikarus rarely looses his cool but that doesn't stop him from being a ruthless and proud warrior.
In Ikarus' ideal world, he would spend all day, every day, relaxing with his mate - being the self proclaimed King of Chilling - but obviously this is unrealistic. He might act a little lazy from time to time, but he is definately dependable and one who can be trusted to get things done. Self-diciplined and diligent, Ikarus does everything he can to care for his mate and her birth pride - and what he can to make his cubs proud of their father (despite knowing they already care as deeply as he does for them.)
Crush:
He has eyes for one lioness and one lioness only.
Mate:
His love, Alkebu-lan
Cubs:
Nakoa (possibly more tba)
Kin:
None besides those stated above. He has travelled far from his birth pride.
Other:
Timone and Pumba hehe