The Nawiri pride was founded out of the ashes of a different pride - the Mekauri. Many of Nawiri's founding members had originally made the Mekauri lands their home, under King Goddatumba's rule. But several of Goddatumba's pride were not satisfied with his way of ruling, and grew restless as time went on and the king's behavior became increasingly reclusive and melancholy. Eventually, a portion of the Mekauri lost their patience with the Mekauri monarch - and decided to make a journey to Utatu, each for their own personal reasons.
It was during this time in Utatu that Nkosi proposed the establishment of a new pride. He discussed the idea at length with Bakunja, his best friend and King Goddatumba's twin brother. In the end, Nkosi concluded that he was ready to forge a new path away from the Mekauri - and the idea of the Nawiri was born, with Bakunja more than willing to follow him and several lionesses and younger leonines already prepared to join the ranks of the new pride.
While Nkosi went to investigate possible new territory for the pride, Bakunja and his mate Shuka returned to Mekauri to inform King Goddatumba of the group's decision. But they found the Mekauri lands almost entirely deserted. Puzzled and worried, the two searched throughout the lands… finding little evidence of anyone, not even King Goddatumba. When Bakunja expanded his investigation into the neutral ground just beyond Mekauri's northeast border, he was startled to find Kizawaa there in haggard condition. She informed Baku that shortly after his departure with Nkosi, King Goddatumba left to visit the original Mekauri lands with Kithaura and a couple others beside him. And soon after that, Kanoni appeared with news from Goddatumba - that he had no intention of ever returning.
With the Mekauri pride disbanded, those Goddatumba left behind worked to find new places for themselves… with several of them reverting back to their previous rogue lifestyles. Yet not all of the former Mekauri members chose to become nomadic. Kizawaa - and her children, Diallo and Tylith - returned to Utatu along with Bakunja and Shuka, to join Nkosi on his quest to establish his own pride.
(To be continued as the story develops!)
