Kipekee - Daughter of Kion and Fuli

The bad news: It's not possible for a lion and a cheetah to reproduce in real life.  

The good news: Kiss my ass Mother Nature, I'm making it happen anyway.  

This is a concept that QueenNalaTheLioness and I have had going for some time now. Even though The Lion Guard isn't out yet, we both already ship Kion/Fuli. The thought of them together is just too cute for us to resist for some reason.    As a result, we had various talks concerning what their potential cub could be like. We ended up with what you see here; Kipekee, which means 'unique' in Swahili.

Initially when Kion and Fuli grew up and became mates, the Pride Landers weren't even sure if a cub would be possible for them. There had been no records or recent memory of a lion/cheetah hybrid ever existing, at least not on their grounds. So no one knew if it could happen. Then when they discovered Fuli was pregnant, there was a wide mix of excitement, happiness, but also fear. With the uncertainty surrounding it, various Pride Landers had concerns that the cub would be born dead, have severe health problems, or have some kind of terrible deformities. (The speculation wasn't easy for Kion or Fuli to hear.) But eventually, the day came where the cub was born, and at last the sinister rumors could be put to rest. The baby was born perfectly healthy, with no apparent issues at all. The Pride Landers rejoiced, and a large celebration was held for the birth of Simba and Nala's new granddaughter. She was named Kipekee, and ever since she came to be, Kion and Fuli couldn't have been happier to have her together.

Kipekee is confident like her mother, and somewhat protective at times from her father's side. She's outgoing, determined, strong, somewhat egotistical at times, and occasionally immature. But she really means well, and tries to do what she thinks is right in certain situations. She even got a strip of red fur on the back of her neck, a symbol of her heritage from the previous guardian of the Pride Lands. Her cousins sometimes joke around that she'll be the first lioness/cheetah to ever grow a mane. (Though it still stays about the same size into her adult years.) And in general, she's considered by her parents to be a gift from the Great Kings themselves.

This is my first time using new software called Gimp to color in my drawings. It took me a while to get used to, and this drawing was more or less just practice to get the hang and of the program. While it didn't turn out perfectly to me, I'd say it's a nice way to start off my usage of the program. If there's anyone who uses Gimp and has any advice to offer, don't hesitate to let me know, so I can improve my usage of it.

Kion, Fuli and The Lion Guard © Disney Jr. Kipekee @ QueenNalaTheLioness and I.

Let me know in the comments what you think!