Lions were large predatory Beasts that lived in warm grasslands and sparse woodland. Adult males weighed as much as 420 pounds, with shaggy and identifiable manes, while females were lighter and sleeker. Distantly related to Housecats, they hunted in coordinated groups and focused on herd animals that grazed in the open. Their bodies were built for short bursts of overwhelming force rather than distance running, and most failed hunts ended in exhausted withdrawal rather than pursuit.
A lion pride held territory through consistent pressure and group defense. Females handled most of the hunting, while males focused on driving off rivals and threats. Cubs faced high mortality, as rival males killed young that were not their offspring to trigger new breeding cycles. Pride membership shifted over years of slow attrition and sudden challenge, but the core mother lines tended to persist for long periods.
Lions shaped local cultures because they were often encountered before settlement lines advanced. They removed the weak from herds in regions that relied on grazing animals, which influenced population stability even without direct conflict with Mortalkind. As agriculture expanded, lions receded into narrower ranges, but the reputation they carried remained consistent; their visage became symbols of strength and courage for many cultures across the world.