Akina (A Crocodile's Journey)

Akina is a female crocodile and Makuu's mate. She is also the adoptive mother of Kitwana.
== Background ==
Akina is Makuu's mate, as well as his second in command. Friendly and kind, but with a strong character, she is the only animal Makuu will listen to. She dreams of motherhood, but sadly, her mate seemingly doesn't share her enthusiasm regarding hatchlings.
== Personality ==
Unlike most crocodiles, Akina can be friendly, kind and considerate not only towards her own kind, but also to other animals, and she often acts as a mediator between her harsher and rude mate and other animals. She doesn't like violence, and prefers to save it as a last-recourse if more peaceful ways do not work out.
Akina is also of strong character, sure of herself and willing to stand up for her beliefs, she will not tolerate being treated unfairly or being harassed, as Makuu learned the bad way when he first tried to court her the 'bad way'. She is a very loving mate, more willing to openly show affection, but sometimes Makuu's pride drives her nuts.
== Appearance ==
Akina is a slender, female crocodile with a more aqua-green shade of scales, which makes her stand out amongst the other, greener crocodiles. Her spines are rounder and more curved, and her upper eyelids are dark green, almost like makeup. Her underbelly and jaw are a very light yellow, and her eyes are a beautiful shade of golden.
== A Crocodile's Journey ==
=== Chapter 1 ===
Akina's first appearance is at the beginning of the chapter, when she awakens from hibernation along with her mate and the rest of the float. They proceed to go to Big Springs, where they feed on the fish after getting Basi's approval. Akina approaches Makuu, asking him if he thought about what they talked about before going into hibernation. Unwilling to talk about it, Makuu suddenly makes up a excuse of seeing an injured animal in the bushes and goes to look for it, much to Akina's dismay. When Basi asks if something is wrong, Akina says Makuu went to look for an imaginary critter to avoid talking about eggs.
=== Chapter 2 ===
When Makuu re-emerges from the bushes, looking in a hurry, Akina asks him if something is wrong, and is completely surprised when he says he needs to get help for an injured bird, knowing he doesn't like asking for help, but Makuu runs off before she can question him any further. Some time later he is back, followed by Kion, Beshte and Bunga.
Concerned, Akina follows them, and sees what had Makuu in such a hurry: the bird he needed help for so desperately has already died, leaving behind an egg. Makuu explains he promised the ibis he'd look after her egg and teach the chick how to fly, and Akina comments she knew he had a heart underneath his scaly hide, much to Makuu's embarrassment. As they wonder how they're supposed to incubate it, since they can't do so the crocodile nor bird ways for obvious reasons, Makuu takes the egg into his throat pouch to take it back. Before they leave, however, Lion asks Makuu if he will join them for Hasnaa's funeral; Akina says he will before he can shake his head in refusal, much to his dismay, since he cannot protest with the egg in his throat pouch.
They reunite with the float, who is confused as to what was going on, Akina tells them they'll explain it when they get to the riverside. Later on, after the egg has been placed on an improvised nest and covered with plants, Akina goes into the water with the rest of the float while Makuu watches over the egg, but later stays behind to keep an eye on it while her mate goes to Hasnaa's funerary rites.
=== Chapter 3 ===
When Makuu leaves the egg unprotected while napping in the water, a monitor lizard steals it, and Akina alerts him of the theft. A month later, she is present when the egg finally hatches a healthy male(unknown to them at the time) chick, finding it adorable, especially when the chick refers to Makuu as mama since he was the first creature the little one saw. When the chick asks for food but will not eat a fish Makuu placed in front of him to eat, Akina explains baby birds must have their food chewed by their parents to eat it; after the first batch provided by Makuu doesn't satisfy the chick, Akina chews and regurgitates another small fish for him. When the chick is finally quenched and falls asleep next to Makuu, Akina suggests he go to see Rafiki so he can check the chick's gender, but Makuu refuses to do so out of pride.
However, since he did go to see Rafiki to check Kitwana's gender, it can be implied Akina convinced him her way.
=== Chapter 4 ===
When Makuu sends Kitwana on a wild-goose chase, Akina notices and disapproves, saying Kitwana would never find the 'blue flowers with red thorns' since they didn't exists, but he smirks and confirms it; he just wanted Kitwana gone for a few hours to bask peacefully.
A few hours later she awakens Makuu, worried that it's almost sunset and Kitwana hasn't returned, but Makuu assures him he's fine since he's with Hodari. His assurance proves to be true when Hodari appears a few moments later, carrying an asleep Kitwana on his back and asking for a paw.
=== Chapter 5 ===
After Kitwana innocently reveals he thinks he is a crocodile, Akina stops Makuu and leads him away before he can tell the chick he is not. While Hodari distracts Kitwana, Akina scolds her mate for being unconsiderate about Kitwana's feelings, saying that the revelation could deeply affect him. Although Makuu reluctantly agrees, he states they still must think of how to send Kitwana to keep him from seeing their feeding. After Ono comes take Kitwana to the water hole, Akina joins Makuu and the float in the water just as the first herds approach the river to cross.
=== Chapter 6 ===
When the float arrives at Lake Matope, Akina offers to give Kitwana a tour around the lake, in part because she can't bear to see the other females nesting. Kitwana inquires why she hasn't nested, and she gently explains Makuu doesn't wish for more children, much to Kitwana's confusion. She says he's still too young to understand this part of the Circle of Life. Thankfully, Kitwana spots a female chick on the reeds and runs off to play with her, while Akina watches fondly from afar. After Kitwana gets into a fight with Mshale, she goes back with the float while Makuu takes Kitwana away to scold him in private.
=== Chapter 7 ===
Akina doesn't directly appear, but she is mentioned to fail in convincing Makuu to let Kitwana go to the Kupatana, noticing he is getting even more attached to Kitwana as time goes on, and hoping he'll change his mind about having a clutch of their own.
=== Chapter 8 ===
After Kitwana left to see the sunrise with Dalila, Akina compliments her mate for letting him go despite being grounded, to which Makuu replies he only did so that he could sleep. One member of the float, Ghubari, approaches and tells Makuu that Zazu the majordomo wishes a word with him about Kitwana.
Akina stays behind while he talks with Zazu, and notes him even more serious than before. When she inquires what's wrong, Makuu explains Simba wants to put Kitwana in a flock; he is learning to much from the crocodiles, and is time he start behaving like his own kind. Akina disagrees, arguing that Makuu is the closest thing Kitwana has to a father.
Before they can continue to argue, Kitwana returns, happy to have spent time with Dalila. She looks in surprise as Kitwana tells Makuu he loves him, and grows concerned when Makuu stays blank for a few seconds. He refuses to say anything about it, so she goes back to sleep.
=== Chapter 9 ===
When Makuu finally returns from talking to Simba, Akina approaches him to ask what happened, and learns why he took longer than expected: there was another attack by the two-legs, which cost two male elephants their lives. What really worries her, however, is that Simba has decreed Kitwana must be put in a bird flock as soon as possible.
She tries to convince Makuu not to tell him, again worried about how Kitwana will take the truth, but he states it would have been better if he knew from the beginning, since now it'll be harder for him to accept it. Akina realizes Makuu does care for Kitwana, and manages to convince him to wait until the next day to tell him the truth.
=== Chapter 10 ===
After Kitwana runs off in despair upon learning he'll be leaving the float, Akina has an argument with Makuu for him being 'inconsiderate', to which he retorts it would have been considered to tell him the truth sooner in the first place, stating he did not because she asked him not to. Incensed at being blamed for it, she leaves in a hurry to look for Kitwana.
Sadly, it was Makuu who found him first, after Kitwana was saved from drowning by Beshte. With nothing left to do, Akina can only bid Kitwana a sad farewell as he is taken to Pride Rock the next day.
== Relationships ==
=== Makuu ===
Akina and Makuu love each other very much, though like all marriages, sometimes they argue on things. Though she loves her mate and likes that he matured and became a better leader, sometimes she is frustrated by his rudeness to other animals, stubbornness and pride, particularly regarding having a clutch. Makuu loves Akina dearly and takes her feeling into consideration.
Curiously, when they met they were anything but close. Akina, along with Kiburi and their mothers were accepted into Pua's float, and she met Makuu shortly, but he was grieving over the loss of his own mother and siblings and wasn't very friendly. By the time the float returned to the Pride Lands, Akina had grown into a beautiful female, and Makuu lusted after her, but she rejected his advances even after he eventually he became the leader.
Eventually, after rejecting him once more and stating she didn't want a bully for a mate, somehow she made him realize he had been doing things the wrong way. He changed his ways, became more responsible and got to know her before courting her properly; Akina felt attracted by this new side of Makuu, and eventually accepted him.
=== Kitwana ===
Akina is very fond of her mate's adoptive son, and is more openly affectionate and motherly to him, though Kitwana's universe was centered around Makuu. Still, Kitwana came to love Akina very much and saw her as a mother-like figure. She worries about how the truth about his species might affect Kitwana emotionally, so she convinced Makuu not to tell him yet. This fear proved true when Kitwana reacted to the truth badly, and nearly killed himself trying to catch a fish in the deeper part of the lake.
=== Hodari ===
Despite him being a gecko, Akina considers him part of the float, and is very good friends with him. Sometimes she can vent out her frustration of Makuu's blunt atittude with Hodari, and he always listens and offers her advice.
=== Her Float ===
Akina is respected amongst the other crocodiles as Makuu's mate and second-in-command, she is strict but fair, much like her mate. Like him, she also cares about the wellbeing of the other crocodiles before her own safety, though Makuu will not allow her to put herself in risk of injury.
=== Kiburi ===
Akina and Kiburi have known each other since they were little, and were close friends, and might have even become a couple if Makuu hadn't beaten Kiburi in the Upenduwa. Kiburi lost all rights to make romantic advances with Akina, but continued to be a close friend of hers. Unlike Makuu at that time, Kiburi's feelings towards Akina were genuine
After Makuu's change and her eventually falling in love with him, though, Kiburi started shutting her out, feeling betrayed by the two of them. Akina was saddened and regretful for hurting his feelings, but after the events that led to his banishment, and then his attempt at killing Makuu when he was injured, she was disappointed in Kiburi, pointing out he wasn't the sweet croc she met anymore.
==Gallery==
The last time by ladyanaconda-dc1xbwc.jpg|Akina with her mate, Makuu, while Kiburi watches on bitterly.
Crocodile waltz by ladyanaconda-dc5or4h.jpg|Akina with her mate, Makuu.
Akina by ladyanaconda-dc2juw2.jpg|Akina concept art.
== Trivia ==
* She loves kids.
* Though she has a short fuse, her wrath is more of the 'calm before the storm' type, and will coldly but harshly refer to the object of her anger instead of lashing out like most crocodiles.
* Her favorite prey are zebras.
* She tends to win most argues against Makuu, mostly because even he is afraid of making her angry.
* When females make their nests, Akina usually walks away until its over, unable to bear seeing it when she longs to be a mother herself.
Category:Crocodiles
Category:A Crocodile's Journey
Category:Original Characters
Category:Females
Category:Ladyanaconda
Category:Characters
Category:Spouses
Category:Parents
Category:Pride Landers