Africa

Africa
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General information
Name meaning	Called after the Continent of the same name
Alias	"Little one" (by Nadira)
Species	African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus)
Gender	Female
Age	Four months (as of page 17) Two years (as of page 33) Five years (page 36 on)
Birthplace	Lerai Forest
Current residence	Lerai Forest, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Fate	Living
Peculiar traits	Single spot on left side of chin
First appearance	Test Page (prerelease) Page 3 (peek) Page 4 (officially)
Affiliations
Allies	Nadira, Paa (formerly)
Rivals	Chui, Giza
Enemies	Sabra
Relatives	Sahara, Hasira (maternal grandparents), Simulizi, Zito (paternal grandparents), Giza (mother), Tumaini (father) Kalahari, Okavango, Kenya, Chuki (half-brothers), Namibia, Botswana (half-sisters) Mosi (son), Binti (daughter) Nafasi (aunt), unnamed uncles, unnamed cousins
Other
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Africa is a slender, sturdy, well-muscled female African leopard, a resident of Lerai Forest in Ngorongoro Crater, part of Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA). She is the main character of the Africa comic. She is Giza's only cub from her third litter, the only one who managed to survive to adulthood.

Physical appearance

Africa's appearance.

Africa is a slim, lean, graceful-looking female leopard, with a rounded head and rather thick legs, ending in large, rounded paws. Her fur is homogeneous tawny-sand in color in its upper part, while Africa's cheeks, throat, belly, and inside of legs are pale cream. She has a stripe of darker brown on her nose bridge, and her pelt is mottled with rosettes and spots, as well as a streak of black under her neck. On her head, the spots align and seem to form a smiling face. She also has a single spot on the left side of her chin, almost resembling a mole. Her ears are black in color with small, white, semilunar ocelli markings on them. Four tufts of white fur come out of each of her auricles. Her long tail curls gently at its tip and is adorned with black rings. Africa's eyes are pale green in color.

As a full adult, Africa loses most of her cub-hood fat and gains muscle mass. Moreover, her nose color changes from light to dark pink.

Personality

Witty and curious, a skilled hunter and an excellent climber, Africa is thrilled by the world surrounding her. Unlike her mother, she is quite open-minded toward other animals, including prey, whom she attempts to befriend. Naive, trusting and inexperienced, she soon finds it necessary to adjust her personality to the vicious wild environment she is growing up in. When faced by threats, although reluctant, Africa shows her ability to defend herself, fiercely if she has to. Profoundly loyal and with a sheer sense of justice, she often finds her own ideals clashing with the reality she lives in.

History

As of Chapter One

Cub Africa on her first hunt.

Africa makes her first appearance in the beginning of the comic as a newborn cub, we see her while she is nursed by Giza in a den in the heart of Lerai Forest, Ngorongoro Crater. Four months later, the young cub is learning to hunt from her mother, and casually encounters a herd of gazelles, that is startled by her presence. One of them, Nadira, however, does not run away and quickly befriends cub Africa, who has the chance to experience a philosophy different from the one her mother taught her. The brief meeting is quickly interrupted by Giza's intervention: the black panther chases Nadira away and scolds Africa for wandering off without her permission. She then tells the cub her own vision of the world and tells her daughter about her tragic past. Africa, finally understanding the reason

Africa about to face her mother.

behind her mother's harsh temper, decides to abide by her wish and follow the tradition that has been passed down through her family for generations.

After that episode, Giza intensifies her daughter's training in order to ensure her survival. Africa spends the next years of her cubhood enhancing her climbing and hunting skills by chasing monkeys in the trees.

Two years later, Africa is a full-grown leopard but hasn't lost her natural curiosity. During a hare hunt, she meets Paa, Nadira's son, and has a brief talk with the elderly gazelle before walking away. As she carries her prey to her mother, Nadira senses that a storm is coming. When Giza sees Africa return from the hunt, she furiously lashes at her, telling her to leave. Africa is initially reluctant to abandon her mother, but Giza threatens to fight for the ownership of Lerai Forest. Africa does not want to fight her, but as Giza calls her a gazelle, she throws herself at her mother and pins her down, claws sheathed in a desperate attempt to avoid bloodshed. The i

Africa chases Chui away.

nexperienced leopard, however, is no match for the fierce black panther, who frees from her grip and is about to scratch her. A second before landing her strike, Giza looks at Africa and sees the only one of her cubs who has survived and has a moment of hesitation, during which Africa reacts and finally scratches her mother above her left eye. The skirmish concludes as a violent storm pours down on the two fighters, just as Nadira had predicted. Giza calms down, but she is still angry with her daughter, and finally leaves the forest to her, walking away into the haze.

When Africa emerges from the forest, she faces a sudden new threat: a male stray leopard. She attacks him by surprise and sends him away, then turns her head and throws a fierce stare at Nadira, who has been watching the scene.

Trivia

• Africa is one of few characters whose name has never changed during the development of the comic. She shares this trait with Paa, Kafil, and Chui.
• Africa and Chui are the only characters who have debuted in the comic before the actual plot started, as they have both appeared on the Test Page.

Family tree

Africa's Family Tree

Hasira       Sahara               Zito       Simulizi                                                                                                                                   unknown mates       Giza                 Tumaini         unknown mates   Nafasi                                                                                                                                                   Botswana, Kalahari, Kenya     Namibia, Okavango       Africa       unknown mate   unnamed offsprings   Chuki                                                                                                                                                     Mosi   Binti