Neema is one of my primary "voices" and is considered one of my "main characters." She has been as such since she was "born" in 2001. Neema was originally created to be the gothic troublemaker I couldn't be when I was 12 years old. (Holy crap I didn't realize I was that young when she came around)

Neema has grown significantly since she was born, or moreso, she has grown with me. She is one of my few characters that is the same age as me, but took a very different path in her life than I have taken. It is strange that as of recently I can compare our lives and see that they ended up very similar, but back when I was younger they couldn't have been more different.

I have always loved lions and from the day I laid eyes on white lions I was in love, and just had to have a character that was one. I ended up keeping black ear tips, hands, feet and tail tip for Neema, and it was Paula (Grimmorph) who explained to me what leucism was and how this was applicable to Neema's design and to white lions in general. To those that don't know, as I didn't: "Leucism is a condition in animals characterized by reduced pigmentation. Unlike albinism, it is caused by a reduction in all types of skin pigment, not just melanin." Furthermore, for Neema's design in particular, "More common than a complete absence of pigment cells is localized or incomplete hypopigmentation, resulting in irregular patches of white on an animal that otherwise has normal colouring and patterning. This partial leucism is known as a "pied" or "piebald" effect," - Therefore, Neema retains some pigment in her fur, leading to the patches of black seen on her ear tips, hands, feet, and tail tip. Her eyes are naturally red, similar to an albino.

What Neema represents in me used to be a bit confusing in relation to Anima. Both represent anger, in one form or another, the difference being Anima has a darkness inside of him, Neema does not. Neema's anger is pure, and deserving. Sometimes it's alright to be angry - something I'm learning slowly. Neema represents self preservation, self esteem, self assuredness, confidence, pride, righteous anger, strength, courage and leadership. Don't get me wrong, Neema has a temper, but she almost always means well, unless you're an asshole and deserving of her hatred. Neema does not put up with bullshit. Have you ever heard the phrase don't try to bullshit a bullshitter? Well now you have, and it reigns very true for Neema.

Neema hasn't had an easy life. Her mother was a drug addict and she was born a drug baby, and her mother left soon after she was born. This left Neema alone with her father, who soon started beating and raping her. Neema coped by turning things inward and letting her anger fester. Finally she tried to end her life, and was saved by a group of friends she's still latched at the hip to. When she forms bonds she doesn't let go, and when she forms grudges she doesn't let go.

She met her long-lost older brother Dashande (owned by Paula/Grimmorph) around this time, and they became close. Dashande ran a Supremacist Gang (Carnivore Supremacist - he despised hybrids and herbivores), and Neema fell into that life because she wanted to be something else than she was, and hated herself. That wasn't the true her, but she let it be. She got heavily into drugs, because Dashande was heavily into drugs, that's what they did. Neema became a terror - she beat people to near death, she was feared by all, she shot and killed rival gang members, only when incredibly drugged because she wouldn't want to do that sober. She was with a female lioness named Majoka who felt similarly to her, but they blocked things out and lived the stereotypical life of high ranking drug-dealers and mobsters. She was a hit man for hire at times, and would kill and maim those sold by the highest bidder. Her build, muscle and strength was used by everyone around her when she lived this life.

Neema had many herbivore and hybrid friends, her best friend was a mouse named Sugar. But she tried to hide this from her brother, who at times would catch her with Sugar but would let her off the hook since she was his sister, and Sugar was "just a mouse." But he would chide her and make fun of her relentlessly. He never caught Neema with her hybrid friends, or any other herbivores. She had to live a dual life, and usually kept the other life so secret she didn't even know who she was anymore. She began to ignore her other life and get deeper and deeper into the gang. Her friends tried to pull her out, but she was lost, drugged, empty. Neema and Majoka split, and it was around this time Neema started hating who she had become. She was hooked on heroin, cocaine, crack, meth, pills, but heroin was her main vice.

One night when wandering aimlessly, empty and depressed, having maimed herself and sliced herself up severely, she met a hybrid named Ghost (owned by Ophelia). She fell for him instantly, their love was pure. She abandoned the gang, her brother disowned her, she got off the hard drugs (she still smokes a shit ton of pot and drinks like a champ, but isn't anywhere as bad as she used to be), and she started living a respectful life. She doesn't work, she still deals drugs and makes money that way from time to time for the hell of it, but she has enough saved up from her life in the gang to last her a lifetime. She's basically a millionaire. So she's set. She's still with Ghost, he disappeared for some time and they lost each other, but found each other again. They are deeply in love, and she's never felt for anyone the way she feels for him. She misses her brother, and they've seen each other a few times. After some years he has let her be in his presence, but he hasn't spoken to her. Nothing will ever be the same between them.

Neema grew up, basically. She's still a party animal and lives a rough life. She will still beat someone up if they fuck with someone she loves. But she has so many regrets from the life she lived that she's become a much softer person, in as soft a way as Neema can be. She's slowly making amends to the world, and to those she wronged as best she can. She has helped Ghost through a very hard time, one similar to the time he helped her through, things have come full circle for them, but that has only made them that much closer.

Neema's still that same gothic little badass she originally was, she's just grown up as I've grown up. We've gotten stronger together, through pain and suffering, we have grown. She's another guardian type character to me, she won't let anything bad happen to me. Neema is very close to Triad, Devon, Sugar, Shadow, Judeca, Eva and Lekura. Their relationships go back to Middle School, but she's known Triad since she was a small child, they grew up in the same Trailer-Park and Neema protects him as if she was his brother. Fuck with Triad and she really might kill you.

Neema is a lion, her pride is her family, she will protect them to the death. She knows the killing she did while she was in the gang was wrong, the innocents who's lives she ended were incomprehensible. But when a death is deserved, she will not hesitate. Just keep that in mind.

Of note about Neema is that she is one of my more voluptuous characters. She's round, a little chubby, muscular in the arms and legs, built and proud of it!

Name: Neema N'Kai
Sex: Female
Sexual Orientation: Bisexual
Age: 29
Birthdate: October 21, 1984
Zodiac Sign: Libra

Home Planet: Earth
Ethnicity: African-American
Born in: Mobile, Alabama
Resides: A home with Ghost

Species: White Lion
Height: 6 Feet
Weight: Around 190 Pounds
Breast Size: 38 DD
Eye Color: Red (Of note: Neema likes to wear LOTS of red eyeshadow around her eyes, to the point it looks like they are "bleeding." It's kind of one of her trademark things)
Fur Color: White
Markings: Black paws, ear tips and tail tip
Underbelly: White
Inner ears, paw pads: Pink
Nose Color: Pink
Claws: Black or Red
Hair Style: Black A-Line with Undercut
Hair Length: Chin length, angled back to nape of neck
Hair Color (Natural): Black
Hair Color (Current): Black, with red streaks on occasion
Hair Color (Options): Black, Red, Black with red streaks

Typical Clothing: Neema's gone from a more gothic look to a more laid-back sort of metal look. Her typical outfit nowadays is a ripped at the shoulders/tank topish metal tshirt showing off a bra underneath and red camo shorts to the knees. But she still wears her more stylish outfits like form fitting tank tops, corsets, dresses, skirts, fishnet shirts, striped stockings, etc. She can be dressed up or dressed down, draw her in ripped up shorts and a shirt and that's all good. Sometimes rocks a wife beater and jeans, it's all up to the mood she's in and if she's lounging around the house, going out, or gives a shit that day.
Piercings: Lots! But the ones set in stone are multiple ear piercings, bridge, labret, eyebrow (however many), septum, nipples, belly button, and corset piercings lining her back and tail. Corset piercings begin at the nape of her neck and continue to the tip of her tail, usually lined with a red ribbon. Also drawn with monroe piercing, multiple eyebrow rings, lip rings, and about any other piercing you can think of if you feel like it.
Jewelry: Typical piercing rings usually, gauges, various ribbons, lace and string used for corset piercings. VERY often drawn with screws protruding through upper cartilage piercings in upper ears, they have been a staple since she was created that can be thrown in whenever one sees fit.
Tattoos: 2 bullets on each shoulder - black at the base, red at the tips. Red rose over heart with black spiked stem. Red, yellow and black coral snake tracing vertical scar on right wrist.
Scars: A lot. Some self inflicted, many from battles. Lots are from fights from knife wounds, and some are even from gunshots. Got a few gunshots in her lifetime, two in the right leg upper thigh and calf, one in the stomach, one in the left arm, one at the top of the right side of her chest. She's lucky to be alive. Random knife wounds and claw scratches. Random scars from self inflicted wounds, some obvious vertical scars on wrists from her suicide attempt at age 17, right wrist covered with snake tattoo.

Mother and Father: Mother's whereabouts unknown, Father is in Prison
Siblings: Older brother Dashande (estranged)
Pets: Sin the Prairie Dog and Eon the Siamese Cat
Significant Other: Ghost (owned by Ophelia)
Virgin: Hell no :P
Past Partners (of significance): Majoka, Mike, Tangerine, Slip
Close Friends: Ghost, Sugar, Triad, Devon, Shadow, Judeca, Eva, Lekura, SW, Bourbon, Mike, Eve, KimberlyKatt, Mab, Valencour, Vendetta

Education: High School
Drug User?: Used to be a heroin addict, now she's a pot smoker, occasional tripper, and likes her booze
Smoker?: Yes
Religion: Not a big believer of organized religion, but feels there's something out there
Car: Stylish red convertible
Hobbies: Hiking, Nature, Hunting, Collecting Guns/Knives and other Weaponry, Fighting, Karate, Walking, Music (Metal and Rap), Drums, Sex, Mischief, Piercings, Tattoos

Favorite...
Color: Red
Food: Meat, Chocolate
Drink: Beer, Mountain Dew
Band: Meshuggah, Eminem, Gojira, Jay-Z, Tool
TV Show: Oz, The Walking Dead, 24
Movie: Batman, Jaws, Fight Club, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Themesong(s): "Ticks and Leeches" by Tool; "Intolerance" by Tool; "Criminal" by Eminem; "Soldier" by Eminem; "Kill You" by Eminem; "Cleanin' Out my Closet" by Eminem; "Electric Red" by Meshuggah; "Cowboys From Hell" by Pantera