#wakali’s relationship with her uncles is really sweet too but she’s the closest to her dad

[devilsrecreation]

You know, I’ve briefly mentioned Wakali here and there and how Kiburi adopted her, but I never really went into their dynamic. So now I bring you

Papa Kiburi headcanons!

Kiburi wasn’t exactly thinking of having kids of his own when he took Wakali in. Just because she was in his float didn’t mean he was gonna raise her himself. He thought she’d be more attached to Tamka and Nduli. However, Wakali immediately liked him and wanted his approval.

He found her kinda annoying at first took but took a liking to her when she started cuddling his tail. Then he was like “You’re not so bad, kid”

Much like his father was with him, Kiburi always genuinely smiles with Wakali

He was a bit “embarrassed” of her at first, not just cause she was albino, he didn’t want anyone else thinking he’d gone soft now that he took in some kid. Having said that, he quickly learned to overlook it (just…don’t call him soft)

Kiburi’s surprisingly very supportive of Wakali’s condition. Every time she got teased, he did nothing but lift up her spirits. He tells her not to care about what the other animals say cuz they don’t know shit. All she has to worry about is the crocodile way

The two are very close for a number of reasons, with the main thing being how different they are compared to others. Not only is Wakali different appearance-wise, but she also agrees with some of Kiburi’s opinions such as how crocs deserve better

They also bond over sparring. He taught her all of his moves and was so proud when she used them to fight. His exact words were “That’s my girl”

Kiburi gets pretty protective towards her upon learning the risk factors of albinism, like how Wakali’s more sensitive to the sun and how much more vulnerable she is to predators. She’s his #1 priority as a leader and he will kill anyone who even attempts to hurt her

One thing he does is make sure Wakali’s near the volcano most of the time. It’s perfect for warmth and not much sunlight gets through during the day so it’s perfect

Wakali would absolutely jump in to defend Kiburi when she thinks it’s necessary. She was too scared to do it the first time Hatari tried to attack the float, but during the final battle, she actually got a good hit on him after he hurt Kiburi. Kiburi didn’t notice at first but he was so proud when he found out

It took time for them to get so close, but the moment Wakali called him dad was one of the best he’s ever had. Kiburi proudly called Wakali his daughter the same day

Wakali’s a daddy’s girl. All she has to do is bat her red eyes and Kiburi lets her do what she likes….as long as she has supervision. That being said, he’ll absolutely scold her if she put herself in danger. But she’ll always be his little girl

They go on these daddy-daughter walks every week where the two of them walk around the Outlands talking about life and whatever else they have in mind. It’s a tradition they keep for years , even when Wakali’s an adult

Neither of them realized it yet but…they kinda needed each other. Kiburi gave Wakali a loving home and an excellent support system and the talks he has with his daughter make him open up. Her questions really make him think/reflect on his problems and that makes him a better crocodile. But he was always a great dad