The morning rays broke silently over the hills, spilling onto the Pride Lands the next morning with gentle radiance. It spilled through the valleys, over the plains, sparkled onto the creeks, and at last reached Pride Rock. It crept onto the forms of three silent figures sleeping quietly. Sarafina remained on the broken body of her best friend Sarabi. Tear stains lined her muzzle as she slept lightly. Against Sarabi's battered side, Nala lay curled up, sleeping peacefully. Sarafina's eyes at last fluttered open. She raised her head and looked about herself nervously. She gasped and quickly bent over Sarabi's figure. She put an ear against her chest. She took a deep sigh of relief to hear it was still beating. Nala awoke next, and looked up at her mother.

"Is she ok mama?" Nala asked.

Sarafina sighed, not entirely sure of what to say. To tell the truth, she didn't even know if Sarabi would live. Zira had cut her deep, and she had lost a lot of blood. Throughout the course of the night she would awaken and check Sarabi, praying she was still alive. She raised her head to speak.

"I'm just fine dear," came a voice.

The two whirled their heads around to see Sarabi, head raised, smiling up at them.

"Sarabi!" Nala cried. She leapt into Sarabi's forepaws and nuzzled her.

Sarabi licked the cub's head and looked up at Sarafina. Sarafina wore a relieved smile and the two butted heads.

"Are you feeling alright Sarabi?" Sarafina asked.

"I think so," Sarabi replied. "A little sore, but nothing that can't be fixed."

Sarafina smiled, then she grew serious. "Scar denied you any treatment for your wounds as a punishment for your fight with Zira."

Sarabi sighed and shook her head. "I figured that."

Later that afternoon, Sarabi had managed to stand and walk around without much trouble. She and Sarafina snuck over to Rafiki's tree to clean her up. Rafiki was very surprised to see Sarabi had survived the ordeal after loosing so much blood. He treated her wounds and they returned home. Suddenly they heard a painful cry come from the den.

Kala bounded out of the den in a panic and suddenly screeched to a halt in front of the two lionesses.

"Thank the gods I found you!" Kala exclaimed.

"Kala? What's the matter?" Sarabi asked trying to calm her down. "Zira is giving birth to her cub!"

"What?" Sarafina asked. "She's way too early! She's not due for several weeks!"

"Perhaps last night's squabble brought along the contractions," Kala said.

Sarabi pressed her eyelids shut. If the cub died, Sarabi would be blamed. There was no telling what Scar would do to her as a punishment. The lionesses raced into the den to find Zira lying in utter agony. She whimpered and clawed the ground, gritting her teeth.

Sarabi raced to the lionesses' aid to see what she could do. But in her heart, she knew nothing could be done to stop the birth. The moments ticked by slowly, painfully, and urgently. At last, Zira gave a loud roar. Sarabi bounded over to the newborn and prodded it with her muzzle. It didn't move. She sighed and checked the gender. A male.

Suddenly Scar raced into the cave, knocking the other lionesses back.

"What's going on!? Have I had a son?"

Sarabi nodded. "Yes your highness, it was a male."

"Where is he? Is he all right? Where is my son!?" Scar yelled.

Sarabi was filled with tears. Suddenly Scar rushed past her and over to the lifeless cub. He prodded it and tried desperately to get it to move.

"Do something Sarabi! Help him! My son! My son! Don't let him die!"

"It's too late sire," Sarabi replied. "He was born dead. He was brought into the world too early."

"Give him to me," Zira hissed. She had managed to lift her head. "I want to see him."

Sarabi picked up the dead cub and placed it in Zira's paws. Zira's eyes were flooded with tears as she looked up shamefully at her mate.

"I'm sorry Scar. I'm so sorry I failed you my love," she whispered as they looked at their dead son.

"It is not your fault beloved," Scar said consolingly, licking Zira's head. He turned, his vicious green eyes landing on Sarabi. "It was Sarabi that killed our son."

Sarabi stared in awe at the couple as they looked furiously at her. She swallowed hard and stepped back, hoping to escape the cave. She knew she was at fault, and made no motion to argue. She soon realized by looking at Scar's face that he had no intention of killing her. No, she could tell he had something worse planned for her....much worse. After several days, things gradually began to settle down. The cub was buried in the royal graveyard, and a small ceremony was held for the would- be future King. Sarabi had turned her head in disgust at Zira's eulogy, prophesizing the greatness of their son's leadership. A few hours after the birth, they had decided to name their son Taalib. Scar had not wanted him buried without a name.

One afternoon Sarabi and the lionesses made their way out into the plains, hoping to catch something, anything to feed the pride. For hours and hours they searched, and they came upon nothing. Sarabi could feel her stomach rumble loudly, and she began to grow frustrated. Nala remained at home, tired and weak from lack of food. She was still small, and unable to participate in the hunts just yet.

After countless hours of searching, at last Sarabi spotted a strayed, lost wildebeest. The lionesses' eyes lit up with hope as she alerted the rest of the hunting party. They gathered into their hunting formation: three lionesses to the left of the prey, three to the right, three up front and three behind. He was completely surrounded. All eyes became fixated on Sarabi as they waited for her signal to pounce. Sarabi fixed her gaze on Sarafina, who led the squad at the right. She nodded her head, and the teams pounced.

Sarabi ran like she had never run in her life, determined to take down the kill. She raced with unimaginable speed towards the terrified wildebeest and became neck and neck alongside it. Sarafina took up the rear, and began to nip at its hindquarters. This startled the beast. And it stumbled. Seeing her chance, Sarabi latched onto its throat and dragged it to the ground. It struggled for a moment, then at last it lay still. Confirming that it was dead, Sarabi released her deadly grasp.

The lionesses smiled and cheered, relieved that a kill had at last been retrieved. Sarabi raised her head and roared in triumph, as did all the other members of the hunting party.

"Come then," Sarabi said. "We best get this back to Pride Rock."

Everyone agreed, so they picked up the carcass and headed home. It was heavy, so it would take a little longer before they got home.

At last, Sarabi caught sight of the large rock formation. She smiled, and the lionesses picked up the pace. Suddenly, Sarabi heard loud laughter echo through her ears. Her blood ran cold as she saw a desperate pack of hyenas race towards the lionesses and the kill.

"No..." Sarabi whispered in disbelief. "No...."

Suddenly, the hyenas pushed past the exhausted lionesses and threw themselves on the kill. Sarabi could hear their jaws tear through the carcass and eat mouthfuls at a time. Her eyes welled with tears as their great kill broke down into a pack of bones.

The hyenas laughed as they finished their eating, licking their lips. "Whoooeee! Thank ya ladies, that was great!" one hyena cooed sarcastically, licking his lips in front of them.

Sarabi was filled with rage at the little demons as they laughed and snapped their jaws in front of them. All that work...all that sweat and sacrifice...for nothing? For hours and hours they had hunted, they were starving, and now that filthy pack of slobs had stolen everything?

Sarabi could take no more. She roared angrily and rose on her hind legs. She swiped the pack viciously, clawing them mercilessly. Seeing her example, the infuriated lionesses did the same. The terrified pack shot off in the other direction, but they chased. Sarabi grabbed two of them and crushed them under her weight. Sarafina grabbed one in her jaws and tossed it into the air. Kala tore out one's throat. Viciously they fought, until they saw that each and every one of the hyenas at the scene was dead.

Thoroughly pleased with themselves, the lionesses motioned to return to Pride Rock. Suddenly, they saw the entire pack of hyenas march quickly towards them. Sarabi's eyes went wide with horror as she saw them. Hundreds of them, who saw the whole thing. The lionesses looked at Sarabi fearfully, pleading into her eyes for guidance. She just looked back at the hyenas, drawing ever closer. They stepped backwards slowly, not quite sure what to do. Sarabi motioned at them to charge for Pride Rock. They looked at her, but with a nod, they agreed to make the charge. In her heart, Sarabi knew that not all of them would survive the deadly charge. But it was either that, or total suicide.

"GO!" she cried.

The lionesses shot like bullets out into the lands, roaring loudly as they went. Perhaps it would scare the hyenas into backing off. The hyenas, seeing the charge, quickened their pace into a run. Suddenly, the lionesses sidestepped away from the huge hyena pack, and dashed towards Pride Rock. Sarabi ran as fast as she could, her legs gently bouncing off the blades of grass. She breathed heavily, and gritted her teeth as she heard the blood curdling cries of her comrades behind her. She winced as she felt claws and teeth against her legs, but she only ran harder. At last, she ascended Pride Rock, the one place Scar had set off limits to the hyenas, save for Banzai, Shenzi, and Ed, his most trusted and loyal subjects. Behind her, she saw a portion of the hunting party make their way up. The hyenas barked and cried at the foot of the Rock, before snarling and slinking off.

Sarabi took a deep breath, then walked over to inspect the hunting party. She closed her eyes in painful regret when she saw four of her lionesses missing. Zalika, Johari, Sanjo, and....

Sarafina?

Sarabi pressed her eyelids shut as tears escaped to the ground beneath her. Poor Nala. She was still so young, this would hit her so hard. Sarabi couldn't even think straight. Sarafina had been her best friend, and had been right at her side through all this pain she had undertaken for so long. It would be so hard to loose that. Sarabi raised her head as her tears kissed the stone below her.

As night fell, little Nala lay alone in the cave, away from the other lionesses. Her body trembled in her sadness, and she cried more as she felt the empty coldness of her mother's warmth. How she wanted to be in her paws so badly! Just to have her rock her one last time. She just lay there and cried, pawing the empty air that gave her no comfort. Suddenly, she felt a large presence behind her, and she quickly looked up. Tears continued to stream down her face as she saw Sarabi standing there. In her mouth, Nala made out a tiny peace of meat. Sarabi put it down and nudged it toward Nala with her muzzle.

"Here," Sarabi whispered. "It's the last piece of meat from that wildebeest kill. I found it with you mother...she had wanted to give it to you."

Nala just looked at the peace of meat, then back up at Sarabi. Nala began to whimper sadly as she slowly trudged up to Sarabi and rested against her leg. She just let her tears soak against her fur.

"Oh Nala, my dear Nala...." Sarabi whispered.

The lioness lied down where she was, and gathered the sobbing Nala into her paws. She held her tightly, and began to rock her gently. As the tears swept down her own muzzle, Sarabi began to hum softly, nuzzling the little cub. This small life, this precious little life, had hurt so much in these few months. It wasn't fair for her to suffer like this.

"I'll take care of you Nala...I promise."

Nala just lay there crying, resting her head against Sarabi's chest. Sarabi still saw so much of her own son, Simba, in this cub. Perhaps that why she loved Nala so much...it was the only memory she had left of him. She rested her head protectively over Nala's little body, and the two in their sadness, cried themselves into a solemn sleep.
A/N: I just wanted to say thanks to my reviewers for all the wonderful comments u gave me for this story! Thanks, and I'll update as soon as I can! C ya! –Amase