Even though it was noon, the land was dark with black thunderheads. Lightening lighting up the sky every now and then, tempting even the lease parched. It hadn't rained for sometime now, and even thought drought was not uncommon on the savannah, it was unnerving. The waterhole had begun to shrink, and the river's banks had fallen.

Sarafina watched the clouds with hopeful blue eyes, wishing dearly that it would now rain. Even from her perch behind Priderock, she could see the verdant grass beginning to die and golden from lack of water. Yet, the pretty lioness reminded herself that it would rain again. It had to. A herd of striped zebras caught her eye, and she sighed when she noticed that their numbers were beginning to thin. It wasn't right, the lionesses having to hunt all day and night, on beck and call to the sniveling hyenas. All they did was eat and demand more food. The pride was being forced to over hunt, and the herd numbers beginning to dwindle.

Unable to watch anymore, the lioness turned away, her eyes falling lovingly on her slumbering daughter. At least one hyena had approached Nala with the intention of eating her, and so now the sooty Karasi had become an unofficial protector of the child, never more than a leap and a bound away. Even when hunting, the pride left someone with her, making sure that the young lioness was never on the hyenas' menu.

Sarafina padded silently towards her daughter, her feet stiff from running all morning. Bringing down wildebeests and antelope, and anything else the speckled canine's thought would suit their pallets. Right now, they had a break, but once the meat was gone, the lioness knew they would be out hunting again. What was once a joyful occasion for the pride, now had now become a horrible duty.

Nala's ears flickered, and slowly her bright eyes opened and turned upwards to gaze into her mother's face. She knew that Karasi was close to as well, and felt safe for the time being. Who knew how long it would last though. Rising to her feet, Nala stepped to her mother and wound herself between her legs. She was still drowsy even after her nape.

Karasi looked up towards Sarafina, giving the pale lioness a nod before rising and stretching. Opening her mouth wide to yawn the sooty lioness stretched out her legs before her. Shaking her head to clear herself of any dreariness, she moved away from the mother and daughter and settled down between Keyah and Shakila, the near inseparable pair.

Sarabi kept her usual distance from her pride. Close to them, but not in the traditional sprawl out among you companions style her kind was known for. The dusky lioness forced herself to avoid looking at Sarafina and Nala with envious eyes. How she missed her little son.

Uzuri stalked up behind the queen, in her now usual cross mood. The past few weeks had seemed to strengthen her wisdom and add on years that under normal circumstances she shouldn't have. "The hyenas are nearly done with their meal."

Sarabi nodded her head solemnly, looking upward at the darker lioness at her side. "I don't think Gzifa will be able to make the next hunt," she nodded towards the elder, who was licking her forepaw in a deceive manner. The constant movement had begun to tire the older lioness, making her muscles stiff with over use.

"I'll stay behind with her," Uzuri volunteered. She knew that she was a valued member of the hunting party, but worried about leaving the elder undefended around such a lot as the one they fed. "That way, Nala can safely be left behind."

Sarabi nodded in agreement, knowing that they would have to go after smaller prey with the few hunters to back them up.

Instantly, a female hyena padded towards the pride. Her mouth still stained with blood and her tail curved in a pleased manner as she halted at a safe distance. While she knew the lionesses would not attack her, she still could not be completely sure. "We're still hungry." She spoke slowly, yellow eyes glistening.

That was the cue. Yet, as from some act of defiance, the pride stayed where they were until the hyena had left. With a snort, Sarabi lifted herself to feet, watching as her pride did the same. "Gzifa," she knew that the elder was very proud, and would not take lightly to being left behind because of an injury. "I want you and Uzuri to stay with Nala." The queen cast a saddened glance down at her son's former playmate, giving her a soft smile.

The elder, knowing the true reason was being left behind, simply nodded her head in understanding and drew a few stiff steps back. Uzari carefully stepped towards the pale dusty lioness, watching Nala dunk between paws to come to a stand with them.

Sarabi looked over her pride with careful mahogany eyes, nodding her head before turning to face the golden plain to their left and moving off, the other lionesses falling into step behind their queen.

Gzifa watched with saddened blue eyes for a long moment, before moving back to her spot and laying down with a huff. Nala quietly watched her elder, for a moment, before prancing over to her. The female cub had little to say towards the older lioness, but she faithfully sat down beside her.

A soft smile appeared on Gzifa's lips, she had always been found of cubs, even if she had never had any of her own. Turning her eyes, paling like her pelt was with age, towards Uzuri, the old lioness gave the younger adult a wink. "Why don't you take the young one off and start teaching her how to hunt."

A gleeful smile appeared for a moment on the cub's face before vanishing behind a veil of her now sorrowful nature. Uzuri looked down at Nala softly for a moment, before turning her head to Gzifa, a faint flicker of a smile on her lips. "I don't know, are you sure she is ready to learn?"

Nala stood up on her hind legs, placing them on Uzuri's darker ones. "I am!" She protested. "Really, I am." She wheeled and faced her elder. "You think so, right...?"

Gzifa gave the young cub a thoughtful looking over before nodding to the other. "Of course she is. Go on now, let me rest."

Uzuri's tasseled tail flicked once behind her as she lead the cub off. Gzifa sighed as she watched Nala follow. Little did the young one know that hunting was no longer counted as a joyful occasion of her people, nor did she know the true reason why Gzifa was making sure the little one learned her hunting skills well. It was the only way for her to survive much longer here.

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