1 00:00:00,751 --> 00:00:04,294 [relaxing music] 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 4 00:00:09,510 --> 00:00:18,642 malika: Many stories have been told about my homeland 5 00:00:18,769 --> 00:00:27,609 of the untamed wilderness and the amazing wildlife found 6 00:00:27,695 --> 00:00:28,527 within it. 7 00:00:28,612 --> 00:00:31,196 [gentle music] 8 00:00:32,867 --> 00:00:34,992 [chirping] 9 00:00:37,163 --> 00:00:40,372 but one legend is greater than any other. 10 00:00:45,379 --> 00:00:48,297 We are the dominant predator here. 11 00:00:50,968 --> 00:00:53,093 Our power shapes the lives of all 12 00:00:53,262 --> 00:00:55,054 the other animals around us. 13 00:00:59,101 --> 00:01:03,979 But this is not the story you've heard before, the tale 14 00:01:04,065 --> 00:01:06,231 of a cub born to be king. 15 00:01:10,237 --> 00:01:15,032 When people say we're the king of the beasts, 16 00:01:15,117 --> 00:01:18,077 they don't know the reality of a lion's life. 17 00:01:22,500 --> 00:01:25,125 The real ruler is the lioness. 18 00:01:29,632 --> 00:01:32,758 Not only do we take care of the parenting. 19 00:01:35,179 --> 00:01:37,429 We also do most of the hunting. 20 00:01:37,556 --> 00:01:40,516 [dramatic music] 21 00:01:45,272 --> 00:01:50,609 we are the heart of lion society. 22 00:01:50,653 --> 00:01:55,697 The future of the pride depends on our strength and tenderness. 23 00:01:59,620 --> 00:02:03,831 But success is no birthright. 24 00:02:03,916 --> 00:02:05,290 It has to be earned. 25 00:02:08,003 --> 00:02:13,173 The journey from cub to mother is long. 26 00:02:13,259 --> 00:02:16,009 It's a journey of bitter struggle 27 00:02:16,095 --> 00:02:23,183 and unbreakable bonds, a journey that very few ever complete. 28 00:02:28,691 --> 00:02:30,566 My name is malika. 29 00:02:36,907 --> 00:02:39,575 And this is my story. 30 00:02:39,702 --> 00:02:42,119 [inspirational music] 31 00:02:57,803 --> 00:03:00,387 [gentle music, birds chirping] 32 00:03:07,521 --> 00:03:15,277 in the world today, no more than 30,000 of us lions survive. 33 00:03:15,362 --> 00:03:22,117 Nowhere are we more abundant than here, my home, 34 00:03:22,244 --> 00:03:23,994 the kruger of south africa. 35 00:03:31,921 --> 00:03:32,753 This is my pride. 36 00:03:40,095 --> 00:03:46,350 And this is me in my prime. 37 00:03:48,854 --> 00:03:54,524 [low growl] 38 00:03:54,652 --> 00:03:59,613 our family growing strong, our bellies full-- 39 00:03:59,698 --> 00:04:00,572 good times. 40 00:04:04,245 --> 00:04:06,328 Just focusing on what we do best-- 41 00:04:09,291 --> 00:04:13,460 relaxing in the shade, being lions. 42 00:04:16,382 --> 00:04:21,051 [fly buzzes] 43 00:04:21,136 --> 00:04:26,181 we spend 2/3 of our day asleep, even longer if we can. 44 00:04:29,270 --> 00:04:32,854 But out here, the peace never lasts long. 45 00:04:32,982 --> 00:04:36,233 A lion's life is so savage. 46 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:38,944 Sooner or later, your time comes. 47 00:04:39,071 --> 00:04:41,530 [dramatic music] 48 00:04:41,615 --> 00:04:42,447 [moans] 49 00:04:44,576 --> 00:04:45,409 [thuds] 50 00:04:49,123 --> 00:04:51,540 [gentle music] 51 00:04:51,667 --> 00:05:00,716 so now, here I am, broken, wounded, alone, 52 00:05:00,801 --> 00:05:09,975 staring death in the face, looking back on life, 53 00:05:10,102 --> 00:05:12,477 searching for the strength to carry on. 54 00:05:12,563 --> 00:05:14,062 [heavy breathing] 55 00:05:17,109 --> 00:05:21,945 this might be where my life story ends. 56 00:05:22,031 --> 00:05:24,906 But let me tell you how it began-- 57 00:05:24,992 --> 00:05:26,366 in a happier place. 58 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:41,089 The first six weeks, it was just the three of us-- 59 00:05:41,175 --> 00:05:48,180 my mom, my brother, and me. 60 00:05:54,229 --> 00:05:59,524 I was born lucky to a confident mother. 61 00:05:59,651 --> 00:06:04,571 All my food and water came entirely from her milk. 62 00:06:04,615 --> 00:06:05,447 [yelps] 63 00:06:07,868 --> 00:06:14,247 my brother and I never went hungry, never had any worries, 64 00:06:14,375 --> 00:06:17,834 just all the love and attention two little lions 65 00:06:17,961 --> 00:06:25,592 could possibly need [purring] as we grew up together. 66 00:06:34,144 --> 00:06:39,981 Even at this early age, I was learning lion. 67 00:06:40,067 --> 00:06:42,192 [squealing, slurping] 68 00:06:44,363 --> 00:06:47,948 my mom would keep me clean, massage 69 00:06:48,033 --> 00:06:50,534 my belly to help my digestion. 70 00:06:56,959 --> 00:07:01,920 And whatever she did, I practiced 71 00:07:02,005 --> 00:07:08,760 on my brother, simple acts passed 72 00:07:08,846 --> 00:07:10,595 down through generations. 73 00:07:14,768 --> 00:07:16,560 Safe in my tiny world. 74 00:07:19,606 --> 00:07:25,026 Little did I know, family life was about to get complicated. 75 00:07:33,871 --> 00:07:36,663 At a month and a half old, I just 76 00:07:36,748 --> 00:07:38,707 couldn't wait to meet my pride. 77 00:07:45,632 --> 00:07:50,051 We are the only cats that live in extended families. 78 00:07:50,137 --> 00:07:52,846 So many aunts and cousins. 79 00:07:52,931 --> 00:07:54,264 I was in good company. 80 00:07:56,768 --> 00:07:59,269 [yelping, purring] 81 00:08:09,156 --> 00:08:14,826 we were six cubs in total, all similar in age, all sharing 82 00:08:14,953 --> 00:08:15,994 adventures. 83 00:08:18,248 --> 00:08:20,290 That's how my mother and her sisters grew up, 84 00:08:20,375 --> 00:08:26,046 too, bonded from birth, [snarling] bonded by blood. 85 00:08:30,844 --> 00:08:34,471 There are no alpha females in a pride. 86 00:08:34,598 --> 00:08:38,683 Lionesses share parenting duties and even 87 00:08:38,810 --> 00:08:40,227 nurse each other's cubs. 88 00:08:43,774 --> 00:08:45,357 [flies buzzing] 89 00:08:49,738 --> 00:08:51,238 one big family. 90 00:09:02,084 --> 00:09:07,045 I was close to my aunts, and they treated me like their own. 91 00:09:18,016 --> 00:09:22,185 This sisterhood has secured our pride lands for centuries. 92 00:09:26,692 --> 00:09:32,195 My calling was to keep it that way for future generations. 93 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,912 But before a lioness can defend her territory, 94 00:09:40,998 --> 00:09:43,456 she has to discover it. 95 00:09:46,086 --> 00:09:49,212 And I didn't need any encouragement. 96 00:09:55,262 --> 00:09:58,513 My fortune would depend on an intimate knowledge 97 00:09:58,599 --> 00:09:59,598 of my home range-- 98 00:10:02,394 --> 00:10:07,105 how to hunt in the thick woodlands, when it's 99 00:10:07,190 --> 00:10:11,693 safe to cross the open grasslands, 100 00:10:11,820 --> 00:10:15,405 and where to find water in the riverbeds that feed the land. 101 00:10:19,453 --> 00:10:23,413 But most of all, I had to get to know the other animals. 102 00:10:23,540 --> 00:10:25,290 [inspirational music] 103 00:10:25,417 --> 00:10:26,374 [snarling] 104 00:10:31,715 --> 00:10:33,298 [elephant moans] 105 00:10:50,233 --> 00:10:53,360 naturally, a lion has many enemies-- 106 00:10:56,823 --> 00:11:07,374 the creatures we prey upon and the other carnivores we 107 00:11:07,459 --> 00:11:08,375 compete with. 108 00:11:15,384 --> 00:11:20,261 We may be at the top of the food chain, but I was just a cub. 109 00:11:20,347 --> 00:11:21,721 [howling] 110 00:11:26,061 --> 00:11:29,479 there's quite a few who could have killed me. 111 00:11:29,564 --> 00:11:31,564 [gloomy music] 112 00:11:43,495 --> 00:11:47,038 hyenas are our most bitter rivals. 113 00:11:47,124 --> 00:11:52,293 [yelps] suddenly, I wasn't feeling so brave. 114 00:11:55,048 --> 00:12:01,177 [yelps] on my own, I didn't stand a chance. 115 00:12:06,476 --> 00:12:09,227 [ominous music] 116 00:12:09,312 --> 00:12:13,064 without a pride for protection, a lone lion is 117 00:12:13,150 --> 00:12:21,197 vulnerable, especially a cub. 118 00:12:23,994 --> 00:12:28,621 [lion growls] that's where my father came in. 119 00:12:33,086 --> 00:12:38,798 His duty was patrolling the perimeter, defending 120 00:12:38,884 --> 00:12:40,675 our pride from other animals. 121 00:12:40,761 --> 00:12:42,260 [birds chirp] 122 00:12:44,222 --> 00:12:47,432 and so I scampered home unscathed. 123 00:12:51,772 --> 00:12:57,358 My father's greatest challenge was fighting off other lions. 124 00:12:57,486 --> 00:13:00,111 Though he had my uncle for backup, 125 00:13:00,238 --> 00:13:03,323 they were both growing old. 126 00:13:03,450 --> 00:13:08,244 The threat of invasion was coming closer. 127 00:13:08,371 --> 00:13:11,873 And when outside males take over a pride, 128 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,710 they will kill any cubs that are not their own. 129 00:13:20,467 --> 00:13:22,050 [lighthearted music] 130 00:13:22,135 --> 00:13:26,095 but a little lioness can't afford to live in fear 131 00:13:26,223 --> 00:13:27,597 or to lie around. 132 00:13:30,685 --> 00:13:35,230 I needed to focus on growing fast and learning quick. 133 00:13:38,151 --> 00:13:41,444 My mother was the ultimate trainer. 134 00:13:41,530 --> 00:13:45,907 She knew life would be full of fight. 135 00:13:45,992 --> 00:13:48,618 It was disguised as fun, but that's 136 00:13:48,703 --> 00:13:50,453 how she sharpened my skills. 137 00:13:55,836 --> 00:14:01,506 My mother and her sisters still play to keep on their game. 138 00:14:01,591 --> 00:14:07,637 [low growling] until I was as fierce as them, I 139 00:14:07,722 --> 00:14:10,682 picked on someone my own size-- 140 00:14:10,809 --> 00:14:15,687 [snarls] my sparring partners. 141 00:14:22,654 --> 00:14:26,573 Of the six of us, I was definitely the toughest. 142 00:14:29,327 --> 00:14:33,371 But I still wasn't killing it, so to speak. 143 00:14:38,712 --> 00:14:40,962 Becoming a great hunter needs to be 144 00:14:41,047 --> 00:14:43,506 approached one step at a time. 145 00:14:50,181 --> 00:14:52,056 My first taste of meat-- 146 00:14:54,394 --> 00:15:00,481 just like life, I was ready to bite in. 147 00:15:00,567 --> 00:15:06,237 If I wanted to grow strong, I had to fill up. 148 00:15:06,364 --> 00:15:11,409 But pretty soon, that wouldn't be so easy. 149 00:15:11,494 --> 00:15:14,037 [gloomy music] 150 00:15:18,418 --> 00:15:21,628 by September, the dry season took hold. 151 00:15:26,384 --> 00:15:28,593 Three months since the last rains. 152 00:15:33,475 --> 00:15:35,141 The land became parched. 153 00:15:38,688 --> 00:15:41,314 Life got tough for everyone. 154 00:15:46,321 --> 00:15:49,572 And tempers begin to fray. 155 00:15:49,658 --> 00:16:04,295 [elephant roars] 156 00:16:04,422 --> 00:16:06,381 [growling] 157 00:16:09,761 --> 00:16:12,178 the only water was miles away. 158 00:16:15,684 --> 00:16:19,978 Animals left our territory by the herd. 159 00:16:20,105 --> 00:16:23,648 And when prey moves, predators must follow. 160 00:16:26,194 --> 00:16:31,823 My mother and aunts were forced to spend more time out hunting, 161 00:16:31,908 --> 00:16:33,992 more time away from us. 162 00:16:37,414 --> 00:16:40,748 Even my father had to abandon his line of defense 163 00:16:40,834 --> 00:16:42,125 to help the hunt. 164 00:16:46,464 --> 00:16:51,217 Too young to join them, all us cubs could do was sit tight 165 00:16:51,302 --> 00:16:54,429 and hope they returned successful. 166 00:16:54,556 --> 00:16:57,098 [gentle music] 167 00:17:06,109 --> 00:17:11,404 the urge to explore got the better of me. 168 00:17:11,489 --> 00:17:14,032 [ominous music] 169 00:17:17,203 --> 00:17:20,329 they say curiosity killed the cat. 170 00:17:20,498 --> 00:17:24,042 But this time, it's saved my life. 171 00:17:45,648 --> 00:17:48,066 [cub yelps] 172 00:17:48,151 --> 00:17:49,400 [snarls, whimpers] 173 00:17:50,695 --> 00:17:55,323 couldn't see what was happening, couldn't do anything to help, 174 00:17:55,408 --> 00:17:59,869 but that day shaped the rest of my life. 175 00:17:59,996 --> 00:18:00,703 [lion growls] 176 00:18:00,830 --> 00:18:03,289 [somber music] 177 00:18:03,374 --> 00:18:04,749 [hyenas yelp] 178 00:18:21,684 --> 00:18:26,145 by the time my mother and father returned, it was too late. 179 00:18:33,196 --> 00:18:43,204 Only my brother was still alive, but not for long. 180 00:18:54,217 --> 00:18:56,551 There was nothing my mom could do either. 181 00:18:59,430 --> 00:19:01,806 No point in chasing. 182 00:19:01,891 --> 00:19:03,391 The damage was done. 183 00:19:06,104 --> 00:19:09,689 Our already struggling pride was completely broken. 184 00:19:16,531 --> 00:19:24,370 A whole generation wiped out in a single day, except for me. 185 00:19:28,293 --> 00:19:32,003 Hyenas may be our mortal enemies. 186 00:19:32,088 --> 00:19:35,673 But for one animal to thrive, others must die. 187 00:19:40,513 --> 00:19:42,972 It's not good or bad. 188 00:19:43,099 --> 00:19:44,307 It's just survival. 189 00:19:49,022 --> 00:19:52,273 So I had no one to grow up with, no one 190 00:19:52,358 --> 00:19:58,988 to share my journey, the entire pride's future resting on me. 191 00:20:04,787 --> 00:20:06,662 [lions moaning, birds chirping] 192 00:20:13,755 --> 00:20:18,174 losing my brother and cousins was devastating to our pride. 193 00:20:34,901 --> 00:20:38,194 Though we deal in death every day, 194 00:20:38,279 --> 00:20:42,281 we're not mindless killers. 195 00:20:42,408 --> 00:20:47,703 We're intelligent, sensitive, and just like you, we grieve. 196 00:20:52,502 --> 00:20:56,837 As a young cub, I didn't really understand. 197 00:20:56,923 --> 00:20:58,631 Maybe I thought I could make things 198 00:20:58,716 --> 00:21:01,092 better, cheer everyone up. 199 00:21:14,399 --> 00:21:17,525 But it turns out grief takes its time. 200 00:21:36,629 --> 00:21:38,087 A month later. 201 00:21:38,172 --> 00:21:40,965 My pride still calling out. 202 00:21:44,304 --> 00:21:47,096 My aunts had lost their cubs. 203 00:21:52,395 --> 00:21:55,104 And my father needed reassurance. 204 00:21:57,358 --> 00:22:03,988 He knew his legacy was in danger and that he was becoming 205 00:22:04,115 --> 00:22:06,365 too frail to defend our pride. 206 00:22:09,829 --> 00:22:11,996 [moaning] 207 00:22:20,798 --> 00:22:26,635 so it was up to us lionesses to be stronger than ever 208 00:22:26,763 --> 00:22:29,764 and carry the family through these brutal times. 209 00:22:40,777 --> 00:22:43,611 Male lions come and go. 210 00:22:43,696 --> 00:22:48,032 They're transitory in our lives. 211 00:22:48,159 --> 00:22:50,743 But the sisterhood is eternal. 212 00:22:50,828 --> 00:22:53,287 [uplifting music] 213 00:22:57,794 --> 00:23:02,463 our pride has held this same territory for centuries. 214 00:23:04,926 --> 00:23:08,636 And our legacy is handed down from mother to daughter. 215 00:23:14,727 --> 00:23:20,731 Now it was my turn to embrace my power and to lead as a lioness. 216 00:23:28,116 --> 00:23:30,991 I had the youth and vitality to give 217 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:34,870 my family hope for the future. 218 00:23:34,997 --> 00:23:36,789 [grunting] 219 00:23:36,874 --> 00:23:38,082 [growls] 220 00:23:38,209 --> 00:23:43,087 it was hard not having any cubs around for company. 221 00:23:43,172 --> 00:23:47,758 But now I was an only child with the attention 222 00:23:47,885 --> 00:23:53,556 of the whole pride, giving me the best possible chance. 223 00:23:57,061 --> 00:23:59,562 [lighthearted music] 224 00:24:03,901 --> 00:24:06,777 if I was to live up to my potential, 225 00:24:06,863 --> 00:24:15,911 I had to pick myself up and make the most of each day, 226 00:24:15,997 --> 00:24:22,751 push the boundaries, be fearless, and play hard. 227 00:24:25,631 --> 00:24:35,473 With no other cubs around, the adults had to be my playmates, 228 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:37,224 as well as my providers. 229 00:24:40,396 --> 00:24:43,314 And when it came to food, I always 230 00:24:43,399 --> 00:24:45,566 tried to take the lion's share. 231 00:24:49,697 --> 00:24:51,697 I had quite the appetite. 232 00:24:56,037 --> 00:24:59,205 Every day was a chance to discover my strengths. 233 00:25:02,251 --> 00:25:05,753 And I was becoming malika-- 234 00:25:08,466 --> 00:25:14,220 adventurous, kind, and a habit for hanging around in trees. 235 00:25:19,685 --> 00:25:23,354 As my confidence grew, the spirit of the pride 236 00:25:23,439 --> 00:25:24,313 was restored. 237 00:25:32,156 --> 00:25:38,035 We were united again, stepping down the road ahead. 238 00:25:42,083 --> 00:25:46,627 And I was said to be right at the center of the team. 239 00:25:50,841 --> 00:25:51,715 Or so I thought. 240 00:25:55,388 --> 00:25:59,181 My father had been defending our pride for over five years. 241 00:26:02,061 --> 00:26:07,606 Each day we grew stronger, he grew weaker. 242 00:26:07,692 --> 00:26:10,734 The threat of a takeover was inching ever closer. 243 00:26:10,861 --> 00:26:12,820 [gloomy music] 244 00:26:12,947 --> 00:26:17,616 and when new males appear, any cubs from the old bloodline 245 00:26:17,702 --> 00:26:19,034 become a target. 246 00:26:27,837 --> 00:26:29,587 [grunting] 247 00:26:30,673 --> 00:26:34,466 five months old and I was one fierce feline. 248 00:26:34,594 --> 00:26:37,094 [playful music] 249 00:26:37,179 --> 00:26:41,682 at least that's how I felt inside. 250 00:26:41,767 --> 00:26:45,060 Ok, so maybe it wasn't me who hunted that giraffe. 251 00:26:48,608 --> 00:26:51,358 You need experience to make a big kill. 252 00:26:57,867 --> 00:26:59,241 Far too much to finish. 253 00:26:59,327 --> 00:27:02,244 It was the perfect chance to play with my food. 254 00:27:08,377 --> 00:27:14,715 Let my killer instincts emerge, slowly. 255 00:27:22,975 --> 00:27:24,683 Luckily, my mother was patient. 256 00:27:30,524 --> 00:27:33,233 The more space she gave me, the sooner 257 00:27:33,361 --> 00:27:35,110 I would become a real predator. 258 00:27:38,866 --> 00:27:41,700 But until that day, I was still prey. 259 00:27:46,624 --> 00:27:48,415 My mom was scared for my safety. 260 00:27:48,501 --> 00:27:50,751 [ominous music] 261 00:27:59,887 --> 00:28:00,719 [snarls] 262 00:28:04,100 --> 00:28:06,433 hyenas weren't her greatest fear. 263 00:28:12,525 --> 00:28:15,943 For the past few weeks, a young male had been venturing deep 264 00:28:16,028 --> 00:28:17,528 into our territory. 265 00:28:22,284 --> 00:28:27,579 She was clearly worried but tried not to let it show. 266 00:28:27,707 --> 00:28:29,540 [growls] 267 00:28:29,625 --> 00:28:33,210 [gentle music] 268 00:28:33,295 --> 00:28:36,463 and as long as we were together, I felt safe. 269 00:28:40,136 --> 00:28:41,969 My mother's touch let me know I was 270 00:28:42,096 --> 00:28:47,099 doing ok and ready for the next big lesson 271 00:28:47,226 --> 00:28:48,642 in becoming a hunter. 272 00:28:51,897 --> 00:28:54,481 [chirping] 273 00:28:58,487 --> 00:29:03,365 it's only when the sun sets that a lion's day really begins. 274 00:29:11,667 --> 00:29:13,709 The air is cool. 275 00:29:13,836 --> 00:29:16,211 The light is low. 276 00:29:16,338 --> 00:29:18,589 We gain an edge over our prey. 277 00:29:22,428 --> 00:29:25,721 Few ever glimpse our secret shadowy world. 278 00:29:31,386 --> 00:29:37,566 But our night vision is six times better than your own. 279 00:29:37,693 --> 00:29:39,193 [howling] 280 00:29:40,905 --> 00:29:45,157 seven out of 10 kills are made under the cover of darkness. 281 00:29:49,538 --> 00:29:57,795 My first time on a hunt and I was ready. 282 00:29:57,880 --> 00:29:59,129 [growls] 283 00:30:02,134 --> 00:30:04,843 but, for some reason, my mom decided 284 00:30:04,970 --> 00:30:07,095 first I should just watch. 285 00:30:11,977 --> 00:30:13,060 [grunts] 286 00:30:20,528 --> 00:30:22,486 used cover to get close. 287 00:30:22,571 --> 00:30:24,404 [energetic music] 288 00:30:30,913 --> 00:30:32,621 but the big lesson-- 289 00:30:32,706 --> 00:30:35,541 hunting is hard. 290 00:30:35,626 --> 00:30:38,877 90% of attempts fail. 291 00:30:38,963 --> 00:30:42,130 And that's without a cub tagging along. 292 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:48,679 [grass rustling] 293 00:31:01,527 --> 00:31:03,527 [yelping] 294 00:31:10,411 --> 00:31:12,327 it was going to be a long night. 295 00:31:15,165 --> 00:31:19,167 Then the pride joined us, and the mood changed. 296 00:31:22,131 --> 00:31:25,716 If we didn't make a kill every couple of days, 297 00:31:25,843 --> 00:31:27,175 we began to starve. 298 00:31:30,139 --> 00:31:36,310 I had taken food for granted, never realized how hard it 299 00:31:36,395 --> 00:31:42,399 was to catch a herd of impala. 300 00:31:48,782 --> 00:31:53,869 I found cover and watched as the pride took positions, 301 00:31:53,996 --> 00:31:56,079 saw how the lionesses coordinated 302 00:31:56,165 --> 00:32:00,042 a hunt, how they worked together to set a trap. 303 00:32:06,550 --> 00:32:10,010 Absorbed in the action, I lost sight of my mom. 304 00:32:10,095 --> 00:32:12,304 [gloomy music] 305 00:32:38,123 --> 00:32:41,124 then something spooked the impala. 306 00:32:41,251 --> 00:32:46,296 [growling] the ambush had failed again. 307 00:32:50,719 --> 00:32:53,637 Or had it? 308 00:32:53,722 --> 00:32:54,846 My mother came out of nowhere. 309 00:32:54,932 --> 00:32:57,432 [dramatic music] 310 00:32:58,102 --> 00:33:00,227 [hooves thudding] 311 00:33:05,901 --> 00:33:07,442 [impala groans] 312 00:33:16,286 --> 00:33:18,996 but just because you make the kill doesn't mean 313 00:33:19,123 --> 00:33:20,414 you get to eat first. 314 00:33:20,499 --> 00:33:22,499 [growling] 315 00:33:48,027 --> 00:33:49,568 my father and uncle. 316 00:33:52,364 --> 00:33:54,781 It's pretty typical for males to muscle 317 00:33:54,867 --> 00:33:58,326 in on a female's hard work. 318 00:33:58,412 --> 00:34:03,874 But that night, they seemed extra aggressive. 319 00:34:04,001 --> 00:34:08,128 [snarls] it was a sign. 320 00:34:08,255 --> 00:34:14,342 They were weak and hungry, desperate to keep up strength. 321 00:34:14,470 --> 00:34:17,179 But I had to look out for myself. 322 00:34:17,264 --> 00:34:20,682 I knew any hostility towards me was just a front. 323 00:34:20,759 --> 00:34:23,310 [gentle music] 324 00:34:28,358 --> 00:34:32,027 I was my father's last cub, the only chance 325 00:34:32,112 --> 00:34:34,237 to keep his bloodline alive. 326 00:34:39,411 --> 00:34:43,580 And once he was gone, it would be me alone, 327 00:34:43,707 --> 00:34:46,291 fighting for every single scrap. 328 00:34:55,886 --> 00:34:58,136 The dry season passed. 329 00:34:58,222 --> 00:35:01,348 The rains arrived. 330 00:35:01,433 --> 00:35:06,019 The land flushed so green, I barely recognize my own home. 331 00:35:06,105 --> 00:35:09,106 [lighthearted music, chirping] 332 00:35:11,318 --> 00:35:22,911 and with the transformation came relief, even for my father. 333 00:35:23,038 --> 00:35:26,581 Though old, his love for me never wavered. 334 00:35:29,628 --> 00:35:32,504 And the force of our pride was unstoppable. 335 00:35:38,470 --> 00:35:41,012 It was time for the family to relax. 336 00:35:44,226 --> 00:35:47,936 But for me, it was time for adventure. 337 00:35:48,021 --> 00:35:50,230 [elephant groans] 338 00:35:53,986 --> 00:35:56,194 [trumpets] 339 00:36:04,454 --> 00:36:12,586 when the dry season came around again, a whole year had passed. 340 00:36:17,259 --> 00:36:26,308 And I was almost fully grown, but just a kid at heart, 341 00:36:26,393 --> 00:36:29,811 still liked hanging out in trees, 342 00:36:29,897 --> 00:36:33,106 still just wanted to have fun. 343 00:36:33,192 --> 00:36:36,476 And luckily, my mother was still game. 344 00:36:36,570 --> 00:36:39,112 [playful music] 345 00:36:57,132 --> 00:37:00,300 the older I got, the harder she could play. 346 00:37:11,605 --> 00:37:16,107 When I tired her out, I moved on to my aunts, who 347 00:37:16,193 --> 00:37:18,068 had a few rounds left in them. 348 00:37:28,247 --> 00:37:30,497 Not everyone was in the mood for play. 349 00:37:32,668 --> 00:37:36,711 My uncle died a few months before, leaving my father 350 00:37:36,797 --> 00:37:38,755 to deal with the increasing pressure 351 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:41,424 from invading males on his own. 352 00:37:44,638 --> 00:37:47,472 Nothing I could do to help-- 353 00:37:47,599 --> 00:37:50,725 just save my own energy for when the battle came to me. 354 00:37:55,107 --> 00:37:57,899 Ultimately, all us animals out here 355 00:37:57,985 --> 00:38:01,069 are fighting for the same thing-- 356 00:38:01,196 --> 00:38:06,408 to protect our little patch for the next generation to grow. 357 00:38:06,535 --> 00:38:08,493 [squawking] 358 00:38:10,664 --> 00:38:19,129 problem is, there is always someone bigger who comes along 359 00:38:19,214 --> 00:38:21,464 and tramples on your plans. 360 00:38:37,190 --> 00:38:41,568 Often, the only solution is to tackle the threat head on. 361 00:39:05,761 --> 00:39:09,429 When your family is on the line, you do whatever you can. 362 00:39:12,601 --> 00:39:14,142 [lion snarls] 363 00:39:16,563 --> 00:39:19,105 [ominous music] 364 00:39:19,232 --> 00:39:24,069 but sometimes the stakes are just too high. 365 00:39:24,196 --> 00:39:31,534 [growls] the outside male was back, 366 00:39:31,661 --> 00:39:42,295 stronger, closer, and this time with his brother for backup. 367 00:40:19,376 --> 00:40:24,212 I was frozen, paralyzed in fear. 368 00:40:24,297 --> 00:40:29,717 My mother did her best to distract, leading them 369 00:40:29,803 --> 00:40:32,262 on to lead them away from me. 370 00:40:35,767 --> 00:40:37,267 But they would not relent. 371 00:40:39,980 --> 00:40:44,524 Too young to bear cubs, I was of no value, 372 00:40:44,651 --> 00:40:49,696 just a remnant of my father's bloodline they wanted gone. 373 00:40:49,781 --> 00:40:51,364 [snarls] 374 00:41:08,550 --> 00:41:14,095 as soon as they chased me away, one of the brothers 375 00:41:14,181 --> 00:41:15,597 dealt with my father. 376 00:41:18,268 --> 00:41:20,560 The other set his sights on my mother. 377 00:41:22,981 --> 00:41:25,482 She would have to adapt to the new order. 378 00:41:25,567 --> 00:41:27,692 [somber music] 379 00:41:32,282 --> 00:41:34,657 but my father's fate was sealed. 380 00:41:34,743 --> 00:41:37,160 [growling] 381 00:41:40,916 --> 00:41:55,345 [whimpers] 382 00:41:55,430 --> 00:41:58,723 after a life of fighting, he was done. 383 00:42:02,812 --> 00:42:05,063 That was the last time I saw him. 384 00:42:09,903 --> 00:42:11,110 There was no return. 385 00:42:17,285 --> 00:42:19,327 The moment the brothers took over 386 00:42:19,412 --> 00:42:31,965 was the moment my childhood ended, banished from my pride 387 00:42:32,092 --> 00:42:35,426 with no idea how I would ever return. 388 00:42:42,852 --> 00:42:45,645 [somber music] 389 00:42:47,107 --> 00:42:56,531 exiled and exposed, without my pride, my chances were slim. 390 00:43:00,078 --> 00:43:03,204 Our social nature means we starve for contact. 391 00:43:07,210 --> 00:43:08,668 No more bodies for comfort. 392 00:43:12,048 --> 00:43:13,715 No one to share food. 393 00:43:20,974 --> 00:43:24,309 Wandering the wilderness, I avoided the brothers 394 00:43:24,394 --> 00:43:30,148 by sticking to the no man's land between territories, 395 00:43:30,233 --> 00:43:33,026 only to find hostility from other prides. 396 00:43:42,454 --> 00:43:45,747 Nowhere was safe. 397 00:43:45,832 --> 00:43:47,457 Hunger was setting in. 398 00:43:56,926 --> 00:44:02,430 I had seen how hard it was for a lion to hunt alone. 399 00:44:02,515 --> 00:44:05,642 And I had never even made a kill before. 400 00:44:15,195 --> 00:44:17,195 No help to set an ambush. 401 00:44:21,076 --> 00:44:23,368 No help to run down prey. 402 00:44:29,959 --> 00:44:32,210 Everything was a long shot. 403 00:44:43,598 --> 00:44:47,809 In desperation, I made a serious mistake. 404 00:44:47,894 --> 00:44:50,061 [panting] 405 00:44:53,817 --> 00:44:56,442 [ominous music] 406 00:44:56,528 --> 00:44:59,737 when the rhino didn't run, it felt 407 00:44:59,864 --> 00:45:10,164 like a chance, a deadly one. 408 00:45:10,250 --> 00:45:11,958 But what choice did I have? 409 00:45:45,368 --> 00:45:48,953 I was lucky to escape with my life. 410 00:45:49,080 --> 00:45:52,457 But if I didn't find food soon, I would die. 411 00:45:56,504 --> 00:46:01,215 I had to learn to think like a scavenger 412 00:46:01,301 --> 00:46:05,219 and follow the telltale signs of carcasses. 413 00:46:08,683 --> 00:46:16,314 It was time to put self-respect aside and fight for scraps. 414 00:46:16,399 --> 00:46:18,608 [gloomy music] 415 00:46:26,117 --> 00:46:28,326 but even they were not easily won. 416 00:46:32,540 --> 00:46:38,503 The same clan of hyenas that killed my brother, 417 00:46:38,630 --> 00:46:42,632 their pack could easily overpower a single lion. 418 00:46:48,389 --> 00:46:57,522 I had to pick my moment carefully, wait 419 00:46:57,649 --> 00:47:11,244 until my enemies had taken their fill, then, finally, 420 00:47:11,329 --> 00:47:12,161 take mine-- 421 00:47:17,460 --> 00:47:20,127 the last in line at a beggar's banquet. 422 00:47:28,263 --> 00:47:30,596 Without my pride, I was nothing. 423 00:47:34,978 --> 00:47:40,565 And all the time, they were so close but so far. 424 00:47:49,742 --> 00:47:55,580 Whenever I encountered the brothers, I acted submissive. 425 00:47:58,793 --> 00:48:02,753 But they made it clear I was an outsider in my own land. 426 00:48:05,508 --> 00:48:11,721 Someday, somehow, I had to find a way back. 427 00:48:11,848 --> 00:48:14,599 My survival depended on it. 428 00:48:19,939 --> 00:48:20,897 [somber music, chirping] 429 00:48:28,907 --> 00:48:30,865 the months spent in isolation were 430 00:48:30,992 --> 00:48:38,122 the hardest time in my life, watching 431 00:48:38,249 --> 00:48:41,000 my own family from the outside. 432 00:48:54,682 --> 00:48:57,558 But there were glimmers of hope that things could change. 433 00:49:00,063 --> 00:49:02,229 [uplifting music] 434 00:49:02,315 --> 00:49:04,357 one day, my mother found the courage 435 00:49:04,442 --> 00:49:09,820 to come over and greet me, the first affection 436 00:49:09,906 --> 00:49:11,572 I have felt in months. 437 00:49:16,371 --> 00:49:19,080 But the brothers were always watching. 438 00:49:25,296 --> 00:49:29,507 If I wanted to be accepted, I had to bide my time 439 00:49:29,634 --> 00:49:33,552 and find a way to earn my place back within the pride. 440 00:49:54,117 --> 00:49:57,618 At night, the brothers would go out on patrol. 441 00:50:03,167 --> 00:50:07,128 Once they were far enough away, I snuck 442 00:50:07,255 --> 00:50:08,713 back to my mother and aunts. 443 00:50:18,057 --> 00:50:22,143 It was the middle of the dry season. 444 00:50:22,228 --> 00:50:24,562 They needed to make a kill too. 445 00:50:30,528 --> 00:50:33,446 And I finally had the experience to help. 446 00:50:40,079 --> 00:50:43,330 After my close call with the rhino, 447 00:50:43,416 --> 00:50:47,293 I knew a badly planned attack on such a large animal 448 00:50:47,420 --> 00:50:50,337 wasn't worth it. 449 00:50:50,423 --> 00:51:05,144 [growling, moaning] so I hung back, 450 00:51:05,229 --> 00:51:06,979 waited for a better chance. 451 00:51:13,446 --> 00:51:17,406 When they failed, I had another plan. 452 00:51:22,789 --> 00:51:27,124 It was time to put my climbing and scavenging skill to use. 453 00:51:38,638 --> 00:51:44,225 Ok, so I wasn't as nimble as a leopard, 454 00:51:44,352 --> 00:51:47,520 but good enough to intimidate it. 455 00:51:51,150 --> 00:51:55,444 As I climbed higher, the leopard fled. 456 00:52:04,247 --> 00:52:11,460 A little persistence and a head for heights and I 457 00:52:11,587 --> 00:52:13,212 claim the leopard's kill. 458 00:52:27,687 --> 00:52:30,396 But the brothers had returned. 459 00:52:30,481 --> 00:52:31,313 [snarls] 460 00:52:37,655 --> 00:52:39,238 I had to cut and run. 461 00:52:44,620 --> 00:52:49,748 But as they fed off my success, it gave me hope. 462 00:52:49,876 --> 00:52:53,669 Maybe this was how I could win my way back into the pride. 463 00:53:04,348 --> 00:53:09,226 As the dry season turned into a drought, I reached maturity. 464 00:53:12,023 --> 00:53:15,191 Sure enough, the brothers grew more tolerant. 465 00:53:17,737 --> 00:53:24,909 Perhaps they saw my potential as a hunter or even as a mate. 466 00:53:25,036 --> 00:53:29,705 Or maybe they just didn't have the energy to chase me away. 467 00:53:29,832 --> 00:53:31,957 [gloomy music] 468 00:53:32,043 --> 00:53:36,629 it was too hot to do anything, and famine 469 00:53:36,756 --> 00:53:38,172 was threatening our pride. 470 00:53:45,431 --> 00:53:52,019 Before things got worse, it was time for me 471 00:53:52,104 --> 00:53:54,647 to become malika, the hunter. 472 00:54:01,530 --> 00:54:05,366 Even an old, lone buffalo can be very dangerous. 473 00:54:09,121 --> 00:54:11,914 I began to stalk it. 474 00:54:11,999 --> 00:54:14,959 Then a strange thing happened. 475 00:54:15,086 --> 00:54:18,587 For once, I wasn't alone. 476 00:54:29,809 --> 00:54:34,311 Not only was I hunting with my pride, I was the leader. 477 00:54:39,527 --> 00:54:43,028 And I'd made enough mistakes to not mess this one up. 478 00:55:02,717 --> 00:55:06,719 When it came to the takedown, it was my time to pounce. 479 00:55:06,804 --> 00:55:09,346 [uplifting music, moaning] 480 00:55:20,401 --> 00:55:24,028 quick, efficient, the sisterhood working 481 00:55:24,113 --> 00:55:33,746 together with me at the center. 482 00:55:37,668 --> 00:55:41,170 More than enough to go around, and we needed it. 483 00:55:43,716 --> 00:55:46,967 The brothers ate too. 484 00:55:47,053 --> 00:55:53,307 And this time, they had to accept I was back, 485 00:55:53,392 --> 00:55:56,393 back at the heart of our pride. 486 00:56:00,775 --> 00:56:02,691 [birds calling] 487 00:56:05,112 --> 00:56:07,988 with all those lionesses working together, 488 00:56:08,115 --> 00:56:10,157 we got through the worst drought I can remember. 489 00:56:12,995 --> 00:56:16,705 Even so, none of us had the strength to raise cubs. 490 00:56:19,460 --> 00:56:21,293 [thunder rumbles] 491 00:56:22,671 --> 00:56:28,967 then, finally, the rains broke. 492 00:56:29,053 --> 00:56:31,929 [uplifting music] 493 00:56:32,014 --> 00:56:34,181 [rain pattering] 494 00:56:51,200 --> 00:56:53,200 it barely stopped for weeks. 495 00:56:58,249 --> 00:57:00,958 But no one was complaining. 496 00:57:22,231 --> 00:57:24,273 The land was rejuvenated. 497 00:57:27,403 --> 00:57:45,502 It seemed more vibrant than ever, teeming with life 498 00:57:45,629 --> 00:57:54,261 and full of opportunities that we were ready to seize. 499 00:58:03,189 --> 00:58:06,648 But just when food and water were no longer a problem, 500 00:58:06,734 --> 00:58:08,734 new challenges emerged. 501 00:58:13,199 --> 00:58:17,117 After the rains, all attention turns to breeding. 502 00:58:23,125 --> 00:58:27,586 Males desperately try to win a mate. 503 00:58:27,713 --> 00:58:30,714 It's the same old story throughout the animal kingdom. 504 00:58:38,557 --> 00:58:43,227 They fight it out amongst themselves. 505 00:58:43,354 --> 00:58:47,981 The females watch on, waiting to see who comes out on top. 506 00:58:58,369 --> 00:59:02,037 The battles can get so intense, sometimes 507 00:59:02,122 --> 00:59:04,706 it's best to leave them to it. 508 00:59:11,632 --> 00:59:15,425 Unfortunately, we didn't have that option with the brothers. 509 00:59:18,264 --> 00:59:26,687 [snarls] we tried to appease and integrate them into the pride, 510 00:59:26,814 --> 00:59:29,940 but there was an underlying tension 511 00:59:30,025 --> 00:59:34,403 that we had to tiptoe around. 512 00:59:34,530 --> 00:59:43,412 The slightest wrong move and all their frustrations boiled over. 513 00:59:48,586 --> 00:59:51,461 Though they were still young, the constant aggression 514 00:59:51,547 --> 00:59:54,298 in their lives was taking its toll-- 515 00:59:58,304 --> 01:00:00,721 days spent recovering from nights spent 516 01:00:00,806 --> 01:00:02,180 fighting with other males. 517 01:00:02,391 --> 01:00:10,606 [flies buzzing] to add insult to injury, the king of the beasts 518 01:00:10,691 --> 01:00:13,692 were being tormented by the smallest of foes. 519 01:00:18,574 --> 01:00:20,824 We were used to them. 520 01:00:20,951 --> 01:00:23,243 We just shook it off. 521 01:00:31,629 --> 01:00:37,215 I guess the brothers weren't so tough as they made out. 522 01:00:37,343 --> 01:00:42,679 Honestly, they weren't much use at all. 523 01:00:42,765 --> 01:00:44,681 But with no cubs to protect, we were 524 01:00:44,767 --> 01:00:47,184 doing just fine without them. 525 01:00:54,860 --> 01:01:01,698 I was gaining a reputation as one of the best hunters, 526 01:01:01,784 --> 01:01:03,533 and it was going to my head. 527 01:01:11,085 --> 01:01:14,461 After so much rejection, the feeling of approval 528 01:01:14,546 --> 01:01:15,462 was addictive. 529 01:01:19,510 --> 01:01:23,428 They say pride comes before a fall. 530 01:01:23,555 --> 01:01:26,098 But at the time, I couldn't see it happening. 531 01:01:26,225 --> 01:01:28,183 [heart beat thumping] 532 01:01:35,109 --> 01:01:37,025 we set off stalking together. 533 01:01:42,032 --> 01:01:44,366 But I wanted this one for myself. 534 01:02:00,843 --> 01:02:04,761 A zebra is a real prize. 535 01:02:04,847 --> 01:02:07,139 It takes everything to win it-- 536 01:02:09,476 --> 01:02:15,230 strength, speed, and, most of all, timing. 537 01:02:18,610 --> 01:02:19,651 Got to get close. 538 01:02:23,699 --> 01:02:24,531 Pick your moment. 539 01:02:29,705 --> 01:02:32,706 Then commit 100%. 540 01:02:32,791 --> 01:02:35,375 [ominous music] 541 01:02:41,341 --> 01:02:43,049 [yelping] 542 01:02:43,135 --> 01:02:45,719 [dramatic music] 543 01:02:46,722 --> 01:02:48,722 [snarling, squealing] 544 01:03:07,701 --> 01:03:13,997 another welcome meal, interrupted 545 01:03:14,124 --> 01:03:16,500 by the usual unwelcome guests. 546 01:03:24,218 --> 01:03:25,592 [snarls] 547 01:03:27,930 --> 01:03:30,430 I wasn't putting up with it anymore. 548 01:03:34,603 --> 01:03:38,313 I'd had enough of those who just take. 549 01:03:38,440 --> 01:03:41,858 We all had. 550 01:03:41,944 --> 01:03:44,069 [bird chirping] 551 01:03:47,241 --> 01:03:49,783 still getting it from all angles, 552 01:03:49,910 --> 01:03:53,453 the brothers were so battle weary, something had to give. 553 01:04:04,883 --> 01:04:07,509 A lone but imposing male. 554 01:04:16,270 --> 01:04:17,102 [snarls] 555 01:04:20,899 --> 01:04:23,066 it should have been easy-- 556 01:04:23,193 --> 01:04:24,526 two against one. 557 01:04:29,783 --> 01:04:34,119 But the new male was so intimidating, 558 01:04:34,246 --> 01:04:36,705 only one of the brothers was prepared to fight. 559 01:04:40,961 --> 01:04:42,961 He soon regretted that decision. 560 01:04:43,046 --> 01:04:45,589 [dramatic music, snarling] 561 01:04:55,976 --> 01:05:02,355 the brothers fled, tails between their legs, never to return. 562 01:05:02,441 --> 01:05:04,983 [gentle music] 563 01:05:07,863 --> 01:05:12,449 whatever this new male was like, he had to be an improvement. 564 01:05:15,537 --> 01:05:19,831 Right now, we didn't really need his protection. 565 01:05:19,958 --> 01:05:20,999 We had that covered. 566 01:05:25,339 --> 01:05:28,840 Still, even the most independent lioness needs 567 01:05:28,967 --> 01:05:30,300 a male for certain things. 568 01:05:34,097 --> 01:05:39,684 Finally, my chance to become a mother had arrived. 569 01:05:39,811 --> 01:05:43,188 But fate had something else in mind. 570 01:05:46,652 --> 01:05:48,902 [lighthearted music] 571 01:05:50,405 --> 01:05:55,158 for a few months after the rains, my home felt like eden. 572 01:05:57,955 --> 01:06:01,039 The long drought was long forgotten. 573 01:06:07,089 --> 01:06:10,548 And the brothers were nowhere to be seen. 574 01:06:17,766 --> 01:06:20,183 The new male was already displaying 575 01:06:20,268 --> 01:06:22,727 typical male lion traits. 576 01:06:25,399 --> 01:06:29,442 But, like my father, he was gentle and warm. 577 01:06:34,491 --> 01:06:36,992 And over time, I grew to like him. 578 01:06:49,840 --> 01:06:53,633 He followed me like a shadow, part 579 01:06:53,719 --> 01:06:56,261 wooing me, part guarding me. 580 01:07:14,197 --> 01:07:17,532 And in the end, I let him get close. 581 01:07:27,836 --> 01:07:31,254 It was the perfect time to start a new generation. 582 01:07:39,931 --> 01:07:42,599 And that was where I left him. 583 01:07:52,277 --> 01:07:59,616 My place was back in the pride where I would find the security 584 01:07:59,701 --> 01:08:01,242 and tenderness I needed. 585 01:08:07,334 --> 01:08:12,170 Best of all, my mother was there to help as my own cubs 586 01:08:12,255 --> 01:08:14,005 began growing inside. 587 01:08:22,099 --> 01:08:26,226 Their father stuck around too. 588 01:08:26,311 --> 01:08:29,395 And his presence brought stability to our pride. 589 01:08:32,859 --> 01:08:36,069 I couldn't rely on him to stay forever, 590 01:08:36,154 --> 01:08:38,696 but I knew I had chosen well. 591 01:08:41,785 --> 01:08:45,578 His strong nature would give my cubs the best 592 01:08:45,664 --> 01:08:47,288 roots from which to grow. 593 01:08:51,419 --> 01:08:56,381 In the meantime, it was up to us lionesses to take 594 01:08:56,466 --> 01:08:57,465 care of business. 595 01:09:01,221 --> 01:09:05,723 So when we set out on the prowl, it was business as usual. 596 01:09:13,567 --> 01:09:20,446 Though I'd seen a lot of lions get hurt taking on buffalo, 597 01:09:20,532 --> 01:09:23,575 by then, I was hunting for glory. 598 01:09:27,497 --> 01:09:31,708 If a cat has nine lives, I still had a few left. 599 01:09:34,713 --> 01:09:35,420 [gloomy music] 600 01:09:35,505 --> 01:09:37,130 but I made a big mistake-- 601 01:09:44,055 --> 01:09:46,264 forgot how much I needed my pride. 602 01:09:53,440 --> 01:09:55,398 Thought I could handle this alone. 603 01:10:06,328 --> 01:10:29,349 I lost sight of the others, let my ego drive, 604 01:10:29,476 --> 01:10:33,311 didn't think about my babies inside me. 605 01:10:33,396 --> 01:10:34,229 [snorts] 606 01:10:48,787 --> 01:10:53,706 if you deal in death every day, eventually it 607 01:10:53,833 --> 01:10:55,708 comes back to bite you. 608 01:11:08,431 --> 01:11:11,307 Catching up to a buffalo was the easy part. 609 01:11:15,021 --> 01:11:18,523 Finishing the job, that's a different story. 610 01:11:29,828 --> 01:11:34,497 We get killed more often hunting buffalo than any other prey. 611 01:11:40,839 --> 01:11:44,590 Taking on a 1,000-pound beast on my own 612 01:11:44,718 --> 01:11:46,718 was a very dangerous move. 613 01:11:54,728 --> 01:11:57,353 Suddenly, I was a victim. 614 01:11:57,439 --> 01:12:00,440 [dramatic music] 615 01:12:11,369 --> 01:12:13,369 [snarling] 616 01:12:13,955 --> 01:12:14,704 [thuds] 617 01:12:14,789 --> 01:12:17,332 [hooves thudding] 618 01:12:31,097 --> 01:12:33,264 [somber music] 619 01:12:48,698 --> 01:12:52,992 broken, wounded, alone. 620 01:12:56,956 --> 01:12:59,457 For more than a day, I barely moved. 621 01:13:02,253 --> 01:13:06,214 As the scavengers began to circle, 622 01:13:06,341 --> 01:13:08,049 I tried to hide my weakness. 623 01:13:14,849 --> 01:13:23,106 I might last a week without food, 624 01:13:23,191 --> 01:13:25,608 but only another day without water. 625 01:13:35,495 --> 01:13:37,495 [hyena chattering] 626 01:13:40,834 --> 01:13:42,333 [snarls] 627 01:13:42,460 --> 01:13:43,292 [squawks] 628 01:13:43,420 --> 01:13:44,419 [whimpers] 629 01:13:47,799 --> 01:13:51,717 though the pain was excruciating, 630 01:13:51,845 --> 01:13:54,053 my thirst was unbearable. 631 01:14:16,244 --> 01:14:19,495 After that, there was no plan. 632 01:14:19,622 --> 01:14:21,164 I could see no way out. 633 01:14:23,626 --> 01:14:25,168 It was just a matter of time. 634 01:14:28,423 --> 01:14:31,048 Days blurred into each other. 635 01:14:33,636 --> 01:14:35,428 I barely remember them passing. 636 01:14:44,689 --> 01:14:46,272 [fly buzzing] 637 01:14:55,408 --> 01:14:59,076 as I grew thinner, scavengers drew 638 01:14:59,204 --> 01:15:05,666 closer, just waiting until I couldn't fight back at all. 639 01:15:05,752 --> 01:15:07,293 [heavy breathing] 640 01:15:09,130 --> 01:15:10,630 [hyena laughing] 641 01:15:15,887 --> 01:15:18,054 [fly buzzing] 642 01:15:23,144 --> 01:15:26,270 very soon, I would be dead. 643 01:15:44,582 --> 01:15:46,165 [groaning] 644 01:15:48,086 --> 01:15:51,629 but something deep within me wouldn't let go. 645 01:15:59,847 --> 01:16:03,307 Hope was growing inside. 646 01:16:03,434 --> 01:16:05,434 [uplifting music] 647 01:16:18,491 --> 01:16:21,450 a hope for the future of my whole pride. 648 01:16:36,676 --> 01:16:38,259 [groaning] 649 01:16:39,637 --> 01:16:46,017 I heard a call, and I knew this wasn't how 650 01:16:46,102 --> 01:16:48,060 my story was supposed to end. 651 01:16:58,906 --> 01:17:05,369 As long as there was life left in my body, 652 01:17:05,496 --> 01:17:13,127 I would either find my way home or die trying. 653 01:17:21,054 --> 01:17:23,346 [gentle music] 654 01:17:23,431 --> 01:17:26,307 I was too frail to remember the journey. 655 01:17:45,703 --> 01:17:56,629 But with my last breath, I made it back to my mother, 656 01:17:56,714 --> 01:17:57,713 back to safety. 657 01:18:03,429 --> 01:18:04,261 I was home. 658 01:18:09,102 --> 01:18:14,105 Though very weak, the pride gave me a place to heal 659 01:18:14,190 --> 01:18:15,648 and kept hope alive. 660 01:18:23,825 --> 01:18:32,373 It took time to recover, but slowly strength returned. 661 01:18:56,607 --> 01:19:01,652 Three months after nearly dying, a whole new lease of life. 662 01:19:05,241 --> 01:19:09,076 I kept them hidden for the first few weeks 663 01:19:09,162 --> 01:19:14,206 at the same riverbed where I was born. 664 01:19:14,333 --> 01:19:17,752 Then it was time to let them run free. 665 01:19:23,509 --> 01:19:27,303 My very own cubs, just a month old. 666 01:19:31,142 --> 01:19:34,143 And just like me, eager to explore. 667 01:19:34,228 --> 01:19:36,729 [lighthearted music] 668 01:19:47,825 --> 01:19:54,705 I found an even deeper love than I had for my pride, 669 01:19:54,832 --> 01:19:57,124 a love only a mother knows. 670 01:20:10,264 --> 01:20:16,093 Sure, it was exhausting at times, and I lost my patience. 671 01:20:16,145 --> 01:20:18,229 [low growling] 672 01:20:21,651 --> 01:20:28,030 but it never lasted long, not with cubs that cute. 673 01:20:31,369 --> 01:20:33,661 I just remembered what my mother did 674 01:20:33,788 --> 01:20:41,544 and let instincts guide, tried to provide everything 675 01:20:41,629 --> 01:20:42,461 they needed-- 676 01:20:44,966 --> 01:20:54,515 plenty of milk, a guiding hand, and someone 677 01:20:54,600 --> 01:20:56,267 who will always be there. 678 01:21:01,440 --> 01:21:06,694 Life had a new purpose, and so did my pride. 679 01:21:14,996 --> 01:21:17,413 We were growing stronger by the day. 680 01:21:21,085 --> 01:21:25,713 My cubs became more independent, and new ones arrived. 681 01:21:28,217 --> 01:21:34,013 The male stayed true, guarding over our pride, 682 01:21:34,098 --> 01:21:36,849 while we lionesses shared parenting duties 683 01:21:36,976 --> 01:21:41,562 and looked after all the young in one big family, 684 01:21:41,647 --> 01:21:44,523 just like it was with my brother and cousins. 685 01:21:51,240 --> 01:21:55,159 With so much care and support, I was 686 01:21:55,244 --> 01:21:59,163 safe to do what I did best-- 687 01:21:59,248 --> 01:22:00,873 provide for the pride. 688 01:22:01,000 --> 01:22:03,834 [energetic music] 689 01:22:03,961 --> 01:22:05,586 [rain pattering] 690 01:22:13,554 --> 01:22:14,511 [snarls] 691 01:22:22,897 --> 01:22:26,106 come rain or shine, us multitasking 692 01:22:26,233 --> 01:22:28,525 moms were making a killing. 693 01:22:32,031 --> 01:22:33,906 [snarling] 694 01:22:33,991 --> 01:22:35,532 [yelping] 695 01:22:37,495 --> 01:22:41,664 putting food on the table and showing old enemies 696 01:22:41,749 --> 01:22:46,543 who's boss, both night and day. 697 01:22:46,629 --> 01:22:47,461 [yelps] 698 01:22:56,764 --> 01:22:59,515 it's a good thing there are plenty 699 01:22:59,600 --> 01:23:00,808 of new malikas in training. 700 01:23:00,893 --> 01:23:03,268 [music - lauren daigle, "you say"] 701 01:23:03,396 --> 01:23:07,898 my pride has never been stronger, 702 01:23:07,984 --> 01:23:11,318 its future never brighter-- 703 01:23:11,404 --> 01:23:15,280 (singing) you say I am loved when I can't-- 704 01:23:15,366 --> 01:23:17,950 --with us lionesses at the very heart. 705 01:23:18,077 --> 01:23:21,370 (singing) you say I am strong. 706 01:23:21,497 --> 01:23:24,665 You see, there's no room for alphas here. 707 01:23:24,792 --> 01:23:27,167 (singing) you say I am held. 708 01:23:27,253 --> 01:23:33,799 The truth is, we are all queens, all serving each other-- 709 01:23:33,884 --> 01:23:35,426 (singing) oh, you say-- 710 01:23:35,553 --> 01:23:38,012 --all standing as one. 711 01:23:38,097 --> 01:23:40,139 (singing) and I believe. 712 01:23:40,266 --> 01:23:44,184 As for me, well, I may be young by your standards. 713 01:23:44,270 --> 01:23:48,439 But for a lioness, I've lived a full life. 714 01:23:48,566 --> 01:23:50,649 (singing) I believe. 715 01:23:50,735 --> 01:23:53,185 Oh, I believe. 716 01:23:53,279 --> 01:23:56,822 Out here, every day is a battle. 717 01:23:56,907 --> 01:24:01,410 And that's not changing any time soon. 718 01:24:01,495 --> 01:24:02,911 (singing) I believe. 719 01:24:02,997 --> 01:24:06,915 But lionesses are fierce. 720 01:24:07,001 --> 01:24:11,962 And you can bet we'll keep fighting till the end. 721 01:24:21,515 --> 01:24:24,558 [uplifting music]