WEBVTT FILE

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[relaxing music]

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Downloaded from
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malika: Many stories have
been told about my homeland

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of the untamed wilderness and
the amazing wildlife found

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within it.

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[gentle music]

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[chirping]

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but one legend is
greater than any other.

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We are the dominant
predator here.

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Our power shapes
the lives of all

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the other animals around us.

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But this is not the story
you've heard before, the tale

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of a cub born to be king.

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When people say we're
the king of the beasts,

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they don't know the
reality of a lion's life.

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The real ruler is the lioness.

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Not only do we take
care of the parenting.

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We also do most of the hunting.

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[dramatic music]

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we are the heart
of lion society.

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The future of the pride depends
on our strength and tenderness.

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But success is no birthright.

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It has to be earned.

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The journey from cub
to mother is long.

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It's a journey of
bitter struggle

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and unbreakable bonds, a journey
that very few ever complete.

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My name is malika.

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And this is my story.

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[inspirational music]

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[gentle music, birds chirping]

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in the world today, no more
than 30,000 of us lions survive.

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Nowhere are we more
abundant than here, my home,

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the kruger of south africa.

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This is my pride.

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And this is me in my prime.

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[low growl]

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our family growing
strong, our bellies full--

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good times.

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Just focusing on
what we do best--

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relaxing in the
shade, being lions.

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[fly buzzes]

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we spend 2/3 of our day
asleep, even longer if we can.

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But out here, the
peace never lasts long.

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A lion's life is so savage.

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Sooner or later,
your time comes.

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[dramatic music]

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[moans]

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[thuds]

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[gentle music]

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so now, here I am,
broken, wounded, alone,

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staring death in the face,
looking back on life,

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searching for the
strength to carry on.

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[heavy breathing]

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this might be where
my life story ends.

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But let me tell
you how it began--

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in a happier place.

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The first six weeks, it
was just the three of us--

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my mom, my brother, and me.

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I was born lucky to
a confident mother.

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All my food and water came
entirely from her milk.

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[yelps]

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my brother and I never went
hungry, never had any worries,

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just all the love and
attention two little lions

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could possibly need [purring]
as we grew up together.

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Even at this early age,
I was learning lion.

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[squealing, slurping]

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my mom would keep
me clean, massage

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my belly to help my digestion.

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And whatever she
did, I practiced

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on my brother,
simple acts passed

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down through generations.

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Safe in my tiny world.

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Little did I know, family life
was about to get complicated.

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At a month and a
half old, I just

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couldn't wait to meet my pride.

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We are the only cats that
live in extended families.

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So many aunts and cousins.

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I was in good company.

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[yelping, purring]

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we were six cubs in total, all
similar in age, all sharing

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adventures.

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That's how my mother
and her sisters grew up,

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too, bonded from birth,
[snarling] bonded by blood.

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There are no alpha
females in a pride.

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Lionesses share
parenting duties and even

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nurse each other's cubs.

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[flies buzzing]

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one big family.

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I was close to my aunts, and
they treated me like their own.

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This sisterhood has secured
our pride lands for centuries.

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My calling was to keep it that
way for future generations.

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But before a lioness can
defend her territory,

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she has to discover it.

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And I didn't need
any encouragement.

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My fortune would depend
on an intimate knowledge

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of my home range--

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how to hunt in the thick
woodlands, when it's

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safe to cross the
open grasslands,

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and where to find water in the
riverbeds that feed the land.

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But most of all, I had to get
to know the other animals.

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[inspirational music]

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[snarling]

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[elephant moans]

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naturally, a lion
has many enemies--

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the creatures we prey upon
and the other carnivores we

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compete with.

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We may be at the top of the food
chain, but I was just a cub.

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[howling]

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there's quite a few who
could have killed me.

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[gloomy music]

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hyenas are our
most bitter rivals.

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[yelps] suddenly, I
wasn't feeling so brave.

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[yelps] on my own, I
didn't stand a chance.

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[ominous music]

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without a pride for
protection, a lone lion is

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vulnerable, especially a cub.

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[lion growls] that's
where my father came in.

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His duty was patrolling
the perimeter, defending

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our pride from other animals.

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[birds chirp]

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and so I scampered
home unscathed.

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My father's greatest challenge
was fighting off other lions.

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Though he had my
uncle for backup,

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they were both growing old.

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The threat of invasion
was coming closer.

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And when outside males
take over a pride,

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they will kill any cubs
that are not their own.

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[lighthearted music]

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but a little lioness can't
afford to live in fear

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or to lie around.

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I needed to focus on growing
fast and learning quick.

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My mother was the
ultimate trainer.

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She knew life would
be full of fight.

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It was disguised
as fun, but that's

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how she sharpened my skills.

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My mother and her sisters still
play to keep on their game.

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[low growling] until I
was as fierce as them, I

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picked on someone my own size--

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[snarls] my sparring partners.

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Of the six of us, I was
definitely the toughest.

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But I still wasn't
killing it, so to speak.

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Becoming a great
hunter needs to be

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approached one step at a time.

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My first taste of meat--

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just like life, I
was ready to bite in.

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If I wanted to grow
strong, I had to fill up.

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But pretty soon, that
wouldn't be so easy.

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[gloomy music]

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by September, the
dry season took hold.

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Three months since
the last rains.

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The land became parched.

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Life got tough for everyone.

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And tempers begin to fray.

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[elephant roars]

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[growling]

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the only water was miles away.

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Animals left our
territory by the herd.

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And when prey moves,
predators must follow.

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My mother and aunts were forced
to spend more time out hunting,

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more time away from us.

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Even my father had to
abandon his line of defense

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to help the hunt.

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Too young to join them, all
us cubs could do was sit tight

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and hope they
returned successful.

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[gentle music]

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the urge to explore
got the better of me.

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[ominous music]

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they say curiosity
killed the cat.

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But this time,
it's saved my life.

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[cub yelps]

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[snarls, whimpers]

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couldn't see what was happening,
couldn't do anything to help,

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but that day shaped
the rest of my life.

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[lion growls]

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[somber music]

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[hyenas yelp]

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by the time my mother and father
returned, it was too late.

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Only my brother was still
alive, but not for long.

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There was nothing my
mom could do either.

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No point in chasing.

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The damage was done.

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Our already struggling
pride was completely broken.

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A whole generation wiped out
in a single day, except for me.

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Hyenas may be our
mortal enemies.

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But for one animal to
thrive, others must die.

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It's not good or bad.

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It's just survival.

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So I had no one to
grow up with, no one

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to share my journey, the entire
pride's future resting on me.

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[lions moaning, birds chirping]

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losing my brother and cousins
was devastating to our pride.

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Though we deal in
death every day,

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we're not mindless killers.

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We're intelligent, sensitive,
and just like you, we grieve.

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As a young cub, I didn't
really understand.

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Maybe I thought I
could make things

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better, cheer everyone up.

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But it turns out
grief takes its time.

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A month later.

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My pride still calling out.

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My aunts had lost their cubs.

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And my father
needed reassurance.

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He knew his legacy was in
danger and that he was becoming

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too frail to defend our pride.

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[moaning]

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so it was up to us lionesses
to be stronger than ever

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and carry the family
through these brutal times.

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Male lions come and go.

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They're transitory in our lives.

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But the sisterhood is eternal.

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[uplifting music]

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our pride has held this same
territory for centuries.

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And our legacy is handed
down from mother to daughter.

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Now it was my turn to embrace my
power and to lead as a lioness.

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I had the youth and
vitality to give

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my family hope for the future.

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[grunting]

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[growls]

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it was hard not having any
cubs around for company.

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But now I was an only
child with the attention

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of the whole pride, giving
me the best possible chance.

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00:23:57.061 --> 00:23:59.562
[lighthearted music]

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00:24:03.901 --> 00:24:06.777
if I was to live
up to my potential,

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00:24:06.863 --> 00:24:15.911
I had to pick myself up and
make the most of each day,

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push the boundaries, be
fearless, and play hard.

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With no other cubs around, the
adults had to be my playmates,

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as well as my providers.

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00:24:40.396 --> 00:24:43.314
And when it came
to food, I always

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tried to take the lion's share.

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00:24:49.697 --> 00:24:51.697
I had quite the appetite.

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Every day was a chance
to discover my strengths.

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00:25:02.251 --> 00:25:05.753
And I was becoming malika--

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adventurous, kind, and a habit
for hanging around in trees.

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As my confidence grew,
the spirit of the pride

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was restored.

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We were united again,
stepping down the road ahead.

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And I was said to be right
at the center of the team.

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00:25:50.841 --> 00:25:51.715
Or so I thought.

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00:25:55.388 --> 00:25:59.181
My father had been defending
our pride for over five years.

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00:26:02.061 --> 00:26:07.606
Each day we grew
stronger, he grew weaker.

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The threat of a takeover
was inching ever closer.

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[gloomy music]

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00:26:12.947 --> 00:26:17.616
and when new males appear, any
cubs from the old bloodline

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become a target.

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00:26:27.837 --> 00:26:29.587
[grunting]

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five months old and I
was one fierce feline.

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00:26:34.594 --> 00:26:37.094
[playful music]

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00:26:37.179 --> 00:26:41.682
at least that's
how I felt inside.

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00:26:41.767 --> 00:26:45.060
Ok, so maybe it wasn't me
who hunted that giraffe.

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You need experience
to make a big kill.

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00:26:57.867 --> 00:26:59.241
Far too much to finish.

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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]