Hey Kani, when you're out fetching a drink, would you mind securing the pride's future while you're at it? Thanks!

Not that it was a bad thing, responsibility usually means acknowledgment, and getting this kind of acknowledgment at her age? Hierarchy, here I come! There were, however, a few gaps in that theory, number one being she probably got the job coincidentally, and second, she'd have to fulfill it or she'd spell the doom of an entire pride. And she'd have to do it with Kausha, as no one else was around by the time she reached the den. The prospect of having to bear responsibility for Kausha was in a way a perfect illustration of just how much responsibility is a two edged sword. But she'd try and pull through either way: she had always been convinced she embodied what being a Pridelander was all about, and now she was going to prove it, even if she had to do it all on her own. Well, that's how it worked in theory anyway...
Kani rushed to the den, into the babysitting hall. Then, things suddenly went awkward.

First thing she saw was Kausha, still lying on the floor. But she wasn't where Kani had left her, and she wasn't sleeping either. Whether she was breathing, Kani couldn't really tell, but one thing she did see was that Kausha was bleeding, badly, and in a lot of places simultaneously... she kinda looked like she had been grabbed by eight pairs of yaws at a time, who then all took off in opposite directions. It wasn't too far from the truth.
Second thing she saw were the cubs. They were about where she had left them, though they were awake by now and one was missing. And they looked less at ease, not to say they were terrified, and if they hadn't been cubs, they'd probably all have gone cuckoo by now (as cubs usually don't really know what they are seeing, though they can already give certain emotional appreciations). At least, Kani knew she would have certainly lost it as a cub, as the third thing she noticed allowed her to puzzle up what had happened earlier.
The third thing she noticed was actually more of a composition. The smell took an important place in it, that's for sure, as it was something she had never really smelt before: a mixture of rotten carcass (which wasn't even half bad, taking into account that was the smell of dinner if need be), and a particularly awful stench she couldn't really point out.
And eh, oh yeah, she also found herself surrounded by about eight (might have been more, might have been less) hyenas all of a sudden, but she only noticed those last. Seriously, I kid you not. The mind works in mysterious ways. Anyway, that information allowed her to sketch out the events that had presumably taken place prior to her storming in: Kausha had, as usual, fallen asleep again, and by the time the noise outside woke her up, she'd have probably been surrounded by the previously mentioned hyenas. Giving the shocking nature of such event, any resistance she could have put up would have had to been minimal. That explained why no hyena's were out bleeding alongside her. Yet. And now, Kani had probably interrupted the murderers as they were about to put their teeth in the cubs (who had watched the preview of their fate played out on Kausha). And even if Kani had been exceptionally strong (which she was not), experienced (nope) and of course fast as lightning (not quite), she would never be able to stop them.

Having realized all that in a split-second, Kani felt a bit proud, of course, having such an organized an efficient mind, but that wouldn't help her now. The only fitting thing she could do was try and take as much of those smelly savages with her as possible, maybe giving one or two cubs the chance to get out. Sounded good enough, any self respecting Pridelander would sign for that kind self-sacrifice. The despicable scavengers, however, denied her such heroic fate as they decided to play foul. How fitting… The biggest hyena, probably the one in charge, pointed at her companion just before Kani tried to jump her. The second hyena was caring a cub between her murderous, still blood-sipped yaws. The cub had certainly seen better days, as it now hung dangling between cruelly efficient teeth, crying franticly, with only the sick whims of a murderer separating it from a certain death. Red drool dripped from the hyena's mouth all over the highly unfortunate and painfully innocent little cub.

Kani now found herself out of options, really out of options: she had nowhere to turn, no acceptable option whatsoever, as she was faced with an impossible choice: either she'd pounce the enemy anyway, effectively killing the cub, but maybe saving a few others in the confusion. Or she'd remain inert, after which the cubs' fate would depend on a group of killers that had not shown any hesitation to kill a lone, helpless, sleeping foe. Should she sacrifice the one cub for the benefit of a few others, if any? Tasted a lot like moral monstrosity, a choice you can never make, not in life nor in death, not while you've got any speck of decency left in you. And the fact of her opponents presenting such dilemma to her actually went a far way in depicting to what low they had descended to.

Thus, Kani did nothing, which clearly appeased her opponents, as all they grinned viciously (but they didn't utter one sound, maintaining their discipline still). Eight pairs of yellowish fangs now glanced at Kani, but she denied them the pleasure of even hinting any form of panic, fear or despair. The last thing they'd ever get was her pride, not while any drop of Pridelander-blood was still left in her body.

*

Just another day, not peculiar nor exciting it seemed. Watching the sunrise for a while, then probably a quick nap, and another, and another, … Then, maybe checking up on the cubs again, somewhere past midday, as the heat began to dim down a bit. Then probably sleeping ‘till nightfall again. Nala wasn’t really sure what she’d be doing after that. No hunting, that’s for sure, they didn’t need any new food for at least another two days. Probably just chatting up a bit, that was productive enough, certainly at her age. Not that she felt all that old, or looked it as a matter of fact, but still going out hunting at her age was considered a bit unusual. Then again, Nala wasn’t your everyday lioness; being the queen and mother to the future queen  was an achievement in it’s own right, but she managed to combine it with an ever vibrant, active and even slightly unruly lifestyle, making her contrast pretty obviously to her predecessor Sarabi, who had always retained a life in the shadows of both her husband and her son. But Nala wasn’t really the ‘silent workhorse’-type, she preferred her opinion being heard (and enforced if need be) and her freedom retained, an attitude which had of course radiated onto her daughter Kiara (and with what magnificent results indeed!). But her bold and adventurous nature prevented her in no way from enjoying a life of ease (in relative terms, of course, a predators life is never really easy), a life in perfect comfort and balance; what else could she have ever wished for? A caring (not to mention ravishingly handsome, even as he got older) husband, a bright, cute and loving daughter engaged to one fine son in law, plentiful friends and spare time, bountiful supply of food…
At least, that’s what she ceaselessly told herself. That’s what she told herself in spite of how she really felt. But life wasn’t perfect, it never is, to no-one, and certainly not to Nala. There was one thing missing, one thing so essential its lacking cast a grim shadow over her entire life. She had never had a son, she had never been able to give Simba a true, male heir. That could, of course, not be blamed on Nala, as no-one seemed to be able to present Simba with a male heir, leading to the persistent rumor Simba had one way or another evoked the Kings of old’s wrath (though it could also imply the Kings preferred Kovu to follow in Simba’s footsteps, which Simba perceived to be the case). But it wasn’t just her being unable to give birth to a son. It was her inability to give birth to any cub ever since she’d been expecting Kiara; she had seemingly lost her ability to have children. The difficult aftermath of Kiara’s birth had undoubtedly played a part in that, but Nala didn’t knew that, and thus blamed herself in ignorance. And living through that, let alone blaming it on yourself, is a fate that no-one should ever have to endure. But life isn’t fair, now is it? So Nala did have to endure it, and she did so with astonishing dignity, which was only fitting to a queen of her standing. Because if her years as the life-partner of Priderock’s ruler had thought her one thing, it was that queens do not weep, nor do they ever bow the knee to whatever fate is beset upon them, a matter that stretched beyond pride. But not even the strongest queen does not know moments of weakness, short flashes of sincerity, for being queen did not nullify she was, in the end, just any other lioness, life-partner to her king, daughter to her mother, mother to her own daughter. It’s hard to understand the events that were to follow without realizing that, as it is with all things in life.

Nala was just about to settle down for a prorogued nap on the edge of the plaza below the Rock, probably ‘till way past noon, maybe moving to a cooler location like the den halfway if need be, as a panicking roar suddenly echoed down the plaza, freezing everyone in it’s wake.
Nala immediately jumped