I don't own any of the animals except for Majana (Swahili for 'child') and Kanuni (Swahili for 'rule').

It wasn't quite dawn in the Pridelands, when a female lion cub entered the main cave of Pride Rock, made her way carefully over to one lioness in particular, and said, "Mum."

"Mm," the lioness, Vitani, murmured.

"Mum," the cub said, more insistently this time, "come on mum." When this too failed to elicit a response, the cub proceeded to nudge Vitani, and when this didn't work, she proceeded to lick the lioness's ear.

Vitani inhaled sharply at the touch on her ear, opened her eyes, and turned her head, dislodging the cub. It took her a moment to gather her wits, and when she did, she looked down at the cub, "M'jana, how m'ny times h've I told you about the ear?"

"You promised to show me the sunrise," Majana replied, staring up defiantly. She righted herself, and repeated, "you promised."

Vitani groaned to herself, remembering. Normally, she didn't like waking before dawn, though she'd grown up on it, but once in a while didn't hurt much. "'kay 'kay, I'm up," she said, rising slowly, and yawning.

Majana was tense with excitement, as the two made their way out of the cave, and onto the ledge in front of the cave. Once outside, she bounced up to the tip of the promontory, and sat, grinning, watching the sun rise over the horizon. Behind her, Vitani sat, smiling faintly at her daughter's enjoyment of what was, to her, nothing very spectacular. "Come on 'jana," she said, when the sun was fully up, "let's go say good morning to the rest of the pride."

"Oh, good morning Vitani, Majana," Nala said, when she spotted the pair, "and where were you this morning?"

"Mum showed me the sunrise," Majana replied excitedly.

"And did you like it," Nala asked, glancing at Vitani's smile.

"It was cool," Majana replied.

"I'm sure it was," Nala replied, then looked at Vitani, "I don't suppose you're joining in the hunt today then?"

"No, I don't think so," Vitani replied, "you know how I get when I wake up early."

"I do," Nala agreed, "and it doesn't hurt to take a day off occasionally."

"So what you going to do today mum," Majana asked.

"Watch over you and Kanuni," Vitani replied.

"Aw, mum" Majana said, "we can look after ourselves."

"Uh-huh," Vitani said, "and what happens if you run into a cranky leopard?"

"We'll, we'll be careful," Majana said, looking startled for a moment, then smiling ingratiatingly, "please."

"No," Vitani replied, chuckling at Majana's persistence, "not till you're older anyway."

"How much older," Majana asked.

"Oh, a few moons yet," Vitani replied.

"Oh," Majana replied, looking despondent for a moment, before smiling, and turning to Nala, "queen Nala, can Kanuni and I play on our own?"

"I'm sorry Majana," Nala replied, "your mother's right, the Pridelands is just too dangerous for you two to be out alone."

"Well, what about Kiara," Majana protested, she got into all sorts of..."

"I will admit that Timon and Pumbaa weren't ideal cubsitters," Nala said, "nevertheless, they were there."

"Well..." Majana began, thinking furiously.

"And before you say anything on the subject," Nala said, "Simba and I had Zazu to look over us."

"Aww, okay," Majana sighed, knowing she couldn't win.

"Ha ha, you're it," Majana called, as she tagged Kanuni, then ran away.

"Not for long," Kanuni replied, giving chase.

Vitani sat back and smiled at the sight of the two cubs getting along so well, and let her mind drift, wondering what she'd be like now if she'd have been raised in Simba's Pride instead of, as she was, her mother's.

Vitani was suddenly brought back to reality by a stinging sensation in her leg. Investigating she found something she didn't recognise sticking into her leg, and brushed it out, then forgot about it, after all, it wasn't like it was a big wound.

It wasn't long, though, before Vitani began to feel unusually tired. For a few moments, it didn't worry her, then it did, what could happen to the cubs while she was asleep, then even more chilling, would she wake up again, or would she die in her sleep? "Majana, Kanuni," she called, "we're going."

"Aww, mu..." Majana began.

"We're going, now," Vitani said, "I don't feel well, and I'm not leaving you out here alone, so let's go." She rose, rather shakily, and was about to lead the cubs back to Pride Rock, when she thought for a moment, then carefully picked up the, well, whatever it was, then headed out.

The trio hadn't got far, when Vitani stumbled, but recovered. She stumbled again soon afterwards, and this time, fell over. "Mum," Majana said, "what's wrong?"

"I'm just a bit tired," Vitani replied, forcing herself up, despite the fatigue, "let's go."

When she stumbled a third time, and fell again, she knew she wasn't going to make it. "Mum, what's wrong," Majana asked, more urgent now.

"I'm not going to make it," Vitani replied, "you two go on ahead, I'll try to distract whatever it is." As an afterthought, she dropped the odd object, and said, "take it with you."

"What is it," Kanuni asked, almost as scared as Majana but controlling it a little better.

"I don't know," Vitani replied, "but take it, and get out of here, now."

"Mum," Majana said, worriedly.

"NOW," Vitani roared, and the two cubs scampered off. She rested a moment, then, with all the effort she could muster, forced herself upright, whatever was after them was going to find her either dead, or ready for a fight.

"Mum, Grandma," Kanuni called, as he and Majana raced up Pride Rock.

"Kanuni, Majana," Nala said, confused "you're...where's Vitani?"

"She's out there somewhere," Kanuni said, "and she's sick."

"Sick," Kiara asked, "how?"

"I don't know," Kanuni replied, desperately, "she's sick."

"Show us the way," Nala said. As the two cubs raced off, she, Kiara, and several of the other lionesses followed them.

They were most of the way to the water hole, when both cubs stopped, and started to look around worriedly. "Why are we here," Kiara asked, "where's Vitani?"

"Mum," Majana called, as Kanuni returned to the others, "mum, where are you?"

"Kanuni, what's going on," Kiara asked.

"We-she was right here," Kanuni burst out, "we left her right here."

"Kiara, go and get Rafiki," Nala said, and when she'd left, turned to Kanuni, and said, "tell me everything."

Slowly, stuttering and 'umming' and 'ahing', Kanuni related what had happened down at the water hole. Just as he finished, Majana came back, tears streaming down her muzzle, she dropped the strange object she'd been carrying just in front of Nala, then leant again her leg, and wept.

Fairly soon, Kiara returned, not only with Rafiki, but also Kovu and Simba. "Where's Vitani," the prince asked.

"That's the problem," Nala replied sadly, "she's gone."