野性波扎那

It begins at the end: Tau is dying; a slow shutting-down creeps over his body. Its time to reflect His life is over but it was well spent.
　　Taus earliest memory as a cub is of Buffalo and of his brother and best friend, Banda. Buffalo motivate all action in the Xakanaka pride. Every day the family follows the herds in an attempt to hunt and eat. Its a life on the move - chasing or being chased! The duty to feed the family falls to their mothers, the prides lionesses. The brothers arent burdened with this responsibility at all. The daily skirmishes with the buffalo are moments of fun and daring - places to test and hone their skills as hunters, safe in the knowledge that Mom will ultimately provide all meals. In their games and adventures, Tau is the risk taker, willing to push the safety envelope, while Banda is cautious, preferring to watch and wait.
　　But childhood doesnt last forever and its a sharp jolt to adulthood when Tau and Banda are expelled from their natal pride and forced to survive alone. They enter the most dangerous life-phase of male lions - nomads with no territory to call home.
　　Exiled from their family, they can no longer rely on the safety of the pride or the protection of their fathers. Meals are no longer guaranteed and buffalo is off the menu completely. The brothers live in constant fear. Everywhere is enemy territory; every piece of land claimed by bigger, stronger males. They make a life for themselves as outlaws, between territories, hide in the shadows and keep a low profile. They are hunted and chased as intruders. Food, when they find it, must be stolen or scavenged.
　　Taus misjudged bravado causes many disasters: A vicious fight with a mature pride male leaves him badly injured. During the face-off with this stranger, Tau refuses to back down and suffers a painful bite to his groin. And when hes a little older, his raging hormones lead both brothers into terrible danger when Tau follows a lioness for an entire day. He gets completely lost and by nightfall hes still unable to find his brother and his plaintive roars resound through the bush and draw unwanted attention. Banda searches for hours to find his brother and keep him quiet.
　　Slowly time passes and the brothers scruffy neck-ruffs develop into impressive dark manes. Tau gains the physical strength to match his attitude and now when an opportunity presents itself, the brothers are ready to act.
　　A young lioness in estrus proves to be irresistible and together Tau and Banda attack and chase away the rival male vying for her affections.
　　This successful paring is the turning point for the brothers. Theyre finally able to emulate their fathers, claim a territory and start a pride of their own. Life comes full circle. Sons are fathers; students are now teachers. The Xakanaka legacy is strong and when Tau dies of old age, its with the knowledge that and the sons of sons continue to rule on the plains of Botswana.