It was hard for Mnong'ono to pick her favorite part about the Pridelands. It could be the many friendly faces all around her. The endless green grass plains that the cubs run and played in, the way the prey beasts seemed at home among the lions, accepting of the fact of the Circle of Life. But for her, it was the moment the sun crept out from behind Pride Rock, just before it cast its golden glow across the land.
And this morning that was what she was going to watch.
It wasn't that she'd expected to get up early enough to catch it, it was just a bonus, a reward for her awokeness. Janikiwit, the lioness she had brought back to the Pridelands after finding her weak, starving, practically dieing out in the rogue lands was sleeping nearby. But Mnong'ono had been watching over her carefully during the night, taking small sleeps in between, but was alert just in case anything happened. After all, the lioness was old, malnourished, and had struggled to get here, she was scared she might die from the exhaustion. So, she kept watch.
She snuck one more look at the lioness before sneaking away to watch the sunrise, then she would be back. She hoped Jani would not wake up and panic in her absence, she almost felt guilty for leaving, but it's had been a while since her last sunrise and she didn't want to miss this opportunity.
Sandy paws made their way out of the den and into the faintly lit outside. The sun was just rising from beyond the horizon so she knew she had a bit of time to get herself into position. Mnong’ono made her way behind Pride Rock and proceeded backwards, in the direction of the Elephant Graveyard, but definitely not near it. Mnong had missed the war between the Hyenas and the Lions but she had heard tales of it and was thankful she was absent. She’d even seen the old king briefly making appearances here and there, his leg maimed from one of the attacks. Hopefully they never came back.
She was nearing the spot she favoured when watching the sunrise. There was a small crop of rocks that were comfortable enough to lay on and watch from, and there was also an acacia tree nearby. She often came here during the day to rest as well. It gave a good view of most of the lands and she enjoyed taking a bit of time out of each day to sit and watch everything going on.
Mnong settled on the rock and waited, anticipating the beautiful sight she would see. She couldn’t see any other lions out, perhaps not many of them knew what the sunrise from this position looked like. She made a note to tell some of her friends one day, maybe, in the future. She liked having the Pridelands to herself at this time in the morning.
As she waited, the sandy coloured lioness reflected on how much she had enjoyed her life in the Pridelands so far. She’d grown up a rogue, had come from a strong willed family. There they all were independent and made the most out of any situation. The only lions you could rely on were yourself and your family. She was so sure she was going to be that same way, that when she became an adult she’d set off out to live by herself, just as her mother had done. She didn’t think she would ever need a pride. But then she stumbled across the Pridelands and slowly her views changed.
Here was a place that was accepting, warm and kind, where lions from all over had come to make their home. It was bountiful, there was always plenty to go around despite the large number that called it home. Everyone was kind, everyone did their part, and everyone cared about each other. It was basically a family, and Mnong’ono was glad she had chosen to stay and become a part of it, this would be her home forever more, she would live out her days here, she would raise a family here, and she would probably die here.
She would give anything to the Pridelands. In the short time she had been here she’d swiftly felt a kinship like none other she had ever felt before, and her love for the pride, its land, the royal family, everything about it grew stronger each day.
She hoped that the green lioness she had brought back, would feel the same way. They had talked on their return about Jani’s life and Mnong’ono was shocked. Shocked that she had survived for so long alone, shocked that she was alive, shocked that she didn’t have anyone left, shocked that a pride could just collapse like that and things fall into disarray. She hoped she would feel at home here, and also hoped that nothing like that would ever happen here.
She shook her head at the silly though, nothing would happen here. This was the Pridelands.
Mnong’ono watch on, content with the choices she’d made and where was now in her life. She was truly grateful for the way things had turned out. She could have easily ended up like Jani, but she had not, and for that, she was glad.
A few of the animals of the Pridelands were awakening now, the light was growing stronger and she could see it breaking out from behind Pride Rock, giving the large feature and glow around the edges.
She stared upward as it rose, watching the sun casting it’s light across the grasslands around the rock. The shadow slowly shrinking as the light reached more and more of the land. Mnong’ono smiled, this was her favourite part. The sun washed over the Pridelands, bathing it in a golden light, awakening it to the new day. Everything was always so vibrant in the morning, the grass seemed greener, the rocks more brightly coloured, the sky more blue, even her pelt seemed a more golden hue than it normally did.
Finally the sun peaked out from over the top of the rock. Mnong’ono was glad she had stolen this moment to watch the sunrise. Now, she would return to Janikiwiti, and hope the lioness was still asleep.