The "Kill"

When we got outside the place was sodden, it had stopped raining though. Tepo was driving us tonight as Simon had to go somewhere else. Tepo had those big earring holes in his ears, fascinating. The jeep was sliding all over the place; it was like driving on ice. Tepo was driving very fast & we were skidding sideways. I thought they just enjoyed throwing the jeep around but apparently you have to do that or else you get stuck - yeh alright I believe you but the old adage “scream if you want to go faster” seems to apply in the wilds of Africa as well.
Soon we spot 2 BIG male lions approx six years old. They are the masters of the pride. One has a very dark mane and we are told with a knowing smile that the females prefer the males with the black manes as they are the strongest and bravest, very good for breeding. Just like black skin says Josphat pointing to his arm, and there’s that smile again.
Wildebeest start kicking up a racket behind us and race across the open ground behind the truck. Then there is a loud roar, the 2 males become very alert. They jump up so suddenly they frighten us, well us with the white skin anyway. They start to run, we think they are going after the wildebeest but no. Josphat & Tepo do not move, they are scanning the horizon and watching the scrub up in the distance. Then Tepo shouts Sawa Sawa ? (OK?) and shoots off after the lions. People, cameras & binoculars are flying all over the place. Josphat just grins & I stare in amazement as I look to my left & there about 4ft away, we are keeping pace with a lion on the run. Woohoo.
We come upon the rest of the pride, females & several cubs, they have a young wildebeest it is very much alive. The mother has caught the beast & given it to the cubs to teach them how to kill. The cubs are very excited and drag the beast around and bite it. It makes an attempt to get away and frees itself momentarily from the cubs. At this stage one of the males charges roaring & snarling. He grabs the beast from the cubs and then holds it down with his enormous paws. He then roars loudly at all the cubs and females until they move right out of the way. When they have retreated a good distance. He lifts his paw and takes the animal by the throat and slowly suffocates it. It was slow, horrible and distressing. I know it is nature & I quite accept that but it took so long, I always thought it was swift.
As this was a small animal we are told that the male would eat the lot, he certainly was not letting anyone near & the cubs & females looked wistfully on. A couple of cubs strategically placed themselves close and crept forward bit by bit. Until the male told them in no uncertain terms whose dinner this was & they slowly backed off.