Wild Kingdom

In the wild, a smaller animal typically follows the lead of the stronger, more dominant sibling. Navigating through the terrain can be dangerous for young ones on their own and it is essential for siblings to stay close together.

Here we see two brothers, having temporarily escaped the watchful eye of their mother, bounding away from the safety of their burrow.

Common with most youth, the brothers do not pause to assess their surroundings before heading out into the open. They are only concerned with the here and now and satisfying their basic instincts to run free and play.

Because the water hole beckons and the young ones cannot resist.

As the older one crouches in preparation for a skilled and graceful dive into the cool water, he is caught off guard by his younger sibling.

Playful wrestling ensues.

At last they harken to the incessant scolding of their mother that playtime is over and it is time to resume their education in the wild. For she knows, all too well, that survival in the world requires much more than the simple skills learned in a waterhole.

Ah yes, education and school. It was a fabulous summer, though.