It’s not easy for a lion cub to survive in the wild, especially in a remote area like Kenya’s Masai Mara. This lion cub’s life was put in jeopardy by a single moment of inattention. The baby fell over the edge of a vertical cliff when his mother took her eyes off of him.

When the cub realized he was all by himself and helpless down there, he began to scream for assistance. It didn’t take long for his mother and three other lionesses and a male, who were all nearby, to show up. It seemed that the cub’s destiny was sealed, however, as a rescue would put the lions’ lives at risk as well.

In the end, the lioness opted to risk her own life in order to save the child’s life because of her maternal love. That’s when the action really heats up. Fortunately, Jean-Francois Largo, a wildlife photographer, was able to capture these wonderful images.

Agonizingly, the lioness makes her way down to her terrified cub, one step at a time. As she cautiously steps on the slippery hill, she knows that a single misstep may mean the end of her and the cub’s lives. She had him in her teeth at long last. Although the cub believes he is secure at this point, danger hasn’t passed him by. There is a long road ahead of us. In the dramatic finale, both mother and youngster emerge unscathed from the cliff’s edge.

As soon as everything is okay, the tired mother gives her kid a kiss to reassure him that he is in good hands. Hope he learned from his mistake!