[PRIVATE: AustralianChaos & TheWhistlerify]

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini was quiet for a moment, "Well, I also don't have any idea in particular... But maybe we can..." she stopped talking when she noticed something was amiss about her friend. He was looking strangely upset, which was something new to Marini considering how open he always was around her, even with Nala and Simba or any of the adults around. "Uh... Is something wrong Tanga?" she asked, taking a few small steps closed to her friend. She could easily tell that something was wrong, and she really wanted him to tell her why was he acting so strangely. She knew that Tanga would feel better if they talked about whatever was bothering him. Whenever they needed anyone to talked to, they always felt best about talking to each other.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga paused as Marini seemed to pick up on his discomfort, asking what was wrong. "No," he replied automatically, before wincing at just how unconvincing he sounded, even to himself. "Well, yes...maybe..." he trailed off, before growling in frustration. "Ugh, I don't know! I just..." he tried to explain, but faltered, both out of his newfound shyness, and the fact that he honestly had no clue where the shyness was coming from. What had changed between them?

Finally giving up on explaining his issue to her, Tanga sighed heavily. "Maybe I just need to relax for the rest of the day or something," he suggested feebly, really feeling like he could use a good lie down back in Pride Rock, taking some time to figure out what was troubling him so badly. He definitely did not want this newfound shyness to become a habit, Marini was the best friend he could ever have asked for. "But, Rini, it's not you, okay? Whatever's happening, it's something with me," he said softly, hoping to ease any worries she might have about accidentally doing something wrong before they could get started.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini took a few steps backwards and her ears flattened against her head when Tanga growled at her all of a sudden, feeling obviously taken aback by this sudden behavior. He never acted like that towards anyone not to mention her, in fact the only thing she could remember from Tanga that was closest to a growl was a playful wrestle. Suddenly seeing this from him after him being so quiet all the time was actually a shock for her.

When he suggested he should go back and rest for the rest of the day she was about to offer to come with him like she always did when ever he was feeling bad but she didn't. After what has just happened however she felt that maybe Tanga should go and relax on his own, without her. "Uh, alright Tanga... I... I guess I'll see you in the evening." she really hoped that later Tanga would feel better later, even though she still had no idea what was wrong with him.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga's own ears lowered back as Marini backed off from him, realising he'd scared her. But he couldn't bring himself to say anything to try and comfort her, his own shyness still tearing him apart. With little more than a feeble nod and an attempt at a reasurring smile, Tanga turned around and walked off towards Pride Rock. "I'll see you later, Rini," he said softly, before continuing on his way.

----------

But later that evening found Tanga in one of the small, private caves littering the side of Pride Rock, trying to sort out his thoughts away from the rest of the pride, and getting nowhere. He was glad he had distanced from himself from the pride this evening, though, as his attempts to sort out his own behaviour today were driving him to frustration, several pebbles already having been sent a considerable distance into the grass beyond Pride Rock. Sighing, he looked back out into the reddened evening sky, considering heading back to the den to sleep...but decided he would take a bit of time in privacy to calm back down before heading back to the others to sleep. In his current mood, he was worried he might lash out at someone like he had, which was already making him feel terribly guilty.

[TheWhistlerify]

After a while in which Tanga was completely on his own and deep in his thought, Mufasa showed up. "Tanga?" he asked, peeking from outside and noticing the small black-maned cub was there. Earlier that day Marini came back from playing with Tanga but she came back on her own, which confused everybody. Every single member of the pride was aware of the fact that Tanga and Marini never left each other's side unless it was a game of tag or hide and seek.

Upon seeing Marini on her own and looking rather upset, Mufasa could immediately tell something was up. Usually whenever she and Tanga wanted to be alone and "isolated" from the rest of the pride they went to one of the smaller dens, so he figured he'd be able to find Tanga there. He took liberty of entering the small cave and heading over to Tanga's side. "Marini came home rather early and without you today and wouldn't talk to anyone." he sat down next to the little cub, "Is something wrong Tanga?"

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga looked up as a shadow fell over the private den he had picked, automatically jumping to his paws as he saw the pride's kind and regal king there. "Sir!" he cried, making a sort of respectful half-bow to his leader, before looking up at him, puzzled. "What brings you here, sir?" he asked softly, before listening as the king explained, Tanga wincing in guilt as Mufasa explained Marini's refusal to talk to anyone. For Marini to avoid talking to anyone in the pride was always a bad sign.

"I...it's my fault, sir. But I...I don't know how to explain it. I've been feeling...unusual...all day," he said softly, before finally getting a brainwave. "I mean...whenever I talk to someone I'm not familiar with, I kind of close off, and don't say much. But now, it's like all the time I've spent with Marini means nothing, and I'm closing up around her again. And I think I scared her when I got frustrated by it. I just...I don't know what's happening to me. What's changed that would do this?" By the end, he was only partially speaking to Mufasa, more just ranting to himself, trying to sort through the mess that was his mind right now.

[TheWhistlerify]

Tanga's wince of guilt showed Mufasa that Tanga didn't want that entire thing to happen. Not that Mufasa doubted for a moment that Tanga did have any intentions like that, since Tanga was always a quiet and harmless cub. It made sense that Tanga suddenly showing frustration would make Marini so upset considering they were best friends and his quiet personality. The relieving part was that the two didn't have any sort of an argument or got mad at the other. Mufasa wouldn't want to see the two cubs angry at each other.

The king then went ahead and listened as Tanga went on and tried to explain what was going on in his mind. Mufasa could only try to understand how exactly was Tanga feeling, but something about what the cub was saying sounded somehow familiar. There was a short silence before the king felt like he knew what was going on. "Look Tanga, Marini's your best friend right? Anyone can tell that you will most likely never open up to anyone like you do to her." there was a short silence. "When I was a cub like you, Sarabi was my best and only friend. When I just started to grow my mane and was around your age, I too began feeling the way you're feeling right now." he smiled down at Tanga, "What I'm trying to say is... You're developing deeper emotions towards Marini, in other words... You're starting to more than just like her as your best friend."

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga looked up as Mufasa responded, nodding as he asked if Marini was his best friend, wondering what he was on about. He nodded again at the way he always, until now, was able to open up to her. When he explained about how this had happened between him and Sarabi, and how he might be starting to like Rini as more than just a friend, Tanga paused. "You mean I...oh..." he said softly, blushing under his fur and ducking his head. "Well, I...uhm..." he stuttered, not really sure what to say.

He was initially tempted to deny it, but when he looked at it, it made sense...he was going shy around Rini because his feelings for her were deepening...but were hers? "I...what do I do, though? I've already upset her, but what if...?" he paused, realising he was starting to ramble again, before just sighing and ducking his head once more.

[TheWhistlerify]

Mufasa, by Tanga's reaction to what was just said, was able to tell that this really was the "problem", because Tanga was talking more nervously than the previous times in which he had spoken to Mufasa. "What if what?" he sighed, "Look, from what I've been through I can tell you that lionesses don't start feeling like this when they're so young. Sarabi was always upset about how we ended up spending less time together and she was always the one asking me whether I wanted to go somewhere with her. The older I got the more I tried to avoid her."

"One day my mother finally noticed my unusual behavior. And after a long talk and a lot of doubting, I decided to tell Sarabi how I was feeling. That was the stage in which Sarabi was also trying to avoid me for the same reason." he chuckled at the irony, before finally getting to the point. "But when I told her and she realized that liking her was the cause of my behavior she was really relieved and happy about it." in other words, Mufasa was saying that Tanga shouldn't be nervous, that what he was going through was natural.

Considering how close Marini and Tanga were as friends, Mufasa didn't see a reason for Marini to not return his feelings if he ever did tell her about his emotions or for her to not do so herself. But Tanga should wait until they were both a little older before considering to confess his feelings. "There's nothing for you to be nervous about. You acting so strangely will just negatively influence Marini." Mufasa was more than sure that Tanga didn't want that.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga listened, surprised that Mufasa had gone through something so similar to him, he was the king, after all, and Tanga had a hard time imagining him as a young cub, struggling to find his place in the world. He grimaced at the way Mufasa and Sarabi had apparantly avoided each other for ages over their feelings, really hoping he could avoid that.

But when Mufasa mentioned his strange behaviour would just make Marini uneasy, Tanga stiffened. He knew he would have a lot of trouble suppressing this new shy side to himself. Trying to act normal around Marini now that he knew what was happening was going to be close to impossible. He nodded, knowing the King had some very good points, but was still worried, all the same. "I...I'll try, sir," he said softly, knowing he could not even promise himself more than that.