A Change of Plans [PRIVATE: AC & The Whistlerify]

[AustralianChaos]

Nala looked up at the cliffside herself, but shook her head. "No we couldn't," she replied. "The lookout spot's just a ledge on the cliff, it's too far down to jump."

She then looked out at the lands around them, wondering what secrets this place beyond the Pridelands could possibly hold. "Yeah, I wouldn't mind looking around, either," she said, walking past Simba and back out into the sunlight, looking up find the others had not reached the cliffside ledge yet. "Let's just wait for Sarabi to get up there, though...we don't want to give her a fit by going missing so soon after everything that's happened?"

Nala's cheeky grin said she was harbouring thoughts of running away despite her cautious words, but she suppressed them. She could see that Simba was happy to see his mother again, and knew he would not want to do anything that might upset her...at least not for a few days.

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Tanga chased after Marini as the two of them burst out into the light, slowing down as he realised that there was a cliff edge just beyond the tunnel opening. But as he stopped, his eyes adjusting to being back in the light again, he blinked a few times, before finally getting a good look at just what kind of view this cliffside ledge presented.

"Whooooooa!" he breathed, unknowingly mimicking his reaction when he first found the gorge the day Mufasa died as he stared out across their new land. Their cliff, which faced to the south, away from the Pridelands, offered them a wide view of a savannah that, while nowhere near as lush and rich as their old home, was still very beautiful. Off to the south-west, he could see a small forest that was just itching to be explored, and the further he looked south, the more barren the lands became, until he could see what he believed was a desert right on the far horizon.

He turned back to Marini, grinning from ear to ear at the sight before them. He did not attempt to use words to express the view they were seeing right now, nor did he really have any.

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Sarabi smiled as she saw the two cubs taking in the sight, as the former queen herself came out of the tunnel and relished in the sight once more. "It's a beautiful view, isn't it?" she said wistfully. "From the top of the hill above, you can almost see all the way back to Pride Rock, as well...but I like this view more when I'm out here...it reminds me that there is a world beyond the Pridelands, and that there are other lions out there...somewhere."

[TheWhistlerify]

Simba looked back at Nala, now realising you could only get up there through the tunnels system. "Oh well, maybe another time then." he said and followed her outside. Looking at where his mother had been a moment ago he noticed that she and his friends were still somewhere inside the tunnels.
"Yeah, we should wait for her and let her know before going anywhere." he admitted with a sigh. Even though he already learned from his past experiences to stay away from places he was told what to do and not to trust everyone, he still didn't want to get his mother worried.

Marini looked at the view, it was amazing. It might now be as beautiful as the Pride Lands were, but it was far better then she expected. She noticed the small forest, wondering when will they have a chance to explore it. When it came to exploring or playing, it wasn't whether she could go or not. When Marini wanted to do something it was a question of when.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga saw that Marini was also looking towards the small forest rather longingly, and decided to share his enthusiasm. "You wanna go see the forest, too," he said, more of a statement than a question, as he back at it.

The secrets of the forest floor the thick canopy hid were rather inviting, and despite Tanga's quiet streak, he knew he wanted to go have a look...he had never really seen anything like it...the Pridelands did not really contain any thick woods.

He turned back to Sarabi, before looking back at the woods, an unspoken question in his eyes as the only adult and therefore 'leader' of their group took in the view herself.

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Nala looked up once more at the clifftop, smiling as she saw that the other three had at last made it up there, and were enjoying the view. Tanga and Marini both seemed to be excited about something that lay to the south-west, and Nala turned to see what the fuss was about. Looking off in the direction Tanga and Marini were staring, Nala caught sight of the thick woods, her own eyes wideninh at the thought of the adventures they could possibly have in there.

She have Simba a push on the shoulder to get his attention, before pointing to the woods. "Look at that!" she said, her own excitement showing in her voice. "Think of all the interesting things we could find in there!" She then turned up to face Sarabi. "Hey, Sarabi! Could me and Simba go exploring for a bit?" she asked, putting on her best cute face, hoping the distance would not ruin the effect.

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Sarabi looked towards the woods that all the cubs seemed to be interested in, and frowned as she remembered a close call from years back...back before Simba was born...

"Okay," she called back to Simba and Nala. "But on three conditions. One, be back by sunset. Two, don't travel too far...stay where I can see you from here. Three, do not enter that forest! Last time I was here it was not a safe place, and I'm not going to risk it now. Just stay out of it until I can learn more, and see if anything's changed."

Even from up this high, Sarabi could clearly see Nala's disappointed pout, before the young lioness turned to her son, obviously discussing the rules with him. She prayed that they had learned their lesson from the Elephant Graveyard incident, and would not go looking for trouble this time.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini nodded back at Tanga excitedly. She's never been to a forest before, or maybe she was but was too little to remember anything. But as Sarabi answered Nala's request, marking the forest as a dangerous place she sighed. They could either wait for her to check if it was safe, or go there when they were older.

Simba looked up at his mother. "Okay mom." he said before turning back to Nala. "Let's go?" he asked playfully, but this time he intended to listen to his mom. If she said the ofrest was dangerous, then he would stay away from it, he learned this lesson already, twice

[AustralianChaos]

Sarabi watched as Simba and Nala left to explore this new land, never taking her eyes off them, even as she spoke to Tanga and Marini. "Well, what about you two? Are you going to go join them?"

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Tanga looked from Sarabi to Simba and Nala, even though his choice was already made. With the forest out-of-bounds, and his shoulder still a little sore from where the antelope had kicked him, the young, golden-furred lion made his answer clear by lying down on the ledge, looking out across the land. "No, Sarabi...I think I'll just sit here and rest for a bit...my shoulder's still a little off."

He then turned to Marini, smiling at her. "Feel free to join the others, Rini...I'm probably just going to take another nap." he said, before settling his head on his paws as Sarabi also settled down at the opposite end of the ledge, giving him a little space.

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Nala bounced around excitedly as she followed Simba away. "Okay, Simba, where do you want to go first, huh?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini smiled at Tanga, "I don't mind exploring tomorrow." she said and lay down by his side.

Simba smiled at Nala's excitement, "Let's just walk around and see what this place is like." he said, knowing his mother will be looking at them all the time

[AustralianChaos]

"Okay!" Nala said, jumping around by Simba's side as they wandered off, taking an occasional glance back at Sarabi, and a few brief, but longing looks towards the forest.

"I wonder what makes it so dangerous?" she asked casually, seeing that Simba had no intention of entering. She was exceptionally curious about it, but her experience from the Elephant Graveyard had taught her to listen to the advice of their parents more often.

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Tanga smiled as Marini lay down by his side, himself shuffling so he was just a little closer to her, resting his head on his paws and sighing in contentment, watching as Simba and Nala ventured away from the cliffside.

"Well...we're all here now...guess we just have to wait until Simba's older now, then we can head back home." He then smiled at Marini. "Although I would not mind visiting this place every now and again after we head back...it's a good spot."

[TheWhistlerify]

Simba looked at the forest again as Nala wasked what might make it dangerous, "I don't know." he asked sounding curious, but he quickly pushed away the option of going there, "We can ask Sarabi when we get back."

Marini sighed, she completly forgot the reason for why Simba and Nala ended up in exile as well. But with all the hyenas that will be lurking behind every rock because of Scar, she wasn't quite sure how were they going to over throw him, it didn't seem like they could even get to him. "Yeah, I wouldn't mind coming here again when we get the chance." she said with a slight smile, "But however Simba might need us, we will help him."

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga nodded, still smiling as he closed his eyes. "Of course we will, I would not have him do it alone at all." he said, before finally beginning to drift off to sleep, unconsciously leaning so he was resting against Marini's side as he settled into an afternoon nap.

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Nala nodded. "Yeah, might be a good idea." She then turned and looked around them. "So...where are we heading off to first, then?" she asked.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini smiled at Tanga and watched him drift off into his nap before looking at Sarabi, "You said you've been here before?" she asked the lioness who seemed busy watching SImba and Nala, "How did you find this place?"

Simba thought for a moment, "Let's just look around this place a little... Maybe we will find something interesting."