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

[AustralianChaos]

Sarabi looked at Sarafina, fighting to hold her grief in check...there would be plenty of time to mourn later, for now she had a pride to re-organise. "It's just so sudden..." she said sadly, before shaking her thoughts away, getting down to business.

"But Mufasa has to wait...we've lost our king, and Simba's too young to become king just yet...we need someone to take his place while he grows up. Scar has just informed me that he'd be up to the task of holding the throne for Simba...once he's had his moment to grieve."

Sarabi looked back at where Scar was walking off, obviously looking for a private spot. "I know Scar and Mufasa never got along most of the time, but it must be hard for him, losing his own brother...I'm just glad Simba's okay, really."

She turned back to Sarafina. "But what do you think about all this? You are my friend, after all."

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Nala could tell that Simba wanted to be alone, but managed to smile at him as she settled down by his side, cuddling close, using his body for comfort, and hoping the contact would comfort him as well. "The adults are talking about it now, Simba...they're going to work everything out," she said reassuringly...even if she did not believe the words herself.

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Tanga looked up at Marini as she spoke, making her presence known to the cub as he uncurled and shuffled slightly, bringing himself out of the dark, cold corner a little to let her see him better. "Yeah..." he replied, his voice hoarse and shaky. "...yeah, come in...I just...I needed a minute, that's all."

[TheWhistlerify]

Sarafina looked at Sarabi and sighed, "I don't think we have many options." she said, whether if she was against Scar being the temporal king or not, she and Sarabi knew that there wasn't anything else to do.

Simba cuddled up close to Nala and felt a little better having Nala next to him. "I hope so." he said quietly and lay his head on his paws.

Marini smiled slightly and walked into the small den and sat next to Tanga. "I'm sure everything will be fine." she said sitting even closer to him trying to reassure him, and herself

[AustralianChaos]

Sarabi nodded. "There's no-one else who can hold the throne while Simba grows up...he's the only blood relative of Mufasa old enough to hold the throne."

Even as she spoke, she could not shake a feeling of foreboding associating itself with this moment...as if Mufasa's death was just the start. She knew the feeling, and what it meant if she was interpreting it correctly.

It meant that the Pridelands was in for a hard, trying future ahead.

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Nala had no such foreboding feeling as she stayed close to Simba, resting against him as she started to doze off after an emotional evening. "We'll be alright, Simba," she said vaguely as she slipped further and further into sleep. "You'll see..."

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Tanga found himself looking out the cave, where he could see a small section of the night sky, and the stars twinkling away there. "I guess Mufasa's not really gone, is he?" he said, nodding towards the stars he could see, before resting his head against Marini's shoulder, glad for the comforting presence...she always seemed to have that effect on him.

[TheWhistlerify]

Sarafina motioned at the den, "I think we both could use some sleep." she said noticing the sky were dark already.

Simba lay his head by Nala's and looked at her fall asleep. She always seemed to be able to comfort him, even at a hard time like that. He looked around and noticed his mother was still outside. He looked at the den's entrance and waited for her to come back inside.

Marini smiled slightly at Tanga who rested on her shoulder. "Whether he's up there or not... he'll always be in our hearts." she said trying to comfort Tanga even more

[AustralianChaos]

Sarabi also looked out to the twilight sky, deciding it was time to head back to the den...most of the pride was asleep, anyway...and since Scar was not back from his expidition, they would have to leave his role as caretaker of Pride Rock for tomorrow anyway.

"You go on..." Sarabi replied to Sarafina, before the queen stood and made her way slowly up the promontory of Pride Rock, allowing her grief to out as she walked. Her gait was steady and sure, but tears ran freely down her cheeks as she ascended the promontory.

She made her way to the tip of Pride Rock, and sat at the end, looking up at the clear, starry sky, noticing a star that she was certain had not been there before...a star that seemed to shine brighter than all the others.

"Mufasa..." she whispered, her vision now swimming with tears as she silently, motionlessly mourned her mate's loss, leaving the tears to run down her cheeks and splash against the rock.

Finally, as she took another look at Mufasa's new place in the heavens, Sarabi let out a long, loud, mournful yowl into the night sky, lamenting the loss of a lion she held so dear in her heart, his death, leaving a blank emptiness in her that she knew would never be filled until she was back with Mufasa once more.

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Tanga snuggled further into Marini's shoulder, finding her fur incredibly comfortable as her voice eased his doubts and fears. "Always in our hearts..." he repeated drowsily, finding himself drifting off on his best friend's shoulder...and also finding that it felt like the most natural place for him to be.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini began thinking about asking Tanga to come back to Pride Rock, it was getting late. But she didn't when she noticed the comfort she was bringing him as he didn't move from her shoulder. "And I'm always here for you." she said with a peaceful, and satisfied tone.

[AustralianChaos]

Marini's words had the effect of bringing a warm, genuine smile to Tanga as he lay there, his head on her shoulder. "Thank you..." was all he managed to whisper before he drifted off to sleep, a small purr starting deep inside him despite the hard day he had suffered.

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Finished with her mourning after a few minutes at the tip of the promontory, Sarabi returned to the den, slipping between all the sleeping forms as she spotted simba resting in the corner...with Nala sleeping right beside him.

Those two are going to make a brilliant king and queen one day, she found herself thinking as she reached Simba's side, settling herself down beside her son, on the opposite side to Nala. "Are you okay, Simba?" she asked quietly, knowing his father's death would be really hard on the cub...the two of them could be just about inseperable at times.

But even as she talked, settling herself down for the night, she found herself unable to get comfortable...it just was not the same without Mufasa to lean against for warmth and comfort.

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Scar looked briefly back towards Pride Rock, smiling at the thought of ruling the Pridelands soon...before descending into the shadowy valley that housed the Elephant Graveyard.

Sarabi had agreed that tradition dictated that Scar take up temporary duties as acting king until Simba was old enough to take the throne for himself, and that he would be crowned tomorrow morning. Little did she, or the rest of the pride realise, that he had absolutely no intention of letting Simba reach adulthood to take the throne...no intention of relinquishing his hold on Pride Rock.

He wandered silently through the Graveyard, until he came across his usual trio, sitting in front of them, waiting for them to notice him.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini looek down at Tanga who seemed to be asleep. She lay close to him and began thinking about everything the happend and how would everything was going to be now without their king. After a few moments Tanga's purr grew more notice-able, stratling Marini as she moved away a little. It was quite sudden, she never saw considered them more then just friends. But then she smiled slightly and lay next to him again, feeling comfortable and safe by his side for some reason. Could it be that Tanga felt anything for her? Maybe she was feeling anything towards him and she didn't know about it? After a short while she fell asleep as well, purring uncontrollably.

Simba looked up at his mom. He never thought aobut he she felt about the entire thing untill she talked to him. "I'll be okay..." he said with a sigh

[AustralianChaos]

Sarabi smiled down at her son, moving close to him, resting her head on her paws as she settled in for sleep. With those three words, Sarabi felt extremely proud of her son. He was handling his father's death exceptionally well, showing an inner strength that Sarabi knew would make him a strong, just king when he grew up.

"Of course you will," Sarabi whispered as she closed her eyes, wrapping a paw over her son's back protectively. "We'll all be okay..."

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Scar moved up to his three henchmen, clearing his throat to get their attention. It was time to start laying the groundwork for his new plans...which involved getting rid of not only Simba, but his pesky friends Tanga and Marini as well, for ruining his previous plan.

[TheWhistlerify]

Simba smiled as Sarabi wrapped him in her paw. Even if his father was gone, his mother was still alive, and that reassured him a little.

Shenzi turned her gaze to Scar, waiting to hear what would be his next plan