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

[AustralianChaos]

Kali ran a paw over her head at Busara's latest question. "I don't know...but you know me, and how I am about being a warrior...I'd think there's a least a few things I could teach Simba...and possibly the others, too. Scar's not a strong lion...but I know how cunning he can be when he wants to, they'll need every advantage they can get."

Kali sighed. "I'm still not sure if I can trust our son...but he may be the difference in convincing them to let us help them, and let us return to the Pridelands."

She then looked up, noting how far the morning had progressed already. "I guess we'd better go find some food...I'm sure Sarabi and the others will be hungry after travelling all night."

[TheWhistlerify]

Busara sighed, he knew Kali was right about Tanga. They might have seemed to be starting to get along well, but he couldn't know whether Tanga would accept it if they returned to Pride Rock with them. "I'm sure Simba could use your help for training, and the others. But you're right, we should probably go find some food first."

(( Now what? =o ))

[AustralianChaos]

((Quick time jump))

By the time Tanga began to grow restless, it was early afternoon. He had thought on everything he had learned all morning. His father seemed more than nice enough, even managing to help out with his wounds, which were hurting a lot less after that liquid had been applied. But the way his mother had kept him from Uhuru troubled him...what would happen later today, when he met her next?

Stretching, wincing as his wounds protested, Tanga pulled himself reluctantly away from Marini, getting to his paws and sitting down near her, his thoughts turning to his girlfriend as he looked down on her sleeping form. He loved her more than anything, he knew that...but exactly what did that mean? He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, but figured it was way too early in both their to discuss the idea of being mates.

Deciding he would have to talk to someone about it first...probably Sarabi...Tanga turned and looked towards the hill where his parents had made their home, obscured by the tall grass. His parents had accepted their company for now, so hopefully they would be safe enough here...at least until Simba grew up, and was ready to challenge Scar.

Tanga sighed as he contemplated that distant, but ever-nearing day. Their return to the Pridelands would be fraught with danger...and while Tanga had no problem standing beside Simba through it, it was Marini that presented a problem. He did not want her to become involved in what was almost certainly going to be something akin to a full-blown war between the lions and Scar's hyenas, but Tanga knew that Marini would never let him go into danger without her at his side. It was just another thing he knew he was going to talk her about at some point...but not today. For now, they needed to focus on getting settled into their new home.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini woke up a few moments later. She was feeling warm and comfortable, but there was something missing. She then opened her eyes and saw Tanga wasn't next to her. As she moved from her lying form into sitting and looked around, she saw him sitting behind her. She fully turned around to face him, and noticed that he was troubled by something. "Hey..." she began saying and stretched a little, she didn't know Tanga never went to sleep, "How long have you been up?"

Simba also woke up. At first he didn't realise where he was, but when he noticed Nala still sleeping next to him it all came back. He was just going to need another day or two to get used to the new den they were to sleep at for the time being. He tried to look outside the den, but saw nothing but the trees that hid the entrance. He thought whether he should get up and go outside or wait for Nala to wake up first, but decided to go see if Tanga came back and how was he feeling

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga smiled as he heard Marini talk to him, noticing she was up. "Hey, Rini...I never slept, to be honest. You sleep well?" he asked, giving her a small nuzzle.

----------

Nala woke up just in time to spot Simba leaving. "Where you going, Simba?" she asked drowsily, wiping the sleep from her eyes as he slowly dragged her body up into a sitting position. "How long did we sleep?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini smiled and returned to nuzzle, "Yeah." she said, she was no longer tired, but she could still see Tanga was troubled. "What's the matter?" she asked, pulling away so she could look at him, "You seem a little troubled..."

Simba smiled and turned around to Nala, "I just woke up." he said and walked back to her. "I thought I'd go check on Tanga."

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga's smiled faded a little as Marini asked what was wrong. "Just...thinking about my parents. My dad...Busara...he came to see me while you were asleep. He knows a bit about healing, I think...he helped my wounds." He showed her the wounds on his cheek, with the sticky liquid still smeared over them, before turning back towards the hill.

"I just...it's so wierd. They left me when I was so little...before I met you, even. I remember parts of it...but I...they said that they left me because I was so small and weak that I appeared to be dying...and they didn't want to see me die."

"I guess it's just that, I've always dreamed of having them back...and now that it's actually happened, I don't know what to do."

----------

Nala pulled herself to her feet, still sleepy, and staggered after Simba. She still looked tired, but she felt okay, and knew that she would wake up with time. "I'll come with you," she said simply, moving into step beside him.

She looked around, before her curiosity over Tanga and his parents got the better of her. "How do you think Tanga's dealing with all this...it has to be hard to take in for him?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini couldn't tell whether Tanga was feeling better now that he knew why the left him, or whether the true reason was worse than what he was thinking. She wanted to give Tanga some advice, but didn't know what to say. "Well... and how was he? Your dad..." she asked and hoped the question wasn't too difficult for him to answer. His dad might turn out to be nice, since he came to see him and take care of his wounds, but his mother...

---

Simba sighed, Nala was right, it must be so sudden and hard for Tanga to take in in such a short time. "I hope he's okay." he said as the two walked outside, "I'm sure he'll be fine though..."

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga sighed, before moving, sitting himself down beside Marini, leaning against her, using her warmth for comfort...the way she always seem to do. "He seems really nice. I mean, he helped my wounds feel a lot better, and I get the impression that he regrets leaving me behind."

He sighed, the very last traces of his earlier smiled vanishing as his thoughts turned to his mother. "But that just means that my mother had a bigger say in the decision to leave me behind. I think I could grow to like my dad...but I'm not so sure about mum...the way she looked at me when I tried to talk to Uhuru..."

He then suddenly remembered Marini's history, and her parents, and stopped himself rather hurriedly. "Sorry, Rini. You probably don't want to hear all this...with your mother and all..."

----------

Nala smiled. "I guess it's Tanga. Life throws everything it can at him at he seems to just keep fighting on...why should it be any different this time?" She then sighed, thinking of all the trials Tanga had been through.

Sure, all four of them had been through quite a bit...but Tanga had been through quite a bit more, with him being a runt. "I don't get how he does it. I mean, I know we've all been through a rough patch with Scar and everything...but Tanga's had it so hard...if it were me, I think I would have either given up or gone mad months ago."

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini smiled slightly, at least one of his parents was ready to accept him, that was also a start. But she sighed as he mentioned her mother. She always tried not to think about that, but there was no denying that she missed her. She always wanted to meet her father, but she didn't know whether she would be happy with him, or whether she would go mad at him for not being with her mother when she needed his help. "Keep talking if you want to, it's better then keeping it to yourself." she said, trying not to think about her mother for the time being.

Simba thought about what Nala said for a few moments before breaking the silence, "I guess the real strength is inside of you, and is not measured by what's outside of you." he said and smiled to himself, wandering whether what he just said was complete nonsense or whether it was true