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

[AustralianChaos]

Nala grinned at Simba, before following him up Pride Rock. "Trying to get a peek at what Tanga and Marini are up to, huh?" she asked slyly, even if she made no move to stop him. "Well you're not doing any spying without me!"

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Sarabi watched the two go, smiling as she heard Nala's comment about spying. She doubted they would be able to see too much from such a distance...the waterhole was a fair way from Pride Rock, and even if they could, Sarabi doubted there would be much to see. She knew of Tanga's shy nature too well to believe otherwise.

So she simply sat by the entrance to the den, letting the morning breeze ruffle her fur as she drifted into her own thoughts...

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Tanga took a step backwards as he realised his mistake. He had called out for them to reveal themselves, believing that only one hyena was stalking them. Now that three had revealed themselves, Tanga's menacing nature vanished in an instant. He was suddenly fearful...what would they do to him?

But when the one female of the trio...who appeared to be their leader...spoke, her words left Tanga confused. "I don't know you...and I really don't intend to, since we were just leaving."

Tanga attempted to lead Marini out of the shallows of the waterhole and around the three hyenas, but the two males quickly hemmed them in, forcing them to stay as Tanga kept himself between the hyenas and Marini, determined to keep her safe at any and all costs.

[TheWhistlerify]

Shenzi just smiled her sly smile. "I'm afraid we can't let you leave." she said as her brothers helped her surround the two. "Are you sure you don't remember us?" she asked, this time looking at Marini, who seemed completely terrified and frozen by the situation she and Tanga were put into.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga was becoming more confused by the second. "No...I've never met any hyenas personally," he said, trying to buy for time to come up with some sort of plan to escape. But currently the only escape route was across the waterhole, and Tanga knew that it would be faster for the hyenas to run around the pond than for them to swim across it. They were trapped.

"I do have a couple of friends who've met you, before," Tanga added, looking towards Ed for a brief moment. "In fact, they seemed to remember this one in particular...and since there were three of you back then, I'm assuming you're the same lot."

His own words were doing little to comfort him though. If his theory was true, then he was facing off against three hyenas that Simba and Nala had only escaped from through a mix of blind luck and Mufasa's brilliant timing. And there was no Mufasa around to save them this time.

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Nala followed simba right up to the top of Pride Rock, looking out to the north, but finding the sun forced her to squint, leaving her unable to see too much of what was happening at the waterhole. "Can you see anything, Simba?" she asked as she raised a paw to her eyes, trying to shade them so she could see out to the north, wondering what Marini and Tanga were up to.

[TheWhistlerify]

Shenzi just sighed, sounding bored as Tanga began talking.
"You could say that." she said, taking a step towards him and Marini, turning her gaze to her, "Aren't you going to say something?" she asked with an evil grin, but began to get impatient. "Have you ever tasted... a lions meat?" she asked laughing at herself.

"I don't know who you are... really!" Marini said, her tone shaky.

"I'll remind you." Shenzi said, she was going to enjoy this. "You couldn't have possible forgotten?" she said as Marini gave her a confused look, "You're an orphan, aren't you?" she asked slyly, receiving a slow nod from Marini, "Don't you remember what... 'happened' to your mother?"
Marini's eyes widened as she understood what the female hyena was talking about.
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Simba sat at the top and waited for Nala. When she arrived he looked around trying to see the waterhole. He could barely see Tanga and Marini, but there also seemed to be something else. "I can see them..." he said to Nala, "But I also see something else." he added and pointed at the waterhole, "Can you see what that is?"

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga looked at Marini in horror. These three had killed her mother! Tanga had heard about how Marini's mother had died when she was little, but he had never heard the details.

The look of shock, horror and fear in Marini's eyes caused something to snap inside Tanga, as he turned to face the three hyenas once more. "You will not touch her...any of you!" he growled defiantly, his voice completely steady, a threatening menace in it. Inside, he was shaking with fear, but Marini's distress was giving his courage and adrenaline a massive boost...he was willing to do anything to protect her, and judging by the current situation, probably would have to.

While the hyenas were busy laughing at Marini's distress, and his foolish bravery, he turned back to Marini, whispering to her so only they could hear. "The first chance you get, run...head straight for Pride Rock, tell everyone what happened...I'll hold them off as long as I can." He knew he was most likely walking straight to his death, but Tanga knew that he'd prefer that over losing Marini when he had the chance to save her.

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As Nala's eyes adjusted to the light and distance involved, she also saw that there was something else going on by the waterhole. "I can see some others with Tanga and Rini, but..." her voice trailed off as she finally saw the whole situation, and realised the truth. "No..." she breathed.

Rather than turn to confirm it with Simba, Nala acted on pure instinct, remembering the Elephant Graveyard, she drew in a massive lungful of air, and bellowed at the top of her lungs. "HYENAS! HYENAS AT THE NORTHERN WATERHOLE! CUBS ARE IN DANGER, HELP!"

She then turned and grabbed Simba's paw. "Come on!" she yelled, practically dragging him back down Pride Rock, far faster than what would be deemed safe at such a precarious height as she prayed someone had heard her cries and heeded them.

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Sarabi had indeed heard Nala's desperate call, and had jumped into action straight away. But rather than dash straight for the waterhole, she sprinted back into the den, calling out to her best friend, and the best huntress in the pride. "Sarafina! Saffy, get up, hurry! Tanga and Marini are in danger!"

[TheWhistlerify]

Shenzi continued on laughing, "You're such a fun spoiler." she said as the three close in on him, "You see, I'm desperate on knowing whether... taste is hereditary." she then stopped and laughed, enjoying the fear of the two young lions. "Let me offer you this... you leave the lady with us and we won't kill you." she said enjoying herself

Simba followed Nala as quickly as he could when he understood what was happening. When they arrived at the den Sarabi and Sarafina were already getting ready to set off. "Mom, I want to come with you." he said, wanting to do anything to try and save his friends.
"You and Nala are staying right here." Sarafina said before turning to Sarabi, "Let's go!" she said and ran after her

[AustralianChaos]

Sarabi sprinted across the Pridelands with Sarafina, moving as fast as her legs would allow. she knew how much Tanga and Marini meant to Simba and Nala, and all she could do was pray that they were not too late as they covered the distance to the waterhole.

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Nala took one look at Simba, before making her choice. She'd rather have Sarafina ground her until adulthood than sit at Pride Rock and wait to see if her friends returned alive. "I'm not going to just sit here and do nothing!" she declared defiantly to no-one in particular, before racing off after her mother, hoping Simba was on her tail.

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Tanga stood his grond as Shenzi offerred him his life in exchange for Marini's...to him, there was no choice in that offer. "Here's my counter-offer...let Marini safely back to Pride Rock, and you can have me instead," he challenged, knowing the hyenas almost certainly wound not take it. But it bought him a couple more seconds to think, even if he knew his situation was hopeless.

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Scar watched the confrontation between the two cubs and the three hyenas with a hint of amusement. That Tanga's got some guts, he thought as he noticed Tanga standing protectively in front of Marini.

But then Scar noticed movement out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see Sarabi and Sarafina sprinting for the waterhole, somehow having been alerted to the danger the two cubs were in. "No!" he growled, thumping his paw against the ground in frustration.

But even as Scar watched another of his plans crumble in front of him, he smirked. Maybe I can salvage some small victory from this after all, he thought slyly as he got to his feet and also started running towards the waterhole. He knew Sarabi and Sarafina would get there first...but then that's what he was counting on now, anyway.

[TheWhistlerify]

Shenzi laughed at this. "Why not?" she said, her slight smile still on her face as she motioned Marini to get out of the way. Marini was hesitant, she didn't want to leave Tanga behind with three hyenas, but she didn't have anything else to do besides taking that oppertunity to get help. She was about to walk past Banzai when Shenzi motioned somethign to him with her head. He then leaped at Marini and pinned her down.

Simba nodded at Nala and began running after her. If those were the same three hyenas he thought those were, he was going to rip them apart for everything they did if he got the chance to

[AustralianChaos]

"MARINI!" Tanga screamed when Banzai pinned her down, he made to leap for her, but Ed blocked his way. Panic settled into his mind as he turned to Shenzi. "No! Please...just let her go!" He could already feel the tears forming in his eyes as he looked at Marini, trying to reassure her that she would be alright...and failing miserably. "Just take me instead! That's it!"

[TheWhistlerify]

Despite Tanga's fear and tears, Shenzi continued with her shallow laughter. "I'm afraid we can't do that." she said, Ed and her closing on him, "You two are such a... nuisance. But we can kill you first, so you don't have to watch her die." she said with laughter