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

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga smiled at Marini's response, feeling absolutely on top of the world right there and then. He give Marini a small, quick lick across the cheek, before settling beside her, letting her lean against him as they both purred in contentment.

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Sarabi watched as the two young adolescents interacted, smiling as she saw Tanga lick Marini. She was certain that the two of them would make a wonderful couple when they were older. She gave them a few more moments before deciding to clue them in her favourite lookout spot. "You two comfy down there?" she called to get their attention.

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Scar thought on Sarafina's offer. It would get the job done that much quicker, and guarantee his place as king of Pride Rock. More to the point, with Scar back a Pride Rock when Simba was disposed of, he could not be connected to Simba's death in any way, guaranteeing that the pride would never suspect his involvement in it.

And with Sarafina as the mother of Simba's best friend, the young cub would certainly trust her. "Yes..." he finally said. "Yes, that would probably work better. By splitting up the duties, the pride will find it harder to put the series of deaths down to anything more than bad luck."

He looked a Sarafina, a sly smile on his face. "How soon can it be done?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini was a little surprised at Tanga licking her cheek, but she enjoyed it. They both kept quiet untill they heard Sarabi's voice from above them, she looked up, still not moving away from Tanga. She already knew that Sarabi knows about the two of them, so there was no point in making up excuses or getting nervous. "Yeah, I'm pretty comfy." she said with a grin.

Sarafina looked at Scar, "Anytime. Tomorrow, in a week..." she began saying, then remembered that the sooner Simba was out of Pride Rock, the better. "...even today."

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga also looked up at Sarabi's voice, grinning at Marini's response. "Yeah, we're both..." he stopped as he realised exactly where Sarabi was located. "Hang on...how in the world did you get up there?" he asked, bewildered. "You were exploring inside the cave, weren't you?"

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Sarabi smiled. "One of the tunnels in the cave system leads up here," she answered for Tanga. "If you want, I can show you the way tomorrow...I doubt either of you want to move for now."

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Scar looked at Sarafina, smiling. Having Simba dealt with today seemed a little fast, especially considering Sarabi's death mere hours ago...but his rise to the throne had already been delayed by a month...he was not going to sit back and miss a golden oppourtunity. "Eager, are we?" he said slyly, before nodding. "Alright, while I distract the rest of the pride with the tale of Sarabi's death, you take Simba away for a private moment...and deal with him. I'll place my trust in you to come up with a suitable cover story for his 'accident'."

He smiled at her once more as he turned back to look over the Pridelands...the wide, expansive land, that would be all his tonight. "Tonight, we shall begin a new era in the Pridelands...one that will lead us to a bright, glorious future Mufasa could only have dreamed of!"

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini smiled at Sarabi, "Sure, sounds good." she said before laying her head by Tanga's again. She really didn't feel like going anywhere.

Sarafina forced her sly smile and tone, "I'll... 'talk' to him, making sure the pride members inside the den see that, but don't hear anything." She then paused, trying to hcoose her words carefully. "We'll go... 'see' Sarabi for the last time, if you know what I mean. And we'll say Simba wanted a moment alone, so I left him by himself. Hyenas, you know how restless they can be. But I'll get rid of the body, I don't want anyone seeing the bite and claw marks are no hyenas." she said before turning around and walking back inside

[AustralianChaos]

Scar watched as Sarafina walked back into the main den, smiling. He had gained an unlikely ally...one that meant he no longer needed the hyenas for his schemes. Yet he had still promised them food and shelter beyond their wildest dreams, and knew that they would very quickly turn on him if he did not appease them.

Still, coming up with cunning schemes had always been his specialty, so he simply sat back and thought on what to do about his new predicament as Sarafina went to get Simba.

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Nala looked up as her mother entered the den, heading towards Simba. Is this it? she wondered. Is this moment we are to stage Simba's death, and my escape from the Pridelands?

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Tanga smiled up at Sarabi, nodding to her offer, before purring as Marini rested by his side once more. He too, lay his head down, a smile crossing his face as he started drifting off into a midday nap, Marini's fur and the sun relaxing him, the knowledge that he was now going out with the lioness beside him filling him with a peaceful joy.

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Sarabi watched as the two adolescents settled in, obviously very content to just while the hours away in each other's company. Despite the fact that she had moved on from Mufasa's death, that was one thing she had sorely missed. but she would never find another mate...she considered it too much of a betrayal of Mufasa, and she was happy enough with the memories of what they had shared together.

Settling in, she rested her head on her paws as she decided a midday nap up at her lookout spot was a good idea, as she relaxed, using the moment to replay a few of her happiest moments with Mufasa in her head, letting him live on through her.

[TheWhistlerify]

Sarafina walked over to Simba, nodding him to follow her. She gave a quick glance to Nala, letting her know to run away once the pride was told about Simba. She took Simba and led him away from Pride Rock. She would come back and tell everyone about the hyena's accident. And if Scar wanted to see the body, she'd say she threw it down a river.

Marini remained awake. She was quite pleased with how everything turned out. With Tanga by her side, her mind stopped thinking about all the difficult things they've been through lately. She took a quick glance at Tanga, seeing he was sleeping peacefully by her side before giving him another quick nuzzle and laying her head down again

[AustralianChaos]

Nala waited until Scar called the pride out to tell them of Sarabi's death, and while everyone was distracted, slipped away from the group, sneaking off into the savannah.

Once she was a safe distance from Pride Rock, she abandoned stealth and chased after her mother, who was also leading Simba away. She just wanted to say goodbye to her one last time before she was forced into exile for another year.

"Mum!" she called as she began to catch up, getting closer. "Mum, wait up!"

[TheWhistlerify]

Sarafina was leading SImba away from Pride Rock. "I need you to go find Sarabi. She's with Tanga and Marini." she said, receiving a nod from Simba. "Nala will join in a few hours as well." she said, but SImba looked confused at this. "I want her to be somewhere safer. The Pride Lands will not be a good place to live in once Scar takes the throne with the hyenas."
She then heard her daughter call for her, "Nala, what are you doing here?" she asked, turning around to her daughter, "You need to wait back in the den and leave when we tell you about Simba. Then you won't come back, and Scar will think you ran away."

[AustralianChaos]

Nala knew she was not following the plan directly...but she couldn't wait...and she wanted to be away from the pride for her last words. "I'm sorry, mum...I just...I just wanted to see you away from Scar one last time."

She then got an idea, and turned back to her mother. "But I don't have to go back...if you explain that I followed you out here, and saw you get rid of Simba, then that would better explain why I've run off," she explained rapidly. "I mean, according to the story, I've just seen you kill my best friend...what else would I do?"

She then dashed forward, hugging her mother harder than she ever had before. "I still can't believe it's come to this...all of us hiding in exile while we grow up, and you pretending to be Scar's greatest fan while he rules the Pridelands. but I promise, mum...I promise that we'll all come back when we're ready...we'll come back, stop Scar, and everything will be the way it's supposed to be again."

Tears leaked from her eyes, despite the fact that the goodbye was not forever. "I'm gonna miss you, mum...so much. But I promise that I won't leave you there forever."

[TheWhistlerify]

Sarafina listened to what Nala said. That did sound like a more reliable reason for her to run away. She returned her daughter's hug, "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." she said, letting go of her daughter, before looking down on the two adolescents, "You two stay safe. I'll return to Pride Rock later to make the staging more believable"