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

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga sighed, knowing why Marini wanted to help. His leg so far was the least wounded, having just been grazed as an extension of the chest wound...but his chest was in a bad way. Tanga looked down at the series of gashes, wincing as he thought of the scars he was almost certainly going to bear from this. The fur all over his upper chest was covered in dried blood, and Tanga could feel more dried blood all over the right side of his face...he knew he must look rather scary.

Tanga then looked back up at Marini to answer her question. "Aside from keeping me close like this, not particularly. I know you want to help, but the only thing that can really done is to bathe them...and trust me, you never want to tongue-bathe wounds, particularly ones like mine."

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Ganya nodded at Shenzi's words, before gesturing for her to go first. "Lead the way to him, then...I just hope he'll agree to give up some help. It'll be easier than having to get rid of this family alone."

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini looked at Tanga's wounds again before she began licking them gently with her tongue. It wasn't a very pleasent thing to do, she didn't enjoy the taste of Tanga's blood, but if that's how she could help Tanga back to the den tonight then she was going to do it. "I hope this helps." she said kindly and smiled before she continued cleaning up his wounds. She then took her head back from his chest and looked him in the eyes, "I'm really sorry Tanga..." she said and gave him a quick nuzzle, "I'll stay out of trouble from now on, I promise." she then leaned back and continued licking the scratches on his chest

Shenzi sighed and began leading Ganya towards Pride Rock. "So do you know how many lions are there?"

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga's eyes widened as Marini moved in to tend his wounds. "Marini, stop. You don't have to do this," he said quietly. "I know it can't be pleasant." Despite this, he made no move to stop her, knowing she would stop herself if she really wanted to.

As Marini apologised once more to him, he smiled at her and nuzzled her, letting her know it was all okay. "Rini, if I could go back and change anything that happened today...I wouldn't. Despite everything, I would not have today happen any other way. You couldn't have stopped today, because you had idea what this forest held that was so dangerous, and you were always going to explore in here...it's who you are, and I wouldn't have you change just because I got hurt."

He paused, before acting on a whim and speaking once again. "I would fight that leopard all over again, Rini, because...because I love you, and I would anything, anything at all, to keep you safe and happy." since she was still cleaning his chest wounds, Tanga gave her a lick across the top of her head, somehow not nervous despite having just openly confessed his complete and utter love for her.

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Ganya growled at the thought of the lions as he padded across the Pridelands with Shenzi. "Let's see, there were the two I faced...plus one more that was present when I had to get away, and I'm certain I heard at least a couple more at some point. I'd say there were five or six of them there, no more than that."

"But I've gravely wounded one of them, he won't be in any condition to defend himself or anyone else for a few days yet...if he's still alive, even." A smirk adorned the leopard's midnight features as he basked in the idea that he had taken that lion's life...he had seemed close to that Marini girl.

"There is one...a young lioness...called herself Marini. No matter what happens, she is mine." he growled, having no idea of Marini's ties to Shenzi's past as he thought of getting his revenge on the lioness who had disrupted his day, and given him some of the more serious injuries he had.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini didn't stop as Tanga asked her to. She couldn't believe how kind he was to her by saying he woulnd't change anything even if he could. She looked back at him, his wounds seemed a little better already . "I love you too." she said and smiled at him.

Shenzi hsook her head as Ganya mentioned Marini's name. "Marini you say?" she asked and smirked, "Tell that name to Scar, he'll help you for sure." She then guessed that the male he had battled was Tanga. But she had no idea who the other 3 or 4 lions were. Probably a small group that took them in or something.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga smiled more brightly than he ever had before as Marini returned his love in full. The pain of his wounds seemed to vanish into the background as he stared into her eyes, so much like his own, before leaning forward and putting his head over her shoulder, hugging her gently, using no words as there was nothing he could say that would do justice to what he was feeling. He just hugged her as they both rested there, the afternoon and the forest suddenly seeming much better and brighter.

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Ganya gave Shenzi a puzzled look as they got closer to Pride Rock. "Does Scar know Marini?" he asked, now completely confused. If this was a rogue family, how could this pride know of at least one of its members, unless... "How many lions have been exiled from this pride in recent times?" he asked, determined to find out. If some sort of resistance against Scar's rule was starting to form, it would be that much easier to convince him to help them.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini smiled and began to purr at Tanga's embrace. His mane was warm and comforting for her. Her worries seem to have dissapeared, she felt like nothing mattered and that there were no worries in the life she lived.

Shenzi looked back at Ganya. "She used to life in Pride Rock. Scar exiled her and another male her age." She then thought about his second question, "Aside from those two... no one else has been exiled as far as I know."

[AustralianChaos]

Sarabi smiled at Tanga and Marini...despite the fact that Tanga was the one wounded, he was still trying to comfort Marini. She could tell that the young, blue-eyed lioness had definitely found a keeper in Tanga...Sarabi predicted that one of them would ask the other to be their mate by the time Simba was ready to face Scar.

Thinking about their plan of overthrowing Scar, Sarabi realised that there was a talk with Simba she had put off until today, that she probably should go over and done with while there was still time. The leopard had not returned for some hours, and his scent was faint, indicating that was nowhere nearby. Getting to her feet, she gave the two of them a warm smile. "I just have to go check on Simba and Nala for a little," she said. "I'll be back by sundown...when we can check you, Tanga, to see if it's safe enough to risk moving you. Marini, I know you probably want me to stay, but both you and Tanga have proved today that you are capable of taking care of yourselves...and each other. And I can sense the leopard is no longer around, so you should be safe."

With those words, she took her leave, heading back for their den, hoping Simba and Nala were coping with what they had seen as well as Tanga and Marini were.

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Ganya's muzzle became thoughtful as the leopard took in Shenzi's words. "Another male her age? This one wouldn't happen to have distinctive golden fur, with a gray belly, and a black mane, would he?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini nodded at Sarabi and watched the lioness leave. It was now afternoon, and in a few hours she hoped that they could move Tanga back.

Shenzi looked at Ganya, "That's the one." she said before rubbing her nose. The day Scar exiled Tanga and Marini Tanga slashed her muzzle and left a small scar on it. "I hope he's well taken care of." she said, thinking that he must know how Tanga looked like because he was the one that battled him.

[AustralianChaos]

Ganya smiled, noticing Shenzi rub the scar on her nose, and putting the pieces together. "If the male's alive, he'll have some painful reminders of our encounter...not to mention one less ear."

As they approached Pride Rock, he fell quiet. Ganya had seen the massive rock formation from a distance...but up close, it appeared to defy nature. "You have to hand it to the lions...they're foul creatures, but they do have good taste in dens."

[TheWhistlerify]

Shenzi smirked, "Well usually Scar is either in the den, or standing at the edge of this rock all day." she said and laughed at herself, "So tell me what makes you want to have Marini so bad?"