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

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga smiled, following Marini inside, coming up beside her. "I know...it's actually a tunnel, though...it comes out somewhere on the other side of the hill. I guess we'll have to explore that way another time, though," he added as he covered a large yawn with a paw. As everyone had been mentioning, it had been a big day, and Tanga was all too happy to get a good night's sleep. "Okay, then, Rini, pick a place to stay for the night."

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Sarabi smiled. "Well, you sure found a useful hiding spot, you two, I'll give you that. But it's late, and I'm sure after last night we're all tired, even if we slept a little this morning. Feel free to find a spot that comfortable, I'm sure you're all old enough now that I don't need to babysit you all day, every day anymore," she finished with a small laugh, before heading off, finding a nook that was spacious enough that she could stretch out and relax as she pleased, but not to so big that she was taking a spot that three lions could easily have settled into.

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Kali smiled as Uhuru settled between her and Busara, before she settled herself a little more comfortably, giving Busara one last, loving nuzzle goodnight, and licking Uhuru across the cheek, before laying her head back down on her paws, slowly drifting off to sleep, her mind awash with thoughts of Tanga, and how he had grown up since they...or rather she...had left him. She knew the decision to leave Tanga had mostly been her doing, and now that she had seen what Tanga had grown up to become, she wanted to make up for that mistake.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini was also tired, she began peeking into the nook and look for a one which would be big enough for the two of them. She then motioned to Tanga, "Over here." she said and walked into it, "Look, it reminds me of my den at Pride Rock." she said as she scanned the little den. It was almost the exact same size as the den she was forced into after Mufasa's death.

Simba then turned to Nala, "Well Nala, where do you want to sleep tonight?" he asked, letting her know that she was free to choose.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga smiled as Marini pointed out the nook, amazed at how it did almost exactly resemble her old private den at Pride Rock. "Wow...how about that?" he said in wonder, memories of the den back in the Pridelands filling him as he found a spot near the middle of the nook, right where he always used to sleep whenever he had wanted to be close to Marini, back in the days before he had admitted to had a crush on her. "It's like a little piece of home, really," he mused, sighing and purring as he settled on the ground, feeling right at home.

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Nala smirked as she came up with a good reply to Simba's question. "As long as I get to use that mane of yours as a pillow, I don't really care," she said, giggling, before actually looking around, finding a nook large enough to fit them both comfortably that looked fairly warm and comfortable too. "This one looks nice," she said, sitting by the wall of their little private den, waiting for Simba to find his place so she could take hers beside him...she made have made the mane comment as a joke, but she actually did want to sleep in Simba's mane...she knew it would be exceptionally comfortable, judging by the peaceful look on Marini's face whenever she had caught her in Tanga's mane.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini settled next to Tanga, right in the middle of their new private den. She felt like she was back in the Pridelands, though she hoped that when they did go back, she could return to sleeping with the rest of the pride in the main den. She snuggled herself close to Tanga, "So... what did you two talk about?" she asked referring to Tanga's talk with Busara, "Anything interesting?"

Simba smirked at Nala's reply and followed here. He went into the den that she picked and looked at it. It looked like one of the private dens back in the Pridelands, it was large enough for three or even four lions. It was now almost dark outside, and the small light that was inside the tunnel was now almost completly gone, making it darker then it was in the afternoon. He sighed as he settled himself close to Nala and giving her a warm and affectionate nuzzle. He then put his head down on his paws in case Nala was serious about the pillow thing.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga wrapped his paws around Marini as she snuggled closer to him, hugging her close like he always tended to do these days, but froze when she asked about his talk with Busara. "Oh...just a couple of things about our lessons tomorrow, and what he, mum and Uhuru have been through while they've been here. He's saving the details of the lessons as a surprise, though."

He sighed as he finished speaking though. He hated lying to her like that...but the subject of the two of them possibly becoming mates was not something he felt he was quite ready to share with Marini just yet, especially since they were both so young, still. He would tell her eventually, probably in a few more months...he wanted to be with her too much to avoid asking her forever, but he felt Busara was right...it was too soon.

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As Simba settled down near her, Nala settled down beside him, shifting close to him, before moving her head from its usual place on her paws, burying it in the short length of mane on Simba's neck, snuggling closer as she started purring. "Ahh," she sighed. "Now I know why Rini does this with Tanga so often." Settling herself more comfortably against Simba, Nala soon found herself drifting off as her sporadic sleeping habits in recent days, adn the eventful day just passed finally caught up her. But even as she drifted off, Nala was confident she would sleep peacefully tonight with Simba right beside her.

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In the nook she had chosen, Sarabi also settled herself in, smiling as she curled up, beginning to drift off rather quickly thanks to the eventful couple of days just behind her, her thoughts and dreams filled with images of Mufasa, Sarafina, and the Pridelands...along with Pride Rock as the site of a massive battlefield, as lions and hyenas attacked each other with a fury never before seen, despite the continuous rivalry between the species.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini smiled as Tanga mentioned Uhuru. "She's so cute and she really reminds me of you when you were her age." she said, calling back memories from while Mufasa was still alive and while everything seemed perfect as she began purring. "I didn't know cubs could be so cute."

Simba sighed and relaxed, he felt really comfortable by Nala's side. "Goodnight Nala." he said and went silent, purring slightly as he began to drift off into sleep.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga was relieved that Marini had not caught on to his small lie, but did not show it as he smiled, listening to her as she spoke, beginning to purr with her. "I know...it's amazing to think that we were like that once."

Tanga then placed his head next to Marini's as he held her close. "Night, Rini...love you," he whispered softly, slowly drifting off.

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Nala, half-asleep, managed to whisper as small "Night," in return to Simba's, before falling sound asleep, purring lightly as she rested by Simba's side, completely content and comfortable in his mane.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini continued purring in content, feeling comfortable at being snuggled close to Tanga as she began to fall asleep herself. "Goodnight Tanga..." she said and fell asleep

[AustralianChaos]

Sarabi was the first of her small group to wake up the next morning, as she moved silently out of their tunnel system. Looking up, noticing it was already mid-morning as she climbed out of the ravine, Sarabi made her way down the hillside, deciding that a morning hunt was in order, as she searched for something to catch to bring back for everyone, noting the various herds of antelope, impala and wildebeest milling about near the hill, along with many other animals.

She smiled to herself as she stalked through the grass, waiting for one of the choice of prey to split from the main herd. Kali and Busara really had found their own little piece of paradise to raise Uhuru in, and Sarabi was grateful to the family for letting them stay here for as long as they needed.

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Back in the Pridelands, Scar sat at the tip of Pride Rock's promontory as he watched the sun climb higher and higher into the sky, thinking on everything that had happened.

Tanga and Marini, along with Nala, had returned to his borders, obviously intent on getting revenge on him for exiling them, and in Nala's case, Simba's murder. But with Ganya's warning and allegiance, they had scared them off, but that did not satisfy Scar. Tanga, Marini and Nala now presented a threat...one that he was sure had not been removed. Zira had set up various patrols along the Pridelands borders, making sure that any intruders were caught well before they could get close to him.

But Scar did not want to wait until Tanga and Marini launched an all-out invasion of his land upon them. He wanted them dealt with before they could become a major threat, and such a task required a proactive approach. But Sarafina had mentioned that their numbers were larger than expected, and Scar did not want to waste half of his hyenas on a search-and-destroy mission.

Sarafina...the though of her perplexed Scar. She was loyal, Scar could not fault that...almost as loyal as Zira was. But some of her more recent actions, particularly since Nala had returned, had seen some mistakes that had cost him a golden oppourtunity to remove a big threat from his lands. And yet still, Scar could not keep his mind off her for too long. She was a beautiful lioness, as well as a skilled huntress and warrior, and seemed to be in the good graces of more of the pride than he and Zira were combined.

The question for Scar was simple...who should he take as his queen; Zira, or Sarafina? He was not getting any younger, he knew, and as king, he needed to continue his bloodline. But who to choose?

[TheWhistlerify]

Simba was next to wake up from the group. He found Nala was still snuggled close to him, and apperantly his paw was around her wrapping her in a close embrace. He didn't remember placing his paw there, he must have done it while he was asleep, but he didn't mind that at all and he was sure that Nala wouldn't mind as well now that they were going out. He was still an early riser, even if he hadn't slept properly in the past two days. He wanted to go outside to see whether Busara was already up, and if he was getting ready to start their training already. But he felt like staying there with Nala a bit more, at least untill somebody else woke up.

Sarafina woke up as well, noticing Scar was not in the den she let out a sigh of relief. She completly avoided him in any way yesterday, what she hoped would never happend was now a possibility. She walked towards the entrance, seeing Scar wasn't at the edge of Pride Rock or anywhere in sight she walked outside and went down for the waterhole so she could get her morning drink, not noticing Scar at the promontory. She had only been there once as a cub, when Mufasa took her, Sarabi and Taka (or Scar) so he could show them what his father has shown him. She sighed at the thought of the quiet cub Scar was before he turned to who he was now, she missed his older personality. Zira was gone as well, she was now instead of Sarafina on the patrol at the eastern border. Sarafina hoped that being at the border would help keep her away from Scar, but she know she couldn't avoid him forever. She was going to have a taste of her own medicine if she wouldn't come up with something soon.