What I've Been Through [PRIVATE: AC & Nakisisa]

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga tried to give Nala a comforting look, but was quickly distracted when Bardu spoke up. for a brief moment, he just copied Nala, staring a Bardu in shock. After what felt like an age, he found his voice. "I...I didn't want to presume," he finally said. "But, if it helps you feel better...son," the last word was spoken with a strange awkwardness, but Tanga tried to ignore it. "Are you okay, though?" he asked. He looked over Bardu once more, but with no visible wounds as far as he could tell, and no skill in healing, it was a lost cause.

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Simba just watched on as Bardu came back to life, causing him to release a sigh of relief. But the lion seemed a little out of sorts still, and Simba hoped it was nothing serious, as he waited for Tanga's question to get answered.

[Nakisisa]

Nala quickly moved to her son's side as he spoke, she nuzzled him, and licked his muzzle, and when Tanga began to speak, she beamed at the one word, Son. She knew her life would be better now she had a family of sorts, and Simba would be there to help her, or so she hoped.

"Im, alright, just a bit sore, and shaken, Nothing to badly damaged" He joked with a laugh, and a cough. "Im sorry for worrying you all" He said, before laying his head down again, giving his mother a quick nod, knowing what she wanted to do. Nala then quickly turned, and ran to Tangas side, nuzzling him, and whispering "Thank You"

[AustralianChaos]

As Nala darted to Tanga's side, Simba came up to Bardu. "I'm glad you're okay," he said softly, but sincerely. "You want a paw getting up, or do you want to rest for a bit?" he asked, putting his paw forward, so that Bardu could take it if he wished to get back up.

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Tanga smiled as Bardu mentioned he was okay. But just as he opened his muzzle to reply, Nala jumped to his side and nuzzled him, causing him to purr as he nuzzled her back. "Anytime," he whispered back. "Although I didn't really do anything. I just hope I'm not this useless when we head back to your home," he added, as he remembered their plan to return to Nala's home so the current king could be overthrown, leaving Tanga once more nervous over the idea that he was to replace said king.

[Nakisisa]

"I better get up" Bardu said, taking the offered paw from Simba. "Thanks, would you mind if we had a little chat?" Bardu asked as he got up, shaking his fur to get the dirt loose. He had a million questions he wanted to ask Simba, and he guessed he had another million to answer. But if he didn't do anything else, he had to apologies.
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You did the greatest thing of all..." Nala said quietly "You accepted him as a son, thats all he's ever wanted, for me to be happy, and him to have a loving father." Nala purred, and licked Taga's muzzle. "And you helped me fell happy... feel loved... I cant believe im so lucky to have you as a mate..." she purred laying down by his paws.

[AustralianChaos]

Simba managed to smile at Bardu as he made his request, before gesturing to a spot a short distance away where they wouldn't be overheard, but still visible to Tanga and Nala. "Sure, I don't mind," he said, leading Bardu to the location, before sitting down in the grass and facing him. "What's on your mind?"

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Tanga looked over at Bardu, as if trying to make sure Nala was speaking about him. "Really?" he said, before he started purring as Nala licked him. "Really?" he repeated as she mentioned how happy and lucky she had made him feel. Still purring, he settled himself down beside her, returning her affectionate lick from before with one of his own.

"I'm the one that's lucky, Nala," he said with complete honesty. "You completely turned my life around, made me feel like I can actually do something with my life aside from being target practice for every other lion out there." He rested his head next to hers, watching Simba and Bardu as they moved a short distance away, apparantly speaking. "It's a bit weird thinking of Bardu as a son, but I guess, in a way, that I am his father to an extent...it will take some getting used to, though," he finally looked at Nala, remembering their plans. "We're to head back to your home today, aren't we?"

[Nakisisa]

Bardu slowly limped to the spot Simba had chosen, half sitting and half laying down he began to speak. "Simba, would you tell me everything? about my mother and where we are all going to live?" he asked, knowing now Simba was no enemy, but rather a potentially good and strong ally.
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Nala purred happily as she was licked, and then again as Tanga started talking. She listened to all he said, and smiled, looking into Tangas deep sapphire blue eyes. They were so warm and inviting, and she felt she could loose herself forever looking into them, but seeing her own reflection brought her back to reality just in time for Tanga to finish speaking. "You'll be a great father... One day maybe you'll have a cub of your own!" she said playfully, licking her paw again. "And Tanga really appreciates this you know, he might not show it, but he does..." She purred again, looking deep into his eyes again, "Yes..." Nala answered happily before she leaned forwards and kissed him

[AustralianChaos]

Simba sighed...Bardu's question brough up a lot of memories...good, bad and downright horrible...but he felt inclined to answer. "Nala has been my best friend since we were both little. Before I...left the Pridelands, I don't think there was a single day I didn't hang out with her, the two of us causing as much mischief as we could manage. I never could beat her at any wrestling games we played, though," he added with a smile, remembering how Nala always could pin him...and still could.

"Aside from that, I'm afraid I can't tell you much about her. After I...left, I never saw her again until just yesterday. She certainly hasn't lost any of her stubbornness, but I can tell that she's less free-spirited than before. She's had it rough since I left, I can tell..."

Deciding the conversation was moving into awkward territory, Simba refocused on Bardu's second question. "From what I remember, the Pridelands was, quite simply, the most beautiful land you will ever see. I can't even describe our home, Pride Rock, to you...you really do have to see it for yourself to understand. It was full of wide, open plains, calm, winding rivers, rolling hills, strong trees..." he paused, a little embarrassed at how far his rambling had gone. "It was paradise, Bardu...but Nala says it's all destroyed now..." he trailed off, sighing heavily. "Scar...how could you do all this?" he whispered, not really addressing Bardu.

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Tanga smiled as he noticed Nala staring into his eyes, finding himself falling into her own aqua orbs. "Thank you," he said in response to her kind words, before being very effectively deprived of any other words as Nala kissed him once more. Purring, he deepened the kiss briefly, before pulling away, looking directly into her eyes once more. "I love you, Nala," he said with complete sincerity, before remembering the phrase about him having a cub of his own, causing his muzzle to redden very obviously, even through his fur. "A cub?" he found himself repeating. "Uhh, well, I...um..." he stammerred, having absolutely no idea how to respond.

[Nakisisa]

"Wow..." Was all Bardu could manage. It did sound so beautiful, but he knew he was one of scars heirs, he would eventually inherit the land, and with that he would have the responsibility as king. He had heard rumors of Simba being the former king, "Simba... I'm a prince of the Pride Lands..." he said nervously, standing on all fours again, pawing the ground he asked "And i know you were a prince yourself, would you teach me to be a true Prince, A true Prince of the Pride Lands?"
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Nala was in waves of happiness as Tanga spoke and looked into his eyes lovingly. When he asked about a cub, she laughed involuntary. "I'm sorry Tanga, You look so funny" She licked all around his muzzle, keeping her tong out as she licked up from his nose, she stopped half way up, looking into his eyes. Blushing she broke away and whispered to him with a half joke, half serious tone, "We could have some fun after you become king... make sure we have a heir if you know what I mean..."

[AustralianChaos]

Simba sighed at the way that Bardu question raised some bad memories. "Bardu, I..." he hesitated, before nervously continuing. "...I'd like to help you, really, but I...never really learned much myself. Being a prince, from what I remember, is simply about realising that, when you're older, you're going to become king...and that means being taught how to behave as king. But I...I never really got the chance to learn any of that..." he said sadly, remembering Mufasa's death once more.

After pulling himself together, he looked back up at Bardu. "I'll see what I can do, but in all honesty, I think my mother, Sarabi, would be the best one to go to for advice once we get back. She'll know a lot more than I do." his gaze became distant as he thought of his mother, sighing at the though that he had not seen her in so long. Was she okay? How had she coped under Scar? Would he ever get to talk to her again?

But his thoughts were thrown off as a question about Bardu popped into his head...one he really wanted answered. "Bardu, I have to ask...what was that all about last night? You took pretty much every aspect of my life, and turned it against me...why?" he realised that the question would probably be an unpleasant one...but it was an issue he needed cleared up, otherwise he was never going to fully trust or respect the black lion in front of him.

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Tanga smiled as Nala commented on his nervous expression, before purring as she licked him all over his muzzle. When she spoke again, however, his blush returned, even more prominent than before, as he realised the implied meaning behind Nala's words. "Uhh..." he said pathetically, running a paw through his mane nervously. He had no idea how to respond...his brief relationship with Kulinda had never even come close to this stage, and his nature as a runt, and outcast, meant this topic left him feeling exceptionally awkward whenever it was brought up.

Rather embarrassed at Nala's suggestion, he pulled his gaze away from hers, hiding his face behind his mane. "I, uhh, well..." he stammered in a vain attempt to say something, before giving up and sighing. Did he want it to go that far...and so soon, too? Nala had said it would wait until after he became king, but the fact that she had suggested children now was a shock to Tanga, to put it lightly. He did like cubs...they had been the only members of his pride to treat him with any kind of equality and respect...but he just was not sure if he was ready to father a child that was truly his own.

[Nakisisa]

"ha.... ha...." Bardu said awkwardly.... "Well... it's just that... I saw you as a threat... a bigger lion than me... but it wasn't just that... As a cub, i was taught a few things about you... How you and my mother loved each other, how you had stolen her from Scar, how you killed your own father..." he said, without realizing what implication that could have had.

"Im sorry" Bardu said soon after, "Well, My father, Scar, always taught me to defend the lands, and if we ever saw you, to turn you away or kill you. When i saw you I knew I couldn't kill you, so i tried to turn you away, and i would have if it wasn't for my mother. I think thats all to tell" he said looking at the ground.
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Nala looked at the confused expression on Tangas face and mimicked it, asking "Whats wrong darling?" She hoped she hadn't upset Tanga, and hoped that whatever problem Tanga had would be able to be resolved by talking, and he would still become king.