Our Future lies within You. [DG & Songo]

[DGFone]

Ahadi grinned. "This is so wonderful! We have to go and tell it to your parents!" He said happily. "They have to know right away!" He ran off to Priderock, closely followed by Uru. The two lions ran until they they found Mohatu and Kamaria lounging at the pride's resting area. Uru's aging parents mostly spent their time resting with each other, too old to do much else anymore. Ahadi ran up to Mohatu, grinning madly. "Mohatu! Just got some great news!" He announced.

Mohatu looked up to see his daughter and Ahadi run up to them. "Well, what are the great news?" He asked playfully. Clearly, whatever Ahadi had to say, it was something, judging by how lively Ahadi and Uru were.

Ahadi grinned. "Mufasa's picked a mate. It's Sarabi!" he announced.

Mohatu smiled and looked at Kamaria. "That's great!" He slowly got up, his joints aching. "I think that this calls for a visit! Lead the way, happy parents," he told Ahadi and Uru. Mohatu nuzzled Kamaria. "Our grandchildren, growing up so quickly," he whispered into her ear.


Taka frowned at Mufasa's advice. "Gee, Muffy... I never really thought about it," he admitted. He never thought of a future mate yet. He was still thinking of a way to get back to the graveyard unnoticed. And besides, wasn't getting a mate kingly business? It's something for Mufasa to think about, not Taka. "I'll think about it, Mufasa." He said simply. All this time, he had yet to notice Sarafina's embarrassment.

Sarabi nuzzled Mufasa. After a while, she looked up, and was surprised to see Ahadi, Uru, and Uru's parents making their way towards them. "Uh, Mufasa?" She asked, giggling, "How many others did you tell about us?" She asked.

[Songo]

Uru padded beside Ahadi smiling when she found them chatting and she reclined to her hinds in front of the young adolescents "Well, I told them." she admitted with a small smirk. She nuzzled Ahadi's mane and nudged him with her muzzle to say something.

Kamaria joined Mohatu's side and her blue eyes looked at Mufasa, "Well Mufasa, did she say yes?" she chimed in with a curious question.

Mufasa rubbed the back of his head with his paw sheepishly and rolled his big brown eyes at his mother. "Mom...sheeshh.." he grumbled. He smiled and nuzzled Sarabi softly looked to his grandma as she spoke. "Yes grandma. She said yes..." he said with a big grin.

Sarafina watched them gather around Mufasa and Sarabi and she side glanced at Taka, he seemed so uninterested in the happenings. She frowned slightly and continued listening to the adults address them about Mufasa's mate choice.

[DGFone]

Mohatu walked over to Mufasa. "Congratulations, grandson," he said, smiling proudly. Mufasa, still nuzzling Sarabi, grinned back.

As the adults all gathered around Mufasa and Sarabi, she felt slightly embarrassed. She grinned slightly at Uru. "Seriously, did everyone surround you like this when you accepted Ahadi?" she asked. She rubbed her head against Mufasa's. "You know," she whispered into his ear, "your family is highly inquisitive. Perhaps too much." She frowned slightly when the idea came to her mind. "Wouldn't it have been better if we told them in the evening, when everyone in the pride gathered together?" She asked Mufasa, "but it's too late now."

Another random though crossed her mind, and her eyes widened. "How are we going to tell mom?" She asked. It seemed like of everyone in the pride, her mother was the only one who didn't know.


Nearby, Taka sat, brooding to himself and wondering what all the fuss was about. He knew well enough not to voice his opinion out-loud, but he still didn't know what was so important about Mufasa's choosing of Sarabi as his mate. He grunted silently in realization. Of course. Mufasa is the future king. That would make Sarabi the queen.

Then and there, Taka resolved never to pick a mate, just to show them.

[Songo]

Uru looked at Ahadi and then back at Sarabi, "Well..lets just say they knew before I did." she grinned and nuzzled her face into Ahadi's mane. "So tonight we make the announcement." she said to Sarabi. "All of Pride rock will know Mufasa has chosen a mate."

Mufasa rubbed his head against Sarabis and he laughed at her comment, "They're always like this...Come on lets go tell your mother." he said with a smile. Standing to his paws he nodded his head to his family, "Well..I mean since we need to make the announcement, lets all go." he added. He nuzzled Sarabi softly and padded beside her, seeing the sun fall upon her made him smile. "Your truly beautiful..." he whispered in her ear as they stepped along.

Sarafina followed behind the group and looked back at Taka, "Taka are you coming?" she asked him softly. She padded over to him and sat close to him, "Aren't you happy for Mufasa and Sarabi?" she asked her green eyes staring up at him.

[DGFone]

When Mufasa complimented Sarabi as they walked, she blushed. "Why thank you," she said softly, giggling a little. "Just as you are!" She added.

Sarabi and Mufasa lead the others back to the dens, where Sarabi's mother was. Her mother looked up when she spotted the large group of lions approaching her. Sarabi ran ahead to tell the good news. "Mom! Mufasa asked me to be his mate and queen!" she announced happily, rubbing heads with her mother. "I accepted! This is such a great day!" Her mother agreed, and soon again, Sarabi found herself next to Mufasa and surrounded by adults. "The announcement will be made this evening!" She said excitedly.

Back when they were still following Sarabi and Mufasa, Taka pretended to be genuinely interested. He always prided himself in his acting ability, and Sarafina bought it all. He smiled, "I know, isn't it great? My brother's getting married!" Inside, he couldn't care less, but that would raise suspicion, so he pretended like he still cared.

[Songo]

Mufasa nodded in agreement with Sarabi and he nudged her to follow him to the top of Pride rock. As they strolled to the ledge he gazed out onto the horizon at the grazing animals, "One day this will be ours.." he said softly nuzzling his muzzle on her soft neck fur. His brown eyes gazed over her slender body and he wrapped his arm around her as they sat. "I couldn't ask for anything more.." he added smiling.


Uru spied Mufasa and Sarabi disappear and she rested her head on Ahadi's shoulder, "Hes growing so fast...they aren't cubs anymore." she said in a sad tone. Her honey colored eyes spied up at Ahadi and she smiled, "I knew from the day I met you, id love you..." she said blushing.


"Sarabi's lucky...Mufasa wants to marry her.." she muttered. As the two love birds disappeared Sarafina walked beside Taka, "What about you Taka? Do you want a mate?" she asked stepping towards him. Her green eyes flickered as she stared at him and she smiled, "I mean...If you like anyone.." she mumbled.


ooc: Before Mufasa and Sarabi marry, we need to do the part where Taka gets his scar.

[DGFone]

[gonna happen very soon. This night.]

Ahadi nuzzled Uru back. "When I met you, I felt something. I didn't know what at the time, and I was more concerned with with getting killed off by your father..." he gave Mohatu and Kamaria a quick glance as Mohatu chuckled at his statement before continuing. "Well, it only took me a few days to know that I too, loved you. And ever since, I still love you, and always will." He remained silent for a few moments before speaking again. "When do you want the wedding ceremony to be?" He asked.

Next to them, Mohatu, who was listening onto their conversation, answered. "It would be good to have the ceremony at a few day's time. That way, we can tell everyone, calm the kingdom down, and set everything in order as smoothly as possible." he said. "By we, I mean you," Mohatu added as Ahadi sighed in mock annoyance.


Sarafina looked away shyly after she asked her question to Taka. Taka meanwhile was busy in his own thoughts. He blinked a few times when Sarafina brought him back to the real world. "I - err... I don't think so." he told her. "At least, not now, at any rate." He saw Sarafina look away, hurt. Taka was supposed to feel sad for her and comfort her, but instead all he felt was a slight happiness. That he was able to do something by himself. He felt then powerful.

So instead of helping Sarafina, Taka smiled slightly.

[Songo]

Sarafina looked away and sighed, "Well...I'm going home." she whispered and softly walked up the path towards the den. She passed Uru,Ahadi,Kamaria and Mohatu, she bowed her head. She padded into the den and snuggled to the side of her mother, her green eyes blurry. She blinked away the tears and turned to her mom, "Mufasa asked Sarabi to be his queen..." she sighed.

Mya licked Sarafina's cheek, "I heard. Well...aren't you happy. You knew this day would come, Mufasa has always been fond of Sarabi and Taka has always..well been to himself." she said sighing. Seeing Sarafina huff once more she nuzzled Sarafina's neck, "My beautiful daughter, some lion is going to fall inlove with you. You'll see..." she whispered.

Sarafina's green eyes gazed up at her mother, she was nearing the age for her first hunt and she had hoped to find a mate. "I guess...some things take time.." she spoke softly. She looked at her mom and nodded content with her mother's words.

Uru looked to her father and smiled, "Of course dad. We will give it a few days.." she said thinking of the great plans she had for Mufasa and Sarabi. She watched Sarafina pass by and she looked at Ahadi, "Taka wont be choosing a mate?" she asked him curiously.

Mufasa nuzzled his face into Sarabi's soft neck fur, "I love you." he said smiling. His ears twitched as he heard his parents and grandparents chattering about his wedding, "Our wedding is going to be huge.." he said with a exhausted sigh.

[DGFone]

Taka got a brilliant idea. He knew that now everyone would b busy with the news of Mufasa's and Sarabi's wedding, along with the preparations themselves. This means that there would be no better time for him to sneak off to the elephant graveyard then now. "No, mom. I don't think that I will choose a mate yet," he told Uru. "Hey, listen, I'm going for a walk. It's just that the announcement... It's a lot to think about. So I'm going to, you know, clear my mind and stuff," he said and walked away casually, as not to draw any attention to him.

Ahadi grinned at Taka. "You do that son, a wise idea." he said proudly. "When can we expect you to come back?" he asked, curious.

As Taka walked away, he grinned slightly. "I'll be back by the evening, dad!" He called out over his shoulder.

Knowing that he might be watched, Taka took his time getting to the graveyard. In fact, he purposely took a very curvy, back-tracing path so that it looked like he was lost in thought instead of heading towards a destination. He was about halfway to the graveyard, walking along a small cliff-edge next to a large thorn bush patch when Taka realized that something was wrong.


In a small den, Sarabi nuzzled Mufasa. "Oh, I am so excited, Mufasa!" She said, "Can you believe it? We are going to be married!" she asked him as she rubbed her head in his growing mane. "And what about your brother, Taka?" She asked. "Will he choose a mate?" Sarabi looked outside where she could see the others. Except for Taka and Sarafina. "Wait, Mufasa..." she said slowly. "Where are Taka and Saffy?" she asked. "Let's go see them!" she announced, getting up and leaving, Mufasa close behind her.

As Mufasa and Sarabi came back to the adults, Sarabi ran a bit ahead "Hey Ahadi! Do you know where Taka and Sarafina went to?" She asked, unaware that the two went on their own separate ways.

Ahadi was still talking with Mohatu about the wedding when Sarabi and Mufasa came back. "I - they left separately," he answered her. "Sarafina went back to her den while Taka left to just walk around."

Sarabi nodded. "Thanks, Ahadi!" She said. Turning to Mufasa, she told him, "Can you find Taka? I want to talk to Sarafina," she said, and ran off towards Sarafina's den. She came to a stop when she saw Sarafina talking with her mother. She looked upset.

Sarabi slowly approached the entrance of the den. "Hey, Sarafina, is everything alright?" she asked softly. "I want to talk to you."

[Songo]

Uru looked to Mufasa, "Taka went for a walk. Also, could you talk to him...possibly about choosing a mate? Give your little brother some advice..thanks dear. Be home before it gets dark." she said softly watching Mufasa leave. She looked up at Ahadi, "Do you think they'll be okay?" she asked curiously. "Why hasn't Taka picked Sarafina...I thought he'd choose her.."


Mufasa nodded to his mother's words and disappeared down the dirt path, he caught a soft scent of Taka and quickly followed it. He ran through bushes and cut through back parts of the Pride lands, his brown eyes squinted as he watched the sun begin to set. Huffing and sighing he followed Taka scent through a small pass with picker bushes and he stumbled into the Elephant Grave yard. His brown eyes side glanced as he looked for Taka, "Taka..." he loudly whispered into the musty thick air. His ears flattened back as he followed Taka's paw prints and he slowly kept his guard up, the young prince knew this was forbidden land. "Taka..." he cursed into the air once more.

Hearing Sarabi's strong yet gentle voice Sarafina stood to her paws and nuzzled her mothers neck, she wiped the tears from her eyes and bowed at Sarabi. "What did you want to talk about?" she said reclining to her hinds next to Sarabi. "How does it feel...future queen to Mufasa.." she asked softly.