[PRIVATE: AustralianChaos & TheWhistlerify]

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini looked from left to right as she scanned some bushes, looking to see whether her friend Tanga was hiding behind one of them. Tanga was her best friend, while they both had Nala and Simba to play with as well, sometimes they preferred to be on their own, considering their two friends' never ending waves of energy. Either she and Tanga got tired, or just felt like being on their own and enjoying each other's company. Sometimes they played, sometimes they talked and sometimes they just lay there in silence and looked at the sky.

They were both orphans, as far as they knew, and they both enjoyed the other's understanding of how it felt like to wonder about where your parents are or wish they were there. Even with the lionesses of the pride and Mufasa taking care of them, sometimes they ended up thinking about their parents, and when that happened they were happy to have each other. Sure, Nala, Simba and the others always did their best to comfort them, and they both appreciated it, but having another cub who understood exactly how they felt during those moments was a good thing for both of them.

Now they were in a middle of a game of hide and seek, and she was the one searching for him. The bushes seemed like they were about to prove a good place to look at, since Marini was suddenly able to hear a quiet yet noticeable rustling of leaves coming from behind one of the bushes. She slowed down and approached as quietly as she could, so that she could catch Tanga by surprise in case he was there and in case he hadn't noticed that she was close. The surprised look on Tanga's face whenever she managed to pull something like that off was always worth it. Once she was close to the bush, she crouched and then jumped over the bush, smirking as she noticed she was about to land right on top of her friend, who turned out to have been hiding there. "Gotcha!" she said with a giggle upon landing on his back, a wide grin of triumph spreading across her muzzle.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga tried to look around as he hid within a cluster of bushes, knowing this was a good place to hide, but at the same time unable to see if Marini was nearby, so he could try and sneak away if she got too close. She was always really good at these games, and the yellow-furred cub had to use every trick he knew to evade her even for a short time.

And sure enough, while looking the wrong way, Tanga gulped as he saw a shadow pass over him, before he was flattened into the ground a moment later, his best friend giggling on his back, as he brushed his growing black head tuft out of his eyes, trying to pout up at her, but not really doing a good job, his own shy smile ruining the effect. "Okay, Rini, you got me. You win," he said softly, before wriggling slightly after a few more moments, feeling suddenly shy with her so close to him. "Uhh, Rini? Can I get up now?" he asked softly.

Today Tanga had been really weird, especially around his best friend. He was unusually shy around her today, despite the fact that they'd known each other since they were both infants. Of all the cubs around, she was the only one who could really get to know the quirky, fun-loving lion underneath the shy, closed-off exterior he often put up. But now, today, that shy side of him was attempting to close him back off from his best friend...and he couldn't understand why.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini stayed on her friend's back, deciding to enjoy her victory a little longer like she usually did. However, when he indirectly insisted that he wanted to get back up, she was slightly confused, but went ahead and got off of his back. Tanga never had a problem whenever Marini was busy 'enjoying her victory', he wasn't the type who got upset because of losing a game. The only thing she didn't know was that this was not the case, and she would probably notice it if Tanga's unusual shyness suddenly manifested again when they were not in a game she just won.

The more fun-loving side she always had when around Tanga soon came back, and she looked at him not with a confused look but with a smile, "What do you want to do now?" she asked, her usual excitement noticeable in her tone.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga gave her a small appreciative smile as she hopped off, allowing him to stand back up, dusting his fur off slightly, causing him to miss her confused look, only catching her smile once she looked back up, asking what they should now. "Uhh..." Tanga murmured, not entirely sure, looking around slightly, before spotting a waterhole nearby. "I...I guess I'm a little thirsty right now. I'll race you to the waterhole?" he asked, managing to suppress his new shyness towards her to some extent, a little confused himself.

He had not been this shy around her since they first met, so he could not understand what would cause him to close himself off again. They were best friends, and he'd always been able to lighten up around her, so what was different about today? he tried to shake the feeling off and focus on what he was sure was an impending race, but it would not go away, leaving him wanting to duck his head and stare at his paws whenever Marini so much as smiled in his direction.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini smiled once more as Tanga suggested they raced to the waterhole. Not only she was also thirsty but a race sounded like a fun idea. It was also a hot day, so they would be able to cool themselves off in the water if they wished. At least that's what she wanted to do, and she would probably end up pushing Tanga inside or something like that before jumping inside herself. Around Nala and Simba she could sometime turn out a little less playful or run out of energy faster, but around Tanga she just never seemed to have enough.

Marini smile turned into a sneaky grin as both she and her friend got into position. She waited until she was sure he was ready, "Alright, go!" she said and they both started running. She found herself not running as fast as she could, but fast enough to keep up with Tanga. Whenever they played on their own she less cared whether she won a game and was more focused on having a good time. Although not knowing it herself, that was another reason why she enjoyed spending so much time with Tanga.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga was expecting Marini to suddenly yell go without much warning, and wasn't disappointed when she did just that. He chased her down, surprised she wasn't going as fast as she was usually capable of, allowing him to take the lead as he looked over his shoulder at her, puzzled. Of course, this meant he was no longer watching where he was going, and he stumbled as his paw tripped on a rock he had failed to see, staggering in a desperate attempt to keep his balance, he lost ground, Marini pushing ahead as he fought to regain his balance and catch up...but it was too late, they were there.

Panting hard from the run, Tanga headed straight for the water's edge. "Looks like you win again, Rini!" he said, his more jubilant and care-free side showing itself again in the wake of the race. "I was so close that time, too!" he added as he headed to the water's edge, ducking his head down so he could lap up the water, which he had with serious enthusiasm...he was very thirsty after the race.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini was very tempted to stop when Tanga almost tripped, but she carried on with the race when she saw that he was alright. Tanga's mistake cost him the race, but as usual he didn't seem to get upset by that at all. "Yes, you were close." she said with a smile, knowing that technically he was about to come in first. But she cared less about that part just like he did, so she decided to just agree with what he said and not somehow argue about it. She couldn't remember a single time of arguing with Tanga, no matter how hard she tried sometimes.

Marini came to a stop by the water's edge next to Tanga and, after having her fill of water, remembered the little scheme she came up with when Tanga suggested that they raced to the waterhole. With a sneaky smirk, she went behind him. Once it looked like he was done drinking, she pushed him off his feet and into the water. Without waiting to see his reaction, she went ahead and jumped inside as well, enjoying the cool sensation of the water after being in the sun the entire day.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga was so focused on quenching his thirst, that he failed to notice Marini moving behind him after drinking her fill until it was too late. Caught off-guard by the sudden shove, Tanga's startled yelp was cut short as he struck the water, flailing about wildly for a few moments, before getting his bearings, resurfacing and quickly coughing up a mouthful of water he had accidentally breathed in, before looking around to find the culprit, shoving his sodden tuft out of his eyes with a paw as he searched, finally finding Marini in the water with him, apparantly having jumped in herself.

"Rini! Don't do that!" he cried, trying to be indignant, but not really meaning it. He was only slightly annoyed simply becuase of the way she had managed to trick him. "You scared the fur off me!" he added, splashing her with water by way of retaliation, before moving back towards the edge of the waterhole, intent on getting back out immediately...he was not really a huge fan of the water, preferring to stay dry as much as possible.

[TheWhistlerify]

Marini couldn't help but chuckle at Tanga's reaction to what she just did. She could easily tell that he was nothing but annoyed because he didn't notice her until it was too late. After knowing Tanga her entire life and spending so much time with him she could almost always read him like a book, and considering that this wasn't the first time in which she pushed him into a waterhole like that she already knew how he would react even before she pushed him.

When Tanga splashed at her, she gave a fake frown combined with a smile and splashed him back, before following him and swimming to the shore as well. She knew Tanga wasn't the water type, but even that never made him get upset with her. Also Tanga doing something Marini didn't like never got her mad unlike when Nala or Simba did it. With a giggle, she got out of the water and shook her fur dry, "So now what?" she asked, looking directly at him and with her usual happy smile.

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga cringed away as Marini shook herself dry, before walking away a short way to shake himself off, ensuring he didn't splash his friend all over again. Once he returned, he listened as she asked what to do next, a question which Tanga didn't really know how to answer. The shyness he had been feeling all day was getting worse and worse, and all he wanted to do was find somewhere to rest for the afternoon...but he knew that his best friend would be after more fun, and didn't want to let her down.

"I...I don't know," he said softly, staring at his paws once more. "I'm out of ideas right now. Do you have anything in mind, Rini?" he asked, looking up at her, still trying to figure why he was feeling so darn shy around her today. He'd never had trouble opening up around Marini before now, so what made today any different?