I completely agree with you guys. Poor Leila and Sherise. I apologize for any tears.

The sun was heading down when Simba and Luis returned from patrol. Since being in the Pridelands, the King Father has been a father figure. Constantly guiding him as he grew.

The two had returned to priderock just as the evening hunting party returned.

Luis frowned as he instantly got a bad feeling. The creamy white lion turned to one of the huntresses. "Tiifu?"

The creamy lioness looked up and frowned at the look on the younger lion's face. Tiifu nudged the cubs forward before turning back to the approaching lions.

"Have any one of you seen my aunt?" Luis asked with a hopeful glint in his brown eyes.

Tiifu shook her head. "No I haven't and I haven't seen the princess all day either."

Simba looked away and was about to respond that his granddaughter was off playing with Heidi's cub, at least that's what the dull brown lioness said.

When said lioness came in his view. Heidi's head was low and she was dragging her tail. Simba instantly felt dread feel his heart.

When Heidi had finally reached the group, Simba and Luis could see tears in her black eyes.

"There was a accident in the southern gorge-"

Luis didn't hear the rest of what Heidi said because he bolted forward towards the gorge.

"Stay here!" Simba demanded before running after the younger lion.

He prayed as he ran, that everything will be alright. That he wasn't too late, he slid down the side of the gorge totally forgetting about the rocky path.

Simba landed on his paws, his eyes scanning. His orange eyes nearly popped out of his sockets as his gaze landed on the bloody body of Leila.

"Auntie...no."

Simba turned his head to Luis who stood like a tree a little bit away. He watched Luis walked closer and saw the tears that threaten to fall.

For Luis, he wanted to deny that she wasn't dead. That she'll wakeup and they'll go home. But the smell of death destroyed all of that. Luis sat by Leila's body, his head fell as he closed his eyes. There's so much that was tooken away.

"Luis...I'm sorry." Simba said once he joined Luis.

A quiet sob brought Luis and Simba's attention to the lioness' body where he saw a small head pop up from under one of his Leila's paws.

It brought back memories, shaking his head, Simba pulled the shaken Sherise close.

"Grandpa..." the dark brown cub cried as she clung to the golden lion's foreleg. "I didn't mean for this to happen. It's all my fault."

At least that's what Heidi said before leaving her here with Leila's body. But the dull brown lioness was right, if it wasn't for her Leila would be alive.

"Shhh." Simba said softly. "It's was a accident."

Luis sighed before bending down and nuzzled Sherise. "Simba's right. No one is to blame."

At least he hopes. But who would kill his aunt? Then, his mind flashed his mother and Kovu. He growled lowly before stopping himself.

"But it is my fault! If I didn't...roar the stampede would never had happened."

Simba use to tell himself that when he was growing up in the oasis with Timon and Pumbaa. Simba nuzzled Sherise before singing softly.

"Let me tell you what I wish I'd known

When I was young and dreamed of glory

You have no control, who lives, who dies, who tells your story?"

Sherise tilted her head in confusion before the golden lion went on.

"I watched my father die in this very spot

I thought his death was on me

But I wasn't the one that took his life"

Sherise wiped her eyes as she sniffed up so tears. "Who was it?"

Simba sighed before moving his teary orange eyes to his mother's body. "My uncle. He killed him, to become king."

"How sad." Sherise said with her ears against her head. "What happened to you?"

Simba looked at Luis before the golden lion shook his head before standing. "I believe that is a story for another time."

The creamy white lion glanced at his aunt once again and cried for what seemed like forever but he couldn't be selfish. The pride, Zendaya needed to know.

Luis walked over and bend down to nuzzled her muzzle, getting crimson blood on his own muzzle. He stood and bowed his head before grabbing Sherise and headed back to priderock with Simba.

...

When Simba and Luis returned he was immediately greeted by Heidi, Kiara, Kion and Tiifu.

Luis nor Simba didn't want to say what they saw but everyone had to know.

Luis took deep breaths. "She's dead. Leila is gone."

Crying erupted and it wasn't hard to point out that the loudest were Zendaya who happened to run by with Kiran.

"The rest of the pride deserve to know." Simba stated.

Kiara embraced her daughter before nodding towards her father. Simba picked Sherise up and headed after Kiara and the others.

When he put Sherise down again, the dark brown cub scampered off to Zendaya who held her tight as their friend, Bianca joined them.

When Queen Kiara finally reached under priderock, the pride was gathered around as the golden orange lioness sat on a ledge, her head lowered.

"There was a terrible accident in the gorge that took the precious life of one of sisters, Leila."

The pride gasped before bowing their heads as tears began to fall.

"Leila's death was terrible but we must do what's right for Zendaya and Luis. Be there when they need us most..."

Luis lowered his head and don't bothered to fight back the tears. Kiran had his head buried in his mother's fur as he cried.

Tiifu held her pale cream pelted son, Mapenzi close as she cried for the lost.

Sherise managed to lift her head from the embrace she was in with her friends, to see Mapenzi's parents, Mheetu and Tiifu comforting one another.

Sherise moved her teary dark purple eyes to see everyone had someone to comfort them, minus one and it broke her heart.

It broke Sherise's heart to see such a mighty lion sob, as his large body rocked like a earthquake. She pinned her ears before walking over, ever so slightly she rubbed against Luis' foreleg.

Luis opened his eyes and seen Sherise rubbing against his foreleg. He understood it as a comfort gester. He lowered his head and brought Sherise closer as they both weeped in sorrow.

A while after everyone turned in for the night, Sherise couldn't find it in her to fall asleep. That was plain as simple as she had bags under her eyes. It was merely six hours since the news of Leila's death. She couldn't believe it was true. But as she looked around the cave and seen the emptied spot, it was clear as day.

Zendaya was was cuddled with Kion, Vitani and Kiran. Everyone else was snuggled or cuddled with someone. But once again minus Luis.

The Luis lion was on a rise platform, he was twitching and mumbling. It completely broke Sherise's heart to see him like this.

Sherise slowly stood and crept quietly away.

"No...Auntie...please don't go..."

Sherise felt her heartstrings tug at those words. He was having a nightmare about Leila. She crawled in between his paws and licked his cheek. Luis stirred before blinking his eyes open to see Sherise looking sheepishly.

"Sherise...?"

Sherise sighed before looking up. "I seen you all alone. I felt bad and didn't want you to be alone."

Luis smiled before bringing the dark brown cub close and nuzzled her. Earning a blush from the small lioness. "Thank you Sherise."

Sherise smiled before a tired yawn escaped her tannish throat. She laid and cuddled into Luis' black mane.

Luis smiled lightly before lying his head down. When he finally closed his eyes, no more nightmares ragged his mind.