CandyLuv99; Hunter's death was very sad and he'll be missed.

Onto chapter sixty-seven, enjoy!

A heartbreaking cry echoed through the air followed by a mournful roar. In the Lion Guard lair was the mourning parents of Prince Hunter.

Askari sat in front of his mother with his ears pinned and tears falling from his brown eyes. While his grandmother and father tried to comfort her.

"My baby!" Kiara wailed, tears streaming down her face. "It can't be true!"

Sherise, who laid across from her sister with Jesús at her side. Zeus and Dimitri sat next to her, with a expression that's rivaled their cousin. The dark brown lioness pinned her ears and had tears falling of her own.

"I'm so sorry Kiara..." Sherise looked away, tears burning her vision. She felt guilty. If she defeated Jessica, then Hunter would still be alive.

"If I say anything.." everyone gathered in the lair turned to see Nyah with Jessica's mother, Amara. "This is too convenient."

Nala looked from her hurting daughter to her sister with a hard expression. "What are you talking about?"

Nyah looked over to her niece as that's what she supposed to call the orphan that mated with her deceased lover's son. "Convenient that Sherise's son didn't receive not one wound. How is that?"

Simba glared at the creamy lioness as he growled. "Are you trying to pin this on my daughter! How dare you!"

Amara snorted. "I wouldn't put it pass her. Jessica wouldn't do anything like this! But that so-called princess over there has all the reasons to!"

Sherise tried to stand but her fight with Jessica caused her back leg to be wounded pretty back. She slumped to the floor with a painful growl before glaring at Nyah and Amara.

Kiara had absolutely enough. Standing she roared shocking many as she called for order. "Enough! My sister is not on trail here! When she risked her life to save my son!"

"The question is..why do you two believe Sherise would go and do this?" Sarabi asked her deceased friend's daughter and Amara.

"Why wouldn't she?" Nyah growled at her adoptive neice. "With Hunter and Askari out of the way, her sons are candidates for the throne."

"My daughter isn't like Scar!" Simba roared, his orange eyes blazing.

Amara rolled her hazel eyes. "But she's mated to his son."

Jesús stood and was about to lash out when Kiara roared again.

"That's the end of that!" Kiara snarled, glaring dangerously at the pale white lioness. "Your daughter murdered my son. Attacked my other son and wounded my sister! You have only two choices! Claim your loyalty to your queen by saying you have nothing to do with this or I will be forced to exile you along with whoever is loyal to Jessica! What's your choice!"

Amara wanted to insult this child paying Queen but if she wanted to help her daughter, she has to play along. The pale white lioness bowed, lowering her aged body to the ground showing her submission. "My loyalty is with you.. my queen."

Kiara lifted her head high, casting off a dominance look. "You are dismissed."

After Amara left, Nala walked over and nuzzled her daughter. She knew what Kiara was going through. Even though Kopa survived but from what they heard. There wouldn't be another prince coming back from the dead.

...

A few days passed since the death of Prince Hunter. A farewell ceremony went as according but to the grieving queen, she wasn't remotely close to closer.

Queen-in-command Sherise was able to move around. Though she still had a bit of a limp but not as bad as it originally was.

The dark brown lioness was about to head out to exercise her leg when she saw Dae with a lion she thought she'll never see again.

"Bastien?" as the creamy, black mane lion got closer, Sherise realised she was right. "What are you doing here?"

Bastien sighed as he stopped along with his uncle. "My father.. I can't call him that. He's ruthless... and need to be stopped. There's darkness playing against one another but neither knows it yet."

Dae cleared his throat. "Tell her what you told me."

Sherise looked from one of her brother's trusted soldiers to as she knows it, her cousin. "Tell me what?"

Bastien gulped before taking a deep breath. "This isn't easy to tell you. But before you and Jesús became mates... this is before he left to find you. Jessica gave birth to a daughter in another land. Jesús' daughter."

Sherise's gasped as she staggered back. "Jesús has a daughter.." tears started to fall. "He never told me.."

Dae frowned before nuzzling the dark brown lioness. "That's because he didn't know. She's... a tool for Keres."

Bastien frowned as his ears flickered. "I figured it would be best if this came from you." he looked at his uncle before turning back to the Queen-in-command. "We'll leave you to it."

After bowing Dae and Bastien left Sherise to her thoughts.

~PP~

A couple days more has passed and Sherise's guilt and the information she had was eating her alive. It was night and stars shined brightly over the couple cuddled in the grass.

"You're never ceases to amaze me." Jesús smiled as he brought his mate close and nuzzled her.

Sherise felt flustered and more guilty. She didn't mean for things to get heated. She attended for this night to be the night she tells him about his daughter.

Jesús frowned before nuzzling his mate and licking her cheek. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Jesùs," Sherise started before pinning her ears. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you.. but I was.. I don't know... afraid."

Jesús shook his head, confused. "I don't understand. You don't have to be afraid to tell me anything."

Sherise went silent before their was rustling nearby. The couple looked and wasn't too surprised to see Luis.

"What are you doing here!" Jesús roared, anger burning in his dark brown eyes.

Luis ignored him before turning his own dark brown eyes on the beautiful lioness there. "I overheard a conversation with Kopa and Dae. Thought you could use support."

Jesús snarled at his brother. "What the hell are you going on about!"

Luis chuckled before smirking. "You have a daughter."

Sherise's purple eyes widened as she looked at her mate. "Jesús.. I found out a few days ago and..."

"I.. I don't understand..how? We don't have any daughters."

Sherise frowned deeply. Jesús was clearly very confused and what she's about to say will hurt him even more than it would hurt her. "Jessica gave birth to daughter outside the Pridelands. She's at least a teenager now."

Sherise watched as her mate walked away a bit and hung his head.

"Babe," the dark brown lioness called once she joined her mate's side. "Are you alright?"

Jesùs shuddered before lowering his head. "I have a daughter and I didn't even know about."

"Apparently she's the baddies' slave. Do all their duty, evil work when assigned." Luis added, he was having too much fun with his brother's turmoil and it was just starting.

Sherise glared at the light cream lion before lying her head on Jesùs' black mane. "Perhaps she could still be saved."

Jesùs took deep breaths before rubbing his head against Sherise's. "Regardless. I'm going to try my damn hardest to save my daughter from those bastards' clutches."

After giving Sherise a small nuzzle, Jesùs walked off leaving his mate watching sadly after him.

After a moment Luis turned to Sherise with a smile.

"I thought he'll never leave."

Sherise closed her eyes before turning to face the light cream lion. "What are you even doing here! This was a private moment!"

Luis just grinned as he began to circle his prey. "I have been watching and I know you still feel something for me. Why fight it?"

"Oh.. you just know!" Sherise growled. "Luis! I'm happy with Jesús and forever will be! Just let it go and go back to your mate!"

Luis stopped circling, to stop in front of the dark brown lioness. "Why can't I have both?"

Sherise was frozen from the comment and didn't see it when Luis pounce. The force of the attack caused Sherise to harshly hit her dusty brown chin on the ground.

"I love you.."

Sherise heard Luis purr in her ear before she fell unconscious.