CandyLuv99; I can't wait for you to meet them. They're important as for Luis and his family, you'll see soon.

Enjoy chapter seventy-one!

It's been a few days and Sherise felt on edge. Constantly anxious and having a bad feeling about Minos and Zuri's sons.

"Being stressed isn't healthy."

Sherise rolled her purple eyes before smiling at the gold lioness now sitting beside her at the peak of priderock. "You're the one to talk. You looked like you seen a ghost these past few days. What gives?"

Kiara sighed deeply. "Askari came to me and wanted to abdicate."

Sherise frowned as she looked at her sister. "Is that really a problem? I remember when you didn't want to be Queen. But you grew to accept it and I think... you're a wonderful queen."

Kiara smiled. She needed that honestly. She has been feeling like a screw up ever since Hunter's death. Something she couldn't prevent. With a deep breath the gold lioness moved her amber eyes back on her sister. "Tell me.. What do you honestly think of Little Jabori and Taka?"

Sherise raised a eye brow as she glanced out to a umbrella tree not too far away from the kopje where Zuri was nursing her dark orange and rich brown sons. Jabori and Taka.

"I have a bad feeling about this. And I normally like to wait and see.."

Kiara looked from her orange pelted best friend and her infant sons. " Like you're doing with Luis?"

Sherise instantly went pale as she starred at the Queen. "I-I don't understand.."

Kiara turned away and scoffed. "Call it whatever you want. But I know Luis is the one who attacked you."

Sherise looked around before looking back at Kiara. "How? And how come you didn't say anything?"

Kiara took a deep breath. "Like you I don't want Haruka and Kalista to grow up without a father. I really don't need them to rebel later on, Especially Sienna. She's family and even though I don't know what caused Jessica to betray me. I hate to say it but I bet it's something dealing with you are now mates with Jesús. Imagine what it would be like if Sienna betrayed us because of you and Luis?"

Sherise frowned. As though it may be harsh, she understands where Kiara is coming from. Jessica could easily be getting revenge on anything dear to her for taking Jesús away.

"But one thing remains obvious.."

Sherise shook her head before refocusing her attention on her sister. "What is?"

Kiara closed her eyes. "When Jesús comes back.. you got to tell him. Before someone else does and you have another problem to deal with."

The dark brown lioness gasped. Kiara couldn't be serious. But the queen-in-command soon caught sight of her and her sister's majordomo, Zara. The dark brown lioness frowned as the purple hornbill fluttered in front of her and Kiara.

"My queens, there's been a accident on the hunting grounds."

Hunting grounds. Sherise's purple eyes widened. "Our mother and great grandmothers are hunting. Are they..."

Zara looked down before opening her yellowish beak to respond. "The former queen is fine. But I'm afraid that Jacqueline and Sarabi didn't make it."

Sherise and Kiara couldn't believe what they heard. They closed their eyes and sobbed. Together the sisters embraced as they mourned.

~PP~

Dark brown eyes looked around before the gold pre-teen made a quick dash. She was classified as a pre-teen but she had more growth of teenage lioness. She was a few days away of officially becoming a teenager.

Kenna ran until she entered a secluded field, also known as her field. As when things became too much, she'll retreat here.

Kenna closed her pain filled eyes, slumped over and cried.

Tears falling down her cheeks making fresh bruises noticeable. Since she could walk, she's been abused. If not from her mother that barely visits, from Keres and his loyal adopted son, Dhampir.

She wanted out and the way out was death.

The sound of something or someone entering her field caused Kenna to jump in alert in case it was Keres, Dhampir or one of their lackies to drag her back.

But to the pre-teen's surprise, the intruder was a little older tawny-beige pelted teen lioness that recently became a teenager. Kenna has seen around those monsters. More importantly, Dhampir.

"Please," the tawny-beige lioness pleaded. "I came on my own terms."

Kenna wasn't too sure what to think. But she felt that this girl was living in a hell on earth as well.

The tawny-beige lioness took deep breaths before speaking again. "My name is Skye. You probably heard of my father. Severus the trader but that's not true! Keres and Jadis was going to kill him as he was useless to them!"

Kenna stood and raised a paw to stop Skye before placing her paw back on the ground. "You don't have to continue. I know all too well what those monsters had planned for Sir Severus." with a deep breath Kenna looked at Skye with confusion. "But that doesn't explain why you followed me,"

Skye nodded briefly before responding. "I'm pregnant with Dhampir's cub. And I'm no fool, you want out. So do I."

Kenna looked away with her ears against her head. "Yeah? Well, where are we supposed to go? The Pridelands?"

...

Prince Mwezi couldn't fight off the nervousness. But he had a job to do and he'll be damed if he let his brother down. With a deep breath, the athletic build white, whitish maned lion went forward with his important task.

Mwezi listened and watched. Just as the sun began setting, he noticed a young lioness nor more than a teenager but barely sneaking away. He wasn't paying too much attention to her appearance but her odd behavior and need to sneak away gain his curiosity. So he followed, silently.

He quietly entered behind the gold teen and hid under some wet greenery. His heart nearly stopped once his green eyes landed on the breathtaking young female.

Normally this wouldn't be his thing but he couldn't deny the beauty of the female was overwhelming but that didn't mean he was going to follow in his father's pawprints.

But the teen was definitely absolutely beautiful and as he watched her cry, it made him want to kill whoever was responsible.

Then another lioness a teenager a bit older than the gold one, came. Skye. Then his world just fell apart. When he realized who the beautiful female that captured his heart was. His brother's daughter.

"Yeah? Well, where are we supposed to go? The Pridelands?"

With a deep breath, Mwezi made himself known. At seeing him the two lionesses were afraid, Kenna for a moment couldn't stop staring at the older very good looking lion until Skye cleared her throat.

"Who are you? And what do you want?"

Mwezi bowed. "I'm a escort to the Pridelands. By the request of your birth father, Grand Duke Jesús." Mwezi said the last part looking at the confused gold teen.

Kenna's dark brown eyes widened. "My birth father? I don't-"

A loud roar caused the three to stand and look around before their eyes landed on a massive dark red lion with a darker red and black mane.

To Skye and Kenna, it was Sheba's father, Flame.

"You two aren't going no anywhere!" Flame snarled before turning his black eyes on the young white lion. "As for you, trespasser. I'm going to rip you apart and send your remains to your pathetic kingdom."

Mwezi's green eyes widened. He was no where trained for a fight. He never been caught in his missions of stealth.

As the massive wave of red fur leapt at him with crooked teeth and jagged claws bared, Mwezi's life flashed across his eyes.