I appreciate all the reviews. As too how the queen will take the ambush, you have to wait and see. Also I have to say that this is the last chapter of Innocence II. I'm sorry but I ran out of ideas for this book. The ones I do have are better suited for the next book.

Sherise smiled, content that there were no problems, no issues to deal with. As princess and leader of the Lion Guard it's in her duty to handle any problems while on patrol. But strangely, not a lot of animals were in the savannah. Just as the russet red lioness was about to ponder why most of the animals weren't in the savannah when Oni flew over.

"Thank the stars I found you! You're needed at priderock!"

Sherise frowned before running off towards the kopje with the female egret flying over her. Sherise couldn't fully focus on the beautiful feeling of the wind through her russet red and tannish fur. Her mind was running through the possibilities of why she was needed. But as the kopje came into view she noticed that most of the animals that she didn't see on her patrol was under priderock. Sherise quickly climbed up the rocky slope and got her brother's side as their mother's angry roar made her look towards the peak.

"EXLIE!"

"No!" Sherise turned her purplish-blue eyes towards Torrent to see his handsome face scrunched up in horror as tears filled his orange eyes. "Elena!"

Sherise watched as the animals chased off the tawny beige lioness and...

"Barton!" Sherise cried out and went to go to the queen but Zuri and Tama blocked her path.

But there wasn't anything they could do but to watch the two run. It tore at their hearts, the prince and princess lowered their heads and cried. After a while and it got quiet, Torrent broke past and went to his mother with Sherise at his side once again.

"Please mother. Reconsider." the goldish lion pleaded.

Kiara turned with a angry, stern expression. "No. You two will not leave priderock without a escort."

Sherise took a step forward. "I don't know what's going on but you can't do that. You don't even know them."

Kiara turned her heated gaze on her daughter. "Of course you don't Where were you last night?" Sherise felt uncomfortable hearing the venom in her mother's voice. The queen didn't give her youngest the chance to explain. "You probably with them. After all your father is! No doubt your and Alyssa used them to get to me!"

Kopa apporched with wide unbelievable dark green eyes. "Kiara."

Sherise shook her shock off and looked at her mother in confusion. "My father? Isn't-"

"No you foolish girl!" Kiara snarled. "Your father is a traitor murderer that is allied with Alyssa. You're nothing but a mistake that shouldn't of happened!"

Sherise wanted to say something, anything but her voice was gone. She looked at her paw and realised the truth. She was the outcome of a rape. Tears streamed down her face, with a sob the heartbroken princess ran into the cave while the pride looked after her sadly.

Torrent shook his head. He never thought his mother could be so vile. He narrowed his inherited eyes at the golden orange lioness. "Mother-"

Kiara shook her head before turning to face the still gathered animals. "Torrent...I'm only trying to protect you. Barton, Elena...and Sherise are following after their fathers' pawprints. And I must follow my father's."

Anger and disbelief clouded his vision as he looked at his mother. "You'll never be Simba!"

Torrent ran into the cave ignoring the look of the pride. He looked around to find the cave empty. He frowned confused until he saw light coming from a hole in the back of the cave.

On Priderock

"Sherise's gone!"

The pride gasped as some began to whisper. Torrent looked at his mother and groaned before running down the rocky slope. Kiara still stood almost breathless as she watched her son gallop across the plains. Kopa now was sitting in between his mother and Nala.

Kopa looked at the old peachy cream lioness and said, "Nala, can you and mother handle the animals and the pride?"

Nala nodded, still shooken up about her daughter's outburst and walked over to the peck with the goldish lioness follwing behind. Kopa looked at Kiara who was heading in the cave. Kopa got up and walked over to the dishearted queen.

"You were wrong. Very wrong Kiara."

Kiara was sitting on the royal platform in the cave when Kopa came trotting over.

"You can't actually be happy with this!"

Kopa glared at his mate. "My children are happy! Barton and Elena had no tie with what happened. To Simba or Almasi. I'm angered about your attack but I'm not taking it out on Sherise! She didn't ask for to be born. She's a gift and I still believe she is."

With that the pale golden king lashed his tail and stormed out off the cave only to be rained on. Kopa looked up and saw that is was raining.

"My liege!"

Kopa turned his head and saw Ono flying his way. "Ono, what is it?" asked Kopa his eyes full with worry.

"Sire! The Outsiders are on the attack...it's war!"

TLKTLKTLKTLK

In the dusty plains on the outskirts of the Pridelands Torrent was looking for Elena, Barton and Sherise as rain drops damp his fur. Torrent soon sat on a hill top and began to cry. The winds started to pick up and the sound of thunder rolling reach the broken heart prince ears. Torrent sniffed some tears that mixed with the rain and looked to they dark sky to gasped. In the sky a shape of a lion was forming in the dark clouds. The figure was ghostly at first but soon gain color and coherence. The lion was bright golden with a bright red mane and glowing orange eyes.

"Torrent." the lion's voice boomed.

Torrent was awestruck but manage to speak. "Who are you?"

"I am Simba."

Torrent stood gaping at the image of his late grandfather.

"Torrent, my grandson. My time here is very short, but you need to know that your pride needs you right now. You are the only one that can mend the two prides right now."

Torrent just looked on as his grandfather's image began to fade.

Before Simba's image faded all the way he manage to say "And remember We Are One."

Torrent watched his grandfather fade into the sky before bowing his head and rolled the words of his grandfather in his head. Then it hit him hard, without another thought the prince turned and ran towards home full speed. Torrent ran to an edge of a gorge where on the other side was his pride going to war. Torrent stood there frozen as he watched his pride, his family get beat down. Then out of no where a cold beige lion and a tawny beige lioness jumps in between Alyssa and Kiara.

"Elena!" Torrent yelled, worried for the tawny beige lioness.

Vitani who was standing behind the creamy beige lioness, waiting for the chance to get to her father's murderer, growled and pounced, sending Elena and her over the side of the gorge.

"No!" Barton and Torrent cried.

The goldish lion jumped down and climbed over the logs to the other side. Torrent manage to get to the other side and land next two his father. Not taking time to explain to the pride he rushed over to the edge to see Elena hanging on. A little further down Vitani was sliding.

"Hold on, Vitani!" shouted Torrent to his cousin as he slid down.

"Torrent!" shouted Kopa, Nala and Edina.

Vitani looked up and saw the prince making way down. The logs that blocked the river soon exploded as the water rushed through. The light tanned lioness looked back up and closed her eyes before letting go and falling in the raging water. Torrent's eyes went wide as he watched his lover's sister fall to her death. Torrent sighed and turned to Elena, who smiled at him.

Torrent smiled back. "Reach for my paw!"

Elena reach and grabbed the light prince paw. The two lions soon was up on the surface with their prides. When Torrent got his breath he turned to Kiara who was shaken up and had a glum look as Barton and Elena embraced.

"Mother please listen to me."

Kiara looked from the snarling Outsiders to her son.

"I was visited by a very wise king..."

Kiara's eyes widen as she realized who her son was talking about.

Torrent sighed and said, "And he said We Are One, it took a minute but I understand."

Torrent looked from his mother to the Outsiders and back to Kiara.

"What? Them?"

Torrent nodded and turned to the Outsiders. Some of them growled out him.

"They are us, what difference do you see!" shouted Torrent.

Vitani's daughter, Azira looked up and realized that the prince was right.

"Enough!"

The Outsiders looked at the second in command, well their new leader on Vitani's behalf.

"Azira!" Barram growled at his sister. "What do you think you're doing!"

Jareb sneered at his step daughter. "You would dishonour your mother!"

"Kopa is right, enough" yelled the young pale tan lioness as she walked over to the Pridelanders side.

The rest of the Outsiders exchange looks before walking over also. Simba looked at his son and smiled.

"Torrent!"

Torrent looked and saw Elena by her brother smiling.

"Elena."

The two lions nuzzled and licked each other with a purr. Kiara along with Kopa watched their son's happy expression. Kiara took a deep breath before she sighed.

"Elena and Barton."

Elena pulled away and looked at the golden king along with Barton.

Kiara smiled lightly as she said "I was wrong, you two belong here."

Torrent, Elena and Barton smiled at Kiara's words. Torrent and Elena nuzzled before Elena leaned on Torrent. Kiara smiled at them before turning around to meet the faces of her pride and the Outsiders.

"Let's go home all of us."

The prides smiled at each before heading home, Pride Rock. While Alyssa, Jareb and Barram returned to the Outlands with the remainder of their followers that didn't crossed sides. In the morning word about the two prides joining spread fast like a wild fire. The kingdom animals stood at the bottom of Pride Rock to witness the union of Prince Torrent and Princess-Queen consort Elena. Elena and Torrent sat next to each other nuzzling as Jaja blesses their union with a gesture of her staff. Kiara and Kopa then head down to the peck with Torrent and Elena following as the pride bowed as the royals walked by. Once at the peck Kiara roared, then she looked at Torrent who roared second. Then the four roared to their subjects. Barton roared but his heart and mind was elsewhere. He knew he had to get to his son but his heart was aching for Sherise. Wherever she's at she hopes she's alright.