Lightning forced his fear down as he waited at the base of the great birch for Shadehawk. He forced his fur to stay flat and curled his tail around his paws as he sat tall.

He perked his ears as a voice grumbled, "Humph what rogue wants to talk to me, don't they know I'm busy." Lightning's heart leaped as he recognized his fathers voice.

He straightened up, shoved his ears forward and sat tall and strong. The dark warrior padded into the clearing and froze, staring at him with surprised eyes.

"Hawkpaw?" He said, bewildered.

Lightning's eyes gave nothing away, "Not anymore, I am Lightning now, father."

Shadehawk snarled, "I should've known that if I let a pest live it would come back to but my tail."

Lightning lifted his head and stood, his muscles rippling as he walks forward until he was face to face with his father, "Then lets finish this, father." Lightning snarled.

Shadehawk roared angrily and reared up, flailing his paws at Lightning. He leaped forward, crashing into his fathers stomach and digging his claws into his pelt.

Shadehawk screeched and flung him off with a powerful heave. Lightning rakes his claws across his fathers muzzle, and Shadehawk countered with a heavy blow to his head.

Lightning suddenly realized he was no match for this more well-fed warrior, but he had to try.

"This is for mother!" He tore his fathers ears, raking his claws down his cheek. Shadehawk yowled and leaped onto him, sinking his claws viciously into Lightning's shoulder, tearing them down as blood pumped from the wound.

Lightning shrieked and raked his fathers underbelly. Shadehawk reared up, smashing his front paws on Lightning's chest, he gasped for air as it was sucked out of him. Shadehawk pinned him down with two heavy paws. "I should've killed you, just like I killed your mother, slowly, listening to your agonized screams until you die, but this will do just fine, I'll kill you quicker, as quick as I'll kill Sunstar when its my turn to be leader, you'll watch from StarClan, helpless as I take over all the clans!"

Shadehawk's eyes lolled crazily and he laughed. "Your insane if you think I won't stop you!" Shadehawk roared and pressed a paw hard on Lightning's throat. "I have more cats with me, Duststorm, Birdflight, who knows how many corrupted warriors there are." He grinned.

Lightning chocked, his vision starting to blur as he fought for a breath. Suddenly the weight was taken off his neck as Rainpaw hurled herself into Shadehawk's side, "Traitor!"

Lightning staggered to his paws, and Rainpaw snarled at Shadehawk, "Its over for you!"

Shadehawk laughed, "A weak half-starved rogue and an apprentice won't stop me."

"No? How about a clan leader?" Sunstar padded out from behind the holly and bramble bush, his face kit with unmasked rage.

Shadehawk snarled, "Not even you!" He darted forward, slamming into Lightning and sinking his fangs into his neck.

Lightning shrieked in pain, and lashed out viciously with his claws in desperation. Shadehawk let go of him with a strange gurgling sound, Lightning watched with round eyes as his father chocked, his neck torn and gushing blood. The blood covered the grass as Shadehawk collapsed dead with a defiant snarl on his face, his claws unsheathed and ready for a fight.

Rainpaw dashes over to Lightning's side, sniffing his wounds gently, "Your gonna be fine."

"Lightning, I am sorry for not believing you all those moons ago, your welcome to come home to ThunderClan if you wish to do so." Sunstar said, dipping his head respectfully.

"You know what, I would like nothing more." Lightning said, and one thought was sure to him, he was going home and his father couldn't hurt him anymore.