His claws ripped through the flesh of the cat he was attacking. It screeched in pain and attempted to slash out at his face but the grey tom just dodged to the side before tackling his opponent again.
The tom wasn't trying hard to fight back at his attack, he could tell, he knew that this cat was capable of killing him. But it wasn't fighting back…why? Simply because that cat was his father, cruel leader of Stoneclan, the cat who'd lead his clan into many battles which cause many deaths. This was the same cat who'd mistaken his mate for her sister and who'd cold bloodedly murdered her.
Darkstar slide to the floor and lay limp on the ground. But he wasn't dead, the Stoneclan leader may have lost many lives in battle, but this wasn't his last one.
Shadowstrike stood over his father's body, waiting, patiently… He could hear a Streamclan apprentice ask if the Stoneclan's leader was dead, but it was quickly hushed by his mentor.
The tom waiting, maybe his father really was dead? No, he could see him breathing again.
Shadowstrike took a step back, he was planning on avenging his mate's death. But he still couldn't kill a cat that was down. Darkstar stood up, his eye's shone with a look of pain…no…not pain…something else…regret, and shame, this cat knew he was going to die today, he knew he was going to pay for the sins he'd cause. His mouth quivered, he closed his eyes before taking a step toward his son "End this," he growled "Kill me, and end my misery, I know they are waiting for me."
Shadowstrike just stood there, "You really are a mess now" he snarled at his father, this wasn't like him, to be cruel, he usually was friendly, and he would have stopped and helped his father now. But that was a different cat, another him, the old him. That cat had been change, by force. That Shadowstrike would have just stood and cried because of Silverdrop's death. But this cat was different, this cat was going to end his clan's misery, and he was going to take vengeance.
Darkstar's gaze change "Kill me!" he ordered, before stepping forward and slashing out at his son. Shadowstrike's paw shot up and met his father blow.
"Don't worry, you will die." Came a faint snarl.
Darkstar smiled, he'd lost that surprised glint he'd had before losing his first life, "And I will finally accept my death opened pawed. This is my last one, end it quickly, and lead Stoneclan like it should be lead."
Shadowstrike's eyes widened, but something stopped him from panicking, a whisper at the back of his mind. "Now or never, do not back off" it said.
He watched his reflexion of his father's eye, every move he did, his paw lifting up above his head, claw's extended as they come down onto the brown tom's neck. Blood gushed out of the long gouge he'd just done. Shadowstrike blinked, his eyes filled with terror, this wasn't how he wanted it to end!
Slumping to the floor Darkstar writhed and spat. Blood slowly trickled from his mouth, and then he lay still.
Silence filled the clearing, as if every cat was holding its breath. Suddenly a young she-cat stepped forward.
"He's dead…really dead? Or…" the she-cat blinked and looked at Shadowstrike. "You're our leader now that he is dead"
Shadowstrike stood looking down at his father's dead body, he couldn't lead these cats, he wasn't a leader! But who could?
Raising his head the grey tom turned to look at his clan. "Stoneclan," he declared "When Foxtail died my father made me deputy of Stoneclan, but I cannot take his place now!"
He took a breath and turned to look at the she-cat who'd spoken, his apprentice, he now knew who would take his place.
"I name Scareye your leader, she will lead you better than I could have."
The tom gaze drifted to his father's body, he sighed, casting one last glance at his clan he meow "Now…I will leave, journey away from clan border until I get far enough to not be haunted by my father's spirit….goodbye."
Shadowstrike turned his back on his clan and made his way through the crowed of Lakeclan and Streamclan warrior who stood watching him silently as he walked by until the faded in black.