The moon sat high in the sky shining down upon the land allowing me to see what lay ahead.

Darkness slowed down to a walk, dragging his paws along the ground. His head was lowered well his tail dragging along the ground behind him. He padded into a small woods exiting in the center of a small clearing and sitting down his head hanging low.

I float above the clearing watching.

A snap sounds form the other side of the clearing making Darkness lift his head and look over.

Lily and Zeus emerge into the clearing followed by two other lions and three lioness.

"Good you showed up like a smart cub," Zeus sneered in disgust.

Lily smirked an evil glint shining in her eyes, "looks like its game time brat."

I floated above them unable to do anything but watch the horror that would come.

Darkness rose up on his four paws, he crouched down into battle position growling, "bring it on mongrels," he hissed lowly.

Zeus smirked and gave a curt nod at the two lions.

Lily sneered and gave the nod to the three lioness.

The cronies grinned and charged forward teeth barred in rage. Darkness leapt back barely dodging the attacks.

A large brown lion leapt up into the air landing on his back his claws unsheathed. Darkness yowled in pain and anger swing his head around to snap at the offending lion.

A tawny coated lioness took the chance to bite his leg drawing blood. Darkness raised his uninjured paw and swung hard clawing the lioness across the face, sending her flying into a tree.

He raised himself up onto his two back paws and falling back on the brown lion knocking him off.

A medium sized golden lion is the next one to attack, he teams up with the remaining white lioness and gray lioness. They go in for a combined attack.

Gray runs around back sinking her fangs into his tail.

White rakes her claws down his left flank.

Gold charges him flipping him onto his back.

They stand above him snarling at him, "game over," Gold smirks.

"Really?" Darkness questions before ramming his back feet into Gold's stomach, sending him flying. Darkness quickly flipped over standing up once more.

The remaining lionesses snarled. Gray swiped at his face leaving her open for a counter attack, Darkness took his chance and shoved her away.

White and Darkness glared at each other waiting for the other to do the first move, circling one another. The grass crunched beneath their paws.

"Finish it!" Lily roared at the lioness.

The lioness jumped clearly startled by the sudden roar, "of course."

She broke the cycle of circling, charging at him.

Darkness lowered his body and readied himself for impact.

She rammed into his shoulder at full force forcing Darkness to slide back from the force.

Darkness leapt off to the side knocking her off balance, which sent her tumbling into a tree. He stood panting for breath his eye lids drooping.

Lily glanced over at Zeus, to which he nodded in reply to the silent command.

He pounced upon Darkness forcing him to the ground where he stood over him pinning him on his back.

Lily padded over and looked down at him, "next time you won't be so lucky mongrel."

"Remember to leave the pride," Zeus hissed in his ear, "this pride will be ours which means we don't want you around."

I frowned as I listened to them speak, 'what did you get yourself into kitten.'

The rest of their conversation was spoken much too softly for me to hear. I watched Zeus, Lily and their cronies leave the area heading back towards the pride.

I floated down just outside the clearing hidden in the tree line, shifting back into the lion form I had taken, I padded out of the trees and up to Darkness.

He collapsed on the ground once he saw that it was only me, "I thought I told you to go on ahead?"

I padded over to him and sat down, "now when have I ever listened to orders kitten?"

"Point taken."

I nudged his side gently, "you okay? Stupid question I know."

"Ya…I'm fine," he murmured refusing to meet my eyes.

"What was that about?" I questioned as I looked over the wounds.

"it's…," he sighed, "it's a challenge they wish to send me away from the pride and if I lose in battle I shall leave though once I reach adult hood I shall leave anyway, I'm not wanted."

I frowned slightly, before going back to examining his wounds, "it doesn't seem they'll scar," I forced a smile.

He slowly pushed himself up from the ground, swaying slightly before finding his balance.

I stood up and stood next to him allowing him to lean against my shoulder for assistance. We slowly began to make our way back towards the pride.

Darkness's lids drooped before he blinked, shaking the sleep from him (well at least trying to).

Once we arrived back the sun had already dispelled the night.

I assisted Darkness in laying down under the same tree as normal, (or as I call it our tree). He rested his head upon his paws allowing his exhaustion to take over.

I curled around him as I had when he was a cub. I glared across the field at Zeus and Lily who took no notice of me or Darkness.

As Darkness aged into an adult the attacks continued with added ferocity, they would attack him three days out of the week then five days and so forth. Until finally, they began to attack him each day allowing him little rest and no healing time between, attacks.

Darkness stood tall beneath the shade of the tree looking over the pride, "one more year and then I can leave on my own," he purred in happiness.

"One more year and then you can create your own pride," I smiled as I looked over at him.

The summer sun light glinting off his pure white mane which gave a great contrast to his dark onyx coat.

I looked across the field, getting an ominous feeling, I paid no heed to the feeling that had crept up, pushing it back down and locking it away (which was one of the greatest mistakes I had ever made…you'll see what I mean).

"I'll return later kitten," I gave a slight smile, "I promise."

He nodded turning his gaze onto me, "you had better Watcher," he warned.

I nodded hearing the warning that laced his voice, I turned and ran off into the wilderness. Once I was far enough away I shifted once more into my normal form and vanished.