Here's Chapter 7! Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Flame and Sun

"Omen! Come here!"

A small ginger brown tabby tom rushed towards his brother, away from a group of kits, who were teasing the poor tom. He told them he'll be the next group leader all he got for a response were downcasts.

"Come on! Let's play!" A larger ginger brown tabby tom gave his brother a warm welcoming smile.

"Umm", The small tom glanced back into the camp before facing his brother again, smiling, "Yeah! Let's play, Strike!"

"Follow me!" The large tomkit mewed gleefully. Bounding across the green, sunny moorland, playfully.

"Coming.." The small tomkit had to nearly sprint to catch up with his brother.

"Why are they so mean to me?"

"Hmm?"

"They shove me, make fun of me. I just want to be friends and have dreams." The small tomkit sounded depressed, "The adults don't care either."

"Hey. They're not your friends, friends don't do that to each other. Hey, tell you what!" The large tomkit stood beside his small brother and rested his tail on his shoulder, "If they do that to you again, we'll show them! Your strong, our next leader!"

The smaller tomkit's golden eyes gleamed. He broke away from his brother and crouched playfully in front of him, "Yeah! Thanks, Strike! Let's play now!"

Omen awoke from his nap. He glanced around the glade, two chestnut colored cats were having a conversation.

It was a chilly day, the leaves had just began to change colors. They had beautiful shades of red, organge and yellow. A sign that leaffall has finally arrived.

It's been a whole moon since the fire, but still, Omen could not forget or let go of Strike. He longed to hear his brother's voice, he just wanted him back. Aside from Strike, Omen still hasn't grown in the past moon, it annoyed him.

He was thinking about the dream he had, with him and Strike on the moorland. They weren't made up dreams, they were memories of the times he had with his brother. His sleep had been accompanied with those dreams almost every night.

He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice a one of the brown felines approach him.

"Sleep well?" She asked him, there was a warm glow in her amber eyes.

"Y- yeah."

"Great." She gave him a warm smile, "Oh, I'll be back I have to attened to something."

"Okay..."

Omen watched her leave, flicking her tail in farewell. She made her way through the bracken into the forest.

Her name was Maple. She and her brother, Bark, had found him shortly after the fire. After he moved his brother's body under a lush bush, he began to explore the forest, where Bark found him. He was exhausted when they found him, Bark fed him, and guided him to where he and his sister lived. There, they treated all the burns he had. Only, he rarely ever talked, he told them he forgot him name he doesn't want to hear "Omen" ever again.

They never asked for his name for the past moon, he assumed the were planning to give him one. He didn't care, though deep down, he wanted to name himself after his brother, but thinking of his brother only made him feel guilt and grief.

Ever since the lost of Strike, Omen felt as if he no longer had any motivation or the energy to do anything. He never really noticed how much his brother was to him after he lost him, now he was crushed knowing he may never see him again. He felt lost. He couldn't see his future anymore, he'd always thought Strike would be the one beside him through anything, now he's gone. Everything felt so hopeless and broken, he wished it was just a bad dream.

He spent most of his days sleeping, just sleeping. Nothing else, though, Bark took him to see the territory they owned and teaches him how to hunt and fight, which he is grateful for. But when that isn't happening, he'd just sleep. He didn't miss the moorland group, he was far from missing that place, well Ignetis was nice but that was nothing compared to how much he missed and wanted Strike back and right beside him.

With a sigh, he curled back into a tight ball and wrapped his tail over his muzzle. He fluffed his pelt against the chilly forest air and closed his eyes to fall back to sleep. He was about to doze off until he felt something flick his ear. He raised his head to see Bark sitting beside him.

"I'm not bothering you am I? I just want to speak with you." Bark sounded calm. He seemed wise and strong, like Ignetis, a cat he felt can be trustworthy.

Omen set himself to a sitting position and waited for Bark to speak. He didn't face him just sat staring at his paws.

"It's no secret your depressed about something, but it's good to let some cats know, they might be able to you help you." Bark mewed to him casually, "It's alright if you don't feel like sharing, sometimes it takes time to get used to change. You said you had no where to go, right?"

Omen gave a nod at Bark's last question. He took a short breathe, these cats are very kind and respectful to him, he felt he can trust Bark. The muscular chestnut tom reminded him of Ignetis in a way. But there's no way he wanted to say he caused the fire.

"I, umm, lost.. my brother because of... the fire. He was close and special to me, we had a v- very strong bond. Even though it has been a moon, I can't forget about him or let go. It's always been me and him, I.. I miss him." Omen shuffled on his paws.

"I see." Omen looked up at Bark, his eyes seemed full of empathy and understanding, "You two were close? I know what's it's like to lose someone close to you."

"You do?" Bark gave a nod, "How were you able to move on and let go?"

"It's not easy but if you were close, wouldn't your brother... want you to live happy? That's a positive way to think about it. It also takes time, just remember that you still have your own life ahead of you, you and your brother don't want you to waste it in grief."

Omen nodded in understanding. It made him feel a bit better, but of course, it was just advice it wasn't going to fix everything. But, he began to realize if he'd just think in Bark's perspective things will be better for him.

"Th- thanks, that helped."

Bark gave a quick nod, "Why don't you go on a walk, collect your thoughts and come back when you feel like it."

Omen got to his paws, "Okay."

"Don't go too far!" Bark called to him as he left. Omen flicked his tail in acknowledgement and made his way through the bracken.

He padded through the forest at a relaxed pace. Looking up through the trees Omen could tell that sunset was approaching. A pang of sadness his Omen, the sunset is what made him think of his moorland life with Strike the most.

He shook his head. Stay positive.

As Omen went along he was thinking about renaming himself. He never told Bark and Maple his name and he never really liked the name 'Omen' because of it's meaning. Omen was contemplating on it for a while as he went. Changing his name would help him move on as well. He was in deep thought of a name that he didn't hear rustling through the braken.

Pawsteps were being made behind him. Omen kept at his relaxed pace, still not noticing that now, he was being followed. The being was now right at his tail.

Omen flicked his tail feeling a sudden warmth on it, he hit his unnoticed follower across its muzzle.

Omen gave a nod to himself. He his thoughts finally together now. His expression got serious.

No more griefing! I need to move on and stay alive happily, for Strike! Omen felt his spirits lift. Need to thank Bark later.

Omen gave yowl into the forest, "I'll do it for you, Strike! I won't let you down!" Yowling that satisfied him.

"Oh, okay. Do what?" A familiar voice came from behind him a hint of playfulness in it. Omen's ear twitched.

Omen spun around violently and hit the young cat behind him in the process. "Ouch! Omen watch what your doing!"

Omen couldn't believe his eyes. Standing before him, a ginger brown tabby tom with emerald eyes and a tan belly. Omen took a few paces back. He was nearly choking on disbelief, relief and joy all at the same time.

"Umm, Omen?" The tom tilted his head, his emerlad eyes showing concern. "You alright?"

"Strike!" Omen blurted out in sheer joy. He tackled his brother down at full force, knocking them both over. Omen got up to his paws and stood over his brother.

"Your alive!" Omen mewed, trying to contain all of his emotions. Strike just gave a nervous chuckle in response.

By now, Omen was talking too fast, for he was too overjoyed to see his brother again after what he'd seen and done. Strike couldn't understand a word he was saying, but just chuckled.

"Missed me?" Strike smirked.

"Of course I missed you!" Words began to spill out of Omen's mouth. "Everything seemed so hopeless without you. Your my brother and.. and I care about you more than anything!"

"How'd you-" Strike cut him off.

"We can talk about that afterward.." Strike gave a few nervous glances, but Omen was oblivious to them. He was just too overjoyed to see his brother again. His prayers over the past moon had been answered at last! He was so happy he didn't hear Strike talking to him.

"Omen!" Strike raised his voice at him.

"Oh. Sorry Strike what were you saying?"

"I asked where did you settle here? I mean your not by yourself." Strike repeated himself calmly "I mean, you aren't alone are you?" Strike corrected himself with a chuckle.

"Oh I live with two other cats. They took me in after y'know." Omen meowed. He hoped Strike got the message that he doesn't like talking about the fire.

Strike gave a nod. "They wouldn't mind if I came, right? I mean also have no place to go. I can't survive myself."

"I'm sure they'll let you stay." Omen reassured him. "They're really nice. Follow me I'll show you where we are!" Omen sprang away from his brother and lead the way as Strike followed close behind.

When they got to the camp Omen stopped. Strike peered into the glade from behind Omen.

"Well? Why'd you stop? This is it, right?" Strike asked while still observing the clearing before him.

"I told Bark you were dead. It's going be.. awkward." Omen glanced back at his brother over his shoulder.

Strike's ear twitched. "I guess it would be. Imagine you walking in and saying 'This is my brother! Can he stay?'" Strike gave an imitation of Omen's voice before snickering to himself.

"I do not sound like that!" Omen hissed playfully. His expression then turned serious again . "But we're going to have to tell him something. I can't let you be alone in this side of the forest."

"What'll you say?" Strike tilted his head.

"Exactly what you said." Omen smirked. Omen was about to make his away into the clearing until he tripped over something. Embarrassed a little, he leapt into the clearing and hoped no cat but Strike saw since he wouldn't think it's funny all the time.

In the glade, Omen searched for Bark, he found Maple instead. The she- cat came to greet him.

"Hey. How are you?" The she- cat asked him.

Omen dipped his head slightly, "Fine. Have you seen Bark?"

Maple's whiskers twitched. He realized this is the first time he spoke directly to her. "He's taking a nap. What do you need?"

I think this might be a bit easier.

"Come out!" Omen called back into the bracken, Strike emerged from it a few seconds later. Maple tilted her head.

"Greetings." Strike dipped his head towards the she- cat.

Maple's amber eyes went from Omen to Strike. "You two must be kin, right?" She asked.

"Yeah, we're brothers. Can he stay?" Omen pleaded. Strike waited calmly for her response but his eyes showed that he wanted to stay as well.

"Of course he can!" Maple purred warmly with almost no hesitation. "I'll talk to Bark when he wakes up."

"Yes!" Omen gave a wide grin. Strike looked relieved.

"I imagine you two may have some catching up to do. It's been a moon, right." Maple smiled warmly.

An idea popped into Omen's head. He glanced up at the sky, it was sunset. "Yeah we do! We're going back out. Is that alright?"

"I'll tell Bark, but be back before moonrise."

"Great! We will!" Omen turned and signaled with his tail for Strike to follow.

Once they were back out in the forest Strile asked, "Where are we going?"

Omen flicked his tail in slight excitement, "You'll see.."

The forest air had gotten chilly, the sunset had probably just begun. The cool grass felt nice on Omen's large paws, he quickened his pace. He glanced up at every tree trying to find a good one to sit in, Strike just followed curiously.

"This is the one. Climb up, Strike. You can do it!" Omen urged as he found the tree he was looking for. He and Strike used to climb the forest's trees on the moor.

Omen scrambled up the tree and settled on the best brnach where be can see the sunset perfectly over the forest. Strike climbed up to him after getting a slight pull for Omen.

Strike's eyes gleamed as he gpanced towards the sunset, "It's just as nice the moorland." He mewed in awe.

Omen's golden eyes reflected the sunlight. "Good memories, right?"

Strike nodded not tearing his gaze from the sunset. Omen stared at the beautiful scenery as well. The sun lit up most of the trees in the most wonderful yellow color. Seeing this made him wonder how the forest looked from below througb the sun's rays.

Omen finally opened his jaw to say what he wanted to speak about. "That fire brought us here, it's amazing isn't it?"

Strike gave a nod and Omen kept speaking, "I thought the fire was the worst thing that could ever happen to me. If I actually lost you, I would choose being bullied and casted out by the group by what they think I might be in a heartbeat."

Strike swallowed and Omen continued both still not tearing their gaze from the setting sun, "Maple and Bark are so nice and now your here. The fire now seems like a good thing to happen. So that's why.. I want to change my name. I want to name myself after the fire. But what do you think, Strike?"

"You should change it if you want to." Omen glanced aa his brother seeing he was smiling. The sunset made his ginger pelt shine. "I'll change mine too, this is, if you wish to change yours."

Omen nodded, "I want to be called Flame! After the flames of fire. They brought me and you here." He smirked, glancing at his brother.

His brother nodded. "Alright Flame." Flame's grin grew wider, "I'll be called Sun from now on. I bet you can tell why."

Flame grinned widely, "Alright! From now on we're Flame and Sun!" Flame cheered.

Sun smirked, "Shall we head back?" He turned to Flame.

"Yeah let's go!" Flame slid down the tree trunk. He go accustomed to climbing trees since the moon he'd been here. Sun took his time coming down.

"That reminds me." Flame said as he and Sun were making their way back, "I haven't told Maple and Bark my name ."

Sun snickered lightly, "Seriously, Om- I mean Flame."

"Yup. They'll be getting my name shortly though." Flame said with a shrug.

As it was beginning to get colder, the two hurried back to the glade. But when they made it back, no cat was in the clearing, it was dead silent. This gave Flame an ominous feeling, making his pelt prick, thougbt, Sun seemed calm.

Flame pricked his ears and heard distant chatter in the den where they sleep. This made him relax a bit and his pelt laid flat again. He and Sun curiously entered. In the den, where Maple and Bark were standing over a white ball of fluff.

"There you two are! Come help us out!" Maple ordered as they entered the den. Flame and Sun approached the ball of white fur curiously.

There laid a tired, dirty, and starved young she-cat.

That's the end of Chapter 7!

Flame: So whose this she- cat?

Sun: I think anyone can tell...

Maple: I can't tell.

Flame: Neither can I.

Sun:*Sigh* You'll find out in the next time in A New Home.