Chapter 22: Sun Rises

I stared up at the sky, as it was still quite a bit dark out side right now. It had just been a bit hard for me to sleep last night, as that was the reason that I was even awake at this very moment in time any ways. I also knew that I did want to leave the barn, and get out on the road to the sun trail that I had been told that I needed to follow time and time again, as it was kind of getting on my nerves on this point.

I knew that now was the time how ever, as I had spent plenty of time with my brother at this point, as I had taught him how to catch, and kill a mouse, so I just had to hope that it would be enough for the young kit, out on his own. I know that I had told him that I was leaving early in the morning, so we had already said our good byes, but it still hurt me to just leave him out on his own like this, with out our father.

I let out a bit of a soft sigh at the exact same time too, as I also had to remind my self of the fact that I could not have that in my head time at this very moment in time, as I had to obey the promise that I had made to Frank, as to the fact that he did not want me to tell, Owl, my brother, about the fact that we were in fact kin, and we were in fact related, as he was worried about us growing an attachment with each other as well.

I knew that he was in fact correct with all of that, as it almost felt like he had known that he was going to die that might no matter what, if I was not going to lie to my self, as it had seemed a bit rushed, as to how he had told me all of that at once. I let out a bit of a soft sigh at the exact same time too, as I still for some reason seemed to curse that cat named Stoneteller for a lot of this, as none of it would have happened if I had just stayed in my old nest.

I knew that I could not tell Owl as to the fact that we were brothers, as I did in fact know that he would want to go with me on the quest of the sun trail now that he did not have his father. He was a smart cat as well, as I knew that he could tell that there was some thing that I was not telling him, though it did not seem to be any thing evil at all luckily enough, so he just decided not to say any thing about it, which I was of course glad for, as there would have to be a whole lot of explaining for me to do, which I felt like I just did not have the time for.

I sighed, as I then shook my head at my self, at the exact same time too, as I did my best to shake out all of those thoughts that my mind seemed to be stuck on right now. I looked away from the sky all at the exact same time too, as I knew that the sun was not up yet, so there was no use in me ever trying to search for the sun trail at this point, as I knew that I had a little while longer.

I knew that I had to go out very soon from now, as I knew where the sun rose in the morning, so it meant that I would know as to where it was that I could go at this point. I was not worried as to the fact that I might get attacked by coyotes, like Frank had either, as I felt like I had a different power on my side right now, and also the fact that I also knew that the coyotes would be heading over to their own dens at this point, so that they could get a bit of some sleep.

I nodded to my self all at once, as I then did my best to try to get my focus off of all of those thoughts all at once as well, as I then all of the sudden lifted my self up from off of the hay bale that I had been sitting on for quite a bit of some time, that I knew that Owl, my brother sat on for most of his day, as it seemed like he had a bit of an imagination him self, as to what the world was like out side of the barn.

I still was not all too sure as to what it was like, if I was going to be honest with my self, as even if I had been in fact tempted several times to stay at the barn, I knew that the world I was about to see out side, was going to be quite a beautiful one with out a doubt in my mind. I wish that I could take Owl with me, but at the exact same time too, I also knew that he was far too young to go on a journey as big as the one that I was about to go on by my self.

I knew that at this point, I should just get my focus off of all of that, and just go... It was time, and I knew it, sadly enough, as I looked back in to the other room, to see that Owl was laid on top of a bigger hay bale in side of the barn, fast, and sound asleep right now, as I really did not want to disturb him. At the same time too, I felt like I could not live with my self, if I did not say one last, and final good bye to my brother, as I knew that where ever it was that I was going, unless he had a dream such as mine, than I would never see him ever again.

It hurt me to have all of those thoughts go through my head at once, but I knew that it was the truth, and at some point I had to live with my own decisions that I felt like I had to make, as much as I knew that it might hurt me at the exact same time too, as I kind of dipped my head to the ground all at once, as I felt sick as to the fact that I was about to leave a young kit on his own, with out any one to help me.

I shook my head all at once how ever, as I knew that this was what it was that I was supposed to do, and I also knew that the kit was a smart kit, and he knew how to take care of him self none the less. I let out a much more heavy sigh all at once this time, as I then got my focus once again, from off of those thoughts, as I then turned my head over to where I did in fact see Owl laid on top of the large hay bale that was in the barn that I was staring through at this very moment in time.

I breathed in heavily very quickly, as I then all of the sudden began to walk over to it all at once as well, for some odd reason or another, even though I knew that we had already said our good byes last night, I felt like I had to say one last thing, before I left the kit out on his own in this barn, with all of the other animals, and the two legs that some times walked in to the barn from time to time, and some times rubbed against our fur, which felt ever so nice none the less.

I shook off those thoughts at the same time too how ever, as I knew that the more that I thought that way, the more that I felt like I would want to stay with Owl at the barn. I squinted my eyes, as I stared at the ground all at once as well, as I knew just what it was that I needed to have my focus on at this very moment in time, which was of course the fact that I needed to go down the sun trail, such as I had been told to do in all of my dreams.

I nodded to my self, as I then kept on going over to my brother any ways, just so I could wish him luck in the life that he was about to live at the barn. I then all of the sudden let out a bit of a smile all at once, though it was in fact a bit of a sad smile, as I knew just what it was that I was going to be leaving behind, which was just what it was that I had always imagined my entire life, that I would some day find... My kin...

As I blinked my eyes just a few times, seeing that I was at the bottom of the hay bale that he was on top of right now, I then stretched my self a bit, so that I did not pull a muscle trying to jump on top of the hay bale with him, as I felt kind of stiff laying on the hay bale out side, just staring at the moon, even know I was soon to be looking at the sun, as I knew that it was going to lead me to my new home.

I sighed, as I then shook off all of those thoughts all at once, as I then got my focus back on to what it was that I was doing at this very moment in time, which was of course, the fact that I wanted to say one final good bye to my brother, for real this time, before I went out on my dreams, and the place that I had been told about, to go over to, as I squinted my eyes at the top of the hay bale all at once to.

Just as I stared at it for a little while longer, that was when I soon all of the sudden jumped on top of it, as I landed softly, and gracefully upon the hay that Owl was sleeping on at this very moment in time. How ever, I knew that even if I felt like I had landed softly and gracefully, I knew that Owl would not feel the same as I did, as I knew that it had bounced across the entire hay bale, all the way over to where it was that he was at, at this very moment in time any ways.

Owl blinked a few times, as I saw a look of shock, surprise, and a scared look in his eyes at this very moment in time, due to the fact that he wondered why he had got woken up so early in the morning. Owl looked all around him for just a few moments, until he spotted that it was just me that was with him right now. I expected him to have a bit of a scared look on his face still, but luckily enough, that was just not the case at all.

I was worried still that he might have thought that I had done some thing to his father, which scared me as to the fact that he might run away, to get away from me, which I knew he would not last long as a kit out in the wild at the exact same time too. Luckily the kit was smart enough to know not to do such a thing, and it seemed like at the exact same time too, that he also trusted me none the less as well, thankfully enough for me.

Perhaps it was the fact that I looked like a mess when I had got back to the barn that next day. Either way, I suppose that it did not matter all too much any more, as it was all in the past, and I knew that it was time for me to move on from that at the exact same time too, as I knew that I had an important journey ahead of me at the exact same time too, that I knew that I needed to keep my focus on at this very moment in time, no matter what the case might be.

I saw the kit look at me for a few moments, as he all of the sudden squinted his eyes at me at the exact same time too, as it was clear that he was a bit confused as to why I had woke him up early, when I had already told him that I was going to be gone by the morning. He had his head tilted at me though, as it did not seem like he was upset about it at all, but it seemed more like the fact that he was interested in to why I had done all of this in fact.

I was not going to tell him the full reason as to why I had done this at all, as I knew that I could not tell the young kit that we were brothers, but I still felt quite a bit bad for the fact that I was going to be leaving him out on his own. I gulped all at once, all of the sudden, as I then saw the young kit nod to me at the exact same time too, as it was clear that he was waiting for me to go ahead and speak to him.

I sighed a bit of a soft sigh to my self all at once, as I did my best to get my focus off of all of those thoughts all at once, as I then kept my eyes on the kit, my brother, Owl, as I then all of the sudden nodded right back over to him. He had a bit of a sad smile, as if he knew some thing that I did not, which confused me quite a bit, but I did not want to focus my thoughts on that right now, as I then all at once, began to speak to him, as it was clear at the same time too, that he was listening to each and every word that I was saying to him in the very first place any ways.

"I just wanted to say one last good bye to you, before I went out side... I most likely will never see you again... You are a good kit Owl, do not let all of the bad things stop you from being a good cat when you get older... Keep helping as many cats as you can, just like you helped me..." I said to him, as I could tell that he was quite a bit shocked as to what it was that I had just said to him at the exact same time too.

I knew that I had quite a different meaning as to what it was that I had said to him, as I knew how, and why he had helped me through all of this, as he too had lost the same father as I had. I knew that no matter how smart of a cat that he was how ever, it did not matter as to the fact that he would ever fully under stand the words that I had just said to him, as it was clear that he did not have a clue as to the fact that we were in fact brothers.

Owl squinted his eyes at me, as it was clear that he was trying to read the full meaning as to what it was that I had just said to him, as it was clear that he knew that there was a bit of a different meaning behind the words, but it was clear that it was just too hard for him to decipher the words that I had just said to him in the first place. I felt a bit bad for not telling him the full truth, but at the same time too, I also knew that I had to with hold to wish that my father had asked me to do.

Owl stared in to my eyes for a little bit longer, but as it seemed like my eyes were just not telling the young kit enough, he then gave up, all at once, as to just what it was that I had even meant by what it was that I had said to him in the first place any ways. Owl let out a bit of a softer, but also loud enough sigh that I could hear it, as he all of the sudden dipped his head a bit low to the ground all at once, as it was clear that he too was in pain.

It was clear too me, that he had grown a bit of an attachment to me, such as I had grown for him, as it was clear that it was going to hurt him a lot as to the fact that I was going to be leaving. I kind of regretted the fact that I had woke him up in the first place, so that I could say good bye to him, as it seemed to simply be out of my own greed, as to the fact that I had done so, as I was not all too sure as to just what it was that I was thinking.

I shook off all of those thoughts all at once, as I too, just like Owl, then dipped my head a bit low to the ground, as I was in quite a bit of some pain my self. I was very glad now, that I had not told Owl that we were brothers, as I was now starting to realize just what it was that Kettle had meant by what it was that he had told me, as I now realized that if he did know that he was my brother, than there was no way that he was going to let me go out there on my own, especially after the loss of our father none the less.

I shook my head, as I then got my focus off of that at the same time too, as I then all of the sudden was strong enough to some how lift my head back up, and then lock eyes with Owl, as he too had his head up. I saw a bit of a glimmer in those eyes, but it soon began to fade away, as if it had not been there in the first place. I blinked my eyes, just a little bit lost as to what it was that I had just seen, but I got my focus off of all of that all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden, saw Owl nod at me.

I was a little bit lost by it, for a few moments in time, mainly due to the fact that I was lost in my head right now, but after a little while longer, it then did in fact begin to hit me, as to the fact that my brother had in fact nodded to me, as I then all of the sudden nodded right back over to him, realized that he was about to speak to me, for perhaps that last time, not the last time that he would ever speak, but the last time that I would ever hear his voice.

Owl felt a lot safer now, as I saw him dip his head a little bit low to the ground once again, but that did not seem to last all that long, as he then lifted his head back up, and looked me right back in to my eyes, as he then all of the sudden, at the exact same time too, began to speak up to me finally. I let out a little bit of a soft and quiet sigh all too my self at the exact same time too, as I then began to listen as to what it was that he even had to say to me in the very first place any ways.

"I... I will miss you Kettle... Thank you so much, for all that you have done for me too... I know that you have to go out on your journey, and I wish you the best of luck on that, and I hope, and wonder if we some day, might meet again..." He said to me, as it came as a bit of a surprise to me as to the words that he had used, for such a young kit, even if he was a smart cat, it almost sounded like he was speaking like the cat that I had met, that had told me to follow the sun trail in the first place, which was of course, Stoneteller.

I dipped my head a little bit low to the ground this time, as I then nodded to him at the exact same time too, as I saw him nod right back over to me, to let me know that he was serious with each and every word that he had just said to me. I blinked my eyes a few times, as even though I was tired, I felt like I was wide awake, and I felt a new sort of form of life, and a new energy start to take over me.

I was not all too sure as to just what it was, but it felt good, if I was not going to lie to my self, as I then lifted my head up a bit all of the sudden, as I saw that Owl was nodding to the exit of the barn, over to where it was that the sun rose in the morning, as if he knew all about the fact that I was trying to go down the sun trail, such as I had been told to do in all of the dreams that I had been having.

It shocked me quite a bit at first, as all that I had told the kit, was the fact that I was following a place in my dreams, just like his father was, and that I needed to go there. I was not sure how he had some how managed to find out that the sun trail was the place that I had needed to go, as I knew that he was a smart kit, but there was no way that he could read my mind, surely right? That just did not seem possible at all to me, if I was going to be honest with my self.

I sighed, as I shook off all of those thoughts all at once, as I had to assume that it simply was a coincidence as to the fact that he had pointed as to where the sun trail was, as that was the exit to the barn any ways, so it should not come as to that much of a surprise to me that he was letting me know that I needed to go ahead and start to head off down the path that I had been told to go down any ways.

I shook my head, as I got my focus off of all of that, as I then jumped down from the hay bale all at the exact same time too, ready to go down the sun trail, as I began to walk near the exit to the barn. I still felt like there was one thing that was missing though, even if I was not all too sure as to what it was that it could be, as I turned my head back over to Owl all at once, to see that for some odd reason or another, he had a smile on his face.

At first, I thought that might be due to the fact that he was happy to see me leave him, as I was just about to tilt my head in a bit of confusion. But, after a little while longer, I then began to realize that it was not the case at all, as he was simply just happy for me, and the fact that I was going to go and follow the place that I had been told to go over to, as I was not all too sure as to why I might have thought that it could have been some thing completely different, as I knew that he was a good kit, and he would grow up to be a good cat none the less.

I smiled back at Owl, as we stared at each other for a little bit longer, until he all of the sudden nodded to me at the exact same time too, to go ahead and head off on my journey, and the path that I was supposed to be going down right now any ways. I nodded a bit back to him, as I then all of the sudden turned my head back over to the exit of the barn, and I kept the smile on my face, as I then began to walk out of there.

It had been a rough morning, as I had my eyes all over the place, due to the fact that I knew that it was still a slight bit dark out at this very moment in time, as I was worried that another pack of coyotes might all of the sudden run up on me, and tear me apart, just like they had done to Frank. I gulped just a bit, as I shook my head at the exact same time too, as I did my best to try to shake off all of those thoughts from my head all at once.

I sighed, as I got my eyes ahead of me, as I knew that it had been a bit of a rough morning for me, as I had forgot to try to get a mouse from the barn earlier in the morning, before I headed off on my adventure, as I knew that it would have been quick and easy, and it would have fed me for the day none the less, at the exact same time as well, as I dipped my head a bit low to the ground feeling like a bit of an idiot.

The simply click of a cricket in the back ground woke me up just as soon as I had done that, as it felt like I was a little bit too aware of my surroundings. I wish that there was some prey out that I could be aware of, but sadly that was not the case at all for me, as it was still a bit too early in the morning for all of the prey to even wake up, and start their day yet.

I shook my head how ever, as I got my thoughts, and my focus off of all of that all at once how ever, as I it had felt like I had my mind so stuck in my head all at that same time too, that I had failed to notice that fact that it was starting to get a little bit bright in the horizon, as I could see some light not all too far away from me, through all of the trees, telling me that the day was about to start.

I let out quite a heavy sigh of relief all at once, as I felt a lot more safe now that I knew that the sun was coming up in to the sky, as it not only meant that I knew that all of the scary creatures that came out in the night were now going away officially for real now, but it also meant at the exact same time as well, that there was going to be some prey out very soon from now, that I might be able to catch.

I let out quite a bit of a heavy sigh all at once, as I was not all too sure as to what it was that I should do right now. I knew that I was still in the fields, as I could see that the woods were a fair bit behind me. The only thing that I might be able to catch right now, it felt like, was going to be a rabbit. I was a little bit too scared to even try to catch a rabbit how ever, just based off of the fact as to what it was that had happened last time that I had tried to catch one.

I dipped my head, as I knew that a lot of that was my fault at the same time too, but I still could not help but to have a little bit of fear on the fact that I might not have much of any other choice but to try to catch a rabbit this morning, as I knew that if I did not, than it might be a while til I would be able to catch any thing else that would feed me for the day. I gulped, as I was quite a bit fearful still, as to the fact that I felt like I might get attacked again.

I shook off all of those thoughts all at once how ever, as I knew that I was a lot bigger cat than all of that, and that there should be no reason as to why I would be afraid right now, as I then rolled my eyes a bit to my self all at once, and I got my eyes back on to the focus of what it was that I saw in front of me at this very moment in time, as it did not take all too long for me to realize that what it was that I saw was amazing, beautiful, and it made me feel a whole lot better about all of this.

It was the sun rising, as it lit out all sorts of different colors across the sky, and across all of the clouds. I could not help but to put a little bit of a smile on my face, as it felt like I needed that at the exact same time too, as things seemed to all of the sudden feel a lot better for me, and things also seemed to be looking up for me at the exact same time too, as I then began to speak to my self a bit quietly all of the sudden.

"And so... The sun rises..."