The golden she-cat crept forward, her amber eyes fixed on her target. Almost... Almost... Her black tipped tail waved excitedly as she wiggled her haunches and sprang, sharp claws outstretched. Now!

With a squeal of delight, the kit pounced on her prey- a little fuzzy pink toy mouse with a tail of red yarn. She pinned it beneath her sharp kitten claws, beaming down at it proudly. "I landed right on it! Did you see, Scritch? It was the best pounce ever!"

The bell on her pink collar jingled as she raised her head. A black kit dashed out from under a velvet sofa and across the carpet to her, his red collar bell jingling, and his yellow eyes lit with amazement. "Wow! That was really good, Sappy." He dropped his chin to the carpet. "I bet I can do better though."

Sappy hurried aside to watch as her brother sprang at the toy mouse, but did not land as perfectly as she had. With a squeaky growl of annoyance, he hooked the mouse by it's yawn tail in his claws. "Let's play another game. Catch!" He flung the toy at his sister.

With a meow of laughter, she shot into the air and bat the pink mouse back at Scritch.

This house was the home of Sappy and Scritch, the only home they had ever known. They were cared for by a middle aged twoleg couple, who no doubt loved them dearly. Their housefolk gave them toys, treats, fluffy cat beds, far more than any cat could dream of. 

Their home was a big and wonderful place. The living room was where the kits slept, and it was their favorite place to play. The kitchen had a beautiful light thing on the ceiling that their housefolk called a "chandelier". They weren't big enough to climb the staircase on their own yet, but when they were, Sappy couldn't wait to see what lay up there. 

Despite never having seen the outside world, Sappy felt certain that she and Scritch were very lucky. She couldn't be happier. She lived a carefree life that consisted of eating tuna and treats, bowls of creamy milk, and playing with her brother, Scritch. 

Sappy raised a black paw as the toy mouse bounced at her feet, but before she could swat it, a familiar jingling sound came from behind her. Twitching an ear, she spun to see that one of their housefolk, the female, was home, fiddling with the set of strange metal claws she used to open the door.

"She's back!" Scritch's black ears perked eagerly. "You know what that means?"

"Dinner!" With a squeak, Sappy spun and bounded across the room, her brother hard on her paws. 

The bells on their collars jingled as they ran, and the twoleg smiled broadly at the sound, crouching to greet them. Sappy rubbed her whiskers against the left leg, while Scritch arched his back against the right knee, letting out an insistent high pitched meow.

Their twoleg said something in her strange twoleg language and stood, walking over to the kitchen. The kits hurried after her, trotting around her huge twoleg feet as she moved.

In the kitchen, Sappy and Scritch paced back and forth by the counter, their little tails high in the air as they mewed impatiently. The twoleg seemed to be taking forever to open the can of food.

I'm starving! Sappy thought, though she had just eaten this morning.

At last, the twoleg divided the food into two silver bowls and leaned over to place them on the floor. Sappy and Scritch each rushed to their bowl and eagerly dug in to their meal. Tuna again! She thought, swiping her tongue over her muzzle. My favorite!

The twoleg smiled and gave them each a brief stroke on the back before leaving them to eat to their hearts' content.

***

As the sun set, Sappy sat on a cushion by the windowsill, staring out at the foreign world. She had no desire to ever set paw outside. Yet it fascinated her to see the strange path that monsters rolled across, the tall trees, the twolegs that walked by. She often saw other animals, though she had no idea what they were. Strange ones that could fly through the air, and brown ones that seemed a little like cats, but had long ears or bushy tails.

Scritch leaped up beside her and peered out the window. "Did you see any of those barking things? The big animals that walk with the twolegs?"

"Not today," Sappy purred. "Aren't they weird?" She paused as she gazed out at the outside world. "Scritch, do you think there are others like us?"

"Cats?" Her brother frowned. "I don't know. I've never seen any. Maybe we're the only ones, and that's why the housefolk treat us so well."

That makes sense. Sappy thought with a flash of admiration for her brother. He's so smart. What would I do without him? "But wouldn't it be great if there were others? We could make friends!" She thought of all the fun she had with Scritch during the day. What if there were other cats to laugh and play with?

Scritch purred in amusement. "I think it would be weird. Besides," He added with a playful nudge. "I don't need other cats when I have you. We're best friends, and we only need each other."

"That's true." Sappy purred and looked away from the window, which no longer seemed important. "Even when we're old and grumpy!"

Her brother laughed. "Maybe you'll be grumpy, but I won't!" He tapped her on the nose and leaped off the cushion, and she rushed after him.

***

That evening, like any other, was peaceful and relaxing. The orange glow of the lamp filled the room in a comforting golden hue. Their housefolk always made time for the kits at the end of the day. The female sat, dragging a string across the carpet as Sappy darted after it. The male twoleg sat on the sofa with Scritch, who curled up into a tiny black ball in his lap. 

Two tall, thin candles stood on a silver base atop the coffee table, flickering soothing yellow lights. Whenever these strange candles were lit, the living room smelled quite splendid. It made Sappy feel comfortable and safe.

The male twoleg made a sound and gently lifted Scritch from his lap, setting him on the carpet before standing. The female twoleg rose as well, giving Sappy a stroke on the head and Scritch and scratch on the chin. Sappy blinked contently. It was time for the housefolk to go to sleep. 

The female twoleg turned off the lamp, then said something to the male, gesturing to the candles as she headed upstairs. He nodded and started toward the coffee table, then stopped suddenly, grasping his stomach with one hand. A look of discomfort and panic spread across his face. 

The kits watched, puzzled, as the twoleg turned and fled up the stairs into the pale room. Sappy did not know what was in this room, only that there was a strange roaring sound that came from it before one of her housefolk exited.

Sappy exchanged a confused look with Scritch. Was their twoleg alright? Several minutes later, the familiar roar sounded, and the twoleg emerged from the room, looking relieved. Instead of returning to the living room, he disappeared up the stairs.

As she stared after him, Scritch stretched his jaws wide in a yawn. "Time to sleep!"

"But wait..." Sappy turned to look at the candles on the table. "The housefolk always put out those lights before they go to sleep."

Scritch shrugged. "I guess he forgot." He turned and climbed into their bed, a fluffy red cushion.

Sappy hesitated as she watched the two tiny flames. Something doesn't feel right... "I think we should put out the lights."

"Us?" Scritch blinked as he kneaded the cushion. "How?"

She jumped up onto the coffee table and pondered this question as she studied the candles. The housefolk always put them out somehow with their mouths... Do they just breathe on them? She craned her neck forward and exhaled as she parted her jaws. The flames didn't disappear. She frowned and tilted her head, raising a paw and waving it near the flame. It felt warm.

"Sappy, be careful!"

She heard her brother's concerned meow and could see him staring from the corner of her eye, but ignored him, mesmerized by the tiny golden light in front of her. So pretty, so mysterious... Does it only disappear when the housefolk tell it to? Maybe if I... She stretched out a paw and tapped at the smooth white candlestick.

Her heart skipped a beat as the candle leaned to the side and fell from its' silver base. In that brief moment as it descended toward the floor, Sappy thought. I've broken it! The light will disappear, now.

But in the second that followed, Sappy knew she'd been very very wrong. The peaceful evening ignited into disaster.

The candle hit the carpet, but the flame did not disappear or shrink. It grew. The bright golden light blazed upon the carpet, flames awakened and stretched tall beside the table. 

"Sappy!" Scritch cried in alarm.

Panic shot through Sappy from whisker to tail as she scrambled from the table and rushed to his side. She spun to see the fire quickly spreading, ripping up the carpet and climbing the sofas.

What have I done?! The golden glow was no longer comforting. It was terrifying. She took a step back only to shriek out as hot pain seared her hind paw. "It hurts! This light hurts us!" She fled toward the kitchen. "Scritch, hurry!"

The kitchen too was becoming engulfed by flames. The lights from the chandelier seemed to have escaped their glass prisons, free and dancing across the room. Sappy's mind whirled with panic as she fled blindly across the floor, which was quickly heating up beneath her pads.

Suddenly, a sharp beeping squealed above the roar of the flames, a sound similar to the strange flying creatures outside, only faster and high pitched. Sappy's tiny heart exploded with terror at the alarm, and she reared back into Scritch, who let out a frightened cry. It seemed to be coming from the ceiling above them. The ringing pierced through her head, and she shut her eyes, desperate to escape the noise.

Everything is so loud and scary! She let out a terrified cry and spun, thrusting her muzzle against Scritch's flank. "Run, back to the living room!" Anything was better than this terrifying sound.

Her brother's little claws scrabbled at the floor as he took off, and Sappy raced after him. A heavy haze of gray smoke had filled the room. It smelled horrible, and she coughed as she ran through it. 

"We have to get out of here!" Scritch wheezed and bounded across the burning carpet. "The window!"

His black tail vanished behind a wall of flames, and Sappy squinted through the smoke as she zig zagged after him. Scritch leaped onto the cushion by the window, scratching desperately at the glass with his tiny claws. Sappy hurried to his side and scrabbled at the window with him, but her claws slid harmlessly over the smooth surface. Outside, she saw huge red monsters with spinning lights on their heads. But there was no time to question Scritch about them.

"It's no use!" Scritch wailed.

She ignored him and scratched more rapidly in a panic. "We have to keep trying!" There was a crackling sound above her head, but she ignored it, focusing on breaking through the window. Please let us out! Please!

WHOOSH

"Look out!" Scritch slammed into Sappy, who let out a startled cry as she was knocked clear off the cushion and onto the carpet, scrambling to her paws just before she rolled into a patch of flame. She swung her gaze up just in time to see a flaming piece of the curtain fall onto Scritch's head.

Her brother let out a scream of agony that sent a lightning bolt of panic through her. Her paws were frozen to the ground as she watched her brother shake his head desperately to escape the burning cloak, rolling off of the cushion.

Go! He needs help! She jolted forward and dug her claws into the curtain piece, hardly aware of her pads burning as she tugged it off of her brother's head.

Scritch wailed and stumbled before collapsing, letting out a groan of pain. As Sappy crouched by his side, the front door slammed open. But there was no familiar jingle, nor was it their housefolk entering. Instead, a pawful of strange twolegs rushed inside, stomping with huge boots and wearing bright yellow pelts.

Great, now we're being attacked! But at the sight of the open door, Sappy knew it was their only chance to escape. She nudged her brother urgently with her muzzle. "Come on!"

Scritch only wheezed and moaned in response, his eyes squeezed shut. Thinking quickly, Sappy grasped his collar in her teeth and half led, half dragged him toward the door. He stumbled alongside her, unable to stay on his paws on his own.

A new sense of fear rushed through Sappy as she and Scritch stepped out onto the porch. The outside world. The steps were cold, a new experience that might have scared her if not for the way it soothed her burnt pads. The cold night air chilled her fur. Twolegs in yellow pelts swarmed the front yard, while their huge red monsters wailed behind them.

We have to hide from them! She quickened her pace, and Scritch mewled weakly in protest as he was dragged down the steps. Sappy led him across the lawn and crawled under the shelter of a bush. She released Scritch's collar, and he slumped onto his stomach beside her, trembling.

Sappy shivered and stared at the scene. She had never seen their home from the outside. It looked frightening, though she was sure it looked much different when it wasn't in flames. She was relieved to see their housefolk among those twolegs with yellow pelts, looking shaken, but alright. They must have escaped another way. Are those strangers here to help them?

Scritch whimpered, and she snapped her attention down to him. "Scritch! Are you-" She broke off and let out a shriek.

In the chaos of escaping the house, she hadn't gotten a good look at her brother's face. Now, she almost wished she hadn't. The soft black fur around his eyes and muzzle was gone. Instead, his face bore patches of charred, burnt flesh, red and brown with glistening trails and patches of blood. 

Scritch's yellow eyes were glazed and half shut as he tried to meet her frightened gaze. "W-what's wrong?" He rasped. "Is... Is it bad?"

For a long moment, Sappy didn't know how to answer, or even describe the condition of his face. It scared her to look at. But I need to be strong for him... She swallowed, her voice shaking as she spoke. "I-it's not good... But it'll be okay." She wished she could believe her own words.

As she leaned down and gently licked Scritch's head, dread and shame washed over her. This is all my fault... I knocked over the candle! I nearly killed us. I destroyed our home. She paused and stared across the lawn at her housefolk. They were trying to comfort one another. 

I've never seen them so upset... Sappy flattened her ears in distress. Do they know it's my fault? They must! They'll throw me and Scritch out for sure! Staring at their burning home as the yellow pelted twolegs put out the fire with snakes, she only knew one thing. It isn't our home anymore.