▪️ FLAMEPAW ▪️

The spotted apprentice lay curled up in a nest... his nest, in the Apprentice's Den. He found that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't sleep. Flamepaw let out a sigh and looked around the den. Lightningpaw sat in the nearest nest, with a few other apprentices he didn't know more towards the entrance. Pantherpaw's thin dark shape was barely visible from where the tom slept.

'I need fresh-air... maybe that will calm me down.' He stood quietly and carefully began to leave the den, careful not to step on any tails. He finally emerged from the den and looked around the camp. He could see the slumbering forms of some of the warriors inside their nests. He glanced at the entrance to the camp, and could see two warriors standing guard.

'I can't get out that way...' He thought, ears drawing back slightly. He heard shuffling behind him, and jumped a little. He looked back to see Lightningpaw, she seemed to be swaying on her paws a little and was blinking sleepily, though she very clearly was watching him.

"Where are you going?" She asked him, voice quiet as to not wake their denmates. Flamepaw tried to quickly think of a lie. If he said he was leaving the camp, she might think he was going back to WindClan...

"I was just going to make dirt." He lied, and in Lightningpaw's sleepy state, she didn't seem to notice that his voice quivered slightly.

"Ok..." Her voice trailed off slightly as she began to fall asleep on her paws. She lay back down, and in a matter of seconds she was snoring. His muscles relaxed and he realized he had tensed up. He sighed again and began to pad across the camp clearing in the direction of the Dirt-place tunnel. His nose wrinkled slightly at all the ThunderClan scent as he made his way out of the camp. 'I better be able to get used to this...' He thought irritably. Once he got into the forest, he lifted his head to look at the stars, though his ears drew back a little when all he saw was leaves.

He felt a single tear fall from his muzzle and he realized how much he missed WindClan already. He missed his father, his sister, he even almost missed Burnpelt.

Suddenly, he broke out into a sprint, racing as well as he could through the trees. He found it difficult to see through the dark and his tears, but he continued on.

He let out a startled yelp as he tripped over a branch. He grunted as he struggled to his paws. His forepaw throbbed, but he ignored it and kept going. He pushed through until he suddenly felt water running over his paws. He skidded to a stop, sending a wave of water in the direction of the island. He stood in a shock for a moment, before the realization hit him.

'I'm at the lake!' He looked across the water, seeing the reflection of the stars. He looked up at the sky, feeling a few tears build up again.

He gritted his teeth, before letting out an angry yowl. He unsheathed his claws and dug them into the sandy ground below him.

More tears slid down his muzzle, and a wave of fatigue suddenly washed over him. He lay down on the bank of the lake, and with one more look at the sky, let his head rest on his paws and sleep overcome him.