The Necklace
Before Hand
Wind rippled the flying bison's fur as he flew over the sharp, rocky mountain peaks. Sokka held the leather reigns tightly in his hands and lead Appa while Katara, Zuko, Aang, and Toph rode in the saddle and chatted. Though it was late, and Sokka always slept, tonight he couldn't. Too much was on his mind. The moon was waning, and only a tiny, silver sliver remained in the sky. Soon, there would be no moon at all, Katara would be at her weakest and Yue wouldn't be only a glance away. New Moon.
Katara could feel it too. Her bending had been wearing away, and she felt powerless. It was hard for her to bend the water out of plants and clouds. She couldn't stand it, feeling useless. Her motherly disposition was also becoming thin and an angry feeling began seeping into her brain. She sat silent in the saddle, listening to the others talk. Suddenly, she smelled the rain. "Sokka," she said. "We need to find shelter. Its going to rain." Her brother shot her a look of ' Are you crazy? The weather is perfect!' Katara pursed her lips. "Fine- don't believe me." In that second, lightening crackled and rain started to fall in heavy, fat drops.
Sokka cringed. "You know, it never fails," he said half to himself and half to everyone else. He steered Appa into a cave. As he helped Zuko unload everyone's belongings, he grumbled to himself. He unrolled his bed roll and placed it so that it completed the circle around the fire pit. Everyone quickly snuggled into their sleeping bags and fell asleep. Everyone, but Sokka. He sat on his bedroll wide awake looking at the moon through the hazy, rain drenched opening of the cave. Slowly, the midnight sky faded to light purple then to a misty blue. 'No Moon tonight.' He thought and rolled over, closing his eyes.
"Sokka wake up!" Toph yelled. "Come on you lazy snail-sloth, you gotta go hunt or something... Katara's orders." Sokka pulled a pillow over his head, trying to ignore the earthender. But, poor Sokka forgot that Toph wouldn't easily give up. She spit in her palms and stomped a foot on the cave floor, earthbending a small wave of rock under Sokka, throwing him several feet in the air. He yelped like a hurt puppy and sleepily stood up with bags under his blue eyes. "Listen, I gotta teach Baldy some earthbending, and Hothead over there has to go sulk."
Zuko stood up quickly and shrieked, "Hey!"
Toph shrugged. "Sorry Hothead, I speak the truth!"
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Katara knelt by a berry bush, collecting big red grapes and putting them into a big wicker basket. She looked over at Zuko who knelt beside her helping to fill the basket. "For some reason," she started. "I don't want to hit you." Zuko looked over at her confused.
"Uh, thank you?" He guessed, returning to the berry bush. Then there was a silent moment between the two and only the rustling of the leaves as they picked the grapes was heard. "Your mother," Zuko started awkwardly. "Must have been a very brave woman."
Katara shot a look at him that could kill. "Is that the only thing you can talk to me about?" She stood up angrily and, holding the basket on her hip, said, "Because every time we talk, its about your mother or mine. I'm sorry, but I can't talk about her right now." She walked back towards the cave, leaving a confused, worried Zuko in her wake. He let Katara have a few minutes, and gave himself some time to cool down, as well. What she said reminded him of how he snapped at Uncle on the anniversary of his banishment. 'That must be it,' he thought. 'Katara is usually very strong, but with the moon going and it being the anniversary of her mother's death-'
His train of though was interrupted by a high pitched scream. Katara!
Aang and Toph were the first back at the cave after Katara screamed. The wicker basket had dropped to the floor, spilling their food across the opening of the cave. "What happened?" Aang asked.
Toph folded her arms. "Isn't it obvious, Baldy. We've been robbed!"
Just then, Sokka and Zuko arrived in the entrance to the cave. "Oh man." Sokka observed. Then he smiled. "At least I still have my boomerang!" He pulled the blue weapon out of a sling on his back and hugged it, like only Sokka would.
Zuko saw Katara's eyes open wide in fright as she ran over to the small wooden jewelry box on top of her folded sleeping bag. She hastily opened it and peered in. "No-" She said gravely. "Its- gone-" a silver tear slid down her cheek. Aang, Sokka, and Toph walked over to comfort her. But Zuko couldn't make himself move. He'd Talk to her later. From one motherless teenager to another.
