Trial By Fire
by
Kalen Nighteyes
Chapter One
Enter the Firebender
Aang sat alone in the corner of Appa's saddle. Even though he seemed ok with prentending to be dead, deep down, he wasn't. To him, he had let the world down for a second time. He closed his eyes. He saw how Azula had shot him in the back with her lightning, effectively killing him. He opened his eyes and looked at Katara. She had brought him back to life. He knew he was doing the right thing by pretending to be dead, but he didn't have to like it.
Aang turned around and hung his arms and head over the side of Appa's saddle and let out a sigh.
"Aang, I know this is going to be hard for you, but everything depends on you staying hidden," said Katara sitting down next to Aang.
Aang sighed. "I know... but that doesn't mean I have to like it..." He looked into Katara's eyes. "I'm doing it, not just for the world, but for you too... I don't want to see anything happen to you because I had to go off and do something stupid and rash..." he finished.
Katara didn't know what to say. She wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him, but at the same time she wanted to turn and run away from him. "For me?:" she said finally.
Aang nodded. "Katara... I-"
"Where should we make camp?" Sokka said, interrupting Aang unintentionally.
"Just find somewhere to land, it doesn't matter where," Katara said hotly.
"Ok, we're in the middle of Fire Nation territory. I think that it does matter..." Sokka said.
"Look, just find a spot, land, and we'll make camp for the night," Katara said.
When Katara looked back at Aang, he was hanging his arms over the side of the saddle again, starring into the approaching night. "What were you going to say Aang, I'm listening now..." she said.
Aang shook his head. "Nothing... its not that important. We just need to land somewhere so we can make camp and get some rest," he said. He sighed as he stared at the horizon. He wanted to tell her how he felt so bad. He just couldn't bring himself to say it... not here at least. Not with Sokka and Toph around. He would tell her eventually, but not right now.
Katara sat there for a moment long studying him intently, then stood and walked to the front of the saddle and sat down next to Toph.
When they finally landed they all got off of Appa and began setting up camp. Aang gathered wood for the fire, Sokka began fumbling around with the tent, Katara got the rest of their belongings off of Appa, and Toph just sat around while everyone did all the work. Sitting around was what she was good at and after the incident back in the forests Earth Kingdom, no one bothered to even ask her for her help. When they finally got everything set up and were sitting around the fire talking and laughing they heard the sound of a twig snapping behind them. They fell silent, listening intently for additional noise. Another twig snapped. They stood up.
"You guys heard that right?" asked Sokka. Aang, Katara, and Toph all nodded.
They looked at one another then towards the dark forest next to them. "Who's there!?" shouted Sokka.
"Oh yeah Sokka, thats a really good idea, shout blindly so the evil thing that is coming can find us easier," said Toph.
"For your information, I read somewhere that shouting can scare off a number of things," Sokka said.
"Yeah, but not a Fire Nation soldier," Toph said.
"Quiet! Both of you!" Aang said, still trying to listen. Aang seemed to be studying the forest's edge intently, when out of nowhere a dark figure appeared. "We're not alone anymore guys... look," Aang said, pointing to where the figure was.
"Hey, you better turn around and go back to where ever you came from. We aren't a force to be trifled with!" Sokka yelled at the figure. The figure kept growing closer and closer. When it neared the light from their camp fire they four of them were staring a Fire Nation soldier.
Toph quickly trapped the soldier between two slabs of stone. "What do you want?" she demanded.
The soldier looked from Toph to Aang. "I knew it could not be true, the Avatar does live."
Aang looked at the soldier. He didn't know why, but something was telling him this soldier was no threat to him or the others. "Who are you?" Aang asked.
"My name is Khundes. I am an ex-Fire Nation soldier. I have come to help stop what the Fire Nation is trying to do," Khundes said.
"Thanks, but we don't need your help," Aang said and began to walk away,
"I can teach you your firebending. You have yet to master it yet am I correct? Back in my home I was the top firebender, I could be a great teacher for you," Khundes asked.
Aang stopped, turned, and looked at Khundes. "No. I won't firebend again. I hurt Katara the last time I tired. I won't do that again," he said, looking to the ground.
"Aang, I don't know much about the Avatar, but I do know that if you don't learn to firebend, you won't be able to stop Fire Lord Ozai and the Fire Nation will take over this world," Khundes said.
Katara approached Aang and put a hand on his shoulder. "Aang, hes right, if you don't learn firebending all of this will have been in vain. If you won't do it for the world, then do it for me," she said.
Aang turned and looked deep into Katara's beautiful blue eyes and nodded. "Ok... for you."