Book Four: Chapter 1 - Figure in the Storm
The falling sun cast blood red colors onto the dark cabin hidden in the woods. Stray of escaped light fell into the window, falling onto a brown hair girl with eyes the colour of the ocean. In the light, Sokka had to admit that Katara was beautiful.
Anxious, but beautiful.
"Hey, Katara, cut it out." Sokka's voice cut through the silence of the room. The small fire in the corner of the room flickered slightly as Katara's clear blue gaze met Sokka's.
"You'll bite off all your hair if you keep doing that. Look, see how relaxed Momo is." Sokka pointed at the tiny lemur who was currently snoring on the unoccupied bed. "Here, want to hold him?" Grabbing Momo's, Sokka thrust the scrabbling lemur into Katara's arms.
"Ow, Sokka! Don't do that."
"What? Apparently other people's moods - or animals in this case - can affect you. So, if the lemur is relaxed, so will you. At least, that's what Suki told me. Apparently, that's what Tai Lee told her."
"Yes, Sokka," Katara said, prying the hissing lemur off of her hair. "I definitely feel more relaxed now."
Sokka laughed before pouring a cup of tea and holding it out to Katara.
"Here. At least drink something if you're not going to eat." When Katara didn't move, Sokka sighed, before placing the hot tea back onto the table. His gazes turned back to the window where both he and his sister had been glancing routinely for hours now.
"Hey, they'll be fine. It's them. And they're like, the best. Plus, they're together, and they're probably almost here. They're the toughest people we know."
It was snowing, and the ground was so uneven, and Aang was trying his hardest to walk in a straight line, but the ground. Was. So. Uneven.
"Twinkletoes, I know I can't really feel and all, but it really feels like you're not walking in a straight line - "
"Ow!" Pain flashed through Aang's knees and he knocked against the jagged pieces of a rock, with Toph falling. For a second, the air bubble around them broke and a flash of ice cold wind and snow hit Toph like a knife before the protective barrier was back.
"I know. I'm sorry. I can't see very well, and - " Aang rubbed his eyes and squinted. "And I think the snow's getting thicker."
Silence. Then, "I guess - I guess we'll try to find a cave we can stay in for the night."
"Can you see one?"
"...Well, not exactly."
Toph sigh. "Looks like we're in for a long night, Twinkletoes."
"They're not coming." Katara said, now pacing to and from the window, gaze glued onto the terrible-looking storm outside. Sokka didn't respond from the armchair, but his hands were clasped tight.
"That's it. I'm going."
Sokka's gaze shot up as Katara stalked to the cloaks hangers, yanked off her coat and marched to the door. Just as she reached for the door handle. Sokka was in between, blocking her path with his arms.
"Are you crazy? Look at that storm. Be serious, do you think you can actually find them?" Sokka tried to meet Katara's gaze, but she was focused on the doorknob which was just a little out of reaching distance.
"Snow is a bit like water. So, if I can bend the - "
"Katara." Sokka's voice accidentally came out more pleading than the authoritative tone he wanted. "You'll get lost yourself. And not to mention you can't bend snow because it's nothing like water."
"They're made from the same elements, so - "
"They're solid particles, not liquid. The form is too strong and too different from water."
"But Toph - "
"You're not Toph. Which brings us back to a full circle. Toph is like, a genius in her earth and metal bending, plus Aang's the avatar. So, they'll be fine."
Just as Sokka finished speaking, Momo stood up on its hind legs and cocked its head. "See. Even Momo agrees."
"... Fine. I just... wish I was with him. That's all."
"I know." Sokka murmured, before pulling his sister into a one-armed bear hug. "I know."
"I guess it's better than nothing." Toph kicked away a pile of snow, but she wasn't liking what she was 'seeing'. "I guess."
Aang, on the other hand, was shooting small blasts of fire, melting the snow and bits of ice, water-bending the melted ice out of the cave.
"I'm pretty sure there aren't any platypus bears here," Aang said, but as he relaxed his fire bending form, he hesitated. "But just to be safe. Toph, can you check?"
"Nope. No bears, but I think the little squiggly things hanging down in the corner are wolf bats."
"I think they're harmless."
"Whatever. How are we going to make a fire? My feet are numb."
Aang knelt down and stacking wood on top of each other before fire bending a few branches. There were a few moments of silence with Toph beginning to feel comfortable with her warming feet, that when Aang spoke, so softly, that Toph almost didn't hear him.
"What are you sorry for? It's not your fault the stories turned out to be a bunch of diddly squat."
"Yeah, but I was the one who insisted... even when Katara thought there might be a storm.
"Hey, you're the Avatar. Plus, you being you means we'll have to get into every kind of crazy kookiness there are."
"I'm just saying... After the war - It's been three years now, and I think the world doesn't need an avatar anymore. Maybe... I don't think I'll be doing this anymore. When we get back... I want to... maybe..."
"Stop?" When there was no response from the Avatar, Toph broke the silence. "Sure, Twinkletoes." Toph, as she stared blankly into the fire, shadows flickering around them, allowed a small, rare smile. "So. This is it, then?"
"Yeah. I guess this will be my last one."
There was a knock on the door and Katara was up and there in a heartbeat. Sokka was still rubbing his eyes when Katara carelessly flung the wooden door open that for a moment, looked like it was going to come off its hinges.
But Sokka didn't hear Aang's cheerful voice or Toph's usual complaints. Instead, when he walked to see what was going on, he saw Katara with a girl wearing a cloak, her hood over her head.
The girl was crying.
"Please." She whispered, her bloodied hands clasping her cloak tightly. "I need your help."
It's not Aang.
The girl was sitting by the fire, quietly answering Sokka's question as Katara poured out some tea for her. The girl accepted the tea with thanks and nodded at a point on the map that Sokka was pointing at.
It's not Aang.
Katara placed down the teapot and made every effort to listen, but now she was feeling bad. This poor girl... out in the snow storm by herself and managed on a chance to see the cabin to ask for help for her people... And all Katara could think of was...
It's not Aang.
So where was he?
"It's spreading?" Sokka's voice tore Katara out of her thoughts, his tone matching his concerned expression. What? What were they talking about? Katara blanked. Sokka was meeting her gaze as if he wanted to communicate a thought to her, but it must have seemed obvious that Katara hadn't been listening. He turned his attention back to the girl, brows furrowed.
The girl nodded almost imperceptibly, as if afraid that maybe she wouldn't get help after all.
"Don't worry," Katara said soothingly, trying to reassure her. The girl seemed more relaxed as Katara placed a soothing hand on her. Yes. Katara seemed to have the ability where she could dispell any nerves and tense body language from everyone she met
However, she missed a glance Sokka shot at her. "We'll help however we can."
The girl smiled, her gaze filled with hope, before trying - and failing - to hide a yawn.
"You must be tired. You can use Toph's bed first. Here, I'll show you." Taking her hand, she led the girl to the room she shared with the Earthbender. When she came back, she saw Sokka at the corner of the cabin, his gaze on her.
"What?"
"I know you weren't listening, so why would you volunteer to help when you didn't know the whole story?"
"Why? What is it?"
Sokka sighed and uncrossed his arms.
"Well, from what she told me, it kinda sounds like a virus. She doesn't know how it spreads, but it's got people vomiting blood and in incredible pain. I don't know why. So, Katara, you just volunteered us to go find a cure for it.
"I'm a healer. Shouldn't I be at the forefront of these things?"
But Sokka just stared at her uncomprehendingly.
"What?"
"Aang's coming right?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't he?"
"Well, I thought... that since you're so worried about Aang..." Then realization. "Katara, I don't think you understand." When Katara continued to stare at him, Sokka pulled her closer. "Katara.
"No one's managed to survive it so far."
"Well, it's a good thing Sokka isn't here. He'll be sneezing like Momo the last time the lemur went out and got buried in the snow." Toph pulled her cloak tighter around herself and shivered. Balancing on the snow was tougher work than she'd thought.
Aang's makeshift shoes helped, though. But that also meant that she could hardly feel anything at all. Ergo, she was currently blind blind.
"Hey." Aang's voice called over the bending of air. "...I think I see it."
"Finally. Warmth."
Sokka frowned, as he watched the girl stabbed a finger atop the nation map.
"You sure you remember the way?" He asked doubtfully and received a furious nodding of the head. The girl leaned forward and triumphantly circled said spot.
Sokka rubbed his face. "Uh, that's the sea." She frowned before tugging at the map and turning it experimentally over.
"Maybe I was reading the map the wrong way round?"
This is getting a lot harder than he expected.
"There's way too many variables," Sokka muttered to himself before turning to the girl. "Hey. Do you mind if I talk this over with Aang first?"
The little girl nodded. "I think I'll remember it when the avatar comes back."
"Yeah. Just take your time. Seriously, though. We don't want inaccurate information."
A knock on the door.
Sokka barely turned towards it when the familiar outline of Katara was already turning the doorknob and opening the door. Katara's expression lit up.
"Aang! Toph! Oh my gosh, I'm so glad you're both okay!"
"Aah." Toph spread out her arms, embracing the warm air around her. "Hello, warmth." Toph turned to the general direction of Aang and Katara. "Well, don't mind me, I'll be standing here without getting a reaction like that."
Katara released Aang as a faint blush appeared in her features. "I'm sorry. Would you like a hug too, Toph?"
"Nah. Just give me a blanket and I'm peachy. "
"Great to see you back, Aang. Can I talk to you for a minute?" Sokka walked over, pulling Aang to the side.
"Sure." Aang followed him, a hint of worry in his features. "Is everything okay?"
"Yui - " The avatar shot a brief glance at the girl staring curiously at Toph, who had Momo atop her head, then glancing at Aang before hurriedly averting her gaze. Sokka continued, oblivious. "There's apparently a virus that's spreading there, and Yui thinks it can wipe out her entire clan. Even her neighboring tribes, but..." He hesitated.
"...Is there something else?"
"Honestly?" Sokka shrugged, before dropping his voice to a whisper as he leaned forward. "I don't know what to make of it. I don't even know if she's even telling the truth." He glanced at the girl again and crossed his arms. "But it's up to you, Aang."
Aang hesitated, and for a moment, Sokka thought he saw a reaction from Toph.
"There's a chance she's telling the truth. I think we should at least check it out. In case..." Aang closed his mouth and cast his gaze downwards. Sokka watched, but the unspoken words still reached his ears.
In case another nation really does get wiped out like the Air Nomads.
Aang lifted his head and smiled at Sokka. "So when do we leave?"
Sokka hesitated, placing a hand on his chin. "Another snowstorm's on its way soon. So I was thinking we leave as soon as possible. "
"Okay."
Toph sat up, startling Sokka and the unsuspecting lemur. "Seriously? We just got here and we're leaving?" She sighed, before giving a little wave. "Well, goodbye warmth."
As the group mounted Appa, Sokka stopped for a moment and glanced at the girl. She was clutching tightly to her cloak, preserving what little warmth she had left. Then, at the people he cared for the most in the world. Katara, Aang and Toph. In three years, so many things had changed. The unity of the nations, the cease of conflict and the surrender of the Fire Nation's armies in the colonies. There was peace once again. Some people grew apart.
But they stayed together. Stronger and closer.
It could be a strength or a weakness.
There's a chance she might be telling the truth. Aang's voice rang in his ears. But for what Sokka was worth, he couldn't tell whether or not which would be better.
He spared one last glance at the cabin he and his friends had been staying for the past week.
"I hope this is worth it," Sokka murmured under his breath, before turning his back onto the temporary place they called home. As they lifted off, Sokka shuffled next to his sister.
But try as he might, he couldn't ignore the growing unsettling sensation in his stomach.