The first thing that Sokka remembered was falling. The roar of the wind rushing by his ears as he looked up at the night sky. It was strangely serene even with his sister and Aang screaming in the background he felt at peace. Until, that is, he hit a branch.
For a moment Sokka was alone in the world, dazed, confused and hurt. He forced himself off the ground. he grunted in pain "Yep, those are broken ribs" he grunts to himself keeling over again.
His eyes went wide with realization. The machine, he bolted upright, which was a mistake that landed him back on the ground, before gingerly forcing himself up through force of will alone.
He cradled his left side he couldn't see it in the broken moonlight obscured by the tree but he could feel something sticking out of his side just below his ribs, likely a piece of branch. It grated and pulled anytime he moved but his options were move or die so he gritted his teeth and pushed forward.
He heard rustling in the woods behind him, and panic took him, he rushed forward ignoring the pain when he caught movement in his peripheral vision. He launched his boomerang at it rushing in the opposite direction and in return he heard the roar of fire just a second before the blue flames came crashing down behind him as his boomerang made its return trip.
"nice toy" a voice woman's called out behind him "it almost caught me off guard" Sokka remained silent and kept pushing forward to get away from the light. The woman had enough sense to stay out of sight. "running will only prolong the inevitable" she poked from the darkness.
Sokka wasn't listening he continued his trek unabated as he heard the sound of freedom. A river was near, if he could only make it that far he'd be rid of this nut job. As he got closer he felt a sharp pain in his left leg and bit back a scream. He looked down and and saw the knife embedded in his leg but that didn't stop him as he dove into the water and washed downstream.
Azula saw someone fall with a satisfied smirk and chased after her downed prey, the bison may have gotten away but she would not be leaving empty handed. "spread out and find them" she whispered to Mai and Ty'lee as they made it to the wood line.
She approached the area where she estimated a part of her was worried her prey had died in the fall, which while not unfavorable would not allow her to interrogate them. When she got close she saw the hole they had broken in the canopy of the trees and smirked at the absence of a body "they can have gotten far find them".
As the trio moved through the woods she heard a whooshing sound coming towards her and ducked just a second before it struck where her head would have been. "Cur" she cursed under her breath only to realize that the sound hadn't faded and was getting louder. she turned her head and leaned backwards as the thing came flying on a return trip and passed within an inch of her nose. she shot fire at the infernal thing as it careened into the thick of the poorly lit forest.
she took a breath to calm herself and shouted "nice toy". No response. She scowled and continued "it almost caught me off guard" she tried to sound as though genuinely impressed, which to be fair she was, it wasn't often she nearly got caught out.
"running will only prolong the inevitable" She chided. Still nothing and the light from her fire was only making the shadows deeper. until she heard a splash.
She jumped towards the sound and found Mai. "I got him in the leg but he jumped in the river" her monotone said with droll disinterest.
Azula looked at the rapids "the fool probably cracked his head on the jagged rocks and drowned lets get back and continue our chase" she said turning and heading back.
A mile downstream Sokka pulled himself out of the river and onto the the rocky shoals lining it. He panted and gasped as he pulled himself out but he was alive. he had no way to find the gang for now but he didn't need to know where they were now, he knew where they were heading so he set out for Ba Sing Se, alone.