Only one more month until the invasion, then I can finally end this war Aang thought just before a large broadsword arced toward his head. Aang quickly paired the blow with an upward swing with his own sword countering the enemy thrust with a loud metallic CLAAAANG!
But before Aang could counter with his own attack, a leg swooped towards his own legs knocking him face down into the soft sand. Aang groaned and turned onto his back only to be confronted with the sharp point of his opponent's sword inches from his face. Must people put into this position by Feng Mao would have pleaded and cried for mercy to escape their certain death but this very skilled swordsmen. But Aang just laughed heartily and said "Feng I don't think I'm as good at dueling as you are quite yet." Feng Mao standing above Aang at 6'5 250 pounds at the age of 26 was a giant of a man, but he moved with the same nimble speed of the air bending monks of many ages past. His medium length brown hair and huge muscular build also helped single him out from ordinary men, his Prussian blue eyes were said to stare right into your soul when he looked at you. He also since the capture of the council of Fi 2 month's prior happened to be the highest ranking Earth Kingdom general left and had recently been named by the Earth King himself as supreme commander of all allied forces and head of the invasion of the Fire Nation itself. As a testament to Feng's skills as a military commander all the occupied areas of the Earth Kingdom had been liberated by his forces, excluding the huge city of Bae-Sing- Se. Which had been put under siege by one of Feng's subordinate generals. But as well as being one of the most gifted military minds of the current age, Feng was also known for his compassion and great regard for human life. He had many friends in the military in the allied army but also friends in the Fire Nation's army as well. But many knew despite his compassionate nature on the battlefield he quickly changes into a hard man that wont stop until his enemy is defeated.
After fleeing Bae-Sing- Se the gang had flown to Feng's headquarters south of the outer city walls. There in the presence of thousands of soldier's and a close to dead avatar, Katara, Toph and Sokka had asked for his assistance and a safe place for Aang to heal from his wounds. Feng promptly pledged his sword and army in service to the avatar and had been traveling with the gang ever since. Now his huge invasion force had been gathered from all corners of the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe cities. They had all gathered upon the eastern shore of the Earth kingdom, getting ready to launch their invasion in approximately one months time. At this time the gang had been traveling to meet this army and prepare for the invasion.
Feng took sword away from his close friends face and replied with a chuckle " No kid your defiantly not even close to me yet but your definitely getting better, but I haven't asked you in a while, how's the whole confessing to Katara idea working out."Aang sat up brushing the sand from his tunic while turning and gazing out at the cerulean blue sea. " The same as the last time you asked me, everything I do, say or look at reminds me of her, but I mean…. she would never look at someone like me for a romantic relationship and I don't think I could stand that rejection. I mean… Id be losing my best friend and the love of my life in one big stroke."
"Well Aang I'd do something about it soon or else you run the risk of losing her to someone else." Feng said as he sat down next to Aang and taking a long drag from his fire whiskey bottle.
" I don't know how to tell someone I love them so much id die for them Feng, frankly I don't see how anybody does it."
"Oh well its easy after throwing up a couple times, not being able to eat anything the whole day before you tell her and actually being able to collect all the sweat running from your hands and face into a large cup" Feng saidwith a laugh"and anyway… Well you may have to die for her"Feng quickly mumbled this as he took another drink from his bottle.
"What was that?" Aang said with a puzzled look on his face.
Feng sighed and looked at Aang, "Well my avatar friend, you are now a soldier like it or not. Part of being a soldier is having to come to terms with the fact that he may not come back after the war…. so if you have any serious business with Katara or anyone else for that matter, I suggest you clear it up this coming month before the invasion. Because you may not get another chance."
Aang pondered this for a moment before simply stating with a large grin on his face "I might have to take up drinking" as he slowly reached for Feng's whiskey bottle. " Not a chance in hell kid," as Feng yanked the bottle from Aangs grasp "Its bad enough I have a drinking problem, I'm not about to allow some 13 year old kid get messed up to"
"I was just joking"Aang half said and half laughed. "Come on Feng, let's move on to those close combat moves you wanted to show me"
With that Aang and Feng stood up taking of their shirts and assumed their favored offensive positions. Suddenly Aang stared toward the rustling trees and after a minute of scanning the thick underbrush said,"Have you ever gotten that feeling someone's watching you"
"Well Aang" Feng replied "Sokka went foraging for food to the north of us, my army is encamped about 20 miles away to the south and Toph and Katara went to that village we saw yesterday to go find some hot springs for a bath. I mean Sokka we know won't get back till close to sundown and Katara and Toph don't strike me as the spying types. So no… right now I don't feel like someone's watching me you crazy paranoid kid"
Aang laughed and agreed with a nod of his head but still wearily peered into the thick forest that bordered their camp along with the beach. His staring contest with the woods however was interrupted when Feng started to advance at him and after a few minutes of barley dodging many powerful punches, jabs and kicks his feeling's of being watched by some unknown person or thing turned into a feeling of testosterone driven aggression as he and his new but very close friend traded blow for blow as they prepared for the many hard fights yet to come. But little did Aang and Feng know but Aang happened to be right. Someone was watching them and Feng happened to be wrong, Katara and Toph were the spying types and a lot closer then they thought.