Chapter 1 Rescued

Nayato was walking down the dirt path through the trees, collecting sticks for the fire like he did every morning. It was then that saw her through the trees along the path. She was seated on a rock surrounded by blue flames. He peeked out through the trees to see her closer, she had beautiful black hair flowing down to her waist. Her back was to him so he couldn't see her face, but he could see that her clothes were dirty red rags.

Nayato pushing the tree branches aside, stepping off the path and into new spring's dewy green grass. He walked up the slight hill the rock that girl sat on was. As he got closer to her he noticed she was crying. He came up in front of her, careful not to get too close to the flames. He asked her when he could finally see the girls face, " Are you all right?"

She responded with a voice raspy from lack of use, " Go away. You'll just get hurt if you stay!" Nayato looked into the girls face; thin, pale, and dirty. It was clear from the girl's beautiful amber eyes that she had long since given up hope.

Nayato calmly, and gently with a kind smile asked, " Now why would I get hurt?" The girl looked confused usually when she told people to go away they did. She thought this boy was different. She decided that ignoring him might work.

Nayato tried talking to the girl more, but he soon realized the girl was ignoring him. He then walked down the hill, back through the trees and onto the path once again. He collected his sticks he'd dropped when he saw the her, and resumed his daily routine.

When he finally collected all the sticks needed for the day he headed out from the path lined with trees and onto the path surrounded by fields of crops. This path was larger than the one with trees, and as Nayato approached the village the dirt became stones. When he entered his village, the baker asked him to ask his father to make her a new mixing bowl. Nayato had nodded and said he would tell his father. As he went through the village several other fellow villagers had asked him to tell messages to his parents.

An hour had passed since he had seen the girl outside of the woods. He couldn't get those eyes out of his mind they'd been beautiful but sad. He wanted to see them smile and bright with life. As Nayato thought about the girl in the doorway of his home, he didn't hear his father tell him to fetch a pail of water.

" Nayato! Gosh darn boy, where is your mind!" As his father said this he was gesturing even louder. His father was a tall, muscular man, with a clean shaven beard and the traditionally Earth Kingdom style of hair on top of his head.

"Oh, sorry father, I hadn't realized you said anything," Nayato said this all the while still holding the wood from earlier. When Nayato's father heard the way he said this his father's facial expression softened.

His father then asked, " So son what's her name?" Nayato's face reddened how could his father know about the girl, he hadn't said a word about her. Nayato looked around the room with all of its surfaces covered with the various clay dishes.

Nayato finally decided that the best course of action was denial, and distraction, " Oh, father there is no girl I was just distracted by the lovely new pot you had made, and that mom had painted. It is very beautiful with it's lavender flowers and green fields." Nayato had successfully distracted his father, with the knowledge that his father could not pass up a single opportunity to talk about his works.

"Okay, father, I'll go ahead and get the water you asked for now." While his father had explained it, Nayato had enough time to set the wood down, get a pail, and even get some food for him and that girl. Well, if she's still there.

Nayato had raced through his village not stopping for anything. Then raced up the path he had taken into town earlier and lastly slowing to a trout to be able to find the girl again. It was about midday and the tree shadows draped the path in a v. He carefully went down the path, spotting where'd he'd stated earlier that morning.

Nayato pushed the tree branches aside again, and to his delight the girl was still there. Not bothering to see the mountains, hills and rivers in the background. He could only see her, and her flames. He came up to her out of breath and dragging the water pail. When she saw him coming she had turned her back, refusing to acknowledge him. Nayato refused to give up and responded to the girls' reaction to this, " I brought you some food." The girl didn't respond in words but her tummy growled for her. Noticing that she was hunger and needed to eat something turned to face the boy.

Making a face of someone believing getting food from others as dishonorable and saying in a pinched voice, " Okay, I'll have some."

The boy smiled wide and told the girl, " You have to tell me your name first?" The girl's face went grim at the thought of having to share the name of a monster she was.

Although, she was so hunger she didn't care. She said the words almost slurred, quiet and fast, " My name is Azula, and you shouldn't assassinate yourself with me." She said the last part louder and slower.

" That's a really pretty name Azula, and I'm not afraid to help you." Nayato smiled at Azula almost making her smile. After that he got the food out, he asked her, " Azula, why don't you bring your flames down so you don't burn your food?" Azula looked around seeing everything; the Montanans jagged, the rivers swirling, and hills rolling, all in shades of blue. Then she looked at the boy in front of her, she felt something warm about him; like she'd never felt before.

" Okay, I will but if anything happens, they go back up," Azula said this part in an almost sing song voice. Azula lowered her blue walls that had kept her away from the world for so long, she had forgotten how beautiful spring was. Nayato trying not to scare the girl decided against bending a table for them. Just having her this close has been good enough for him