Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender
The Sun was high overhead. Li could feel the heat rising from the vegetation covered forest floor. With each clomp of his boots, a coating of dust covered higher and higher up his legs. It was difficult and painful to do anything with his parched mouth. Climbing up this mountain will let me see farther. I can locate some water, or a town. Yea. That was a good idea. Let's forget about the wild animals, rough, steep terrain, that remembering the last time food was eaten seemed to be impossible, and that trained and well-nourished soldiers were in pursuit. No problem. I am almost there. They are looking for Prince Zuko, fugitive of the Fire Nation. I am not him. I am Li.
Aang swooped lower. The squirrel jackknifed to the right and dashed up a tree. Aang sighed. This mountain was big, and it was getting hotter as the sun climbed higher in the sky. The forest was overrun with squirrels. Chasing them was fun, but the squirrels stirred up clouds of dust that rose in his face. The idea was to reach the top, and maybe find water, or a town.
He scanned the ground. There! Another squirrel…
"AAAGH!!" A bright, blinding light filled his eyes. He nosedived, releasing his glider to rub his eyes. Big mistake. The glider went left, Aang went right.
SMASH! Right into a tree, and down into a sea of dust. Coughing, he pulled himself into a sitting position, then used Airbending to stand.
Now, where did that light come from?
Then he remembered his glider. A feeling of dread came to him when he recalled the sickening crunch. On locked knees, he walked over to where it lay. The front was pushed into the ground at the base of the tree. The left side was shredded. It had caught in the long, sharp branches, then slid down, tearing on the way. It was clear the thing was completely unusable.
Where was Sokka? If he had been here, I would have been walking with him and this wouldn't have happened!
As soon as the thought reached him, Aang felt worse. It wasn't Sokka's fault. It was nobody's. Just a tragic accident. Tears welled up in his eyes. The glider was very special to him. It was a gift from Monk Gyatso. The tears spilled over.
No. Can't just sit here crying about it. Going to find whatever caused that glare. Maybe a town. I could have them fix it. I'll find a way.
With renewed determination, he continued the trek up the mountain.