Lethe kept on trudging on, through the forest, starving and tired. She hadn't eaten in days and her companions, she didn't know were they where now.
'Probably being tortured in some fire nation camp,' she thought to herself ruefully, 'Our earth bending didn't stand a chance against such a big group'. She kept on dragging her feet hoping for any sign of food. And as if her prayers had been answered she saw a trail of smoke rising over the tops of the trees. 'I'm saved,' thought Lethe happily to herself, wind whipping her short black hair against her face.
By the time she even got close to the source of the fire she was already tired, but she kept on going the thought of food spurring her forward. When she was only a few feet away from the fire and saw who created it, her hopes were dashed. "Fire nation," she said to her self unconsciously. She heard the troops speaking to each other and the commanders yelling out orders and her stomach growling.
Lethe groaned, clutching her stomach, the smell of food wafting from the camp make it all the more harder to bare. 'I know, I'll just sneak in grab some food and run, simple as that,' she thought having to make a few reassurances afterwards. When she finally made up her mind about taking some food she hide in the bushes closest to where it smelled like the food was being cooked and waited.
"Come on Kuro, no one's gonna steal the food while were gone and besides we should be back soon," said some fire nation recruit.
'Now's my chance,' Lethe thought to herself giddily creeping out of the bushes and into the tent with the food. When Lethe got in it was like heaven for her even though it was just some boiled potatoes and other things. Once she finished staring at the food she began cramming as much as she could into her mouth. Several mouthfuls later she grabbed a sack and started cramming it with food.
"Hey you, what do you think your doing," yelled a voice behind Lethe causing her to jump. She turned to stare at the fire nation troop for a second and lifted her arms causing a rock to come out from under him sending him flying. Lethe ran through the opening and sprint as fast as she could fire nation troops soon chasing after her. She got considerably far before one troop grabbed her arm, twisting it backwards.
'Oww,' she thought as she used her free arm for more earth bending knocking the troop's feet out from under him, but he still wouldn't let go. Although, before she could use some more earth bending some more troops came along and grabbed her other arm. When the man that had fallen they tied her hands together and took Lethe to see their general.
Akane shifted slightly on the silk cushion in the Fire Nation's General's tent, feeling her muscles scream in protest against the movement. The eight-year old sighed, trying to find a more comfortable position without her father, the General, noticing.
'Why did I have to come to this camp to train?' She sulked, glaring at the tent walls. 'Everyone here is at least two years older than me, and there's no one here to play with…'
'Princess Azula is way too harsh with that training schedule of hers. She sticks me on way to high of a training level, and I'm just a beginner!' the tips of her clothes, which were badly singed, were proof of it. The tailors were having a hard time keeping up with the repairs. 'The only reason that I'm here is so that I can train to show that strength lies in blood. They don't care that I don't want to fight…'
Akane's head jerked up at the sound of a fight outside the tent and yelling. As she tipped her head slightly to one side in confusion, she felt the general stiffen behind her. A moment later, two guards marched into the tent, dragging a girl with them. With a flash of delight, Akane realized that the girl, who looked half-starved, was about the same age as she was, around eight.
"What's this?" the general asked coldly, glaring at the new girl.
"We found her stealing food from the camp. We think that she's a part of an earth bender group that we captured a few days ago." One of the guards said, while the other nodded to back up his words.
"In that case, her punishment will be-"
"Can she stay here?" Akane interrupted, craning her head around to look at the general, knowing that he was probably planning on killing the girl to make an example.
His eye's narrowed dangerously at the interruption, and Akane wondered for a moment if he would punish her for speaking out of turn. "Why would I allow that?" he asked her in an icy voice.
"Well, I don't have anyone here my age to play with, and she's my age." Akane muttered softly, knowing that the argument was weak. A flash of inspiration hit her, and she stood up stiffly from the silk cushion to walk to her father's side. "And it could give you a chance to learn what an earth benders weakness is. Maybe you could even combine her earth bending with one of the soldiers fire bending." She murmured persuasively in his ear so that no one else could hear, though she really didn't care about the last part. But if there was one thing that she had learned from Princess Azula, it was how to exploit someone's weaknesses.
The general nodded and motioned for the guards to release the other girl. They obeyed and backed up a few steps, tensed in case she tried to escape or fight again.
"Very well, you may keep her." The general said, eye's still sparked with interest at the thought of finding another nations weakness.
"Thank you father." Akane said, giving a big smile and bowing in respect to the general before turning to the other girl. "C'mon, let's go and get you some food." She said, grabbing the girl by the hand and dragging her out of the tent cheerfully, ecstatic to finally have someone her age around.
The general motioned to the guards, who nodded and followed the two girls, keeping a close eye on the earth bender to make sure that she didn't try anything. They moved up to walk on both sides of the girls.