An Echo in the Dark
Chapter 1
A deep concussion pulsed through the night. Trees shook in the still air. Animals cowered in fear from the great shadow cast in the moonlight. Badgermoles cowered in their mountain holes, platypus bears sank to their underground grottos, and even the feared saber-toothed moose lions rushed to their dens. Wherever the shadow passed, the forests grew still beneath it. Villages became abnormally silent. Mothers rushed to their children's sides while fathers stood guard at the door. No one could fathom what flew above them, what could create the concussions.
It reached Kyoshi Island in the early hours of the morning. The first pulse jerked Sokka from his sleep. Suki barely stirred beside him. The second got him to his feet and moving to the window where the moonlight shimmered on the bay. The third brought Suki to his side.
"What is that?" Her voice was groggy from sleep, but there was a hint of worry hidden behind it.
Sokka put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head, but his eyes were still focused on the bay. "Nothing. I'm sure it's nothing."
She nodded and kissed him on the cheek. "Well don't be long." With that, Sokka was left alone.
The bay was unnaturally still. The Unagi never broke the surface, he noted. Neither did the elephant koi. For several minutes it was silent. No more concussions reached his ears. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Maybe I'm just crazy," he muttered and headed back to bed. As he did, another concussion echoed across the bay and a great shadow flew across the water.
It reached the Eastern Air Temple by dawn. The Mother Sky Bison growled as the deep concussions reached her ears. Appa was quickly by her side and bared his teeth at the breaking dawn. The Avatar was not far behind: the second concussion jerked him from his sleep. The third jolted Katara from her repose.
"Aang, what is it?" she asked from the bed. Her eyes were barely open, but her water pouch was already at her side.
"I don't know…" From where she was, Katara could see the tension in the Air Bender: his feet hovered a few inches above the floor. He kept his back to her. "Something's out there Katara. Can't you hear Appa?"
She grew silent for a second and sure enough the giant bison's furious, protective growl could be heard on the early morning air. She moved out of bed and to Aang's side. "Can you see anything?"
He shook his head. "No. But I'm going to check on them." He leapt to the door and was out of sight before Katara could get a word in. With a yawn, she threw on a robe, grabbed her water pouch, and followed the Avatar out the door.
Aang was already at Appa's side when Katara came into the Bison stables. The deep concussions could still be heard in the distance. She went up to give the Mother Bison a pat on her head, but the great beast bellowed and growled at the young woman's arrival. Aang rushed to her side and placed himself between Katara and the bison. "Don't get too close," he warned. She nodded and backed away. Another concussion echoed through the stables. Fighting back the urge to gasp, she followed Aang to the front lip of the stable where the ground meets the sky. Another concussion rang throughout the air, delivering a blast of wind along with it.
A gasp escaped her lips as she saw the giant shadow fly across the clouds. The sun broke the horizon and illuminated the pair as they stood staring. The concussions ceased and they breathed easy once more.
Aang turned back to Katara. He kissed her cheek and gathered her in a hug. "It's gone now. No need to worry."
She nodded and turned to head back inside. Hopefully she could capture a few hours of sleep before her duties would require her to get up. Aang patted the two bison's massive heads and soon joined her. They just made it back to bed when they heard it: a deep throated roar, unlike anything any of them had ever heard before. It grated the nerves and instilled fear in the heart and mind. Katara became ram-rod straight and her eyes grew wide. Never before had she heard such a horrendous sound. She turned to Aang, who moved back to the open window. His knuckles were white from gripping the sill with such force. The roar continued disturbing the peace of the dawn and then all was suddenly silent.
The deep concussions pulsed through the early morning air. The shadow passed over the Air Temple. And all was still.
Author's Note: Just a drabble from a sickly person with nothing else to do XD Takes place 10 years down the road, and the Gaang is still split up.
Interesting? Confusing? Boring? Refreshing? I would like to continue this, but it's going to depend on the response I get. So start reviewing!!
And I'm sorry for any confusing parts so far. Hopefully your questions will be answered later on. If not, I apologize now.