Chap. 2

When the Avatar found Toph, she was unconscious. His normally cheerful face grim, the slender young man grunted with the effort it took to carry her back to their camp. As he placed her atop her still-open bedroll, Aang was struck with a powerful feeling of deja vu. It hadn't been that long ago that his lover had been the one caring for him. The problem was, as far as Aang could tell Toph was just fine. A little paler than usual, maybe, but uninjured. The only reason he could find for it was the small mess of what looked and smelled like hour-old vomit.

Just to be safe, he carefully checked the woman over for injuries again, but found nothing he could heal. Not knowing what else to do, he folded her bedroll back over her and settled in, knowing that his enemies knew exactly where he was, and would probably be back soon.

It's fine, I can handle them. I just need to let Toph rest. That's all. When she wakes up, we can get moving again. And if they come back first... I'll find out what they did to her before I...

"Aang?"

With a jolt, the Avatar was awake, staring into the strangely-glowing eyes of Toph. The moon was high in the sky, and very full. Combined with the countless stars, the light reflected in her milky orbs, shining in an other-worldly fashion. "Toph! You're awake. I'm so glad... I was so worried. When I came back you were still in the woods. What happened?"

She closed her eyes, slowly resting back against her pillow before answering. "I don't really know. The last couple of days I've felt really ill. It passed, and yesterday afternoon I felt just fine. I feel fine now, too. But I haven't been able to keep much food down, even before I started feeling sick eating made me nauseous, so I haven't been eating much. I think that's why I passed out. I'm sorry I worried you."

Shaking is head, Aang answered quietly, "It's OK. I know you didn't do it on purpose or anything. Are you feeling OK now? Is there anything I can do?"

"Some soup, maybe?"

Smiling, Aang stood up and walked over to their pile of supplies to begin rummaging for ingredients and their cookpot.

"Did you find any tracks?" she asked a little later. The water was just starting to boil, and Aang was in the process of chopping up vegetables, throwing each into the broth as he cut it from the larger plants.

"No... it's like they were never there. I can't figure it out. There's no sign of damage to the cage itself, no tracks outside it... There's tracks where we were fighting, and from when they ambushed us, but nothing after we put them in the cage."

Toph rose to her elbows, rolling her neck thoughtfully for a few minutes. "Is it possible an Earthbender got them out, repaired the cage, and spirited them away without me noticing?"

Surprised that the normally self-assured, even arrogant, Earthbender would admit to the possibility, Aang looked over suddenly. "Why would you think that? I'm sure if that's how it happened, you would have heard them. Earthbending's not exactly quiet."

She shrugged and lowered herself back down, saying nothing.

"Toph? Is... is there something else wrong?"

She didn't reply for long minutes. When Aang looked over, her eyes were closed and her breathing regular. Maybe she's more tired than she thought. I'll keep the soup warm for a while in case she wakes back up. It's almost dinner time anyway, she'll probably wake up starving in a little while.

"Sorry Appa, I can't play right now. Toph's sick and I need to take care of her."

The Sky Bison gave another long, low growl, ruffling the Avatar's clothing, then lowered his head to rest on his great paws with a sigh. Momo was off in the forest somewhere, Aang has watched him chase a monkey into the trees a couple of hours ago, and now Appa was lonely.

"Aang, where are you?" Toph called, her voice shaky.

He rushed to her side, and she gave a little smile. "I'm starving. Is the soup still warm?"

"Yeah, I'll dish some up right now."

How come she didn't see me? I was right there.

When he rejoined her for dinner, Aang thoughtfully picked through his own soup, watching Toph dig into hers with abandon. She'd never really been a careful eater, at least when on the road, but today it was like she couldn't shovel the food into her mouth fast enough.

"Toph? What's... nevermind. It's not important," he said quietly. She didn't respond at all.

"Aang? Aang!"

Toph's voice broke through the haze of slumber at once, and the young man was on his feet at once, throwing the blankets off of him without a thought. Taking in the scene with the seasoned eye of a man who'd spent almost a year on the run from the world, Aang noted Appa, now curled around Momo and the fire, snoring quietly. There, the pile of supplies, exactly as he'd left them before going to bed. The dying light of the fire, the moon almost below the treetops to the west. And Toph, standing a few feet outside the light from the fire, shaking. She was almost naked, wearing only her wrap and underwear, the rest of it piled at her feet.

He rushed to the girls' side, putting a hand cautiously on her shaking arm and asked, "What is it, Toph? What's wrong?"

Her voice was so quiet Aang couldn't hear it. He could see her lips moving, but that was all. And what he saw filled him with dread.

"What? I'm sorry, Toph, I didn't hear that... it... it almost sounded like..."

Her voice was louder now, almost a scream wrenched from tortured flesh, "I can't see!"

A/N: Oooh. Was she... poisoned? Who knows? Just me, I'm afraid. Anyway... again, sorry it's short. I'm not done writing tonight, just haven't got more to put into that chapter. Reviews always appreciated, so stop slacking. :)