The snapping of a branch sent her to her feet. Her sharpened hearing picked up two.. no, three voices. Their careless footfalls alerted Nirvana of the whereabouts of the three. She could hear which direction they were coming from, and took off in the opposite direction.

Unlike the loud foot steps of the approaching, her wilderness-calloused feet were silent as she raced ahead. She paused for no more than a second to listen. Their chatter continued on, and Nirvana took to the trees. Her lean muscles lifted her high up into the braches as swift as a striking cobra. Once she knew she could not be seen, she stopped.

Through the criss-crossing branches and leaves she saw the three whom she hunted. They were careless indeed. The jungle was a dangerous place, and they were not speaking in hushed tones. Anyone, or anything, could have heard them. Anger and fear of the unknown swirled in her chest. A low, animalistic growl rumbled in her throat. Her eyes narrowed as she inspected the three.

In the lead, there was a boy dressed in orange and yellow. On his shaven head, a blue arrow tattoo was painted. Slightly behind him were another boy, and a girl. Both was the same deep brown hair, and Nirvana assumed they were siblings. They were dressed head to toe in blue.

Nirvana crawled above them, as existent as a shadow, following their path. She would wait until they strayed apart, and take them out. Soon, her jungle would be silent once more.

Sokka's eyes moved in every single direction, following every movement and sound in the wilderness surrounding himself, Katara and Aang. He was well aware of the dangers that lurked just beyond the brush. He moved with his sister and friend as they chatted, his palms prickling to grab his boomerang at any given moment. Completely silent, he listened carefully. Hearing an almost silent creak, his feet came to an absolute halt.

"Shush," he told Katara and Aang.

"What is it?" his sister whispered.

Sokka put a finger to his lips to keep her quiet, but the noise had ceased when they had. He motioned for them to stay where they were and he slowly turned and walked back the way they had came. He retraced his steps surely, and his ears picked up on the sound that had alerted him in the first place.

A fair distance from Katara and Aang, he slowed his pace. His fingers itched for the weapon at his back, but he dared not reach for in; he didn't want to appear a threat to whatever was out there.

Nirvana followed the russet-skinned boy, aware that he knew of her presence. She waited until he came to a standstill below her perched frame. She watched with careful eyes as he looked about, turning from side to side and front to back. The foolish boy did not look up.

Her emerald eyes narrowed and caught sight of her attack. He had lowered his arm from his back, where she could see a sheath containing some weapon. He turned once more to his left, and she leapt from the branches. She plummeted towards her target, her body arched for impact.

Something from above connected with his shoulders with great force and shoved him down. Facedown in the dirt, the something dug its claws into his back, forcing a grunt from his lips. He paused for a fraction of a second when the thing atop his body growled, ripping the sheath from its place and throwing it away. The growl was oddly feminine.

He brought his elbow swiftly around, knocking her off balance and off him. He threw himself over her, pinning her wrists on either side of her. He tried not to let his fierce mask slip when he saw her face.

Determination and anger furrowed her brows beneath a deep black fringe of bangs across her forehead. Fury burned in her bright jade eyes, and turned her full pale lips downward. As his eyes drifted to her mouth, a carnal scream tore its way out of her throat. She kicked her legs, pounding against his spine and flipping him over.

They both scrambled to their feet and faced each other. He took on a traditional fighting stance, and she shifted into a crouch. He barely had time to wonder why she seemed to be raised by wolves. She pounced at him, fingers curled into claws.

Her nails snagged his skin as he warded off her swift arms with his own. For a second, he caught her arm in his hand, but then she swung her leg upwards. Her small feet struck the underside of his chin and snapped his head back with the force. Lighting fast, she slammed her fist into his chest, forcing the air from his lungs, and flung her leg outward. His feet slipped from under his and suddenly he was on his back and her weight was on his chest.

His breath heaved from his mouth, chest rising and falling rapidly. She dug her knees into his biceps, keeping him helpless. He watched as she unsheathed a small dagger from her inner thigh and lowered it to his neck.

"Who are you?" she hissed. When he didn't answer fast enough, she thrust the edge against his skin. She didn't slice his flesh, but she did earn a grunt. She pinned him with her glare.

"My name is Sokka,"

She eyed him, green fire burning in her orbs. "Why are you in my jungle?" she demanded.

"We were only passing-"

"Sokka!"

Her head whipped towards the sound. Sokka's eyes followed her infuriated gaze, unable to move his head. He saw his sister draw a short dagger and Aang's body tense. The girl above him hissed at the intruders.

"Let him go," Aang commanded. Another hiss came from her throat. Sokka realized that she was distracted and took his chance. Arms flinging upwards, he knocked her away once more.

Caught off guard, her body went sailing. She barely had the time to blink when her head connected with a rock. Her vision suddenly blacked out and her body lay motionless.