Chapter 2: Seriously?
The next day, the group prepared to set off for the Fire Nation Palace, where their friend Zuko was about to be crowned Firelord. They gathered supplies, then met at Appa's barn.
Toph initially worried about how Fang would react, but the wolf took everything in stride. Upon seeing the bison, he simply sniffed him, circled around him once, then returned to Toph's side. She absentmindedly scratched his ears as she waited for the others to load everything up.
"Okay, Toph, everything's ready!" Sokka called down from the bison's saddle. Toph took his outstretched hand and boarded Appa. The group turned to look down, but Fang was already jumping up into the saddle. He circled once, then laid down, his head on Toph's leg.
"It's crazy how that guy takes everything. It's almost as though he's done this before," Katara remarked. Fang lifted his head to look at her, then laid it back down.
"Fang's just cool like that," Sokka said almost dismissively.
Toph laughed. "Duh"
Aside from the addition, the trip was exactly the same as their other trips had gone. They made normal time and set down with the sun. They set up camp and all sat around the fire.
"I don't know about you, but I'm not gonna sleep for a while. Anybody else staying up?" Sokka asked as he lit the campfire.
Toph grinned and said, "Sure!" as she earthbent a seat for herself.
Fang tilted his head to the side, then paced around Toph's seat before stretching out beside her.
Suki yawned and shook her head. "Sorry, hun, I'm beat"
"Me, too," Katara added as the two girls walked off to their tent.
"I'll stay up," Aang said as he bent a seat for himself and sat down.
The three humans all sighed and stretched.
"This is the life. Just us guys and a campfire"
"Uh, Sokka..." Aang interrupted.
"The only thing we need now is some meat and "
Sokka was cut off by Fang's growling. He looked over to see both the wolf and Toph on their feet, bristling with indignation.
"What?" he asked, oblivious as always.
"I'M NOT A GUY, SNOOZLES"
"But you're one of us! You're like my best friend! No offense, Aang"
Aang shrugged. He had Katara; he was happy.
"I'm still a girl, numb-nuts"
Sokka paled. That was the strongest language she had ever directed at him. Sure, she had cursed their enemies from time to time, but this was the first time he'd ever heard her sling them at him.
And she wasn't done yet. "I'm sick and fucking tired of being treated like a guy! Sure, I'm strong, but maybe I want someone to treat me like a girl from time to time. But no, you fucking bastards only see me as some earthbender, and all the good earthbenders have to be guys, don't they"
"Uh, Toph..." Aang began.
"Toph, we thought..." Sokka continued.
"YOU KNOW WHAT! GO TO HELL, SOKKA! I'M DONE WITH THIS"
They were cut off by a loud bark from Fang, but it was too late. The firebenders that had been stalking up leaped into action, knocking them all out with well-placed trank-darts.
Katara and Suki, having come out to stop the fighting, also fell to darts.
Fang touched his nose to Toph's, then dashed off into the darkness.
"Hey, get that dog"
"No, leave it be. Our orders mentioned no dog"
Fang ran off into the night, leaving his friends behind.
At least, for now.
The next day, the group prepared to set off for the Fire Nation Palace, where their friend Zuko was about to be crowned Firelord. They gathered supplies, then met at Appa's barn.
Toph initially worried about how Fang would react, but the wolf took everything in stride. Upon seeing the bison, he simply sniffed him, circled around him once, then returned to Toph's side. She absentmindedly scratched his ears as she waited for the others to load everything up.
"Okay, Toph, everything's ready!" Sokka called down from the bison's saddle. Toph took his outstretched hand and boarded Appa. The group turned to look down, but Fang was already jumping up into the saddle. He circled once, then laid down, his head on Toph's leg.
"It's crazy how that guy takes everything. It's almost as though he's done this before," Katara remarked. Fang lifted his head to look at her, then laid it back down.
"Fang's just cool like that," Sokka said almost dismissively.
Toph laughed. "Duh"
Aside from the addition, the trip was exactly the same as their other trips had gone. They made normal time and set down with the sun. They set up camp and all sat around the fire.
"I don't know about you, but I'm not gonna sleep for a while. Anybody else staying up?" Sokka asked as he lit the campfire.
Toph grinned and said, "Sure!" as she earthbent a seat for herself.
Fang tilted his head to the side, then paced around Toph's seat before stretching out beside her.
Suki yawned and shook her head. "Sorry, hun, I'm beat"
"Me, too," Katara added as the two girls walked off to their tent.
"I'll stay up," Aang said as he bent a seat for himself and sat down.
The three humans all sighed and stretched.
"This is the life. Just us guys and a campfire"
"Uh, Sokka..." Aang interrupted.
"The only thing we need now is some meat and "
Sokka was cut off by Fang's growling. He looked over to see both the wolf and Toph on their feet, bristling with indignation.
"What?" he asked, oblivious as always.
"I'M NOT A GUY, SNOOZLES"
"But you're one of us! You're like my best friend! No offense, Aang"
Aang shrugged. He had Katara; he was happy.
"I'm still a girl, numb-nuts"
Sokka paled. That was the strongest language she had ever directed at him. Sure, she had cursed their enemies from time to time, but this was the first time he'd ever heard her sling them at him.
And she wasn't done yet. "I'm sick and fucking tired of being treated like a guy! Sure, I'm strong, but maybe I want someone to treat me like a girl from time to time. But no, you fucking bastards only see me as some earthbender, and all the good earthbenders have to be guys, don't they"
"Uh, Toph..." Aang began.
"Toph, we thought..." Sokka continued.
"YOU KNOW WHAT! GO TO HELL, SOKKA! I'M DONE WITH THIS"
They were cut off by a loud bark from Fang, but it was too late. The firebenders that had been stalking up leaped into action, knocking them all out with well-placed trank-darts.
Katara and Suki, having come out to stop the fighting, also fell to darts.
Fang touched his nose to Toph's, then dashed off into the darkness.
"Hey, get that dog"
"No, leave it be. Our orders mentioned no dog"
Fang ran off into the night, leaving his friends behind.
At least, for now.