Searching for the Avatar

Amaya was now out of breath and the cold winter air was freezing every bone in her body. She stopped and found a nearby cave to sleep in. Once she got in the cave, she just dropped on to the cold cave floor and fell into a deep sleep. Amaya soon woke-up to the crisp cold air, the chattering of birds and the rustling of other animals. She couldn't think of anywhere the Avatar would be right at that moment except probably finding a waterbending teacher. Amaya slowly got up from the hard ground and started to hunt for food. The only problem for hunting meat was that she didn't have any weaponry to hunt a single deer, so she decided to go in the trees to gather fruit.

Amaya looked up at the tall trees and realized this wasn't going to be easy. Maybe I can use airbending again, she thought to herself.

She thought about air for a minute and then jumped up into the air as high as she could. Amaya came to realize that she had jumped up ten feet in the air, she quickly grabbed on to a nearby branch before gravity pulled her down again. She struggled as she climbed on the branch, then she heard voices from a distance. Amaya wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing, but she had to hide in the top of the tree where she would be less likely to be seen. She quickly got to the highest point in the tree, stayed quiet and tried to listen in on what the people were saying.

"Face it nephew, we've lost the Avatar's trail," said a voice of an old man.

"No we haven't! The Avatar went this way," shouted the voice of a boy about her age.

Geez, a little temperamental, Amaya thought to herself. She looked down and saw it was an older gentleman accompanied by a boy that was nearly bald except for the pony-tail of black hair hanging up and had a huge scar that covered almost half of his face. They were both being followed by a small army behind them and according to their clothing they looked to be Fire Nation.

"Nephew, just because you see footprints leading here doesn't mean that these are the Avatar's footprints," the old man explained, but the boy wouldn't listen.

"The footprints stop here right in front of this tree," the boy said.

Amaya immediately realized that the footprints they were following were hers.

"How can footprints just stop and not go anywhere?" the man questioned, "And the tree doesn't have any marks to show it has been climbed."

"That means only an airbender could get up there," the boy said, "GET DOWN HERE AVATAR AND FIGHT LIKE A MAN!"



Amaya neither breathed nor moved, these people actually thought she was the Avatar. Even if they did find her they would just send her to General Zhao. She started to move quietly over to the next tree in high hopes of not being heard. Right when Amaya was just about to make it away safely…SNAP…she had stepped on a branch that collapsed to the ground.

"HE IS UP THERE, SHOOT FIRE," he shouted.

Then huge fire balls were flown at the tree and set the tree on fire. Amaya quickly jumped out to the other side of the fire nation soldiers and ran as fast as she could.

"Hurry he's going this way," said the boy in the distance.

Amaya fell down a ledge and saw that there was a cave under it. She went inside the cave and once she got in she earthbended the ground to cover the cave entrance. Amaya then sat down and stayed quiet. She heard the many footsteps above her and going down the ledge. The footsteps became faint and then stopped. Amaya pulled down the barrier then slowly peaked outside of the cave and saw the coast was clear. She walked out calmly and just as she was about to continue the trail a net got a hold of her and Amaya was hanging above the ground.

"I've got you now Avatar you have nowhere to run," said the boy as was emerging from the bushes.

"Wait nephew, I think we might have a bit of confusion here," the old man said.

Then the boy saw what the man was saying and went to go get a closer looked. Amaya saw that he was pale, had golden eyes and looked strangely familiar.

"Who are you anyway?" he asked.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Amaya snarled.

"You're working for the Avatar, aren't you and you're going to teach him earthbending," the boy said angrily.

"No, I don't even know the Avatar and don't think I'm qualified to be a teacher," she said.

"So, what were you doing out here," he asked suspiciously.

"I was traveling," Amaya said plainly, "and you're one to talk. What were you doing out here and who are you?"

"I was patrolling the area," he said not so confidently.

"Searching for the Avatar, huh," Amaya said.

"How did you know that!" he shouted.



"You just told me," she smirked, "and you still haven't said who you are."

He just tilted his head down and the old man spoke for him, "His name Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation and I'm his uncle Iroh."

"Why didn't he say that for himself?" Amaya said curiously.

"It's a long story," Zuko mumbled.

"You don't have to say it if you don't want to," she said sympathetically, "but I do want to get out of this net."

"You still haven't told me the real reason you were out here!" Zuko snapped.

"Fine, I ran away! I couldn't take being behind walls for the rest of my life!" Amaya snapped back.

Everyone fell silent for a long time until Amaya spoke again, "You what I can get myself out of here." Then she had a sharp rock fly into her hand with the rock Amaya cut a hole beneath her in the net that was big enough for her to fit through. Once she jumped down to the ground she met up with confused faces and said, "Well, it's been fun, but I gotta go, see ya."

Just as Amaya turned around to leave a voice then said, "You know, normally, people would escape secretly and make sure the person who was holding them captive didn't know."

She turned around and found it was Zuko speaking and said, "That's what I would've done if I was normal, but I'm not exactly a normal girl, so we're back to see ya."

"Wait," Zuko called back (Amaya was starting to get very annoyed with this), "where are you heading?"

"I don't know I'm just gonna keep going north until I run into a place that's actually habitable for me," Amaya answered.

"Where are parents, young lady?" Iroh asked curiously.

"They…died when I was a baby," Amaya said uneasy, "I've never really had a real home in my life, ok."

"I'm sorry," Zuko said sadly, "I was just thinking maybe you can travel with us."

"Travel with you?" Amaya said in shock.

"Yeah, I was thinking maybe you could help us retrieve the Avatar," he explained.

"Sorry, I'm not qualified for that," she said quickly.



"What are talking about, you nearly fooled me with your earthbending trick over there," he said in disbelief.

"Yeah, but right now I'm just concentrating on going north," Amaya explained, "but thanks for the offer though, bye."

Now she successfully left the men before they could say another word. Amaya kept heading north until she found a small mining town. When she got into the town she saw that there were a lot of Fire Nation soldiers patrolling the place.

I shouldn't spend a lot of time here, Amaya thought to herself.

Then she went to the nearest fruit cart to buy food for her journey. Once Amaya paid and put the food she needed in her bag she started to head north again. Suddenly a fire-ball came her way; Amaya immediately earthbended a wall in front of her that blocked the fire ball. When she looked to see who threw the fire ball Amaya found it was Commander Zhao.

"What did you come here to get your butt whooped again," Amaya said acidly.

"Ha ha, I would only expect that from a child," Zhao insulted.

"Could a child do this?" Amaya said before earthbending a Fire Nation soldier into the sky.

"Clever, but not clever enough for the Fire Nation commander," Zhao said before throwing a storm of fire at her.

Amaya waterbended water out of three nearby barrels and threw it at the fire.

"So, do you think that's still childish," Amaya said in triumph.

"No, actually I was just getting warmed up," he said evilly as he blasted fire through his fist towards her.

She blocked the blast using an airfield and bounced back at him. Zhao ducked and then shot fire at floor level. Amaya jumped up ten or fifty feet in the air and opened up her glider.

"I hope this works," she said to herself as she started to glide across the forest.

Then fireballs came for her and she crash landed in the forest. Amaya landed in a tree and now was hanging from a branch. Just as she was about to let herself down, she heard footsteps coming her way. She looked down and saw it was Prince Zuko with his Uncle Iroh. Amaya tried to stay quiet, but the branch wouldn't hold for that long. It snapped and everyone stopped.

"Did you hear that?" asked Zuko.

"Hear what, nephew?" said Iroh.



Then the branch made a bigger snapping noise.

"Someone's here," said Zuko.

Amaya tried to swing to another branch, but it completely snapped off. She opened up her glider again, but instead of gliding up she glided down and landed on her face.

"I really need to work on that," she mumbled to herself.

"What are you doing here?!" Zuko shouted.

"Ok, I'm right here, no need to shout," pointed out Amaya as she got up.

"Just answer the question!" said Zuko with no change in his tone.

"I was running from Commander Zhao and I climbed up the tree to hide," explained Amaya as she closed up her glider.

"Where did you get that?!" asked Zuko.

"Ok, you need to learn not to shout when asking questions," commented Amaya, "I got it when I was visiting the Western Air Temple."

"You've been to the Western Air Temple?" asked Iroh.

"Yeah, actually I've been around the world," answered Amaya.

"Why would Zhao be after you?" asked Zuko.

"If I told you, you'd be after me too," she said quietly as she tried to walk away.

"Wait, I think I've met you," Zuko said.

"Yeah, this morning not that long ago," said Amaya.

"No, I mean I think we've met before…years before," said Zuko.

"You do look familiar, but I can't put my finger on it for some reason," pointed out Amaya.

"I still didn't get your name," said Zuko.

"It's none of your business," she answered.

"I think I know who you are," he said.

Right when he said that her eyes got big and she froze.

"You're that girl that visited the Fire Nation," he said.



"Oh, yeah that was six years ago, easy to forget," said Amaya relieved. "Well anyways I gotta go before Zhao catches up."

"Why would Zhao be after you?" Zuko repeated.

"Didn't you just say that?" Amaya asked.

"Yeah, it's just that I thought he was after the Avatar, why would he go after you?" said Zuko.

"Actually, that's the same question I have," said Amaya. This was true of course, why was he going after her first. To her she was only second best compared to the Avatar considering that she was meant to protect the Avatar. "Well anyway, I have to go."

"You seem to be in a hurry," he said suspiciously.

"I'm not actually…I'm—just impatient," Amaya lied, "and I need to find shelter before it gets dark."

Amaya turned to leave again, but Zuko opened his mouth to say something again.

"WHAT?!" said Amaya both angered and annoyed.

"You're a firebender?" asked Zuko who looked astonished.

"No, what would make you think that?"

"Your hand kind of went on fire when you shouted at me," Zuko pointed out.

"Well, it was probably because you were annoying me so much!" shouted Amaya and this she actually felt the fire coming out of her hand. "Ok, that time I felt it. C'mon it's not like you don't spurt out fire when you're angry."

"Yes, but only firebenders can do that," said Zuko.

"Your point?" retorted Amaya.

"You're a firebender," he said firmly, "and yet an earthbender at the same time."

"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I have to go and don't try to stop me," Amaya said acidly and left into the forest.

Amaya kept traveling north for the next two days without any luck in finding the Avatar and not running into any more Fire Nation soldiers. One night, she was beginning to wish that there would be some sign showing where the Avatar would be. Amaya then went to a relaxing sleep….



She woke up the next morning feeling fully rested and somewhere else. Amaya was in a burnt up forest that seemed to be destroyed by the Fire Nation.

"How in the world did I end up here?" she asked herself. Just as she was about to get up she saw a boy that was bald and had an arrow on his head that looked knocked out. "Hello, are you okay?"

The boy slowly woke-up and said, "Sokka?"

"Sorry, I'm not Sokka (who ever that is), I'm Amaya," she told him, "What's your name?"

"Aang," he struggled to say.

"Do you know where we are?" asked Amaya as she helped him up.

"Right now we're in a forest that was destroyed by the Fire Nation," answered Aang.

"I see, yeah I have no idea how I ended up here," explained Amaya, "All I remember is going to sleep and that's it. How'd you end up here?"

"I was helping Senlin Village with a spirit called Hei Bai," Aang started to explain. "Anyway just I was trying to talk to him, my friend Sokka tried to help, but ended up being taken by Hei Bai. I tried to stop it, but I was too late and next thing I know I'm here with you."

"Do you know where the spirit went?" Amaya asked.

"The Spirit World, but…I can't figure out how to go there," answered Aang.

"No offense or anything, but it's kind of impossible to go into the spirit world," pointed out Amaya.

"Not unless you're the Avatar," said Aang. "The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World."

"Oh, well then it is possible, but you see you've got another problem: you have to find the Avatar," said Amaya.

"Oh, don't worry that won't be a problem," Aang said with certainty.

"That's what I thought too, oh boy I was wrong," said Amaya.

"You're looking for the Avatar?" asked Aang sounding a little surprised.

"Yeah, but it's not for the Fire Nation," Amaya started to explain, "It's kind of confusing actually."

"How confusing?" Aang asked.



"It's a long story so I'll make it short," Amaya continued, "I, apparently, am the Dragon Warrior who is supposed to protect the Avatar, but to do that I have to find him which is impossible! I doing the best I can and I can do a whole lot better without Zhao on my tail or me running into Zuko who seems very familiar to me, but I can't put my finger on it."

"Wow that is confusing, well I can't help you find the Avatar, but I take you to the village to get some help," offered Aang.

"Ok, I guess I've got no other choice," said Amaya before leaving with him.

They went into the forest and as they were walking through it Amaya couldn't help, but notice Aang was looking a bit glum.

"Are you okay there, kid," asked Amaya.

"Not really, you see Sokka was my other friend's, Katara, brother and I know she's going to be disappointed with me," he said sadly.

"I don't think she will," she said and Aang looked at her confused, "knowing at least you tried won't disappoint her."

Then they approached a village that looked to be in ruins. At the entrance she saw a girl that looked be fourteen that had blue eyes and long brown hair tied into a long braid. Right next to the girl she saw an older man comforting her.

"Is that Katara?" asked Amaya and Aang gave a small nod.

"Katara, Katara I lost him," said Aang, but she didn't seem to hear him.

"I don't think she can hear you Aang," Amaya pointed out.

"I don't get it if you can talk to me then why can Katara hear me?" asked Aang who sounded a bit confused.

"Hey, I have the same question too, so ask me," said Amaya.

Then the sun came up and Aang looked to be see-through.

"Does that answer your question?" said Amaya pointing at him.

"I'm in the spirit world," said Aang in shock.

"Funny I thought only the Avatar could travel to the spirit world."

"You're in the spirit world too," said Aang.

Amaya then looked at herself and saw that she was see-through too.



"Ok, something weird is definitely going on," Amaya commented.

"Confession time, I'm the Avatar," Aang said.

"Y-you are?" she said in surprise. She expected the Avatar to be much older than her.

"Yeah, I know I don't look it, but I'm actually one hundred and twelve," Aang explained and Amaya was still in shock. "I was frozen in an iceberg for hundred years."

"I guess that kind of fits, since we're talking about ages I'm actually hundred years old," Amaya told Aang.

"But that still doesn't explain how you got into the spirit world."

"I told you, feel asleep next thing I know I'm here," said Amaya sounding a little annoyed.

"Sorry, sorry let me fly up and see what I can do," Aang said before opening up his glider, but instead of flying up he fell on the ground.

"I'm not that very advanced on my airbending, but I know that's not gliding," commented Amaya.

"I can't bend in the spirit world," said Aang.

"Here let me try to earthbend," Amaya said before trying to move a rock that was right next to her. She tried to move it, but it wouldn't budge. "Nobody can bend in the spirit world."

They sat there hoping to think of some idea of how to get out of the spirit world.

"I'll figure this out Katara I promise, like they said I'm the bridge between worlds right, I'll I have to do is figure out what I have to do," Aang told Katara even though she couldn't hear him, "but once I do that no problem."

"Aang I don't know if you still haven't noticed, but you're really talking to yourself," Amaya pointed out, but Aang didn't hear her.

"Appa, hey buddy I'm over here," he said to a sky bison that approached Katara.

"Is that a sky bison?" asked Amaya in amazement.

"Yup, and even he can't hear me," Aang said sadly.

"Don't worry we'll find a way out of this," assured Amaya, "wait can you talk to your past lives, maybe they can get you out of this."

"Let me try it," Aang said before shouting to the sky, "AVATAR ROKU!"



"Yeah, that didn't work," Amaya said before hearing a thundering sound.

"Sokka?" asked Aang, but instead it was a dragon approaching, "That's definitely not Sokka."

Aang tried to get away on his glider, but instead he fell again.

"Relax Aang I don't think it means us harm," Amaya tried to assure.

The dragon landed right in front of them and Amaya was starting to become a little frightened.

"You don't know where Sokka is, do you?" asked Aang in scared tone and then one of its whiskers touched Aang's head. She wondered what he was doing and then it touched her head. Amaya saw an older man riding the dragon.

"Who was that man?" asked Amaya.

"That was Avatar Roku and this must be his animal guy like Appa is to me," explained Aang.

They went on the dragon and it took them across the forest. The dragon quickly took them to a Fire Nation temple where it took them through the ceiling. Above the ceiling was a room with a statue of Avatar Roku.

"Now that was cool," said Amaya as she was getting off the dragon.

"I don't understand this is just a statue," Aang said confused and then the dragon did the same thing he did before they took off, except this time she saw a comet.

"Is that what Roku wants to talk to me about, a comet?" said Aang.

"And why does he want to talk to me I'm not the Avatar," Amaya pointed out. Then he gave her a vision of a woman that she strangely recognized. "Dragon Warrior Liliani wants to talk to me?"

"But when?" asked Aang and the dragon revealed a light he was blocking and gave another vision of the light moving each day.

"It's a calendar and the light will reach Roku on the solstice."

"So, that's when we'll be able to speak to our past lives?" Amaya asked the dragon and he gave a small nod.

"But I can't wait that long I need to save Sokka, now!" said Aang angrily.

"C'mon Aang we can figure out how to save Sokka when we get back," she told him and they got back on the dragon that took them back the burnt up forest and was colliding with the bear statue in the middle of it.



"I'm guessing this is good-bye," Amaya said, "I'll meet you in the Fire Nation later and good luck finding Sokka."

They crashed in to the bear statue and Amaya woke up in a meditating position.

"I don't remember falling asleep like this," she said once she was back in her body.

Amaya didn't bother to look into how she went into that form; she had more important things to figure out: how to get into the Fire Nation.

Thanks for reading. Please review.

-Emyrox567