Chapter II
Fallen Far
Chiko opened his eyes once more. He fell asleep again, and now it was filled with restless dreams and nightmares. Dragons devouring him and his kin in flames, he rolled over, aching, trying to find some figment of comfort. Yomi walked over to him and sat next to him with a bowl of bison milk. It had been nearly four days since the ransacking of their home, and things haven't improved much.
Chiko's health was still poor, but he finally had enough strength to eat and speak. But walking was going to be a chore; Chiko knew however that he needed to try. Mao left them as of late. He was going to the village of Shen Wu for new clothes and food; Yomi realized that they can't stay in monk garb forever, they needed to blend in to the Earth Kingdom. So after three days of night flying, they left the Patolas and reached the southern edge of the Earth Kingdom. Now it has been day since, and Chiko was still weak, and pale. Yomi knew that it wouldn't change any time soon.
Chiko tried to sit up and stand but moving was causing all sorts of pain. Yomi forced him down.
"No, Chi. Stay still, you don't have enough strength." Chiko grunted a "no," and forced himself up anyway, but then he fell down. Yomi caught him. "Damn it Chiko, stay still, you are still too weak," he said calmly. Still Chiko didn't obey him, he tried to stand once more only to fall again and this time, Yomi didn't catch him. Chiko cried in pain and whimpered as he tried to stand again. Yomi got him up and rolled him back on to Tenten's tail, where he had been sleeping.
"Don't you dare move, you are far to weak to stand," he commanded, as he pushed Chiko to the bison's tail, but Chiko struggled.
"N-nnoo! I want to s-s-stand." Chiko moaned trying to get up again but Yomi held him down.
"Chiko, you need to take it easy; I can help you walk. You need to learn how to gain balance again," Yomi said looking at Chiko worriedly. Chiko stopped trying to struggle to get up. He lay there, and looked at Yomi, asking if he would help him walk again. Yomi nodded slowly, and slowly helped him stand. Chiko was washed in the feeling of vertigo. Feeling dizzy and unsure, he moved a leg forward. Chiko was walking, unsteadily. Finally, after tripping and Yomi catching, Chiko could walk for a little while before he felt dizzy and ready to fall; it was difficult, but he finally managed to have some form of independence from them. Chiko turned to smile at Yomi who motioned to him to sit back down. Mao was returning soon and they should stick to camp.
Mao came back from his shopping at Shen Wu. He did gain a lot of stares from his appearance, but he paid no heed. He moved through the market place selling everything that would be a hindrance, and gaining money for more important things like fresh clothes and food. So, he sold his tools, books, scrolls and things that will be useless for traveling. He then bought rice, clothes and a pot as well as medicine. Mao returned to the camp prepared for a long journey.
"Here," he stated, giving Yomi a brown tunic and trousers. "We need better clothes, and food. Winter will be coming, and we need to be prepared. We can't be relying on our monastic lifestyle for much longer. We need to discard our past, and live as wanderers. True nomads." Yomi looked at the clothes. They had a scratchy texture and didn't look like they were made from the best materials. Still, without a complaint, Yomi removed his garb and put on the Earth Kingdom clothes. Chiko on the other hand looked at his shirt, trousers and cloak with confusion. How on earth would he put on those?
"Mao? C-c-can you he-lp me?" he queried to his brother, picking up the pants. Mao shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Can't you even put on your own clothes, whelp?" he growled at the maimed child. Chiko shrugged with his remaining limb, and tried to stand, but because he was so unbalanced he fell over again, making him yelp and scream. Yomi sighed and lifted him up.
"Mao, stop being so harsh to him. Walking, eating and living and general is going to be very different for him. You could at least be sympathetic, and try to help out a little." Mao didn't respond to him, instead he ripped off his old monastic clothes and slipped on the shirt and trousers and used a cloth sash as a belt. Chiko stood up again and walked, or rather wobbled again. Chiko's walking was unsteady and lopsided not to mention hard to control. Yomi knew that he would be a hindrance if he kept walking like this; he needed support and balance control.
Yomi stood up and looked for stick that was light and proportioned to Chiko's arm. Finally, he found a sturdy pine branch; he cut it and took strips of extra cloth and told Chiko to get his new clothes.
"I'll help you dress first and afterwards, I'll fix your balance problem." Chiko obeyed and gave him the tunic, pants, and traveling cloak. Chiko stood up tried to peel off the blood-soaked training robes of his former temple life. Yomi helped him with his pants and boots and went to fetch the newer clothes. With a little effort, Chiko was dressed again in fresh clothes.
"There now you look better, now for your balance issue. Looks like you need a support until your body can reposition the weight. I found something that could work." Chiko watched with uncertainty as young bender took the cloth and stick and tied it to his stump. Chiko blinked and looked at the new crutch with interest.
"Ok, Chi-chan, stand up and let me see you walk." Chiko obeyed again and stood up. He wobbled once more, yet he didn't fall, and instead he walked around, looking a little confused.
"I-I-I d-d-didn't fall. I s-s-stttill feel dizzy th-th-thooough," Chiko commented as he spun around and slammed his crutch into Yomi's stomach, at which the monk doubled over with a groan, and caused a burst of laughter from Mao.
"Chiko…you should be careful with that ok? Walking is going to be limited for you, but hopefully your body will adjust to the missing weight and you will adapt. You also need to teach yourself how to eat, dress, bathe, other things with one arm. I will help you Chi-chan, but you need to learn on your own. We have a difficult life ahead of us."
Yomi got dressed shortly and tossed his bloody clothes into the fire pit. Mao dumped a few other possessions as well, including a rosary that he had carried around with him back in the temple.
"We don't need these anymore my brothers, we need to keep light and we need to be nimble. From now on, we are no longer monks of the southern Air temple; we are vagabonds of the Earth kingdom. We are dead as monks, and priests of our temple. Let us live a new life, as wanderers."
With some effort and oil, Mao lit the clothes on fire. With sad and hopeless eyes, the trio watched their former lives burn away.
Several days of walking and struggling in the dark forests for the Earth Kingdom, Chiko was still feeling and looking sluggish and worn from travel. His breathing was labored and he clang to Yomi's hem and was almost pulled along. Tenten was watching her new "calf-children" will loving and calm eyes. She was a good mother to them. Her milk was finally more palatable; she provided warmth and protection from the tiger-wolves and the platypus-bears in the woods. However Yomi knew that Tenten was only going to be a hindrance to the trio. Fire Nation would be checking the Earth Kingdom woods, and no doubt a bison-cow would be very obvious with her white fur and broad arrow markings.
After almost two weeks of travel, Chiko was still in deplorable condition, though he was steadily improving. He was walking more and could stand longer. The trio had to stop often and rest because of Chiko. Mao was getting worried with approach of winter and food was becoming less and less. Chiko was also a problem; Yomi was afraid that poor boy's wound will be infected and festering. The balm that Mao bought was all gone and Chiko had to rely on his immune system to get well. Yomi looked at the bison cow with a sense of sadness. Tenten kept them alive, warm and safe, but deep in his heart, he felt that it would be all for nothing if the fire-folk found them because of her.
"Mao I think it's time that Tenten departed from us;" spoke Yomi one night as he stoked a small fire and cradled Chiko in his arms as the child slept, clinging to his foster parent's neck. Mao looked up at the bison grazing in the trees; she looked worn as well.
"Brother, do you think that's wise? Tenten has been our protector for sometime. She gave us milk and warmth. Are you just going to throw her away like that, especially with winter coming?" Yomi turned his head to the cow. She looked far from healthy; the stress wasn't good on her. The poor thing was stuck being grounded, and had been shedding out of stress and exhaustion. She was a liability and a necessity, Yomi knew the cow since childhood; he helped deliver her calves and oversaw her growth and health. The least he could do was free her from being hunted down like the brothers.
"I'm sorry Mao, but this is for the benefit of Tenten, she has been so good to us. A true mother. But she doesn't need this life, I want her to find her own kind, and live without having to worry about us. I know it will be hard not having her around at first, but we can adjust. I just worry about her and us as well. She's pretty easy to spot, and she is shedding too."
Mao sighed and stood up. "Do you want me to do it, Yomi?" The bender shook his head and carefully laid Chiko on the ground and covered him with a blanket.
"No Mao, I need to do this myself." Yomi walked over to Tenten, her saddle off her back and munching on some sweet gum leaves. Yomi guided her near a creek and stroked her cheek gently. The old cow bellowed in appreciation as her master allowed her to drink the sweet water. Yomi steeled himself as he spoke to Tenten in a calm and soft voice.
"You have been very good with us Mama Tenten. You give us your milk, warm us at night and guard us from danger." Yomi pressed his face on the bison's velvety cheek. "I know it hurts so much to see us like this. You shouldn't have to watch your children hurt like this." Tenten mooed gently and nudged her master, hearing his voice and words. Yomi stroked her fur and sighed, changing the topic.
"I remember when we first arrived at the temple. It was just the three of us, Arai, you and me. Father gave his only sons and his prized bison as an offering to the temple. We were just young things, wet behind the ears and disobedient to boot. Now Arai is gone, the temple is gone, and you are what is left of my former life. I want you here with us, but I know that will just cause you more pain and stress; you need to find your kin again. Raise more little bison calves, find a good bull to stand with like Bram." Tears trickled down Yomi's face and he took a deep breath.
"I want you to be free from us; you are no longer needed now. So with Vayu's blessing on you I relinquish you from service. You have been a good mama bison, and your calves are grateful, but we are strong bulls now, we don't need you, but I will never forget you or your care Mama Tenten. Vayu and Akash guide you and bless you my sweet cow." Yomi gulped back tears as he walked behind Tenten. The cow murmured softly, understanding her master's words. It hurt her that she was no longer needed, but she yearned to fly again seek her kind. Yomi took deep breath and slapped her back thighs.
"Tenten! Yip-Yip!" Tenten bellowed loudly and took off into the air,leaving her master on the earth.
Yomi walked back looking heartbroken and in grief. Mao laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, but with unhappy groan Yomi shrugged it off and curled up next to Chiko, wrapping his arm around him and keeping him warm. Yomi's heart ached for Tenten, yet his heart ached more for the cold winter approaching. Chiko awoke and noticed that the cow was gone. Yomi felt him stir and tried to get him back down with him.
"Y-y-yomi? W-w-where's Mama T-t-tenten?" the bender child asked looking around in fright. Mao was asleep, eyes open and glazed over. Yomi held Chiko down and kept him close. He whispered into the boy's ear.
"Shhhh, Tenten is free now. She's gone back to her kind now. We don't need her now, and don't you want Tenten to be happy?" Chiko stifled a few tears and nodded. Not quite understanding, but knowing that Tenten was gone.
Winter was approaching fast and the trio had been stumbling around the southern Earth Kingdom for another two weeks. Chiko's health was starting to plummet. He was coughing regularly and his breathing was difficult. Yomi noticed that he was eating less and less. It was starting to scare him. Food was sparse and the trio normally wolfed down anything that was hot and edible, but Chiko wasn't eating at all. He often woke up in middle of the night coughing and crying. Yomi tried to comfort him by singing to him, or chanting sutras to him to ease the pain of breathing and push him back to sleep. Yet it wasn't working. The boys where emaciated by the start of winter, and death was creeping close. Yomi was starting to regret freeing their bison mother.
It got especially bad when Mao noticed that skies were getting heavy with gray clouds. He had a bad feeling that tonight was going to be the first snow, and a very bad one by the looks of it. He gave a nervous look at his temple-mate told him that they should hunker down.
"We should be at village soon, we can find shelter there." Yomi disagreed, holding Chiko in his arms. He was delirious with fever and looked like he should be reaching the Spirit World by twilight. Yomi held him close and told him that they would find shelter soon. Chiko gasped and didn't speak; he was just too tired and confused. Mao felt the first flakes fall on his shoulders, and continued to walk. Yomi's breath misted in front as he dragged through the woods, eyes heavy and limbs weak. Mao shifted the bags and looked ahead, and saw the village gates. Almost there. The snow was getting heavy and winds were getting crueler. Mao noticed that dusk was approaching; they needed to find a place to stay or they will be joining Chiko in the Spirit World. Mao walked through the quiet village; nobody seemed to be present. He tugged on Yomi's arm, and pointed to an open barn.
"We can rest there for little while. Nobody will know." Yomi sighed and nodded knowing that the cold could kill them all. They entered the small barn which was relatively warmer then outside. Yomi scanned the area for a place to rest. He noticed a pair of sleeping ostrich-horses, some turkey-ducks and a large pig-cow. Mao however noticed something else.
"Look, a compost heap, we can sleep there tonight," Mao suggested with a note of despair. Yomi wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"Brother? Have you lost your mind? I worked in the fields since my childhood in the temple. Compost heaps are rather warm but nevertheless filthy!" Mao didn't respond but walked to the heap and turned to look at the elder bender.
"Do we have choice Yomi? Its warmth or death, at least we can prolong life a little longer." Yomi sighed and followed him holding his dying foster child in his arms. Yomi and Mao slumped into the grimy pile of refuse and decaying plants. Yomi laid Chiko top of him and brushed his lips on the small child's forehead.
"I'm sorry Gyatso, I didn't keep my promise."
Midori of Mu-Ten was a simple woman. She was polite and well mannered, a good mother of three boys and a loving wife of Yama. She didn't ask for much in life except healthy children, a good mate and fresh earth to bend. She was compassionate and kind, and accepting of everyone. Of course that was going to be put to the test when she opened the door of the barn of her small farm to feed Rin and Tai, the only ostrich-horses left after her elder sons, Ichigo and Jiang left for war. She walked in with a sack of corn and millet and dropped it when she saw three forms curled up in the compost. The dumpy woman was more than surprised, she was confused and a little annoyed. Vagabonds in her barn? No thank you sir. She marched over to wake them and tell them to go to the Silver Sword for board. When her eyes widened at the sight: these weren't some drunken old bums, but children. The biggest had to be her youngest's age, and the poor things looked like they hadn't eaten in days. Midori had a soft spot for children, and knew that the tavern and inn wasn't the best place for them, and by their thin bodies they didn't look like they had the money for an inn anyway.
"Oh, you soft-hearted old goose, now what are you going to do now? You can't leave them in the cold like this," the earth bender chided herself. She reached over tapped the one with the smaller child on his stomach.
"Are you…alive? Can you hear me?" she asked timidly as she realized that she might have to deal with three corpses instead of three young men. The one that she was trying to awaken fluttered his eye lids and turned to look at her. Midori nearly gasped, not at the fact the man was alive,but at the fact from his nimbus-gray eyes that he was not earth folk but an Air Nomad.
"Blessed Mountains, you're alive!" she exclaimed as the man stirred and sat up holding the boy to his chest. There was a pause for barely a minute before the gray-eyed youth asked in a strained whisper,
"Save him…please."
Yomi was sleeping and fitfully as well in the rotting heap in the barn struggling to keep Chiko alive and warm. Mao wasn't doing to well either, struggling with nightmares of devilish faces and long pointed swords. Yomi opened his eyes to see a weathered old face of woman to his right looking very concerned. Yomi at first was very confused but then, he reached out asking her to take Chiko.
"Save him…please." he asked in a strained whisper. The dumpy earth-woman nodded gravely as she knelt down.
"Who are you? What has happened to you?" she asked Yomi, asking permission with a look before reaching over to take the dying boy from his arms.
"Can…my brothers and I sleep here tonight? Please, we don't have anywhere to go. We will be gone in the morning; we just need a place to sleep." The woman sighed and responded in a soft tone.
"You three can't stay here. You'll be at the Spirit World by dawn; you need to come inside where it's much warmer, and the little one needs a healer badly." Yomi's eyes crinkled with nervousness.
"Thank you, but we don't have the money for a healer and I don't want to impose." the woman snorted gruffly.
"Fah! What kind of person I'll be if I let children die in my barn? No, you're coming inside. I'll have Ken fetch Grandmother Butterfly, for the smallish one." Yomi whispered praises to Akash for this miracle. He rolled over and woke Mao.
"Brother! Wake up!" Mao groggily woke up and rolled over to Yomi. "What? Why did you wake me?" he looked at the woman beside Yomi and blanched.
"Oh! Ummm, please forgive us we…." The woman interrupted Mao.
"Put a lid on it. You and your friends are coming inside with me. No way in the nine levels of the Spirit World am I going to let you die out here." Mao blinked several times and looked dumbfounded.
"Don't stand there looking stupid. Stand up and come with me. We need to get treatment for the little one." Mao shook his head and stood up with Yomi and followed the woman to the main house from barn.
Chiko was laying in a futon in the hall down from the main living room. His fever was unbearably high and his breathing was labored. Yomi and Mao sat across from the child, mentally chanting sutras and prayers to the sky god to save the little child. The woman walked over to the boys and kneeled in front of them.
"I'm going to fetch my son, he's going to get Choji, and she'll be able to heal him, hopefully at least." Yomi didn't respond; he just brought his knees to his chest and sighed deeply, knowing that it was a fifty-fifty chance that Chiko would live or die.
"What is your name? I'm Yomi, my brother next to me is Mao and Chiko is the little one." Midori smiled softly.
"I'm Midori, thank the gods I went to feed Rin and Tai tonight, or you'd be dead." Midori stood up when two men walked in. One was old as Midori then other looked around Mao's age with a brown goatee and messy hair. The older one frowned at Midori.
"Middy, who do ya think ya are? Lettin' a buncha' vagabonds in tha house?" Midori stood up and glared at her husband.
"Yama! They are not just some dirty old bums, these are just poor children. I'm not going to have bad karma on me because I kicked them out of the barn to die. KEN! Get Grandmother Butterfly, Choji needs to have a look at the little one, Chiko, right?" Midori asked, turning her head to Yomi, who nodded in agreement. Ken took off and left Yama with Midori and the three former monks. Midori briefly looked at the boys and then whispered to her husband
"Yama, I also think these are air-folk. Look at them. Their heads are shaved bald and their eyes, gray like the clouds in the sky. We should keep them here for a bit. Maybe they could tell us what going on with the Fire Nation on Earth Kingdom soil." Yama scowled and nodded.
"Maybe ya' right. Somethin' is up. Air-folk are wanderers but they have huge caravans, these look like temple dwellers. Somethin' is seriously wrong." Midori nodded and looked the three with sadness. What happened to them that left them so broken?
"Mama! I got Choji!" called Ken in the distance as he brought in a very grouchy old woman with a cane and eyes full of cataracts.
"Well? Where is the boy?" asked the healer, swinging her cane. Midori lead her to Chiko who was starting to cough hard and shake. The old woman's brow furrowed with concern. "Poor thing, he's caught nasty sickness, not mention he reeks of infection!" Yomi lifted his head and looked at the blind healer.
"Sickness, infection, what's wrong with Chi?" Choji didn't turn her head, as she fumbled around her bags for a jar.
"The Coughing Sickness and terrible infection on his left side. He only has few days to live, but I can save him. If boy is strong enough. Better pray to your gods, lad. He'll need it." Yomi hid his face again to hide his tears. Mao sighed and shook his head. They didn't have any bandages. If they did, they could have saved him of the burning infection. Chiko cried out, stretching his only arm out trying to reach for something.
"Mama…mama..m-m-mama." his voice was faint but Yomi could hear it. He walked over and sat next to him. Choji took out her knife and her herbs and told Yomi to hold the child's hand.
"Why? What are you going to do to Chiko?" asked Yomi as he picked up Chiko's frail hand. Yomi nearly gagged as saw the infected stitches when Choji cut way the makeshift bandages. They were swollen and pussy, and reeked heavily. The elder bender yanked his head away from the sight.
"Because I'm going to cut and clean the stitches and cuts and re-sew him, and boy, it's going to hurt like a bitch." Choji felt around the gashes and ignored the wincing of her patient. As she mentally noted where the lacerations where, and began cutting the stitches away. Chiko squeezed his guardian's hand and screamed loudly.
"B-r-rooothheerr! It burns! M-m-make it stop! Please! Mm-m-make it s-s-stop." Yomi didn't say anything after Chiko screamed for mercy, his nails digging into Yomi's skin. Choji hummed softly, as she did her work slowly and carefully.
"Shhh, it's ok little one. It will be over soon." She said calmly to Chiko despite his sobbing. Yomi looked at Choji as she took out a bottle of something.
"This will clean the infection, and ease pain, and will numb it too." Yomi nodded as she took a cloth and began to rub it on Chiko gashes and stub.
"How did the lad lose his arm?" Yomi didn't know what to say…he sat mute, completely shocked and unprepared for that question.
"Never mind, it's not for me to know." Choji took out some silk thread and a long needle. Yomi tried to ignore the rasping breath of his foster son or his wincing as Choji sewed up the wounds. After long hours of work, Choji took out another bottle and handed it to Yomi.
"This will kill the sickness, put it in a tea or infuse it with feverfew. Make sure he drinks all of it. No matter how much he refuses. It is important that he does in order for the damn drug to work. Also, stay here with Midori and Yama,or all my hard work will be for nothing. Understood boy?" Yomi nodded. "Yes…grandmother." Choji quirked a smile. "Have a little faith boy. The little one isn't going to die…yet." Yomi frowned but Choji couldn't see it. Ken walked back in the room and helped Choji up.
"I'm feeling charitable. Tell Midori that I don't need payment tonight." Ken nodded and took her out of the room. Yama and Midori had left the room a while ago and the trio were by themselves. Mao was silent through the whole thing,watching with eyes of despair. Yomi sat next to him, leaving Chiko to sleep.
"Akash, what has happen to us? Why have we fallen like this?" Mao asked with incredulity to Yomi. The elder bender shrugged and sighed. "I don't know brother, I don't know. I'm just so grateful that Chiko is still alive." This time, Yomi didn't hide his tears as the three sat alone in Yama and Midori's house.
Chiko's health improved in the weeks they stayed in Yama and Midori's home. The family agreed to keep them until spring when they were to sojourn again. So until then trio remained with them, assisting them with chores and minor tasks, as gratitude. Yomi watched Chiko closely through the weeks as he started breathing easier again, and eating. He gained weight and walking became easier too. A smile approached on his face as Chiko's spirits also improved. He was jubilant again, thanks to "Auntie" and "Uncle," whose kindness allowed Yomi and Mao to hope that things would continue to improve. Mao and Yomi were also gaining weight and muscle mass from helping Ken with his chores. The trio also noticed something else.
"YOMI! S-s-something's w-w-wrong with my-my-my head!" shouted Chiko one afternoon as he was in bedroom looking in the mirror. Yomi ran in to see what the problem was, and to his relief and amusement he laughed as Chiko discovered the peach fuzz on his head.
"Ha ha! Chiko, that's just hair, it's no big deal. It will continue to grow which will help us hide from the Fire Nation." Chiko didn't seem as assured as he rubbed his scalp with annoyance. Yomi smiled and got to his eye level. "See? Feel my head. I have it too, so does Mao." Chiko rubbed Yomi's head as well, giggling as felt tiny hairs on the top of his caretaker's head.
"See? It's not a big deal is it? C'mon, we need to help Uncle Yama with feeding the ostrich-horses." Yomi took Chiko's hand and led him out of the bedroom, laughing mentally because Chiko never knew that hair grew on his head.
Spring came at last. The warm air embraced her children as they noticed the green grass and the blooming flowers. Mao, Yomi, and Chiko looked far better than the night they were discovered in the Midori's barn. Healthier and much stronger, they were ready to continue their wanderings. Midori supplied them with rice, miso, and some old clothes for Chiko, for their leaving tomorrow.
"I was just telling Yama that you have really grown on me these past months. You have been boon to us. I will really miss you all," Midori said to Mao and Yomi who walked in from helping Yama and Ken prepare the rice paddies for the season. The older nomads looked at each other and sighed.
"Auntie, can we talk you for moment?" asked Yomi as he sat down next to Midori and Mao across from her. She nodded and put the bags away, as Yomi looked into her gentle green eyes.
"Auntie, we are very grateful that you had compassion for us that winter night. And we thank you again for everything." Midori waved her hand and laughed.
"Oh stop now with the formalities Yomi, they're not necessary. You are a thousand times welcomed. Now if you're going to tell me something boys do it fast because I need to start supper or Yama will be cranky."
"We want to tell you about what happened at the Southern Air Temple. Why monks like us are wanderers now," Mao said bluntly which made the smile on Midori's face fade.
"Oh. So, something did happen. I talked to Yama about it that night you came.. He wanted to press you three about it, but Ken advised him that you would tell us when it was time for us to know. And I reckoned that he was right." The two nodded slowly and Yomi began telling of what happened that fall night. About the attack on the monks, of the bison falling out of the burning temple. The whole night of chaos and destruction was retold again, painfully, by the two. Yomi closed his eyes and told about Gyatso, holding Chiko, maimed and bleeding; about his promise to do whatever it takes to keep Chiko alive, and free. Midori listened to Mao and Yomi's words with quiet empathy. She will never know of true destruction and wonton murder, but she had two sons in battle, and that gave her understanding.
"So I see. That's why you were in the woods: you were escaping the Fire Nation's slaughter. Do you know why they attacked a monastery, of all places?" Mao shrugged and didn't say anything. Yomi look up and opened his eyes.
"I'm
guessing they were looking for the Avatar, for Aang. But he ran off,
and abandoned us to our deaths," the elder bender said grimly.
Midori sighed and looked at Yomi who had a question in his
eyes.
"Yes Yomi? What is it?" Yomi began painfully, as heard
the sounds of Ken singing with Chiko, voices strong with happiness
and mirth.
"Midori, Auntie, our lives are far too painful for Chiko. I don't want him to suffer, I want to keep my promise to Gyatso. I don't want to burden you either, but you love having Chiko around, I see you smile when he helps you in the rice shop…."
Midori interrupted, "You want me to raise Chiko while you wander is that it?" Yomi, eyes dark with sadness, nodded slowly again.
A/N: DUN DUN DUUUUNNN! I know I'm a bad authoress, making a cliffhanger for all of you, but anyway. For those who are reviewing and sticking to the story. THANK YOU! Thanks to AmiraElizabeth, who have been reading, and she drew me a little pic to go with it. To Kishi and, Hotspur, for support and friendship and something extra to my buddy Nephandi, for beta-ing. Much love to him. Well folks stick around and see if Midori accepts or declines. Tell me what you think, and how Chiko is going to react if he stays with Auntie and Uncle.
