Avatar: The Last Airbender

Tiga's Light

Chapter 4: Cave In and Ambush

"My abilities slowly grew stronger. Unfortunately, as I regained my powers, I never expected that I would be seeing them again. This world is in a danger no humans or benders can face, but I can. My race were decimated and I will not allow the same to happen to the humans. When they find out that they hid us, they won't take it lightly..."

-Tiga


Sokka and Momo was afloat on a large leaf while Katara and Aang practiced their waterbending with Tiga watching.

"You guys are going to be done soon right?" Sokka asked. "We have a lot of ground to cover if we're going to make it to Omashu today."

"What?" Katara asked sarcastically. "Like you're ready to go right now, naked guy?"

"I could be ready in two minutes." Sokka objected. "Seriously, whenever."

Katara and Aang resumed their training. Aang asked, "So you were showing me the Octopus Form?"

"Right," Katara stated. "Now let me see your stance."

Aang did so, with Katara examining carefully. She then walked over to him.

"Your arms are too far apart." she pointed out and adjusted them into position. "See, if you move them closer together, you protect your center. You got it?"

Aang blushed as she did that. "Oh, um... yeah." He then silently gulped.

"Okay, let's see what you got." Katara replied. The two practiced with Tiga still spectating. Not interested anymore, he looked around. It was a nice atmosphere and the weather was mildly calm. Tiga was about to focus back on the duo, but something caught his eye. He took a closer glance and when he confirmed what it was he was shocked. He murmured quietly. "They couldn't have been here."

Aang managed to deflect the attacks inflicted by Katara. Taking the upper hand, he manipulates one of the tentacle around her leg and getting a grip on it. Katara smiled and complimented, "You make a fine octopus, pupil Aang."

Aang forms a body of water around him, imitating an actual octopus and dancing playfully around.

"Quit fooling around," Katara said, giggling slightly. The group then heard music in the distance. Everyone stopped what they were doing and listened, the music getting closer and louder. It turned out that the rhythm and beat were coming from a group of people walking towards them. When they reached the gaang, they stopped singing. One said, "Hey, river people."

"We're not river people," Katara replied.

"Then what kind of people are you?" the man replied.

"Just...people." Aang said.

"Aren't we all, brother?" the man commented.

Sokka asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm Chong and this is my wife, Lily." Chong introduced. "We're nomads, happy to go wherever the wind takes us!"

"You guys are nomads?" Aang asked happily surprised. "That's great! I'm a nomad!"

"Hey, me too!" Chong replied, completely disregarding his previous statement.

"I know." Aang replied, slightly irritated and dissapointed. "You just said that."

"Oh really?" Chong asked. He looked at Sokka and said, "Nice underwear..."

Sokka, embarrased by the statement, walked away with Momo.

"So, the big guy," Chong pointed at Tiga. "Is he with you?"


Meanwhile...

Zuko crawled out from the bushes and exclaimed, "I didn't find anything to eat! I can't live like this! I wasn't meant to be a fugitive. This is impossible!" He then spotted his uncle examing a plant. He asked, "Uncle, what exactly are you doing?"

"You're looking at the rare White Dragon Bush." Iroh explained to his nephew. "Its leaves make a tea so delicious, it's heartbreaking. That, or it's the White Jade which is very poisonous."

"We need food, not tea." Zuko replied in frustration. "I'm going fishing."

With that, the banished prince walked away. Iroh still had his eyes on the plant. "Hmm... delectable tea? Or deadly poison?"


Back to the Gaang...

The band of nomads lounged nearby Appa whose hair is braided. Chong is casually strumming his instrument and Sokka approaches them.

"Hey, Sokka, you should hear some of these stories." Aang said. "These guys have been everywhere!"

"Well not everywhere, Little Arrowhead." Chong explained. "But where we haven't been, we've heard about through stories and songs."

"They said they'll take us to see a giant night crawler!" Aang said.

"On the way, there's a waterfall that creates a never-ending rainbow!" someone named Moku added.

"Look," Sokka said, feeling impatient. "I hate to be the wet blanket here, but since Katara is busy, I guess it's up to me."

Katara shot him a quick glare at her brother as Lily continued to braid her hair. Sokka ignored her and said, "We need to get to Omashu. No sidetracks, no worms and definitely no rainbows."

"Wow, sounds like someone has a case of destination fever." Chong commented. "You're worried too much about where you're going."

"You have to focus less on the "where" and more on the "going"," Lily offered her advice.

Sokka was still impatient and was starting to get ticked off. "O. Ma. Shu!"

"Sokka's right." Katara finally agreeed. "We need to find King Bumi, so Aang can learn Earthbending somewhere safe."

"Sounds like you're headed to Omashu." Chong said, having ignored Sokka's words, causing the water tribe warrior to smack himself in the head in pure frustration and anger.

"There's an old story about a secret pass right through the mountains." Chong revealed to the gaang.

"Is it real or is it just a legend?" Katara asked.

"Oh, it's a real legend." Chong pointed out. "And it's as old as Earthbending itself." And he then starts to sing, "Two lovers, forbidden from one another, the war divides their people and the mountain divides them apart! Built a path to be together!...Yeah, I forget the next couple of lines, but then it goes...Secret tunnel! Secret tunnel! Through the mountains, secret, secret, secret, secret tunnel! Yeah!"

"I think we'll just stick with flying." Sokka said, unamused and still impatient. "We've dealt with the Fire Nation before. We'll be fine."

"Yeah, thanks for the help, but Appa hates going underground." Aang said and smiled. "And we need to do whatever makes Appa most comfortable...C'mon."

The three began to leave, but noticed Tiga not bulging. Aang asked, "What's the matter, big guy?"

"Do you mind if I meet up with you later?" Tiga asked. "There's something I got to deal with."

"What are you ta-" Aang was about to ask when Tiga just wandered off and climbed over a mountain. "Okay that was strange..."

"Where do you think he's going?" Katara asked. Aang could only say, "No idea, but he said he would meet up with us. Still, we have to go to Omashu..."


A While Later...

"Launch!" A fire commander ordered and trebuchets are activated, launching hugefireballs at the gaang. Luckily, Aapa was able to narrowly avoid them. The group yelled, "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"


Another While Later...

The Gaang went back to the nomads, covered in black dust, ashes, and scourch marks. Sokka muttered, "Secret love cave, let's go."

Something watched the group as they left. It retreated behind the hills the last thing it set its eyes on was Tiga and Aang.


Kinda short I know, but I intend a bigger surprise ahead.