The Underground

Chapter 4: The Beginnings

By: Floodedmoon

Rays of the evenings red glow sparkled through the clearing sky. Fluffy pink and purple clouds drifted calmly through an orange-red sky. It seemed almost impossible to think an intense storm had just ravaged the sea. In the center of it all floated the small Water Tribe boat. On board, a wet and tired crew of three slept with limps outstretched about the deck. A light salty breeze swept across the ocean, gently dragging some sea spray with it. Nairu was the first to rise.

Nairu pulled back her wind-ragged hair in attempts to straighten it out. She squeezed the rainwater out of her hair, and pulled her hair back into line. It's so hard to imagine that only a few hours ago it was a mess; but now it's absolutely beautiful. Nairu thought, looking at the red expanse of sky.

A sudden bolt of fear shot up Nairu as she noticed everyone was sleeping. Oh no! We might have drifted off course! How on earth will we figure out where we are! Nairu wondered in shock.

That morning the storm had struck, and had blown them all over the place, not only that, but Kin had nearly been lost to the sea. Tsuki had been able to get them into the eye of the storm, and to safety, but after that they all must have slept. Now they were lost out in the ocean, they could be drifting toward the Fire Nation as they waited.

Nairu's worried instincts took over. Quickly she aroused Kin and Tsuki, who wearily rubbed their throbbing muscles.

"Aw, Nairu what know?" Kin asked rubbing her eyes. Tsuki just let out a long yawn and rubbed her arms.

"Why don't you just look around and tell me where we are so that we can reach landfall?" Nairu asked, a little bit ticked off.

"Well that's easy, we're just off of….ummm…crap," Kin said pointing out to the sea, but her hand dropped, as all she could see was ocean. "OH!!!! We must have drifted off course!" Kin cried out, holding her hands to her face before she collapsed backwards. "We're doomed."

Tsuki smacked her hand to her face, "Relax, we'll find land."

Nairu nodded and pointed, "The horizon over to the east looks like it has a place for us to dock,"

Kin stretched up and looked out, "Great! I can't wait to get there!"

A figure in the sky drew Nairu's attention to the drifting white clouds, "Oh! Tsuki! Kin! Look above you! It's a sky bison!" Nairu gasped in amazement.

Kin looked up, and so did Tsuki, Kin shook her head, "Pfft, that's no sky bison, it's just a cloud."

"It is a sky bison! Look it's tail just moved!"

"Nairu, only the Avatar has a sky bison, and what would the Avatar be doing out near the middle of the ocean?"

Tsuki nodded her head in agreement to Kin's statement, "Yeah, you must have just been seeing things Nairu.

Nairu scowled and looked again, but the bison was gone. "I had thought for sure…"

The trip to land was mostly Tsuki and Kin switching off with navigating the boat. Tsuki and Nairu would look over the map and try to figure out where they were headed, but from the storm it was nearly impossible to tell. The best they could make of it was that they were heading out to Earth Kingdom land. When Kin found herself bored, she'd amuse herself by hurling water at anything that passed by. Tsuki often kept an eye out for any landmark that would give them a better hint of where they were headed, but no sign came.

"AHH! This is taking to long!" said an exasperated Kin.

"Well, did you think traveling at sea was going to be easy?" snapped Tsuki, who was currently tracing their course with her finger, Nairu waiting by patiently.

"Just a little bit farther Kin, we'll be there in a couple minutes," was Nairu's gentle reply.

Kin shook her head, then clenched her growling stomach, "Mmm, I'm hungry, I haven't eaten in days."

Nairu shuffled through the bags on the ship and shook her head in despair, " All we have left is some seal jerky, wrapped fish, and soup powder, and we should save this for when we reach land."

Kin nodded, "Okay, I can wait a little longer."

"You don't have to, we're already there." Tsuki added calmly.

Kin looked up and turned toward the front of the small boat. Sure enough, land was within swimming distance. "Tsuki, help me speed up this boat so we can get to land!" Kin said, dashing back with enthusiasm. Tsuki followed her, and together they pushed and pulled the water back and forth until the boat slid up on the shore.

"We did it!" Kin shouted jumping out of the boat and prancing around on shore. "Girls we are officially free of the Northern Water Tribe!"

Joy flooded over Tsuki as she jumped out of the boat to join Kin on the beach. It's true, we're gone, we're free…but you can't help but wonder how everyone in the North Pole is taking this…

Joy and bewilderment flushed over Nairu like the waves from the storm. It was a new place, the vast forests, rocks, and dirt paths were truly different from the snow and ice in the North Pole. She could help but let her joy overflow. Think of everything I could accomplish here! Nairu thought.

"Come on, there's a dirt path over here, it probably leads to a town or someone who can tell us where we are!" Tsuki pointed out.

Kin and Nairu nodded in agreement. Quickly they unloaded their belongings, and hid the little boat near a tide pool for safekeepings. Then together they walked along the dirt path, the first journey of their new lives.

End Chapter 4

Comments from the Author

FM: Alright, just one or two more chapters of setting up the story line and then we can plunge into the good stuff! Please Review, and I'll see you in Chapter 5!