The still air surrounding the Fire Nation troops carried them to their fate. Zuko's knuckles showed white as he gripped the leather strap in his hands. The men's boots marched in sync against the ground. Cursing under his breath, he knew that the solidarity they showed in their steps was nothing less than an announcement to the Earth Kingdom troops of their arrival.
The young men stood with their backs straight with Fire Nation pride.
If only they knew…
Pressing his heels into the side of his kimodo rhino, Zuko moved further ahead. Stopping abruptly, he garnered the attention of those that followed him. Panning across the young men, he looked to his hands as he mustered up strength.
"We are not too far from their base now. Remember, these are earth benders we are dealing with—they know the lay of the land better than any of us here." Nodding his head to their feet, he warned them," Let us be as light as the flames that dance during our Fire Days Festivals. March on with caution."
He didn't know how much he could do at this point to save them, but he would try anything. Looking over his shoulder, he caught the eyes of Uncle Iroh. He was there for his own council and support. The war general was one of the best the world had seen; there was no way he would allow his nephew to go on to lead men in to battle on his own.
He was still a child.
"Do you know one of the biggest mistakes we as benders can make?" Iroh's question brought his nephew's attention to him. "We underestimate the importance of the other elements and the powers they possess. We become so in tuned with the gifts we are given, that we fail to recognize how each of us must work towards harmony. This world has been in such disarray for so long, sometimes I'm afraid we will never return to the natural balance we belong in."
" What does finding harmony among the elements have to do with saving these men from their deaths? Do you want me to turn around and tell them to find their inner earth bender spirit to keep them from being crushed?" He asked sarcastically.
"Prince Zuko—"
"I tried fighting for their lives in the war room Uncle, and I lost. The least I can do now is stay by their side and inspire them to give their all." The boy's eyes flashed with mixed emotions as he faced forward. "Maybe then all of this will not be in vain."
As Iroh looked on to his nephew, he could see the weight of the world already taking a toll on his young shoulders. Keeping his head high, Zuko endured what was to come as best as he could.
To the spirits, he asked for their guidance so that one day the task he was forced to complete would have a purpose. Deep in his subconscious, a thought passed through his mind.
Once all of this was done, he would be one step closer to ending this dreaded exile.
Grimacing, Zuko shook his head to rid himself of the selfishness. Though he would search far and wide for ways to restore his honor, this could never truly suffice.
The men's journey soon led them to an unfamiliar location. Zuko had paid close attention to the map he had been provided, as it had been crafted by one of the best cartographers the Fire Nation had to offer. The land had been surveyed for up to 50 miles around the base, yet what sat before the banished prince and his men looked nothing like the map had detailed.
Gritting his teeth, he wondered if he had been led astray by General Bujing.
"Uncle, I can recall every inch of that parchment and this place was not on it." Tightening his fists, Zuko slowed to a trot.
Narrowing his eyes, he took note of the oddly perfect terrain before them. Until now, they had traveled through terrain that was to be expected. A great mountain range had stood to the north as Zuko's reminder as to where they were headed. Looking around now, they seemed to suddenly be surprised by tall peaks.
"This is not the lay of the earth as intended by the spirits, my nephew." Iroh looked to the ground, noticing the way in which the blades of grass seemed to tremble when there was no breeze in the air. During his prime, Iroh had gained notoriety among the Earth Kingdom as the almost conqueror of the great city of Ba Sing Se, while he was hailed as renowned strategist by his home nation for his infamous 600-day siege. He had grown privy to the ways of earth benders and the small details that were most important to knowing what you were up against.
And from his experience, he knew that they had been led to their doom.
"Prince Zuko, prepare yourself. My gut is telling me this is an ambush—"The sound of an arrow whistled through the air as it headed straight for Zuko's shoulder, piercing it with precision. The young boy had barely enough time to defend himself from the next onslaught of arrows as he commanded his men to get into action.
"Stand your ground!" He yelled over the sounds of their panic. Adrenaline rushed throughout him, numbing the sharp pain he felt in the right side of his body. Hopping from his kimodo, Zuko broke off the wooden ends of the arrows that protruded from his body, baring daggers of flame as he took a defensive stance, while he searched for any signs of the earth kingdom soldiers.
"Show yourselves!" He raged as he blasted the trees surrounding them, scorching the earth. He refused to allow them any cover with which to shield themselves.
"Keep your head." To his back stood his Uncle, intent on making sure his nephew got out of this alive without being blinded by his emotions. Zuko hadn't been the only one hit by the deadly arrows. Taking a look around, Iroh counted a handful of men either injured or worse.
A steady current shifted through the ground. With well-aged agility, Iroh was able to spot the cracking of the ground before throwing himself and Zuko out of its way. Men donning the traditional green and beige uniforms of the Earth Kingdom emerged from the ground as if they were singing moles enticed by the screams of anguish coming from the inexperienced division.
Zuko stood stunned as he watched some men being taken by surprise only to be pulled into the depths of the earth. Others fought against the tight grips of the hardened shackles which appeared at their feet. Scrambling to his feet, the prince couldn't stand by and watch the way his unit was being bludgeoned to their deaths.
Moving with purpose, he quickly scaled the gaping hole left behind as he climbed atop the shoulders of the closest earth kingdom soldier. With a sickening crack, he twisted the man's head between his strong legs as he showered them in a burning attack. From his vantage point, his efforts meant nearly nothing as the protective headgear they wore deflected his firebending.
As a member of the royal family, Zuko's training had been extensive in the different martial arts that were most precious to the Fire Nation. Though he had spent years questioning his skills after countless matches lost to the prodigy that was Azula, here and now he knew he had to put everything he had in him to use.
The clashing of bodies and armor rivaled the impacts left by the boulders that rained in on the enclosed pit.
"No! Please-!" Looking ahead, he watched as one of the younger soldiers in his unit broke down before an earth bender. Above his head loomed a stone drawn into a thin deadly point. As Zuko watched a single tear glide down the boy's cheek, his eyes met the desperation that lied within his terrified orbs.
"Prince Zuko-!" He called out. Zuko's body moved without any hesitation as the boy's words had broken the focus of the bender. With a sharp jab, Zuko sent the solid man crumbling to the ground as he hit a pressure point behind his neck. The pain he felt in his hand was nothing compared to the relief of seeing that he had helped the young soldier who quickly rolled from under the deadly stone, saving himself from a premature death. Reaching out a hand, he pulled him to his feet. The boy stumbled over his torn pants that revealed a nasty wound that nearly exposed the bone in his leg.
"Do not worry. You will not end here." With all his strength, Zuko was able to support the soldier even though he outweighed him. Clenching his teeth, he dodged the fighting that surrounded them. Unbeknownst to him, Zuko's ability to find cover for the injured soldier was only possible because of Uncle Iroh's diligence in keeping danger away from him from all angles. The seasoned man had plowed through countless enemies in the short time, making up for the inexperience among this young division. So many had already lost their fight, something he was sure Zuko had not yet realized. He had been so determined in keeping these men alive that he had no idea that the man he helped to safety was only one in a sea of many that would be needing the same treatment.
As he watched Fire Nation soldiers being snatched beneath the ground one by one, he knew that they were all standing in a field of land mines.
Moving past the fighting, Iroh was able to make it to his nephew's side unscathed. Assessing the young man on the ground, he knew that no matter how hard Zuko tried to cease the bleeding of his leg, there was no use in stopping his quick descent. The man's face was ashen gray as he watched the anxious prince rip his own clothing in order to place pressure on the wound. His vision had blurred, but he did not miss the puddle of blood that seeped around him as he rested on the ground.
"P—Prince." He panted.
"Preserve your energy! There's no need to talk just yet." Without taking his eyes off the incessant blood, Zuko commanded that the soldier allow him to save his life.
"It has been an h—honor to have served under you." With each word, the young man's head seemed to become more difficult to support on his own. While many of his comrades lied around him, he couldn't help but to feel pride in having the prince of the nation he so loved attending to his hopeless leg.
"No! If—If I can singe the wound, then maybe I can stop the bleeding." Zuko's panic overcame him as he stumbled over his words. His shaking hands were pulled away by the soldier's bloodier ones. There was little strength in his grip, but enough remained to hold Zuko away.
"If you could. My—my mother. Please tell my mother—how I've loved her. Chen Yang will always. Love her." Shaking his head, Zuko could feel the stiffness in his hand as he took his last breath.
"No…no! This never should have happened. This isn't supposed to be where any of you die." Speaking hurriedly to himself, Zuko reached for the soldier's collar, shaking him. Suddenly, strong hands pulled the boy away from the body.
Instinctually, he fought to free himself thinking that the one to lay hands on him had to be of the Earth Kingdom. Turning on the man, Zuko raised his fist covered in yellow flames only to pause when noticing he stared into the eyes of his uncle.
Defeated, his hand fell to his side.
"I could have saved him. I could have saved them all."
"You cannot undo what has happened here, Prince Zuko."
The agonizing sounds surrounding them grew louder and louder as Zuko shook his head, unable to not blame himself for the turnout. He hadn't known just how awful things would turn out for them. Riding into this, his expectations were skewed, as he hoped that at any moment a miraculous plan would hit him allowing him to save the troops from perishing as they did now.
It was in that moment that he wished for the rest of Bujing's men to arrive as relief.
The forty first division could bear no more.
"Where are they? Bujing's men were to bring up the rear." Curiosity settled in as Zuko searched the disheveled field for any signs of the reinforcements. Looking to the clear sky, a drop of liquid fell directly on his forehead. Slowly, the pit of hell was showered with the mysterious rain.
Uncle Iroh's brow furrowed. The skies told of no unexpected showers, and as he lifted his hand for inspection, his nose tingled as he recognized the strong smell of kerosene oil. Realization hit him fast.
From the tops of the cliffs that loomed above, Iroh watched as well hidden men crouched in familiar firebending stances. This division of men happened to be made up purely of hand to hand combat soldiers, having no bending abilities whatsoever. As their arms wound in precise circles, Iroh knew just what they intended to do.
They were going to create their own inferno with the men below.
As the strong flames blasted relentlessly into the pit, Iroh managed to shield himself and Zuko from the waves of fire that ignited around them.
"No!" Zuko's heart raced as he understood the chaos that fell upon them. He attempted to charge forward in order to counter the attacks, but it was of no use as his Uncle moved him away as quickly as possible. In the distance, he could hear the faint whines of a kimodo rhino, and intended on getting them out of there as soon as possible. There was no doubt in his mind that the soldiers that were sent to incinerate their fellow countrymen had orders to include the two banished princes among the dead.
Bujing had seen an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone: defeat the earth kingdom troops and rid himself of the insolent child all at once. With permission by the Fire Lord himself to handle any noncompliance from Prince Zuko as he saw fit, he would find no trouble in concocting a story that told of the young boy's insistence on refusing to obey the tasks he had been given.
At that moment, many miles away, he sat high before his troops as he led them to the docked ship of the fire prince, preparing to relay the news of their deposed boy leader. He was ready to commandeer Zuko's forces, as he could always use reinforcements, especially after the numbers that would be lost with the forty first division. Once he had official word on the bodies of the disgraced royals, his best messenger hawk would be sent back to the Fire Nation capital in no time.
"Uncle, you have to let me go. I can't allow them to do this. Where is their honor?!" He shouted as he was hoisted through the brush of flames.
"Do you think men with honor could murder their comrades with such ease? As much as you wanted to protect these young men today, I would like to do the same for you!" Looking over his shoulder, Zuko saw the consternation in his uncle's features. As they neared their animal, the smell of burning flesh began to waft through the air. Zuko's stomach turned as the scent assaulted his senses.
Once tossed on top, Iroh soon followed behind him, kicking the animal into gear as they raced off. The fiery pit danced to great heights. The images of the burning bodies etched themselves into Zuko's mind as they rode away.
"Agni…" His voice fell weak as he couldn't bear to look away. Iroh could feel the limpness in his nephew's body. As regal as he tried to seem to the outside world, Zuko was unable to uphold the heartlessness that seemed to come innately for his father and sister to show his worth. As the only one who truly cared for his wellbeing after all of these years, Iroh had always fought to ensure that he kept that distinction between Zuko and the rest of his family strong. In his mother's absence, he knew that nurturing his sincere nature would need to be a priority. Their lineage had suffered from one too many tyrants.
For Iroh, Zuko could not fall to the same curse.
"Take me to Bujing, Uncle." The weakness in his voice belied the anger in his heart. His emotions were much too great for the current state of his body. Against Iroh's back he began to find refuge more and more as the blood that seeped from his gaping wound got the better of him. With a weak clenching of his fist, Zuko tried to regain control over his body as he felt his head roll forward. The lightheadedness he felt couldn't get in his way now.
Iroh had no intentions of taking the boy to the general, knowing that he was in no condition to fight what awaited him there. His scattered thoughts fell upon the possibility of Bujing reaching their ship before they could set sail safely. With the dead weight of his nephew slumped against him, a determination coursed through Iroh, daring anyone to get in his way.
The time that Iroh had dedicated to attempting to conquer the Earth Kingdom left him with an astounding familiarity of the land. Knowing the shortest distance to the shores they were docked upon, he was able to remain outside the sight of Bujing's camp, unsure of what hell could have erupted had they been spotted, but from what he could tell, it had been left with a thin guard as Bujing split his now small force into two directions.
His ears twitched as the faint sounds of fighting could be heard the closer they got to the coast.
In his attempt to reach their men in time, Zuko had almost slipped from atop the kimodo rhino as his unconscious body moved about. Iroh held him by the collar of his armor, and from what he could tell, the blood that had been lost would keep Zuko down for the count for quite some time. Of course, he had requested a physician to be aboard for their voyage, but with what he could see from the trees, Bujing's men would create even more of an obstacle to getting him proper care before it was too late.
Dismounting, Iroh pulled Zuko down, clearing a patch of dirt to lay him upon. Gripping his cold hand in his, he promised to not leave him there for too long. Sozin's blood burned through his veins as he found his way into the fighting. From his assessment, many bodies decorated the ground, but as they were all in Fire Nation he had no time to distinguish which ones belonged to their crew.
Breaking apart a dueling pair in front of him, Iroh blasted past until he heard his name being called.
"General Iroh!" From the ship, he watched as one of the lieutenants he had personally called on to join them defended their ship. Just then, an attacking soldier charged forward, fire intensely aimed at his face. Catching his wrist, Iroh stopped the overzealous man in his tracks, and with just a few hits he was sent flying into the air.
"Lieutenant Wu, what is the toll here?"
"Only injuries amongst our men, General. We are trying to retrieve as many people from the chaos as possible right now, but holding them off has not been easy." Lieutenant Wu reported. Iroh clasped his hand on the back of his neck in approval. Looking out, he tried to identify his own crew.
"Bujing has always been questionable, but I never thought him as deceitful as he has been here today." Iroh shouted over the fighting as he threw in his own defensive measures from the ship. Noticing the scorched material of Iroh's sleeves, Wu was able to put two and two together.
"He has left his camp with few men behind. I want you to call our men aboard immediately, and send our 6 best riders to Bujing's. Ensure that they leave nothing behind and make it back to this ship before we set sail."
"General?" Wu looked to him for confirmation. To defend themselves against any attack could be justified, but he wasn't sure just how far that coverage could stretch if they were to return the favor, especially under their circumstances.
"That is a direct order, Lieutenant Wu!" With no hesitation, Wu quickly bowed before running off. He called for bells to sound as to signal their retreat. As he watched the men quickly return, He pulled aside the riders as they flew past. Looking over his shoulder, he watched as Iroh closed his eyes, moving his hands to direct the flow of his chi as he took a rooted stance.
"Don't let them go! Kill them all!" The sound of Bujing's command could be heard as his men charged the ship. When Iroh had the all clear that their crew had boarded, he allowed the anger that had been building in him find release.
Bujing halted to a stop as he saw the man that should have been buried with the forty first division standing above him. His eyes widened as they made eye contact, as it was then he could feel the royalty that emitted from him. It was an aura he could never compare to. Bujing was not one to cower, but in that moment a feeling of paralysis washed over him as he peered towards the grand leader.
With a sharp intake of breath, Iroh's nostrils flared as he filled his lungs. A great fire emitted from the depths of his mouth, spreading across the lines of Bujing's men who dared to defy it. It was a blaze so wild that even bending made it hard to ward off. Men screamed in pain as they fell to their knees, consumed by the irate Iroh.
Bujing knew that this was the signature work of the Dragon of the West.
His eyes bulged as he watched his men crumble from Iroh's barrage. The adrenaline in his body gave him enough encouragement to charge forth.
As he jumped into the air, headed for Iroh, a powerful collison knocked the breath right out of him as the superior General met him head on. As Bujing cringed on the hard ground, he could feel fresh stream of blood that seeped into the cracks of his mouth from Iroh's blow.
"You should be dead old man!" He growled as he struggled to regain balance on his knees.
"You see, General Bujing, that's the greatest difference between you and I." Striking out, Iroh tightly grasped his neck between his strong fingers, crushing the delicate bones that lied beneath. To his left, he could hear the trotting of the riders as they rode past the field of desolate men. All that remained was Iroh and the traitorous man.
"Where you attempt to gain notoriety, I have already mastered. Shall I remind of my life's work in your final moments?" Pulling him close, Iroh made the fatal offer as he thought of how distraught Bujing had made his nephew. The pain that he had brought onto the boy hit too close to home for him, as images of Lu Ten's last breaths haunted his psyche. Iroh had casted aside the man he once was that helped to shape the infamous reputation many knew him for.
As he dug his fingers into Bujing's flesh, he began to understand just how old habits die hard.
"His body has gone through tremendous trauma within a short amount of time. I'm afraid the only treatment I can suggest now is patience for when he musters enough strength to rise."
"And if he does not?"
"I err on the side of hope and caution, General. Though it is weak, the Prince's spiritual energy is present none the less."
Zuko's hearing came back to him in droves as he began to regain consciousness. His chest heaved with a violent cough that rattled his rib cage. Shooting up in pain, the boy fought against the involuntary spasms coursing through him.
"Zuko!" Iroh called out. He rushed to the boy's side, steadying him back against his bedding. Zuko's senses checked in slowly, one by one as he came to. The sterile smells that wafted to his nost spoke of the makeshift infirmary that Iroh had arranged within his quarters. To keep morale amongst the men, he did away with keeping Zuko in view of the others who recuperated from their battle. They had fought exceedingly hard to ensure that no casualties fell upon them so soon in their journey, and the price they paid involved many injured men who were in need of recovery before they could consider the possibility of any other confrontation.
To provide them with the best chance of having some travel time undisturbed, Iroh had directed the ship to the last known place of the Avatar: The Southern Air Temple.
What better way to start the search than at the beginning?
"Un—Uncle…" Zuko's voice cracked as he called out to Iroh. Moving without a second thought, the older man placed the rim of a steel cup to his lips, allowing the boy to drink until his stomach ached.
"Please, nephew. Don't overexert yourself. You're in no condition to do so." With a quick glance of inspection, Iroh checked to see just how Zuko was really doing.
It had been four days since the encounter with Bujing, yet it looked as though he had been down for four weeks. The stressful event had quickly taken a toll on Zuko, even leading to an infection in his barely healed burn. From the looks of the bandages, the pus like spotting no longer seemed as intense as before. He knew that any chances of a discrete scar being left behind would be near impossible.
"Leave us, if you will." Speaking softly to the physician, Iroh waited for their guest to leave before carefully hugging Zuko with all his might. Burrowing his brow, he chided himself for the dark outcomes he had allowed to blur his thoughts as he watched Zuko struggle all alone. For days, he had asked Agni to relieve him of his pain, and to cast it upon Iroh himself so as to help his nephew make it through.
"It's been a while since I've realized just how excruciating time can be." Gently pulling away, Iroh studied his labored breathing as Zuko's eye wandered around his surroundings.
"Uncle— "The inquisitive look on Zuko's face told Iroh just what was on his mind better than any words could.
"It's handled. Do not worry about a thing."
"But—how?" Confusion hit him as he wondered how anyone had managed to make it out of the Earth Kingdom alive. He could sense the rocking of the ship beneath him, and the sound of thunder that creeped through the crevices of the tightly concealed ship.
"I know that you are quite capable of just about anything, but decades of war have left me well equipped to handle conflicts, nephew." With a sweet smile, Iroh patted his shoulder in reassurance
He found no need in explaining just how he cleaned things up. As he fiddled with the pai sho tile tucked away in his sleeve, he was happy to see Zuko close his eyes, showing no signs of pushing the matter in that moment.
As the ship shook some more, Zuko could feel his stomach turn from the motions. Furniture shifted in the room with each tilt, riding out the waves of the storm.
"I'm sure you haven't yet grown your sea legs. A nice hot cup of ginger tea is sure to hit the spot!" Clapping his hands together, Iroh chuckled as he readied himself to fetch his tea pot. Out the corner of his eye, he could see the dimness that entered Zuko's face before his heavy eyelid fluttered shut.
Iroh swore to live long enough to one day see true happiness within the boy.
Sokka's snores rocked his small boat as he drifted northeast through the ocean. This was one of the safest routes he could take, as the risk of crossing paths with a Fire Nation ship with the Patola mountains serving as his shield to the north. He knew to not go past the range, as anyone and anything could greet him on the other side.
He had floated for three days, living as he wanted. There was no Katara to badger him or argue over the direction he was going. He was able to kick back, relax, and allow nature to take its course.
As the sun shone down on his face, he could feel the heat tinging his skin. Shrugging out of his large parka, he basked in the cool ocean air as he awoke from his grogginess. The first couple days of his adventure had been filled with much reflection, leaving little room for sleep.
His mind of course wandered back to just what had pushed him to take this temporary leave from his home.
Hama.
In his first night away, he swore he had seen her face beneath the water, staring straight at him. He remembered scrambling away from the edge of the boat, wielding his boomerang as protection, waiting for any surprises she may have had up her sleeves. He had felt pathetic, cowering in the corner, but he knew what she was capable of and put nothing past her. It was then he wondered if he had done the right thing, leaving his baby sister alone in her clutches. Everyone in the tribe undoubtedly trusted Hama, and he knew not even his Gran Gran would suspect any malice of the woman.
Sokka had his reasons to feel the way that he did.
As children, Sokka had always been amazed by Katara's abilities. He could still remember being a little boy, teasing her during dinner and suffering from a hot bowl of sea prunes being emptied on top his head while the stone bowl remained before him. He remembered the bewildered look his parents had when they witnessed her bending. As baby Katara laughed at the sight, Hakoda and Kya became apprehensive, though they tried to hide it from their children. They had instructed them to keep hush of what she could do, and when they consulted with the elders, they ensured that the tribe committed themselves to protecting the girls secret, as they all knew what could become of a water bender in this harsh world.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized that his tribe had seemed to shelter the younger children from the true nature of the stories surrounding their water benders.
Of course, he knew of the trials they had been put through during the war, but it wasn't until that treacherous day that his young mind was robbed of its innocence.
Keeping Katara's bending as a secret was never strange to him. But the day that the fatal raids by the Fire Nation had fallen upon them, he was able to understand the dangers that came with the gift.
As far as Sokka knew, there were no spirits who looked favorably upon the Southern Water Tribe. They suffered from pillage after pillage for so long, that they had actually prayed to spare any future water bender from the travesty they would be born into. He knew of some who asked Tui and La to grant them refuge in the spirit world until their own mortal realm was ready to accept them.
Why would he accept his sister having such a target on her back? As her brother, he wanted to protect her in any way that he could. If that meant discouraging her from practicing bending, then so be it.
Living a full life with his sister was much more important to Sokka.
When the raiders showed up with no warning looking for the water bender among them, he knew secrets could only be kept for so long.
The brutality that had been taken against their mother was bound to return.
Whatever way they first caught wind of Katara's existence could easily inform them of their mistake. He didn't know the fire nation to take too easily to leaving a job unfinished. Why couldn't anyone else see what he did? Katara bending would only bring an end to her life.
Each passing day he spent fretting over if the time would come that he would need to kill for his sister to live.
As his eyes slowly opened, Sokka took in the sky above. His body tensed when he realized that something was wrong.
Moving to his feet, he turned around in the boat, searching for sight of the mountain range he had used to guide himself. Panic ensued when he made the realization that their faint white tips showed far in the distance as Sokka moved further and further away from his safety zone.
"Aw man!" He yelled. Moving quick, he seated himself, grabbing each oar in his hand. Rowing with all his might, Sokka had little success. As he turned the wooden instruments, he saw that they both had been broken off viciously.
Gathered around his boat were a school of fish that had found the young boy floating on his own. Curiosity had gotten the best of them as they attempted to eat the wooden oars, now leaving him stranded. As they breached the surface of the water, Sokka could feel his heart sink.
From the sheer size of the fin, he knew that whatever lied beneath could make it quite difficult to return home in the week that he said he would.
"This is great, just great! The hunter becomes the hunted, huh?" Throwing back his head in annoyance, he tried to figure out just how he managed to screw up in such a major way. When he felt the boat being nudged, he grabbed onto its sides as large waves threatened to send him into the air.
As the intensity of the rocking increased, the more fins began to appear all around him. They had him completely surrounded.
"I don't think I can fit all of you into my net." He teased as a way to rid himself of his fear. Before he knew it, a large orange and white monster leapt from the ocean, encouraging others to do the same.
"Look I was just kidding! You oversized fish fry!"
If he must go out, then let it be with a bang.
He wasn't sure if they could understand his insults, but was convinced that dozens jumping from the water was not a good sign.
Closing his eyes, Sokka waited to be drowned by the angry fish.
Water splashed onto his face, and as he took in a sharp breath, he prepared to go under. A sudden gust of wind knocked Sokka back as the fishes rocking served to rev them up. They were able to catch Sokka's boat in their frenzy, creating a way for him to be secured within their whirlwind as they raced off.
With a hard bang, Sokka's head collided with the back of the boat. His body curled into the bottom as the fish raced off to their destination.
When he finally awoke, he found himself ashore an island. Coughing, he crawled from the tipped boat onto the ground. His fingers dug into strange dirt, covered in what were the remnants of a light snowfall. The cold element helped to calm him yet, none of it seemed to compare to his own home. Off in the distance, he could hear great splashing coming from the ocean. With his eye that was clear of the salty water, he squinted as he realized the magnitude of the fish that had brought him this far.
From first glance, he could tell that there were well over fifty of the large sea creatures leaping through the water as they continued their own journey.
"Hey!" Struggling to his feet, Sokka rushed to the shore. "You can't just leave me here like this!" Waving his hands in the air, he knew it was useless to call after them. Out the corner of his eye, he saw his destroyed boat laying on the ground. Slapping his hands to the shaven sides of his head, he laughed maniacally as his hair laid wet against his face.
"Son of a polar bear dog!" He shouted. Diving towards the broken wood, he kicked it in anger, and when he saw that he had been too careless in his expression it was too late. He watched as the wood fell into the water, being rocked by the tides. In an effort to salvage his only way home, he splashed into the water just as a metal fan clipped the tip of his nose, stopping him.
"What the—"Bringing his hands to his face, he rubbed at the now sore tip. Was he being ambushed? This was no time for him to be off his game. Rearing back his elbow, his attack was deflected as multiple assailants surrounded him.
"I don't want any trouble, but if you guys are looking for it, I can bring it." Taking up a defensive stance, Sokka prepared himself for the onslaught of hits. He had tried his best in keeping them away, but with a well-directed hit to the back of his neck, he lost his balance, and the world around him became too hard to maneuver on his own feet.