While everyone else was completely infatuated with one of the food stands, I attempted to sneak off. Unsuccessfully, I might add. "Where are you going?" Sokka asked. "We shouldn't go off by ourselves. Especially with the Fire Nation lurking around."

I couldn't make up an excuse fast enough that would sound realistic enough. So I left it be, and helped to carry a basket of fruit. I picked an apple out of it, and ate it, bite by bite, as we walked around the city. "Don't you think that we should get back to Katara soon?" I questioned. She might not be able to stand me, and I might not be able to stand her either, but it didn't mean I didn't feel bad about leaving her all alone.

Aang smiled at me, "Yeah, I think Risa's right."

"You guys can go ahead," Sokka said, "I think that Toph and I will keep shopping for a while."

"Okay...that's fine, just be careful, guys," Aang warned.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll be fine," Toph said, beginning to walk off. For a blind girl, she sure had some confidence in where she was headed. Sokka followed her, and we soon lost them both in the mass of people.

Aang and I went back to where we'd left Katara and Appa. Katara had set up camp while we were gone.

"We're back!" Aang announced, placing our food items at her feet.

"I wish we could start a fire, to cook. And it's still really cold here. But...I don't think we can risk the smoke. And...all of the wood is too wet anyways." She picked up a twig, and showed us, "It must have rained recently."

"But...if we start a fire, the Fire Nation probably won't really care about a couple of campers," I said, realizing that I probably should have stayed quiet. I forgot that she didn't like people contradicting her.

"Do you really want to take that chance?" She asked, surprisingly calmly as she prepared something out of the foods we'd bought. Maybe her flares of anger had only been effects of hunger.

"I...guess not," I took another piece of fruit, tossing my old apple core to the side.

Aang took off the hat he'd been wearing. "We'll be okay, though, right? After all, at least it's warmer than flying over the ocean."

I was used to the cold, actually, and where we were now wasn't that cold for me. I'm guessing Katara and Sokka were pretty used to it, too. That doesn't mean that any of us are immune or anything, though. "Of course we'll be all right," I said, trying to be optimistic. My toes were still numb, though. I sat down on the ground, and pulled my knees up to my chest.

"Where's Sokka and Toph?" Katara asked, taking a bite of what looked a little bit like a fruit salad.

"Still in the city," I replied, throwing the remains of my second piece of fruit to the side. "Probably looking for something." I felt entitled to one of the blankets, and wrapped it around me. So, my manners weren't the best. But, isn't like manners are the most important thing to worry about when you're in the middle of the woods. If they asked for it back, I'd give it back without question. After all, they'd rescued me off of the middle of the ocean. I had to be thankful for that, at least.

After a few hours later, the sun was setting, leaving the sky a pastel rainbow of yellow and blue and purple and red. I was sitting apart from Aang and Katara, lost in my own thought. The sky was so pretty, and I was staring off into the horizon, imagining myself returning to the nation I'd always belonged in. Sure, I'd had thoughts that I wouldn't be welcome there, at least not at first, but I decided that ultimately, I might be accepted there once again. That's what I wanted to believe, anyways.

"Risa, come on, we're going to go and look for Sokka and Toph," Aang said, securing his hat on his head once again. "I'm getting worried about them. They should be back by now."

I swallowed. "Should be? What...what do you think..."

Aang looked at the ground. "I don't know. But I think we need to find out fast."