Tales of Gaoling��part 7
�����Sokka
got himself settled in the room at the back of the noodle shop.��When
he was finished, he asked Aang a favor.��
����"I
need to work some stuff out on my own.��It's not that I
don't want your help; I just need to have something I can concentrate
on.��Other than my messed-up love-life."
����"Okay,
Sokka.��But if you need help, you can always count on me to
pull your butt out of the fire."��Sokka looked at Aang
in mild surprise.��Aang avoided eye contact and mumbled, "I
heard Toph say it once..."��He recovered enough to
tell Sokka he was going to check on Momo and Appa, even spend the
night out there.
�����Aang left Sokka
at the shop, then air-scootered back to the estate.��Once
there, he and Katara brought each other up to date while sitting in
the garden.
���"Toph is gonna need you,
Katara.��And I don't think having us around as a couple
would be appreciated."��
���"I
understand, but I don't have to like it!"��grumbled
Katara.��"This is so unfair!��We just
started...you know..." she blushed and smiled despite the
circumstances.
����"We'll have time for
...you know...soon enough."��he said
hopefully.��Katara tried to
smile.��"Aang?"
�����"Yeah?"
�����"I'm
scared."
�����"Of
what?"
�����"What if this can't
be fixed?��What if Toph doesn't come back with us?��What
if-...?"��she couldn't go on.��Tears were
forming.��Aang put his hands to her face and brushed her
tears away.
�����"There's always
hope, Katara.��You reminded me of that at the Serpent's
Pass."��He finished brushing the tears, but kept her
face cupped in his hands.��They leaned together and
kissed,�softly at first, then more urgently as the heartbeats
passed.��When they finally broke, gasping slightly for
breath, Katara made Aang promise to discreetly visit several times a
day.��Then she ducked back inside the house before she
could think twice about it.
����Aang
watched Katara disappear into the manor, then unfolded his glider and
sailed off into the night.��As soon as he was clear of the
tallest buildings, he banked to the right, heading west to the
outskirts where they had left Appa and Momo.��With a
favorable wind, and airbenders ALWAYS have a favorable wind, Aang
speedily flew to the clearing.��
���Momo
was the first to see him, and the lemur launched himself into the
air.��He circled Aang several times as the avatar drifted
down.��Coming near the mouth of the cave, Aang was greeted
by a deep, full-throated, roar from Appa, the sky-bison. The ten-ton
horned beast came romping out and knocked Aang off his feet while
licking him with his huge tongue.��Like an enormous dog,
Appa flopped on his back (causing a small impact tremor) inviting
Aang to scratch his belly.��Aang did so happily.��When
his friends were satisfied, Aang set up camp.��He firebent
a campfire and roasted some potatoes for his dinner.��He
gave Momo and Appa some fruit he had brought.��While he sat
back against a log at the fire, Momo sat on his head and ate the
candied nuts Aang gave him.
�����Aang
started to talk aloud.��He spoke as if talking to Momo, but
was really just talking things out to himself.��When he
finished, he retrieved his meal from the coals, ate, then turned to
go to sleep.��Momo scampered over to Appa.��He
began chittering quickly.
����'Appa!
Appa!��Master is worried!
����'Yes,
Aang is afraid.��Afraid for the Earthfriend'�Appa knew
everyone as a friend.��Except for Aang.��Aang was
his spiritual brother.��The word "Aang" was not
just a name to Appa, it spoke of the boy's entire
identity.
���'Master says Waterfriends worried
too.'��Appa grunted.��He had felt trouble through
his connection to the airbender.��Now, the little
sky-brother tells him his whole herd is worried.��Appa's
protective instincts were on alert.��The well-being of his
herd was threatened.��Appa knew what to do.��It
was time to gather his herd and protect the smallest member.��Soon,
in two times of light, Appa will leave...
Just a quick note…I'm re-posting this as originally written…this is one of those chapters I'd like to re-edit…This is a short chapter, but I wanted to try and experiment with anthromorphizing (spell much?) you know, animals acting human…One comment I got was "it's 'Nightmares and Daydreams' all over again!" and I honestly didn't see it until I read the post…I decided to write what I (barely) had a grip on, and leave the clever tricks and experiments to REAL writers…