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The swampbender's camp was almost a full day's journey downriver, set on a long, narrow strip of mostly stable land. The earth still squished with every step, but the swampbenders would rid the main areas of excess moisture.

At some point, although neither Sachin nor anyone else noticed when, Mikka had drifted off to sleep. It was strange, considering she wasn't one to nap at all, and nothing seemed to wake her, either. Honestly, Sachin was a little worried, mostly because she wouldn't respond to anything that anyone was saying to her, but perhaps she had been far more exhausted that he'd realized, or her bending beneath the mountain had drained almost everything from her. But if that were the case, how could she have done all the washing?

Bip and Bop mooed happily when they saw another pack of wabuyacks. They nearly threw their riders in an attempt to join their fellows. Mikka woke with a start and barely managed to restrain them for long enough to get the saddles on the ground. Sachin assisted her, and ended up carrying one of the saddles on his own, his bending helping on a small amount to keep the heavy load off the swampy ground. Whether he liked it or not, he was concerned for her. They couldn't afford for her to push herself too hard. No one was allowed to push themself too hard.

Mikka smiled gratefully at Sachin, murmuring her thanks once Bip and Bop were taken care of. He was always the one to help her, even when things between them were strained.

He frowned as she struggled with the saddle and darted forward to catch it before it toppled to the ground. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly. "You look pale."

She shook her head. "I just had a bad dream, that's all. I'll be fine. I think..."

He nodded, letting that be the end of his questions for the moment. Although he wouldn't forget the incident, there were more pressing matters to attend to.

Renji was already around the main fire, inhaling the tantalizing scents of the fowl stews. The cook — a very round, rosy-cheeked, toothless old woman everyone called Mam— smacked his wandering hands with her wooden ladle. "Eep outtader!"

Since Renji spoke Mouth Full of Food ("Keep out of there!" was what she had said), he obediently sat back. "Yes, Ma'am."

Botta snickered. "If he's not careful, Mam's gonna have him for a boy-toy."

"He's not very obedient when food isn't involved," Yun replied, chuckling. "Besides, she has a more attractive option for a boy toy." She gave him a pointed look.

Botta chuckled, blushing slightly at the compliment. "I'll give you a hint: the way to my heart isn't my stomach. Mam's already tried. She's damn good at what she does, but I prefer a little bit of... spiciness." He grinned and winked.

"That's not too hard to provide. Especially when you're not a waterbender," Yun mused, looking as if she were actually contemplating the idea of providing him some of the spice he wished for.

"I'm just cool." He crossed his arms and dramatically stared off at the horizon. "Perks of not being a firebender."

Yun snorted derisively, acting as if he'd just insulted her craft. "I'd take being what I am over what you are anyday. There's just something far more... breathtaking about fire."

"That's for damn sure, if at looking at you is any indication." Botta winked and wandered off before she could really answer.

Yun smiled to herself, a blush gracing her cheeks. He wasn't like any other man she had interacted with, but that was as good a thing as it was a surprising one. Sure he flirted, but he didn't really push like other wannabe, self-centered, seducers did, it was both reassuring and nerve wracking that he was letting her set the pace. She'd just have to let things lie for a while and see if anything could really come of it.

Mikka gathered up everyone's things, lost in her own thoughts. She had, in all honesty, forgotten that there was tension between herself and Sachin at all. Her latest dream had been more than disturbing; it had been terrifying. She couldn't even begin to find the words to describe it, nor did she think she would be able to.

Worse, the nightmare had been less dream than vision. There had been a lionturtle involved and she could clearly remember every detail, as if she had simply walked into spirit world and then walked right back out again. Lionturtles, being the creatures who were said to hold up the world on their backs, had knowledge and foresight that could not be ignored.

But, considering that the knowledge she'd been given made her want to sob and hide in a corner, she chose to ignore it until she had a moment to deal with it. Until she could tell Sachin about it. It had involved him, after all.

Putting aside the images in her mind, she followed Arrow's directions to a large lean-to and set down their packs and blankets amongst the various other berths. Sleeping with only Sachin, Yun, and Botta around was a luxury in comparison to the usual shoulder-to-shoulder settings she had grown up in.

Even if she would have, perhaps, felt a little better sitting by herself in the large tent, she knew she had to rejoin the others. She somehow managed to don a smile and think of something — anything — to talk about. Her family. Yes, that was something...

Arrow pointed around the camp. "We've got us refugees of all sorts right about now. Waterbenders, Firebender, Earthbenders... Hell, even a couple of airbenders from the weaker clans. Everyone's been a-runnin' here on account of how easy it is to lose whoever's following yeh. Me warrior's've been pickin' off earthbenders and the like for the last few weeks."

"Even if it's not intentional, thank you for helping the rest of us fight Sung Hai's forces."

Mikka grabbed Arrow's arm, interrupting whatever answer he was going to give Sachin. "What about my family? Are they here? Did they make it out of Ba Sing Se?" Her eyes were wide and eager, with a hint of desperation behind them.

Arrow shook his head. "Most we learned is that they're alive and well, but he didn't have time to get 'em outta there."

Mikka wilted, ever sence of energy draining out of her. "Oh..."

"The news could have been much worse," Sachin reminded the waterbender, a hand gently patting her shoulder before returning to the matter at hand. "As much as it might seem heartless, we have other things to attend to."

Mikka felt a wave of relief wash over her at his touch. "And they're safer near the enemy than running from him," she added softly, forcing on a smile.

Arrow nodded. "Yer a wise 'un, Mikki. I know that Komi ain't gonna have any trouble handlin' herself. She's got more spirit this whole damn swamp, and this place is crawlin' with 'em." He surveyed the camp before him for a moment. "We'll talk over dinner. You look like you could use some feedin'."

Mam somehow managed to get to her feet, clapping her spoon against the side of the pot. The camp surged forward to get their meals. Renji was unceremoniously pushed aside, his expression akin to a kicked puppy.

"B-but..." he started, staring at the people's backs.

Mikka came up behind him and patted his shoulder. "Oh, don't worry. There's plenty more where that came from." The smell of food had distracted her enough from her own morbid thoughts to allow her to smile again.

Renji's face brightened. "Really?"

"Of course! There's always enough to eat here. Just be patient, okay? The real party's gonna start after supper."

"Party?" he echoed. "What party? Why?"

She shrugged. "Newcomers. It's how we welcome everyone." She glanced to where Sachin and Arrow were sitting. "And... They might be trying to make me stay..."

Renji frowned. "Why?"

"They're family." Mikka took a deep breath. "We don't... leave, not unless we're getting married, and even then we come back. I'm not sure Arrow will understand if I decide to leave with all of you."

Sachin wasn't intending to overhear anything, but what Mikka admitted landed on his ears as if she had been talking to him. That was added one more thing to talk to Arrow about. Or, rather, assure the swampbender that both helping them and allowing Mikka to leave with them was the right thing to do.

Renji grabbed her shoulders. "You can't go, Mikka. You can't leave me alone with Yun and Sachin! I'll go insane! They can't cook! I'll starve!"

Mikka burst into laughter. Even though Renji was being entirely serious, she still found his pleas for her to stay hilarious and comforting. Maybe she did belong there with them. "You're too sweet, Renji," she murmured, getting on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "I'll think about it. I just... can't promise anything."

Though the airbender didn't want to pay attention to Mikka's talking, but the moment that he looked over to check on the conversation she had just finished kissing his cheek. His lip twitched, an annoying and uncomfortable feeling settling in the back of his throat and sliding down into his stomach. He quickly returned his attention to his conversation with Arrow, doing his best to forget what he'd just seen. In the back of his mind he knew how that would work out: he never forgot things that Mikka said or did, even when she asked him to.

Dinner was a riotous affair. People squatted on the ground or stood about in groups. Their laughter rang out through the trees, no one even caring if they might be heard. They were safe in the swamp from any and all potential threats. They were certain it was a place too holy for anyone, even a madman, to threaten.

Arrow made his place with his back to a large, thick log. His right-hand warrior, an intimidating and scarred man named Char (though everyone called him Scar because it was more appropriate), stood behind him. His ever watchful eyes roved the perimeter. Unlike the other people there, he understood that there was danger lurking around every corner, especially for a group of people harboring fugitives.

Botta took his place next to Arrow, gesturing for Yun, Renji, and Sachin to join them. It was nothing against Mikka, but women didn't take place in politics in most of the waterbender tribes, so it never even occurred to him that Mikka would want to be involved in the discussions. It was different for the Fire Islands, where anyone that was a warrior of repute could speak and be listened to. He could tell just by looking at Yun that she was one of the most talented firebenders he'd met. The way she moved... It sent chills up his spine. Buuuut that might have been her hips he was staring at. Or her other assets... all of them.

There was just something about her that made him feel... comfortable. That wasn't quite the right word. He could relax, tease, joke... And, for once, be himself without worry about reprimand.

"Mikka," the airbender called, turning to find her in the crowd and gesturing for her to join them. They would need her silver tongue.

Mikka twisted her hair into a tight knot and then it fall back down across her breast. "It's... not normal for the women to join in," she murmured quietly, giving Arrow a dubious look. "If Father was here, I wouldn't be anywhere near all of you right now."

"Well, your father isn't here," Sachin muttered. "I am. And we don't have the luxury to obey custom when it is likely to get in the way of important conversations."

Mikka hung her head, feeling like she'd just been scolded. "I'm sorry, Sachin..."

"One-hundred-and-five," the airbender reminded her. There was no reason for her to be apologizing, just helping their cause with her silver tongue.

She giggled a little and relaxed. "Thank you..." She made sure no one was looking before gently squeezing his hand. She debated kissing his cheek (again), but stopped herself just short of getting on tiptoe. Blushing, she stepped away from him and settled down by the fire.

Arrow nodded, satisfied. "I was wonderin' if you'd join us."

"Apparently I'm needed," she replied, jerking a thumb at Sachin with a small, grateful smile. "I know how to talk and no one else particularly likes doing it."

"Most would assume I can fill that role, being that I am the child of a diplomat," Yun explained, trying to smooth over the idea that she didn't want to speak or be invovled. "But Mikka is a better wordbender than my father was at times..."

Arrow laughed. "Wordbender. I'll remember that one... Mikki's always been a good yarn spinner. The kid'll be beggin' you for a tale later, so just be ready if they all come chargin' up and drag her off."

Mikka giggled. "I'll make sure to have one ready for them, then." She patted the spot next to her, glancing up at Sachin. "Are you going to stand there brooding and pacing the entire time or what?"

The airbender shot her a glare. "I don't brood, Mikka," he informed her. "And I'm standing because we were sitting for quite a long time before this. The wabuyaks, then the boats, I need some time on my feet. It won't impede my ability to speak, and that is what matters at this point."

She wilted a little, adding bashfully, "Just make sure you eat something. Please. Like I said, I'm here to make sure we all stay fed."

"You're here because you're useful," Sachin corrected her. "And I will be fine without your mothering. Your concern is appreciated, but unnecessary. I'm sure your relatives wouldn't let me leave here without some kind of food even if you forgot to keep an eye on me."

Mikka studied her feet. Once again, she felt like she'd insulted him. Did he not want to be cared about at all? Or just by her?

As expected, Renji took a spot nearest to the food. Of course, he had more food before him than was appropriate for visitors. "What?" he asked when Mikka glared at him. "It smells sooooooooo good!"

She grabbed a dish. "Thank you for getting me dinner, sweetie," she said, a little sarcastically.

"Serves you right," Yun said, sticking her tongue out at the earthbender as he pouted. "This is no time to stuff your face. Be grateful that we're in peaceful territory and you're getting food at all."

Botta stood when Yun came near. "Would you honor me with your presence, m'lady?"

"I'm here, am I not?" she asked in return. Her 'I'm better than you' charade was easily seen through, mostly due to her lightly flushing face.

"I was imagining the most sincere honor of having you at my side for the meal," Botta clarified. "My head's already reeling as it is from your magnificence. Oh, damn, that sounded so much better in my head..."

"And you seemed to have misunderstood me," Yun sighed, though a smile was turning up the edges of her lips at his attempted compliment. She glared at her bowl of sustenance because she had no idea what most of it was. "I was referring to that as well. I wouldn't have come other here otherwise. I had a nice place picked out just outside the encampment... but it seems that I couldn't leave you alone."

"We can always go there later, but business first, it seems. Why does business always have to come before pleasure? Can someone tell me?"

"Because pleasure distracts," Yun informed him, nodding to herself. "Better to finish the less appealing tasks before, that way you can all the more enjoy the pleasurable tasks later. No interruptions."

"You've giving me high expectations, Yun." Botta winked and smirked.

The firebender's face flushed red yet again as she hurriedly waved his assumptions off. "I-I wasn't saying it like that, you pervert!" she retorted, thoroughly embarrassed at the images that were worming their way into her thoughts.

He blinked. "I was talking about a bending spar... I've never fought a firebender. What did you think I was talking about?" His eyes widened. "Oh, damn it! Not again! I'm such an idiot... Sorry, Yun. Not that I wouldn't... Wait, I just need to be quiet."

Renji started laughing into his soup. Mikka was, honestly, quite grateful that she wasn't the only one to make such a fool of herself and that someone else was doing it in a way that could cheer her up. The airbender, while usually stoic, allowed himself a bit of a smirk as he watched the show unfold. He remembered seeing things like this back home, and it made him feel just a little bit like the world wasn't about to turn on its' head.

Arrow snorted. "Boy, just don't let any other bug bit ya. The love bug's the worst of 'em all."

Botta flushed from ear to ear. "This is really good slog. Grog. Slew. STEW!" he tried to cover.

Mikka leaned over to Sachin. "And I thought I was making a fool of myself..."

"Apparently that talent runs in your family," Sachin murmured, completely agreeing that Botta wasn't making himself look too good.

"I'll make sure to observe him so that I know what not to do."

"Good idea."

There was silence for a moment as everyone ate. The sounds of the dinner played around them, a tune so uplifting that the whole place felt untouched by the horrors of war. Just as with Mikka's home, the rest of the world felt like a past dream.

Botta rested his elbows on his knees and set aside his bowl of stew.

"Tell me exactly what happened," he started, looking around the group. "So far we've only heard rumors about what transpired..."

Renji glanced at Mikka. "I'm no story-teller. Mikka's the best at it. You should've seen her talk back to the Emperor..."

Mikka turned crimson. "That was...I was angry," she excused, a little weakly. There was more to it, but she wasn't sure she could tell anyone that a deep, dark part of her had been hoping Sung Hai would end her then and there.

Arrow raised an eyebrow. "But that ain't the tale, Mikki."

Mikka took a deep breath before beginning the narrative. As usual, the longer she spoke, the more easily the words came to her. The story became more and more vivid as she went on, although not too embellished to mask the truth. She didn't mention anything regarding Tui or the mountain, though, or even that she was probably closer to Sachin than the others.

Botta and Arrow just stared at her, eyes widening progressively as the story went on. Arrow's fists clenched when she spoke of the slaughter and Botta actually jumped to his feet as if it would have stopped it.

Finally, at the end of it all, Botta sank back to the ground. "Savitr's dead...?" he said, voice barely a whisper. "How powerful is this Sung Hai? Uney trained me whenever Uncle Kikko was too busy... No one at home's going to be happy." He frowned, almost too concerned about the implications of the deaths of such powerful warriors to remember the fact that the people before him had seen their fathers murdered. He ran his fingers through his hair, meeting Yun's eyes and seeing the pain she was attempting to hide. "Oh, damn it, Yun. I'm so sorry..."

The firebender just shook her head wordlessly. She didn't want to talk about the memory further, as it was hard enough to contain her pain without having to give words to it.

Botta took a deep breath, mentally kicking himself. Thankfully, she was good at hiding what she was feeling, so at least he didn't make a total fool of himself.

Mikka stared ahead into the fire, lost in her own mind and memory. It hurt even more to remember such things, now that her family was there, and with that nightmare... Why couldn't she shake the fear she'd felt? It was strange, though, that she had felt better with Sachin than her uncle... Although it may have been the place and not the airbender himself. Oh, who was she kidding? It was definitely him, but it still didn't explain why she felt worse when her family was near. Why couldn't she just forget like everyone else seemed to?

Sachin placed his hand to the waterbender's shoulder once more, gripping it tightly for a moment before letting go. "If you need some time away, I can escort you somewhere else," he offered, speech quiet so as not to start teasing all over again if the others were to decide that teasing was better than thinking about the worst memories of their lives.

"Maybe..." she whispered, glancing at him. "It depends on what Uncle decides to do."

A deep frown etched its way between Arrow's brow as he slowly buried himself in thought. After a long moment, he sighed. "That's a lot to think about, Mikki," he began, looking around at the group. "But it ain't new news. There've been signs of all kinds. Spirits comin' here, lookin' for shelter. That's when you know it's bad."

"I've heard rumors that the Twin Dragons are active again," Botta added darkly. "Didn't hear for which side, but if they're with Sung Hai..." He met Sachin's eyes. "Thank the seas that we've got at least one prodigy on our side."

"Even our clan is little match for the Dragons," Sachin murmured. As much as what he was saying wasn't uplifting, he wasn't about to blatantly lie to everyone just to make them feel better for a few days. "And that included my father. I alone would be of little consequence to their power."

"The who?" Mikka asked, looking around. "Dragons? I thought the Sun Warriors controlled them..."

"The Twin Dragons," Sachin said. "I have seen them bend almost every element. My assumtion is that they can bend them all. The only saving grace is that it is only a brother and sister."

"Wait... They were on that list that Kang gave us! Of allies, wasn't it?"

Sachin nodded. "Omnus was, yes. Niha, however... I believe Kang sent her after Sung Hai. Hopefully she's infiltrated those of the Earth Guard that are accompanying him on his conquering quest."

Renji sucked on his spoon. "That sounds about right. Omnus was supposed to be with Kang and lead the resistance. I didn't meet the man, but I wouldn't trust them as far as I can spit. And I can't spit." He started to suck in some air, as if to prove his point, but suddenly he started grunting and opening and shutting his mouth, as if trying to unstick something.

Mikka snickered. "It's not polite to spit," she explained, drawing her hand back from the waterbending she'd done to freeze his tongue in place.

Yun giggled, finding the sight of the struggling earthbender very amusing. "You should do that whenever he opens his mouth," she suggested, smirking. "It might save the rest of us some trouble."

Arrow was in fits of hysterics. He wiped a tear from his eye. "Mikki, yeh need to do that more often. Yeh need to stay here."

Mikka stiffened, not sure what to say. Quite suddenly, she got to her feet. "I think I need to get my shawl or something... It's cold." She gave Sachin a look, letting him know that she did, indeed, want him to take her away from the talk.

"Then I'll escort you back to your 'fluffies'." Sachin offered, nodding to Mikka. It didn't take much to realize why she had mentioned that she was cold. In a place like this, cold wasn't an issue. "Their packs hold all the blankets and such that we have..."

Renji looked after them as they walked off. "Didn't Mikka take all the blankets out of the saddles?" he asked quietly.

Arrow stretched. "All of you should get some rest. Relax. Nothin's gonna get here tonight. We can finish talkin' in the mornin', when we're all fed and slept. I need to talk to me warriors, y'know, and get their opinion on the story and the like. Evenin'." He inclined his head to them and left.

Renji put his hands on his knees. "Well... I'm going for seconds, since Mikka took mine." He was gone with a rumble of his stomach.

Botta blinked, rather surprised that within a few seconds he had gone from being with quite a few people to alone with the breathtaking firebender. He twiddled his thumbs for a moment before starting.

"So... I'm sorry for being so, you know, insensitive earlier about the whole family thing..." He flashed her an apologetic grin.

Yun hadn't been paying attention to who was with her and who was not. She had slowly become absorbed in her thoughts as she stared at what remained of her stew. She pushed around some unknown meat piece with her spoon, watching as it slid back into the broth. Her mind was once again reliving her memories, the things she missed about her father, her brother and her lands. The firebender hardly heard the apology, but she pulled herself out of her own thoughts long enough to answer.

"It's alright," she told him, though her voice tone said otherwise. "I would have remembered regardless of if you reminded me of it."

He shifted closer to her. "Will talking about it help? Because I'll listen."

"Not really, but thank you for offering regardless."

"Fair enough." He rested his elbows on his knees and stared off into the fire. "Do you want to talk about random, pointless, and amusing stuff instead?"

"You really are related to Mikka," Yun murmured, sighing as she finally put down her bowl of long-cold stew.

"I guess... Is that a problem?" he inquired, actually concerned that it might be.

"Yes and no. I'm still getting used to her being so happy all the time. It's...helpful in all this darkness. I just don't know how she can be like she is sometimes."

"If she's anything like me, she buries whatever bothers her so deeply that she forgets it's there until the pain's too much to handle," he answered. "Or nothing bothers her at all, anyway, and she's incapable of real emotion or feeling, so she puts on the air that she thinks everyone wants or needs to see."

"Then I should remind her that she needs to think of herself once in awhile," Yun said, nodding. "Makes sense. She is quite the mother hen, after all. Being selfish once in awhile would do her some good."

"She did just bat her eyelashes and get Sachin to go off with her, didn't she? I'd call that selfish. I had things I wanted to talk to him about that are probably more important to the future than whatever she has in mind."

Yun smirked. "I don't think it was quite like that," she informed him. "Mikka looked tired ever since we waited for Arrow to notice us. I thought that taking a nap in a place like this wouldn't help, but I didn't think she'd listen to me. I'll bet she just wants him to assure her that a nightmare wasn't real. She's... childish like that. And he's not."

"Or smitten's more like it," Botta said with a snicker.

"I didn't say she wasn't smitten..."

"The real question is if he can tell that he is, too." Botta leaned over, his eyes sparkling. "That man was staring at her the entire time we were waiting for dinner. I haven't seen someone's face twitch so much in jealousy since I watched my sister string along two of the men courting her."

"He is very protective," Yun offered, eyes straying towards the side of the camp that Mikka had taken Sachin through.

"For a guy like him, that's almost the same as love." Botta laughed after a moment. "Sorry. With two sisters, I kinda had to hear about all of that and just... notice things." He produced a flask. "Drink? It's firewater from Omashu. Not the greatest of stuff, but it's not the seaweed grog these guys make here."

Yun chuckled, trying to imagine Sachin actually courting Mikka. Even her relatively active imagination couldn't really paint that picture. She held up her palm and shook her head at the offer of alcohol. "I've yet to drink and I don't intend to start now, but thank you for the offer."

He shrugged and took a swig. "Fair enough." He released a satisfied burp. "Ah, that's good stuff. "Do you want to gossip about them? Because I think it would be hilarious to see him trying to flirt... If he even knows how..."

"I get the sense that all he knows is physicality," Yun murmured. The firebender really wasn't interested in gossiping, but it kept her mind from wandering back to other things. "From how his elder brother talked, Sachin was popular within his clan."

"Yeah, I remember how he was when his clan fought my tribe... He's not at all like I remembered. Now he's like a fluffy polarbeardog by comparison."

"He hides pain, even I can see that. But I'm sure part of his change has something to do with Mikka. Whenever she isn't around, he's even more cold than usual."

"Does he talk at all?"

"By himself?" she asked in return. "Not unless directly asked something."

"Huh... Well, the guy's a warrior. I talk all the time, as you can tell." He grinned and stretched. "And I'm a waterbender. That's what I do with myself. How about you? Are you actually a firebender or have I just been guessing?"

Yun held up her hand, a quick flick of her wrist producing an instant bar of flame. "I am a bender, one of the best under the Emperor for my age."

Botta flailed his arms and fell back. "Damn! Don't singe off my eyebrows unless we're actually sparring!" He paused for a moment. "Do you actually want to spar? Because I'd be up for it. I promise not to grab you, at least on purpose."

"Only an amature would hit someone without meaning to," Yun assured him, placing her hand down by her side once more. "And as for the spar, I would warn against it unless you're alright with being treated as an actual opponent. I don't do friendly spars."

He got to his feet, offering her his hand. "Me neither. I would actually have been disappointed if you did. Shall we?"

"I'll have to give you my luck, because I won't be needing it," Yun replied, gripping his offered hand tight before hauling herself up. She smirked, letting go the moment she didn't need the assistance.

Botta wiggled his eyebrows as he led her to a more spacious part of the camp. "That good, huh? This is the part where I get to decide if I let you win to be a gentleman or if you'd actually beat my ass any day of the week and twice on Sunday."

Yun dragged her right foot behind her, setting up. She turned her head just enough to crack it. "If you throw the fight, I'll know, and you'll never get to see an inch more of me than you do right now. If you don't, then you'll still have a chance."

"That settles that question. Fighting 'til I drop it is!" He bowed grandiously. "Shall we?"

He moved quickly, dragging water up from the closest puddle and sent it flying at her. Yun cartwheeled out of the way and at him. Fire sprouted from her fists and feet and headed directly at his head. With a gasp, he ducked and kicked out at her ankles.

He grinned widely. "You're better than I thought. Guess there isn't any reason to hold back."

They went at each other, fire meeting water with a steamy hiss. Unexepectedly, they were quite evenly matched. Although Yun had more talent, Botta had experience. She could see it with every move she made, how he could read her plans and she was constantly having to adapt. The more creative she got, the wider his grin became. He really was enjoying this, despite how his chest heaved from exertion and his waterbending became wilder and wilder.

After what seemed like hours, she began to feel herself tiring. Her hands shook and she began to lash out rashly instead of intelligently. Sensing that Yun was weary, Botta sucked in a breath and dropped his guard a little.

"I think that's enough," he panted.

"Hardly," Yun snapped, pulling her hands back up from her sides. She placed them together, trying to find one more ounce of strength. She thought she'd found it and took a confident step towards him to unleash the whip, but only a spark came to her fingers and she felt every muscle in her body go slack. There had been times, against her father, that she'd passed out, but this felt different. There was nothing left to draw on, and had she been able to express it she would have been irate that she'd been beaten by a waterbender. Handsome or not, he was still close to her age and it was not like her to lose.

Botta caught her before her knees gave way. With her added weight, he fell to the ground and grunted when she landed on top of him. "Talk about giving everything," he murmured. "That was probably the most invigorating thing I've ever done. Can't say I've ever come so close to passing out, though..."

Yun rolled off of him. "You can't tell anyone that happened. Ever. I will kill you."

"And I believe it." He leaned back and put his hands behind his head. "All I remember is you kicking my ass so much that I had to surrender."

"Good. I knew I liked you and your perfect memory."

"I thought it was my perfect physique..."

"There's a lot of things that are perfect."

He grinned. "You have no idea... When you catch your breath, you can help me hobble back into camp. You know, to let them know what a firebomb you are."

"I just hope they buy it," Yun breathed. "I doubt I would hear the end of it if they found out I was the one who lost."

Mikka rubbed her arms once she and Sachin were outside of the main camp. "I'm sorr —" She stopped herself mid-sentence and sighed, rubbing her eyes. "The nap I took on the way here wasn't... nice. And then with telling all of that about Sung Hai..." As much as she wanted and needed to talk about it, she wasn't going to make him listen unless he was willing. "Maybe I just need to sleep... I don't know..."

"You did say the forests here were filled with spirits," Sachin reminded her. "Perhaps they were just talking to you."

"Maybe..." She glanced back at the camp, realizing that she couldn't talk about her dream, not just yet. "I knew he'd ask me to stay."

The airbender sighed. "Yes, I remember you saying that he would. And I take it as yet another thing I must convince him is necessary. I refuse to leave you behind here."

"Refuse?" Mikka repeated. "Even if Botta comes along, too? You know he's going to ask."

"I'm sure everyone realizes what you bring to the table and that we need you. If not, I will make them see. Or, I suppose, I will actually use my place as leader to make it so... though I am loathe to ever use my dubious position."

Mikka just stared at him for a moment before throwing her arms around his neck and embracing him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered into his chest, not sure what else to say. Although she had wanted to stay, she had needed to hear it from him. It was stupid that her actions depended on his decisions, but she couldn't help it.

He stiffened at first, but swallowed the nervousness that her sudden touch created in him. He may have been relatively used to Indira embracing him, but this was not Indira and he didn't feel the same way about the waterbender wrapped about him as he did about his younger sister. "Of course," he said, finally forcing himself to lightly return her embrace.

"I-I know you don't like me touching you all of a sudden, b-but... I-I..." She tightly shut her eyes, unable to finish.

"It's alright. I will manage. You need this more than I need personal space at the moment," Sachin assured her, his voice hushed.

She sniffed and glanced up at him. "Why do I make you so uncomfortable?" she asked quietly as she drew away. Even though she hadn't wanted to, she couldn't just infringe on him like that.

"It isn't you," Sachin answered, trying to figure out how else to explain his problem. "The problem isn't you, rather. What I know of women isn't... loving. It's rough, passionate, but not loving. You, however, are always loving."

Mikka's stomach clenched in jealousy, but she did her best to hide it. "Oh... I thought... I don't know what I thought. You've never really hurt me. And... How do I say this? I'd rather you were the one holding me than my mother, even if it's only half-way..."

"Then I will hold you if you need me to," Sachin said, nodding. He didn't know of any other way to describe his previous encounters with women, and as much as his words might have touched a nerve with the waterbender he knew that she needed to know about him before getting any more attached than she already was.

"Please..." Rather than hesitate as she had just a few days before, she curled her arms around his chest and rested her head so that she could hear his heartbeat. "I know you don't see me like them."

"Be glad that I don't," he murmured, returning his arms to their places about her shoulder and waist. "My other relationships meant very little to me."

She smiled, feeling her cheeks turning red. With every beat of his heart, she was relaxing. Her nightmare seemed farther and farther away. "I had a dream on the way here... It started off marvelously. We were marching into Ba Sing Se. The world was at peace. Sung Hai had surrendered and the war was over. You and I were..." She stopped, not sure if she should tell him that they had been a couple. After a beat, she decided that there was no point in hiding it. "We were together. You were smiling so widely that I barely even recognized you. You looked so happy..." She trailed off for a moment, smiling at how handsome he had been in the image.

Sachin didn't reply, knowing that no matter what he said it would likely not be what she wanted to hear from him. That admission on her part made it crystal clear what future she saw... but Sachin could not see the future she talked about. All he saw in front of them was war.

"But then the sky darkened. The world caught fire and the horizon turned red. Ba Sing Se crumbled beneath your feet. You were left standing over the chaos, but you weren't happy or nice anymore. You'd changed. You were this... monster. Your eyes glowed, white and piercing. Everything you encountered met its end. You weren't bending just air, either, but also fire and earth and water as if they were one. As if you always had. The ground died beneath your step and all its life went into you, so you only grew more and more powerful. Nothing stopped you. You tore every enemy part like wind shreds an autumn leaf."

Sachin's eyes removed themselves from her, his expression darkening. What she was describing was both who he had been and who he could never be. No one — not even the Twin Dragons, despite their reputations or what he had thought he'd seen — wielded all the elements, but then again that might have been what made her nightmare so terrifying for her. Was he really that special in her mind?

She took a shuddering breath. "I was trapped in the mountain, bending the gate between our world and the spirit world. No matter what I did, I couldn't stop. Whenever I wanted to, you'd appear and have the water swallow me. I was drowning and couldn't bend myself out of it. You just stood there, watching, your expression blank..." She burrowed deeper into his arms. "And all the while, the lionturtle kept saying, 'This is what shall pass if he cannot free himself from his hatred and thirst for revenge. This is what shall pass if you fail.' Then the mountain started crumbling. Tui was dying and crying out for me to save her, but I couldn't because I had to keep bending or else I'd drown... And then you forced her into me so that you could take her powers instead..."

Sachin knew he would never do that, but another part of him also knew that he'd sacrificed before and there wasn't much that was stopping him from doing it again. What could he say to convince her otherwise? There wasn't anything to be said.

She was crying now, her voice barely audible. "But you're not a monster at all, I know you aren't... You can't be. You're the best man I know."

For a long time, the airbender was quiet. He was trying to gather his thoughts, make them coherent... but trying to get them to pass his lips was even harder. "Everyone can be a monster," he said. "That doesn't mean they will be. And if it really was the lionturtle talking to you, then it had a reason for showing you those things. Maybe scaring you that badly was the only way for you to believe it. Other than that... I... don't know what to say."

Mikka chewed on her lip. "I-I said too much, didn't I?" Even though she didn't want to leave his arms, she had a feeling that she would have to. She had conveyed the truth, and with it more affection that was appropriate. "I'm sorry, but I'm just so confused right now about... everything. I had just thought I could count on you to be so stable and steady and gentle and kind and perfect, but then I had to see that and I can't get it out of my head and I feel like I have to find a way to make you smile and grin and be free from all the cares you have and I know I'm not helping at all but I can't help it because I want to see you happy and everything even when I know that I can't be the one to make you happy because you don't like me like that —"

"Mikka," Sachin finally snapped. "Enough." He heaved a sigh, finding himself more at a loss for words than he had a few moments before. "Had this been troublesome," he finally managed to begin, sounding a bit more curt than he'd intended to. "I wouldn't have escorted you in the first place. Your habit of doubting yourself has become even more disturbing than your intent to apologize for everything that has anything to do with you."

Although she opened her mouth to reply, she closed it immediately because the words that were about to escape were an apology and another self-deprecating comment. She stared ahead into his shirt, a question about his... opinion of her straining at her lips, but she couldn't bring herself to ask him because she was more afraid to hear the answer than she was of her dream.

"You're too good for me," she finally whispered, dropping her grip from him and hanging her head. After a beat, she stepped away. "I'll just... go... somewhere..."

"The opposite is much more true," Sachin answered, another sigh slipping past his lips. There was no getting through to this stubborn waterbender, apparently. "If you keep believing that you're not worth much, then one day you will be just what you say. No one but you wants that to happen."

After staring at him for a moment, she flung her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek repeatedly. "Thank you," she whispered between kisses. She really wanted to kiss his lips, but even in her slightly addled state, she couldn't do that. "It means so much that you care about me... You can't even begin to understand..."

"Y-you're welcome," he breathed in return, honestly shocked at her response. He'd expected her to be happier, to smile and thank him... but this went beyond either of those. There was no way he could say that he didn't appreciate her affection, but the last time a woman had kissed him on the cheek was when his sister wanted to send him off sweetly to one of their earlier missions. He knew what he was like when it came to intimacy with women, and it wasn't something he ever wanted to submit Mikka to.

She drew away a little and met his eyes. "You know I just want to see you happy, you know? Like really happy, with that big grin I imagined..."

"Yes, I understand that and I thank you for your intent," he answered, nodding to her. "But you have to understand... that's not likely to happen any time soon. If it did, it would be after this war."

"Oh..." She stepped completely out of his grasp, unable to hide her disappointment. "Then I won't ask you to let me try. Thank you for calming me down. It feels... less real now."

He tried to smile for her, but it probably came off as more like a smirk. "You're welcome," he said, pausing for a moment before adding, "Though...I didn't say that you can't try."

She frowned in confusion. "But if it distracts you..."

"It does, but..." he sighed again, trying to place things in words. "Even if you don't know when to stop, I'll tell you. Our group needs someone as bright and cheery as you, as much as we need your silver tongue and your healing. I don't want this to stop that light of yours."

It took her a minute, but she gave him another smile, trying desperately to be as 'bright' as he'd described. "I'll just do my best to smile for you, then."

"Just be you," he told her. "That works well for everyone."

"Except I'm doing this for you."

Sachin was never really given a chance to answer. A group of children darted up and dragged Mikka away. She sighed, smiled, and assured them that she'd render the tale of the Princess and the Icy Mountain as soon as they got back to camp.

Sachin didn't relax once she was gone, though. There was something else left behind that nagged him. The whole point was that she needed to stop doing things for him. She needed to do them for everyone, just like the rest of their group was doing what they needed to to help the cause. As flattering as it was that she could be so selfless, it was also frightening. What if she had, indeed, attached herself to him irreversibly?