Ah, you guys are just so outstandingly kind to me in your reviews, thank you so much. Jaell - a huge thank you to you, it means a lot that you think that much of my ramblings to recommend them to others!

I have mentioned on my Tumblr page that I am looking for a middle name for Kai as I'm wanting it for an upcoming chapter, thought it might be fun to open it up to you guys to help choose one. I think his name is awesome, but also quite a tricky one to match up with a middle name. I'm kind of leaning towards Leonard, although I like the idea of Wu as I'm sure I remember Ray and Wu being very good friends back in their ninja days before Ray and Maya were "disappeared" as such. Kai Leonard Wu? Hmmm, let me know what you guys think!

Hopefully, next chapter will be up tomorrow, this is a shorty but hopefully a goodie!

Enjoy!

Battlelines.

The rest of the team sat stunned in the lounge area. Lloyd had struggled to get the words out, so Wu simply explained that Kai needed to leave them, answering their questions as best he could. Cole sat quietly, frowning gently next to Zane and Pix, who had sadly nodded their understanding. Nya's face was terrifying, completely unfathomable, lips pursed as she paced to and thro behind the sofa.

"Is this a permanent thing?" Jay was the one who broke the silence, leaning forward as he searched Sensei Wu for answers.

"I do not know. It is my belief that Kai also does not know whether this is the case."

"Huh." Jay leant back, frowning, tapping his hand on his knee nervously. "Huh."

"I know that this is not ideal, but it is imperative that I leave you now. I will be back soon. Please, look after each other, there is no blame here, only difficult paths to be followed. I will be back soon."

They all looked up, Cole speaking this time.

"You're leaving?"

Wu nodded as he shrugged on his thick, woollen, outdoor kimono. "Not for long. I need to go and…" he paused, watching Nya pace. "I need to seek someone's expertise. As I said, I will not be gone long. Lloyd, look after your team." Jay couldn't help himself, scoffing quietly "What's left of it." under his breath. Wu shuffled out of the door, quickly pulling it shut against the now howling wind, blowing Nya's hair forward into her eyes. She ceased pacing, looking up as she brushed her hair back behind her ears, then turned and stomped to her workshop.

Zane and PIXAL had decided to busy themselves making dinner not long after, chatting to themselves quietly as they worked. Cole and Lloyd took themselves out into the training yard, throwing themselves into a spar, both tense and unspeaking as they whirled around each other, the only noise the clash of the katana against hammer and the scraping and dull thuds as they landed and grounded themselves as they fought. Jay joined Nya in the workshop, metallic clangs ringing out every now and then. No one heard or saw Kai until the late afternoon when he quietly emerged, padding into the kitchen and heading straight for the fridge, startling Zane as he turned around and nearly walked straight into the open door.

"Kai!" the spikey haired teen straightened up and closed the fridge, clutching the carton of orange juice he had been hunting for tightly, eyes down and not meeting the ice ninja's gaze.

"Brother…" Zane softly exhaled, putting a hand on Kai's shoulder, the later eying it wearily before slowly looking up.

"I just want a glass Zane, then I'll be out of your way."

"Brother, you are not in the way." The Master of Ice, frowned, PIXAL coming over and nodding gently as she passed Kai a glass.

"Please, Kai, sit with us whilst we cook. It might help…" She stopped mid-sentence as the door leading to the workshop stairs flew open, Nya crashing through it. Jay was running up just behind her, oil smeared across his cheek and eyes wide, calling Nya's name which she ignored.

"Oh, I thought I heard you." If her expression had been unreadable before, it certainly was not now as her eyes hardened as she rounded on her brother.

"How could you?"

Kai backed away, placing the juice and glass down on the counter top, turning to leave.

"Don't you dare back away from me! You're already running from your team; don't you dare turn away from me now!" The shouted confrontation brought Lloyd and Cole to the front door, peering in and mouths opened at the unfolding scene as Kai tried to walk away from his raging sister.

"I am not running." He spoke the words quietly, but they could all see the dangerous flash in his eyes and the subtle curling of his fists as he turned back to face her.

"Oh really? What are you doing then, Kai? Because to me it looks like you are just running away from your problems when we need you the most."

He turned again and went to go back up the stairs but she quickly marched over, standing in front of him and blocking his path, looking at him squarely with folded arms.

"Nya, get out of my way."

"No. I want to know what has gotten into you. Yes, she's hurt you, I get that."

Cole grimaced as they watched the Master of Fire recoil then recover himself, face rigid with barely held restraint.

"But that is not an excuse to just," she paused, leaning forward slightly and looking Kai directly in the eyes. "To just abandon us. Your family." The silence which followed was momentary and laden with dread.

"Abandon you? You think that's what I'm doing?!" Kai straightened, looming over his sister as he spat the words out angrily. Jay worriedly crept over, standing behind Nya.

"It's ok, Kai. We understand, we,"

"No Jay, I do not. I want to hear it, 'brother'". She raised an eyebrow, hissing the words and rising herself up as she starred unblinking into Kai's eyes, ignoring the danger she could see glinting in that eerie amber glow which still had not dissipated. Jay pulled at her, but she stood her ground refusing to move.

"Come on, Nya. Stop it." But she shrugged the blue clad arm off her.

"I gave up everything for you. I raised you, when I was a child myself." Kai's voice was a low growl, radiating anger. They could see his body tremble as he took a step forward towards his sister, looking down at her, their faces inches from each other as he prodded a finger into her chest.

"I've given everything to this team. Do you honestly think that this is what I want? To just…" He stopped himself short, closing those amber eyes briefly then attempting to push past her, but she spun, catching his arm, not willing to let this drop.

"No! That's not an answer!"

"ENOUGH!"

The whole team spun, seeking the perpetrator of the single roared word to be confronted by the whirlwind that was Ray, angrily marching in and pushing himself in between the two siblings, Wu hot on his heels and Maya not far behind.

"Nya, you will stand down and stop this, now!" The Master of Water immediately deflated, looking down and turning away, walking over to the sofa and collapsing down onto it, Maya quickly joining her and covering her in a warm, comforting hug. Ray stepped over to his son who had sunk down to the floor, rocking on his heels with his face in his hands. Ray crouched down, reaching his own hands over to gently remove Kai's, cupping his son's face and lifting his head up to face him. He frowned as he took in the amber glow, turning to Wu.

"You were right to come and get me so urgently. If his eyes have been fixed like this for as long as you say, I do not know how he has managed to contain himself for so long."

Wu nodded. "What is best, old friend?"

Ray straightened up slowly, helping Kai to stand with him.

"The Fire Temple, I will need a dragon to get him there, quickly." The ninja all looked up, Lloyd stepping forward immediately whilst the others nodded. Nya gasped.

"What is wrong with him?"

"Later, sweetheart. Let us get him there first, then I will do my best to explain. Now, who will take me?" Ray made a formidable figure, salt and pepper hair formed in spikes which his son's own appeared to emulate, light brown eyes searching the room.

Lloyd turned around and took in all the subtle nods, turning back to the former Master of Fire who was holding up the shaking current one.

"We will all go. You and Kai should ride with Cole as he is the strongest, but we will all," he paused and looked at Nya, who nodded weakly. "We will all escort you."

Ray nodded. "Thank you. Then let's go."