Chapter 19

So I just found out that the things i've been calling 'giant lizards' that everyone's been travelling on are actually called eel hounds. Wow it's taken me THIS long to work that out XD.

-oOo-

A few dilapidated buildings stood in the place where Joy had been led. The group readied themselves. They all knew this wouldn't be easy. They were facing an earthbending master and an unknown number of other opponents. "Which one is she in?"

Joy just shook her head. She knew Toph was close but she couldn't tell where exactly. Did this make her useless, incapable? Should she be locked up in an asylum somewhere? She sank down to the dusty ground. Tears threatened to pour down her face, brimming at her eyelids...

Warm hands appeared, wrapping around her, spreading their warmth bringing light...

Joy raised her blurry gaze, expecting to see Iroh, but instead, the eyes of the dark knife-thrower met her own. They had this understanding which didn't need words. Mai helped her up and assured, "We'll find her. I promise" The two dark haired girls rose as one and stared at the nearest door. They all knew that this was the one. The two firebenders prepared their stances as the nonbenders gripped their weapons.

Joy stepped forward, and forcefully kicked the door in. A dark hallway. No movement. Except... the edge of what had appeared to be an old blanket very slightly twitched. She pounced, drawing back the ragged curtain, catching the person lurking behind by the mid-length hair and bringing her red handled katana to their throat. The man had a rugged face but was fairly short. He had a jagged knife in his hand, which was quickly knocked from his grasp. Noticing his defeat, he blurted out, "She here, she's through that door and then round the corner, please..." without pausing, Joy brought her sword handle down on the man's head, knocking him out, before proceeding forward.

Her abrupt, decisive movements told the rest of the group that she knew what she was doing. They edged cautiously down the corridor looking for other threats, but there were none. This felt wrong. There should be more people. The final door stood at the end of the corridor. Tentatively, Joy pushed it open. Sure enough, there stood the wooden cell. But it was deserted. There was no one in sight. Something told Joy that Toph hadn't escaped. She felt so... near. So where was she?

-oOo-

From the wooden cell, a crash was heard. Sounded like the door, except it felt like it had been kicked down. Toph felt Shin-fu's footsteps. She was still chi-blocked, defenceless. The door to her cell was rammed open, and a large hand closed around her collar. She tried to fight it, but felt limp. He pulled her out of the cage and it felt like...yes. He had opened a secret panel in the wall behind was another, smaller, room about the size of a cupboard. The panel closed behind them.

Then she heard it. Coming into the room they had just left. Her sister! She tried to shout but had already been gagged. She was right there. So close. Toph slammed her feet as hard as she could against the wall, trying to make some noise but her efforts were muffled. Faint crying from the other side of the wall. Comforting words. They were so close, Toph tried to let her sister know in some way that she was feet away.

Powerless. Toph thrashed and tried to break free, but it was impossible. The darkness was swallowing her. Soon, she would be lost...