A/N In the Spirit... (See what i did there lol) of the Christmas Season I decided to release another chapter so i hope you guys enjoy it and Merry Christmas!

Disclaimer: I do Not own Avatar the Last Air-bender or it's associated properties

The Gaang had landed in another forest and were camped out near the ocean. They were currently scavenging for food, when Aang found what looked like a short sword made out of a tooth with a curved blade and blue handle. Aang grabbed the weapon and spoke up saying "Hey, look! I found a sword made out of a saber-whale tooth."

Sokka came running over saying "Let me see that."

Aang handed him the weapon as he began to inspect it before saying "This is a Water Tribe weapon. See if you can find anything else."

The two then started to search the surrounding area for any more clues or weapons while Katara and Dijin walked up to them with Katara asking "Did someone lose something?"

Aang while looking in some bushes excitedly said "No, we found something."

Sokka moved some brush away from a part of the path and found a broken arrow head. He inspected the arrow saying "It's burned." Sokka then looked around and began to use his tracking skills to the fullest, giving an accurate description of what happened in that area.

Sokka spoke while looking at some burn marks on a tree and saying "There was a battle. Water Tribe warriors ambushed a group of Fire-benders. The Fire-benders fought back, but the warriors drove them downhill." Sokka then led the others downwards following the trail of the battle.

Sokka led them to a beach as Aang ran up to him asking "So, then what happened?"

Sokka just said disappointedly "I don't know the trail ends here."

Katara looked to her right then pointed and shouted "Wait! Look!"

Sokka and the others looked at where she was pointing and saw a boat with a white bow, grey body, a tall mast, and a blue sail. Sokka then yelled excitedly "It's one of our boats!"

They all ran to the boat with Katara asking excitedly "Is this Dad's boat?"

Sokka rubbed his hand against the familiar vessel with a smile saying "No, but it's part of his fleet. Dad was here." The siblings hugged each other happy to know that their father was still alive and well.

Next after a brief discussion they decided to camp out by the boat in hopes of running into whoever owned it. It had gotten dark out so Katara and Aang had fallen asleep while Sokka was picking at a camp-fire they had made and Dijin was laying down half way out of an Earth-tent.

Dijin saw Sokka looking depressed and asked "Copper piece for your thoughts?"

Sokka stopped staring at the fire and said "What?"

Dijin waved him off while climbing out of his tent to take a seat saying "Never mind, what's eating at you, Sokka?"

Sokka just sighed and said "I was just thinking about when my Dad left. I wanted to go with him but I was only 12 and Katara was still a kid, he said I needed to look after everyone while he was gone but I think it was because he knew I wasn't strong enough."

Dijin looked at Sokka seriously and said "Sokka in the short time I've known you, I know one thing is for certain and that is that you have strength where is matters. You are one of the smartest men I've ever known, you have no fear in battle, and most of all you protect everything that you care about with your whole being."

Sokka looked at his friend surprised never knowing he thought that about him. Dijin finished his pep talk saying "I also know this, your father left you at home because he needed the strongest of all of them to protect their loved ones, never forget that Sokka."

Sokka looked at Dijin with a smile before saying jokingly "Have I mentioned how awesome it is you're on the team?"

Dijin laughed saying "I don't know, let's hear you say it another five times and see if it gets old ahahaha."

Sokka and Dijin began to laugh loudly together until they heard a rustling sound. Sokka quickly grabbed his boomerang while Dijin got into a stance, with the back of his hands facing outwards and his feet turned inwards slightly.

Sokka then shouted "Who's there! Come out and we won't attack."

After Sokka spoke a man came out of the shadows revealing what he looked like to the two. He had long black hair that went to his shoulders while also having a long warriors wolf-tail on the back of his head, he had blue eyes, he wore a light blue robe that went to his waist and split there, the left sleeve was missing similar to Dijin's robe, his entire left side was covered in bandages, on his right arm he wore a black athletic sleeve with a grey wrist guard that went to his elbow, he wore fingerless gloves, he wore black formfitting pants, and like Sokka he wore grey boots.

The man saw them and said questioningly "Sokka?"

Sokka's eyes widened finally recognizing the man as he said "Bato?"

Katara and Aang woke up from all the commotion with Aang saying groggily "Who the what now?"

Katara looked up and saw the man then she excitedly exclaimed "Bato!"

The siblings ran up to Bato and hugged him as he said excitedly "Sokka! Katara! It's so good to see you two. Oh. You've both grown so much."

Aang and Dijin stepped forward with Aang saying with a bow "Hi. I'm Aang."

Dijin bowed as well saying "And I'm Dijin. It's a pleasure to meet a friend of Katara and Sokka."

Bato nodded at the two saying "Well, it's nice to meet you two as well and thank you for looking after Hakoda's children. I think of them as my own you know."

The siblings groaned out embarrassed "Bato! We're not children!"

Bato laughed before Sokka asked "So, where's Dad?"

Katara then said "Is he here?"

Bato looked at them disappointedly saying "No, sadly. He and the other warriors should be in the eastern Earth Kingdom by now." Suddenly a cold wind blew by them making everyone shiver. Bato then grabbed the Siblings shoulders saying "This is no place for a reunion. I have some shelter not too far from here let's head inside." he then led the two siblings away before turning around and motioning for Dijin and Aang to follow.

xxLine Breakxx

After about five minutes of walking, they came across a large abbey ran by a convent of sisters. As they walked through the gates Bato explained how he got there.

He started by saying "When I was wounded, your father carried me here to this abbey. The sisters have cared for me since." He then approached an elderly sister and said "Superior, these are Hakoda's children. They've been traveling with the Avatar. I found them by my boat."

The Mother Superior looked at Aang and Dijin from behind Bato and the siblings saying "Young Avatar, it gives me great joy to be in your presence. Welcome to our abbey."

Aang and Dijin bowed their heads respectively as Aang said "Thank you. It's truly an honor to be here. If there's anyt-"

he was cut off by Sokka who started talking to Bato saying "What smells so good, Bato?"

Dijin frowned at Sokka's rude interruption but let it go due to him understanding that he and Katara haven't seen Bato in about four years.

Bato then pointed at some jars saying "The sisters craft ointments and perfumes."

Sokka then pointed at Appa saying "Perfume? Maybe we could dump some on Appa, because he stinks too much. Eh?"

Everyone looked at Sokka with a blank stare while Bato said "You have your fathers' wit."

Dijin then spoke up saying "Hold on. You're telling me Sokka inherited his terrible jokes?"

Bato closed his eyes with a sigh saying "I'm afraid so, his father does the same exact thing when we travel."

Sokka started yelling indigently "I'm right here guy's!"

Bato and Dijin just laughed before Bato said "Come on Sokka, Katara, I think have a little something I think you'll both enjoy."

Bato then led the Gaang to a room inside the abbey and once he opened the door Katara and Sokka had looks of pure happiness.

Katara then excitedly exclaimed "Bato, It Looks like home!"

The sibling rushed in followed by the others when Sokka suddenly said "You have everything here, even the pelts!"

Dijin and Aang got a look around the room seeing that it was covered in fur pelts and had Water Tribe ceremonial garbs decorating the walls. While in the center of the room was a fire-pit with a stewing pot and some kind of meal inside it.

Aang looked at all the dead animals and said sarcastically "Yeah. Nothing's cozier than dead animal skins."

Dijin subtly smacked Aang on the head and whispered harshly in his ear "Don't mock their culture just because you don't like it."

Aang just looked away ashamed and annoyed while he tried not to focus on the dead animals. Katara lifted the lid of the pot that was stewing and smelled what Bato was cooking saying excitedly again "No way! Stewed Sea Prunes?"

Bato then passed out four bowls and started to ladle some stew for everyone saying "Help yourselves. I have plenty for everyone."

Sokka and Katara dug in instantly with Sokka saying "Dad could eat a whole barrel of this stuff."

Aang looked at the stew in trepidation while Dijin took a spoonful and ate it. Dijin then thought to himself "Hmm. More bitter than I'm used to otherwise not bad, at least compared to what I'd eat as a child."

Aangseeing everyone eat the meal decided not to be rude and take a bite, but he gagged and almost spit it out before he quickly swallowed it.

Katara and Sokka then began to reminisce with their family friend with Katara saying "Bato, is it true you and Dad lassoed an Artic Hippo?"

Bato replied with "It was your father's idea. He just dragged me along. Well, the Hippo did the dragging."

Aang seeing an opportunity to join in on the conversation said "Hey, I ride animals, too! One time there was this giant Eel and I-"

Sokka however, once again cut him off and ignored him saying "So, who was it that came up with the great blubber fiasco?"

Bato chuckled saying "Oh. You knew about that?"

Katara replied with a smile saying "Everyone does."

Aang curious asked "What's that story?"

Sokka looked at Aang waving his hand dismissively saying "It's a long story Aang, another time."

Aang started to get depressed as the Water Tribe siblings cut him out of the conversation completely. Dijin noticed this and while he didn't like how Sokka in particular was acting he understood why the siblings were more focused on Bato than Aang. So, when a chance comes up, he was gonna talk with Aang so nothing is misunderstood.

Katara spoke up again saying "You and Dad had so many hilarious adventures."

Bato chuckled again saying "And not all of them were hilarious at the time, but everything is funny with hindsight."

They all laughed until Bato suddenly said a little loud "Aang! Please put that back, that's an ancient ceremonial headdress and its very fragile."

Dijin looked to his right and saw Aang had decided to put one of the wall decorations on his head since he couldn't talk to anyone. Aang put the headdress back sadly before walking to a corner of the room and sitting down.

The siblings continued their talk with Bato while Dijin walked over and sat next to Aang saying "Look, I know how it seems right now but you have to understand they haven't seen Bato in over four years and he's like a second dad to them so give them a little slack Aang. They haven't forgotten about you." Aang just looked away and petted Momo who had come over to comfort Aang.

After the siblings and Bato talked for a good hour Bato suddenly got serious saying "There's something I should tell you kids. I'm expecting a message from your father."

Katara surprised said "Really? When?"

Bato replied with "Any day now. Your father said he'd send a message when they found a rendezvous point. If you wait here until the message arrives, you can come with me to see your father again."

Sokka spoke up then saying "It's been over four years since we saw Dad. That would be so incredible. Katara am I right?"

Katara looked down saying "I really do miss him. It would be really great to see Dad."

Aang after hearing all this couldn't take it anymore and got up while saying "I need to be alone." he then left the room with Dijin looking at the door sadly realizing his words hadn't gotten through to Aang.

Sokka and Katara then looked at Bato sadly with Sokka saying "It would be great but we can't. We have to take Aang to the North Pole first."

Katara then said "Even if we had time to wait for the message, who knows how far we'd have to travel? We don't have time for a long detour."

Bato looked at the siblings proudly before saying "I'm sure your father would understand and be proud that his children are helping the Avatar."

Dijin smiled at the scene and siblings' words while looking back at the door wishing Aang had just stayed a few minutes longer.

After about a half hour went by Aang returned with a smile on his face saying "Hey, everyone. Sorry I was gone for so long."

Katara turned around and smiled at Aang saying "Oh. Hey, Aang I didn't notice you left."

Aang sat down between the siblings as he said "Yep. But now I'm back. Sure could go for some of those delicious Sea Prunes." Aang then grabbed a bowl and started to shovel the food into his mouth saying "mm,hmm." before suddenly gagging and spitting some out while playing it off like it didn't happen.

The other four people in the room stared at him strangely before going back to talking and then getting ready to turn in for the night.

xxLine Breakxx

The next morning Bato took the Gaang to his boat again as he said "This ship is sentimental to me. It was built by my father."

Sokka looked at the boat excited and asked "Is this the boat he took you ice dodging in?"

Bato laughed saying "Yep, it's got the scar to prove it. Ha! How about you, Sokka? You must have some good stories of your first time Ice dodging."

Sokka just looked away disappointedly as Katara said "He didn't get to go. Dad and the other warriors left before he was old enough."

Bato then mentally kicked himself saying "Oh, I forgot. You were too young."

Aang curious asked "What's Ice dodging?" Bato looked at Aang saying "It's a rite of passage for young Water Tribe members. When you turn 14 your Dad takes you-" Bato then stopped for second having a brilliant Idea seeing the four young people in front of him. He then said "You know what, all four of you are gonna find out right now."

Aang and Dijin shouted "What!"

Dijin then continued saying "But Isn't this something sacred to your tribe I can't intrude on that."

Bato shook his head saying "Not true you have helped and fought alongside Hakoda's children. In my eyes you are just as Water Tribe as Sokka and Katara are."

Dijin was speechless at the comment before he bowed saying "I will try and do my best to live up to your expectations."

Bato smiled at how respectful Dijin was before saying "Well, with that out of the way. Let's get this ship in the water."

Sokka and Katara shouted "Right!" while Aang watched on with a look of guilt on his face and Dijin moved to help get the boat ready.

Once they had everything set up, they set sail and were currently sailing towards a destination Bato had in mind.

As Bato steered he said "Ice dodging is a ceremonial test of guidance, wisdom, bravery, and trust. In our village it was done by weaving a boat through a field of Ice burgs."

Sokka looked at Bato asking "How are we gonna Ice dodge without any Ice?"

Bato smirked and pointed ahead of themselves saying "You'll be dodging... those."

The Gaang looked and their eyes widened because instead of seeing Ice they saw a field of sharp jagged rocks.

Bato then let go of the steering rod saying "Sokka, you steer and call the shots. Lead wisely."

Sokka quickly grabbed the rod as Bato spoke to Katara next saying "Katara, you secure the mainsail. The winds can be brutal. So be brave."

She quickly took her position as well while Bato then turned to Aang saying "Aang you control the Jib. Without your steady hand, we all go down. Your position is about trust."

Aang blinked awkwardly before he started to talk gibberish saying "I know that! Why wouldn't I know that? I'm the Avatar. I know about trust."

Bato just looked at him strangely before saying "As long as you understand." he then turned towards Dijin saying "Dijin you have the most important job of all. You are to be the spotter and let Sokka know of incoming rocks and debris. Your job is about guidance."

Dijin nodded his head before climbing up to the bow and taking a position.

Bato then sat down on the deck under him saying "For this to be done right, I cannot help. You pass or fail on your own."

Dijin seeing some rocks approaching shouted "Sokka! rocks 12 degrees from the starboard bow!"

Sokka gained a hard look shouting "Aang ease up on the Jib, Katara, keep it steady." Then just as the rocks were about to hit Sokka shouted "Aang less sail, Katara, give him room." Sokka then turned the steering rod as the others followed his command barely avoiding the rocks.

Dijin seeing a wall of rocks in front them shouted "Sokka! Rock wall straight ahead!"

Sokka quickly shouted "Aang, helm to lee, helm to lee!"

Aang nervous yelled "I don't know what that means!" Aang then went for broke and tried something which turned out to be the right thing because the boat sailed around the rock wall.

Sokka happy they were all ok shouted "Great job guys!"

However, their celebration was short lived as a line of rocks blocked their path with no way around or through.

Katara scared said "There's no way through!"

Sokka confident in is team shouted "We can make it!"

Bato seeing this might not end well said "Sokka, you've already proven yourself. Maybe we should-"

he was cut off by Sokka who said "Aang! I'm gonna need you to bend some air into that sail! Dijin! I'm gonna need you to shave down those rocks a little! Katara, I want you to Water-bend as much water as you can under the boat."

They all responded in kind, Aang started to create air in the mainsail by rotating his hands, while Dijin made chopping motions with his hands shaving down the tops of the rocks, and Katara was bending her arms and wrists up and down controlling the water under them making the boat rise up. The combination of bending seemed to work as Sokka watched on in trepidation while the rocks got closer. Then just in the nick of time the water rose just enough for the boat to harmlessly pass over the rocks and float safely back into the ocean. Sokka and the others let out a sigh of relief happy that everything worked out.

xxLine Breakxx

After Bato and the others docked the ship back at the shore where they sailed from, he quickly grabbed some supplies out of his bag and started to mix some ingredients together in a small bowl. When he was done, he told the four youths to line up as he then placed his fingers in the mixture and started to say "The spirits of water bear witness to these marks. For Sokka the mark of the wise..."

Bato then used the mixture he made to paint a blue arc with a dot under it on Sokka's forehead. Bato then said "This is the same mark your father earned."

Sokka smiled proudly before Bato then moved to Katara saying "For Katara, the mark of the brave. Your courage inspires us." He then painted a backwards crescent moon on Katara's forehead.

Bato then turned to Dijin saying "For Dijin the mark of the pathfinder. Your watchful guide kept us all safe and this mark is also proof that you are an honorary member of the Water Tribe."

Bato then drew an eye on Dijin's forehead as Dijin clasped his fist into his hand saying "Thank you for this honor."

Bato nodded his head before finally turning towards Aang saying "And for Aang, the mark of the trusted. Like Dijin you are now an honorary member of the Water Tribe." Bato then painted a straight line across Aang's forehead.

Aang looked away from the group in shame as he said "I can't accept this."

Katara not understanding his reluctance said "Of course you can."

Aang took a step back and wiped off the mark Bato gave him saying "No. You can't trust me."

Dijin seeing how guilty Aang looked said "Aang, what did you do?"

Katara looked at Dijin shocked and said "What are saying Dijin. Aang wouldn't do anything for us not to trust him."

She then looked at Aang saying "Right, Aang?"

Aang just reached into his robes saying "A messenger gave this to me for Bato." Aang then pulled out a crumpled ball of paper and handed it to Sokka.

Sokka quickly but carefully uncrumpled the paper before his eyes widened and he shouted at Aang in pure rage saying "This is the map to our father! You had it the whole time! How dare you Aang!"

Aang tried to defend himself saying "I was scared you guys-"

He was cut off by Katara who had tears in her eyes saying "How could you! You know how much our father means to us! Especially after what I told you about my mother!"

Aang just looked at them pleadingly while desperately saying "I'm sor-"

He was cut off again this time by Sokka who said "Save it! From now on you can get to the North Pole on your own. We're going to see our Dad."

Sokka then marched away while saying "You with me Katara?"

Katara looked at Aang someone she thought she could trust before saying with tears going down her cheeks "I'm with you Sokka." she then walked away from Aang and went to her brother as Bato awkwardly went to follow the siblings thrown off by the this turn of events.

However, before they left Sokka looked at Dijin saying "Dijin, you coming or what?"

Aang looked at Dijin thinking he was going to leave him too before Dijin said "I'm sorry for what's happened but my duty is to accompany the Avatar on his journey. If this is where we part ways then it's been an honor fighting by your side." Dijin then placed his right fist into his left palm and bowed in respect.

Sokka just growled out "Whatever you say." before he marched off Katara following him not bothering to say anything. Bato however, chose to be respectful and bowed back to Dijin before following the siblings.

Aang and Dijin just stood on the beach before Aang said "I'm an Idiot, Dijin."

Dijin didn't sugar-coat the situation and bluntly said "Yes, you are. In fact, if you hadn't run off last night to pout you would've heard That Sokka and Katara were still going to take you to the North Pole despite having a chance to see their Dad. And you just threw everything out the window."

Aang just looked away in shame before he said "I'd better get Appa and pack our things."

He then went to head back to the abbey as Dijin said "I'd better help." he then followed Aang as they slowly made their way back.

Once they arrived, they began to pack their things and prep Appa for travel. While they were putting their supplies on Appa, the Water Tribe trio came out wearing travel packs.

Sokka and Bato went for the exit while Katara walked up to Aang before looking at him sadly saying "Good luck."

Aang looked just as sad as he said "Ok. You, too."

She then walked away to follow her brother and Bato as the mother superior walked up to the two next. Aang seeing the frown on her face guessed she found out what he did so he said "Guess we should be on our way."

The woman kept her frown as she said "That would be for the best."

Aang and Dijin then climbed up onto Appa and had him walk out of the convent. As they were leaving Aang watched the Water Tribe siblings leave before saying "I really am and idiot Dijin."

He then had Appa go in the opposite direction of the siblings towards the North pole as Dijin didn't say anything knowing Aang now understood what he did wrong.

Once the two arrived at the beach they decided to do a last-minute check up on their supplies and equipment. As Aang was tightening Appa's reigns the mother superior ran up to them saying distressed "Avatar! You and your friend must leave."

Aang frustrated and already mad at himself for this situation yelled out "Ok, I get it. Everybody wants me gone!"

The mother superior shook her head saying "No, a group of people came to the abbey looking for you."

Aang shocked asked "Who?"

The mother superior said "A fierce looking woman with a horrible monster and a young man with a scar."

Dijin narrowed his eyes having an idea of who she was talking about but he still asked "This woman, did she have a spiral snake tattoo on her right shoulder?"

Aang then asked "and this young man with a scar, was it on his left eye?"

The mother superior looked at Dijin and Aang shocked saying "Yes! What do you know of them?"

Dijin just quickly got off Appa saying "They're bad news and nothing else. Aang we need to head to the convent, knowing the woman Zuko is with she'll probably kill everyone there just to find out where we are."

Aang quickly grabbed his glider saying "I'm on it."

But before he left the mother superior shouted "Wait! You must know that the beast the woman had was tracking you using the scent from a necklace."

Dijin and Aang's eyes widened realizing who the two hunters were tracking. Aang then yelled out "Katara!"

He took to the sky while Dijin looked at the mother superior and said "Stay here superior, you'll be safer with Appa." Dijin then started to wave his hands back and forth Earth-bending the ground beneath himself before sinking completely into the ground surprising the mother superior.

xxLine Breakxx

At the convent the sisters had just finished repairing their doors that had been broken earlier. However, the repairs didn't last long because suddenly Prince Zuko, Iroh, and a Bounty they hired named June busted down the doors again with her mount.

June was a young woman being in her early twenties, she had long black hair that went down to the middle of her back and covered her right eye while she had a top knot on top of her head with a skull ornament, she wore black lipstick and eyeliner, she wore a sleeveless leather dress that covered her c-cup chest, it was long in the back going to her shins while the front was short going to her waist and splitting at her waist as well, she had two black belts wrapped around her waist that held two whips that she carried, she wore black athletic sleeves that went to her elbow and doubled as gloves, she had a red spiral snake tattoo on her right shoulder, she wore black form fitting pants, and on her feet she wore black boots with curled toes.

Once they were inside her mount which was called a Xierxu began to circle around the center of the courtyard causing the sisters to flee. Sokka and Katara were on the creatures back bound and unmoving but awake.

The creature itself was about 10 feet tall and maybe just as wide, it had mostly brown fur with a black and white patch going down it's back and head, it had no visible eyes but had two inflated nostrils with whiskers, the creature had four legs and sharp claws, it had a short four-foot-long tail, and not that it could be seen but the creature had a whip like tongue that had a paralyzing poison on its tip.

Zuko getting frustrated at the animals actions said irritated "What's it doing? It's just going in a circle."

The creature then stopped moving and "looked" up and noticed Aang was flying down on his glider but suddenly the ground under them began to rumble. Then out of nowhere Dijin came bursting out of the ground uppercutting the creature in its jaw sending rocks and debris everywhere. The animal was forced onto its hindlegs before it fell over knocking Sokka and Katara to the side by the wall.

Katara seeing her two friends arrive just in time said "Aang! Dijin!"

June however just growled before grabbing one of her whips and cracking it against her mounts hide saying "Up!" The animal quickly obeyed as she got back in her saddle.

June then glared at Dijin before saying "It figures I'd run into you here. You damn contract breaker."

Dijin just glared at the woman back saying "Considering you nearly wiped a whole village off the map and your pet mortally wounded the target I tasked you to find. I consider not paying you was letting you off easy."

June just frowned before yelling "Hey pretty boy! If you want me to hold this guy off then I want five times what you promised."

Zuko who started fighting Aang in a duel shouted "Fine! You can have whatever you want! Just hold off the Lava-bender!"

June then smirked at Dijin saying "You heard the man." she then cracked her whip making her animal attack and lunge after Dijin.

Dijin quickly threw his forearm up creating a Rock-wall but the animal just jumped over it. Dijin quickly turned around stomping his right heel creating two small pillars knocking the animal off balance.

June just growled yelling "Get up you damn beast!" she cracked her whip again and the animal obeyed as she cracked her whip twice more signaling her mount to start attacking with its tongue. The animal's appendage came out like lightning but Dijin dropped to the ground his arms holding his body up completely parallel with the ground. He then pushed himself upwards with pure strength dodging another strike from the creature. He quickly did a back flip and made a chop motion with his right hand creating a trio of pillars and sending them at the animal.

The beast just swiped its sharp claws cutting through the stone like butter before attacking with its tongue again.

Dijin rotated his body sideways before turning himself over in a full circle dodging the tongue and digging his right hand into the stone floor creating an Earth-gauntlet.

The beast attacked with its tongue again but Dijin quickly stood straight and raised his right hand grabbing the tongue with his gauntlet saying "Uh, uh, uh, don't you know the rules on the first date." he then yanked hard with all his might pulling the monster towards him yelling "No tongue!" he then punched the creature on the top of its head with his gauntlet knocking it out cold and sending June flying.

June landed and rolled across the ground before quickly recovering and grabbed her second whip shouting "I'm not done yet!"

She then charged Dijin cracking her whips in multiple directions. She managed to wrap one of her whips around his wrist and started to pull while he fought back.

Dijin wanted to use his Lava-bending but the sisters convent would be destroyed in the process so he chose do to something a little different. Dijin just jumped up before twisting his body like a drill and diving fully into the earth.

June shocked couldn't react in time as she was suddenly dragged across the ground. Seeing where she was headed, she was forced to let go of one of her whips and watched it disappear down the hole Dijin went into. She quickly got up and looked around, her senses on high alert never knowing where her target might come from.

Suddenly Dijin burst out of the ground at her right and punched a small boulder at her face hitting her cheek while also making her head be thrown to the side. she let out a growl and went to retaliate but Dijin dived back into the earth again.

June was baring her teeth and had a huge bruise on her face, she had never felt this angry before; on top of that she has hunted down targets of all shapes and sizes in the past but for the first time in her life she was being thrown around like the annoying pests she would normally catch. She knew she would have a fight on her hands when she fought Dijin but she never accounted for him to be an Earth-bending master but she should have known better. After all, when she first met the guy, he was a captain leading a battalion of soldiers at only sixteen.

She was broken from her thoughts when suddenly Dijin burst from the ground again this time directly in front of her before he did a spinning side-kick nailing her in the stomach and making her roll across the ground again and stop next to her fallen mount.

June got up to her knees and held her stomach and knew at least a few of her ribs were cracked, she then looked to her right and saw Zuko was losing quickly to the Avatar even getting the necklace they used to track him taken away.

She then felt her animal nudge her and whine before she growled again saying "You're on your own pretty boy! I'm cutting my losses." she then got on her mount and cracked her whip the animal taking off at a fast pace and away from the fighting.

Zuko seeing his supposed back-up leave shouted "Come back here! You damn Bi-"

He was cut off as Aang took advantage of the distraction and thrusted his fists forward sending a huge Air-blast at Zuko sending him into a random storage room and making Iroh quickly head over to check on him.

Suddenly Aang and Dijin heard Appa roar as they looked up seeing the Water tribe siblings flying the bison down to them with Katara shouting "Get on! Before Zuko comes back!"

Aang and Dijin quickly climbed up before Sokka yelled "Yip, Yip!" Appa then took to sky way above the clouds.

Then as they flew away Aang looked at the Water Tribe siblings in panic saying "What are guys doing! What about your Dad?"

Sokka and Katara looked at each other before smiling at Aang while Sokka said "We do miss our Dad; he is our family after all."

Aang then looked down sad before Katara grabbed his arm saying "But you're our family now too." She then looked at Dijin saying "And Dijin is our family as well, we are all in this together and that means getting you to the North Pole takes priority over everything else right now."

Aang smiled at her before saying "I'm sorry Katara. I never should have acted the way I did; I wish there was a way I could make it up to you."

Katara waved him off saying "It's fine Aang I forgive you."

Aang just insistently said "Still there has to be something I could do... Like return a lost item perhaps?"

Katara looked at Aang strangely and said "What are you getting at Aang?"

Aang then smiled saying "Oh, nothing. I just thought you'd want your mothers' necklace back." He then presented Katara's lost necklace to her making her eyes widen with slight tears.

She quickly grabbed the jewelry and held it fondly saying "How did you get it back?"

Aang just rubbed the back of his head with a blush saying "let's just say the thief was sent through a wall."

Katara just smiled coyly at Aang saying "Oh? And how should I reward such a brave samaritan?" she then had a look of fake surprise saying "Oh! I know!" she then leaned forward to Aang's cheek and gave him a kiss.

Aang just blushed as Katara put her necklace on. She then hugged him followed by Sokka. Katara then looked at Dijin who was sitting to the side holding the saddle as she then smirked saying "Do you think you can let go long enough to join in on this hug?"

Dijin smiled saying "Let's find out." he then let go of the saddle and joined in on the group hug.

The Gaang hugged and flew away their friendship stronger than ever as they continued on their epic journey.