Chapter 11- Meet the Gang

"The avatar – Are you telling me he's alive?" I asked Myra.

"Apparently." She said as she continued to stare at the funny bald kid with the staff.

"There's no way…" But I was soon proved wrong. As soon as those words escaped my lips, the boy whirled his staff around and around that he seemed to levitate – an air bender. As Zuko went on to wreak his vengeance on the little kid, I searched for that girl who asked if I was from the north pole. She was no where to be found and decided that there were more important things – like getting out of there.

"Myra," I whispered and nodded toward the woods, "Let's get out of here!" She nodded, understanding and so we both tiptoed into the forest, unknown to the rest of the fire benders. Wow, these people were easy to fool. And I felt kind of guilty leaving a little kid to fend of for himself, but if this truly was the avatar…

"R-Riena? Where are you going?" I was running back to where I left the future avatar.

"I'm going to help the air bender. Go and find that girl and I'll catch up!"

"No you're not, I'm helping too." She grabbed my hand and led me back to the village.

We made it just in time when the bald kid was on the ground, clearly hurt from falling. He twirled his staff again, absorbing the hot fire that Zuko repeatedly shot at him again and again. This had to be the avatar, what kind of child prodigy was this? Myra headed off the opposite way.

I looked for water to throw and found pots that contained it by the side of a hut. I took it and waited until Zuko was in the right spot. Suddenly, Myra's boulders had come crashing down right next to Zuko.

"What the - ?" Zuko jumped back from the rocks confused. I hid behind the hut and brought the water to his face. He fell from the impact of water. "Uncle, their escaping." Myra and I ran out to the avatar. The kid was okay despite the scraped skin.

"You okay kid?" He groaned and touched his head before flinching.

"Okay, we're getting out of here." Myra grabbed the kid and the three of us disappeared from the woods. We were not free yet. After a while of running, Myra fell behind me. I turned around.

"Are you okay?" But when I got to the place where I heard her fall, she was not there. "Myra? Where are you?" The forest was quiet and I could hear the yells of the fire benders coming nearer. "Myra!" I whispered. Damn. My heart beated faster and faster with every passing moment. I could hear myself breathing rapidly. Come on. Myra, you can come out now!

Then suddenly, something grabbed me by the foot and I was in the arms of the girl and another bald boy.

"Who -?" I started and they both clasped their hands over my mouth. They signaled to be silent as we watched from the bushes, the fire benders running past. Zuko ran by, but suddenly stopped. He looked around waiting for something or someone to make a wrong move. Leaves rustled just a little way across from us. He then quickly burned the place where the leaves moved. There was no one there. The girl gasped and quickly corrected herself. Zuko faced our way and we all shrank back in our place. Don't come any closer. Don't come any closer –

"Zuko!" One of the men called and Zuko left. All of us sighed our relief. And now, I was going to find Myra. But, then again these were natives. Would they understand me?

"Um… my friend is lost. She… has… a little – small, bald kid with her?" I said hoping that they actually understood.

"That's Aang." The girl said.

"Oh! So you do understand me!"

"No… really? Come with us, we've got your friend." The boy next to me said sarcastically. I looked at him annoyed and cautiously stood up.

"Myra!" I hissed. "Myra, come out now!"

"Over here!" Myra's head popped out of the leaves. All three of us made our way. "Who are your new friends?"

"Oh! – Uh…"

"Katara", replied the girl.

"Sokka."

"Well, Katara and Sokka, it's clear that you're not from around here, but we are sort of in a predicament and we need to get out of here. But first," she held up the boy, "We've got to find out where he comes from."

"He's with us," Sokka replied.

"Oh, so I guess we're not all at a loss. So can you guys help us?" The girl, Katara opened her mouth to reply, but then her companion stopped her.

"Why should we help you?" Then Katara elbowed Sokka. He turned around to argue with her." What are you doing? – They could be the Fire Nation's spies."

"But," she looked down. "They've got…. Aang."

"Katara this is not time to be worrying about your boyfriend."

"He is NOT my boyfriend!" Something snapped sharply behind. I turned. Nothing was there. It was deathly quiet. The natural sound of birds and animals had died away and now, only silence remained.

"Shh," I said softly to stop the two's chattering.

"What's wrong?" Myra asked. I squatted down and signaled for the others to do the same. I look around while keeping as close to the ground as I could. Something moved ahead of us in a brush. Who was this stranger?

"There's something or worse, someone out there."

"Is it Zuko again?" I shrugged. "Can't that kid just let us go?"

"I don't think so. It's," I looked out again. The movement came closer. "It's coming closer. Now, we have to move. Myra, come with me. We'll –"

"I can water bend." Katara said.

"Are you good enough?"

"Kinda – sorta…" Not really, I suppose.

"Well, in that case, we don't have much of a choice." I looked back. It was getting nearer. "RUN!" I shouted and we all started running for the beach. I ducked under the leaves and jumped over the thick roots until we all were panting. Whatever was behind us was gone. We all looked back and waited for Myra. She soon emerged with the boy.

"And you leave me back there?"

"Sorry!" I put my hands to my hips and kept on breathing. We must have sprinted for a while there. Then suddenly a large hand grabbed me from behind.


Yup, that's my first chapter with Katara and them. Now, i'm thinking of getting it close and personal with my two special characters. maniacal laughter. mwa hahahahahhaha!