V.
Morning arrived overcast and grey-blue clouds choked the sky. It smelled like rain.
Sokka opened one eye. He was sitting up against a rough oak, a blanket hung around his shoulders. He refused to wake anyone else for the next watch and had kept lookout the entire night. He glanced at Lenara's mat. It was empty. He got up, searching the surrounding area. A few yards away from the camp, he found her reclined on the thick branch of a tree, one leg swinging free, back against the trunk. She held a weathered wood instrument, propped under her chin. Her left hand steadied the instrument while her right poised a curved arrow above it. Sokka wondered what she was intending to do when she drew the arrow across the middle of the instrument and a haunting, low chord sounded from the depths of the hollow wood.
A few higher notes, like the whisper of a spirit restless, joined the low chord. The neck tipped down as Lenara reached for the next note, elbow bent up to her ear as she released the music from the bowl of the wood. It was hypnotic and Sokka slipped his fingers down the trunk of a nearby tree, leaning out from behind it to watch her play. Her fingers seemed to stroke the strings, tiny coaxes that moved the music along. A clump of loose red strands of hair brushed the neck of the instrument and hung over her closed eyes.
She played on, until the tune moved to a swell that seemed to silence every bird brash enough to contest with it. The rhythm matched the pace of Sokka's heart and he became aware he was holding his breath so nothing would compete with the sound of the song. The music bled into the trees and up through the branches until it pieced off into the wind, reminding Sokka of cold nights, northern lights above the glaciers, solitary mornings before dawn. She finished with a long note, a shudder like an old tree that is weary with time. Lenara shoved the arrow under her armpit and plucked a string. She twisted one of the wooden pegs at the top of the instrument.
"You can come out now, Sokka." He awoke from his trance and left the cover of the tree.
"How'd you know?"
"I can feel someone watching me, my warrior. The kids are still asleep, I suppose?"
"Yep. Aang's got a record drool line going." Lenara laughed and plucked the string again. She nodded her satisfaction.
"Well, let him sleep. He'll not have many more nights for that." Sokka walked under the tree she was perched in and bent his neck up to her.
"How's your fever?"
"Gone. Sweat it out last night."
"And your ankle?" She wiggled her dangling foot.
"Fine, thanks to Doctor Sokka." He gave her a look. Lenara tossed the bow down to the grass and handed Sokka the instrument. She rolled on her stomach and hung from the branch monkeylike. Sokka tried to set the instrument aside to help her, but she let go of the branch and took the weight of the drop on her good ankle, the other poised up for balance.
"What is this thing?"
"It's a fiddle. I 'borrowed' it from Bajoü."
"What's a Bajoü?"
"One of the crewmembers on Zuko's ship."
"Ah. Where'd you learn to play?"
"My aunt Chihüe. She was champion, but I learned a few things from her. Wanna give it a try?" Sokka gave the fiddle a wary look and pushed it out to Lenara sheepishly.
"I don't think so. I'm pretty tone-deaf." Lenara gently pushed the fiddle back to Sokka and picked up her bow.
"C'mon, Sokka. I'll show you."
"O-okay," Sokka's voice cracked and slid up an octave to the tune of eight years old. He wished for a rift to open up in the earth and swallow him whole.
"First, tuck it under your chin-there you go-then hold the neck with your left and…" she stepped behind Sokka, placing her cool fingers on top of his. She rested the stick, covered with fine hairs, over the strings, and guided Sokka's right hand to grip the bow. She then set her hand on top of his.
"Okay," she pressed his finger down on a string and slowly pulled the bow across. A ragged note squeaked from the fiddle, "loosen up your right hand, just a light pressure should do it." She changed fingers, his third now held down an outside string and she pulled his hand across again, only this time, a clear note sung from the fiddle.
"Hey! I did it!"
"Sure did." She paused, her hand hovered over his own.
"What is it?"
"We have an audience." Katara and Aang emerged from behind a couple of trees. Sokka sighed and lowered his arms. 'Lousy timing, you guys,' he thought.
"Was that you, Sokka, playing that song?" Katara gaped at the fiddle in her brother's hand.
"Well, Lenara actually played the song, but I figured I'd give her a few pointers on the…uh…"
"Fiddle?" Lenara prompted.
"Right." Sokka handed her the instrument and she tucked it back into a drawstring bag. They headed back to camp. Katara moved to her brother's side.
"What was that all about?"
"Not what you think."
"I suppose not. Try to wipe that drool from your chin." They packed up camp. Appa stayed behind with Mo-mo in the forest. The four ducked and scrambled past the tents of the sleeping soldiers.
"That's odd. There's not even a look-out on duty." Sokka whispered.
"Don't look a gift bison in the mouth," Aang replied, "move!" They jumped over soaked logs and overturned teacups and sprinted for the rocky cover of the first volcanoes that lined the north flank of the Fire Nation. The sky was menacing, the clouds rumbled in response to the active volcanoes.
"Which volcano is it? They all look alike?" Katara muttered. Lenara turned to Aang.
"What do you think? Can you use your Avatar Spirit to connect with Roku?" Aang closed his eyes, concentrating. Minutes passed. Sokka shifted restlessly.
"This isn't going to work."
"Trust me, Sokka," Aang's eyes suddenly snapped open, a blue light flickered out of them. He grinned.
"It's the next volcano over, in front of the tall peak of Shujiwara." They walked up the rising path, using the dense brush for cover. Aang glanced up. He could see the brown yawn of the mouth of the cave. Roku's symbol was etched in the rock.
"There it is! C'mon!" Aang sprinted from the brush. At that moment, two Fire Nation guards appeared over the rise.
"Aang!" Katara hissed. A shadow suddenly darted from behind a tree, snatched the Avatar, and disappeared into the foliage on the other side of the pass.
"Aang!" Sokka grabbed his club, but Lenara held out her arm, blocking Sokka.
"Wait." The soldiers passed. They never noticed the Avatar or his quick vanishing act. Lenara crept from the brush, signaling to Sokka and Katara when the path was clear. They approached a large shrub that seemed to push the very trees beside it away. Aang's captor was here. Lenara's fist sparked to life as Sokka readied his club.
"Release the Avatar and show yourself!" The shrub moved and Aang was pushed out. He regained his balance and glanced back at the shrub. Katara took Aang's hand as Lenara shot a tall flame into the air.
"That was your last warning! Show yourself-NOW!"
"You have a strange way of thanking people," a voice like silk scratched over rocks came from the brush. The branches parted and Prince Zuko stepped out. Lenara lowered her hand, the flame still rippled around her fist. Sokka stepped towards Zuko, club gripped in white knuckles, but Aang caught him by the elbow. Lenara, for once in her life, was speechless. Zuko enjoyed the look on her face.
"It's good to see you caught without a snappy comeback." She found her voice. The flame died.
"You figured it out, then?"
"Yes, with Uncle's help." General Iroh brushed back the limbs of the shrub, as if on cue, and stood behind his nephew. Sokka ripped free of Aang's grip and eyed Zuko, frowning.
"What exactly did he figure out?"
"I told him where we would be."
"You did WHAT?" Sokka spun Lenara to face him, his hands locked on her arms, "Are you out of your mind? He's been trying to capture Aang since we met him and you've decided to simply tell him where Aang will be? Why don't you just hand him over right now and save everyone the trouble?"
"Sokka, please…"
"How could you do this, Lenara? We're your friends! You betrayed Aang!"
"Sokka, let me explain…" tears spilled from her green eyes, but Sokka cut her off.
"You'd throw it all away for HIM? Your father must be disgusted!" Zuko suddenly stepped forward. He brushed Sokka's hands away from Lenara. Sokka glared, a snarl curling his lip.
"Be silent. Don't talk about things you can't comprehend." Sokka stepped right up to Zuko's face.
"Excuse me? I'll talk about them if I want!"
"Don't make me angry, boy. I've seen you fight-it's pitiful." Zuko turned to Lenara, her head hung in shame.
"Lenara told us so we could protect the Avatar from my father's army. We know the land best."
"And you expect us to believe you would help us when all you've ever done is try to capture Aang?" Katara cried. Aang stepped between the enraged Sokka and the annoyed Prince.
"I believe them, Katara. That should be enough. And Sokka," Aang turned, "calm down. She didn't betray me…or you." Aang walked to Lenara and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, exposing her wet, sorrowful eye.
"Don't cry Lenara. Sokka didn't mean anything by it-he's just grumpy because we're out of penguin jerky." Lenara smiled.
"Thanks, Aang." Sokka opened his mouth, but caught General Iroh's eye, which seemed to say 'think about it later', and he fell silent. Iroh began to stroll up the path.
"Well, we should get going. The soldiers won't sleep forever on the tea they drank."
"Why?" Lenara asked, "wait-I'm asking the wrong question. What did you do to the tea, Iroh?" He gave her a sly smile.
"Oh, nothing. I just switched their green tea for a nighttime chamomile. And a dash of opium, for flavor."
"You didn't…that is so wrong," Katara replied with a smile.
"Not as wrong as taking all of their underwear and using it to kindle the bonfire after they fell asleep!" Iroh roared with laughter. Sokka and Katara followed the old man. Aang paused. He watched Lenara clear the water from her eyes as Zuko tried to stare else ware until she was finished. Aang sent a gentle breeze their way and they both looked up.
"You two coming?" Lenara nodded. She felt Zuko's rough thumb smooth a straggling tear under her eye and he turned to catch up to his uncle. She refused to speak-it would ruin everything.
VI.
They stopped at a rise of rocky shelves that led the way up to Roku's grave. Sokka glanced around. He heard faint footsteps.
"Aang, you'd better get moving. We don't have much time." Aang gripped the bell and crouched low. He jumped, but landed back on his feet. He tried again. And again.
"Aang, this is no time to practice acting like a frog-get up there!"
"I can't! I can't Air bend myself!" Zuko held out his fist and frowned as a flame failed to spread out from it. General Iroh placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder.
"We are at the Nibushi-one of the four neutral areas. Each Kingdom has one. While in the presence of the Nibushi, all bending is strictly prohibited."
"So, Aang can't get up to the volcano? But he's the Avatar!" Katara pointed out. Iroh shrugged.
"He will need to find another way up the mountain."
"Too bad Appa's not here," Katara muttered.
"Wouldn't work anyways. Appa bends the air, too," Aang sighed. A loud snap made them all turn.
"Fire Nation soldiers." Lenara spun to Aang.
"Time to climb like you've never climbed before. We'll hold them off!"
"I'll go with you, Aang," Katara volunteered.
"Be careful," Sokka grabbed his sister's arm, trying to read her eyes. She gave him a grim smile and she and Aang sprinted up the path. Sokka welcomed the weight of his club in his hands.
"Got that boomerang on you, Sokka?" He turned, his veins ran cold like sleet off of bamboo. He was starting to feel guilty for losing his temper with Lenara. He handed over the only relic of his father's without a second thought.
She stooped and traced her fingers in the mud, then stood. Sokka's stomach sunk as he realized what she was about to do. He felt like the world's biggest jerk.
"Hold still." She ran a muddy finger under his eye, down the soft curve of his cheek to the hard line of his jaw. She repeated the mark on the other side of his face. Lenara stood back, scrutinizing her handiwork.
"That'll do. Sokka, if you could…" she pulled her hair away from her face. Iroh and Zuko watched with interest. Sokka felt an ashamed and humble heat blaze on his face. He dipped his fingers in the mud and gently tilted her chin up. He noticed Zuko watching out of the corner of his eye and felt a little smug about the honor he had just been given. He traced a mask of cool brown around her closed eyes and placed a battle mark in the center of her forehead. Close was the ally who was chosen to paint the war markings on a water tribe warrior's face. The person who was selected to paint a Chieftain was given the highest honor. Sokka looked away as Lenara opened her eyes.
"Lenara, I…"
"Later, Sokka. Fight hard." She leaned the boomerang over her shoulder and walked alone to the head of the path. Zuko moved up beside Sokka and paused.
"Not a lick of fear in her, is there?"
"You're just learning that?"
"You care about her, don't you?" Zuko scrutinized the shabby peasant before him. Sokka didn't favor the Prince with eye contact.
"That's none of your concern."
"I suppose it's not." Sokka's gaze remained locked ahead, as if he wanted to see right through everything, but he spoke to his rival.
"Would you die for her?" Zuko nodded.
"Well, here's hoping you'll get your chance." Sokka continued up the path. Zuko hid his grin. The boy had a mean streak in him after all. Iroh joined Zuko.
"A rival for your girl, eh?"
"Hardly a challenge, Uncle."
"Any man willing to die for the one he loves is a worthy enough opponent. Someone who longs for the one thing his heart desires and is told he cannot have it fights the hardest." Zuko drew his sword as the Fire soldiers appeared up the path. He couldn't disagree with Uncle Iroh on that one. He wanted his place in the Fire Nation back and he was willing to give up almost anything to get it. Iroh drew his own sword. The soldiers, familiar with the concept of a Nubushi had their weapons ready and charged at the four warriors. The soldiers were shocked when the four, clearly outnumbered, shouted a loud, mixed battle cry and sprinted to meet them head on.