Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar, the Last Airbender, or any of its characters, except for the kids I made up. I own them. I have the title deed right here.

Sorry, no more clever disclaimers. I'm running dry. Here's the chapter.

Chapter 13: Regrets

"I don't see why we have to leave Shan-Yu today," Sokka complained. "We just got here." Ordinarily, he would've been the first to suggest leaving. But the Fire Nation did not know about Shan-Yu, and he couldn't see the threat of staying another day.

"It's safer," Mika answered quietly. "It's my fault...they're probably already searching the river next to Tenkay." She sighed deeply and felt her warm breath freeze as it escaped her. "It's my fault."

"Don't worry about it," Katara calmed. "We've faced Zuko before. We can face him again."

Mika swallowed and glanced at Appa. Their things were packed already and Appa was prepared to leave. "It's still my fault," she said faintly.

Silence fell over the camp and soon Appa and the travelers were in the air again.

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Zuko's ship had just landed on the shore of an area next to Meekoh, off any maps and unlike any area he had ever seen before. Proudly the ship's door was lowered to the sandy shore below and Zuko and his soldiers emerged.

The area seemed vacent, desolate. No one or nothing seemed to exist but the houses and large boulder over looking the water.

"Show yourselves!" Zuko yelled into the empty town. "We'll burn your city to the ground!" Still nothing. Zuko was getting angrier and angrier by the second. People lived here, he knew it. But where were they?

"Please, Prince Zuko, have patience." His uncle joined the army on the sandy beach. "The people of this town probably have no idea where the Avatar is."

"They do," Zuko answered calmly. "I can feel it..." There was a long silence after Zuko's words; everything waiting for what would happen next.

Suddenly Zuko screamed and pointed towards one of the huts. Flames burst from his palm and the house was set on fire.

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"Auntie...the study! They've burnt the study," Skya whispered to her Aunt. They had heard the ships, it was one of the postives of having feline blood in them. They had decided to hide in the high trees of Meekoh until the soilders would leave. "The study! Auntie...please...we have to do something. They'll burn the whole town! It isn't fair!"
With a quick motion of her hand, the old Earth Bender slapped Skya on the cheek. "Folish girl," her Aunt hissed. "You wish us to burn alive! Stop talking!"

Skya felt hot tears come down her cheeks as the tender scar from the slap stung. Her footing on the brance was growing loose. She hated hiding from those stronger than her. The Dragons had once laid seige to them and they had paid. If only these Fire Benders were of Dragon decent. Maybe then the same spell would work on them too.

The fire was spreading. Skya and the other inhabitants of Tenkay watched as their homes were destroyed. Til sobbed quietly on Skya's shoulder, his breaths short and staggering. Though she hated him sometimes, she knew it hurt him. He was still her brother and still young, he did not know the demands of war.

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"What's wrong?" Aang asked Mika's back. They had landed next to a creek, again. Katara still needed to teach Aang. Mika turned around from her stance and faced Aang.

"Nothing," she lied, rubbing the back of her neck. "I'm just...sleepy." Mika was thankful it was dark. Aang could not see the tears that had stained her face.

"You don't sound fine," Aang admitted. "Nothing's bothering you?"

Suprisingly, Mika sighed and sat down again, facing the river. "I don't want to talk about it, Avata--" She paused. "I don't want to talk about it, Aang."

"Come on...I'm sure it isn't that bad." He sat down next to Mika, crossing his legs and facing her.

"I don't want to talk about it," she repeated.

"Please?"
"No."

"Talking about it will make you feel better."

The night sky seemed darker than before, and Mika's face seemed to grow darker with it. "You don't want to know, Aang. Some things weren't meant to be shared." Her faced darkened again, each shadow overlapping the next.

"I think I can handle it," Aang said bluntly. He was the Avatar, after all. He had traveled into the spirit world before, and if that wasn't scary, he didn't know what was. "Please Mika, you're my teacher. I want to help you."

A flat silence covered the creek and the stars seemed to grow brighter. The darker shadows on Mika's face softened and she closed her eyes.

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Yeah Yeah...Cliff hanger. Not the best but not the worse. And yeah, something big is bothering Mika. No spoilers until next time! Enjoy the wait.