Fire Burns
Chapter 1
Aang looked up to see Katara and Sokka walking toward him and Toph, an anxious look on their faces. Toph, noticing their footsteps set the boulder she was about to through at Aang down. She turned to them and pointed her finger, "What do you need, we were in the middle of an important lesson. I was just about to make Twinkle Toes here juggle." she snickered at the thought of the air bender "juggling" five one ton boulders at once. "This had better be important."
With a thankful look to Katara and Sokka, Aang sat down on the gravel-strewn ground. "Why do you look so worried? Is Azula or Zuko near?" Aang shuddered at their last experience with the evil sister of the obsessed banished prince. He never wanted to see someone, even Zuko's uncle hit with lightning ever again. He looked up to Katara, waiting for an answer. Finally one was given.
"Umm… no neither is near, that we know of. The problem is that we had no food or supplies until we reach Ba-Sing Sei. We went to find a village and restock, but when we got there we found this." Katara handed the sheet of paper over to the air bender. Aang unrolled it and was not startled when he saw a wanted poster of him.
"But Katara, I've already seen this."
"Read it first."
Aang read the words on the side out loud, "Wanted: The Avatar by the fire lord…. But I've seen this already."
"Read the last lines then." said Sokka.
"…Wanted for high treason against the Fire Nation and the kidnapping of a girl of a noble earth kingdom family. In company of the avatar are two water tribe peasants, one a water bender female, the other a tribe warrior who is not very dangerous. Reward for capture of all is $500,000 (or whatever it is). Avatar and earth kingdom girl wanted alive. Water tribe peasants can be either dead or alive." Aang looked up at the two water tribe siblings anxiously at the last part. The earth bender gasped quietly when she heard she was wanted also. "This is not good," sighed Aang.
Turning toward Sokka, Katara said, "But Sokka has a plan."
Sokka, knowing now was his time to speak, explained, "First we go into a village and find earth kingdom clothes to wear for a disguise, Toph can wear what she is wearing if she wants to. Then we get two ostrich-horses and ride them to Ba-Sing Sei. Katara and Toph will ride one, Aang and I will ride the other. We should get to the capital in a week if we travel quickly and in the night when no one will recognize us." Sokka looked very proud of himself till Katara elbowed him in the stomach. Aang snickered slightly under his breath as Sokka's pride diminished.
"I think that's a good idea, but where will we get the money for all of this or are we just going to steal everything?" Toph asked from on top of the boulder she had set down, her blind eyes looking off into the distance. "I mean, I won't cost much for the clothes but ostrich-horses are expensive, and it will be hard to just walk right into the next village looking like, well, ourselves. Someone is bound to recognize us."
Katara nodded her head in agreement and said, "Toph's right, we can't just go waltzing into the next village undisguised. Plus, we have no money to buy anything, unless we want to work which could be dangerous if they were to recognize us. Toph and I can go into the village and barter clothes for us three then try to find some kind of job that doesn't involve making us stand out. Then we will come back and change into our disguises and return to work."
With his pride hurt, Sokka said sarcastically, "Or we could just steal everything." With that comment, he was rewarded with another elbow in the gut.
"I like Katara's plan. Sokka and I will wait here till you come back with clothes. We'll get lunch ready." Aang said as he stood up and walked over to the supply bags. Shuffling through them he found the bag of coins that was kept there, it was very light. He tossed them over to Katara, "See what you can do with this. Don't be too long or we'll get worried, right Sokka?"
Sokka nodded his agreement and went back to work on starting a fire with much cursing.
"We'll be back by night fall at the latest. Come on Toph, let's go shopping." Katara grasped the earth benders hand and began dragging her away. Toph muttered under her breath something about not wanting to go, especially with Sugar Queen.
Aang watched them go, thinking about his beloved bison who was stolen from him not too long ago. A tear trickled down his cheek and he hurriedly wiped it away before Sokka saw. They would get Appa, and soon. Momo flew out of the trees and landed on Aang's shoulder, providing the comfort he needed at that moment.