-1Haya Forest

CH 22

It was mid day the group arrived at the forest Haya, everyone stood and gazed deep with in the forest and a small pit of dread appeared in each of their stomachs. The forest seemed darker than any other forest on the island, it was as dark as night for the trees were close together at the top light could not shine through the trees. The grass seemed dry and lifeless as though it had been dead for weeks along with wild life the forest stood silently. Cho lead everyone into the forest but walked slowly and cautiously constantly looking around as if expecting a attack. Everyone followed her lead and looked around and seeing nothing. " What's up with this place, it doesn't seem like any forest I've been to?" Sokka asked, Cho didn't answer at first, after checking the surroundings again did she turn to answer him. "Because this forest is dead. Everything here is dead. This is where the ghouls came from, killing anything that was here, human, animal anything that had life in it. Even the plants seem to be slowly dieing off, not sure why, they lived in the past despite the lack of light. But everyone must remain alert, ghouls have been sighted here more than anywhere else on Tsuta and no one knows what's all here anymore." Cho explained, Everyone seemed to jump on to their toes after her warning causing a group wide paranoia of any sound hear.

As time passed the group slowly made their way through the forest fighting only one or two ghouls off at a time no real danger for a group of armed warriors and benders. The forest seemed to have been closing in on everyone as the trees seemed to be getting closer making it harder to fight off ghouls. Moaning sounds could be heard through out the forest and they never seem to change distance, always sound like they were not but a couple yards away but no one there. Everyone seemed to huddle together trying to make it through the trees not wanting to be left behind not even by a feet. Their skin crawled and hearts pounded felt like everyone could hear the pounding. As the group made it near the center of the forest Katara couldn't help but notice looks of worry on Aang's face, not from the forest but like something else was bothering him. Every time she asked him he would put on one of his famous care free smiles and say it was nothing. "Look over there!" Kin yelled, everyone jumped in shock and turned toward the direction Kin was pointing and seeing a small shack. "You scared us half to death for that!" Zuko yelled along with everyone glaring at him, Kin looked down nervously and stepped back a foot or two. "Well we were looking for a building and that must be it and it doesn't look that damage just…. Really old. I'm surprised that it's still standing after all this time." Iroh said, The group ran towards the building, not only hoping for answers but mostly for safety, shadowy figures seemed to be moving around through the bushes but never towards them.

The building was small, made only to fit about 3-4 people, a fight broke out about who got to go inside, the end result Cho, Zuko, Aang, Iroh, and Katara. Cho because she lead them there and fig their guide needed to be safe to lead them out, Zuko was her body guard so he went where she went, Iroh being the smartest one there and could probably understand anything they found better than anyone else, Aang because he felt he could find something that would help (Mainly him) fight the demons, and Katara because she felt she might need to protect Aang and in some way prove to her self that she could help Aang out more than what her fake mother said. Kin and Sokka waited out side cursing under their breaths to the unfairness of the situation. Aang, Iroh, Cho, Katara and Zuko search the small shack looking for any thing that would help them. The shack was designed of one room, a bed, chairs, a table and a small place for a fire in the center of the room. Inside was covered in dust and cobwebs, spiders hung in their webs eyeing the group as they cleared the webbing away. A few peaces of furniture filled the room with a few piles of books stacked on a table. Each book was about something religious or demonic, truly used for research but as Iroh looked through them nothing of use could be found. Aang and Cho looked the room over trying to find a secret compartment or something but none could be found. Zuko sat down in a chair starting to give up hope. "Theirs nothing here, this was a waste of time!" he thought out loud, but as he leaned back in the chair he notice a lump in the cushion and got up to see what it was. It was a small journal written by both the monk and the priestess. "Hey I found something!" Zuko yelled, Everyone ran to him including Kin and Sokka who stood out side the window. Zuko handed the book to his uncle and watched as Iroh schemed through it gazing over what was in the book. " Waste of time huh? Sit some where else maybe you'll find something else." Sokka sarcastically said, Zuko went to slam the window in his face but was cut off by Katara standing in front of him with her arms crossed giving him a hurt my brother and ill make sure you never have kids look. Zuko leaded against the wall and said nothing. "Anything sir!" Kin yelled, Iroh didn't answer he kept looking through the journal trying to locate something. "Well!" everyone said at once, Iroh tore himself away from the journal at looked at everyone with a smile. " I think this will help, it looks like a detailed log of the entire experience here in these pages. This should help us find out where Ronin is and what he can do." said Iroh "then how about we get out of here keep feeling like were being watched?" asked Sokka, everyone agreed and hurried out of the shack and through the woods. But to their dismay they were being watched and shadowy figures seemed to comb the way they entered the forest, each one craving the taste of human flesh.

The group hurried on through the forest noticing their were no ghouls around this time and that was starting to make people edgy. "Hey any ideas why there are no ghouls attacking us? I mean when we got here we had to fight a few and now there are none." asked Kin, "They probably know it's a waste of time because the others were hacked up!" Zuko yelled back, no seemed to agree with him and that only made everyone run faster. The sounds of moans were starting up again but this time loader and more in number as figure could be seen in the distance not running towards them but running in the same direction or behind them. "I see something over there… no now there… everywhere I thought these things weren't smart?" Katara yelled, "Their not! If they do something that seems smart its because someone is telling them what to do!" Cho yelled back, Cho was brought to a halt when she bumped into Zuko who bumped into Aang causing everyone to bump into each other. "What are you doing lets go!" Cho yelled, Zuko didn't answer, only pull out his swords and get into a battle stance same with Aang. Everyone looked ahead of them and saw a few ghouls standing in front of them then turned around and saw a few ghouls behind them as well. "Well looks like this won't be easy after all." Sokka whispered to everyone. Zuko merely looked at him and laughed at his fear. "Why's that we can handle a few ghouls. Don't be a wimp." said Zuko, "Hey I only meant that we might break a sweat now that's all." "You'll probably break more than that." "What!" Zuko and Sokka argued, but were hushed at the sound of laughter coming from the distance and closing in. "You look so frustrated don't tell me you thought you could walk around and not get killed such foolish humans no wonder your kind are about to die out." said Zinan, as he walk into the group of ghouls everyone was now cursing under their breaths now wishing the listened to Leiko. "I see you have something there old man what is it?" asked Zinan, Iroh tried to hide the book in his sleeve as he drew his sword. "Oh a recipe book about oh to improve jinsan tea would you care to go have some?" Iroh sarcastically answered, Zinan smiled at the joke not really caring about the book. "I think I'm going to enjoy watching you die a little more now and causing some pain to others." he said turning to Aang as he was finishing and grinning, Aang took a nervous gulp and prepared to fight.

"Enough talk you going to fight or what!" Zuko barked at him, Everyone turned in shock to Zuko thinking he was nuts. "Of course were going to fight but why so egger you know you can't beat me… or is that the reason you want to prove you can beat or hurt me? Ha, what ignorance but alright lets get started." Zinan said, " Yeah well what about that spike that's missing from your elbow that's was Aang that did that remember?" Sokka yelled, "I said hurt me and that didn't hurt." corrected Zinan, everyone got their weapons out and despite the look on their faces they were looking desperately for a way out and Zuko stood in front of Cho assuming his roll as her body guard which she didn't complain about. The ghouls charged at them one at a time each attacking one member of the group. Aang used his wind bending to create a small tornado around the group causing the ghouls to be picked up letting everyone to cut their heads off while the were swung helplessly in the air. At this moment Zinan charged through the small/ weak tornado, grabbed Aang and through him away from the group and leapt after him. Once the tornado died down the ghouls attack, Zuko lit a small stream of fire in front of him and Cho the shot straight up in to their faces blinding them momentarily. He and Cho then started swinging their swords around cutting their heads off each time noticing each other. Kin and Iroh did the same thing but instead of setting the ground on fire they shot the ghouls eyes. Sokka and Katara were having the most trouble for they were being over run and had their backs against some trees. Sokka swung his ax form side to side trying to make a opening and once he did he rolled on the ground and threw his boomerang hitting the ghouls but causing no damage and looking on at them with a clueless face. Katara swung wildly trying to do the same but a ghoul caught her blade and threw her to the ground. She then used the water in her cantina and created the water wimp smacking the ghouls in the face and doing no damage. She stood dumb folded as a ghoul grabbed her from behind and forcing her to the ground again. "Help Aang, someone help!" She screamed holding the ghouls mouth inches away from her. She looked over to where Aang was and saw him losing due to the vast amount of trees and not being able to move as freely, Zinan on the other hand plowed through the trees and swing at him madly. Katara turned her attention back to her self as her could not longer hold the monster off her until three blades shot straight into the ghouls skull and rolled it off her. She looked up to see Kin standing above her trying to help he while holding back another ghouls. Katara notice a small knife on his side and pulled it out then stabbed to ghoul that attacked him in the skull. Kin then feel to his knees to catch his breath. Thanks I owe you one." Katara said, "Don't think I'll be here to collect sadly." Kin whispered, Katara didn't understand until she saw blood flowing down his arm, he was bit. "Oh no Kin how?" she asked, "One snuck up behind me before I came to help you." he answered,

The burst of wind caught their attention as they saw Aang being thrown to the ground and Zinan placing his foot on top of Aang's chest. Kin looked over and saw what was happening and couldn't let anyone but the fire nation defeat the Avatar. "Hang on Avatar Zuko Still needs to bring you to the fire lord!" Kin yelled as he charged at them, "Wait don't he'll kill you! Kin stop!" Katara yelled in vein, Kin leapt at the giant demon managing to push him off the Avatar now standing between them. Aang looked up to see who saved him but found he couldn't, the wind was knocked out of him. " Not a smart move human. Do you wish not to become a ghoul so bad that you would rather die by my hands in a slow death? Zinan asked, Kin brought his claw out in front of him showing he was serious. "Anything's better than that lets go I got nothing left to live for." Kin charged at the demon jumping from side to side trying to confuse the monster until he got with in a foot and rolled between his legs and started to attack his back. Zinan tried to turn and attack but each turn kin turned the other way staying out of his reach. Zinan grew angry and started to punch tree after tree until large branches fell causing Kin to trip and fall. Zinan finally was facing him and brought his foot down to crush him but Kin rolled to the side and shot large blasts of flames at the demon inculpating him in fire. Before the flames could part Zinan charged out of the fire and punch Kin in the gut sending flying into a tree. As he laid there a ghoul came around and bite his shoulder cause Kin to scream in pain. This caught Zuko's attention and as he saw that Kin was in trouble he look upon them in horror and began to run to his aid not wanting to lose anyone else but as he tried Zinan threw a large tree branch at him. Zuko ducked and rolled dodging it but now it went straight for Cho. Cho tried to duck but as she turned and noticed, it hit her and smacked her into a tree. When Zuko saw this he couldn't decide what to do he wanted to help both but as he turned again he saw Kin attacking the demon again and this time getting a beating. As Cho sat their on the ground dazed a ghoul started to come towards her this caused Zuko to run like mad to her and doing a flying kick into the ghoul sending it several feet away and bent down to Cho's side. "Are you ok?" Cho nodded and tried to get up, Zuko then notice her arm was bleeding, a large part of skin had been torn from where the tree branch hit her.

Sokka saw Kin losing and Aang slowly getting up and ran to help them. Kin was on his knees, blood flowing from his gut, his head and both arms, slowly bleeding to death. Several bones through out his body were broken but he still tried to fight, Zinan picked him up and dragged him to a tree that had sharp broken branches. Kin tried to stab the demon only to have his efforts wasted as he couldn't penetrate the demons rock sick. Sokka reached Aang and tried to help him but then watched as the demon slammed Kin into a sharp branch until it stuck right through his stomach causing Kin to dangle in the air. Aang and Sokka were filled with rage causing both to charge at him. Zinan threw a large branch at them hitting Aang but Sokka jumped it and started to swung wildly at the demon. Zinan smiled and punched Sokka hard enough to the gut to knock in unconscious and picked him up and walked to Aang and stood over him ."Listen Avatar I'm taking your friend, if you want him alive again go to the stream north of your village in 7 hours. Come alone or he dies." Zinan said, he smack Aang to the ground and walking away. "No wait! Come back and fight!" yelled Aang as he tried to get up. Once Zinan left the ghouls ran off leaving the group with exhausted and weak.. Katara saw Aang staggering to stand and couldn't find her brother. "Aang are you ok? Where's Sokka?" Katara asked helping Aang to his feet, Aang never looked her in the face, only towards the ground and starting to cry. "Aang what happen?" she asked again, "He's gone Zinan took him.

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Not good, ok taking bets on weather Sokka dies or not come on 6 to 1 odds lol