A/N: chapter 8! yay!... ok, I've said enough . Onto the story!

Chapter 8 - The Waterfall

"We need your help, Mako," Aang said.

"Oh, anything to help the Avatar! You're gonna destroy the fire nation, aren't you?"

"Um…" Aang said, surprised by such a direct question. "I guess…"

Mako grinned. "Okay."

Aang smiled uncertainly. "Okay. Where's Jet?"

"Oh, Jet's at the secret hideout. I'm not sure where that is; Chanz always brought me to it."

"Um, Chanz?"

"My brother. He knows where the hideout is. Do you know where I can find him?"

"No, I don't think I do," Aang replied.

"Are you sure?" Mako asked, becoming worried. "He was with me before."

"Don't worry. We'll find him," said Aang. "Are you sure that you don't know where the secret hideout is?"

"I know it's in the forest!" replied the young boy hopefully.

Aang stood up. This interrogation was going nowhere. "How are we gonna find them?" he asked Katara.

She looked at him, and then turned her attention to the Mako. "Hi, I'm Katara," she began. "Do you think that if we untied you, you could show us where you think the hideaway is?"

Mako nodded vigorously. "Anything to help the Avatar!" he exclaimed excitedly.

Katara, Aang, and Suki smiled. "Great!" Aang said, as Mai began to untie the boy. She hesitated, however, after she untied his legs.

"Do I untie his hands, too?" she asked skeptically. "Maybe it would be better to keep them tied… just in case."

Aang studied the boy for a moment. "I don't think he'd do anything, but if you think it's best…"

She did not untie his hands.

"I would never do anything to hurt the Avatar," Mako said sincerely.

"We know, Mako," Katara said. "It's just that, it's hard to trust anyone completely these days. But don't worry, everything is going to be fine." She smiled at him, causing him to return the grin.

"Okay," he said happily, as Mai helped him to his feet. The group traveled to the door leading out of the old house, then stepped out into the street. "Um…" he said, trying to remember where his brother had always led him. "I think it's this way." He guided them to the eastern side of town, then halted, looking around.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Suki asked him.

"I'm pretty sure," he replied. "I remember coming from the forest and seeing that cart over there."

"Okay, take your time," Katara said soothingly. "Where in the forest did you come from?"

"Um… that way," Mako said. He pointed to a large thicket of underbrush to their right. "We came through those." He led them past the bushes and into a small clearing.

"Now where?" Katara asked. Looking around, the only things visible were trees and purple flowers.

"There." Mako showed them a gap between two particularly large trees. As they walked through the opening, the sound of running water became faintly audible. As Mako heard it, his eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh! I remember where it is now!" he cried out excitedly.

"Great!" Aang exclaimed.

"It's this way," the young boy said, leading them deeper into the forest, past bigger and denser trees. "I remember now!" It was apparent from his voice that he was extremely proud of himself. "I can't wait to tell Chanz!" He beamed happily at Aang, and Aang returned the smile.

As the group traveled deeper and deeper into the forest, the sound of water steadily became louder, until it developed into a deafening roar. "This way!" Mako shouted over the thundering water. They broke through another thicket, much like the one they used to enter the forest. Immediately, a gigantic waterfall became visible straight ahead. "It's up there," the boy shouted again, pointing to the top of the cliff.

Everyone in the group looked up at the tumbling water with trepidation. Everyone, that is, except Aang and Mako. Aang, because he knew that with his airbending, climbing the precipice would be no problem. Mako, because he knew that traveling up the cliff wasn't as bad as it appeared to be at first sight. "Ready?" he asked lightly.

"Yup," Aang replied, opening his glider. He was preparing to airbend to the top, but stopped when he remembered that nobody else could do so. "Oh…. Right" he said, closing his glider.

"How do we get up?" Katara asked slowly.

"Right up those steps," Mako answered with a grin, pointing to a steep staircase. He stopped, however, when he saw Katara's face pale. "What's wrong? It's not that bad, I swear. The trick is not to—"

"No, it's not that," Katara replied.

"Don't worry, Katara," Aang said. "You won't fall."

"No! Look!"

Everyone looked up and gasped as a scream filled the air.

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