Sorry I haven't been writing… I hope to make it up to you all soon.

I don't own Avatar, I don't own Roku, the earth kingdom, the fire kingdom… or pretty much anything else in this story…

Part Five: Dragon Whiskers

Roku scrambled up the side of the dragon. He didn't remember it being nearly this hard the last time… but then again, last time his biggest worry was dying. This time, his biggest worry was dying of humiliation.

"Don't take off until I'm ready, alright?" he said to the beast. The dragon gave a great, impatient sigh in reply.

"Yes, he is quite a whiner, isn't he?" Quan said.

"Master!" Roku whined.

"I only speak the truth," Quan taunted in sing-song.

Roku gave his master a look of venom, which Quan returned with and innocent smile. "I just wish I understood how to stand on this thing…" he muttered.

Without warning, one of the dragon's great whiskers seemed to get a mind of its own. Roku watched it with wide eyes as it slithered up to meet him. He stepped away from it, "Master! What is it doing?" he shrieked.

Quan simply chuckled, "Why don't you stand still and find out?"

"What if it tries to strangle me?" he yelled, continuing his back step down the dragons back.

"Then you'll be much more trusting of animals as an airbender," Quan said.

"That's not funny!"

"I thought it was," Quan smirked. "You must lean to trust your dragon, Roku. He will be the greatest protector of your life. But he can't save you until you stop suspecting him of attempted murder."

Roku stopped, but not because of his master "comforting" words. He had now reached the dragons wings and could go back any farther without tripping. He closed his eyes and turned his head away from the odd whisker, but soon it found his forehead and gently touched his skin. An explanatory image began in his head. It showed him a spot behind the dragon's great horns the seemed to be flat, easier to stand on then the constantly shifting muscles of the back. It also explained that the rope tied around the horns was useless, and that he should hold onto the stretch of bone between the horns. The images then stopped, and the whisker returned to its normal position.

Roku blinked. Unsure of what had happened, he walked forward and untied the ropes from the dragon's horns. Whoever had tied them there in the first place must have been as clueless as he was. He then threw the rope onto the deck and firmly gripped the dragon. "I'm ready," he told it.

The great beast raised its wings and took off powerfully. Roku felt the wind around him, but it seemed to be less intense now that he wasn't farther down the creatures unprotected back. He still felt nauseous, unprotected, but the feeling of impending doom had been lifted.