Book One:
Water
Chapter Eleven:
The Great Divide
I was holding back laughter.
Sokka had been trying to put up the tent for the better part of half an hour, and while it was upright, it wasn't finished. It sagged in the middle and kept leaning to one side. I was tempted to help my friend, but watching him was too funny.
"Umm aren't you forgetting the tarp?" Katara asked as she came back from collecting wood for the campfire.
"Right. Got it." Sokka stood to his feet and chucked the still rolled up tarp into the tent.
Katara frowned "Sokka you're supposed to put the tarp on top of the tent. You know, so we don't get rained on."
I snorted. You didn't have to put the tarp on top of the tent. Sure you could, for it was meant to keep any rain out of the tent, but you didn't have to. It was a good precaution to put the tarp up encase it rained, but there wasn't a rule that said you had to.
"Ordinary you'd be right. But seeing as it's the dry season you're not." Sokka said as he knelt to tighten on of knots that held the tent into the ground "Besides that tarp makes a pretty warm blanket."
I sighed, seeing the Water Tribe girl's annoyed expression. Why did I get the feeling this was going to turn into an argument?
"But what if it does rain?"
"What if it doesn't? Then I would've put the tarp up for nothing." Katara stomped her foot, childishly I might add, stating her brother was infuriating but Sokka smirked: "Katara why don't you worry about gathering the firewood, because that kindling's looking pretty sorry."
Yeah, this was going to turn into an argument, I could see it. I got to my feet, where I had sat cross-legged after finishing my meditating, ready to intervene on the oncoming sibling spat.
"Well if you don't like my firewood!" The younger threw the kindling at her brother. I deflected some furious twigs heading my way with my airbending, giving Katara a scowl.
"Fine by me! If you're not gonna do your job!" then Sokka pulled down the tent.
The two Water Tribe siblings stood glaring at each other. I huffed "Both of you stop it! Fighting won't solve a-anything!"
They ignored me.
"Ok I got the grub if you guys got the…" the two siblings turned from each other, arms crossed "Hey where the campfire, and what happened to the tent?"
"Why don't you ask Miss Know it All, Queen of the Twigs?" Sokka quipped
"Sokka." I scolded, and again I was ignored.
Katara whipped around then "Oh yeah? Well, you're Mr Lazy bum King of the…" Katara threw another branch at her brother, barely missing me before I dodged it "Tents!"
I shook my head, and said to my fellow peace-loving Airbender in a fed up tone "All they've done for p-past five minutes is f-fight."
Aang laughed before putting down the food he had gathered "Ok listen, guys, harsh words won't solve problems, action will. Why don't you just switch jobs?"
The siblings seemed to agree with that solution and went about fulfilling their new jobs with not a word of protest.
"You see that? Settling feuds and making peace all in a day's work for the avatar."
I laughed and jogged Aang with my elbow "You totally s-stole that l-line from Gyatso. Remember? He used to say to us when we would fight."
Aang grinned "Oh yeah. Wasn't that the time that Choden snuck into your room and stole your journal and you blamed me for it?"
I huffed, fighting a smile "In my defence, he also stole your glider and you b-blamed me, for that."
Aang crossed his arms, pouting, making me laugh. After a while, he joined me, before a groan from Appa and a chirp from Momo sounded. The two animals were arguing over a large melon.
Raiu was above such things, in my opinion anyway, for he didn't get involved in his animal companions' fighting, and came to rest curled up around my neck. Aang intervened splitting the melon into two, the bigger half going to Appa.
To which Momo let out an almost cat-like meow of compliant "Come on Momo that's fair. Appa's got five stomachs."
Raiu let out a huff, which was reminiscent of an exhale of annoyance. I let out a laugh.
0o0
"There it is guys. The Great Divide."
The next day took to one of the most amazing places I had ever been to. The last I had been here was with the Air Scouts a hundred or so years ago. It had impressed me then, and it still impressed me now.
"Wow. I could just stare at it forever." Katara was equally astounded.
"Ok I've seen enough," Sokka's comment made me snort. Typical of him. Katara asked him how he could not be fascinated by the largest canyon in the world, to which he replied: "Then I'm sure we'll be able to see it very clearly from the air while we fly away."
I opened my mouth to retort when I was sent flying by something knocking into me.
"Hey if you're looking for canyon guide I was here first."
I would have hit the ground face first if Sokka didn't have his fast reflexes and grabbed my arms to hold me steady. I sent a scowl to the man who had spoken and knocked into me. So rude.
"Oooh, canyon guide sounds informative," Katara stated, interested.
"Believe me he's more than a tour guide, he's an earthbender," Sokka slipped behind the man, and began to make funny faces, mimicking him as the man continued "And the only way in and out of the canyon is with his help, and he's taking my tribe across next."
My choked laughter caught the stately dressed man's attention, causing him to turn and almost catch Sokka making fun of him before the Water Tribe boy straightened his face.
"Calm down we know you're next."
The man scowled "You wouldn't be calm if the Fire Nation burned your home and forced you to flee. My whole tribe has to walk thousands of miles to the capital city of Ba-Sing-Se." Katara shocking said that he was a refugee and the man crossed his arms in a huff "Tell me something I don't know."
I opened my mouth "You're a very r-rude, obnoxious-" I didn't get the rest out because Sokka put his hand over my mouth, snorted in amusement, but saving me from causing an argument.
Soon there was the sound of multiple footsteps, and I heard it from quite far off, as did Aang. Seems we had company.
A group of roughly dressed men and women, in red and brown furs and messy, unkempt hair showed up.
"Is that your tribe?" the younger girl asked the rude man.
I rolled my eyes. The rude man was dressed smartly and was exceptionally clean, hair all neat and tidy, and his goatee trimmed. His light cream and dark yellow robes had not a tear or stain on them. In short, he looked nothing like the people making their way over now.
"It most certainly is not. That's the Zhang Tribe, a bunch of lowlife thieves. They've been the enemies of my tribe for a hundred years." He scowled, and then gave a whistle to gain the other group's attention as they stopped "Hey Zhangs I'm saving a spot for my tribe so don't even think of stealing it."
A tough burly woman whom I guessed to be the leader, leaned in the rude man's face, causing him to lean back "Where are the rest of the Gan Jin? Still tidying up their campsite?" the tone the women spoke it was meant to cause insult.
"Yes, but they sent me ahead of them to hold a spot."
The women crossed her arms "I didn't know the canyon guide took reservations."
The man from the Gan Jin tribe snorted "Of course you didn't. That's the ignorance I'd expect from a messy Zhang. So unorganized and ill-prepared for a journey." That caused a round of shouting annoyance from the other group.
The others and I shared helpless looks.
The earth started to quake then, and I grabbed Sokka's arm to keep myself from falling. The Water Tribe boy held onto to me to steady himself as well. Rocks cleared and there in the gap that he had created was an old earthbending man.
"Sorry about the wait youngsters. Who's ready to cross this here canyon?" he asked in a rough and tumble tone, gesturing to the said canyon behind him.
Katara pointed to the rude man and the other group "Uh one of them I think?"
The lonesome man rushed over "I was here first my parties' on their way."
The canyon guide smiled good-naturedly as he explained: "I can't guide people who aren't here."
The Zhang leader stepped forward "Guess you guys will have to make the trip tomorrow."
"Wait here they come!"
And there they were, as cleanly and tidily dressed as the rude man, with not a stray hair or smudge of dirt in sight.
The Zhang leader wasn't happy. The canyon guide didn't want to get involved for he stumbled over an answer when the women asked if he was going to take Gan Jin's over them.
Then an argument started over how the Zhang's had sick people, and the Gan Jin had old people and each was more important than the other, and the Zhangs would have so many sick if they cleaned themselves more often, and the Gan Jin wouldn't be so old if they weren't so prissy and got dirty now and again.
The whole thing gave me a headache. The shouting got so loud I covered my ears, and Sokka sent me a sympathetic look, for he clearly didn't like being stuck in the middle of all this either.
Katara asked our Avatar if he was ready to put his peacemaking skills to the test, to which my surrogate little brother shrugged and said a fight over chores was one thing but these groups had been fighting for a hundred years and it was different.
Katara then stepped forward, despite my trying to stop her from drawing attention to us, and pointed Aang out as the Avatar and that he would come up with a solution to make everyone happy, and the two groups turned to us.
"Uh, you could share the earthbender and travel together," Aang suggested.
Another argument broke out and I covered my ears again. I was an Airbender and was known as one of the very few who had the supersensitive hearing the more powerful masters were known for, so all this shouting was hurting me.
Aang lost his temper then "All right here the deal! You're all going down together and Appa here will fly your sick and elderly across. Does that seem fair?"
Finally, the two groups agreed on something.
I almost wanted to moan. This was going to be a long few days.
0o0
"Aang this feuding tribe stuff is serious business. Are you sure it's a good idea getting involved in this." Sokka asked as Aang reassured his flying bison.
"To tell the truth? I'm not sure," then the younger Airbender smiled "But when have I ever been?"
"He's the Avatar Sokka. Making peace between people is his job." Katara defended.
Sokka looked at the canyon an unimpressed look on his face "His job's gonna make us cross this whole thing on foot isn't it?"
I snorted out a laugh "Of course it is."
The canyon guide gained out attention then and said that there were a few rules we had to abide by.
Rule one was there was no food allowed in the canyon because it would attract dangerous creatures. Protests were made, and the earthbender mocked them for being like babies, not being able to go without food for a day, and said it was almost time to leave and all food had better be eaten or thrown in the trash.
Aang sent Appa off, and soon we were making our way down into the canyon.
"It's gonna be a long d-day," I said to Sokka.
He nodded "Oh yeah."
0o0
The guide was telling us how the Great Divide was formed, and I was fascinated.
Such history. I had always been a history fanatic, as proven by my ability to get as lost in my books and scrolls as I had the other day in that red forest. Apparently, according to our guide, the Great Divide was formed by earth spirits who were angry for not receiving a proper sacrifice from local farmers.
A rock slide came hurling towards and the earthbender bent it away and then said with a laugh "Guess the spirits are still angry. Hope you all brought sacrifices."
I smirked at Sokka and said to Katara "What a c-crazy man." She laughed and nodded in assent.
Once we were down in the canyon, the guide destroyed the bridge he made, and Aang asked him why. The guide said it was to reassure the two groups he was leading, they were scared of the Fire Nation following them down, and without an earthbender to remake the bridge they couldn't.
The guide was suddenly snatched up by something, hidden in the dust. Aang and I used our bending to clear it away, and there was a bug-like creature before us. Sokka's thrown boomerang caused the creature to let the man go.
Then the creature turned its attention to us.
Katara whipped it with a shot of water, distracting it from chasing her brother, and I blasted it with air to distract it from going after her. It lunged and I threw myself out of the way before Aang knocked it back.
Aang created a small whirling tornado and sent the creature flying into the canyon wall, where it disappeared into a crack. Thankfully it was over.
"You all right?" Sokka asked, helping me up.
"Y-Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Y-You?"
He smiled "I'm good."
The guide's arms were broken, which meant he couldn't bend. Which meant as Aang suddenly said in fear and dread.
"We're trapped in this canyon."
I gulped "Say it, w-we're doomed."
Sokka looked to me "We're doomed."
0o0
"I thought the whole point of ditching our food was so we wouldn't have to deal with things like canyon crawlers," Sokka said, once the shock had worn off.
Once again an argument broke between the two enemy tribes. The Gan Jin leader blamed the Zhangs, and the Zhang leader pointed the finger at the Gan Jins. It seemed like it was all one big argument with these people.
Aang tried to intervene, but he was interrupted. The Zhang leader refused to travel another step with the Gan Jin, and the Gan Jin said the same. The guide wasn't unhelpful with his mutterings about not wanting to become part of the food chain.
As if I wasn't terrified enough being trapped down here, the earthbender had to go and say that.
More harsh words were exchanged.
"Enough!"
"That's enough!"
Both Aang and I ordered, tempers truly lost now.
"I thought I could help you guys get along but I guess that's not gonna happen." The younger Airbender leapt on top of a large rock pillar then to gain their attention "We should split up, Gan Jins on this side and Zhangs on that side. We'll travel in two separate lines."
There was agreement, and the Gan Jins went right and the Zhangs went left. Sokka was to go with the Zhangs, and Katara with the Gan Jins to see if they could find out what started the feud.
Soon it was just me, Aang, Momo and Raiu.
0o0
"So you guys aren't gonna put your tarps?" The Water Tribe boy asked
"What for, it's the dry season?" The Zhang's leader replied, and Sokka couldn't have looked more satisfied "Besides we like to use the tarp as a blanket."
"Finally someone gets it."
He was smiling and sent a smug look in the Gan Jin's camp direction.
0o0
Over in the other tribe's camp, things were going just as smoothly for Katara.
"You really think it will rain?"
The Gan Jin leader gave a smile behind his long white beard "No, but you can never be too careful, right?"
Katara beamed.
0o0
"Would you care for some bread Katara?"
All the Gan Jins were eating, pulling bags of bread and rolls of bread out of their sleeves and robes. Katara was astounded.
"So it was you guys who had food."
The leader scoffed "Oh come now you really think that tribe of thieves isn't smuggling food? Why should my people go hungry when the sneaky Zhangs are stuffing their faces?"
She hesitated for a moment "Well…I guess it's ok if everyone's doing it." She bit into the bread, letting out a sigh of appreciation "So why does your tribe hate the Zhangs so much?"
"You seem like a smart girl Katara, I'm sure you would enjoy hearing some history."
The leader began the tale, drawing the Water Tribe girl in.
"The patriarch of our tribe Jin Wei was an earthbender warrior who was assigned an important duty transporting our sacred orb from the great eastern gate to the great western gate. Taking the orb from the east to the west represents the sun's rising and setting. It was our tribe's ancient redemption ritual. But as he approached the gate Jin Wei was attacked by one of the Zhang, a vermin named Wei Jin who looked at the orb with envy. That coward Wei Jin knocked Jin Wei to the ground and stole our sacred orb."
Katara was riveted, as the leader's eyes closed in remembrance before a frown settled upon his face "Our people have never forgotten. You can never trust a Zhang."
Katara gave a scowl in the other camp direction.
0o0
Sokka was happily munching on some meat the Zhang leader had offered him in the Zhang camp.
The leader stared into the fire "I know what you must be thinking. We're horrible for endangering everybody for bringing food down here." Sokka hummed "The Gan Jins think so badly of us they probably assumed we brought food in and decided to bring food in themselves. That's why we brought food in."
Sokka hummed as devoured the meat in his hands.
"Our conflict with Gan Jin goes back a hundred years."
The leader looked away, before without prompting began the story of their feud with the other tribe.
"Our forefather Wei Jin was leaving the western gate of our village when he saw a figure in the distance. It was a man of the Gan Jin tribe Jin Wei. Collapsed on the ground, noble Wei Jin stopped to help him. Jin Wei was transporting a sacred orb, a very powerful relic used in his tribe's redemption ritual. Wei Jin tried to tend to the man's wounds but Jin Wei insisted the orb was more important and asked him to take it back to his tribe. Kind Wei Jin promised to send help for the man as soon as he could, but as Wei Jin crossed the border to return the orb into Gan Jin territory? He was arrested! Instead of thanking him for his kind and selfless deed, they sentenced him to twenty long years in prison."
The Zhang leader scowled, eyes narrowed "We Zhangs will never forget that injustice."
"That's just terrible." Sokka spoke, elbows on his knees, hands hanging "You gonna finish that?"
The leader took a bite of the meat, and Sokka deflated.
0o0
"Sure would be nice to be around of those campfires. Telling stories and laughing."
I ignored Aang's melancholy words. Honestly, it was just one night. Yes they still had no clue as to how they would get out the canyon with the guide's earthbending, and yes they were all hungry for having gone without food, but it was just one night and soon it would be over.
"Don't worry Momo we'll be outta here soon enough." Aang reassured his lemur "Then we'll eat our weight in leechee nuts." Momo lunged out for a bug, and began to nibble at it, before holding a paw out to Aang "Nah I'll wait for the leechee nuts."
I laughed, shaking my head.
"It's lonely, isn't it? Being impartial." The guide's voice spoke as he hobbled over to them.
"I wish I could help these people get along, but it just seems impossible." The older man lay down against the rock at Aang's side "Anyhow I guess our biggest problem is getting out of here."
"I'm not so sure the two problems are unrelated," the man retorted, expression thoughtful before settling down to sleep.
Aang looked unsure and upset. I laid down myself, Raiu cuddling up close in my arms as I relaxed on my side "Don't worry Aang, things will work out."
My friend didn't look convinced but he too lay down to sleep.
0o0
By mid-afternoon, we were finally on the other side.
I let out a sigh of relief, as Sokka and Katara came into view along with the Zhangs and Gan Jin who came together after having been split. I leapt across the rocks, to Aang's side, where he stood elevated on a sloping rock cliff, as he asked our two friends if the two groups could work together long enough to get out of the canyon.
Katara didn't look pleased "I don't think so Aang. The Zhangs really wronged the Gan Jin. They ambushed Jin Wei and stole the sacred orb."
I was confused, and I wasn't the only one. Aang didn't understand either and asked the girl what she was talking about.
Sokka crossed his arms "Yeah Katara what are you talking about? Wei Jin didn't steal the orb he was returning it their village gate and was wrongfully punished by the Gan Jin."
Katara huffed, arms crossed before levelling her brother with a displeased expression "Not punished enough if you ask me."
I sighed and resisted rolling my eyes. I was so not in the mood to be privy to another sibling spat between the two Water Tribe members. I was tired, hungry and cranky to boot, and all this fighting wasn't helping matters.
Aang agreed as he held a hand out to stop them continuing "Ok, ok I get it! Now I need your help. Let's get everyone together at the base of the canyon wall." He flew off.
I snapped out my glider's yellow wings and followed him.
0o0
Aang was calling for order, but I knew it wasn't going to work.
He asked them to be patient and that the sooner they worked together, the sooner we could get out of this place, and the sooner we could eat something. I knew as soon as Aang asked for them to put their heads together to find them all a way out, I knew it was going to end in another fight.
The Gan Jin leader stepped forwards, hands on hips, before insulting the other tribe by saying the Zhangs could climb out with their long fingernails. And of course, the Zhang leader had to respond in kind with some confusing jibe about how being unclean was a crime worth twenty years in prison.
I heaved out a groan of frustrated and was about ready to tear my hair out.
Katara and Sokka were even dumb enough to join in the argument and shouting that followed. I covered my ears. All this noise, not even at home at the Air Temple when the boys had been their rowdiest was it this painfully loud.
Aang gave me a concerned look as I whined at the pain in my ears before he shouted himself silencing them all "Guys focus! How many times do I how to say it? Harsh words won't solve problems, action will!"
I covered my eyes with a moan of defeat. I knew the tribe's would take my friend's words the wrong way. And they did.
They drew swords and began to clash swords.
Aang tried to intervene before it went too far, nervously saying that harsh words would be better after all but he was ignored. The fight continued for several minutes before they pushed each other back. The Gan Jin's leader's beard had been given a trim and the Zhang's leader had one of her buns cut off.
I took a big step back, as the two grew more incensed.
"Aang?" I questioned him.
I may have been the older one and used to taking charge in certain circumstances, but unless it was absolutely necessary, and I had no choice, I stayed out of the way of conflict. I hated fighting, and it was rare I lost my temper to join in on a fight physically let alone verbally.
Aang dived and slammed his staff down; causing a great wave of air that blasted the two groups far apart. The young Avatar was fed up, and angry.
And it was then I saw the cause of all our misfortune. Both tribes had snuck in food!
"Is that food? Everyone smuggled food down here? Unbelievable! You guys put our lives in danger because you couldn't go without a snack for a day? You're all awful!" he was distracted by an egg-custard tart, and forget his anger for a second.
And that was when disaster struck.
Canyon crawlers.
The Zhangs and Gan Jin made a run for it, leaving me and Aang to face the horde of creatures ourselves. I blew out a breath, eyes narrowed as they took to their heels. Cowards.
Aang and I were circling the pack on our gliders, looking for a weakness, a way to hold them off, or chase them off. Sokka and Katara were nowhere to be seen. I bit my lip, chewing at the chapped skin.
"Aang! Where are Katara and Sokka?"
He didn't respond. He dived for the ground, and I followed, giving a good swipe with our gliders trying to frighten the crawlers back. It didn't work, only made them enraged with us.
My friends and I were the only ones really trying to fight them off. The Gan Jin and the Zhangs just tried to run from them. We were being overrun. I was cornered by three of the crawlers, desperately trying to find a way to escape; the tight corner limited my ability to swipe and swing at the crawlers with my glider.
"Everybody! Watch me and do what I do!"
I watched as Aang used a food bag to coax a crawler closer before he swung onto its back, and muzzled it with the bag, and used the bag's ties as reins. I grinned, at my friend's ingenious plan, before setting to action.
Soon everyone, including the Zhangs and the Gan Jin were working together. All were on a muzzled crawler, ready for Aang's signal. He tied a full bag of food to his staff and used it to entice his ride up the cliff.
Like a horde of ants, the canyon crawlers went scurrying up the cliff side. I laughed at the absurdity of it all.
Once we were up and out, Aang yelled for everyone to hop off. I leapt and came to a crouch as I landed in the dirt. Aang threw the bag of food back into the canyon and the crawlers followed.
I let a sigh. It was over.
The Zhang leader compliments her follow tribe leader, who followed in kind. Maybe now they could actually get along. Maybe things had worked out after all. I shared a pleased smile with Aang.
Then the Gan Jin leader drew his sword, saying how bad it was they couldn't rewrite history and claiming the Zhangs forefather stole the sacred orb, while the Zhang leader drew her own weapon and calling the Gan Jin tyrants for unjustly imprisoning Wei Jin.
Aang ran his hands over his face, letting out a grinding groan of frustration. Katara's mouth was open and Sokka flinched. I turned on my heel, and plopped my forehead on Sokka's shoulder, fed up.
"Wait a second, Jin Wei, Wei Jin? I know those guys." The leader sarcastic said that yes everybody knew the story but Aang shook his head "No I mean I really knew them. I might not look it but I'm a hundred and twelve years old, I was there one hundred years ago on the day you're talking about."
I raised my eyebrow and folded my arms. Now, this I cannot wait to hear. What rooster-bull story was Aang spouting now?
"There seems to be a lot of confusion about what happened. First of all Wei Jin and Jin Wei weren't enemies. They were brothers, twins in fact. And they were eight. And most importantly, they were just playing a game. The sacred orb from the legend? That was the ball, and the eastern and western gates were the goal posts. Jin Wei had the ball and was running toward the goal when he fell and fumbled it. Wei Jin didn't steal the ball, he picked it up and started running it back toward the other goal but he stepped out of bounds. So the official put in the penalty box, not for twenty long years but for two short minutes."
I hid my laughter behind my knuckles. What utter garbage. Aang was making all this up, I would know if he had ever met any set of twins by the names of Jin Wei and Wei Jin. How were the others buying this?
"There was no stealing, and no putting anyone in prison, just a game," the Zhang asked if he was saying if the sacred orb was a sacred ball and Aang shook his head "Nope, just a regular ball," the rude spoke up, asking about his tribe's redemption ritual "That's what the game was called, redemption. As soon as someone got the ball from one goal to the other everyone would yell REDEMPTION!"
The tribe's leader exchanged thoughtful looks. I fought the urge to snort.
"Don't get me wrong, Wei Jin was kind of a slob, and Jin Wei was a little stuffy that much is true. But they respected each other's differences enough to share the same playing field."
"I suppose it's time we forget the past." The Zhang leader said
The Gan Jin leader bowed "And look to the future."
Aang was pleased. I was just relieved the fighting was over.
0o0
"Good to see you boy. Did ya miss me?" I laughed as Appa slobbered all over Aang. Aang turned as the Gan Jin leader thanked him "Well you know, I try."
The man reared back in revulsion. I did snort then.
"Let us travel to the Earth Kingdom Capitol as one tribe." Cheers went up as the former Zhang leader spoke.
The two tribes began to leave, as the Canyon Guide hobbled after them, saying "I'm going too I'm sick of this place!"
I laughed, as the groups finally went out of sight.
Sokka came to stand beside me, a pleased expression on his face as he crossed his arms "That was some luck you knew Jin Wei and Wei Jin." I snorted, and he gave me a confused look.
"You could call it luck," the Avatar gave a devious smirk "Or you could call it lying," Sokka and Katara's mouths dropped open as they exclaimed their befuddlement "I made the whole thing up."
"You did not." the younger girl questioned astounded
"Oh yes, h-he did," I replied, smirking myself.
"That is so wrong," Katara said, an impressed devious look painting her own face.
Aang shrugged, and then began to shift his head from side to side "Now where's that custard tart? I'm starving."
Sokka bumped me with his shoulder, rolling his eyes, as he snorted.
I just continued to laugh.
0o0