Chapter 2

Part 1 - The Wandering Earthbender

Toph:

A majority of the forest was still recovering from the first Fire Nation attack; the villagers had all but deserted their home until only a few remained behind. It was one of the few places that the Fire Nation considered not worth their time to invade and made it slightly easier to hide a flying bison.

Toph had been in Senlin's Forest for over a year now, it was quite and provided food and water, and not to mention it was scarcely populated. It was the longest she had stayed in any one place since she lost Katara and Sokka in the Dai Li battle at Omashu, nearly five years ago.

Aang disappeared after Ozai's defeat. They hunted for him for months, but no sign of him anywhere. They had awaked one morning while hiding out at Makapu, and he was gone. She couldn't believe he would leave them like that; he even left Appa and Momo. All they had of him was his whistle for Appa.

Katara hounded the village fortune teller for days, trying to get her to predict where he could be, or what had happened, and all she got was either a death sign or a very mixed reading. Toph had feared the worst and thought him to be dead, but she couldn't let her thoughts rule her heart. He couldn't be dead, he just couldn't.

She couldn't understand why he would disappear like that, not again. Azula was more ferocious than her father. She had managed to use the comets powers and rain down hell on earth. If only they had taken her down too, none of this would have happened.

She had tried to return to Omashu to look for them, but nearly got captured every time. If only she could find the others, if she knew where to start. It was at times like this that she missed Sokka greatly, his ingenious plans of search and rescue.

She had let her hair grow out long, and commenced to dressing like a peasant instead of Earth Nation royalty. A few of the local villagers that made frequent trips to some of the larger cities, told her that there were a few pockets of resistance near Gaipan and on Kyoshi Island. If she wasn't afraid of loosing the only thing keeping her holding to the hope of finding the others she would join them. But someone was bound to notice her riding in on a huge white beast. And Appa and Momo was all she had left of Aang.

Besides she had to be careful where she did her earthbending, as if you were caught you were executed. And her earthbending was all she had if she was ever going to be able to rescue her family.

"Toph," cried out one of the village children.

She turned at the sound of his voice.

"What is it Ping?" she asked a little annoyed, as she was most of the time.

"Fire Nation, are on their way here." He was out of breath.

Toph's heart stopped. She had to get out of there, they couldn't find her. And if they did they would kill the villagers for hiding her.

"Thank you Ping." She turned and began to walk toward the hut that she had been staying in.

"Your leaving aren't you?"

"I have to," she answered. "They will destroy what is left of this place if I stay."

"I'll miss you," cried the little boy.

She didn't respond. She knew what lie ahead if she stayed the only salvation for these people were for her to leave. Gathering what she had, which wasn't much, she tossed her rucksack over her shoulder and made for Appa and Momo in the forest.

She didn't know where she could go next, there were very few places that weren't inhabited by the Fire Nation. She decided on her way to retrieve Appa and Momo that it was time for her to go home.

Placing a hand on Appa's head and snuggling into his soft fur she felt the tears welling in her eyes.

"Appa, I need you to take me home."

The large beast moaned.

"I know Appa, but it is the only place I have left to go." She hugged him again as Momo perched on her shoulder. "Don't worry I will hide you, where I'm not sure, but I won't let anything happen to you again."

Appa gave her a sloppy lick, before she climbed onto his back. It was safer to fly at night, and they should make it to Gaoling before the break of day.

Part 2 - Broken Warrior

Sokka:

"You there, attend to the Wooly-Pigs," yelled a fire nation soldier.

Sokka looked up, squinting his eyes; the soldier was standing in the sun. He nodded his head acknowledging the order, and then went back to forking the hay tossing it into the corral of Ostrich Horses.

Every since his capture at Omashu, Sokka had been imprisoned to work on a farm for the Fire Nation. At first he tried to escape on a regular basis, but the daily lashings and fasting over a period of time weakens ones spirit. Then when he began to over hear the soldiers talk about the Avatar being found dead, and no one had attempted to break him free, he lost hope. He tried to keep sight of things it could be worse; it was hard for him to imagine what could be worse than him being separated from his family and friends, and being a prisoner of war. All he could do was keep the thoughts of Katara, Toph and Aang at the front of his memories, and pray that they were safe and one day he would see them again.

The one good thing about his capture was that he remained in the Earth Kingdom, close to the palace of Omashu. He did get to remain outside, instead of on the inside of a dungeon never to see the light of day, even though the light of day had a red celestial haze to it. Though at first Azula wanted to chain him beneath the Fire Nation palace in the Dungeon of Embers. He didn't know what had changed her mind only that he was glad that did not end up his fate. After all he was a Water Tribe Warrior, from the South Pole, and really wasn't keen on embers.

On occasion he heard the soldiers talk about Fire Queen Azula coming for an inspection. Many times he contemplated an attempt on her life, but without his boomerang to slice her head off, it remained only contemplation. He always tried to eaves drop on the soldiers hoping to hear any news of Aang, Katara or Toph. He knew they were wanted as they had "Wanted Dead or Alive" posters plastered in the servant's quarters. A reminder they said to let prisoners know that resistance was futile and was met with death.

But he knew there was still resistance; he would hear the soldiers talk about it. A few pockets here and there, but none they felt a real threat. The only ones they felt posed a danger were a group of rebels in Gaipan, which Sokka guessed must be Jet and his Freedom Fighters. Another was located on Kyoshi Island, which must have been the Kyoshi Warriors. He hadn't heard from Suki since well before Aang laid siege on the Fire Nation and took down Ozai.

He searched the skies daily, in hopes of seeing a flying bison, or a winged lemur. But as always neither ever flew over, and he would go to bed to return to the nightmares that now plagued him.

Sokka finished his duties for the day, and was going to be allowed to bathe in a near by stream; a reward for good behavior. As he was walking back from the stream with two guards at his back, he looked up at the sky with little hope of seeing what he was looking for. What was visible of the moon through the angry red tinted sky was attempting to shine on the Earth Kingdom. For a minute Sokka thought his eyes were playing tricks on him.

He rubbed his eyes, and looked again.

Appa.

"Toph," he said to himself and a thin smile crept across his lips.

"What are you looking at, move on." One of the soldiers poked him in the back with a prodding rod.

"Look, isn't that the Avatar's bison?" asked the other soldier.

Instantly both of the soldiers were looking at the sky with Sokka.

"We have to get word to the Fire Queen."

To Be Continued...

I know this is a short chapter, but I don't have much for Sokka and Toph until they are reunited.

AN: Since I couldn't determine where Senlin's Forest was, Toph may or may not have actually flown over Omashu going home. But for now we will say she did.