Shorter chapter this time. lo siento. Just in case ya'll were wondering, Zuko is prolly getting into the gang in a chapter or two, so stay alert! As of now, a little Tokka/Ashamuel(iguess?)/Ashokka romance thingy going on. I love toph and sokka, so i'll prolly play them together a lot. Toph and Zuko is ok too...what am i doing? i'm rambling! Hope you enjoy! Dont forget to review (thanks again for my reviews).

Disclaimer: i dont own avatar, sadly

The firelight threw warm shadows on the walls of the cave as six teens sat in a circle. In the corner dozed the Earth King and his bear – both snoring kind of loudly. Laughter swelled and sank. Whispers could be heard. Shouts caused the cave to tremble. Ashayna and Sam found themselves at home with their new friends.

Sokka sat with his back to the wall. Toph sat to his right. Next to her, the new boy Sam. Sokka watched disgustingly at the new boy who watched Ashayna with such intensity. It was almost as obvious that Sam liked Shay than Aang liking Katara.

The water tribe warrior shifted his attention to the girl at the center of attention. Ashayna. He looked at her distastefully. Sure, she could make him and his friends laugh. Sure she was interesting. Sure, she was pretty – but so was every other girl Sokka had met. Her black tunic wrapped tightly around her torso, the short sleeves hung softly on her shoulders in strips. Her red pants were tight around the hips, then bagged out, only to fasten tightly around her calves. Fire nation from top to bottom.

He hated it. He hated the way her face lit up in the flames. He hated the way she laughed and immediately fitted in with his friends.

"Snoozles, you have to breathe," whispered Toph into his ear. She could feel him holding his breath as he examined her. He glared at Toph, knowing that she probably thought that he liked Ashayna when he was actually holding his breath in hate…if that was possible.

He turned to look at the blind girl. She smirked, thinking she caught him in an embarrassing position. He remembered their past experience in the woods early in the day and the boy found himself smiling before the petite girl walked off and went to bed.

Wait a minute. He…and Toph.

He shook his head and returned to the conversation. Girls always complicated things, and things were complicated enough as they were.

"So when do you want to start training me?" Aang asked curiously. It was way past midnight but no one – except Toph – could even think about sleeping. Katara and Ashayna chatted away, Sokka joked, Samuel revealed his past (much to Ashayna's dismay, it had gone downhill after Ashayna had left the Fire Palace), and everyone found themselves getting closer.

"Um…well you said that the comet is coming soon, so I'm thinking as soon as possible. What about tomorrow?" she suggested.

"Am I going to have to do all that basic stuff like I did before?" Aang whined. He had explained to Ashayna of his past experiences with fire.

She seemed to think about it. "I'm afraid so, but if you do well, by noon I may show you a very basic move," Ashayna compromised. The Avatar beamed and Ashayna smiled back, glad she could make the boy happy.

Katara yawned. Many yawns from her friends followed. They all chuckled – except Sokka, of course – and found themselves saying goodnight and finding a spot to sleep.

Ashayna laid down next to Aang and Samuel. On her back, she could almost make out the roof of the cave. But it really wasn't the cave she was interested in, but her own thoughts which she found herself lost in as she trickled to sleep.

"That's cheating!" the young girl screamed at the Avatar's back.

"It's not cheating, It's exercise for my air bending," Aang retorted as he wizzed back and forth on his conjured air ball.

Ashayna stopped running and put her hands on her hips. She had woken up the young Avatar early to get him ready for the day's practice. She figured that ten laps around the clearing would suffice. Apparently, Aang had a different idea of exercise.

She looked like she was about to yell, but ended up sighing and turning away from the boy. "Immature twat," she muttered. If it was one thing about Ashayna, she could get offended and upset quite easily. A quality the Avatar would figure out quite quickly after a day of practice.

Ashayna took a leaf, waiting for Aang to make his next loop around the clearing. The next time he came flashing by, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him off his course. "Take this," she demanded, thrusting it into his hand. She lit it aflame. "Don't let the flame reach the ends of the leaf."

"What did I do!?" cried an oblivious Avatar at Ashayna's receding back. He sighed. Back to the boring basics.

A dark figure continued to walk through the woods. He turned his scared face upwards at a beautiful waterfall. The sky seemed to rain pine needles.

He looked at his note of directions. "When you find our favorite playtime hide out, take another left and walk down the path of needles."

"I'm getting closer Ashayna," he sighed.