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Restoration

Chapter 10

From the previous chapter:

"Aarrrgh!!" Xin Fu cried raising a hand up to the side of his face. Looking at the small specks of blood on his hand, Xin Fu shouted, "You fricken brat!!" He bended the other rock wall towards Hana, but she dodged it the same way as before. However, no later than when Hana sidestepped to the left of the attack that she realized her mistake. She was standing with her back to the rock wall, which Xin Fu had made minutes before. Xin Fu was not aiming at her. He was aiming for the rock wall behind me! Hana turned to see the tower of rock begin to crumble from the top down. Xin Fu bent the rocks to fall faster towards the girl. Hana shut her eyes and raised her arms in a futile attempt to protect herself. The last thing running through Hana's mind, during those last few seconds before the rocks would crush her, was Oh dear spirits, please protect me.

But instead of feeling the rocks crushing her, she felt arms instead. Someone wrapped his arms around her pulling her with him to the ground. When they had stopped skidding across the ground, Hana slowly opened her eyes and released her vice grip on the person's robe. After realizing that Hana was hiding her face in the person's chest, she looked up slowly to see a pair of golden eyes looking down at her. Lee!! I totally forgot that he was here. Oh thank you dear spirits. I wasn't alone out here.

"Don't ever freeze up like that again." Lee said a little harsher than he meant to.

"Ah, al…al…alright." Hana stuttered while trying to comprehend everything which had just happened.

"Are you alright?" Lee said a little nicer this time though it still sounded rough because of his husky voice.

"Yes." Hana said as she coughed from the dust cloud covering them.

"Could you get off of me?" Lee asked coughing as well from the dust in the air.

Looking down Hana realized that she was on top of Lee.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Hana said hastily as she got up off of him.

While offering Lee her hand Hana asked, "Are you alright?" He's the one who slid on the ground with my extra weight on top of him. Lee ignored Hana's hand standing up while holding his duel sword in one hand.

Oh no. Where are Xin Fu and Master Yu? Hana looked wildly around, but she couldn't see anything in this thick dust cloud. Hana quickly turned to face Lee.

"Lee, they are looking for you and your uncle. You need to go hide before this dust cloud…" Hana stopped suddenly when the dust in the air suddenly disappeared as if a great gust of wind had whipped through the woods. Hana let a small gasp escape her lips.

"Well, how nice of you to join us." Xin Fu said bowing his head mockingly towards Lee.

Lee separated his duel swords and assumed a defensive stance beside Hana.

"If you come quietly, then we'll let the girl go unharmed."

Hana looked disgusted. I will not be used as a bargaining chip!

"Lee, don't listen to him. We can take them on. There's one for each of us." Hana said in a low voice. Lee only nodded in reply. If she could hold both of them off for as long as she did, then she'll be fine against one of them.

"Let's make this fair, shall we?" Xin Fu said. He bended a few well aimed rocks and broke the ice which pinned Master Yu to the oak tree.

"You take on that Yu guy, and I'll take care of the great Xin Fu." Lee said.

Hana looked over at Lee astonished. Did he just crack a joke? Lee of the stoic face made a joke. Hehe.

"Let's go." Hana said smiling as she pulled water from the river and charged towards Yu. Yu quickly raised up an earthen wall around himself. Seeing that she could not reach him from her current position, Hana bended the water into large droplets and held them above where Yu remained hidden behind his earthen fort.

Lee noticed Xin Fu following Hana's movements.

"I am your opponent now. You shouldn't take me so lightly." Lee remarked stepping forward.

"You're pretty cocky, boy. I am going to enjoy putting you in your place, firebender." Xin Fu said vengefully. He began to bend large chunks of earth and propelling them like soccer balls at Lee. Hana glanced over. He looks like he is handling himself well enough on his own. But why isn't he using his firebending. Both these men already know that he is a firebender so what is the harm in using a little bending power right now. While Hana was distracted, Yu used this moment to attack Hana. However, Hana saw the attack in time to dodge it. After his attack Yu left himself vulnerable on his one side since he had used the one half of his earthen wall as a weapon. She quickly froze the droplets of water into ice shards and shot them at Yu from overhead. Yu easily block this attack by pulling an arch of earth over himself. The shards shattered harmlessly against the clay earth. Meanwhile, Lee was still blocking the borage of rock sent by Xin Fu using only his duel swords. Xin Fu wasn't showing any signs of tiring, but this mode of defense for Lee was becoming taxing on his hands. Damn it. Hitting these boulders is making my hands go numb from the aftershock of shattering each boulder. I wish that I could use my bending but its so hot and dry today that even a small flame would spark a forest fire and we all would be done for.

Hana noticed that they were both in a stalemate waiting for each other to attack. She seized this opportunity and bended a massive amount of water out of the river forming a hollow whirlpool around herself and Lee. This created a protective barrier against them and the two earthbenders.

"Lee, we need to think of a plan to end this quickly. This is becoming too prolonged, and I am getting tired." Hana said softly while keeping the water moving about them. Xin Fu tried to get a boulder to pass through, but it only got swept away with the water.

"I agree." Lee replied.

"It would help a lot if you would use your firebending. I don't think it would matter if you used it since they already know that you are a firebender."

"I haven't been holding back because of that. This forest is too dry, and any flame, which isn't controlled with care, will set this whole forest on fire. I can't guarantee that we would get out of this alive if that happened."

"Oh, I didn't realize that. You're right. We'll just have to rely on my waterbending only."

"Why can't you use your airbending, as well?"

"Airbending isn't as effective against earthbending as water is. Also, it would cause too much attention if I noticeably bended two elements. I have been using my airbending subtly in order to freeze the water more quickly. But that is the extent to which I will use airbending. Using it any other way would be too risky."

All of a sudden, Hana and Lee heard Xin Fu yell angrily, "What are you two hiding for?!" Seconds later, an earthen wall shot out of the ground and halted the stream of water. From the water colliding with the wall, Hana quickly used the dispersed water to form long ice spears. Bringing her hands downwards like claws, the spears were brought down upon Yu imprisoning him. Since the ice kept Yu from moving his arms or legs freely, he could not earthbend his way out of this icy prison either.

"Yu, why do you seem to get caught in these predicaments? This is how you take of nuisances." Xin Fu said as he sent another barrage of rocks at Lee. Hana began to bend more water from the river forming tentacles along her arms. Before Lee could recover from this onslaught, Xin Fu quickly slid his left foot forward and made an "uppercut punch" motion with his right arm. For a split second nothing seemed to happen, Hana was not sure where the attack was supposed to come from. Suddenly, a pillar of rock shot out of the ground right in front of Lee sending him flying backwards onto the ground. Lee lay still on the ground with a pained expression on his face.

"Lee! No!!" Hana shouted turning her attention back to Xin Fu. Hana took hold of Xin Fu's right arm and left leg with her water tentacles.

"I hope you can swim." Hana said with an evil smirk as she lifted Xin Fu into the air.

"Aaarrraaah!!" Hana yelled as she used the little strength, that she had left, to throw Xin Fu out across the surface of the river. She could see Xin Fu's figure grow smaller as he skipped across the river's surface on his back. After Hana couldn't see Xin Fu anymore, she began to bend more water out of the river.

"Don't worry. I am no threat to you now." Master Yu said to Hana. "I know when I have lost a battle."

Hana was relieved. She let the water fall and ran to Lee's side.

Dropping down on her knees beside Lee, Hana asked in a worried tone, "Lee, can you hear me? Can you get up?"

Lee stirred and opened his eyes, replying in a low tone, "I think a couple of my ribs are bruised or maybe broken."

"We have to get out of here before the other guy gets back. Here, try to sit up." Hana said as she put her arm behind Lee's back trying to give him some support. Lee slowly sat up. As he was sitting up, Lee hissed in pain as he tried to lean forward too far, and he shot back upright.

"I would treat your wounds right now, but we need to leave as soon as we can." Hana said as she took his swords, fit them together, and hung the single duel sword at her side on her sash. Next, she lifted Lee's left arm and draped it over her shoulders, and she put her other arm across Lee's back and underneath his right arm.

"Alright, let's try standing up." Hana said giving Lee an encouraging smile.

"I'm not a little kid, you know. I can get up myself."

"I know. I'll be right here if you need me. Come on, let's get going." Lee stood up with Hana giving him a little bit of help in steadying himself.

"I left the ostrich-horse and supplies that way." Lee said pointing in the said direction.

Hana helped Lee walk at an even pace. Lee wasn't hissing in pain anymore, but Hana could tell from Lee's facial expression that his injuries still hurt as they walked along. They walked awhile in silence until Hana broke it, saying "How far away did you hid the ostrich-horse?"

"It shouldn't be much farther." Lee said softly. Hana could tell by his tone that he was trying not to get upset with her for making him talk. Suddenly, Hana could feel something. The feeling was that when she would feel the presence of a person, but this feeling was a little different.

"Here, boy. Where are you?" Hana called out. A rustling noise could be heard to her left. Soon she saw the ostrich-horse trotting over to her and Lee with their supplies and a sheath hanging around its neck.

"Good boy." Hana said happily as she scratched its neck rewardingly. "I am going to need you to do me a favor." The ostrich-horse looked at Hana as Lee looked at Hana like she was insane that this animal could understand her.

"Lee, here, is hurt so he can't get on your back like he normally does. I need you to get lower to the ground, so he can get on. Alright?" Hana said while scratching its neck more. To Lee's amazement, the animal grunted as it lowered itself down onto the ground. Hmm. She definitely seems to have a way with animals.

Lee broke Hana's grasp on his one arm, saying "I can get on myself, thanks." As Lee went to sit on the ostrich-horse's back, Hana turned her attention back to the animal.

"Can I have this?" Hana asked the ostrich-horse as she went to grab the sheath and sack hanging around its neck. The animal bowed its head letting her take them from around his neck. Hana swung the sack over her shoulder and strapped the sheath about her waist. Sheathing the sword, Hana noticed that she had forgotten all about her leather shoes, which were left by the tree where she hung her clothes on.

Leaning close to the ostrich-horse's ear, Hana spoke in a low enough tone, so that Lee couldn't hear, "I need you to take good care of him. He's hurt so get up slowly."

What is she telling it? This girl is weird. She talks to animals like they understand her. They're just animals. They can't understand us any better than we can understand them.

Hana backed away, and the ostrich-horse got up slowly as Hana requested.

"I'll meet you outside the forest. I left my boots back at the river." Hana said to Lee as she handed him the reigns. Lee didn't protest that she had all their supplies and his sword. Hana was waiting for some sarcastic remark or something. Lee pulled on the reigns and headed towards the plains without a reply. She isn't going to try and give me the slip. She needs me, at least, to get her to a town.

Hana watched Lee for a little while to make sure that he was alright riding on his own. I can't help but worry about his condition. We have to get some distance between ourselves and those two earthbenders before we can stop long enough for me to heal him. Hana thought this to herself as she turned back and quietly made her way to the riverbank. While staying low Hana noticed that Yu was still trapped by the ice spears. She looked about but couldn't see Xin Fu anywhere. I must have thrown him really far out into the river. Serves him right though. Lee hadn't even used his bending once, and Xin Fu went for an underhanded move like that. Oh, well, I better get going. Lee is probably waiting for me. Hana grabbed her shoes and left without Yu noticing her. Once she was far enough away, she washed her feet and put her shoes on.

Damn ribs. I wish Hana had healing abilities like that watertribe peasant. What's her name? Kani? Kana? Katrice? Oh, I don't remember. I wander if those two goons were bounty hunters or trackers. We have to loose them nonetheless. What's taking that girl so long?! It's bloody hot outside the forest.

"Hey there, Lee!" Hana shouted as if on cue. "Sorry if you were waiting long."

"Hn." Lee replied.

Hana ignored Lee's reply and continued, "I brought some water with me. It isn't much, just a mouthful. We're probably not going to be stopping at the river anytime soon."

Lee just stared at the small blob of suspended water in her one hand.

"Don't make me say it, or I really would be treating you like a kid." Hana said playfully. Lee simply opened his mouth as Hana bended the water up towards him.

"Thanks."

"Your welcome." Hana said as she walked up and grabbed the reigns.

"Aren't you going to get on?" Lee asked while not releasing his grip on the reigns.

"No. We need to save the ostrich-horse as much as we can. It might be awhile before arriving at a town. And you are in no condition to walk, so I will. I can lead him while you rest." Lee grudgingly let go of the reigns. He knew that she was right.

Hana began walking northward leading the ostrich-horse. "I didn't see that those earthbenders had any modes of transportation other than walking, and when I went to go get my shoes, Yu was still waiting for the ice to melt. I didn't see Xin Fu in sight. If we keep walking with a few short breaks, then we should be able to put some distance between them and us."

"We haven't eaten anything today, and we don't have any water with us. We can't keep walking forever." Lee said.

"I realize that. Once I feel that we are safe enough to rest for awhile, we'll stop."

Lee murmured, "Hmmph, when you feel like it."

"I'm sorry. Did you say something?" Hana asked.

"No."

"I thought not." Hana said in a slightly angered tone. Lee sent a quick glare at the back of Hana's head. Boy, this is going to be a looong journey.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Well, there you have it. Chapter 10. I hope it was worth the wait. My goodness, this was a difficult chapter to write. It wasn't that I had writer's block or anything like that. It was just that I couldn't get myself to sit down and write. I keep getting plagued by tests, projects, papers, and crazy family parties. Jeez, I need a rest. But there is no rest for the weary, now is there? I am going to make an educated guess about when the next chapter is coming out. I'm guessing after my finals are over and I move back home. So that means middle of May.

Peace out!!

Yumika