A/N: (re-write: 6/30/07) Enjoy

Book One – The Journey Begins

Chapter Ten - Kaimah

Aang's eyes widened at what Katara held in her arms. The fuzzy little yellow thing yawned, showing little razor sharp teeth. It whimpered and snuggled into Katara's warmth. Katara smiled a gentle smile and cradled the small little something; instincts quickly set in and Katara was mothering the little fuzz ball in no time.

"It's a cheetah cub," Katara said excitedly as she gently began to stroke the little cub's furry forehead. Aang smiled and stared at it in awe; he then nervously looked around.

"Well, it's a cub…where's its mother?" Aang asked as he looked around, the wide, open plains stretching for miles, thought there was a forest behind them and to the right of them. There wasn't a single mother cheetah, or any wildlife for that matter, in sight.

"I don't know. We should keep her," Katara said calmly as she gently began to rub the precious cub's little nose.

"No, I don't want-hey, how do you know it's a girl?" Sokka asked. Katara frowned and looked down at the adorable cheetah cub she cradled.

"I-I don't know…I just kinda sensed it from her, like a feeling…a fact I already know," Katara smiled at Sokka.

"Without looking?" Sokka asked, getting confused; Katara nodded. She was a little confused at all these strange 'animal related' things that had happened all day. First, she hear the birds in the forest, and then the two horses, Jada and Shiloh, speak, and now she could sense things from this little cheetah cub. Katara looked up at Aang. He stared back, getting a little confused.

"She-she can't find her mother… she was abandoned," Katara said, like she'd known that for ages now.

"What? How do you know all this?" Sokka screeched, still sitting on Shiloh. He gently flailed his hands around.

"I don't know…forget it, I think I'm just tired-or something," Katara frowned as she looked down at the cub.

"Well, if the cub is abandoned, then we might as well take her; we can't leave her here to die," Aang said sadly as he looked about; he rubbed the back of his head.

Katara smiled and stared at the cub that yawned a big yawn, yet again. It quietly whimpered and chirped slightly before her little ear laid flat on he had in a relaxed manner.

"You're coming with us, Kaimah," Katara smiled.

"What did you call it?" Sokka asked quickly.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Aang asked softly, now beyond suspicious.

"That's her name," Katara argued as she snuggled little Kaimah close to her warm chest.

"Okay, did she tell you that or something?" Sokka asked, getting annoyed at her weird comments all today.

"N-no…yes…I don't know! It's like, I just know it somehow…" Katara said softly with a small smile as she tilted her head to look at little Kaimah. She then gently fiddled with her soft fur.

Aang looked at Sokka, getting confused. Sokka rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Whatever Katara…and I thought Aang was weird," Sokka said loudly.

Katara ignored his statement and looked around, noting that the sun was starting to set in the sky.

"Wow, today has gone by so quickly…" Katara said as she stared out into the distance; she still holding little Kaimah close to he for comfort.

"Yeah," Aang agreed as Appa slowly emerged from the forest. Aang ran over to greet him as Sokka got off of Shiloh and led him and Jada next to Appa, who was now calmly lying down to sleep.

Katara cradled the little cub in her arms before slowly leaning down and planting a little kiss atop her head.

"Kaimah… I like that name," Aang said softly as he stood next to Katara with a loving smile. Katara smiled and nodded.

"Me, too," she said softly as she stared down at Kaimah.

"Well…we should get some rest, we're going to be out all day keeping our eyes out for a market," Aang said as he began to walk over to the little fire Sokka made. Sokka was calmly sitting by the warm fire, eating an apple. Aang and Katara walked up slowly, with Kaimah in Katara's loving arms.

"Don't tell me we're keeping that thing," Sokka teased as he pointed to Kaimah, the little cheetah cub Katara held so close to her.

"Sokka," Katara complained as she snuggled Kaimah closer to her.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," he chuckled slightly as he finished his apple and unraveled his sleeping bag. Katara rolled her eyes and did the same.

She slowly crawled into her sleeping bag, still holding the little cub close to herself. Katara then yawned and lay on her side. Kaimah stood and stretched and walked in a circle before walking in a circle a couple of times more, making herself comfortable by Katara's stomach. Katara smiled and pet the little bundle of joy, enjoying the soft feel of her fur. She looked up and noticed Aang slowly lie down next to her. He rolled over onto his side and faced Katara. He smiled and stared at the little cub cuddled in Katara's warm sleeping bag.

"I think she likes you," Aang said softly. Katara smiled and stared at the little cub that slept soundly.

"Yeah," she agreed. "Let's just hope her mother doesn't decide to arrive in the middle of the night," Katara giggled.

Aang chuckled and lay on his back, supporting his head with his hands.

"Well, goodnight," Aang said softly and sweetly. Katara smiled.

"Goodnight."

- The next morning -

Katara woke up the next morning, feeling refreshed and happy. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. The sun was out and shining bright as it shone down on the lush, green stretch of field they lay on. Aang was awake and playing with Kaimah and Momo; Katara smiled and slowly sat up, supporting herself with her elbows. She attentively watched Aang play with the two small animals. Kaimah suddenly pranced around, she cavorted with much happiness but she got a little too cocky with what she was doing. She bumped into Sokka, who was still lost in a deep sleep…but not deep enough.

Sokka sat up quickly and angrily.

"Katara, get rid of it!" Sokka hollered as he pulled the covers over his head and mumbled non-repeatable things. Aang and Katara giggled as Kaimah, who was deathly startled by Sokka's loud voice and outburst, whimpered and scurried over to Katara, diving under the sleeping bag she was still in. Katara giggled.

"Aww, everything's alright, Kaimah," Katara said softly with a smile; she gently pat her small, furry head, "He didn't mean it."

"Of course I did," Sokka's muffled voice came from the sleeping bag. Katara rolled her eyes as Kaimah, all cute-like, inched her way out of the sleeping bag. She darted over to Aang; he smiled and pat her head. Katara slipped out of her sleeping bag and stood to stretch.

She suddenly felt a sharp pain shoot through her upper arm. Katara gasped and looked down at her left, upper arm. There, seemingly delicately placed was a wooden dart sticking in her arm. Katara's eyes widened as she suddenly felt dizzy. All at once, everything went dark and she passed out; doubling to the ground without a single clue or explanation as to what was going on. Aang gasped and stood in attempt to catch her, when suddenly, a little dart whizzed by his face. He gasped and scoot away, hoping to dodge the darts coming from what seemed to be nowhere. He looked for the source, but before he had a chance to find it, he was hit with a dart, too. Aang fell to his knees, losing consciousness by the second. He groaned as his vision became foggy. He looked up and noticed a tall figure walking towards him; in no time, he was lost in a sleep he was unwillingly put into. As well as his traveling companions.

A/N: Dun dun dun…Cliffies…Gotta love 'em x) Please R&R! No flames.

Mohalo ;)