Katara and Suki were gathering herbs to add to tonight's dinner, Suki had to borrow some of Katara's clothes so she didn't have to wear her prison drabs. Zuko and Aang were practicing nearby.
"…fiercer!" Zuko demanded, "You're fighting, not dancing!"
"Take a break," Katara called, "It's almost time to eat."
"Yeah, and wash off first." Suki added, "You smell like sweat."
"Sorry," Zuko said sarcastically, "When we fight the Fire Lord we'll be sure to bring some perfume."
"You will if you want any supper."
Appa landed nearby before anyone could make another comment. Sokka slid down, "Well, there aren't any Fire Nation settlements within a twenty mile radius of where we are now, so we should be safe for at least a few days."
"Good," Katara said, "Because there's tons to eat around here so we don't need to dip into our food stash."
"Speaking of which, is it time to eat yet?" Sokka asked, "I'm starving."
"As soon as Toph gets back." Suki told him.
"We can start without her." Sokka said.
"No," Katara said, giving her brother a hard glance, "We can't."
Sokka gave an exasperated sigh and flopped down, "Look, there she is now," Aang said, "And who's that she has with her?"
Katara looked to where Aang was looking. Toph was helping a boy walk to the camp site. He was her size, maybe a little taller, with messy black hair, he wasn't wearing shoes, but he had plan gray clothes on, a baggy light gray sweatshirt and a baggy dark gray sweatpants. He walked like he was hurt, or like he didn't know how to walk on his own two feet. He had light blue eyes, gazed over like Toph's were, he was blind, too. He must be.
"Toph," Katara called, running over to her friend, "Who's this?"
"His name's Jaypaw." Toph answered, "He's lost."
"No," Jaypaw said, "I just don't belong here, I need to find Leafpool."
"What?" Aang asked, "Are you from the Fire Nation?"
"No, I'm from ThunderClan." Answered Jaypaw. Katara and Aang exchanged glances.
"Is that in the Earth Kingdom?" Aang asked.
"No, it's in the forest, by the lake."
"He's really, really lost." Toph said. "He's never even heard of bending, and he knows nothing about the three nations or the war, or the Avatar."
"Reminds me of someone else who didn't know about the war." Katara said, smiling at Aang. She turned back to Jaypaw, "Do you want to have something to eat?"
"No, I want to go home!" Jaypaw said, "I want my mother, and Hollypaw and Lionpaw, and Leafpool, and Brambleclaw!"
"Don't worry," Katara told him in her motherly voice, gently putting her hands on his shoulders only to have him pull away. "Aang's the Avatar, if anyone can get you home, it's him."
"I don't even know what an avatar is!"
"Katara, I don't think we should trust this kid." Sokka said, "He's playing dumb, so he's obviously got something to hide."
"You know I'm standing right here!" Jaypaw snapped, "And I don't need your help! Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I'm helpless! I'll find my own way home!" He spun around but before he took to steps he tripped and fell. "FOX DUNG!" He angrily batted at the rocks that tripped him sending them flying.
Katara knelt down by him, "We couldn't have known Toph as long as we have and think someone who's blind is helpless," she told him gently, "but you're lost and hurt, this place isn't safe even for someone who can see. Let us help you, and maybe you can help us in return."
Tears started to pool up in Jaypaw's sightless eyes. "I just want to go home." He repeated.
"Then let us help," Katara said, "Please."
The boy nodded, wiping his eyes on his shirt sleeve, but even that action seemed odd, like he wasn't quite sure were his eyes were or how his arm was supposed to move. She helped him over to the fire where Suki was passing out soup. She handed Katara a bowl and put one in Jaypaw's hands. He smelt it uncertainly; then tested it by dipping his fingers in it. Apparently satisfied that it wasn't poison he started lapping it out with his tongue.
"You know…" Suki said, "It's easier if you use a spoon."
"A what?" Jaypaw asked. Suki moved over and showed him how to ladle the food into his mouth with a spoon, again he seemed like he wasn't sure how to move his fingers. He had a hard time finding his mouth with the spoon, like his depth perception was off.
Dinner was unusually quiet, everyone was staring at Jaypaw. He looked very uncomfortable; like he knew they were watching him even though he couldn't see it. After a long time Zuko finally broke the silence. "I'm going to go practice for a while before it gets too much darker. We probably won't have to fight at night but if we do I need to work on bending without the sun's help, come on Aang."
"I'll come with you," Sokka said, "Suki, you wanna come too?"
"Yeah," Suki said, "Katara, do you need any help cleaning up?"
"No, I got it," Katara told her, the group left and Katara started clearing the bowls, Toph made a tall wall around the camp site, letting the dying sunlight in, but keeping animals out. "How are the boys and Suki going to get back in?" Katara laughed.
"Aang can let them in." Toph said.
Jaypaw was trying to stand up, but he was very unsteady, whatever happened to him made him very shaken up, he was just about to fall face first into the fire when Toph sent a slab of earth to catch him and boost him back on his feet again. "What don't they walk where you're from?"
"Not like this." Jaypaw grumbled. Toph helped him steady himself. "And I'm used to knowing where I'm going; I don't have to see because I know where everything is and who everyone is."
"I can help you." Toph told him. "I can teach you how to sense the vibrations in the earth and use it to see what's around you."
"Will that work since he isn't an earthbender?" Katara asked.
"It won't work as well," Toph said, "but it should still work."
"Anything that would make this stupid place make more sense." Grumbled Jaypaw.
"How'd you get here anyways?" Katara asked.
"I don't know," Jaypaw said, frustrated, "One second I'm following my mentor, the next second I'm here having her yell at me."
"You should get some sleep." Katara said. "Things will make more sense when you're better rested."
"Yeah, right." Jaypaw snorted. He curled up in a ball on the ground. Katara put a blanket over him and gently stroked his hair. He pulled away pulling the blanket over his head.
"Good night, then." She said, slightly put out, before she went back to cleaning up dinner.