Chapter 12. The Chase Begins
Tomi's ears perked up as he jumped into a ready stance, hissing out a quiet warning to his sleeping companions while his fur stood on end tail twitching, deep silver eyes locked on the bushes to his left where nearly nonexistent footsteps were coming from. Both Tinly and Ursa were well adjusted to listening for their small friends alert, becoming light sleepers in the process. They were up and in fighting stances before three seconds had passed. Green eyes met gold and a silent queue passed between them as they grabbed their small packs, Tinly flicked out her glider as Tomi stood at the ready, Ursa climbed on the younger girls back and they silently slid into the early pre-dawn sky.
They flew for close to an hour, wearing the young Airbenders abilities to her limits."Do you think it was wise for us to fly instead of run?" Tinly whispered when she felt like her pulse wouldn't bust an artery, she tried to relax but the anxiety of possibly being seen, especially with the sun steadily rising made her near nauseous, combined with that, her abilities were reaching their max with carrying a fully grown passenger on her one person glider, even if they had done this numerous times in the past, it was just too much of a fight getting enough air into her glider to keep them up and moving at a fast pace.
The younger female noticed a second later that the hood to her cloak was down and she, in a half-sleep deprived mind set, attempted to move her hair from her companions face as a polite gesture. A very uneasy moment passed as she nearly lost control of her glider in the process. "Yes and no." Ursa finally answered as her heart rate slowed when they regained a steady altitude, she decided not to comment on her younger friends actions. "I don't know how close whoever had been out there was. It could have been them, and flying would be the quickest method to separating us from them… but at the same time, where not exactly hidden when were flying in perfectly clear sky…" Tinly smiled as she recognized the small attempt her older companion made at lightening the far to tense mood.
"Well, I guess this is as good as any place…" the airbender said lightly as she finally after another half hour, lowered them to the ground. Tomi had taken his usual place inside her cloak just before they landed. The second Ursa's feet were on the grass both women took off running at a very nimble and nearly silent pace, showing just how accustomed they were to being on the move constantly.
"Ok Appa, nice an easy, let's go down here, hopefully no one from the city is looking up…" Aang whispered quietly to his companion just before a massive yawn escaped him. Everyone had taken turns through the night to keep awake for Appa, so no one had gotten much sleep, needless to say the Avatar was the only one actually awake once Appa hit the ground, the sky bison was whipped and happily sank into his spot in the grass to dream. Aang looked up at the sky, taking note of how high the sun was getting, it was late morning he figured as he looked behind him at his slowly rousing companions.
"Wake up you guys… let's get everything off Appa for a bit, I don't want to have anything weighing on him…" He got mixed grumbled replies as everyone slowly began moving, Katara was the first to slide down the Bison's back, her bag full of cooking supplies strapped on her shoulder. Sokka and Toph helped Teo down their flying friend's massive tail, while Suki followed Katara's choice with her own bag of supplies. She landed a little awkwardly as her rounding stomach prevented her full flexibility. "Suki! That was dangerous!" Sokka hissed in aggravated concern, they all kept their voices low as they moved around camp but that didn't lesson his words meaning. The warrior backed down quickly however, when his wife turned a glare that could rival Katara's on him. She didn't say a word though, her mood swings making her unsure how she should react as she joined her sister-in-law with setting out and preparing breakfast. He in turn began pulling out the other supplies they would need to eat.
Toph snickered as she and Teo came out of the woods with a few logs for a fire a bit later, Her amusement was due to the looks she could feel with vibrations on all of her friends faces, due to the fact she had never once gotten fire wood or anything to help with camp before. "Wow… Teo I'm glad you're here, things just seem to get done now with you around!" Katara said with a slight edge towards her blind friend's direction, the earth where she was sitting suddenly sprouted a rock in Toph's silent irritation, though the earth bender and young man continued on their path as if nothing had happened, getting a fire started quickly with one of the mechanists fire making contraptions. Around this time Aang had all of Appa's saddle straps undone, he quickly created a small funnel of air to lift and lower the massive piece of finely etched leather to the ground. When he was done with that, the young man made a sigh of relief before sliding down to the base of one of Appa's paws and quickly falling asleep.
Everyone relaxed and muddled around for a bit as the fire was started and the food began cooking."Poor Aang…" Suki whispered to Katara as they took turns stirring the soup. Blue eyes turned to gaze lovingly at her sleeping boyfriend as she took in his ragged form; he had a five-oh-clock shadow starting around his chin and bags under his eyes. She nodded in agreement. "I know… He never woke Sokka up for the last part of the night; he's hardly gotten more than three hours of sleep!" Katara knew this for a fact because she would wake up occasionally in the night to check on everyone, it was a maternal thing she couldn't help but do whenever they were all traveling together, she had tried to let him rest but he wouldn't have it and sent her back into the saddle. "Well I'll make Sokka take the reins for a bit so he can sleep… That man does far too much for all of us… He's going to get himself sick!" Suki said the last bit affectionately as she looked at her assumed to be one day Brother-in-law as he lay dead-to-the-world asleep against his furry companion.
"Soups done…" Katara muttered before rising up to rouse her favorite Air-bender. Suki took over the duty of filling everyone's bowls as her cooking companion left. "Aang, Aang… baby time to wake up." The water bender whispered gently into his ear, she kissed his cheek and noticed how he didn't even react. Her brows furrowed in concern as she finally gave in to gently shaking his shoulders. "Aang, come on get up for a bit to eat then you can go back to sleep…" It took her a few more tries before he finally began to stir. "Ka…tara… mmm…sleep…" The young woman shook her head before turning to glare at her older brother as he stuffed his face. Sokka noticed the mental daggers and shrank back. "Wh..I…doo?" He said between mouthfuls of food. "Look at him Sokka! You should have gotten up so he could rest!" Katara turned her angry gaze back to her boyfriend and it softened as she watched his stormy grey orbs slowly flicker open. "Mmm… that smells good…" He mumbled sleepily, she laughed and helped him to his feet. "Good then you can eat a good bit…" her brows deepened in her worry as she watched him stumble. "Aang are you alright? You're kind of starting to worry me."
"Huh?" The man in question mumbled half coherently as his bowl was filled with food. "Mmm. Yeah…I'm ok, just tired…" Sokka finished sucking down his third bowl and spoke up. "Hey man, I'm sorry… you should of told me you needed sleep I would of taken over last night!" Aang smiled though it was weak in comparison to his normal grins. "No, don't worry Sokka, I didn't want to wake you… You and Suki looked like you were too comfortable; I would of felt bad…" He said sheepishly. "Well now I feel bad because you didn't!" The older man said in a mixture of sarcasm and actual apology. "Well don't worry Sokka, You can make it up to him by taking the reins the rest of the day!" Suki said in a scary cheerful voice. "Yes mam…" was all he dared to say as he debated on a fourth bowl.
Teo shook his head as he continued to observe this odd group of friends he had, he wasn't sure how Sokka managed to survive as somehow he managed to constantly tick off the women. Toph was sitting quietly next to him, leaning against his chair with her eyes closed. He had thought she was sleeping until her free hand darted to the ground with her palm open. "Shh! Guys!" The earth bender was on her feet before she continued, having everyone's full attention. "Someone's coming! No… A lot of Someone's!" Sokka smacked his head. "Aw man! How'd I know we wouldn't get away with actually being able to relax here!" Suki smacked him as she stood as fast as her pregnant body would let her and began packing up camp, "Hey what was that for?" He complained, though he didn't get a reply. Katara was helping Suki as Aang woke Appa and re-saddled him. The bison was irritated at being woken up after only a few hours of sleep but he complied when he noticed how anxious the air around them had become.
"I'm sorry buddy, we have company coming and I don't think any of us are in any shape to fight them off... Don't worry we can land early somewhere so you can rest." Aang said sadly as he patted his oldest friend's snout, he air-jumped a second later, over to where Toph stood alone as Teo was being helped into the saddle. "I'm sorry guys, if I had my glider attachments I could help…" He said sadly as everyone else went to stand in the ready positions. "It's ok Teo, it's nice just having you around with us now!" Katara said kindly before the feel of the ground shaking cut off any more conversation.
Pointed rocks shot up from the ground where Aang had been standing, He dodged and shot out a blast of air as a counter attack, he was panting from over exertion as he constantly defended himself against five men, while he tried to protect everyone else when he could all the while determined not to kill anyone. Toph was busy passing rocks between three of the fifteen earth bending soldiers that had attacked them. "You pieces of crap really think you're capable of taking Me on? HA! I could eat you all for dinner with my earth bending!" She said cockily as two of the three she had been dueling collapsed in unconsciousness from several of her fierce blows. "We came to take you home Toph Beifong! Not to hurt you! Only the avatar and his companions were to be harmed by our orders for kidnapping you!" Shouted the one out of the three whom had survived what his fellows hadn't. "Ha! Does it look like I need saving?" the young girl said before slamming a rock pillar up into the man's chin and effectively removing him from the fight. Aang let out a loud tired grunt as he landed briefly on the ground, only to jump back into the air seconds later and repel another boulder attack. "Man! Why is someone always out to hurt me?" Toph chuckled at this as she shot out a sheet of rock. "Couldn't tell you Twinkletoes, honestly I would think they'd be grateful to you saving everyone…I guess you can't make everyone happy… especially my parents."
Katara was fighting back-to-back with Sokka as Suki weaved her way agilely around their opponent's, she managed to knock one out on her own before going to aid her husband as he clashed blade against stone blade with another. The pregnant woman was going against her husband's wishes as she did this but at the moment he couldn't spare a second to yell at her, nor could she listen to him and sit there to watch her friends and family fight. Katara froze three men to trees while Sokka ran up and smacked them all against the head with the flat end of his blade, before he could knock the last one unconscious the earth bender broke free and shot him across the camp site. Suki screamed in outrage as her husband didn't immediately rise back to his feet, she and Katara acted together as they took down the man with a combination of their skills and pure pissed-off-female ability. Suki then turned in the direction of her husband; just as she did she was attacked from the side leaving her with a nasty cut across her arm which had protected her stomach from one of the earth bending attacker's jagged rocks that had her staggering. "Oh no! Suki!" Katara cried as she rushed to help her sister-in-law. Only to be cut off by another earth benders attack, she dodged it and sent a lightning fast water whip in his direction, the move slapped across his face and sent him flying into the trees.
She caught hold of Suki as the girl wobbled before helping her over to where Sokka lay. As the two girls reached him a massive volley of sharp stones was shot in their direction, Aang dived between them and the rocks, managing to blow majority of them back at the earth benders who sent them, though in his current exhausted state a handful managed to slip past his air bending and ended up sending him skidding across the ground with several razor sharp pieces slicing through his skin. Toph took his harsh collision with the dirt as her queue to intercept and so she moved quickly, first bringing up a huge cloud of dust then sending out round after round of huge stones forming a small barrier that separated them from their attackers, while at the same time blocking and plain out stopping any attacks sent towards he or her companions from underground. "Katara, get them on Appa!" The earth bending girl shouted. It didn't take the women in question a second thought before she did as Toph had requested. Though Aang was weak he managed to lift up Suki into his arms by sheer will power, as Katara pulled her still unconscious brother onto her back and half dragged him over to the Sky Bison, Aang air bent them all into the saddle then just as Toph shot herself up to join them Appa slammed his tail down and took off, his motion causing half the smaller trees to up root from the force of his air bending fury.
"I think I can understand why you guy's hate coming to Gaoling now…" Teo said in an attempt to lighten the mood, after a while had passed and Katara had healed Aang, Sokka and had began working on Suki. "I'm pretty sure it would be hard to not understand after seeing that." Sokka said in a cranky mood as he debated on if he wanted to scold his wife for putting herself and the baby in so much danger, or just hold them and be grateful they survived. Instead he chose neither; he kissed his wife on the cheek then moved up to Appa's head where he practically threw Aang back into the saddle. "Now just get some freaking SLEEP! You being tired put everyone at a greater risk! We can't Afford these kinds of outcomes this time Aang!" he commanded the Air bender. Everyone looked up to the warriors nearly steaming form curiously before turning to look at Aang, the Avatar shrugged before doing as he was told and collapsing gratefully against Katara's sleeping bag.
"NO MORE!" Screamed a man with a large scar dipping across his left cheek, He was wearing a solid black outfit that mirrored his fellow warriors as his earth bending finally held the man he had shouted too with solid restraints, after he and everyone else had been attempting to do so for a good bit of time he couldn't help the wicked smirk that plastered his face. "What do you want with me? What have I done?" The man who shouted had sandy brown hair and bright steel grey-blue eyes. He was well built but slender, very handsome in a rugged but elegant sense, around his neck was one of two only key answers to his heritage. The stone hung on the leather band was etched with three swirling winds, and in his hand was a simple looking, but far from it staff, the rest of his garb was remarkably earth kingdom. He was trapped onto his knees as he looked up at his captors with a deep knowledge of what they could possibly be here for, only his eyes acknowledged his fear as he glared up at them.
"My, my, what have we found here? Aren't you a feisty one… too bad you're an air bender." An elegantly cold voice spoke as a woman in a similar black robe approached from the seventeen man squad. "I see…" The air bender said in silent acceptance, He had grown up in hiding with his family being the only ones he knew of that managed to survive unnoticed in the outside world. But that never stopped them from hearing about what happened to their fellow benders, the stories he had grown up with were gruesome and helped him all the more understand why his abilities had to be of upmost secret, though in his attempt to fight back he had displayed plenty of them. "Huh… and here I thought you might be more of a fight, what a shame… you see, I had a wonderful idea for you too…" Just as Azula said this the man's eye's ignited.
He used his mouth as a source of bending and yanked himself out of the restraints via shooting a hard blast of air at the ground to push him up and break free, before they could blink his staff was once again in his hands, though he didn't spring to the air like an Air bender would usually do. Instead he stood his ground, a braced horse stance much like an earth benders. "Impressive…" Azula said in a bored tone, though she couldn't keep a twinge of excitement from watching this man move. "No, stand down." She shot out a hand in gesture to freeze her men from what she noticed they were about to do, The ASSU with her glared but did as she said. "What is your name?" She asked as she took several bold steps forward, his silver eye's never leaving her gold as he relaxed his stance slightly upon her approach. "Why does it matter?" She gave her classic smirk as she circled his frame delicately, very intrigued by his boldness in the face of death. "Well, see here I have this idea of how things can go. You can tell us your name for starters, or I could just fry you where you stand…" A cold sweat hit him hard as he fought against the desire to tense at her words. "Rikan… My name is Rikan, may I ask yours M'lady?" He wasn't scared of her, this she liked. "My name? I am Princess Azula, the True heir to the fire nation. And both your possible savior or executioner depending on my mood. "
He took her hand into his boldly, much too many of the ASSU's displeasure, though she let it happen as her eyes stayed locked onto his curiously. He lifted it to his mouth and kissed it gently, something that shocked Azula and everyone else present."Pleasure to meet you Princess." He gave her his most genuine smile he could as his eyes took notice of something kindred in hers finally slipping past her stone hard mask. "What was this idea you had now?" His voice flowed like silk as he stood up straight and proud but continued to hold her hand to his chest, ignoring the battle ready stances the ASSU soldiers took. "I… I have decided to hunt bigger game then looking for one air nomad at a time, and have been searching for someone who could help… would you be interested in being part of our team, and helping with this plan? Perhaps I can learn more about you in the process, you seem so different from any airbender I've ever met." Rikan looked thoughtful for a moment as his gaze drifted to the late afternoon sun above the trees. "So long as you would be willing to tell me your reasons, and that I may continue to live… I don't see why I couldn't travel with someone so beautiful." He turned a blinding smile onto the Princess before adding. "And I take that as a compliment; I do not wish to be like any other Air benders. They are weak." As he said this he knew that he was signing over what little remained of his already dying heart. For he had been running, away from this life of secrecy, away from that home where faces still haunted him, to seek better thrills to his heart, unlike any other air benders Rikan had a dark soul. His parents had known from him hunting and eating meat, and killing unnecessarily when he was full when he was young. Now he had some direction, and a very pretty face to keep him there.
"I see, and of course, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful new relationship." Azula said as she closely watched this man's eyes. She had known the moment they found him, when instead of running he fought back, that something was different, that's how this plan sprang to her mind. "Well then, what is it you wish to hunt?" He said with a similar dark smile to her own.
"Hurry! If we can just make it to the wall I can get us over it and we can disappear!" Tinly shouted as she tried hard not to speed past Ursa out of fear, the hoods to their cloaks were up as they darted through the trees, anything to confuse the ones chasing them. A blast of Fire shot past Ursa followed by a volley of rocks. Both women dodged everything effectively but they knew that the fact the ASSU could actually attack them meant that they weren't moving fast enough. Tinly panted as she fought the rush of tears that began to pool in her eyes with this solid understanding, "Fate must hate me…" She cried out as her body protested how much strain she continued to put on it. "Don't say that! We will survive this! Look! See through the tree tops!" The airbender nodded as they dodged yet another earth based attack.
He stood calm and still, his breathing deep, relaxed. Quickly he moved through a series of stances producing massive gusts of air, though he controlled them skillfully before directing them straight above him. A smile crossed a handsome face, Silver eye's that were bright and full of life looked up through the tree branches where he trained, noting how many leaves he had knocked off this time. "Nice… I would so have my bending tattoos if things were different!" he whispered proudly. Mid breath he froze as something panged at his awareness. He closed those dazzling silver eye's to concentrate, noticing how the air around him for at least a mile flowed, he picked up quickly on a fast moving current nearby, one that only another bender could create.
Those bright eyes snapped open just as two cloaked woman burst through the foliage. The one bending the air around her nearly plowed into him before she skidded to a halt, she didn't waist much of a glance on him as she struggled to take in breath while at the same time snapped open her glider. "Now's Our chance Ursa." She panted out, the other woman nodded her head before her golden eye's cautiously locked onto his silver. "Sorry for interrupting you." "Wait. Are you an Airbender?" He cried out in surprise, the severity of the situation already being analyzed through his quick mind. Tinly narrowed her green orbs on him for a moment before they widened in shock. "Yes, and so are you!" He gave a quick smile before his consciousness picked up on several other fast moving people, though they didn't bend the air as the women had. "Hurry, come this way. I can get you through the wall without being seen!" Both girls looked at each other for a moment, Ursa nodded her head and they motioned for him to move.
"I would of never figured this out… what a maze!" Tinly cried in delight as they darted through underground tunnels beneath the great city of Omashu. "haha! Yeah, It took me a long time to figure out everything, I swear some of the tunnels still change… but I guess living in an earth bending kingdom that should be expected!" He flashed a brilliant smile towards the cloaked women just before they rounded one last turn and went up a stair well. Once they were on the surface the women gasped in awe, they were in the middle of a garden, the tunnel they had come from was disguised by bushes. "This is my family's home." He said proudly as they walked under the sunlight and took in the house itself. "Young man, Thank you for helping us. May I ask your name?" Ursa asked kindly before lowering her hood, He smiled politely back. "I'm Malu, It's no problem. You're the first airbender I've seen besides my own family in my entire life, well besides the Avatar… but I've never come close enough to speak with him…" He changed his gaze from Ursa's to Tinly's as she hesitated in lowering her cowl. "You're one of the hidden families, aren't you?" Finally she let her hood fall, she watched Malu's gaze carefully as he admired her bending tattoos.
"You have the markings! You're a master?" his excitement made her smile as for once in a long time she allowed a small pieces of her old carefree nature come out. "Yes! But from how your controlling the currents I'd assume you should be marked as well. I guess that's hard to do when there are no elders to do it, and when you're in hiding…" His smile faltered slightly but he nodded as they began walking towards his family's home. "As to your question, yes, we are one of the hidden family's… and I take it your from the land of Kai?" She nodded, Tomi chose this moment to unbury himself from within her cloak and climbed nimbly to her shoulders. He held out a small paw and began chattering like he was asking who this stranger was.
"A lemur? Wow. I've only heard stories about them… even read about them in the Library!" He took the creatures paw into his hand as he continued to walk only backwords. "I'm Malu! What's your name?" Tomi was outraged at having his paw grabbed mid rant and let out a hiss in response. "Calm down Tomi, he's a friend." Big ears went back in apology before the Lemur jumped onto the man's shoulders. He laughed as he turned to walk normally up the stair case. "Well it's good to meet you too Tomi!" Both Ursa and Tinly giggled as they entered the well built structure. "Mom, Dad! Come Quick!"
Malu used the key words 'come quick' and so his parents did just that, both flying out of nowhere to greet him. "What's wrong?" His mother asked just as she and her husband took in the two strange women standing before them, a second later they take in the markings on Tinlys body, his father turns dark stormy gray orbs to his son. "What is the meaning of this?"
"I'm so sorry Appa, Just stay here and rest… were all safe now." Aang said gently as he stood beside his exhausted companions face, gently stroking the Bison's cheek. Appa replied with a gentle rumble and a lick before closing his huge eye's and falling asleep. His airbender gave a sad look at his friend whispering. "Thank you." Before turning to face the gAang with somber eyes. "Well Aang, we can either stay here and eat from our supplies or we can venture into the village…Its your call." Sokka said though Aang could tell that he wanted badly to hit the village, for he was sure a good meal full of meat. The avatar looked up at the mountain range that peaked through the treeline, they were on the outskirts of where the cave of two lovers had been before it was sealed off by fire nation soldiers. "Let's go to town, were not flying anymore today!" a chores of cheers followed his words as half of their small group began walking/rolling off. Katara stayed behind as she watched Aang look over Appa one more time.
"He's been a real sport today…" She came up behind him and whispered, sliding an arm around his waist. The avatar leaned back into his waterbending girlfriend for a moment. "Yeah he really did pull through for us. I think he wants to see what happened to our races as much as I do…" Katara nodded as he turned to face her, planting a gentle kiss on her lips that sent the butterflies soaring through her stomach. "Come on Lover Birds! We don't have all night!" Came Toph's shout from down the path, she wasn't even close enough to see them had she been able to do so to begin with. "Only Toph would know we were kissing…" Katara mumbled half amused and half annoyed, her boyfriend just chuckled as she took her hand and they began to follow after their friends.
After their small trip to the village everyone had separated, deciding to spend quality time with their significant others. Toph and Teo had wondered off towards the mountain face, wanting to see what this 'cave of two lovers' myth was all about. When they reached the place where the statues began Teo let out a sad sigh. "The entire entrance is filled with rocks… its sealed shut." Toph chuckled as she patted her wheel-chair-bound companions shoulder. "Your forgetting who you travel with… watch this!" With that said she took a solid stance, flicked up her wrists to where they touched, and then pulled them apart. As she did this every bit of rock that blocked their path remolded with the mountain they had come from. Teo clicked his teeth with a grin. "Nicely done Toph!" She gave him a brilliant smile in return. "It was nothing."
They had been traveling the dark tunnels for about two hours when they finally reached the tomb door. "I wish you could see this Toph… I mean, really see it." "I thought this place was pitch black?" She said with a smile as her hand pressed against the sealed entrance door with a deep appreciation for the rock it was made of. "It is, but the ceiling is covered in small glowing stones… I noticed as we've been moving around that some of the tunnels we passed didn't have any of them but every turn we've made they've stayed above us." She nodded. "It's because I felt out which tunnels were right and which would lead us to dead ends. Those stones are probably the way anyone who can actually see find their way around…" "That makes sense… it's still beautiful though… Hey, think you could knock three of those gems out of the ceiling for me?" Toph blinked her blind eye's at this request but shrugged her shoulders. "Sure…" She said before tapping her heal against the floor, Three stones fell right into Teo's lap. "Awesome!" "What are you planning to do with them?"
He admired each one as they glowed against his palm, taking in their jagged edges and smooth faces. "You'll see… Are you going to open the passage way?" He asked to distract her, she knew what he was doing but let him. "Yeah, but… I feel kind of bad for disturbing Oma and Shu's Resting place…" He wheeled up next to her, taking one of her hands into his. "Don't think of it as disturbing, think of it as paying our respects." She smiled and gently squeezed his hand, then she tapped the stone with her free palm and the door rolled to the side. "Oh wow." Teo said in amazement as the massive room was opened to them, it was filled with the glowing gems showing off every bit of the statues and designs inside of it. "It is pretty… I can see the statues, and the tombs… but I can't read whatever that is etched on that slab…" Teo looked at the beautiful woman with him with awe, she could truly see more then he could ever possibly. "Let's go over there and I'll read it to you."
He finished reading the tragic love story of Oma and Shu with a humbled air, his thumb caressed her hand as he looked to where she stood, her eyes were filled with unshed tears as she bowed her head in respect. "How sad, If only they would have used their bending before Shu had been killed. They might have lived to see the peace between their fighting nations…" "I know… how tragic." He responded as he turned to take in the massive statues across the room. "Love is brightest in the dark… I can't help but like that saying… and how true it is with how they set up the glowing stones." Toph hadn't realized how close she had gotten to him until she fell into his lap. "oh.. um sorry?..." She said before he ceased her attempts at getting up. "It's ok…" Teo said with a soft smile, his heart rate picked up tenfold as she allowed herself to be held. She relaxed against his chest, letting her head tuck under his as she listened to his heart and breathing.
"This feels… nice." She finally said after spending a good while in her current position, he nodded against her head and she smiled. Lightly he tucked his fingers under her chin, tilting it up until his lips could touch hers. Once, twice he placed gentle kisses before she pressed hers tighter against his and he gave in. They took turns nibbling and sucking each other's lips before Teo decided to sample her mouth for real. She froze at first, but gradually she allowed him to proceed quickly becoming entranced by this new rush of emotions that flooded her entire system for the first time in her life. They began battling one another with their tongs, playfully slipping back and forth between their mouths.
This went on for a very long while, but slowly the need to breathe took over the desire to not stop. Toph was the first to speak, breathless from this amazing encounter. "That was… wow…" Teo laughed weakly as he agreed, "It was the best kiss I think I've ever had…" a blush covered the girls entire body, but in this dark place it was safely hidden. "Thank you for that…" She whispered before lowering her head against his chest as he began wheeling them back through the tunnels. Just before they reached the exit she climbed back to her feet, he protested but she was determined not to let the others catch her like that and refused. When they reached the mouth, the night sky and thousands of twinkling stars were there to greet them. "Wow I guess we were in there for a lot longer than I thought…" He said with a half laugh. "I guess so…" she replied, fighting the blush that tried to come back.
While Toph and Teo had headed towards the Mountain, Suki and Sokka had hit the village shopping centers again, leaving Aang and Katara to head back to camp in peaceful silence. When they got their both of them let out a soft chuckle to the sight they got of Appa curled up in a ball. "Well, he's making the best of it isn't he?" Katara said with a smile as both she and Aang went about setting up the sleeping bags and fire for the night. "I guess so, I'm just glad that he finally can rest… I've been so worried about him all day…" The avatar said softly as he fixed Sokka and Suki's tent. Katara finished with Teo's and went to set up her own small sleeping space as Aang got some fire wood together.
After the camp was ready they both decided to get a little training done, Katara went about her water bending stances, while Aang for once decided to only practice with air. She never made it all the way through her own form as her blue eyes became too entranced by his elegantly strong body, his chest and back were exposed with the removal of his top robes as he usually did to train, making him all the more appealing. Each move he made was with such precision, such grace that she couldn't take her gaze off of him, it was like watching him dance he was so fluid. As his forms came to an end he hesitated, scrunching up his eyebrows in a way that Katara knew well. "What is it Aang?" She asked to his surprise.
"You were watching me?" She gave a sheepish grin in reply. He ended his stance where he was and walked over to the fire, a small smile on his lips. She followed and sat beside him. "Well… I am an airbending master… but, I've not exactly mastered all of the Air bending techniques…" "Wait? How do you become an air bending master, without knowing all the moves that are required?" He gave a short laugh while rubbing the back of his head. "It's complicated…sort of…" "Well we have time… I'm curious." She gave him a reassuring smile and he obliged. "Airbenders have two options when it comes to mastering their element… See… there are 36 airbending stages… I mastered 35… The reason I never had to learn the 36, or at least to get my tattoos. Was because I created a new move… see, Air is so versatile that we were always looking for something new to do with it… I created the Air scooter like I told you a long time ago…" "Wait, so that's how you got your tattoos? By creating that small move?"
She hadn't meant to be offending and realized her mistake a moment late. "Well, it may look small… but the energy and skill it takes to create something like my Scooter is a lot more difficult than it looks Katara." His tone was only mildly irked and she wrapped him in a hug to apologize. "I'm sorry Aang, I didn't mean to offend you, I don't doubt that it takes great skill to create anything with air. I was more so asking how something like it hadn't been made before…" He nodded accepting her apology by wrapping his own arms around her and pulling her into his lap. "It's ok. I don't know how it wasn't made before my time, all I know is I'm the one who created it… they were so impressed they allowed me to become a master bender early… see were not allowed to learn the 36th move until were of age… so… I guess why I got frustrated is because I can't close out my Airbending stances until I learn this secret technique…" "Oh… I understand, that would make me pretty irked too…"
The conversation died for a while as they both lost themselves in the fires light and their thoughts. After a good while Katara piped up. "I wonder what the 36th move is anyway…" Aang sighed. "That's what I'd like to know too…" "Maybe Tinly will know and can teach it to you!" She said with a little excitement in her voice, he smiled and lay back on the grass, pulling her with him as they looked up at the sky full of the suns dying rays. "Maybe." Though her mind seemed to still be on his airbending abilities his thoughts had gone somewhere else entirely. "Katara?..." He asked with a bit of hesitation after the last of the suns light faded, she missed the undertone in his voice completely as a yawn escaped her lips. "Yes Aang?" He pulled her tighter against him as his heart pounded hard in his chest, he could feel the necklace with his earth bending, from across the fire where it lay hidden inside his robes,. His hesitation drifted on as minutes passed and his mind seemed to freeze up, she had closed her eyes and slowly began to doze against him completely relaxed in this moment. "Never mind…" he whispered finally, deciding that yet again this wasn't the right time. He didn't get a response but couldn't help the small smile that darted across his lips, just because tonight wasn't the night, didn't mean that he wasn't going to do it eventually.
Suki had her eyes on a new pair of boots in the latest style, as Sokka admired the different array of blades that this small pawn shop they had found held. They had decided to wonder around the village a bit when everyone else parted ways, both still playfully debating names. "Oh Sokka… I think I want these… they just feel so comfy!" She said in delight as her fingers danced along the leather that was currently encasing her foot. "Do you need a new pair of boots Suki?" his wife snorted before giving him a side glance that said your-joking-right "I'm a girl Sokka… we like shoes." He rolled his eyes as he put down the earth kingdom blade he had been examining, when he reached her side he couldn't help but admire the stitching and leather work in the shoes she had picked. "They are nice… very well crafted… but still…" "Sokka." He gave a small chuckle as he kissed her forehead. "I'm just playing babe, will get you the boots." She gave him a brilliant smile before kissing him hard on the lips.
He was stunned for a moment before she pulled back and walked off as if she hadn't just surprise kiss attacked him. "You women are so easy to please sometimes…" He shook his head as he followed after her, the boots in his hands. By the time they had left the store they had also secured a new baby blanket that Sokka had demanded his child have, and two new side pouches for the couple to wear and carry a few more things. "Well that was a successful shopping spree, wouldn't you say?" He said jovially to his wife, she grinned back as her eye's went from looking into his to over his shoulder. "Well Hello there young ones…"
Sokka stopped dead before turning cautiously to the side, there stood an old women in water bending attire, she had a huge grin on her face and far too much jewelry for her small frame, along with an eye patch covering her right eye. "Hello. Can we help you?" Suki said kindly as she too noticed the familiar colors. They were Northern water tribe cloths but the designs were hard to miss. "Well now, I noticed you both wearing the insignia of the water tribe, and then I noticed your pregnancy." Suki instinctively brought her hand up to touch the engagement necklace she wore that Sokka had carved for her. Her green eye's then went to the water tribe sheath that Sokka had picked to hold his sword.
"Ok, so you noticed were of the same nation… what do you need from us?" Sokka said bluntly, His beloved smacked him across the back of his head before giving the best bow she could muster with her current condition. "Forgive him, we've been traveling all day and he's a bit cranky." The old woman laughed as she turned around towards the direction of a small hut with door beads, she flicked her wrist above her head. "Come, come. Let me give you a gift." The couple stared back at her quizzically before looking to one another. Finally Sokka shrugged his shoulders and they both followed the direction the old woman had went.
"Good, I was starting to think I had scared you too." The woman said from where she sat on a round mat, two place seats had been set directly across from her, while a small purple glowing chunk of ice in intricate design lay between them. "Come, sit and relax." "Oh no…" Sokka said as he realized what was going on. "You're a fortune teller…" "Indeed I am." He smacked his forehead as they both sat on their respective cushions. "Now sweet daughter of earth and water, Place your hand on my special ice, and tell me your name." Suki was intrigued, she had never actually gone to a fortune teller before and was curious to what was going to happen, against Sokka's wishes she did as the lady asked."My name is Suki." The woman nodded in greeting. "Now young man, Place yours on top of hers. And I would be honored to know your name as well." Grudgingly he complied, gasping as the Ices color started changing in quick successions, he managed to mumble out his name after a few seconds had passed. "Its Sokka…"
"Whats happening?" Suki asked as her green eyes were wide. "It is reading your child's life force. This Ice will tell us what your child will be born, and if it will be a bender." "You're kidding right?" Sokka couldn't help but ask. "I do not kid…Oh look!" Her old gray-blue eye lit up as the ice turned solidly pink, before the water tribe insignia glowed purple/blue within it. "Amazing…" Her voice was humbled and made the young parents concerned. "What is it? Is something wrong?" Suki asked worriedly. "No no, it's just surprising to me that even with your mixed blood your first born would be born a bender." Sokka scowled at this. "Well not saying I believe anything you're saying right now but, it was bound to happen… Suki's father was an earth bender, and my mother was a water bender. We have the proper genes…" The old fortune teller let out a soft warm laugh. "I suppose your right, Prince Sokka of the Southern water tribe."
For some reason, hearing his name pronounced with his respectful title set his heart racing, and yearning for his home land. Suki finally spoke up as she had yet to remove her eye's from the swirling water symbol inside the pink glowing ice. "I'm guessing by the Pink color it's a…" "A girl, your correct sweet Suki, and that symbol means she will be a water bender." "What?" both shouted at the same time, startling the poor woman as she detected the hints of outrage from both parents. "Is this not to your liking?" "Arg… No it's not! It's gotta be a Boy! that has to be wrong!" Sokka ground out ignoring his wife's glare. "It's not the fact she's a girl that bothers me, it's that she will be a water bender! Why not earth?" her voice was far calmer then her husband's as her emotions quickly went from annoyed to over joyous. "It will be a girl!" both the old woman and Sokka gave the pregnant woman a weird glance before the fortune teller replied. "Hormones…" Sokka nodded before sighing in defeat. "This is on a good day too…"
They thanked the woman, or well Suki did, as her husband had stormed out in anger. "Child…" The water tribes woman said as Suki had turned to leave. "Yes?" a warm smile crossed the older woman's face. "He is just upset that he won't be able to have a boy to protect his daughters first. Don't be too upset with him." She gave a hint of a smile back. "I'll try not to be, it just hurts me that he's so bothered by our child being a girl. Thank you for this gift though, I apologize for my anger earlier. It caught me off guard. Oh, you know… I never did catch your name mam." "It's Kyila" Suki turned to embrace Kyila. "It's been a pleasure meeting you." Though she was stunned the old water woman hugged back before gently pushing her away. "You should go find him before the sun sets, it's dangerous around here at night." Suki nodded then turned to find her husband.
Everyone seemed to reach camp near the same time, only to catch the Avatar and his girlfriend unconscious by the fire. Toph and Teo had entered first, choosing to remain quiet as they went about preparing what was left of lunch, for dinner that the Air and Water benders had brought back earlier. Neither said a word until Toph quietly announced Sokka and Suki's approach, though it was unnecessary shortly after. "I don't want to talk about it Suki!" "Why Not? This is Stupid! Sokka I can't believe your So freaking upset about this!" "ARRRHG!" Suki hissed under her breath after her husband shouted so loud into the night.
She noticed a minute later how their noise had apparently scared the crap out of Aang and Katara. "Sorry everyone, Sokka is being a jerk." "Just leave me alone!" The warrior decalred in an angry voice before stomping over to his and Suki's tent and going inside to fume. Katara blushed as she realized how her and Aang had been found, that and how they had managed to sleep through Teo and Toph making dinner. "Toph is cooking…?" She mumbled sleepily, only to jump up a second later after the thought fully registered to make sure the food was actually edible. "What's going on?" Aang asked with a loud yawn as he scratched at his chest only to realize a moment later he had forgotten to re-robe.
"So the love birds are finally awake?" Toph said in an amused tone as she sat sipping at the stew she and Teo had just successfully prepared, all thanks to him ofcourse. "You made stew?" Katara asked in surprised delight as she sipped some herself, than filled a bowl for Suki, Aang, and two for Sokka in case he decided to come back out. "This is excellent Toph!" Suki replied happy to have food in her stomach again, she had forgotten about how hungry she was while they had argued the entire way back. "I'd like to take full credit, but I'd be a liar if I didn't say that Teo helped." The earth bender admitted, though pride still flooded her entire being. "I didn't help much, she did most of it." Teo said as he attempted to take her hand into his, She pulled away quickly leaving him with a surprised and hurt look on his face.
"It is very good, Thanks for making it you guys!" Aang said cheerfully after he had re-robed and then fed Appa. The small group sat around the fire, all talking about random things as Sokka remained locked away in his tent. Suki continually looked towards it before she finally looked up to Katara. "Sis, could I sleep with you tonight?" The water bender blinked a few times before she processed what had been asked. "Sure Suki… but will you tell us what happened?" The Kyoshi warrior glared back at the tent before speaking. "Well, we ran into a really nice water tribe woman today…" "Really!" Katara said in excitement. "Yeah, she was a fortune teller…" Blue eyes lit up even more.
"Oh what did she tell you? I've heard of water bending fortune tellers, the stories say that they get that ability from the Moon spirit herself… that the most powerful one's can see future events long before they take place." Suki smiled as her sister-in-law confirmed further of Lady Kylia's gift. "She told us that our child will be a girl… and that she will be a water bender." "What!" Toph scoffed. "I thought you said your father had been an earth bender?" Suki shared a look with the younger woman. "I did, I was just as shocked as you are. But It makes sense, Sokka's mom was a bender too…" "Man, and I was hoping to have a little earth bending niece to teach!" Katara laughed as she embraced Suki. "Don't worry, maybe they will give you one later Toph, but for now. I get to train a little water bender! Oh this is so exciting!" The Kyoshi warrior returned the hug before her sister leaned back to glance at the tent her brother was hiding in. Aang asked before she could. "So, that's great news… Why is Sokka so upset?"
Suki sighed as she looked over to her airbending friend. "He wanted it to be a boy…" Katara scoffed along with the rest of the group. "You're kidding right? He's that pissed off because his first born isn't a boy?" She shook her head while patting her sister-in-laws back comfortingly. "For some reason it doesn't surprise me… Sokka has always been proud of being the older brother…" She rolled her eyes. "Don't worry Suki he'll get over it." The girls grinned to one another before settling back down to start cleaning up.
As the night began to grow later the sounds of the small group of companions silenced, Toph hadn't said another word to Teo as she built her earth tent and declared she was tired, he stared at the structure for a good while as he helped Aang, Katara, and Suki finish cleaning. But eventually he went to his own tent to sleep. Aang was now glaring at Sokka's tent now as he was forced to sleep like old times away from his girlfriend, due to the pregnant woman who'd be sharing her tent instead of him tonight. Katara caught one of these menacing looks from her avatar when they put the last of the supplies away and couldn't help but laugh. "It will be ok Aang…" She said as he pulled her into his arms.
"I know, but this still sucks… I've gotten far too used to being near you, or being able to see you if I wake up…" She gave a sad smile as he pressed his forehead against hers and they took turns sucking in deep breaths. Suki had seen them do this as they were partly hidden by Appa and smiled, showing herself into Katara's tent to give the young couple one last moment alone before bed. "I swear I'm going to kick him tomorrow…" Aang said in mock irritation as he slowly lost himself in her eyes. "Please let me watch when you do… he deserves far worse." With that she pressed her lips against his, the touch was light. Not meant to go past innocent as they let their mouths dance for a moment, enjoying each soft caress as they took turns playing delicately with one another's bottom lips. Finally Aang broke it off, letting a sweet sigh pass through him as he pulled the most important woman in his entire world tightly into a hug. She responded in kind as they clung to one another, not wanting the moment to end but knowing with bitter-sweet understanding that they would have to sleep apart.
"Sweet dreams my beautiful goddess." She smiled and kissed each of his cheeks just after he kissed the tip of her nose. "Sweet dreams my favorite person in the entire world. Don't let the wind take you away." He laughed lightly before kissing her forehead and releasing her body from against his, severely missing her warmth the second she stepped away. "I wouldn't dream of it." She turned slowly, waiting til the last second to break eye contact before walking over and into her tent, leaving him with only Appa as a companion under the stars. He looked to his once again sleeping companion and let out a soft laugh. "Well buddy, it's like old times I guess…" with that he curled up next to the bison and let dreamless sleep claim him.
"Thank you for this amazing meal." "Yes thank you!" Both Tinly and Ursa said in contentment as they helped clean up the mess from dinner that their hosts had prepared for them. "It's not a problem, Tinly your like family to us, and Lady Ursa has protected you thus making her just as much family." Tisuma said lightly as she moved through her kitchen. Malu nodded in agreement as he picked up his little sister and spun her around to make her laugh. "Malu, stop your going to make her dizzy…" Kelian, his father said in a gruff but gentle reply as he plucked his six year old daughter from her older brothers arms. "But daddy!" "No Gelina, it's bed time for you. Comeon, let's get you up stairs." With that he walked off, Ursa following him as she had a small conversation with the child.
Malu and Tisuma walked around the house with Tinly, making sure all the locks were secured and windows shut before taking her up to where she and Ursa would be sleeping. "I can't believe you guys have been hiding this entire time… sense you were my age!" Tisuma laughed airily as they ascended up the stair case. "It wasn't easy, Like I told you. We had to forsake all that made us who we were, settled down in one place and hid our bending to the best of our abilities, even did what we could to make it look like we could earth bend…" "It's still incredible… It means I'm not the only one who can help raise the younger generation…" Malu spoke up at this. "Didn't you say there were three elders left?" "Yeah, but there old, I mean ancient. They are only capable of overseeing what goes on in the Kai temple, not much else… especially raising the younger ones… like my brother."
The mother looked sadly down at the younger female as they reached the guest bedroom. "I haven't heard anything of a boy being silenced… so it's possible he's still hiding…" Tomi purred in delight as he dove for one of the bundles of pillows that lay next to a bed which was already set to sleep in.
Tinly just nodded as she tried not to let that bit of hope consume her."I'm surprised any of the Lemur are still alive, what of the Bison?" Sad green eye's looked to sky blue ones as she set her pack down next to her self proclaimed bed. "There are a few, but the ones left are all females… the last male was my father's Bison and he was killed with my parents and their band of nomads they traveled with…" Malu smiled sadly as he locked his silver eyes onto her green. "You still have the Avatar's Bison… I heard it was a He." Tisuma nodded with a little excitement as she propped herself against the door frame, her blue eye's not missing a beat as she watched her son and this new bending girl.
"With Master Aang's bison the race could be saved…" Came the deeper voice of Kelian as he came to stand next to his wife, Ursa following behind him. "It all depends on if we can get to the Kai temple before any of the young ones try to leave… Kelian, you said you could send a messenger hawk…" The older man nodded as his deep gray silver eyes watched the Fire lady examine the room, he mentally figured it was to search for easy escape points. "We can, and your completely safe here… We've been in hiding for close to 27 years now… and Malu insured me that no one was able to follow you, or even see you go into the tunnels." Ursa's cheeks colored mildly as she was caught. "Thank you for this… really, you have no idea what it means to us." The older couple shared a look with one another before Kelian placed a steady hand on Malu's shoulder. "Actually I'm pretty sure we do understand, but your very welcome. You can stay here as long as you like." His wife said lightly her smile showing just how happy she was to help.
They left the two women to prepare for bed after that. It only took a few minutes before both were under their own blankets and the lights were off. "Wow, this is so strange…" Ursa gave a gentle chuckle to her friend's words. "Indeed… it's been so long sense I've slept in a bed…" Tinly nodded as she let her eyes softly close. "It's been so long sense I could actually fall asleep knowing I'd be safe through the entire night." "That too." The older woman responded calmly as her own body began drifting from fatigue. "Sleep well." "You too Ursa."
And that folks, is one freakishly huge long chapter... the longest I've ever written...
I discovered that if I pre-plan out everything and write down what I want to happen in a chapter, I get more in it that makes sense... SOOO that will be how things go for now on, meaning I can be pretty positive that there will be longer chapters like this or at least close to it coming out...
You should all be happy that I managed to pull this off on a weekend too... weekends are NOT my usual posting time but I felt so bad for my two week muse escape that I wanted to get this out... so now tomorrow I will be sleep deprived, but you all have your chapter that i hope you all find awesome! =D
Also, I know that its not exactly stated anywhere that I know of about Sokka and Katara's mom being a bender, or about Suki's parents at all... so I had my own liberity to play with... hope thats ok with everyone!
KimJuni2: i just wanted to say that you rock for constantly reviewing... seriously it makes my day! =) I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter, I hope this one meets your expectations!
I-Love-James-Messer: 8D I hope your happy... it WILL be a she, and thank you for giving me an answer! I was fighting between the pro's and con's of its gender... I think this will work out nicely, a good compromise... not to mention the fun it will be like you said with teasing Sokka.
Katarafield1: I haven't exactly found a parring yet, I know she's with Teo for now but he's eventually going to be dropped off back at his own temple... and she's far from done playing the field. I've always pictured Toph as that type of girl, that would rather date around then have one solid partner right off the bat... it's just not her. lol so I'll keep The Duke in consideration =D thank you for the kind review btw! it means alot!
Dragon123: You rock for all the reviews! =D thank you for the confidence boosters! I hope this chapter is to your liking, I made it extra long!
Everyone else, As always it means the world to me that you read my story, reviewing is just like icing on the cake and also helps with my confidence. I really truly appreciate all the kind things everyone has said! If you're a lurker reading, I hope this chapter is to your liking, and that one day I might get a review... =) but til then thanks for just being awesome and reading!
Remember I have no problem taking ideas or suggestions for things anyone would like to see happen! feel free to toss them at me every once in a while.
Til next time!
Surf-