Chapter 6: Taken

"I know you're scared, Kane, but I need you to tell me what happened." Kane had been sobbing into my shirt for the past five minutes and I really needed to know what was wrong. The only thing that the shaking boy was able to say was 'it's was all my fault'. "There will be time to feel sorry for yourself after you tell me what happened."

Kane's eyes widened and he gasped, but he managed to nod and take a deep breath. "We were playing tag in the Plaza until the Flames started chasing us. Raz got cornered. He tried to scare them off with fire. There were guards. Azida told me to run and get you, but I fell and," he touched the cut on his forehead. "

"That's fine, we can get them back form the Flames, no problem," I rubbed his back and sighed in relief.

"No you don't understand! There were Nation soldiers in the Plaza!" I felt my heart stop. I forced myself to remember to breath as I rubbed the bloody boy's back. I stood up and turned away from him and tried to think of a plan that would get my boys out of the huge mess they were in. "You're gonna bring them back. Right?" Kane asked.

"I'm going to try." I smiled down at Kane before I pointed at the roof, "Leena's up there. Why don't you go keep her safe for me while I look for Raz?" The boy nodded vigorously.

"Wait, we'll come with you," Katara's voice called out from the ladder.

"Can any of you bend?" I asked. Katara, Aang, and Toph nodded. "Fire-bend?" I specified. Katara and Toph both shook their heads, but Aang looked conflicted.

"Look, we may not be able to fire-bend, but we can still fight," Sokka said.

"Fine. Keep up. And don't draw any attention to yourselves." I started down the dirt road. "Oh, and let me do all the talking," I added as an afterthought. We walked through the city at a pace that clearly said 'I have somewhere to be and no one better hold me up'. My feet slapped the ground while my heart pounded out a beat that was twice as fast as my feet were moving. I knew that Raz wouldn't be able to keep his bending a secret, but I wished that he had been able to last a little longer. The Fire Nation would enlist him into the army where he would receive some sort of training. Being as young as he is, Raz will just get sent to one of the mines and he will be treated a little better then a slave. The stories that have leaked out about those mines are horrific. Sometimes I wonder whether the tales are true or if they're just made up by parents to scare their children into behaving.

We rapidly rounded the last corner before the Plaza and I managed to dig my feet into the ground so that I stopped before the mass of people that filled the market place. The benders panted behind me. Sokka's reflexes must not have been sharp enough, because he crashed into the crowd and had to claw his way back out.

"So, what now?" asked Katara. Her blue eyes scanned over the faces of the people like she was pleading them to step aside and reveal Azida and the other kids.

"Follow me." I wove through the crowd toward where I knew the Flames were waiting. The Flames were a gang of teenagers who thought they ran the market because it was in "their territory." Really, the market was a public space; and if anyone had control over it, the whole city did; and if the city didn't, then the merchants who worked in the plaza should be able to make the rules. I don't know exactly what the gang did, but they certainly caused a lot of trouble for my family.

"Why, isn't this a surprise?" Damaz, the leader of the Flames drawled. His voice was like having a mud puddle dumped on your head.

"Where are they?" I demanded.

"Hestia, Hestia; where are your manners? How can you expect to raise children when you lack so many social skills?" Katara moved to attack Damaz, but I held up an arm and she paused.

"Where are they? I'm not going to ask again," I used the warning voice and looked Damaz in the eye.

"Who are you looking for? Really Hestia. You must be more specific."

"You know very well who I'm looking for. Now, tell me where they are." Only a few of the Flames were fire-benders, so when I created a small fire in my fisted hands, many of the boys who were standing behind Damaz, backed away. I flung the fire just left of Damaz's head and when his gang turned to look at the fireball, I grabbed Damaz. The air rushed out of his lungs as I slammed him up against the nearest wall and there was sweat trickling down his neck from where his skin was too close to the second ball of fire that I created. "I won't miss again."

"T-they're in the city jail," Damaz stuttered.

I turned toward Toph and the other newcomers, "let's go."

A/N: Hey guys. Sorry for updating so slowly it's been a rough week. Anyway thank you to NatNicole for reviewing. It made me smile so much when I read your comments. (Also, why did you take the picture of Kouji down!? that was a good profile pic..he's one of my favorite characters ever) Have a good week everyone and please review. Your comments are very much appreciated.

-Ananimous