Baby Steps:

Pepper landed on the grassy floor, clearly relieved for the break in flying. She automatically slid down onto her stomach, all her legs sticking out at her sides. Jinora rubbed her head as thanks and jumped down, landing softly with a small gust of air at her feet.

"Jinora, where exactly are we?"

"East of the desert, I think. We'll have to hang around here for now; Pepper's exhausted and I don't want to keep flying over the desert in the middle of the day," she replied, looking round. The grassy plain was huge, although they had landed right by the edge of a forest which stretched round most of the plain they could see. "It's a shame we didn't bring Lefty too but I guess it wouldn't make much sense. Finding the group might be tricky with two bison in tow."

"Why not use your astral projection to just find Jahn now?" her husband asked, heaving a tent over the edge of the saddle and watched it fall with a tired look on his face.

Jinora frowned and rubbed her forehead. "I can't. There's too much wild spiritual energy around out here. I couldn't get a lock on him even if I tried."

Kai jumped down, breaking his fall the same way Jinora had. He smiled as he took Jinora in his arms, hugging her tightly. "Ah don't worry about it. We'll find him eventually. It's not like we have anything else to do right now," he chuckled.

When Jinora made a humming sound in agreement, he knew she was alright. He let her go, turning back to Pepper. Before he could jump up into the saddle and retrieve another bag, a grumbling roar above them made them both look up. Another Sky Bison was flying down towards them, its giant tail boosting it forwards lazily. When it landed, it too slumped to the ground and lay there, apparently sound asleep.

"Hey guys! We're tagging along with you!" Auri shouted from the head of her bison. Leaping off, she ran over and embraced them both. She looked marginally prettier than before; she'd lately cut her hair short and it actually suited her far better, giving her a youthful punk-like look. Her enthusiasm for life was undiminished, however.

"We?" Kai asked curiously.

Auri nodded back at her bison. "Yeah, Dalan and I thought we'd come with. Well, Dalan didn't. He'd rather sleep all day but I convinced him to come along."

Kai looked impressed. Dalan was by far the laziest Sky Bison he'd ever met. While Auri was bursting with energy, her bison was more than content to just lie down all day.

"So, we're finding Jahn huh? Cool secret mission style? Sweet," Auri said, spinning round excitedly.

Jinora smiled despite herself. "Hardly secret. My father told everyone what we were doing when we left. Plus, when I told Aana, she wasn't exactly upset. She ran round screaming about it for the entire day," she said, remembering her daughter's excitement.

Auri wrinkled her nose as she grinned. "Aren't you going to miss her though?" she asked, slightly concerned.

Jinora and Kai both nodded simultaneously. "Of course we will," Kai confirmed. Jinora sighed, clearly already missing her children. Regardless, she looked up and shrugged, saying "We miss them every second we're not with them, but they're safe with my father. We'll always find them, no matter what."

Auri nodded, quiet for once. "I'm glad. Tenzin will keep them in line," she confirmed.

"Like he did with Meelo? Spirits forbid…" Kai laughed. The two ladies joined in, envisioning Jinora's wild brother. He'd been paired off with his siblings, Ikki and Rohan, on a separate route. They were heading north-west, whereas Kai and Jinora had flown directly west. Sadly, this meant heading straight for the Si Wong Desert, which they needed to cross to reach Jahn. He was somewhere around Republic City, or at least someplace in the western Earth Kingdom. Another team had flown south-west; they would all head north through the Earth Kingdom, searching for the Avatar as they went, eventually to rendezvous at Republic City as Mako had instructed.

Within a few hours, the sun had set, dazzling the sky with beautiful colours but eventually giving way to thick cloud. The night rolled in, blanketing the land with a dark embrace. The Airbenders' camp was set-up well before this though, so the three camp fires they had started blazed through the dark. One was for warmth but the other two were to keep spirits at bay. They trusted the spirits, even now, but it was always best to let their presence be known.

Jinora closed her eyes, yawning softly as she tucked the blanket into her sleeping bag forcibly. The night air was chilly despite their small tent so she wanted to feel nice and warm. Kai was nestled against her in his own sleeping bag, snoring softly already. Pepper and Dalan both lay side by side, eyes closed and gigantic chests rising and falling slowly. Auri was sat over by the fire, reading a small book she had brought. That girl never seemed to sleep. If only she-

A silent scream woke Jinora suddenly, forcing her to sit upright. Had she imagined it? The night was silent, aside from the faint crackle of the dying fire. Only their main fire was still burning, albeit barely, so perhaps that had been the cause of the noise. The Airbender felt her eyes grow heavy, slowly closing as she placed her head back on the-

There it was again. Her eyes snapped open, her forehead creased with confusion. It wasn't a noise. It felt more like an instinct, a strange sensation in her gut that told her someone was in danger. Pulling free of her sleeping bag, she slipped her wingsuit over her nightclothes and exited the tent.

Auri was fast asleep by the fire, the book covering her face as she snored, one foot almost in the fire. Jinora pushed it away with her own foot gently, trying not to wake her. She was perplexed; who had screamed?

The pang came again, drawing her attention to the forest. Something in there was calling out to her. Unclasping her wings, Jinora leapt into the air, soaring up into the treeline. Her intuition was guiding her inside, although she didn't have to go too far to find what she was looking for.

Inside a small net, hoisted high up into the air, a spirit was struggling to get out. A small yellow blob, it had two green leaves on its head and a worried look on its flat face. It had two stumpy legs which were wobbling as it tried to free itself. Jinora landed on a nearby branch and looked down on it.

"Hey little guy. Need some help?" she asked sweetly.

The spirit looked up in panic and immediately began to thrash around even more. Jinora felt its distress; waves of emotion flooded over her, making her feel uneasy. She could literally sense the spirit's fear in the air.

"Don't worry, I'm here to help. Honestly!" she said quietly, hoping it would calm down. When it didn't, she looked around for the mechanism keeping the net aloft. Sure enough, a thick rope was stretched taut over a nearby branch. She considered her next move; she didn't want to distress the spirit even more, yet she needed to get close.

Spreading her arms, Jinora dived from the branch, soaring down to the forest floor where she landed gracefully, dead leaves crunching underfoot. The rope was secured by a small metal device; it appeared to be a lock of some description, hooked onto a metal ring embedded into the ground. Jinora's attempts to uproot it were fruitless. Instead, she considered the locking mechanism closely.

It was a small metal box, with the rope emerging one end. It must be tied inside. There was a keyhole, which must open the box given the hinges on the side. Jinora frowned, trying to shake it ever so slightly. She heard a slight tapping, as though a tumbler was tapping against the inside. An idea sprung to mind.

Jinora concentrated, the air in front of her right index finger becoming denser, more concentrated, until a tiny blade of super-condensed air hummed before her finger. Moving her hand ever so slowly, she pushed the air blade inside the lock, twisting her finger round incredibly slowly. To her delight, she heard something move inside; the box swung open, the rope uncoiled and the net descended rapidly. Jinora grabbed hold in surprise, stopping the net from crashing into the forest floor, elated with her success. Who said she needed a team to help people!?

"Oi! What're you doing with our catch!?" a man shouted angrily to her left.

Spoke too soon.

Tenzin pulled at his beard as he stared at the Sanctuary entrance from the inside.

"Hmm. If your scouts say the coast is clear, I'd suggest we consider it," he murmured, frowning as ever.

"Suggest we consider it? Tenzin, we've been considering this for a year now. We can't just stay inside for the rest of the war," Opal commented, hand on hip.

The son of Avatar Aang pulled a face. "I know. Still, we have the Sanctuary, so retaking the Temple really isn't a necessity at this stage. Especially if it alerts bandits and spirits nearby to our return."

"There's a dragonfly-bunny spirit right there!" Opal exclaimed, pointing behind Tenzin. "The spirits aren't the problem. You just don't want the world to know we've been hiding."

"That's preposterous!" Tenzin rebutted, face turning red. When he glanced at Opal, one eyebrow was raised in disbelief. Deflating, Tenzin sighed. "We've let the world down. We should have been helping people, not fearing for our own safety. My father would be so disappointed in us, as would Korra."

"We've not failed, just taken a few steps back. But now's our chance to make things right," Opal said with a soft smile. When Tenzin nodded, she knew she'd won him over. "Ok Bolin, do it."

Her boyfriend stood nearby, listening in to the conversation. When Opal nodded his way, the Earthbender grinned. His stance widened and his knees bent slightly as he pushed forward with both arms. The rocky entrance to the Sanctuary, currently blocked by numerous boulders, shook ominously as Bolin used his Earthbending, pushing the blockage outwards. A tremendous roar erupted as the boulders crashed outwards, flooding the Sanctuary tunnel with rays of light from the outside. Bolin exhaled loudly as he relaxed, clearly tired by the effort.

Tenzin smiled as a fresh breeze rolled through the wide gap in the hillside, blowing down through the tunnels gently. It was good to feel fresh air again. When he noticed Opal smiling knowingly by his side, he scowled, pretending as though he hadn't been caught daydreaming. "Yes, this is all very well and good but we still need to get to the Temple. Are the bison ready?"

"All ready to go. We'll get defences set-up in no time. It's time to start roaming again," Opal said with a confident look.

The Airbending Master looked concerned but eventually nodded. "Alright. Get the bison and head up to the temple. Make sure it's cleared of any bandits, spirits or anything else in there. I'll get to work on readying the rest of the Airbenders. We head out tomorrow."

Bolin threw his arm round Opal's shoulders, grinning widely. "Yeah! Airbenders united, flying off to save the world! It's a story to last throughout the eons, beckoning to those lost in all corners of the globe, lest-"

"Yes, Bolin, we get the idea. You are right, though. This is an important step to changing the outcome of this war," Tenzin agreed.

"Hey, let's not start thinking of plans that big just yet. We've got to focus on the little things first. We'll get there though. I know it," said Opal resolutely.

Kai woke slowly, uncomprehending of what felt wrong. He yawned, unsure of why he was actually awake. He could tell it was still dark out without even opening his eyes. There were no sounds around to wake him from his slumber, so what was it? He rolled over slightly, pleased by how much room he had….

That was it. He had too much room. Where was Jinora?

He opened his eyes, wiping away the sleep as he looked around. His wife was gone. Kai swore quietly, emerging from the tent as he pulled on his robes over his head. She knew well enough not to wander off, what with the war going on and everything. What was she playing at?

Auri was asleep by the remains of the fire, cuddling her book tightly and sucking a thumb softly. Shaking his head, the Airbender looked around their camp. The bison were fine and there were no signs of a struggle anywhere. That ruled out humans.

Something told him that the forest was to blame. It was still extremely dark and Kai could barely make out the trees. Had something grabbed her or had she run off? Kai was meant to be the childish one in the relationship, yet he found himself making excuses for her more and more these days.

A light behind him made him spin round in shock. A blurry blue figure, floating in the air. "Jinora!" Kai exclaimed, jumping forwards as though he could touch her. Her projection was distorted, fuzzy round the edges and kept flickering as though made of static. She raised one arm and pointed to the forest before vanishing.

Kai immediately sprinted back to the tent, grabbing his staff from the floor. His wingsuit was packed away and he couldn't fly with the classic Airbender robes on. Spinning it, the glider's wings opened swiftly and Kai took off into the night sky.

The forest below was dense, visually impenetrable from above. Kai flew a short distance over the trees before clicking his wings in. He fell like an arrow through the trees, emerging below the treeline. Kai shook his staff once, soaring again when the wings emerged.

He landed on the forest floor softly, lowering his glider as his feet touched ground. Kai looked around, completely bewildered. Nothing to suggest Jinora was here. He'd have to tune into the air around him. Focusing hard, Kai began to feel every air current, every whisper on the wind. He felt the leaves shake as they were carried by the breeze, felt the air collide with the trees in a deafening clamour. In this heightened state, he could feel everything around.

Something not-forest rustled in the breeze, somewhere far to his left. Kai's eyes snapped open, his senses dulling once again. His trick has worked like a charm. In truth, it had been Aana that had taught him that. His daughter was full of surprises.

Soaring over to where the sensation had come from, Kai just spotted a coil of rope at the base of a tree. Grabbing it quickly, he threaded it round one arm until he came to where it had been hacked with a knife. A net had likely been on the end. Something was prey, which meant someone was hunting. If Jinora had come across this…

Fear welled up inside him, yet Kai willed it down. Frowning, he looked around but had no idea where to go. Jinora had just vanished.

"Are you Kai!?"

The Airbender yelped and span round, startled. A small spirit was hiding behind a tree, poking round with an alarmed expression. It was small, in the guise of a green vegetable with purple flowers nestled as a headband round its rounded head. Large eyes took up most of its face, which had no nose and only a small round mouth.

"Yeah, I'm Kai. How'd you know that?" he asked, frowning.

The spirit stayed where it was but leaned further out from the tree. "I was told to find you. My friend was trapped by some mean humans and when the kind lady came along, they took her too. She talked to me, inside me head. She said 'Find Kai' so I did. You're Kai."

"You saw Jinora!? Where?" he exclaimed loudly. The spirit's eyes widened even more as it shot back behind the tree in fear. "Wait!" Kai said, holding his hands in the air. "I won't hurt you, I swear! Please, just tell me where they took my wife. I can save your friend too!"

There was a pause before the spirit looked around the tree again. "Really? You'll save my friend? But you're a human."

"So? I'll still save anyone in danger. I'm part of the Air Nation; we're here to help all people, humans and spirits alike," Kai said honestly.

"I don't believe you," the spirit said, a worried expression on its face.

"Just tell me where to go and I'll prove you wrong," Kai promised, a smile now on his face.

The spirit wriggled weakly, clearly giving up the fight to escape the net. The forest was still dark as they marched further and further away from their camp. Jinora yawned, still feeling royally pissed off at being captured. Still, she was biding her time. Her hands were tied behind her back but she could still Airbend in a hundred different ways. These men wouldn't know what hit them.

"So what's a young missy like you doin' all the way out here?" the man behind her asked curiously. All five of them were in Earth Kingdom clothes, patched and dirty. Jinora expected bandits further west but not this close to the Sanctuary.

"I'm part of the Air Nation. We're here to help people like you," she said politely, trying to slyly slip her hands free of her bonds as she spoke.

"Airbenders? We thought you lot had buggered off and left us normal folk," a man somewhere in front of her said over his shoulder.

"We…did what was necessary to survive. We're here now, though. If you free me, I can help you…do whatever it is you need to stay safe," she promised.

"Heh. Stay safe? We need hostages for that I'm afraid. The spirits round here take humans as payment for not skinning our backsides," the man behind her said.

Jinora frowned. "They're demanded tribute now?"

"Yep and that's not even the worst part. We're pretty sure they're using 'em as hosts for when they-"

"Shiro, shut it! Don't tell her what's going to happen!" the lead man said sharply, turning with an incredulous expression on his face, apparent even beyond the thick, bushy beard.

Jinora sniffed nonchalantly. "So I'm a bargaining chip. What about the little spirit?" she asked, nodding at the net over the lead man's shoulder, where the spirit had finally settled.

"Same thing. That wolf one doesn't like it when we take his buddies so always good to show them all we mean business," Shiro chuckled.

'Wolf one?' Could they mean the spirit that helped ignite the war? The abomination. Jinora remained silent for the rest of their walk. She tried to send a message to Kai, to let him know what was happening, yet she couldn't focus with all the manic spiritual energy around.

Eventually, they came to a small lake deep within the forest, illuminated by the moon which had decided to appear from behind the clouds. The blue water sparkled brilliantly, twinkling through the trees as they approached. Two young women looked up from a small pot of soup by the lake edge, still stirring as they watched the men approach. Their faces lit up as they recognised their allies, toothy grins almost as bright as the lake.

"Dad!" one of the women shouted, running over and giving the lead man a tight hug. He patted her on the head gently, smiling. "Hey there buttercup. Said I'd be back soon. Glad you're safe," he replied in his gruff voice.

Jinora's initial preconceptions about the men immediately began to change. They were surviving out here in the wilderness, protecting family and doing what they could to survive. These were the very kind of people the Air Nation needed to help. There was nothing else around to suggest a permanent camp, except a bundle of sleeping bags nearby.

"You stay mobile. I can understand the appeal," Jinora pointed out. One of the other men shushed her, putting a finger up to his lips. She gave him an unimpressed glare back, defiant.

"Wait a second…Dad, she's an Airbender, look at her flying suit!" the young woman said, amazed.

Jinora nodded. "As I was saying to your father, I'm here to help. They still tied me up and kidnapped me though, so thanks for that," she said ironically.

Shiro pushed her forward slightly. "Oi, watch your lip. You're a prisoner, alright, so…just sit down and be a prisoner," he said awkwardly. It was painfully clear that these men didn't know how to be bandits.

Jinora sighed. She did as she was told. An hour passed as the group discussed, joked and ate by the lake edge. Jinora was forced to sit in silence, glaring out over the lake. The longer she stared, however, the less annoyed she was. The lake had a peaceful effect on her mind.

Something rattled to her right. Glancing sideways, she noticed the young woman from before, tucking her dirty blonde hair behind one ear and offering a small bowl to her with her spare hand. "Here, you need to eat. You may be our ransom but it's not fair to let you starve."

The Airbender wrinkled her nose. "That's thoughtful, if I wasn't tied up."

"Oh, of course. Here…" the woman said, picking up a tiny wooden spoon and shoving a spoonful of soup into Jinora's mouth before she could protest. It was going cold, but it tasted better than nothing. The dignity of the situation could be dealt with later, Jinora thought, as she was reluctantly spoon-fed soup by a stranger.

"There you go," the woman said, smiling as she stood. Turning, she made back to the group, who frowned at her. Jinora heard one man mutter, "—not worth the trouble—" but little else was distinguishable from where she was sat.

They were either certainly trusting or incredibly stupid. She was sat on her own, off to the side. If she wanted, she could Airbend her way into the forest before they caught up. Before she could even rock herself to her feet, however, something across the lake caught her eye.

A thick blanket of fog was rolling across the lake towards them, ominously looming ever closer. Jinora watched it approach, fully aware that it couldn't be natural. Something was bending the fog towards them, which meant something was coming.

"Erm, you might want to grab your weapons…" Jinora shouted over, keeping her eyes on the fog.

"Is that a threat? You're still tied up," Shiro shouted back, unable to keep the laugh from his voice. These men might not be evil, yet some of them were certainly fitting the definition of a certain word that sprang to mind, a word which Aana was certainly still too young to hear.

"Seriously, look at the fog!" Jinora shouted again, alarmed at the increased rate in which it was coming. Before the group could even reply, the fog descended, covering the entire area in a choking mist that was impossible to see through. It swirled around Jinora, closing in on her, snuffing out her breaths. Something dark shifted to her side; she turned quickly, just missing the shadow. She felt something pull at the ropes tying her hands, so she twisted round only to find the ropes snapped and her hands free.

A gargled shout emanated from somewhere before her, female in gender. She heard Shiro shout "To your left!" in a terrified voice before his voice too cut off. Something was attacking them and Jinora was genuinely frightened. Her thoughts immediately turned to Kai; focusing, she willed her astral projection to reach her husband. She caught a flicker, the briefest of glimpses, before something collided with her and knocked her down. Jinora landed on her arm, feeling the jolting pain run up to her brain. When she peered through her hair, which had tumbled across her face, she noticed the young woman from before, face aghast and eyes wide.

"What's going on?" Jinora asked her, aware of her loud voice in the eerily silent fog. She could spot small flashes of light ahead and hear small grunts, as though someone was fighting.

"Spirits!" the woman whispered. Jinora could feel her body shaking against her, clearly distraught by the sudden attack. The Airbender, however, suddenly felt clear-minded. Standing, she clapped her hands together, bending a huge sphere of air around her as her father once did often. The fog twirled and span, ripping around her as the air sphere expanded, racing out in every direction, pushing the fog back as it vanished into wisps on the wind. Jinora's hair whirled crazily as she bent the fog away, determined to see what was happening.

Along the lake edge, a spirit had its back to her. Before she could even wonder what it was, it jumped into the lead bandit, disappearing completely.

"No!" Jinora shouted in unison with the other woman. As soon as the woman took a step forward, the spirit emerged from the man, who stood still for a second before collapsing completely to the ground.

The rest of the group were all lying around, unmoving, as the woman rushed forward, crying now her father was gone. Jinora gritted her teeth; if she didn't act now, the woman would share the same fate. She let the air sphere go, pushing off from the ground and soaring barely a metre from the floor across to where the spirit stood. When she went to tackle it, the spirit simply flickered and vanished so that Jinora flew on, totally bewildered. She immediately banked, aiming back, before spotting the spirit grabbing the woman.

"Leave her alone, spirit!" Jinora yelled, the sound of her voice amplified by her Airbending. It tore through the air, a sonic blast, which struck the spirit and knocked it back. It was ineffective, yet it gave Jinora time to land in front of them and fasten her wings to her body. She might need some mobility in this fight.

When the spirit turned back to her, Jinora was stunned to see the trademark blue face, complete with grinning smile, tusks and intricate facial structure. It grabbed the woman, forcing her to her knees and took her head in between its rather human-like hands.

"Wait! I know you!" Jinora said, raising one hand in a hurry.

The spirit looked at her, cocking its head from side to side. Its form was blurry, as though made of shadow, although the face was startlingly familiar.

"You're the Blue Spirit. The real Blue Spirit. My father told me you saved him once, allowed him to escape from a Red Lotus jail cell. If you help people, then why are you doing this?" Jinora asked, hands raised in a sign of peace.

The Blue Spirit stared at her, the grin unchanging. It was freakishly unnerving, seemingly so benevolently gleeful despite the murders. It didn't answer but gripped the woman's head tighter.

"Wait!" Jinora ordered, now angry. "Don't you dare kill her before you tell me why you've attacked us," she said in a stern voice, fully aware she had no leverage here.

The Blue Spirit's smile faded slightly, the tusks drooping as it slackened its grip ever so slightly. When it spoke, the mouth did not move, as though its entire face were a mask. "….I attacked these, not you," it said in a gritty whisper.

Jinora frowned. "You…were saving me?" she asked, uncomprehending.

The Blue Spirit cocked its head once more, twisting to an unnatural angle. "Saved you. Kill the bad humans, kill them to protect the Airbender."

"She's no threat though! I promise you! Just let her go and we can talk!" Jinora pleaded, well aware that one wrong move would end in the young woman's life.

The hands remained still for a few terrible heartbeats before loosening. The woman fell forward, crawling away from the spirit, terrified. Jinora immediately crouched down, looking her in the eyes. "Run. Far away, quickly," she whispered. When the woman shook her head, Jinora pulled her to her feet and pushed her away. "Go!" Jinora ordered.

The woman staggered slightly, tearfully looking at the body of her father, before turning and running down the lake edge and away from the danger.

"Safe now. You have a larger part to play, as your father did," the Blue Spirit said, the grin returning once more.

"You killed these people so I wouldn't be harmed. You didn't have to kill them though, you could have just set me free!" Jinora said angrily.

The Blue Spirit flickered and reappeared a few feet behind where it had stood. "I did as I should. Old Airbender, he helped start the war. Young Airbender, you will help end it. Assist the future, I pledged my power."

When Jinora inhaled, the spirit once more flickered and reappeared, though this time by the water's edge behind her. She twirled round, hair spinning, but the spirit didn't move. "I do what is necessary. You hold back, weak."

"Sparing a life isn't weak. Mercy makes us better than-"

"Better than spirits? Like animals, are we?"

"No!" Jinora exclaimed. "Spirits are just as important as we are. Balance is vital if we're both to survive! But when I choose not to kill, it's simply choosing a better path."

The Blue Spirit's head turned round to face the water and continued, eventually spinning the full three-hundred-and-sixty degrees to look at her again. "Time favoured you, human, but no more. Find the Avatar and stop this war," it said, still glaring at her with those wide eyes. "I do what I must to achieve this end. Do the same."

Without another word, the Blue Spirit flickered like static once more, vanishing totally from view. What little scraps of fog still lingered also vanished as if they had never been here. The bodies around, however, remained.

Jinora fell to her knees as she observed the carnage. They had been bandits, sure, but they had not seemed like totally evil individuals. That being said, she wasn't sure the spirit had been either. This had never been a war between good and evil and here was the proof. Fighting between humans and spirits on this scale hadn't occurred since before the days of Avatar Wan.

A tear glistened in the moonlight as it fell to the ground, silent in the night. A soft gust of wind alerted her to Kai's arrival, along with the gentle clattering of his staff upon the cold ground. When she felt his arms lift her up and hug her tightly, she sighed. When her husband released her, he held her shoulders and looked at her face closely, concern written all over his face. "Are you alright? What happened, why are there bodies?"

"I…I'll explain in a moment. Let me do something first," Jinora said quietly, pulling away. She appreciated his concern but she needed to focus.

A short distance away, the net lay forgotten at the feet of the lead bandit. Jinora stood above him, sadly looking down. Closing his eyes gently, she moved to his feet and lifted the net up.

"Hey, little guy. You can go free now, the danger has passed," she said softly, opening the net wide. The spirit within stirred weakly, eventually clambering to the hole in the net and peering out carefully as if suspecting a trap. When Jinora remained still, it jumped into the air and landed not far away. It turned, looking around at the scene.

"You did this to save me?"

Jinora shook her head. "I came to save you, yes, but I didn't kill these people. I'd never hurt anyone like that, human or spirit."

"But you let me go."

Jinora smiled half-heartedly. "You deserve to be free. Everyone does, no matter who or what they might be."

The spirit looked thoughtful. "I guess you're ok, colourful lady. Thank you!" it said in its squeaky voice, before starting to walk away. Before it got far, however, it turned. "You didn't come here to save me. Something else called out to you, you know," it said wisely as it vanished into thin air.

Kai walked up, scratching his head. "Jinora, what the hell happened?"

She leant against him, nestling her head on his shoulder as they looked across the lake. "Quite a bit. And where were you?" she asked with a slight smile.

"Well I'd say better late than never but…"

They stood there in silence for a while, emotions in turmoil, gazing out at the glittering lake in the pale moonlight among the discarded corpses of the fallen.