PARADOX

Chapter Sixteen: Strongholds and Simulated Spirits

We had landed in the ruins of a temple on top of a large hill with a narrow winding staircase made right out of the stone from the mountain. There was grass growing up through the earth making the ruins look even more abandoned, if that was possible.

Sokka was very sick. Hallucinating, and coughing horridly. He was packed in his sleeping bag like a caterpillar in a cacoon. Katara was taking care of him, wiping sweat off of his forehead and trying to keep him from getting worse. Not that I thought he could get much worse. He already thought he was an earth bender judging by his delusional murmurings.

Aang was keeping a small fire burning, in the middle of the ruined room.

"How is he?" Aang asked.

"Not so good, being out in that storm really did a number on him." Katara said looking out away from both Aang and Sokka worriedly.

"I couldn't find any ginger root for the tea. But I did find this map. There's an herbalist institute on top of that mountain. We can probably find the cure for Sokka there." He said staring at the map he had just unrolled.

"Sokka's in no condition to travel. He just needs more rest. I'm sure he'll be better by tomorrow." Katara disputed.

Katara started hacking too.

"Not you too." Aang moaned worried.

"Relax its just a little cough." Katara said before she started hacking again. I took a couple steps back, with my luck I would catch a cold too and be no help to Aang.

"That's what Sokka said yesterday. Look at him now. He thinks he's an earthbender." Aang argued.

"Take that you rock." Sokka slurred throwing his arms around wildly.

"A few more hours and you'll be talking nonsense too. I'm going to find some medicine ." Aang said rolling up his map and grabbing his staff.

Just as he was about to fly out the open side lightning flashed ominously with a loud crack of thunder.

"Maybe I should walk." He said closing his glider.

"Wait, Aang. You stay here with Katara and Sokka. I'll go get the medicine. I imagine the whole fire nation is looking for you. They won't be looking for a girl dressed in rags." I said pulling out said outfit. It was the one I used for my alias Artemis. I went to the other side of Appa and quickly changed.

"and voila!" I said stepping out from behind Appa. "Totally innocent looking refugee." I said with satisfaction.

"No." Aang disagreed. "I'll go. I can run faster, and I memorized the way." He said. "You stay and take care of Katara and Sokka."

I made a face at him. "You can't go running all willy nilly like that. They'd be more likely to see you." I argued back.

"You stay, I'll go." He ordered with a tone that brook no arguments.

He jumped out the window before I could protest further. I sighed, maybe he wouldn't get caught?

I turned to look at Katara.

"Get in your sleeping bag. I'm going to collect more fire wood and water." I told her before looking outside. "I won't have to go far for water." I muttered sarcastically.

I ran down the many stairs and began collecting twigs. As soon as I filled my arms completely I ran back up the stairs. When I was done I piled the twigs next to the fire. Then on the other side of the room I made a large tank of ice to hold water then I bent more water to fill it. As soon as that was done I checked both of the water tribe siblings.

"I'm going to find Aang. He's taking to long." I said slinging both my dao and my quiver and bow over my shoulder.

I used my little airbending skill to speed myself up and cut my traveling time in half. I went to the river first. There I took a good amount of mud and made the usual paw mark over my right eyebrow and the thin fox whisker marks on each cheek. I had left my fur coat back in my pack and my arms were showing so I quickly drew several lines across my biceps too.

I created a small mirror out of ice to check my reflection. It would do. It wasn't as good as the paint but it would work. It had stopped raining so the mud wouldn't run either.

I quickly headed down the river toward the stronghold.

I moved quietly and quickly, like the hunter I was.

I arrived just in time to see the fortress erupt into chaos. It seems the "Blue Spirit" beat me to Aang.

Oh well, I would help them get out. I stomped the ground hard sending the gate door down. I left the rest of the wall up so I could close them in.

Aang noticed it first and gestured for the "Blue Spirit" to leave. I heard Zhao say that Aang had to be captured alive.

Blue Spirit put his dao across Aang's throat and started backing out the open gate. As soon as they were clear I slammed the gate closed harshly hoping I jammed some important gears.

I watched them get farther away from the gate then noticed the Yu Yan up on the tower.

I quickly sent an arrow whizzing through the air. It hit the Yu Yan's bow hand which made him flinch. But he wasn't a Yu Yan for nothing and the arrow still hit it's mark. The mask of the Blue Spirit was hit and he fell backwards unconscious.

I cursed under my breath. Oh, well, it was probably for the better. Who knew what would happen if Zuko was still conscious. He would probably try to take Aang.

I whipped up a mist running forward to where Aang and the unconscious Jerk were. I hauled Zuko over my shoulder. He was heavy, but not as heavy as I thought he would be. It must be the lack of armor, that probably dropped his weight a lot. And the fact I was used to hauling large Carribou-goat carcasses around.

I grabbed Aang's wrist and pulled him along beside me. He had grabbed Zuko's weapon as well as his staff.

We were well into the forest when I let the mist disperse. We found an area with large trees that had their roots off the ground. I set Zuko down gently. His mask had fallen off some time ago. Aang had been shocked and horrified but I had known it was him so I wasn't so much. I had simply grabbed the mask and continued.

Aang and I made a small bed of grass and leaves and set him down lightly. I opened one of his eyelids and his pupils dilated at a normal speed. I was fairly certain he didn't have a concussion but I wasn't sure. I wasn't a doctor, nor had I ever had a concussion. I knew concussions could cause sensitivity to light and his eyes responded normally to light so he wasn't sensitive to it more than normal.

Both Aang and I decided to take a perch far out of Zuko's reach, even with fire.

"You know what's the worst about being born a hundred years ago is?" Aang asked out loud. I wasn't sure if he was talking to me or himself or even Zuko so I stayed quiet.

"I miss all the friends I used to hang out with. Before the war started I used to hang out with my friend Kuzon. We would get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I ever had and he was from the fire nation." He spoke.

"Just like you." He said turning to Zuko. "If we had known each other back then, do you think we could have been friends too?" He asked.

Zuko replied by throwing a stream of flame at him. Aang quickly dodged out of the way. Apparently we need to pay more attention to what is in and out of range.

I followed Aang quickly but I chanced a glance back and saw a look on Zuko's face, I couldn't decipher it.

Maybe it was thoughtfulness or curiousity.

But I turned quickly to follow Aang and buried the memory of Zuko's expression in the back of my mind to be thought on later.

Aang led us to the river and he showed me the frogs we were supposed to collect. I couldn't wait to see Sokka and Katara's faces when they realized what they were sucking on.

I quickly helped gather and number of frogs and Aang gave me a lift on his glider back to the ruins. He quickly put a frog in each of the sick siblings mouths and went to lay down on Appa's tail.

"Hey Aang, how was your trip. Did you make any new friends?" Sokka asked around his frog

I stiffled a giggle.

I watched avidly as they continued to suck on the frogs. Slowly the frogs melted.

"Hm this is tasty." Sokka muttered sucking on the frog harder. It 'ribbet'-ed and Sokka froze in shock before spitting it out.

"Ew." Katara moaned opening her mouth as the frog jumped off her tongue.

They both started coughing and trying to wipe their tongues off. Katara used her sleeve while Sokka went extreme and used Appa's fur.

I laughed until I cried.

They gave me a dirty look but didn't come after me, they were too busy with getting the frog taste out of their mouths.

A/N: I finished this chapter early. Sorry, I really didn't know what to do with this chapter. Please review.