disclaimer: I don't own ATLA but I do own the OCs

The team searched the forest and the skies for Haruki but they couln't find him. While searching from above they saw a Chikara Army camp but they couldn't see any sign of Haruki with the soldiers.

"We'll find him." Kya assured the others the night after they found out he was gone. They were grouped around a fire in a small clearing. "Let's just get a few hours of sleep and start looking again. I'll do the first watch."

The others agreed and took out their sleeping bags. They all grouped around Appa and began to fall asleep.

Kya climbed a tree and sat down on a thick branch that had a good view over the forest. She watched for any movement and her ears strained for any sound. After a while she started nodding off.

"Shift's over."

Kya nearly fell off the branch when Xiu spoke. The youngest acrobat sibling had climbed up the tree and was sitting on a thick branch near Kya on the other side of the tree.

"You scared me." said Kya. She put her hand over her heart which was beating fast.

"Sorry." said Xiu with a guilty smile. "I've been known to sneak up on people, even when I don't mean to."

"When did you wake up?"

"I've been awake. I couldn't sleep."

"You're worried about Haruki, aren't you?"

Xiu fiddled with her necklace.

"I-I know I've only known him for a few weeks but... I don't think I can deal with losing someone again. Especially someone I've been getting to know."

Kya hesitated then asked, "What happened to your father?"

Xiu didn't answer. She just stayed silent and continued fiddling with her necklace.

"If you don't want to answer, it's fine." said Kya quickly, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked-"

"No, it's fine. I've never actually told anyone this before."

Xiu sighed.

"My father fought in the Fire Nation army. One day when he and some soldiers were on their way home on leave, they were ambushed and were either captured or killed. My father was one of the unlucky ones."

She looked at Kya and the older girl saw that the acrobat was fighting back tears.

"He died the day I was born. He knew my mom was due soon and was coming home to surprise the family."

"I'm so sorry, Xiu." whispered Kya.

"My mom and sisters didn't even know what happened until a few weeks later when Fire Lord Zuko told us."

She fiddled with her necklace some more then spoke again.

"See this necklace?" she pointed at her necklace which was a red ribbon with a charm hanging off it in the shape of a flame. Kya nodded.

"It's beautiful." commented Kya.

"My father made it for me while my mother was pregnant. It was tradition in his family that the father of the baby would make something for the baby. If it was a boy that something would be a weapon. If it was a girl, that something would be a necklace. Since all his children were girls, my dad had a feeling that I would be a girl and got started making the necklace right away. When Fire Lord Zuko told my family what happened to my father, he told us that my necklace was found tied to my father's wrist."

Xiu wiped a tear from her eye and cleared her throat. She chuckled a little. "Listen to me, talking about the past when I should be watching for soldiers and you should be getting some sleep."

Kya hesitated again and climbed down from her branch. Xiu pulled out her knife and rammed it into the trunk of the tree. She cupped her hands over the handle, put her ear to it, and waited. She suddenly sensed someone coming.

"Kya!" she silently called the oldest girl.

"What is it?" asked Kya. She was almost at the bottom of the tree.

"There's someone coming."

"How many?"

"I think there's five."

"Get down here, we have to tell the others."

Xiu yanked her knife out of the tree and jumped down the branches of the tree. She landed catlike on the ground next to Kya and they ran back to the others.

Before they made it back, however, an arrow whizzed past them, causing them to stop and look back. A man not too far away let two more arrows fly. The girls dodged the arrows. Kya pulled out her fans but Xiu was already running towards the man. She pulled out her knife and threw it at the man but he jumped to the side to avoid the blade. Xiu used the distraction to somersault over the man and land behind him. She jabbed at his arm which hung limply at his side. She made to jab at him again when a woman swung a sword downward between Xiu and the man. Xiu jumped back to avoid the attack. The woman swung at Xiu again. Kya jumped in front of Xiu and parried the blade with her katana. Kya and the woman engaged in a fight while Xiu delt with the man. She jabbed at other parts of the man's body and he fell to the ground, paralyzed. Xiu searched the ground for her knife so she could help Kya but two large hands grabbed her and picked her up. Her arms were pinned to her side so the most she could do was kick at the man holding her and hope it made contact. Kya saw Xiu get caught by a large man and ran over to him to help her but another man wearing a helmet blocked the attack with his quarterstaff.

"Kya? Xiu?"

Xiu stopped struggling and Kya, the man, and the woman stopped fighting and looked at the owner of the voice; it was Haruki.

"Haruki!" screamed Kya. She dropped her katana and ran to her cousin and held him in a tight embrace, crying. "I'm so glad you're safe." she said in between sobs.

The large man set Xiu down and she ran to Haruki and hugged him too. She was also sobbing.

"I was so worried." she told him.

"Really?" asked Haruki.

Xiu released him and wiped away her tears, frowning. She scoffed.

"Yeah, right. Get over yourself, airhead."

Haruki was taken aback at her attitude. She smiled to show that she was joking and hugged him again.