o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o

"Ok, Toph." I grabbed one of Toph's sleeves and used it to tug her away from Lee. "Let's play 'good cop, bad cop' with him. I'll be the good cop, and you can just act normal…"

"What's a cop?" Toph asked and swatted me away from her. "Never mind, I just realized I don't care…"

I smiled at her. I knew she had no idea what a cop was, that's why I said it. I was beginning to enjoy using phrases from my own time. "Let's just interrogate him. I want to know what he's doing out here in the middle of the night and why he tried to scare the crap out of me. Can you just tell me whether or not he's telling the truth?"

"Sure, as long as I can do it sitting down." Toph yawned.

"Thank you." I gave her an apologetic glance; sorry that she had to be up even though she was so tired.

I turned to the boy and stared down at him. My nose wrinkled in disgust as I noticed his appearance. His green clothes were torn and covered in dirt, although it was probably due to the fact that Toph buried him up to his neck in the earth, but the one thing that wasn't Toph's fault was his hair. His hair was an inky black color, and I could tell that it once was very nice, but now it was unkempt and unwashed, the shine replaced by dullness that came with staying in the forest (or rolling around in mud, in his case). Dirt was smudged on his chin, but he did have a nice looking mouth and a strong, defined chin..

"Toph, our guest looks uncomfortable…" I said, pointing out the fact that he was still buried in dirt. "Can you see to it that he is better accommodated?"

Toph cracked her knuckles and stomped the ground. The boy rose out of the dirt and a stool made of earth replaced his prison. Toph roughly sat him down and secured his wrists and ankles in what looked like handcuffs made out of earth.

"Thank you." I said politely to Toph, still looking at the boy's hair-covered face.

I heard Toph spit on the ground in reply.

"So, Lee… We can do this the easy way or the hard way, which would you prefer?" I asked him, copying every single cop movie I'd seen.

He said nothing, just staring down at his feet in silence.

"Ok then, I'll ask you an easy question first… What are you doing here?"

Silence.

"I don't want to make Toph force the answers out of you…" I threatened.

The boy did nothing but stare at his feet.

I sighed, "Listen Lee, I'm tired, can you just cooperate with me so I can let you go?"

His head was brought up and I could feel him looking at me. "I wasn't dong anything." He answered stubbornly and flipped his black hair off to the side and out of his face and out of his eyes.

I stared at him wide-eyed for a second, but then made my face blank. I once had a friend in middle school that had been in a car accident that left her with a long scar on her cheek, but compared to Lee's scar, that was nothing. He reminded me in a sick way of Two Face from the old Batman comic books. One side of his face was perfect and smooth, handsome even, but the other was covered down to the cheek in a circular scar. I couldn't see his ear, but by the way that the scar went behind his hair, I bet it was scared as well. His eyes were piercing, one permanently narrowed. They were a molten gold color that you could get lost in, but there was sharpness to them that prevented such a thing from happening.

I didn't have to wait for Toph to know that was a lie. "I don't believe you, why were you trying to scare the crap out of me?"

He choked out scoff. "Scare you? You were the one screaming before I even got there…"

"You were the one carrying around a sword!" I yelled.

"To help you!" he glared at me. "If you would have waited, you would have seen that I was only going to help you!"

"Why would you think I needed help?"

"Hello! You were screaming! What was I supposed to think? Me, being a decent person, came over to see if you were being attacked, and I find you on the ground. Let me ask you again… What was I supposed to think?!" His face was furious, but he relaxed it quickly and went back to staring at his feet, but I could still see the annoyance.

"I didn't need help, if I did, I would have screamed 'help'." I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed.

I heard Toph snort behind me. "Nice…"

Lee just stared at me for a while, but when he opened his mouth, it was to address Toph. "Can I leave now?"

"No, you can't leave." I raised my chin in defiance. "I'm still angry with you."

"Can you at least give me the use of my arms back?" He asked through gritted teeth.

I looked him straight in the eye and smiled. "No."

"I still don't understand why I'm even in this situation… Next time I hear you scream, you better hope you're not in danger because I'm not coming to save you."

Toph chuckled. "Truth."

Zuko raised his eyebrows at Toph, but nodded anyway.

I glared at Toph. "Tell me, what you are doing in the forest? And I won't ever see you again, so it won't matter if you don't save me."

Lee rolled his eyes. "I was on my way to the next town, if you must know, I'm visiting my–"

"Lie." Toph cut in.

He scrunched his forehead. "I'm telling the truth… I'm visiting my mom."

"Big lie." Toph sat up, suddenly very interested.

"It'd be best if you told the truth… We'll know otherwise." I told him in what I thought was a cold voice. "Now tell me, what were you doing?"

"Sleeping, until you decided to scream…"

Toph chuckled a few times and then sighed. "Truth."

"Thank you, Toph…" I rolled my eyes at her. "Now, Lee… What were you doing in the forest? Are you some kind of killer who prowls the forest looking for innocent girls to take advantage of?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked, glancing at Toph and giving her a look that clearly questioned my sanity, unaware that she was blind. "Just let me go and you'll never see me again."

"You'll go when I say you can." I told him, picking at the dirt in my fingernails. "Now tell me why you were in the forest…"

"Why are you in this forest?" he asked, throwing the question back at me.

I glared at him. "I'm looking for someone." I told him nonchalantly.

"Well, what a coincidence, so am I." I had a feeling he would have crossed his arms had they not been in restraints.

"Truth."

"I thought you were visiting your mother." I said in a mocking voice.

He glared at me, but kept his mouth shut. I definitely did not like this guy, he's a jerk. I used to know guys like this at school. The type that think they rule the school, that their royalty or something. They try to act like bad-asses and think the world is out to get them. I hated those people.

"Who are you looking for?" I asked, deciding I wouldn't let him go until I was satisfied.

"No one important…" He replied.

"Whoa…big lie." Toph stood up and walked over to my side. "But why?" I saw, in Toph's eyes, the same spark I saw when she felt me lying.

"Let's find out…" I murmured. "Who are you looking for?" I asked him again.

"A friend."

"Wow… Even bigger lie. This guy is sweating up a storm!" Toph bounced up and down on her toes eagerly.

"Now you're awake…" I told Toph and then looked back at Lee. "Like I said before, there's no use in lying, we'll know."

"Hurry up and get the truth out of him, I'm tired and want to go to bed while its still dark, but I can feel it won't be long…"

"Yeah, I can feel it getting warmer already."

"It doesn't get very cool here, does it?" I asked her, aware that this was probably annoying Lee.

"Not really, even in the winter it's not bad."

"Maybe I should sell my jacket then, we could get some money that way… What kind of currency do you use here?"

"We use-"

Lee cleared his throat. "Can I go now?"

I turned my attention back to him. "Not till you tell me who you're looking for…"

"I don't have to tell you anything." He growled.

"Well, get comfortable then, I can stand here all day, I'm used to it… I'm a waitress." I told him, aware that the term meant next to nothing to him.

"It would be easier just to tell us what you're up to. You see…you got Toph interested, and I can say from personal experience that once she's curious, she will find out…" I told him nonchalantly.

He stared defiantly at me and said nothing.

I pulled Toph aside, but did nothing to keep discreet, I no longer cared and he already seemed to know I was full of bull.

"Here's the deal…" Toph started. "I'm tired and I want to sleep, I opt for just leaving him here. He'll get out eventually."

I heard even more struggling behind me but I had faith her restraints would hold, so I just ignored him. "Ok, that's it then. We need to leave tomorrow morning though… We'll never be able to catch the Avatar if we don't."

Toph was silent for a minute; even Lee stopped his struggling and was quiet.

"The Avatar is about a week ahead of us; we should be able to catch up to him in about two weeks. He stops often, so as long as he doesn't fly on that beast he has, we should catch him before he gets to the ocean, but if he does, you're on your own. I don't like the water."

"He has a flying beast?" I asked dubiously.

"Yeah, that's how I've been able to follow him, there are signs of it everywhere, if you know what to look for. I've been following the beast's footprints. The Avatar and his companion seemed to try and cover them up, but I'm a master earthbender, they can't hide them from me…"

"Once I see that, I will have truly seen everything." I said more to myself, than to her.

"What's wrong with you?" Toph suddenly yelled over my shoulder at Lee.

I turned around and frowned. Lee was looking at us, actually it was more like past us, he practically had a sign flashing on his forehead that read 'Deep in thought: do not disturb!'

"He's just thinking of a way to escape." I scoffed. "So this beast thing, can it really fly?"

"Yeah, on my way to the town, I heard it flying over me."

I smiled. "Cool, I wish I brought my camera, that would be a nice picture to show my-" I closed my mouth and frowned at Toph. "What do you mean 'when I was on my way to town'? I thought you lived there…"

Toph shrugged. "I lied."

"You what?" I asked loudly. "Did you even tell your parents you were leaving?"

"No, but they'll know by now." Toph laughed at her comment.

"They probably think I kidnapped you! Crap, what am I going to do?" I asked myself. "I hould have known…what kind of parents would let their daughter just leave like that-"

"Did you guys say you were looking for the Avatar?" he cut in.

"Yeah, so? What's it to you?" I asked him with as much attitude as I could muster. I gave Toph the classic 'we'll talk about this later' look, but I remembered she was blind so I nudged her in the side and whispered it to her instead.

"Nothing." He grunted.

"Lie." Toph singsonged.

Lee's eyes snapped up to Toph and then back to me.

"We know when you're lying, so don't even bother." I glanced at Toph and rolled my eyes at her. She was definitely in big trouble.

"Why are you searching for the Avatar?" he asked, looking me in the eyes.

Toph cut in. "Same reason as everyone else I guess." She lied, easily sounding uninterested.

"How are you planning on finding him?"

I stared back at him. "We have our ways."

"This is pointless, I'm going back to sleep." Toph threw her arms up in exasperation and stalked off towards camp.

She disappeared into the trees, leaving me alone with Lee. "You brought this on yourself you know. I'm going to leave, and you're going to have to get yourself out alone. It'll teach you to scare girls." I told him and followed after Toph, unaware of how Lee's mouth hung open at my statement.

In only a few minutes, and a brief moment of getting lost, I was back at the camp. Toph was already in her 'tent' snoring softly and spread out so that her arms and legs were everywhere. It looked like I wouldn't be able to join her when I was done, there would be no room.

I sat down with my stuff and picked up my outfit. It seemed that I was actually farther along than I thought I was, I only had to finish the hems and then I would be done. After sewing for hours, the motions of sewing had become quick, so I finished in only twenty more minutes. For an extra feeling of security, I grabbed some of my scrap fabric and sewed a little pocket on the leggings for my pocket knife. If I ever needed it, I'd rather it be right there, than have to dig around in my bag for it.

Feeling a rush of inspiration, I took the rest of the scraps and made a trim for the tunic.

I looked up at the sky and almost wanted to cry, it looked like I would only get three hours of sleep tonight since Toph surely would want to get up in the crack of dawn. I pulled my blanket out of my bag, unfolded it, and used my jacket as a pillow. I was out like a light.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o

"Kat, wake up."

In my last fragments of sleep, my dream tried to incorporate Toph's voice into itself, but it failed, and I ended waking up anyway.

"I was awake." I told Toph, "Just resting, that's all."

With one glance up at the sky I could see that I was right, it was still kind of dark out, the sun barely peaking over the horizon.

"Uh huh, sure." Toph mumbled and yawned again. "I don't care who we find tomorrow night, we are not staying up that late again…"

"Agreed." I sighed and slowly got up. When I rolled my neck on my shoulders, more out of habit than necessity, I cringed when I felt sharp pain. Getting used to sleeping on the ground was going to take some time, but I'd like to think that I wouldn't always wake up sore in the mornings.

I looked over to my bag and stared at it for a while, half zoning out, and half thinking about what I would make for breakfast. After about five minutes of this, I finally got up and grabbed two oatmeal cream pies and tossed one to the still sleepy Toph. "We can eat it on the go." I told her, jumping to shake off the sleep.

"What is this?" Toph asked loudly, poking at the plastic wrapper.

"Its breakfast. Eat."

"How?" She asked, shaking it up and down.

""Oh…I forgot." I went up to her and tore open the wrapper for her. "Ok, now eat it."

Toph sniffed it once, wrinkled her forehead, and took a bite. After a few moments of careful chewing, Toph finally spoke. "This is good, but it tasted kind of weird."

I smiled. "Its probably all of the chemicals and preservatives. Just wait until I let you try my Skittles…"

Toph shook her head and shoved the rest into her mouth. "Can I have another?"

"Later, let's go… Just lead the way." I said happily; we were one day closer to finding the Avatar.

"How can you be so awake right now? I'm exhausted!" Toph told me, demolishing her earth tent.

I shrugged. "I used to pull all-nighters all the time; I practically became nocturnal."

"Your time is a strange one…" Toph began walking away, leaving my scrambling to shove my blanket into my bag.

"Wait!" I yelled, remembering my new outfit. "I have to change before I go."

Toph stopped and tapped her foot impatiently. "Just hurry, were already running late."

I stripped off my clothes quickly and with a little paranoia, even though I knew Toph was blind and that no one would walk in on me. It just felt weird to be in my bra and underwear out in the forest. As quickly and as carefully as possible, I pulled on the pants and tied the pull strings I made for them. I was even more careful with the shirt, I did not want to tear any of the stitches and start all over again.

When I was done, I looked down at myself. It all fit reasonably well and I thought it looked pretty damn good. The tunic reached just above my knees and hid the pocket for my knife well, and the slit up my thigh made it easily accessible too.

I turned to Toph for her opinion, but then I realized she was blind and immediately shut my mouth. "Ok, I'm ready."

"Alright then, the footprints are leading to Gansu so that's where were going."

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o

I couldn't shake the feeling we were being followed, but every time I looked at Toph, she seemed to be at ease so I ignored it. But still… I couldn't help but feel we weren't alone.

I took the waterskin from where I had it hanging at my hip and took a big gulp. "How much longer until we reach Gansu?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder, sure that the culprit would jump out at us any moment.

"We won't reach it until tomorrow so stop asking me."

"But we've been walking for two days! Besides, I've only asked you three times at most."

"And three was enough."

"Three isn't a lot."

"Is everyone from your time annoying, or is it just you?" Toph asked, quickly shutting me up.

We both were silent as we continued to walk. Me, because I was angry at Toph and tired of walking. Couldn't she have told me that it would take days to reach Gansu? The only reason Toph was quiet is because she enjoys making me angry and was reveling in her accomplishment.

With nothing to keep me occupied, I thought of home. I wondered if everyone was out there looking for me. I could imagine everyone putting on a giant search for me just like they did the time Becky went missing. She had also gotten lost in the forest by the lake, and it took them two days to find her. I remembered how worried her parents were, and how Lisa had been with them night and day for comfort. Is Lisa that worried about me? Then again, Lisa had a personality that made her freak out over the slightest things.

I came home five minutes late for my curfew, and Lisa was about to call the police. All she had said for a week was what could have happened. I could have gotten kidnapped, I couldhave gotten in a car accident and been trapped. I took that moment to ask her for a cell phone so that would never happen, but she sent me to my room instead. If only I had a cell phone now when I had been lost…

But Becky had only been missing for two days, I had been gone for five. They must think I was dead, and that thought made me want to cry.

I took my mind out of the past and put it back in the present. But unfortunately the present was freaking me out. Every few steps I took, I had to glance over my shoulder to make sure no one was there.

When the hair on the back of my neck stood on end, I knew I had to talk to Toph.

"Toph, I think were being followed…" I muttered quietly so only she would hear.

"You barely noticed it now? He's been following us for a few days." She said quietly. "But he poses no threat; I'm just waiting to see what he's going to do."

"You know who it is?" I asked aloud.

Toph just smirked and kept walking.

To know for sure that we were being followed freaked me out even more. I took the pocket knife out and flipped open the blade. I didn't care who he was, if he attacked me, I'd protect myself.

We kept walking, and I waited. I knew the person would reveal himself soon, so I kept my knife in hand and listened. I bet that if I knew how to waterbend, I wouldn't be worried right now. I gritted my teeth and made a pact that I would try my hardest to learn the skill, no matter how freaky it was.

From behind me, a twig snapped.

I jumped a mile, but Toph stayed calm and slowed to a stop.

We both waited for him to make his move.

Finally, he did. A man stepped out of the trees and looked right at me with his golden eyes.

"Oh my god! What is your problem?!" I yelled at him, holding my hand over my fast beating heart. I had expected him to be a murderer, but he was just that annoying kid from a few nights ago. "I told you not to scare me again!"

"It's not my fault you get frightened easily." Lee berated.

"What do you want?" Toph asked, politeness obviously not a concern to her.

"Jump right to the point, huh?" Lee remarked and shook his head. "Well then so will I…I want to join you."

I started laughing. "You want to join us?"

"Yes. Were both looking for the same person, and as much as it pains me to say this…" He addressed Toph. "I need your help."

I had to wipe the tears from my eyes at this point. "Why would I want to spend all day walking in the forest with you? In case this had slipped your notice, I don't especially like you."

"I can be of help."

"Really, how?" Toph asked.

"I can hunt and fight, and I know a lot about survival."

"Big deal. We have food, and I've seen Survivor Man, we'll be fine."

"Survivor Man?" Lee asked.

I smirked and ignored him. "We don't need you."

"Yes you do." He crossed his arms across his chest and walked up until he was in front of me, using his height as an intimidation method. "You said you have food, but I bet its only fruits."

"And Oatmeal cream pies and Doritos." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Like I said, we don't need you."

"I can get you meat." He spoke just to Toph this time, and I could see her resolve weakening at the thought of meat. "I have some money, and I'm good at tracking."

I looked at him through slitted eyes. "Give me a minute."

I grabbed Toph by the arm and pulled her out of earshot. "You can't be considering letting him come with us."

"But he does bring up a few good points."

"But I don't like him at all!" I yelled, not caring if he heard. "I still think he's a jerk."

"Well, I think he would be helpful. He could hunt and even clean. You can just ignore him if you'd like. Plus, you said he has swords. Wouldn't those come in handy if we were attacked?"

"But what if he's the one attacking us? What if I was right all along, and he is a killer?"

"I'll just ask him if he means any harm, but I've already decided he's coming with us."

"But-"

Toph was already walking back to Lee. "Are you going to do anything bad or hurt us in any way?" she asked bluntly.

"No." he answered, his eyes swung to me as if he knew I was the reason for her question.

"Ok, I'm sold." She smiled and stuck out her hand. "We're going to Gansu, care to join us?"

He grasped her hand and shook it. "Let's go."

"But-"

"He's coming Katara, let's get a move on."

"Fine." I huffed, sensing my defeat. "But I refuse to share my Doritos with him."

Toph laughed and started walking. Lee didn't spare me one glance; he just followed her like she was the leader.

"Wait!" I called and ran after them. "You might as well make yourself useful and carry this." I handed my bag off to Zuko and watched as his face registered first surprise and then anger.

"This is your stuff, you carry it!" he yelled and tried to pass it back, but I jumped out of his reach.

"But Lee!" I exclaimed in my most innocent voice. "You said you were going to be helpful…and this isall of our stuffs now."

"That's true." Toph chuckled.

I smiled and walked ahead of him.

"I'm going to leave it here!"

"No, you won't!" I called back.

"Yes, I will!"

"Liar."

"I just dropped it, and I'm walking away!"

"No, you didn't!"

"I don't like you!" he yelled.

"Oh, what a shame." I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster.

"You are the most infuriating person I've ever met."

I spun towards him causing Toph to stop and wait while we argued. "And you're an ass."

"What did I ever do to you?"

"You ran at me with a sword and scared me twice!"

"So?"

"And then you were a jerk when we were questioning you!"

Lee's face contorted in anger. "That's because you took me as your prisoner!"

"Well, maybe next time you won't creep around a defenseless girl's camp site!" I yelled, my upper lip lifting up into a sneer.

"I wasn't! You were the one creeping around my campsite, did you ever think of that?!"

My mind froze for a second, I hadn't thought of that. "Jerk."

"Hag."

"Freak."

"Wench."

"…Dolt!"

"Dolt?" Zuko questioned.

"Well, didn't you mother tell you not to be an ass to girls?"

Lee's face immediately changed. In a split second, he went from angry to sad, and then he was furious. "I like your new outfit, it's a good thing you changed… Last night you looked like a camp follower!" He yelled and stalked ahead of me.

I blushed a deep red and quickened my pace. Lisa had a whole shelf of historical romance novels so I knew all too well what a camp follower was… A prostitute.

This meant war.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o