Author's Note: Aww, thanks for all the sweet reviews. Of course Toreth and Katara are cool, they just don't have a moment to loose ;) I'm afraid, Toreth and Hakoda don't really have enough time to „fix" their relationship as the invasion is still going on…Please Review!
After they threatened Hakoda's wound Toreth wanted to come with them but the others refused, saying it would be far too dangerous. Finally they agreed that she would hide in a tree until the fight was over.
Unfortunately there weren't so many trees in the Fire Nation capital. They were almost at the harbor when they found one. Katara and Hakoda wondered at Toreth obviously vanishing into the tree. But not for long, the battle required their attention.
Meanwhile Sokka, Aang and Toph were fighting Azula in the dungeons. As the fire bending returned they started to retreat. They didn't know what to do but Azula kept fighting. She followed them through the hole Toph created and down to the harbor. The Fire Nation Princess shot lightning at them on and on. One was directed straight to Aang's chest, but the little monk evaded.
The lightning hit a lonely standing tree. Immediately a huge piece of bark broke. Sokka wouldn't have noticed it if he didn't saw a figure forming next to the tree. Shocked he just stared as the Toreth tumbled out of the tree which slowly began burning. The hem of her dress was on fire.
She collapsed next to the tree. That second movement returned into Sokka's features and he ran up to her.
Azula saw this as a welcomed chance to eliminate one of her opponents and started to create another lightning. Toreth's eyelids flattered. She saw Sokka running towards her and Azula behind him. He obviously didn't notice her. Quickly she rolled over and, ignoring her burning hem, she buried her hand deep into the ground. The same second roots shot out a few feet before her and slung themselves around Azula. The Princess fell backwards and Toph shove her back through the hole. Then she shut it again.
Toreth breathed heavily when Sokka reached her. First he put the fire on her dress out, then he knelt down next to her. "Toreth,", he looked into her eyes and saw only agony and pain in these dark green eyes. Somehow he remembered those eyes, but it wasn't Toreth he remembered,… Someone from the Earth Kingdom. Then she passed out. Sokka caught her before she hit the ground. He paniced but didn't move until Aang came.
The Avatar paniced too. He had sent Toph to get the others, but now that he saw the unconscious dryad he wished he ran himself. He sprang around them, hysterically saying, how sorry he was. At the end he fell to his knees crying.
Author's Note (again): I know, it's a little bit short, but it "has" to end here ;) You'll see (maybe) in the next chapter...