CHAPTER 8: The shaman
"Do not ever discount the wonder of your tears."
The Earth bender and the Fire Lord followed the old woman through a narrow path between the village huts, that was worn smooth by countless footsteps, until they came to what seemed like the edge of the jungle village.
There, nestled beneath the protective canopy of the towering trees, they came upon a hut that from the outside seemed just like the others. However, as they approached the hut, the earthy scent of damp soil and tropical blooms mingled with the faint aroma of burning incense that seemed to waft from within.
As they came closer, they watched a woman with a baby on her hip leave the hut through a curtain of leafy vines that was the door, tears on her face but a smile on her lips, as she kissed her baby's forehead.
The young village woman and the old lady exchanged a word that neither Zuko nor Toph understood.
"Wait here," the old woman told them, before she entered the hut, leaving them at a loss for words near the entrance.
The couple exchanged strange looks.
They had no idea what they would find on the inside.
It was as if secrets whispered in the air around them, and they stayed silent until the old woman reappeared through the curtain of vines.
"She'll see you now," was all that the old woman said, before she slowly made her way down the pathway that they had come from until she soon disappeared behind one of the huts behind them.
"This place is creepy," Toph whispered to Zuko before they both found the courage to enter the shaman's hut, leaving behind the sun filled outside.
Stepping inside the hut, they were met by a strange vision.
After having adjusted their eyes to the dark room of the inside, the first thing they noticed was an arrangement on the floor before them with offerings of fragrant herbs, vibrant flowers and shimmering crystals arranged in intricate patterns.
Colorful feathers, sacred talismans and exotic artifacts adorned the walls on the inside, and the dim interior was only illuminated by a soft glow of flickering candles.
The air was heavy with the scent of burning sage and aromatic herbs.
At the heart of the hut stood an ancient altar, adorned with sacred relics and ceremonial objects. Around it were short shelves lined with jars of what seemed to be potions and elixirs.
Toph exhaled something that sounded like a snort, causing Zuko to look at her, before following the direction of her face.
And there, on top of what seemed like a simple bed woven from bamboo, a young woman was sitting cross-legged in a lotus position, welcoming them with a smile.
Zuko widened his eyes and opened his mouth in surprise.
He had expected an ancient woman, someone older than time itself, or at least older than the woman that had led them there.
But now he was laying his eyes upon someone that looked something around his own age, maybe even younger.
He sucked in a short breath in surprise, which caused him to immediately cough out because of the heavy perfume in the air.
"Welcome," the young girl smiled, as she waved her hands at them to sit down in front of her.
They both followed along in silence.
Her presence seemed both commanding and gentle, and it was as if a sort of light beamed from within her in the darkness of the hut.
Her hair was flowing black and long, cascading down over her shoulders like a river of midnight, and it was adorned with feathers and colorful beads.
When Zuko looked into her eyes, he was met by deep, dark pools that seemed to hold the stories of a thousand lifetimes, each of them flickering as if portals to realms unseen, where secrets are whispered in hushed tones by ancient and forgotten spirits.
In her gaze, he suddenly felt a quiet strength within himself, a serene assurance that comes from having walked paths of both light and dark, causing his earlier surprise of her youth to vanish as he exhaled slowly.
He was slightly taken aback by her strange beauty.
Her skin was of a rich honey color, akin to the golden hues of a sun-kissed horizon at dusk, and the light of the flickering candles made it seem like her skin was made from shimmering silk.
Over her chest and shoulders, she bore intricate patterns of tattoos that seemed to tell stories of her ancestors, and around her neck, she wore talismans and amulets, each of them imbued with the energy of the elements and the spirits.
"Pull it together," Toph whispered, stabbing an elbow into his side, and Zuko shook his head lightly as if waking up from a haze.
He felt lightheaded from the heavy aroma of the hut, and he cleared his throat.
"Uh, hi…" he finally managed to croak out.
His voice suddenly sounded strange to him.
"We're, uh… We're seeking help for our friend."
The medicine woman kept her eyes locked with his, and he felt a warmth spread from his stomach. It was as if she wanted him to say more, but in a way he felt at a loss for words. He could feel pearls of sweat starting to gather on his upper lip.
What was in that incense?
"And where is this friend of yours?" she smiled in a soft voice, looking curiously around as if they had hidden him somewhere in the hut.
"Well, he's… He's at the Air Temple," he answered.
The strange woman let her eyes wander to Toph.
"Why don't you bring him here, then?" she asked. "Now that he needs my help."
"Well, you see," Zuko explained. "We sort of have business at the Air Temple, and… He's the A-uf!" Zuko winced as he received another of Toph's elbow jabs to the rib.
He wrapped an arm around his torso in an attempt to alleviate the pain.
"He's a monk," Toph quickly stated.
"A monk?" the medicine woman exclaimed in excitement. "Really?!"
Her eyes lit up, and in a swift movement as if flying down from the bamboo bed, she settled into a seated position only inches from Toph and Zuko, her posture exuding an eager energy with one leg beneath her, she balanced her head on the knee of the other, displaying a sense of flexibility and ease.
She was intrigued.
For just a quick moment, Zuko watched as her eyes shone with the curiosity of an eager child, before they returned to their usual dark, mystical flicker.
There was a moment of silence between the three of them where only their breaths could be heard.
"Fine, I'll come with you to see your monk friend."