𝑯𝑰𝑫𝑫𝑬𝑵 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑮𝑶𝑵, 𝒂: 𝒕𝒍𝒂

➳ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦: 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘤𝘦

"SO, WHAT WAS IS LIKE BEING A VIGILANTE?" TOPH ASKS.

The team has been flying for a day or so, with Aang and Katara bending the water droplets in the clouds to provide cover.

"It was fine," Kida answers, leaning back against the edge of Appa's saddle. Sokka is sitting next to Toph and looking at a map, but Kida has a feeling that he was listening and she was sure that he of all people wouldn't want to hear about her escapades as the Hood.

"Seriously? That's all you're going to give me? I'm bored," Toph groans. "The Fire Nation was pretty set on finding you, so you must have done something bad. Those are my favourite types of stories!"

"You really want to know?" Kida wonders. Toph nods intently. So,Kida tells her about breaking into houses and disorienting the guards out front, jumping from three-story windows to escape and shooting arrow after arrow until her hands were blistered. As she told story after story, Kida became more and more immersed in her own storytelling, in the life she once had. Maybe Sokka was right; she did get a thrill from it all.

"Sweet," Toph smiles. "Why'd you stop?"

Kida shifts uncomfortably, thinking about Yoko. "Let's just say that I, uh, ended up hurting someone. Badly. And after that, none of it was worth it."

Just then, they land a little outside a Fire Nation town, near a cave big enough to hide Appa. Everyone jumps to the ground and stretches after flying for so long. The sun was setting by now.

"This is how it's going to be until the invasion," Sokka announces, gesturing to the cave. "Living in cave, after cave, after cave...."

"Part of staying hidden is blending in," Kida interrupts. "I think what we need is some new clothes."

Katara yawns. "Kida's right, but for now I think that we should set up camp."

Everyone agreed, and tasks to set up camp were assigned. Aang was supposed to find food, Kida and Toph were to unpack, Katara had to build the fire, and Sokka offered to survey the perimeter.

In a few minutes, Aang had brought back some nuts and berries and the sleeping mats had been laid out. Sokka still wasn't back and Katara hadn't managed to get the fire going. It was getting darker and colder.

"Ugh, I don't know why this isn't working!" Katara throws the sparks rocks to the ground.

"Here, let me try," Aang offers. He tries a few times, but the flame doesn't catch. "Well, I guess no fire tonight."

Toph groans. "But, it's freezing here! I thought the Fire Nation was supposed to be hot."

Without thinking, Kida kneels down next to the makeshift fire pit Katara had fashioned. She summons a tiny flame in the palm of her hand, brings it to the pile of tinder until the fire catches, then sits back up. Katara and Aang look back at her in awe, but say nothing. They both sit down around the fire.

"Wait, what just happened?" Toph asks. "It feels warmer now. Did you guys finally get the fire going?"

"Kida can firebend now!" Katara exclaims in excitement. "Did you find a teacher?"

"Oh, yeah, kind of. Sorry, I forgot to mention. Actually, Iroh taught me back in Ba Sing Se," she explains. "Zuko did, too," Kida adds sadly, looking into the fire. Realizing what she just revealed, she looks up to her friends. "That's not weird, though, is it?"

"It's not! I mean, it is, a bit, but a teacher is a teacher and we all trust you," Aang assures. "Does this mean you can teach me?" he asks excitedly.