𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆

               Chapter twenty
Elora

"Hey! You guys picked a great campsite," Toph exclaimed, wiggling her toes in what she thought was soft grass but turned out to be Appa's shedding fur. I had to stifle my laughter as Sokka dropped the bomb.

"That's not grass. Appa's shedding," he deadpanned.

"Gross!" Katara cried out in disgust.

"It's just a part of spring! You know, rebirth, flowers blooming, and Appa gets a new coat," Aang chimed in cheerfully, trying to lighten the mood.

"Ah, the beauty of spring," Katara retorted sarcastically, only for Appa to sneeze, unleashing a cloud of fur that sent her into a fit of coughing and flailing arms.

"It's not that bad, Katara," Sokka remarked, bending over and turning back with a pile of fur on his head. "Makes a great wig!"

Aang popped up with fur all over his chin. "And a great beard!" I couldn't help but giggle at their ridiculous antics.

"I'm just glad we have another girl in the group, because you two are disgusting," Katara remarked, brushing fur off her clothes.

"Hey! I'm a girl too!" I protested.

"Yes, but now we outnumber them," Katara quipped.

Just then, Toph emerged with giant mounds of fur tucked under her arms. "Excuse me, does anyone have a razor? Because I've got some hairy pits!" Aang and Sokka burst into laughter, joining Toph in her irreverent humor.

"Actually, I think they're outnumbering us," I pointed out with a grin.

As the evening settled in, Sokka, ever the provider, plopped down a stack of firewood in front of Aang and set about constructing a small fire pit. Meanwhile, I busied myself with setting up the tent, ensuring it was secure and ready for the night ahead, while Katara took charge of gathering water into large pots for our evening meal. Toph, however, remained seated off to the side, propped up against her bag, her demeanor tinged with frustration.

"I don't understand. What's the problem here?" I heard Toph's voice pierce through the air, her tone laced with anger. Although I didn't catch the entirety of their conversation, I witnessed Katara storm off in frustration, resuming her task with a sense of agitation. Aang and I exchanged concerned glances, unsure of how to navigate the tension brewing within our group.

Later that evening, as we gathered around the crackling fire that Aang and Sokka had skillfully built, Toph remained at a distance, leaning against a large rock a few feet away from us. Determined to make her feel welcomed and included, I rose from my seat and made my way toward her, extending an invitation for her to join us.

"Hey Toph, why don't you come sit with us? Aang made some tea," I offered warmly.

Toph let out a sigh. "Yeah, uh, tea isn't really my thing, and I'm kind of tired, so I'm just gonna call it a night. But much appreciated, Flame Head," she replied with a hint of sarcasm, causing me to chuckle and nod before I remembered her visual impairment.

"Alright then, sweet dr—" I began to respond before Katara interjected, her tone tinged with frustration.

"Tired from what exactly? You didn't help any of us set camp," she admonished, her irritation palpable in the air.

"Katara, it's fine. We can manage on our own," I attempted to reason, hoping to diffuse the tension.

"Yeah, you should start listening to Lora. Clearly, she's the mature one here," Toph quipped, her words laced with a subtle jab. Katara, visibly irked, stomped off in annoyance, leaving Aang and Sokka to quietly sip their tea as they observed the unfolding scene. Sighing, I returned to my seat next to Aang, resigned to the fact that navigating the dynamics of our group would require patience and understanding.