The Flames of the past (Avatar: Zuko love story)

Chapter 27: The Chase.

The sun shone weakly, pale like it was still in the arms of winter's chill. Mia sat in Appa's saddle, with his huge head on her lap. She was waving a little basket, where they might store some food or herbs in, if they'll ever get one. The last village they've crossed for over 9 days ago.

"You guys picked a great campside, the grass is so soft." Toph said happily. "That's not grass, Appa's shedding." Mia said when she tried to get rid of the hairs on her trousers. "Oh, gross." Katara said when her feet were covered with it. "It's not gross... It's just a part of spring, a sign of rebirth, flowers blooming and Appa gets a new coat." Aang said. "Ah, the beauty of spring." Katara mumbled.

Mia looked at Aoi, who had the size of a tiger by now. "Aoi isn't shedding." Mia said when she stroked him. "Only a bit large..." Katara said contemptuously. "He's just a cat, he won't grow anymore." Mia replied. Katara narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "What does he eat?" She asked. "Hmmm...?" Mia mumbled, as if she did not hear Katara. "What does he eat nowadays?" Katara asked. "Oh," Mia said slowly, "you know... stuff." Sokka looked up. "Stuff?" Katara asked. "Yes, stuff. Things he finds or catch." Mia said quietly. "What does he catch?" Katara asked a bit angrily. "Birds, mice, sheep..." Mia said. "A SHEEP? MIA THIS IS COMPLETELY ABNORMAL!" Katara yelled. Mia got angry. "Who do you think you are? It's my cat!" Katara moaned and walked away.

At night, they set up their tents. Katara was a bit annoyed by Toph, who did not do anything. It didn't bother Mia at all. Let her do her own tent, if she doesn't do anything, she won't have a tent. So simple is that. Mia was done and sat down next to Toph. "So Toph... Usually when we set up a camp, we mostly devide the work that is left. One will go and find water, the other one wood, the other one food..." Katara said. "Don't worry about me, I am good to go." Toph replied.

"Is she always like that?" Toph asked. "Pretty much..." Mia said and she took a bite out of an apple. "I mean how can you deal with it? What she said about Aoi... who does she think she is?" Mia laughed. "Our mother or something?" Mia replied grinning. "Just let it go, she is just tired." Mia yawned. "So am I..." She stood up and stretched. "I am going to sleep. Goodnight."
"Goodnight." Toph replied and she just rose two big walls out of the ground. It looked like a tent. Mia smiled and she walked to her own tent and fell asleep.

After two hours, Toph shrugged Mia awake. "What is it?" She asked sleepy. "Something's approaching. It looks like an avalanche, but it isn't an avalance." Toph said worried. "Wake the others, I go and check it out." Mia said awake now, and she stood up. She ran through the trees and saw it approaching. It was really, really fast and it looked like a huge metal rhino kind of thing, that moved fast over land. Mia ran back to the gang and jumped in the saddle. "Yip Yip Appa." Mia said when she took the reins from Aang, who fell asleep again. Appa rose and flew away, into the darkness.

Mia's eyes were all blue of the puffiness, but she did not fall asleep. She was viligant, maybe that thing could some back. Now it is really a fight between Sugar Queen and Mrs. Do Nothing. Even in the very middle of the night, when Toph was in her own tent, Katara made a silly comeback. "Look at the beautiful stars above us.... PITY TOPH CAN'T SEE THEM!" She yelled. Katara got launched and fell with sleepbag and all above Sokka. Mia turned utterly annoyed over her shoulder. "That's mean! You are the annoying one now, Katara. Go to sleep, now!" Mia hists. Katara frowned and laid down next to Sokka. Mia shook her head and she looked back to the forest. Dust rose up from the ground, high above the trees. "The Avalanche Rhino is back!" Toph yelled. "How far is it away? Maybe we can close our eyes for two minutes." Sokka said sleepy.

"I don't think so, Sokka." Mia said and within 30 seconds, Appa flew away. Mia, Katara and Toph looked over the saddle to see what it exactly was. "Seriously, what is that thing?" Katara asked when she rubber her eyes. Mia narrowed her eyes to see it a bit better. It was with no doubt a Fire Nation machine, but she did not say t to the others. "It's of metal.... It does carry something behind it. Maybe it transports something?" Toph said. "The worst thing is that it keeps finding us." Mia said. "I'll make sure we wouldn't find us now." Aang said and he threw an extra Yip to it. Appa started to zig zag through the sky. Passed mountains and tops of mountains. He landed on a flat side on one of the biggest mountains in the area.