Havi of the Earth Kingdom

Chapter 30: The Chase

Havi's pov

"Hey, you guys picked a great campsite," Toph rubbed her toes on the ground, "the grass is so soft."

I internally gag, "that's not grass. Appa's shedding."

"Oh, gross," Katara steps away.

Aang corrects her, "That's not gross. It's just a part of spring. You know, rebirth, flowers blooming, and Appa gets a new coat."

"Ah, the beauty of spring." Appa sneezes, sending white fur everywhere. Katara coughs, "Stop! Appa, stop."

"It's not that bad, Katara. It makes a great wig," Sokka faces us with Appa's hair piled on his head.

Aang joins in with newly grown facial hair, "and a great beard." The boys laugh at each other.

"I'm just glad we finally have another girl in the group because you two are disgusting."

"Do I not exist?" I scoff at Katara.

"Excuse me, does anyone have a razor because I've got some hairy pits," Toph raises her arms with hair stuffed in her shirt. This time I laugh along with the others.

Soon enough, nightfall was upon us and we were setting up camp. Aang was putting up the tent, I helped Sokka with fire wood, Katara was doing something with water but Toph was just relaxing on her own. I didn't have a problem with it but Katara can be pretty controlling sometimes which is why I get a little nervous as she walks over to the earthbender, "so, Toph, usually when setting up camp we try to divide up the work."

"Hey, don't worry about me. I'm good to go."

"Well actually, what I'm trying to say is some of us might fetch water while someone else might set up the fire pit or put up the tent," The flying lemur drops nuts in her hands, "even momo does his fair share."

"Katara, I'm fine. I can carry my own weight. I don't need a fire. I've already collected my own food and look," Toph earthbends walls around her, "my tent's all set up."

"Well that's great for you but we still need to finish—"

"I don't understand. What's the problem here?" Her tone becoming more agitated.

Dejectedly, Katara walks off, "never mind."

I watched as Sokka helped Aang get the saddle from Appa's back but it ended up with Sokka shoved to the ground from the weight. I laugh as Aang rushes to help, "Sorry!"

Katara walking back over to Toph grabs my attention and I'm practically screaming in my head, Just leave her alone! It's not that big a deal! But no one listens to me.. Someone's gonna get mad and this is all gonna blow up, I can feel it.

"Hey, Toph. I wanted to apologize for earlier. I think we're all just a little tired and getting on each other's nerves."

"Yeah, you do seem pretty tired."

The water tribe girl clenched her fists, "I meant all of us."

"Well, goodnight." Toph laid down in her rock cover.

"Goodnight." And finally we all went to bed.

• • •

"—omething coming toward us!" Toph's panicked voice jolted me awake.

Aang questions her, "What is it?"

I rub my eyes and lean over to Sokka to whisper, "What's even going on?"

He stares at me intently and for a moment, I begin to think he didn't hear me until he shrugged, "Apparently Toph heard something." Thanks. That helped a lot.