Mari: Scroll 1

Jet

        "You see, they took over a nearby Earth Kingdom town a few years back." He continued. 

"We been ambushing their troops, cutting off their supply lines and doing anything we can to mess with them." Pipsqueak chimed in. 

        "One day, we'll drive the Fire Nation out of this valley for good." Jet said. "And free that town." Katara blushed again and smiled, looking down. I rolled my eyes. 

        "That's so brave." She said. 

"Yeah, nothings braver than a guy in a tree house." Sokka commented, pushing forward. I didn't understand what his problem with Jet was. Was it a male rivalry thing? Was he jealous? 

        "Don't pay any attention to my brother." Katara said. 

"No problem, he probably had a rough night." Jet said, easily brushing off Sokka, who slithered back to walk beside me. I giggled. 

        "What?" He asked, irritated. I put my hands up. 

"Nothing." I said. "I didn't say anything." He huffed and slumped his shoulders, glaring ahead. I poked his cheek and moved away when he glared icily at me. I stopped when Jet and Katara stopped, everyone else going on ahead. My brother had a lost, sad look him is eyes. 

        "Fire Nation killed my parents." He said. My head bowed, my bangs hiding my eyes. I felt a hand on top of my head and looked up at Jet. Flashbacks of him doing the same thing when we were little flashed in my mind. "That day changed me forever." He finished. 

        "Yeah, me too." I said, my voice cracking. 

"Sokka and I lost our mother to the Fire Nation." Katara said, eyes falling to the ground. 

        "I'm so sorry Katara." Jet said. I noticed Katara reach for her neck before remembering that her mother's necklace was no longer there. I put a hand on her shoulder and we smiled at each other and continued walking with Jet. 

        "I'll show you your tents." Jet said and, after we retrieved Aang and Sokka, led us through the camp to a red tent. "Here you go, dinner's in two hours." Jet said. We walked inside. It was big, big enough to hold us all, but it was plain, nothing inside. 

        "So, this is where you've been?" I asked, stepping back outside with Jet. 

"Yeah, listen, if I had known you were still alive Mar, I would've.....I would've come back for you." He said. I nodded. 

        "I know." 

"It's just, I was scared." 

        "You? You were scared? But I thought you weren't afraid of anything." I mocked. He rolled his eyes and sighed. 

        "I was eight." He chuckled. "Mari, I want you to stay here, with me." He said. Even though I had been expecting this question, it still took me off guard. Sure, on one hand, he was my brother and I loved him, but on the other, Aang, Sokka and Katara had become like a family to me. I couldn't just abandon them, could I? 

        "Jet, I don't know." 

"Well, just think it over, I have to go, see you at dinner." He walked away and I was left with my thoughts. I turned to find Sokka exiting the tent, the others right behind him. I took in their faces. Could I really leave these three, after everything we've been through already? 

We made our way down to dinner when it was time and sat around a huge wooden table, along with everyone else from the camp. A few other kids were hanging out above us in the trees. Jet, sitting at the head, stood and walked on top of the table, a drink in his hand.