Blindsided {sokkaXoc}

13

When awoken from the groups brief nap, Ashton decided she rather be dead and nearly sobbed with relief when Toph stumbled upon the sand glider. She laid on the rough wooden surface as soon as Katara walked torwards it, rubbing her cracked fingertips on the splinters.

While the others talked, Sokka observed the princess. Even in his intoxicated state he realized that she's probably never had to go through anything like this before. Her skin, even though dirty when they first met, was always smooth and pale enough to put the sand around them to shame. But, now it glowed a nasty red. Her lips always full and in a slight smirk were cracked and fixed in a frown.

It hurt him. 

Ashton felt her head being lifted and stirred from her trance of wood and the hard surface was replaced by the feeling of fur and leather. She cracked her grey eyes open and met the clouded one's of the water tribe boy's and he smiled dreamily. Momo chirping happily from his shoulder

 Normally, she would blush and tense. This wasn't a normal situation though. She instead relaxed into his touch and twiddled with the laces of his boots. She fell back to sleep soon after.

Katara and Aang pushed through the desert using the compass attached but "The needle on this compass doesnt seem to be pointing norh, according to my charts." 

Sokka, with one hand grasping onto Momos tail and one twirling strands of the fire nation girls hair, calls out to his sister happily "Take it easy, little lady. I'm sure the sand folks who built this baby know how to get around here." 

Katara gives her brother an irritated look and refocuses on her surroundings gasping when she discovers something "That's what the compass is pointing to! That giant rock! It must be the magnetic center of the desert."

Toph perks up at that " A rock‌?! Yes! Let's go!" grateful for the chance to see clearly again. 

Katara glances down at the girl her age and with concerned hope says "Maybe we can find some water there!"

"Maybe we can find some sandbenders." Aang added with rage.

***

Ashton kneeled and smoothed her hands on the stone around them and sighed with relief. She hadn't realized how much she craved solid ground. 

"Ahhh ... Finally! Solid ground!" Toph plopped beside the fire bender making her jump as Toph spread and made a rock angel. 

The group heads towards one of the caves curiously.

Sokka comes up behind Ashton and groaned slightly "I think my head is starting to clear out the cactus juice. And look!" He dips his hand into the goo that soaks the walls of the cave and tastes it with Momo. 

The princess slaps the rest out of his hand mumbling "Honestly Sokka.." as he gags "Tastes like rotten penguin meat! Awww, I feel woozy."

 Kat takes the oppurtunity to scold her brother "You've been hallucinating on cactus juice all day, and then you just lick something you find stuck to the wall of a cave‌?!" 

"I have a natural curiosity." he responded simply. 

Ashton began glancing around "This cave isn't natural." She traced the marks lining the wall quizzically "No it was carved out by something" she decided pulling her hand away. 

"Yeah ... Look at the shape." Aang added glancing around.

"There's something buzzing in here." Toph muttered mostly to herself before popping her head up and yelling "Something that's coming for us!"

Ashton leads the group in a sprint only turning as she hears Toph and Aang scream. She catches them ducking to avoid a wasp and fires a ball of fire at it. Katara, without water begins directing Toph on where to throw her rocks and decidely, after seeing the boy fight an imaginary wasp grabs his hand and runs after the other girls. 

"Where's Aang?" she yelled after killing another wasp ahead. "I don't know! He just kind of flew off!" Sokka responded and yelped "Behind!! Behind!!" pointing at a particulary angry wasp behind the two. 

Quickly She turned and without so much of a thought, threw the biggest ball of flames he had ever seen at it. "Woah.." he gaped and let her drag him further down the rock. 

When they reach the bottom they're surrounded by sandbenders, Ashton being the only bender present that could function properly stepped forward trying to remember every piece of diplomacy she learned in private lessons that didn't involve threatening them which now she is quickly realizing was a very small batch of knowledge to pull from. 

But, just as she was about to word vomit Aang landed in front of her and Katara ran up and grabbed her hand. 

"What are you doing in our land with a sandbender sailer? ‌From the looks of it, you stole it from the Hami tribe." the leader commanded and Ashton scowled. Maybe threatening them wouldn't have been the worst thing. 

Katara squeezed her hand "We found the sailer abandoned in the desert. We're traveling with the Avatar." Ashton nodded towards a very angry Aang and the youngest of the group shifted uncomfortably, she raised an eyebrow "Our bison was stolen, and we have to get to Ba Sing Se."

The young man steps up "You dare accuse our people of theft while you ride in on a stolen sand sailer‌?!" 

Weak. the firebender noticed narrowing her eyes at him. His eyes are frantic...as if hiding something. 

"Quiet, Ghashiun!" the older man scolds "No one accused our people of anything. If what they say is true, we must give them hospitality." 

Ghashiun resigns "Sorry, father."

Toph's eyes widen "I recognize the son's voice. He's the one that stole Appa." 

Katara twirled to look at her "Are you sure?‌" 

The princess wanted to scream at her next words. "I never forget a voice."

Aang charges forward immediately accusing Ghashiun. "You stole Appa! Where is he? ‌What did you do to him?" his staff pointed towards the boy,

"They're lying! They're the thieves!" the boy exclaims, frightened. 

"Coward." Ashton hissed fighting back the urge to set him alight. 

" Where is my bison‌?! You tell me where he is, now!"  Aang demanded.

The father glowered down at his son "What did you do‌?!"

"I-It wasn't me!" Ghashiun defended 

Toph pointed to him directly "You said to put a muzzle on him!" 

"You muzzled Appa‌?!" That was the last straw for Aang ans soon they all stood before his avatar state. Ghashiun tried to defend himself, apologize, and gave all the information he had but it was too late . Sokka fought through the wind grabbing Ashton and screaming at the boy "Just get out of here! Run!"

Toph, Ashton, and Sokka sat huddled against the wind until Katara calmed Aang down. 

All the firebender could hear was his sobs and cries of pain by the end.