Clouds ( Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Chapter Twenty.

"Welcome back." Zuko hissed at the now awake avatar, he had one arm around Kumo, supporting her as she couldn't stand on her own. Aang narrowed his eyes at Zuko.

"Good to be back." He countered, glaring up at the prince but his angry expression faltered as he glanced to Kumo. He had planned to blow air at Zuko but the girl in his arms stopped Aang. Her dull expression and limping body shocked him. "What did you do her?"

"Nothing." Zuko growled, Kaze walked forward of Zuko to place the girl gently on him. Zuko faced Aang once again, but Aang blew air at Zuko, slamming him into a wall and him out into the snow. He wriggled around in the cold.

Zuko recovered quickly, motioning for Kaze to follow him as he stalked after the avatar, grabbing him by his collar. 

"That won't be enough to escape." Zuko growled, but looked up to the sky as he heard something. Kaze howled, growling lowly at the beast that landed a few meters away from them, it was the avatar's bison. Katara hopped off. "Here for another rematch?" 

Zuko got into a stance, as did Katara.

"Trust me, it's not going to be much of a match." She snapped, bringing up water from the snow to block a blast of fire.  But sent a wave of ice at Zuko, lifting him up before slamming him back into the snow. Kaze whined and bounded over to the limp fire bender. Sokka darted over to Aang, untying the rope.

"We need to get back to the oasis! The spirits are in trouble." Aang cried, leaping onto to the bison's head. Sokka followed shortly. Aang paused, looking over at Zuko then to Kumo, who was slumped on top of the polar dog, her eyes still dull. "Wait, we can't just leave them here."

"Sure we can, they're both traitors, let's go." Sokka decided, folding his arms. Kumo was no longer a friend to him but a traitor, just like the fire benders.

"No!" Aang yelled, jumping off Appa. He ran to grab Zuko's body but stopped when Kaze jumped in front of him. Kumo no longer on his back, but lying in the snow. "If we leave them, they'll die."

Kaze growled slightly before backing off, whining as Aang dragged Zuko onto Appa, and then went back for Kumo, picking her up gently. She was cold, and for a moment, he thought she was dead if not for the slow and steady rise of her chest. Kaze trekked behind the avatar as he carried Kumo onto Appa, lying her down gently before sitting on the bison's head.

Kaze whined, licking Kumo's face before lying down beside her. Katara and Sokka stared horrified at her.

"Is she dead?" Yue breathed in shock, Katara shuffled over to her former friend. She was breathing and blinking.

"No, I don't know, it's like she's there, but not actually there..." Katara murmured, she shrieked and leapt back when Kumo opened her mouth weakly but nothing came out. Sokka huffed, opening his pack to pull out a blanket which he draped across her, much to the displeasure of Kaze who growled whenever someone approached.

-

Kumo screamed, feeling a tight pain tighten around her chest. She shot up, stumbling once before regaining her footing. She was back... She glanced at her surroundings, she was on the avatar's bison. They were in the cavern. Zhao stood by the pool, a bag in his hand, the avatar and his friend's faced him.

To her, the bag glowed a pale colour, she knew what it was. She leapt of the bison, landing swiftly her feet. Zhao seemed surprised by her appearance as did the others, Iroh smiled at her.

"Put. It. Back." She snarled, her features seemed to become more animalistic as she crouched low, glaring at him with fierce eyes that seemed to glow like the moon. Zhao gasped.