2.24 Serpent's pass.

6.5K 174 183
                                    

If there was a word to describe how Asha was feeling right now it would be numb. Actually two words, comfortably numb.  The group had decided that the air benders especially needed a break, so there they were. They had found a gorgeous waterfall that cascaded into a deep pool, providing a refreshing relief to the group. 

As canny as it was, all the group members (at least those who had one in the first place) still had their bathing suits; And as much as she despised the idea of relaxing when Gumi was still out there, Katara had forced Asha to take a break.  So there she was, changed, waiting for Katara and numb. Comfortably numb.  

"Ready?" Katara asks, finally reappearing; now clad in her bathing suit.  She only gets a nod, so she takes to approaching the air bender, whose currently mindlessly tracing her newly scabbed over wound.  "I like your stripe." 

Asha peeks up, facing the water bender before glancing further down her arm where a new stripe indeed painted her arm. "

I didn't even realize." She murmured, tracing the stripe with her fingers.  It connected the arrow on her hand (under the cuffed bracelet) all the way to the center arrow on her back. Turning she allows Katara to trace it as well, shivering slightly at her cold fingers. 

"Your arrows are different from Aang's." Katara noted, stepping back to look at the girl's back entirely.

"Yea? His are tattoos, mine- I guess- are badges." Asha raises a brow. 

"No, no. None of his tattoos connect to each other. They stop completely, while yours all fall into the one on your back. It looks like it splits into your other ones." Katara explains, only causing more confusion on the air benders part. 

"No... Do they?" Asha asks, tilting her head. Katara only gestures her head to the pool, where the boys (and Toph) are currently waiting.  

Running over to their meeting place, the boys all looking up at her, Toph not flinching, Asha runs over to Aang, who raises a brow at her as she turns him around.  Tracing her finger along the arrow that runs down his back, she ignores his own shiver, furrowing her brows at the discovery.

"They are different." Asha hums, continuing to look at Aang's arrows.

"What do you mean? What's different? Ash?!" Aang sounds panicked as he reaches around, trying to feel his arrow.

"Not yours." She huffs, her lips twitching at the boy's actions.

"Asha got a stripe!" Sokka yells, scrambling to inspect it closer, Raiko following. However Aang beats them both to it as he grabs Asha's arm, lightly of course, holding it up to his face.

"It's her water bending stripe!" Raiko preens like a bird, smiling like a dork the whole time. 

"Proud mama Raiko strikes again." Toph laughs out, Asha laughing with her.  

___

After the excitement of the stripe had worn off, everyone had gone to do their own thing; Asha thanking the spirits for it as it allowed her, wounded, arm to rest.  Aang and Katara had taken to swimming, Toph even splashing her feet from the edge, while Raiko, Asha and Sokka took to reading.  Zulu and Momo laying beside them, both curled up behind Asha, fast asleep. 

Taking out the two books, Asha was finally able to read the title of the other- Dealing with the Onsra and Avatar- A guide- and immediately handed it to Raiko as she decided on reading the incantation. Sokka sat on a rock above them, reading a scroll he got from the library as well

"Did you know, that Onsras are more likely to get possessed by a spirit than the Avatar?" Raiko asks with a tinge of humor, earning only a groan from Asha. 

Calypso-Avatar The Last Air bender (Being heavily edited! Finally right?)Where stories live. Discover now