ATLA- Faith's Story

Chapter 10: The Desert

Sokka: (As he points to his mouth.) We're drinking your bending water. (He tries to define the taste of the water, smacking his lips. Disgustedly he exclaims.) You used this on the swamp guy! Urch!

Toph: It does taste swampy.

Faith: That's why you separate it. (She speaks in a dull dark tone before burying her head into Sokka's back.)

Momo lets out a sad cry in protest of the water's flavor, after also smacking his lips. Katara sadly puts the cork back on her water sack.

Katara: (Sad tone.) I'm sorry, it's all we have.

Sokka: Not anymore! Look!

Katara looks in the direction Sokka's pointing. Sokka places down Faith and he walks over to the cactus and cuts off a piece with his machete. He happily drinks the fluid that's inside while Momo crawls over to him.

Katara: (Worried.) Sokka, wait! You shouldn't be eating strange plants!

She drags Toph along on her arm as she runs toward Sokka. Faith soon follows. He and Momo are quenching their thirst with plenty of cactus juice. He cuts open another part of the cactus, excitedly offering its content to a skeptic looking Katara.

Sokka: There's water trapped inside these!

Katara: (Backing away from Sokka and the cactus.) I don't know...

Sokka: (While cactus juice drips off his chin.) Suit yourself. It's very thirst quenching though.

He gives Katara a big smile like a true salesman. Suddenly his pupil dilates rapidly. He tries to shake off the feeling by rapidly shaking his head. He starts to trip.

Sokka: (In a strange echoing voice.) Drink cactus juice. It'll quench ya! Nothing's quenchier. (He crawls over the ground as a caterpillar before jumping back to the front, pushing his face toward the three girls with a big smile.) It's the quenchiest!

Katara gives Sokka a very weird look. She grabs his cactus juice and pours it away.

Katara: Okay, I think you've had enough.

Sokka: Who lit Toph on fire?

Katara wants to react on Sokka's comment, but is distracted by a sound in the sky. She looks up to see Momo flying around in circles, increasing his speed, before plummeting into the ground, head first. Faith then picks up and cradles the unconscious animal.

Toph: Can I get some of that cactus?

Katara: (Wrapping her arm around Toph's shoulders.) I don't think that's a good idea. Come on, we need to find Aang.

Katara leads Toph away. Faith then looks at Sokka who stays behind, staring blankly at the sky. Faith pulls Sokka along by his arms.

Sokka: (In awe.) How did we get out here in the middle of the ocean?

Faith, Katara, Sokka and Toph climb over another dune. And spot a giant mushroom shaped dust cloud in the distance.

Katara: What is that?

Toph: What? What is what?

Faith: It looks like a mushroom cloud.

Sokka: It's a giant mushroom! (Very excited.) Maybe it's friendly!

Katara: Let's just keep moving. I hope Aang's okay...

As Katara leads Toph away, and Faith follows behind them, Sokka starts to worship the mushroom by waving his arms up and down, back and forth.

Sokka: Friendly mushroom! Mushy giant friend!

It is nearly twilight and they are still walking in a single file through the desert. A shadow passes over their heads and Aang lands behind them, kicking up a small cloud of sand. As the sand clears, Aang is still down.