Havi of the Earth Kingdom

Chapter 10: The Storm

"Then I'll find a new fish hauler and pay him double what you get!" I smile at the fisherman's words, "how do you like that?"

Me and sokka speak at the same time, "I'll go!" We look at each other then back at the man, "we'll go."

"You're hired."

Katara and Aang gave us a look and Sokka shrugged, "what? You said get a job, and he's paying double."

"Double? Who told you that nonsense?" I roll my eyes at the man.

As we prepared the boat for fishing, gray clouds started rolling in and Aang was outwardly worried, "Sokka, Havi, maybe this isn't such a good idea. Look at the sky."

I turn to the airbender, "Aang, we said we'd do this job. I get your concern but I'm not backing out cause of some sketchy weather." Sokka and I grabbed some boxes and headed below deck to set them down. I ask the boy, "do you think we should be nervous?"

"I'm not sure," Sokka looks to me after putting down his load, "Are you nervous? You don't have to come, you can still back out."

I shove his shoulder playfully, "I'm no pussy. I just wanted to see your thoughts on it. Find out if you were planning on bailing on me."

"Why do you have such a bad mouth all the time," oh spirits, Havi. Don't make that weird.

"Not my fault your little girl ears can't take it," I pinch his ear for effect, "but answer my question."

"Well, I think we need food so we don't starve and we need money to get the food. I'm not backing out on anyone," I smile at his response and we walk back upstairs, "hey! They left without saying goodbye."

"You're friends ain't too polite, are they?" The fisherman asked.

"I know. There was this one time I was-" I cut him off with a pat on the cheek.

"It was a rhetorical question." We grabbed more boxes and headed below deck.

• • •

Not even minutes after our departure, rain begins to fall heavily from the clouds. The drops almost hurt as they touched my skin, leaving little red spots over my arms, "I guess I saw this coming but what a downer."

Sokka frowned at me in his soaking wet clothes, "Yeah, where's a Katara when you need one?"

We continued sailing out to sea and as we got further from the town the waves got larger and larger. An unsettling feeling arrived in my stomach the more time we spent out here. At first, the captain wanted us to push through but seeing how rough it got, he had regrets now, "I think we need to turn back! It's getting too dangerous."

"Yeah," I send him a glare, "took you long enough!" Even yelling it was hard to hear my own voice.

Thunder boomed around us and my balance started to get more unsteady. I searched for Sokka's eyes for reassurance but he looked just as unsure as I.

"We've got a problem! I can't get the boat under control! We're stuck!"

There was no time to yell any sarcastic remark back as a huge wave knocked water into the deck. This tiny thing was no match for the powerful ocean. I almost fell over but instead held a tight grip to the boat rim like my life depended on it. I mean, in a way it did.

"I'm too young to die!" Sokka screamed over the splashing and thunder. He and the fisherman held onto ropes in the center of the boat.

"I'm not but I still don't want to!"

Another large wave tilted the boat and knocked me off balance. The splash sent just enough water right for me and I screamed as I was sent overboard, "Sokka!" I close my eyes and prepare for sudden death but instead a hand grabbed my own just in time.

"I got you, Havi!" I looked to the water just feet below me and held on for dear life. This is not how I wanna die.

"Sokka," I had tears in my eyes, "I'm scared."

"It's okay, trust me. I have you, trust me," I nod and he pulls me back up onto the boat and straight into his arms. I hug him as tight as I could as small sobs shook my body. One arm wrapped around my back while his other hand cradled my head, "you're okay. I have you now. You're safe, I promise."

I pull away to see Aang, Appa, and Katara here to save us, "grab onto the rope." We do exactly as Aang says and he whips all three of us onto the bison's saddle. I sigh with relief but our struggle wasn't over yet. Towering over Appa was a wave larger than any I'd ever seen. Aang tried to get us away but we were sucked into the dark, cold water. I held onto whatever I could grab and closed my eyes. I didn't want to watch my friends and I drown. Right when my lungs began to burn, we burst through the water and into the air. Soaring above the clouds, we narrowly escaped the storm.

• • •

We met up with the same woman from earlier today in a cave. She hugged the man, "you're alive! You owe this boy an apology!"

"He doesn't have to apologize." Aang told her.

The fisherman grinned, "What if, instead of an apology, I give him a free fish and we call it even?"

"Actually I don't eat meat."

"Fish ain't meat."

Sokka walks up to the old man, "seriously, you're still gonna pay us right?" The fisherman just slaps a fish into his outstretched hand. They got into it a little bit but I stopped them.

"Do you hear that? It stopped raining." We all walked outside before saying our final goodbyes and taking off.

• • •

Sometime while flying, Sokka and I started getting really bad coughs. Like full out fits of us just dying. Then soon after came the fevers and even some hallucinations. All of this put together is our reason for stopping, "this should bring your fevers down." Katara was being very helpful in caring for us and I would act more grateful but at the moment she looked as if she had 6 eyes.

"You know what I love about Appa the most?" Sokka asks, "his sense of humor."

"That's nice, I'll tell him."

"Well, Appa might be funny but he is no match for Sumi," I retort. Sumi is the baby dragon that's been hanging out with us. She's so cute and purple, "Sumi is ten times the comedian Appa will ever be."

I continued staring out in wonder as Sumi did tricks in the air. She even blows fire! She is on fire! Not in the literal sense but that would be cool too. I would be able to enjoy it a lot better if my nose would stop running. Also if sokka would stop being "such a bother!" I yell.

"Take that you rock!"

"Sumi will take on the rock!" I cough, "Katara, water. Please."

"Momo is getting water."

I fall asleep.

• • •

I wake up again, "Katara! Water."

"I'm trying, Havi."

"Okay," and I fall back asleep.

• • •

I wake up again, "Katara, where the hell is the water?"

"I am trying really hard to get the stupid water. Just be more patient."

I huff, "Sumi is more a woman than you. I bet she could get water," I look to the dragon flying figure 8's in the air, "Sumi, go get me water." When I see she's flown off, I fall back asleep.

• • •

I awoke again when the airbender boy stuck a tasty treat in my mouth. It was calm for the time being but the peace was interrupted by Sokka, Mmm Sokka's a tasty treat too, "Aang, how was your trip? Did you make any new friends?"

The young boy huffs sadly, "No. I don't think I did."

Okay I know the blue spirit episode was brief but I didn't think it was very important to the storyline. Not much happens to anyone except Aang anyways. See y'all whenever the next update comes.