Havi of the Earth Kingdom

Chapter 17: The Northern Air Temple

So, school started today for me 😩 and I'm heartbroken, I literally have to mourn summer lol, but you don't have to be heartbroken, too! Two chapters in a row! Bam!

Havi's pov

The four of us sat together, Aang, Katara, Sokka, then me, by a fire where a man was telling stories of air nomads, "So, travelers, the next time you think you hear a strange large bird talking, take a closer look. It might not be a giant parrot but a flying man. A member of a secret group of airwalkers who laugh at gravity and laugh at those bound to the earth by it," He exaggerates his words to pull in attention.

"Aren't airbender stories the best?" Aang boasted, practically bouncing up and down in his seat.

"Was it realistic?" Katara asked, "Is that how it was back then?"

"I laugh at gravity all the time! Ha, ha! Gravity."

The storyteller held out a hat for coins in front of Sokka and I, "Jingle, jingle." Sokka searches his pockets for a tip but all he finds are crumbs and a bug.

I twist up my face,"Ew."

"Sorry," Sokka tells the man.

"Aw, cheapskates." He then walked away to another possible tipper.

"Hey, thanks for the story," Aang chatted. The man kept his back turned and just held out his hat behind him.

"Tell it to the cap, boy." A single coin falls from his tips to the ground so Momo picked it up and put it back in, "Aw, much obliged, little bat thing."

"It means a lot to hear airbender stories," Aang began, "It must have been a hundred years ago your great-grandpa met them."

"What are you prattling about, child? Great-grandpappy saw the airwalkers last week," he pointed behind himself and I looked past where a smiling old man sat.

• • •

We all relaxed on Appa on our way to the temple. As soon as Aang heard about other possible living airbenders, he was set on finding them. I just hope he isn't let down. I don't think he could take a hit like that right now.

On the fly over, I've had plenty of time to daydream and daydream I did. Easily, I got lost in my thoughts I've been thinking a lot about life and feelings, boring I know, but I think today is the day. After all this time, I finally have the confidence and courage to do it! Today I will announce how I truly feel!

I mean, not to Sokka, of course.

Just to Katara so I can open up to a fellow female about it.

"Hey, we're almost to the northern air temple," Aang told us with a silvery voice, "This is where they had the championships for sky bison polo."

Katara scooted closer to Sokka and I at the back of the saddle, "Do you think we'll really find airbenders?"

Sokka continued carving some wood with my knife as he answered, "Do you want me to be like you or totally honest?"

"Are you saying I'm a liar?"

"I'm saying you're an optimist," He clarifies, "Same thing basically."

Aang interrupted the siblings little dispute with a yell, "Hey! Guys! Look at this!" I glance forward and gaped at the sight. The temple stood before us in all its glory and charm. It was beautifully built and in the surrounding air there were benders soaring on gliders.

Katara gasps, "There really are airbenders!"

Aang crosses his arms and leans back. He sneered, "No, they're not."