The Honor of Love (ATLA fanfic)

11. Into the storm

 I woke up in a shock. I sat up straight and looked disoriented around me. "W-what?" I stammered as I rubbed my eyes. "What's going on? Did we get captured again?" Sokka asked sleepily when he held up his boomerang and sword. "It is nothing, I just had a bad dream. Go back to sleep." Aang said quietly as he pulled up his knees and resting his chin on them. "You don't have to tell me twice." Sokka mumbled and he laid down again, falling almost instantly asleep.

"You're having a lot of nightmares lately." Katara said worriedly as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?" Aang shook his head. "No, it's alright. I just need some more rest." Aang replied. Katara looked at me and I shrugged. She removed her hand and rolled over to my side.

"He will be fine." I whispered. "I hope so." Katara replied with a sigh and she closed her eyes again. I could not sleep anymore and decided to get up. I walked to the beach and sat down in the sand, while I watched the sunrise. I ran my hands through the white and soft sand as I thought about the vacations I've had on Ember Island.

After an hour or so, the rest started to wake up. The skies were clear and the weather was nice and warm. "Look at those clear skies, buddy," Aang said when he was patting Appa, "that should be some smooth flying."

Katara turned our food bag upside down and grunted. Some smooth flying to the market you mean, we are out of food." She mumbled and climbed into the saddle. We went to the market and it wasn't a big success. We ran out of food and out of money. The money Gya had given me was not much and I had lost it the rest of it in the canyon.

We gathered together and thought about what we could do. "I could dance at the tavern. I can dance very well and perform with fire." I said and shrugged when they looked at me. "There aren't many firebenders around here." Aang said when he looked around. "Right." I sighed.

"Or, Sokka could get a job." Katara said when she looked at him with her arms crossed over her chest. "We shouldn't go out there! Please, the fish can wait! There's going to be a terrible storm" I turned around and saw and elderly couple arguing by the harbor. "Ah, you're crazy! It's a nice day. No clouds, no wind, no rain. So quit your nagging, woman!" The man replied.

"Maybe we should find some shelter." Aang suggested carefully. "Shelter from what? The sun?" Sokka replied mockingly. In the meantime, the couple was arguing more and more. "Well, then I hope you will find someone else to haul that cause I ain't coming!" The woman yelled. "Then i'll find a new fish hauler and pay him double than what you get!" The man yelled.

Sokka grabbed my hand and we ran up to the couple. "We'll go!" Sokka said. "You're hired!" The man replied instantly without even looking at us. "He only needs one person!" I hissed when I yanked my hand out of his grip. "So? I could use the company. We should do more things together anyway." Sokka replied.

I grunted and shook my head. "Fine." I said with gritted teeth. "I only need one member." The man said when he looked at me. You said you paid double, so she comes for free." Sokka said before I could reply anything. "Alright, I can always use an extra pair of hands." The man replied.

I handed over my bag to Katara. I removed my necklace and gave it to her as well. When Sokka and I were getting the provisions on board, the sky was getting cloudy. "Sokka, maybe this isn't such a good idea." Aang said when he looked up. "We need the money," Sokka said, "and I can't just back out because of some bad weather."

"The boy with the tattoo's has some sense, you should listen to him!" The old woman said when she was standing next to Katara on the docks. "Aye, Airbender tattoo's," the man said as he walked up to Aang, "well, i'll be a hog monkey's uncle! You are the Avatar, ain't ye?"