Rush [Sokka - Book Three]

⚝Chapter Six⚝

Once Konno and Sokka were done talking, they headed into the cave. She couldn't believe that she almost told him that she loved him. She wasn't sure that she even felt that way about him yet. And even if she did feel like that about him, there was no way she could tell him. The Girl protected her heart for a reason. This was the biggest reason of all to protect it because she was terrified of letting her guard down that far. It was safer to just never say anything about it.

"Well, this is it. This is how we'll be living until the Invasion begins," Sokka said with a nod to each of them. His eyes lingered on Konno for a second. For some reason, he looked a little sad when he glanced away from her. "Hiding in cave after cave . . . after cave . . . after cave . . ."

"Sokka, we don't need to become cave people," Katara said. Konno and Toph giggled at her use of words. "What we need is some new clothes."

"Yeah, blending in is better than hiding out," Aang agreed. "If we get Fire Nation disguises, we'll be just as safe as we would be hiding in a cave."

"Plus, they have real food out there," Toph said excitedly. She punched the cave wall when she was saying, "Does anyone wanna sit in the dirt and eat cave-hoppers?"

Momo caught one of the hoppers that jumped out of the cave wall. He shoved it in his mouth and sighed in pleasure. "Looks like we got out voted, sport," Sokka said to Momo. He faced the rest of them and said, "Let's get some new clothes."

Konno was excited. In some old scrolls that she had read back in the Northern Water Tribe, there were some drawings of the Fire Nation Royal outfits. Sure, they were from a hundred years prior, but they were some of the prettiest clothes she had ever seen. She was happy that she was getting her own pair of clothes, even if they weren't the royal outfits.

She sidled up next to Katara; she didn't want to walk with Sokka right now because she felt way too awkward. Katara smiled at her and said, "It's such a nice day out. I'm glad we get to spend it outside right now."

"It is really nice," Konno said, glancing around. They walked away from the cave and toward the small town. The sun shone down on them; there was not a single cloud in the blue sky. "There weren't many days like this at the Northern Water Tribe."

"Really?"

"Not from what I remember." Konno squinted at the sky, trying to picture her home from her memories. "I don't really remember if it was like this or not. I generally stayed inside, unless I was at my secret cove or with Navrek."

"Secret cove? You had a secret cove?" Katara asked. 

Konno laughed. "Yeah, I did. I found it when I was little, and it was where I went when I needed to think." She couldn't help but smile. Even if there was one bad memory there, she still loved that place. It was the thing that felt most like home. "That was the place where I tried to take my life."

It seemed like Katara was still trying to get used to that little fact about Konno because she tripped. Konno grabbed her arm to help steady her as she said, "So, Sokka saved you, right?"

"Right."

"Did he know about that place before he saved you?"

"No."

Katara stayed silent for a little bit. Konno thought it would have been harder to talk about what had happened, but, for some reason, it seemed to get easier the more she talked about it. She knew she would never try something like that again because she had so much more to live for.

"How'd he find you?" Katara asked finally. They were getting close to a house with clothes hanging up on a clothing line.

"I have no idea," Konno admitted. "He told me that his heart led him to me."