(( Small chapter))
After the whole Jet ordeal, we decided to make camp after flying for a day. Apparently, it was next to some large trench. Everyone was making camp as Aang and I were looking for some food, he was lucky that there wasn't enough animals for us.
" Find anything?" I asked, picking the ripe raspberries in my hands and walked back to see Aang had a handful of red berries. " Cool, looks like we have dinner. Hopefully Sokka won't whine about it." I said as we made our way back.
" So how long have you been fire bending?" I snapped my head towards the innocent monk, my eyes wide. " What?" he asked, eyebrow raised.
" H-How do you know?" I asked, voice cracking a bit. He noticed and instantly a look of concern on his face came. " Aang?"
" I saw you putting out the fires on Kiyoshi Island." He answered in a shy voice, and looked anywhere but my face. " I was kind of impressed too. The South pole isn't for Firebenders."
I kept myself quiet and stared hard at the monk, once his eyes caught mine, he flinched back, his lower lip pouting a bit but trembling as well. I noticed and my gaze soften just a bit, how much of a jerk could I be for making the Avatar cry? A big one.
" Aang, Katara doesn't know that I'm a Fire Bender. Most of the women in our tribe either." I said calmly as I return to walking back at the camp. Aang follows after me, and I could feel his curious eyes on me. " I would love it if this could stay between us." I could feel Aang's eyes on me, I knew his thoughts were swarming about my fire bending abilities but he was afraid to ask. He didn't ask me anything as we came upon our campsite, I expected a nice warm campsite and a tent for all four of us but all I saw was a mess.
" Oh boy, what now?" I asked, both siblings turn to glare at me and scowl even more. " What?"
" Sokka refuses to listen to me, he says we should use the tarp as a blanket!" Katara exclaimed loudly, throwing her arms up. " He's being a moron!"
" Me?! A moron?!" Sokka screeched as he turns to look at his sister, " Why would I put it up anyway? It's the dry season for pete sakes! It's not going to rain! Mirza, Buddy, you got to believe me on this!"
I glanced at the sky and saw no rain clouds above us then to the fire seeing it was barely alive, my moved his gaze to the ruin tent and sighed. Of course, I've dealt with sibling squabbles and their tantrums, I know how to exactly handle this.
" Okay, Okay." I placed my berries into Aang's hands before wiping my hands on my pants, " You two need to cool down for a moment. Who cares about the tarp? Katara, he's right, it's the dry season, no rain drop in sight." I said, and Katara huffed when Sokka smirked. " Though, Sokka, you probably shouldn't have ruin our bed for tonight." I pointed out and Sokka's face falls while Katara grins smugly. " Why don't you two fix the tent and I'll work on the fire." They grumbled before they turn to fix the tent, grumbling things I couldn't hear. I bend down, my back towards them as I lit my hand up, a flame coming up and I moved over the wood in the rock circle. Slowly the wood Caught on Fire, and I removed my hand away. Aang was watching me, I could tell it was him.
" How'd you do that?" Aang asked, sitting on the other side, legs criss-cross, berries in his hands.
" I was born with it, and I said I didn't want to talk about it." I replied simply and sharply but the monk shook his head.
" No, No!" Aang said, as he placed the berries into a wooden bowl, Momo, eagerly eating from it before something caught his eye and began heading towards the large fruit. " I mean, getting them to work together. Knowing them, they would fight and fight before something bad happens and drives them together to help."
" Years of practice." I said, watching the fire eat the wood up and grow. " Katara and Sokka had been fighting for years, most of it on petty things and Sokka being sexist." I sit back and picked a berry from the bowl and flicked it into my mouth. " I usually make them work together, let themselves apologize to each other by themselves, but I also resort to punishment if needed. I couldn't let Kanna be the one to sort out her grandchildren's fights by herself. I was young, I could keep them in check." I smiled, I do wondered about the older woman, how she's feeling and how well the tribe was with her in charge now. I often wondered if Hadoka was back yet for supplies or a quick visit. Though, those were my hopes, when I knew him and the crew were sailing around.
" Wow." Aang said, a smile on his own lips as Katara and Sokka finished the tent. " So you're like their older brother in a sense?" Aang asked. I shrug a bit, " In a sense. I grew up with them so-" There was growling behind us and Aang turned as did I. Momo was trying to take away Appa's melon. The furry bison holding it down with one toe as Momo struggles to take it away. " Why don't you go try sorting this out." I asked, as Aang nods, he stood up and walked towards them. Hopefully this would help him in the future. Though once everything settled down for our berry meal, the fire was dimming slowly, I lit it up again once everyone began falling asleep in their respected places. Once even Momo had settled down, I began laying on my own bed, the sleeping bag and nuzzled it a bit. What I wouldn't give to sleep in a nice bed again.
I laid on the sleeping bag of my own, laying my head down and stared into the flames. My eyes half-lidded, as sleep slowly lulled me to sleep.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We all stared down into the canyon, it was huge and beautifully crafted by the spirits. Aang takes a deep breath before exhaling, " There it is guys, the great divide!" Momo lands on his shoulder with a chatter. I looked at the many trails the rocks had against the stone walls. Maybe animals traveled down or something.
" Wow. I could just stare at it forever." Katara said, amazed as well. She was one to enjoy moments like these, unlike Sokka.
" Ok. I've seen enough." Sokka announced, as he turns around towards Appa.
" How can you not be fascinated, Sokka?" Katara questioned, gesturing to the canyon. " This is the largest canyon in the entire World!"
"Then I'm sure we'll be able to see it very clearly from the air while we fly away." Sokka said, tugging on Appa's reigns a bit. I rolled my eyes a bit just as a guy shoved his way passed Sokka. He looked young and pretty clean in his robes. " HEY! If you're looking for the canyon guide, I was here first." He announced, stomping towards us.
" Look buddy, if anything, we were here first." I spoken up but he ignored me and advanced towards Katara a bit. She beams, lacing her hands together with a smile. " Ohh. Canyon guide? Sounds informative." I shake my head before standing beside her and Aang on the other side of her as well. " Believe me, he's more than a tour guide. He's an earthebender, and the only way in and out of the canyon is with his help." The guy explains, I see Sokka mocking him from behind and I snickered a bit as Sokka flapped his hands together like a mouth. " And he's taking my tribe across next!" When the guy glanced to Sokka, he stopped his mocking.
" Calm down. We know you're next." Sokka said, coming to my side and leaning against my side lazily. " If you couldn't see it, we have our own transportation too." I said, gesturing to Appa who groans.
" You wouldn't be clam if the fire nation destroyed your home!" The guy snapped, and I rolled my eyes. He was just being a pain in the ass now. I'm so close to saying, we were taking the guide for ourselves but that would be plain evil. " And forced you to flee. My whole tribe has to walk thousands of miles to the capital city of Ba Sing Se." He gestures the canyon beside us.
" You're a refugee."
" Huh, tell me something I don't know." The guy huffed.
" You're extremely annoying." I pointed out and the guy glares at me. " I'm just saying it, because I'm thinking of it."
" Is that your tribe?" Katara pipes up before the guy and I start a fight. I turn to see a group of people walking towards us as well, though they were dressed very different.
" It most certainly is not." The guy said, " That's the Zhang tribe, a bunch of lowlife thieves." The guy basically spat out. " They've been the enemies of my tribe for a hundred years." A hundred years? That's as old as Aang. The guy whistled at them which caught their attention once they were close enough. They wore different type of clothes, fur type of clothes which were deep brown and most weren't as clean as the guy beside us but they didn't look bad at all.
" HEY, ZHANGS!" He called out, " I'm saving a spot for my tribe, so don't even think of stealing it." A large female Zhang rolled her eyes as she stomps forwards, getting in the guy's face. " Where are the rest of the Gan Jin?" She asked, sneer twitching onto her lips. " Still tidying up their campsite?" She asked. Shaking off how close she gotten, the guy held his finger up. " Yes, but they sent me ahead of them to hold a spot."
" I didn't know the Canyon guide took reservations." The female leader retorted as she crossed her arms.
" Huh!" The guy scoffed, " Of course he didn't. That's the ignorance I'd expect from a messy Zhang, so unorganized and Ill-prepared for a journey." Some of the Zhang didn't like that and began shouting at the guy. I shook my head, this dude was asking for a fight.
Before an actual fight began, the rocks rumbled from behind us and we turned to rocks lifted up and away from the canyon entrance. A short but stalky older man stood there, he pats his stomach before giving a smile to us. He reminds me a bit like Iroh.
" Sorry about the wait, youngsters." He said, he turns and gestures the trail to us. " Who's ready to cross this here canyon?" The guide asked.
" Um, one of them, I think." Katara spokened up, pointing to the others and the Gan Jin guy ran up towards the guide, holding his finger up again. " I was here first. My party's on their way."
" I can't guide people who aren't here." The guide said simply as the Zhang began walking towards the entrance. " Guess you guys will have to make the trip tomorrow." The female leader said smugly as she walked passed Gan Jin guy. I yawned and made my way to Appa.
" Come on kids, let's go before we're dragged into something stupi-" I began as I climbed up onto Appa but then the guy began exclaiming.
" WAIT! Here they come." I looked up to see the Gan Jin tribe walking peacefully and slowly. They all looked like the first guy. Clean, dressed in cream or white colors with golden ends on their clothes. From his shout, the Zhang tribe stopped and turn to see their cleaner rivals.
" Oh great, I thought it was bad with just one of them." I grumbled and watched the two leaders spat at each other, glaring and sneering at each other along with their tribes. I watched from the top of Appa's head before whistling at Aang who looked up, pointing to himself. " Yeah, why not work your magic, every Avatar is a people person." Aang, looked conflicted for a moment. " What's wrong?" I asked, tilting my head to the side a bit.
" I-I don't know, fighting over chores is different from a fight that has lasted for a hundred years." Aang explained a bit and I sighed. I stood on top of Appa's head, and clapped my hands loudly which brought their attention. Gulping back my own nerves, I said, " Alright, since you both are fleeing your homes from the Fire Nation, which I am very sorry about, but since you two need a guide, why not share him? Both of your tribes would be safe as you make your way down in the canyon." I explained the plan that would both help. I hoped they would agree.
" Absolutely not!" The Gan Jin leader disagreed immediately, " We'd rather be taken by the Fire Nation than travel with those stinking thieves." He gestures the Zhang with a scowl.
" We wouldn't travel with you pompous fools anyway." Another argument happening, every name in the book being called out towards them and more pointing and shouting. I sigh, I tried something at least.
" Your turn Aang."
Aang looked at the two for a minute, listening to the arguments, trying to speak up but then after two minutes of trying to get some of their attention, he exploded. " ALL RIGHT! HERE'S THE DEAL!" The young bender snapped, which caused both tribes to quiet. " You're all going down together, and Appa here will fly your sick and elderly across. Does that seem fair?" He asked, huffing and glanced at the two groups, waiting for another fight. It was quiet for a moment, then the leader of the Zhang gives a simple nod then the Gan Jin leader gives a nod.
" Of course, listen to the little kid." I chuckled, before stretching my arms a bit.
" Wait, we lost our doctor back at the village." The Gan Jin leader said, a hint of sadness in his eyes. " You don't suppose...you have a healer do you?" He asked Aang who glanced at Katara who shakes his head.
" I can do it." I said, looking at the group. " I'm not a water bender, that kind of healer but I know my way around a sick person." Gran Gran taught me the basic things, Sokka was a great dummy when I needed to learn about bandaging and fixing mild things. He used to get hurt all the time, he still does but not as bad. " Plus, I rather be useful at something other than breaking up fights."
" Perfect, thank you, young man." The Gan Jin leader said, as their old and sick people came out. So did the Zhang's people, I helped them on and they both separated with their tribes. Once the rest were on, they were a foot away from each other. The older people glaring at their rivals silently. I got off Appa and stood on the ground, " Are you sure that you want to go?" Aang asked me, eyes large and almost begging for me to stay. I chuckled a bit, as I looked at the Airbender a bit. " I'm sure Appa can take care of them. Right boy?" Appa makes a noise, a grunt probably.
" Aang, sooner or later, you're gonna have to handle people." I said, and pat his shoulder a bit with a kind smile, one I could manage. " Like you did when you yelled at them, even if you're a pacifist, you're allowed to bark orders once in a while. Just don't be a total jerk." Aang nods his head, looking at the tribe people once more. Still worried, huh? I pat his head a bit and he looked to me with a raised eyebrow. " I know you can do it, you're the Avatar, you can do anything once you put your mind to it. I'll see you in a day." I said as Aang finally smiles up at me, I moved back and ruffled Katara's and Sokka's hair. " You two be nice, or else." I stated, before climbing up onto Appa. " Or you two will be giving Appa a bath for the next two weeks."
" Two weeks?!" Sokka cried out in distressed.
" Yes." I answered, flicking the reigns and Appa grunts, " Yip-Yip!" He groans before taking off, I watched from the corner of my good eye as we began floating off. They were going further and further away from my sight. Appa kept flying forwards, I hope they'll be okay, Aang has them, he is the Avatar after all. No one but the spirits though he would be the best guy to do it, I'm doing the right thing by taking care of the sick and elderly. I thought as we continued to fly, though they were interrupted when a dry and painful sounding cough snapped me out of my thoughts.
That's right; the sick and elderly comes first.
Once we found a nice spot just beside the canyon's exit, I landed us there. " Alright, I'll set up the tents for us." I announced to the passengers who gave me a warily glance in return. " Then..I guess we'll wait for them. How long could it possibly be." I chuckled awkwardly before picking up the many tents they brought with them and put them up as fast as I could. Aang is the people person, me on the other hand, alone with them without my friends, am not.