The Avatar's Advisor (HIATUS)

The Deserter

TW: night terrors, starving oneself, suggestive comments, description of gore

Polu struggles to keep his eyes open as the group trudges through the forest. He yawns silently as Katara finally breaks the silence.

"This should give us a good idea of what's around here." The teen approaches a marketing pop-up.

"See if you can find a menu," Sokka groans. "I'm starving."

The prince rolls his eyes. "When are you not?"

"I'm just trying to make up for food you're suddenly rejecting." Sokka huffs as he approaches the board.

Aang rushes forward. "I bet we'll find something to eat here: the Fire Days Festival."

Polu blanches as his friend rambles. You've got to be kidding me. Another town taken over by the Fire Nation?

"Look at this." Sokka tugs Polu to the other side of the board, leaving Aang and Katara to follow behind.

"Hey! A poster of me!" Aang's eyes dart to the upper left corner of the wood. "Polu, you have one too!"

The Advisor's heart stumbles as he stares at the drawing of himself. "Wanted posters."

"I think we better keep moving," Katara mutters. She spares a glance at a shaking Polu.

"I agree with loops," the prince adds.

Aang stares between his friends. "I have to learn firebending at some point, and this could be my only chance to watch some up close."

Polu shakes his head wildly. "It'll be out of order. Nothing good ever happens when the Avatar learns the elements out of order."

"But Polu, if we never have a firebender willing to teach me, what then?"

The tallest boy stares down into his best friend's pleading eyes. "Fine. Go check it out. Nothing could possibly go wrong."

"What?!" Sokka lurches forward. "You want us to walk into a Fire Nation town when they're all fired up with their, you know, fire?"

Katara smiles. "We'll wear disguises. And if it looks like trouble, we'll leave."

Sokka frowns as the younger children walk away. "Yeah. Because we always leave before we get into trouble."

Polu groans and grabs Sokka's hand before tugging him along.

A few minutes of walking later, the group stops atop a hill overlooking the town.

Aang turns to face Appa and Momo and instructs them. "You guys stay here."

"I'm stayin' back too," Polu volunteers. "No way in hell I'm going down there." The boy chuckles as Appa tries to hide behind a bush.

"Ready disguises," Aang smiles.

The Advisor raises a hand. "One minute, Aang." The teen approaches Sokka and crosses his arms.

"What's up?" Sokka hesitantly questions.

"Spar me," Polu commands. His voice is calm, but his eyes scream that he's raging.

Sokka raises an eyebrow. "Are you serious? Even sleep-deprived and half-starving, you'll probably beat me in ten seconds."

Polu snorts humorlessly. "Might I remind you of what you said to me, not even a week ago?"

"Oh, right." Sokka's face heats up in shame. "I guess I had this coming, huh?"

"Yep."

"And there's no getting out of this?" Sokka follows Polu away from the edge of the hill.