Avatar the last airbender : The Dual bender

Chapter 27

"I'm not one to complain," Sokka started to whine as Appa soared over the ocean passing a few large ice peaks, "But can't Appa fly any higher?"

Aang turned his head to glare over his shoulder at Sokka, "I have an idea! Why don't we all get on your back and you could fly us to the North Pole!"

"I'd love to." Sokka retorted sarcastically and began shaking his rear at Aang, causing Katara to sigh in exasperation while Liling just giggled, "Climb on everyone, Sokka's ready for takeoff."

Momo jumped onto his back and chittered.

"Look," Katara started, trying to keep the peace between them, "We're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight."

"And for what?" Sokka demanded as he gestured with one arm as Momo hopped into his lap, "We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe. There's nothing up here!"

"We will." Liling said looking at the giant jagged ice. "We're getting close."

"How would you know?!" Sokka demanded

Before Liling could answer the sound of water splashing drew the four teen's attention and Aang turned around just into to see a large ice spike appear in front of Appa.

"AHHH!" Aang screamed as he jerked Appa's reins to the side and Appa growled as he began to swerve sharply around more ice spikes.

Katara, Sokka and Liling all screamed and clung to the rim of Appa's saddle as the bison nearly turned completely on his side while flying in the air. Appa tried to fly higher into the air to avoid another spike but the ice seemed to move of its own and grabbed onto one of his paws, causing him to spin out of control with Aang clinging desperately to the reins as he swung off Appa's head.

The large bison grumbled as he hit the water on his side, the others shifted so he was on his belly. He roared loudly as the water around him suddenly froze, keeping him in place.

"They're Waterbenders!" Katara shouted excitedly when she saw the four boats begin to surround them, "We found the Water Tribe."

"They found us." Liling said looking at the number of warriors and boats. 'I'm home.. I wonder how much they changed.' She consciously reached up to touch her necklace only to realize that she no longer had it.

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"He's heading north, the Northern Water Tribe." Zhao explained coolly as he turned away from the map of the world to look at his advisers with his hands clasped behind his back, "The Avatar needs to master Waterbending. He's looking for a teacher."

"Then what are we waiting for?" One of his advisers asked impatiently, "Let's go get him!"

"Patience, Captain Li." Zhao chided condescendingly, "This isn't some little Earth village we can just march into. The Water Tribe is a great nation. There's a reason they've survived a hundred years of war. The frozen tundra is treacherous. The landscape itself is an icy fortress. We'll need a massive invasion force."

Zhao had started walking around the other side of the table his advisers were sitting around as he spoke and stopped at the head of the table, looking at each of his advisers coldly.

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"There it is!" Aang exclaimed excitedly as he pointed towards the magnificent wall of thick ice that surrounded the Northern Water Tribe's city. "Isn't it great Lils?!"

"I see that hasn't changed!" Liling exclaimed

Liling leaned forward against the front of the saddle beside Katara.