Tale Of Two Avatars

The Headband

A few days had gone by now and suffice to say, both Aang and I were feeling much better than what we felt when we first woke up after our...'deaths'. We decided to depart the ship and travel in our usual group on Appa after bidding our farewells to the group on the ship and thankfully, Aang and I were finally able to bend, feeling little to no pain. We were now exploring some Fire Nation islands and while doing so, Aang and I did create some cover by airbending a large cloud around Appa that concealed his figure as he travelled.

Aang peeked through the cloud, pointing down at what he saw. "I think I see a cave below." 

"Shh! Keep quiet!" Sokka scolded.

Aang and I airbend the cloud away as we slowly descended, landing right beside the cave. We alight from Appa and Sokka immediately rushes to hide behind a rock, surveying his surroundings cautiously before turning back to look at us. "Great job with the cloud camo, but next time, let's disguise ourselves as the kind of cloud that knows how to keep its mouth shut."

Sokka continues inspecting the surroundings and Toph, as usual, had her sarcastic quips prepared after she notices a bird perched on a rock above him. "Yeah, we wouldn't want a bird to hear us chatting up there and turn us in."

Sokka turns back, glaring at Toph. "Hey, we're in enemy territory. Those are enemy birds."

"Last time I checked Sokka, birds can't talk or understand us," I deadpanned. "Don't know if that has changed over the years, but it most likely hasn't."

"You never know," Sokka shrugged, pointing at the birds above him. "They were probably sent to spy on us by the Fire Nation." 

"You have got to be kidding me," I sighed. "Did anyone give him cactus juice again?"

"What? I didn't have any cactus juice!" Sokka protested, a bird jumping on his head and screeching as the four of us laughed at him. We begin walking to the cave, with Sokka following us behind cautiously. 

Just as we were about to enter the cave, Sokka dives in front of us, falling on the ground and getting up unfazed as the four of us stared at him weirdly. 

"Uhhh Sokka," I exchange worried glances with Aang. "are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm just being careful," Sokka leads us into the cave. "Well, this is it. This is how we'll be living until the invasion begins. Hiding in cave after cave after cave after cave." Sokka's head droops in sadness.

"Sokka, we don't need to become cave people. What we need are some new clothes," Katara advised.

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

"Plus, they have real food out there. Does anyone want to sit in the dirt and eat cave hoppers?" Toph punches the cave wall, causing a few cave hoppers to jump out from it. 

I shook my head in disgust. "I hope you asked that sarcastically and not seriously."

"Yeah, let's just get some new clothes," Sokka shuddered. 

We get looking for new clothes, eventually coming across some on a clothesline right outside some houses in the Fire Nation. We hide behind a wall, peering at the clothes carefully.

"I don't know about this. These clothes belong to somebody," Aang whispered unsurely.

"Yeah," I nodded in agreement. "I'm with Aang on this one, it doesn't seem right to take these clothes."

"I call the silk robe!" Katara dashed out of our hiding spot without any second doubts, grabbing what she wanted and going.

"But if it's essential to our survival," Aang glances at me guiltily. "Come on, Suzume, we'll need them if we want to blend in. The clothes will be going towards a good cause."