The Samurai: An legendary Adventure tale, part 7

Chapter eight: Separate Tides

One week and a half after the attack of Devilburn, Shiro and the others decided to pick the trip for the day, since they needed a break from the war and everything else.

As Kiaion and Kuro slogged their way down the river with the team that rode on their backs, minus Stats and Katara who chose to frolic in the water.

Lance sat at the back of Kiaion trying to fish up some food for the group for which he was currently failing at. As they swam deeper through the river, Shiro became more and more uncomfortable, noticing how polluted the river was getting along with hearing a muffled soft moan coming from underneath the muddied water.

"Guys, I think you should get out of the water," she called out to them.

Listening to his friend's advice Pidge airbender himself up into the saddle, noticing all the goop that clung to him. "Hey, guys, I think this river's polluted," Pidge said, voicing one of Shiro's concerns. She bended the residual goop off herself and off anyone who might have gotten hit with her first air blast.

"Well, that explains why I can't catch a fish around here. Because normally my fishing skills are... off the hook!" Lance jokes though nobody laughed. "Get it? Like a fishing hook?"

"Too bad your skills aren't on the hook," Hunk said, earning the laughs and chuckles that Lance had been looking for.

"It looks like we'll need to go somewhere else to get food. Assuming that'll fit into the schedule," Katara said, taking out the schedule Lance made, looking at it unimpressed. Lance quickly grabbed the scroll, studying it intently.

Hey, we can get food there," Shiro pointed out.

Following where Aang was referring to, the group spotted a little village that sat a while down on the river. Having decided on a plan, Kuro and Kiaion flew up out of the murky water and towards a secluded spot in some nearby uplands.

Lance helped get the muck from the river out of their fur before the team headed down the cliffs down toward the river, being able to survey the scene.

"I don't feel anything. Where is this village?" Shiro questioned.

"It's in the middle of the river!" Hunk gasped.

"Sure is!" an old, excited voice called out. Looking down the shoreline, the team spotted an old eccentric in a boat. "My name's Dock. Mind if I ask who you are?"

"We're from the human colonies. We came back here to visit family. Luckily we were able to stumble upon your village. We still have a long way to go and our food supply has run out," Shiro said.

"Wow... colonials! Hop on; I'll give you a ride into town," Dock offered.

Taking the man's offer, the group hopped into the boat. Dock pushed off from the dock and began to paddle towards the village. Wanting to fill the silence, Shiro started up a conversation with Dock.

"Why do you guys live on the river?" Shiro asked.

"Because we're a fishing town. At least that's how it was before the factory moved in," Dock explained, pointing out the factory set on the cliffside nearby the town. "Galra Army makes their metal there. Moved in a few years ago and started gunking up our river. Now our little village is struggling to survive."

Once they reached the village Shiro thanked Dock as the team wandered into the village in search of a food stand. Looking around the group felt uncomfortable seeing how stricken with poverty the village was. So many people just idled around being either too sick or hungry to move much more.

"Look at this place. It's so sad. We have to do something to help," Hunk lamented.

"No, we can't waste our time here! We have a bigger mission that we need to stay focused on. These people are on their own!" Shiro told him.