A Moment, Please.

Chapter 9

"What's this stupid thing?" 

"It's a whale's tooth scimitar, it's a water tribe weapon!"

"Maybe it's dad, Sokka! We should look around more!"

“No! That nearly broke my toe I refuse!” 

Sitting down, I crossed my arms like a child.

Sokka ended up finding burned pieces of other weapons scattered among the beach. Showing some sort of a fight between the Water Tribe and Fire Nation had taken place there. We followed the trail to the shore, and just as it looked like it ended there, Katara's voice rang out;

"Look! It's one of dad's boats!" 

~~~

That night as we camped around the fire, Sokka told the tale of when all the men in his village left to fight the war. As he was finishing his story, a man appeared suddenly from nowhere. I jumped up ready to fight.

"Bato!"

Sokka, and Katara jumped up, and hugged the man- who wore water nation clothing. I relax, and sat back down; not seeing the man- Bato, as a threat to us.

 Bato explained how he was hurt, and how he now lived in a Abby run by nuns who made perfumes and cures. Random, I know.

~~~ 

After showing us the Abby, Bato, Sokka, and Katara started talking on and on about their tribe. I listened, thoughtfully, when I noticed Aang. He was alone, away from the group. I went over to him, and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"You okay?"

He looked up at me, ready to reply it seemed. Then Bato brought up, how Katara and Sokka could find their father. Aang fled from my hand, out, and away. I stepped after him, though I let him go.

"Aang?!"

Just as I was about to follow him, I heard Katara's reply.

"We'd really like to, but we need to get Aang to the North Pole." 

Knowing Aang would be back, I headed back to the fire. A few minutes later, as I predicted, Aang was back but he was acting really strange… and he’s Aang, so that’s saying something.

Then next morning we sat around eating, as Sokka explained Ice Dodging. And how he was never able to do it, and never be a man or blah-blah. Then Bato brought up how he could do it. I was starting to get sick of their sob story, some people use their hard times to get better. Stop looking at the past- stop feeling… Who am I kidding?

~~~

"Um, you know what? How 'bout I stay here with Appa, and Momo… And you guys can do you fake Ice Dodging…Okay?" 

I hung onto the ropes of the boat, with all my life as we were flung out into the sea.

"Ya know, a simple 'no' would have worked for me!" 

 ~~~

As we came up to the first big rock, I closed my eyes, though it was short lived. I did whatever was shouted at me, and hopped we wouldn't crash. Because my fear of crashing was now bigger than my fear of flying. When they finally stopped screaming at me, I grabbed a rope and closed my eyes; hanging on for dear life.