Avatar Zuko

Chapter 5

It wasn't that Sokka hated Lee, more that he didn't trust him. But the problem with that was he kept expecting to be double crossed and yet Lee wasn't doing anything bad, or evil. In fact, the most suspicious thing he'd done since the 4 of them had left the South Pole was, seemingly from the dark circles under his eyes, not gotten any sleep. And that contradicted everything Sokka knew about the Fire Nation, they were meant to be heartless, cold, ruthless murderers and yet Lee was being the least annoying of anybody on Appa. The only time the guy had even used his firebending was the night before when Aang couldn't properly see his map due to it being too dark. Lee had barely even spoken in the 24 hours they'd been flying.

“Aang… Are you completely sure you're not lost?” Asked Katara for the seventh time, though her concern was well warranted. They'd been flying or a full day and they hadn't seen so much as a glimpse of land.

“I'm sure! My map is very clear, the Southern Air Temple should just be a few hours away by now.” Reassured Aang, looking back from his perch on Appa’s head to give Katara a bright smile, yet Lee seemed surprised.

“Why would we be going to the Air Temple? Your avatar friend that was there, even if she survived do you really think she'd be dumb enough to stay exactly where the Fire Nation would be looking for her?” He asked bluntly, speaking for the longest he had the entire flight.

“Well… Yes, but the temple has a secret avatar chamber that might give us clues and… I'd really like to see my home again…” Aang trailed off, turning his attention back to steering whilst Sokka and Katara shared a worried look. Lee looked guilty, though for what reason Sokka couldn't be sure, maybe from making Aang sad? But he had a feeling it was something else.

The four kept going in silence after that, except for the chatterings of Momo and the occasional yawn from Appa. Sokka was busy worrying about their food supplies, the village had offered as much as possible and it should have been plenty to get the three of them at least to mainland without starving to death, but now Lee had shown up it would last them significantly less time. And though the firebender had, admittedly, been helpful by bringing so much money (since they didn't have much Water Tribe currency and they couldn't even be sure if people in the Earth Kingdom would even accept money other than their own), it would have also been helpful for him to bring himself some food. As if on cue, that's when Lee started talking.

“I'm sick of Water Tribe food.” He complained frustratedly, throwing his seal blubber bap onto the ground of Appa’s saddle and sulking. Apparently his silence had made him irritable, which was just perfect.

“Yeah?! I'm so sorry, your highness, what did you bring to eat? Really sorry, but you're gonna break your teeth if you try chowing down on that gold.” Sokka scowled, he would not stand for anyone insulting his meat. But he did feel a pang of regret when Lee winced slightly, though he didn't know what he could have said that would upset someone who seemed as thick skinned as Lee.

“Hrumph, never thought I'd miss tea so much.” Lee muttered, quietly enough that he doubted the man had meant for anyone to hear him. But, despite being in the far corner of Appa’s saddle, the wind still managed to carry his words right over to Sokka’s listening ears.

“Urgh! Would you two just shut it?! Some of us are trying to sleep!” Moaned Katara who, true to her word, was curled up in the blue sleeping bag Gran-Gran had given her.

“Sorry, Katara, but you'll have to get some rest later; we've arrived!” Announced Aang, who was pulling Appa into a decline and seemed to be bursting with energy despite having spent basically the entire 24 hours of their flight steering.

Just as Aang had said, they were approaching the Air Temple. It was ruins, sure, but aside from a few charred parts it seemed to be in pretty good condition for a place that was supposedly obliterated by the Fire Nation. There were clearings and buildings, statues and balconies, even a big courtyard of poles and a bakery. And that was just what Sokka could decipher from a distance. Both he and Katara were staring in awe whilst Aang smiled with a tint of sadness, nostalgia clouding his vision a little, Sokka presumed. Lee was the only one who seemed unimpressed, bored even, though he was scanning the place meticulously, probably to look for any sign of life. Unfortunately, it was clear that no one had lived there in a century.