The Water Tribe Girl (Avatar: The Last Airbender; Book One: Water)

The Deserter

Aya's POV

"This should give us a good idea of what's around here." Katara said walking toward a kiosk in the middle of a crossroad in the forest. The kiosk had a map on it and had a few posters as well.

"See if you can find a menu. I'm starving!" Sokka added and I looked at my brother who was holding an empty bag.

I noticed a poster on the wall about a festival.

"I bet we'll find something to eat here." I told them, pointing at the poster. Aang came up next to me and read the poster.

"The Fire's Day Festival. Fire Nation cultural, exhibits, jugglers, benders, magicians..." Aang stopped and turned to me. "This would be a great place to study some real firebending."

I averted my eyes from Aang. I keep Forgetting he has to master firebending. I really despise firebending and I don't think I need to explain why.

"You might wanna rethink that." Sokka interfered from the other side of the kiosk. "Look at this."

The three of us joined Sokka on the other side and saw a bunch of wanted posters. Aang was on one of them.

That's not good.

"Hey, a poster of me." Aang mentioned.

"Don't be too happy about that." I advised Aang. "It's a wanted poster. That's bad."

"I think we better keep moving." Katara suggested.

Aang turns to Katara. "I have to learn firebending at some point and this could be my only chance to watch a master's up close."

I was considering Aang's point and turned to my sister who was also thinking.

"He has a point. When are we gonna find an opportunity like this again?" I explained and Aang gave me a faint smile.

Katara shrugged. "I guess we could go check it out."

Sokka was opposed by our words and moved in front of the two of us. "What? You wanna walk into a Fire Nation town where they are all fired-up with their... you know, fire?"

"Don't be dramatic, Sokka." I shook my head.

Katara nodded, walking toward Appa. "We'll wear disguises, and if it looks like trouble, we'll leave."

Aang and I followed Katara to Appa. Sokka joined us a few moments later.

We walked out of the forest and stood on a cliff. The festival was in the distance.

Aang turned to Momo and Appa.

"You guys stay out of sight here while we go to the festival," Aang informed his animals and turned to us.

Momo flew into a bush and Appa went behind it to try his best to be hidden, but he stuck out like a sore thumb. I giggled at Appa's attempt.

"Ready disguises!" Aang exclaimed.

Sokka, Katara, and I put on our black cloaks and Aang pulls his orange shawl over his head. He smiled which made him look silly but it was cute.

"It's like you're a whole different person," Sokka commented sarcastically and Katara and I giggled.

I removed my flower crown from my head and placed it on Appa's head. It obviously was way to small but I didn't want it to get burned. Appa growled softly at me and I rubbed his fur which made him grin.

"Let's go." Aang chirped and we made our way toward the festival.

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The four of us walked inside the festival and it was crowded. There were many people here wearing masks and we looked out of place.