Safe & Sound | Book 1

12: M for Murderer

If you read this story prior to 2 June 2020, then you may find that there are some changes to this chapter. While the outcome is the same as before, in truth, I rewrote the whole chapter.  I mostly changed how close Kida and Jet became because I don't know what baby teen angst train I was on before but it was atrocious. (Because of this, some comments might not make sense so check the date on them before responding.)

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Art: Jet by Stephanie Cost

After the incident with the pirates, we all became a little more alert. Even Katara had decided to make it a little easier to fight back and started using one of our water pouches to store water for fighting. I decided that it was time for me to make a new bow.

We had stopped in a nicely wooded area to camp for the night and the next morning I went scouting for potential bow wood. It would take time to make a proper bow, probably even weeks due to all of our traveling, but I would have to start somewhere.

Momo had tagged along with me and was scampering through the treetops while I surveyed the tall trunks. Everything around here was so massive. Maybe I could use a branch to make a quick, primitive bow. It wouldn't be durable but it would be better than nothing.

This was my consideration when I heard a sudden, mechanical snap followed by Momo's cries. "Momo?"

I followed the high-pitched sounds which seemed to be accompanied by similar squawks of other animals.

"What's going on?" Aang asked, appearing in front of me.

"I don't know, he was just by me," I insisted, looking up at the trees.

"There!" Katara cried, pointing a little farther down. Among the orange and red leaves were three spherical cages hanging from branches like overripe berries.

Aang ran ahead, calling out to the lemur. We chased behind, reaching the scene just as Aang began to lower the trap that Momo was in. Katara and Sokka pulled the bars apart, freeing Momo, the animal hopping out with a mouth full of lychee nuts.

Aang had barely landed before he looked back up and began to take sympathy on the two hog-monkeys which were still trapped. "Alright, you too."

"Aang, we have Momo. Let people hunt," I urged.

Aang didn't answer until he was already up on one of the branches. "We can't just free one, that's not fair."

"This is going to take forever," Sokka huffed. He pulled out his boomerang and threw it into the air, the sharp edge slicing both of the ropes before returning to Sokka. Both traps plummeted to the ground, freeing the animals inside.

I glared at my brother. "Was that necessary? Do you know how pissed I'd be if someone tampered with one of our traps back home? People are just trying to eat."

Sokka waved his hand, brushing me off as he examined one of the traps. "Who cares about if whoever owns these eat. These are Fire Nation traps. You can tell by the metalwork."