War of Change | Book 3

25: A Friend

Art: The Deserter by Stephanie Cost

I stared at the fur-lined, blue-dyed cloth laid across the dark red sheets of my bed. Katara's spare clothes weren't too different from my own, and they would fit just fine.

It was early morning, and we were preparing to make our way to the mainland before Sozin's Comet could arrive. This meant we could wear our own clothing again – something both Toph and Sokka were eager about. I wasn't so enthusiastic.

The thick cloth simply didn't feel right against my skin anymore. There was nothing more or less to it. It wasn't me.

Just as I had reached out for the first layer, my door busted open. Sokka stood there, wide eyes meeting mine for half a second before they began to scan my room. "Have you seen, Aang?" he demanded, stepping over to my washroom to look inside.

"No?" What was his problem? Why would he think that Aang was with me? "What's going on?"

"We can't find Aang," he answered, next opening my wardrobe as if the monk had decided to take a nap inside.

"I gathered," I sighed as I pulled him away from the ripping out of all of the clothing. "But I can tell you he isn't next to the dresses."

"Well, he isn't anywhere else either," my brother snapped. He turned back to face me with a silky, delicate nightgown hanging from his hand. He glanced at the piece, subsequently freaking out and flinging the garment across the room, nearly hitting me in the process.

"Okay, Runt," I grunted, grabbing his arm before he could do any more damage, "why don't we step away from the ladieswear and look for Aang together."

He nodded, an exasperated sigh falling out of his mouth as he did. I simply patted his back and guided him out of the room, joining the others in the hunt for the Avatar.

We did a thorough sweep of the whole house, but all we could show for it was Aang's glider. We then decided to check the beach, and this time we found footsteps but only one set which led straight to the water.

After several theories were disproved, it was decided that we'd split up and look for Aang around the island. Considering he didn't have Appa or his glider, he couldn't have gotten far.

I went with my brother on Appa to look at the less populated areas where no one would notice a giant, flying bison on the shore.

"It looks like you're getting your wish, Kida," Sokka grunted from beside me.

I looked at the boy oddly, leading him to continue. "Aang isn't gonna kill the Fire Lord if he's disappeared."

I shook my head, neck aching from the weight of my dismay. "This isn't what I wanted," I urged. "I want all of us to survive this intact, that's all I've ever wanted. I want all of you to be able to wake up in the morning after this war without regrets – and that includes Aang."