Polar Opposites *A Prince Zuko Love Story*

Chapter 13 - The Great Divide

It's been about a week since the whole situation with Jet, and ever since Katara and Sokka have been getting on each other's nerves when it comes to doing chores. My duty is gathering water and making dinner for the 4 of us, while Sokka sets up the tent, Katara gathers firewood and Aang gathers the food.

I have just gotten back from the river, my waterskin and the pot that I will be using to make dinner, full of water. I place the pot down onto the ground, ready to start the fire so that the fire can boil when Katara's voice comes from behind me. "Um... aren't you forgetting the tarp?" she asks. "Right... got it." Sokka replies as he picks up the rolled up tarp and throws it through the open flap of the tent. "Sokka, you're supposed to put the tarp on top of the tent." Katara says, crossly. "You know, so we don't get rained on." she continues. "Ordinarily you'd be right, but seeing how it's the dry season, you're not." Sokka replies. "Besides, that tarp makes a pretty warm blanket." he continues as he kneels down, tying a knot. "But what if it does rain?" Katara asks. "But what if it doesn't?" Sokka asks as he spreads his arms wide in exasperation. "Then I would have put the tarp up for nothing." he continues. "Ur... arg!" Katara growls through gritted teeth as she stops the ground with her foot. "You're infuriating!" she groans. "Katara, why don't you worry about gathering the firewood because that kindling's looking pretty sorry." Sokka says, eyeing Katara's small pile of firewood that she's carrying in her arms. "Well if you don't like my firewood..." Katara growls as she throws the wood at Sokka. 'Oh boy...' I think while shaking my head in annoyance at my siblings acting so childish.

Sokka stands in anger after the hail of sticks subsides. "Fine by me!" he exclaims. "If you're not going to do your job ...urg!" he grunts as he yanks the rope securing the tent to one of its supports, making it fall down into a heap. "Okay, I got the grub if you guys got the..." Aang says as he walks up to the 2 of them, only to stop when he sees the mess that Katara and Sokka had just made. "Hey, where's the campfire? And what happened to the tent?" he asks the 2 of them as they have their backs to one another,, angry expressions on their faces. "Why don't you ask Miss Know It All? Queen of the Twigs!" Sokka says. "Oh yeah?" Katara asks as she whips around to yell at his back, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "Well you're Mister Lazy Bum, King of the" she bends down, quickly, picking up a twig throwing it at Sokka. "...tents!" she exclaims as the twig hits Sokka in the back of the head making him whip around to face her.

Aang laughs softly at that, spreading his arms wide in a gesture of conciliation. "Okay, listen guys. Harsh words won't solve problems, action will. "Why don't you just switch jobs?" he asks.

"Sounds good." Says Katara.

"Whatever." Says Sokka.

The 2 of them begin their new tasks, but each is still fuming at the other. "You see that?" Aang asks, smiling in a self satisfied manner. "Settling feuds and making peace. All in a days' work for the Avatar." he continues. Aang's smile breaks as he looks over towards Momo at the sound of him chittering. I look over to see Momo desperately trying to remove a melon that Appa is holding upright with one of the digits of his left forepaw.

Momo struggles and even tries to fly away from it, but cannot move the melon. He gives up and begins to walk away, depressed. Appa groans, opens his mouth, and his tongue scoops up the melon. As Appa is about to close his mouth, Momo returns, grabs the melon and runs away. He runs into Aang who takes the melon, throws it into the air and slices a small piece of it off with a jet of air. The large piece lands in front of Appa who eats it, and the small piece lands in front of Momo, who turns to Aang and lets a chirp of protest. "Come on Momo, that's fair." Aang says to the lemur in front of him. "Appa's got 5 stomachs." he continues motioning to Appa.

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The next morning, after we had packed up everything, we walk a little distance from our campsite to where Aang says, The Great Divide is. We reach the edge of the canyon, and I'm taken away by the breathtaking view in front of me. "Here it is, guys, the Great Divide." Aang says as Momo lands on his shoulder. "Wow! I could just stare at it forever." Katara says as she looks out into the canyon. "Okay. I've seen enough." Sokka says from between Katara and I, sounding very unimpressed. "How can you not be fascinated, Sokka?" Katara asks him. "This is the largest canyon in the entire world." she continues. "Then I'm sure we'll be able to see it very clearly from the air while we fly away." Sokka replies, standing next to Appa, holding onto the reins, obviously ready to leave.