After a lot of walking the gang decided to take a break and relax by a watering hole. Luckily Aya brought a bathing suit and it wasn't as battered up as her other clothes because she didn't go swimming very often. Aang taught her how to float in the water and she had been doing that the whole time. It was so peaceful just laying in it. Aya admired how beautiful the water was.
Right when she was really getting into relaxing she heard Katara's from on top of the cliff. "Waterbending bomb!" She yelled as Aya swam to the edge of the water. She watched as Katara hit the water Aang went flying up in the ice floaty he had made for himself. He came crashing down on the surface and water went everywhere as Aya got out of the water pushing back her hair.
They all laughed except for Sokka who had been looking at all the maps and other documents he stole from the Spirit Library. Aya tried to not to think about it too much, but she did feel really bad for tricking the owl. She knew Saadi would be disappointed in her, but she tried to see it as those long days in the desert made up for the harm they caused.
"Sure, 5,000 year old spirit maps from the Spirit Library. Just splash some water on them." Sokka sarcastically held the wet paper out.
"Sorry." Katana apologized as she rung out her hair. She smiled as she bent the water off of the paper.
"So did you figure out what route we're gonna take?" Aang asked as they all sat around the map.
"Yeah." Sokka replied as he began to explain where they were on the map. He showed where they needed to go and there was only one way that we could get there if they stayed on land. "It looks like the only passage connecting the south to the north is this sliver of land called the Serpents Pass." Sokka explained.
"You're sure that's the best way to go?" Toph questioned.
"I'm with Toph. Serpents Pass seems kind of scary." Aya added.
"It's the only way we can go. I mean it's not like we have Appa to fly us there." Sokka replied as Katara shot him a glance as Aya turned to Aang who just looked down.
"Shush up about Appa. Can't you at least try to be sensitive?" Katara scolded.
"Katara it's okay." Aang looked to her before looking back down. "I know I was upset about Appa before but I just want to focus on getting to Ba Sing Se and telling the Earth King about the solar eclipse." Aang assured them but his face told a different story.
"Oh well okay. I'm glad you're doing better." Katara nodded for him with a small smile.
"Then to Ba Sing Se we go. No other distractions." Sokka rolled up the map and stood up.
"Hello there, fellow refugees!" They heard behind them and saw a pregnant woman, a girl, and a man who was the one that greeted them.
"Hello!" Aya smiled as they walked over to the family.
"Are you guys headed to Ba Sing Se too?" Aang questioned with a smile.
"Sure are. We're trying to get there before my wife Ying has her baby." The man spoke as he put his hand over his very pregnant wife.
"Great. We can travel through the serpents pass together." Katara smiled.
They other travelers all looked at her shocked. "The Serpents Pass? Only truly desperate travelers take that deadly route." Ying explained.
"Deadly route? Great pick Sokka!" Toph punched him to the ground. He stood back up and rubbed his arm.
"Well we are desperate." Sokka replied.
"You should come with us to Full Moon Bay." The man suggested. "It's the fastest way to Ba Sing Se."
"And it's hidden so the Fire Nation can't find it." Ying assured them.
YOU ARE READING
The Guide {An ATLA Fanfic}
FanfictionOut of difficulties, grow miracles. That's what Aykina Rinako's parents always said when things got difficult, and things got difficult quite often. Aykina grew up in a small village, with anything but a small family. As the oldest of four, the girl...
