Avatar: The Last Airbender: Reawakening

23

"What are we going to do now?" Aang murmured quietly as they continued to stare at the crater before them, "There's no way we will have the strength to just walk out of here."

Katara finally looked away from the crater that was left behind from Wan Shi Tong's sunken library and turned to Aang, eyeing his tired form sympathetically, "We have to at least try Aang. We aren't going to get anywhere if we just sit here."

"I don't think we'll get much farther if we keep walking either," Aang sighed, falling to his knees and burying his head in his hands, "I don't know how much more I have in me."

The girl beside him breathed in a heavy, shaky breath as she knelt beside him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He picked his head up to give her a grateful look and leaned into her as her arms came around him to hold him tightly. His breathing was shallow as her leaned his head on his shoulder, feeling her hands draw slow circles on his back for comfort.

Despite her comforting actions however, Katara didn't really know what to do. They had been in this desert for two days now and she had believed that they were almost out...until now that is. The somewhat optimistic mindset that she had was quickly decimated at the site of the library's crater and she knew that unless they got lucky, they wouldn't make it if they just tried to keep walking out. They were still too far into the desert and hunger and dehydration had begun to creep over them.

For now at least, she was able to ignore how her body was reacting to the lack of sustenance. Sure, she felt weaker than normal, her throat felt dry, and she had felt a little lightheaded when they had been walking a few moments ago but apparently, the effects were far worse on Aang.

She glanced down at her soul mate that had slumped against her in exhaustion. It did not escape her notice that his voice had sounded a little rough when he had talked moments ago and by just looking at him...he seemed broken, helpless. The normally optimistic and energetic boy she was used to was now weak, tired, and he seemed to have lost all hope of getting out of here.

Katara sighed against him before pulling away, knowing that despite his condition, they both had to keep trying. If they just sat here and did nothing, they would be dead for sure.

"Come on Aang, we need to get moving again," She told him regretfully, standing up and extending her arm down to help him up as well.

He regarded her hand that was held out in front of him for a moment before shaking his head, "Maybe we should just rest a bit."

"Aang you know we can't do that," Katara said, "You know things are only going to get worse if we don't find a way out soon. We just can't sit here and...we have to get back to Ba Sing Se to warn everyone what Tau is doing."

"I know we do but...,"Aang drew off, his voice having choked out the last word. He took a few breaths before trying to speak again, "We're not going to get out by just walking."

"I know but maybe if we keep moving we'll come across something...maybe we'll run into some sandbenders," she responded hopefully.

"Because they're such nice people," Aang rolled his eyes, remembering the time they stole Appa.

"Well they helped us get out last time didn't they?" Katara retorted, waving her that hand she had been holding in front of him back and forth, "Now come on. Get up, I got you."

Aang sighed, grabbing her hand and allowing her to pull him up off the ground to stand beside her. She gave him a sad smile before leaning forward to give him a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"We'll get out of here okay? Trust me," she whispered.

Aang nodded as her hand tightened around his and she lead him to walk further through the desert. However, unlike before, it was obviously more difficult. They walked slower to accommodate the fact that they were both weaker than normal and after Aang had stumbled a few times, Katara had to drape one of his arms over her neck to help him stay upright.