THE OTHER AIRBENDER (Book 2)

(XV) Air

The day is beyond nice. The weather is relatively warm, but not too hot, and we sit beside a nice waterfall pond. The others are relaxing, enjoying what little downtime we have gotten so far, either sitting beside the pond or swimming in it. I would probably join them, too, if it weren't for the fact that I'm missing a certain furry friend we've lost recently. All because of me.

"Waterbending bomb! Yeah!" Katara jumps into the water excitedly, creating a wave so big, it drenches Sokka in water while he's laying beside the pond calmly.

"Sure, five thousand year-old maps from the spirit library. Just splash some water on them," he mutters bitterly in response.

"So, did you figure out what route we're going to take?" Aang asks curiously.

"Okay, we just got out of the desert, so we must be around here. And we need to go to Ba Sing Se, which is here. It looks like the only passage connecting the south to the north is this sliver of land called the Serpent's Pass," Sokka is pointing out the places to the others on the map, but I couldn't be more disinterested.

"You sure that's the best way to go?" Toph questions.

"It's the only way. I mean, it's not like we have Appa to fly us there..." Sokka begins, only to be shushed by Katara.

"Shush up about Appa. Can't you at least try to be sensitive?" I can tell she is referring to both me and Aang.

Aang immediately notices my discomforted expression, because he smiles at me and puts his hand on my shoulder reassuringly. "Alya, it's alright, I already told you, I don't blame you for what happened. I know I was upset about losing Appa before, but I just want to focus on getting to Ba Sing Se and telling the Earth King about the solar eclipse."

Katara seems surprised to hear this. "Oh... well, okay. I'm glad you're doing better."

"Then to Ba Sing Se we go. No more distractions," Sokka commands.

I don't buy this 'I'm fine' demeanor Aang's trying to sell to us for a moment. Mostly because I'm still very upset about losing Appa myself. I think the others don't really get it, since the connection between an airbender and their bison is so personal. I guess, since I never had one of my own, I've come to think of Appa as partly my own bison... Or more so, I've let myself imagine that hanging out with my own bison would be the same as hanging out with Appa. Aang must feel ten times worse, however, because him and Appa have a connection a lot deeper than that.

"Hello there, fellow refugees!" A man's voice startles me from my thoughts, as three people walk towards us with a rather friendly demeanor.

"So, you guys are headed to Ba Sing Se, too?" Aang asks them curiously.

"Sure are. We're trying to get there before my wife Ying has her baby," the man replies with a grin.

"Great! We can travel through the Serpent's Pass together," Katara suggests, but they give her a shocked look.

"The Serpent's Pass? Only the truly desperate take that deadly route!" Ying says with a gasp.

"Deadly route?" Toph takes the opportunity to punch Sokka in the arm. "Great pick, Sokka!"

"Well, we are desperate," Sokka shrugs.

"You should come with us to Full Moon Bay. Ferries take refugees across the lake. It's the fastest way to Ba Sing Se," the man suggests with a friendly smile.

"And it's hidden, so the Fire Nation can't find it," his wife adds.

"Hmm... peaceful ferry ride or deadly pass?" Katara questions sarcastically.