As I Fall: LOK

Chapter Eleven

While trekking up the mountain, Asami holding onto Haitana from behind, on top of the buffalo yak, the girl couldn't stop considering the nickname Iroh had given her.

Of course, it was better then just calling her Haitana, but Fauna— she didn't want to be nicknamed after animals. As much as she loved animals, being called one wasn't exactly flattering.

No one said anything for the longest time, the only sound being that of the animals on the crunching snow, caving under the weight of them all. The air grew colder as they climbed higher, and the female firebender stiffened as Asami pushed herself closer.

"Sorry," Asami said, holding a death grip on her. "You're just really warm, and it's freezing up here," she explained her close proximity, and Haitana giggled at the realization.

Pulling away, the girl nodded her head towards the front of the buffalo yak, "here," she said, motioning for Asami to switch with her. Only responding by furrowing her eyebrows, Haitana left out a huff. "Switch with me— trust me."

Hesitating, Asami stood on the back of the animal, switching to sit in front of Haitana, before sitting in front of her. She gave Asami the reigns, "just pull them back when we need to stop," she explained, and then suddenly wrapped her arms around the torso of the girl.

Warming up her hands with her firebending, she pressed them against Asami's arms, and tried to control her breathing. Haitana can regulate the heat in her own body, but trying to regulate the heat in someone else's was showing to be difficult.

Smoke released from her mouth with every breath, and Asami leaned back into Haitana like she were a heater on the coldest day of the winter. "Thanks," Asami muttered, already releasing the effects of the cold.

"No problem," Haitana whispered back, too focused on monitoring her breath to say anymore.

Iroh turned around from on top of Naga, in front of the two girls, and pointed up ahead. "I think we've found our secret airfield," he nodded over to the concrete runways. "Bolin, once we get down there, I need you to tear up those runways. We can't let those aircraft take off," he directed before looking back.

"Aye aye, captain!" Bolin cheered out, before shrinking into himself. "Ooh, general, general," he tried again, before Asami and Haitana could jump off of the buffalo yak.

Gentlemanly enough, Iroh came over to assist the two girls off of the animal, and while Asami took his hand, Haitana only slid off the side— to stubborn to accept his help.

Truth be told, she was a little bitter at the constant undermining of the people around her. It seemed like Asami and Bolin were the only ones who gave her any credit at all.

"What do you need me to do when we get over there?" She questioned Iroh, crossing her arms as she waited for her direction.

Looking to the strange animal, then to her bag, and then finally into her eyes, he scoffed. "Don't do anything," he almost insulted her with his order.

Asami gave the girl a pitiful smile, to which Haitana widened her eyes at— almost in saying did you just hear that? She only shrugged in response, walking towards the base with everyone else.

As they neared, there was metal poles stuck into the ground, but not holding anything between them. "Why would there be fence posts, but no fence?" Asami asked, looking around suspiciously.

The four of them try to walk through, but are shot back as the electric field between them shocked them to the ground, unconscious. Being electrocuted was certainly the last thing Haitana expected in coming on this mission— never mind being knocked unconscious.