ATLA Little Bender

The Deserters Arc-1

Being forcibly escorted to a settlement was the exact scenario Elaria wanted to avoid. She watched, dumbfounded, as their leader yelled at Chey. "Jeong Jeong told you not to look for the Avatar!"

Elaria's eyes widened in surprise, "So this Jeong Jeong is real?" She questioned the leader. Katara sighed next to her, while Aang seemed more than inclined to ask the same.

"Hold on, you know these guys?" Sokka asked, he's more worried about this group of weirdos that held them hostage. Chey responded enthusiastically, "Oh yeah! Lin Yee's an old buddy! Right, Lin Yee?"

"Shut up!" The leader, Lin Yee snapped at him.

They're led downhill where a little cottage sits of trees and logs. The group comes to a stop at the entrance of the little cottage, Lin Yee points to Chey, "Go on. He sees you only."

"Okay we can chat later," Chey tells Lin Yee, Elaria noticed how reluctant he is to talk with Jeong Jeong despite the praise that fell from his lips earlier. What kind of grip did this man have on these men? Are they all Fire Nation deserters?

From what she recalls, reports of Fire Nation deserters involved cowards. Lesser Men than others who abandon their posts with no honor or dignity.

Her gaze narrowed on the men and if they noticed, they paid no attention to her. More focused on Aang and Chey.

"Is that where Jeong Jeong is? I need to talk to him right away," Aang spoke to Lin Yee. He quickly snapped, whipping his spear at them, Elaria pulled her hand out of Katara's to yank Aang away from the weapon. Barely noticing the way he kept her behind him even as the weapon was directed at the two.

Lin Yee gruffly rejected the idea and told Chey to go inside.

Chey tried to reassure them before he moved behind the curtains, "It's okay! Everything will be alright, He's a great, great man!"

She highly doubted it. Lin Yee had threatened Aang as though it were nothing! She didn't trust these men. These cowards outnumbered them and continued to threaten them!

Waiting is boring.

Time stretches as they await the return of Chey, the group is left in silence with a few guards keeping distant vigilance. Katara fell asleep first, laying her head on Elaria's soldier as they sat down. Elaria was next, flushed, as she laid Katara and her down carefully, Aang defiantly kept his eyes open until he soon fell asleep. Resting beside Elaria as he prefers to.

Sokka stayed awake the longest, trying to remain vigilant given their uncomfortable circumstances.

Yet he too fell asleep.

The group is forced awake as Chey returns to their spot. Aang quickly questions what happened as Elaria does her best to rub sleep from her eyes. Chey's despondent as he responds, "He won't see you. He's very angry that I brought you here. He wants you to leave immediately."

She never felt happier to be kicked out of a place.

"Let's go then," Elaria enthusiastically voices beside a groggy Sokka, she drags herself to her feet before helping Katara up as well.

Sokka stretches his back out before he stands beside them.

Katara glances beside her and lets out a few silent giggles at the sight of Elaria's mane. Her hair had fallen loose from the braid in their sleep and was rampantly falling around her shoulders. Curling in all sorts of angles.

Elaria also didn't notice the creases on her face from her sleeves, as she forcibly rubbed her eyes to try and stay awake.

"Let me help with your hair," Katara tells her. Elaria merely nodded without thinking. As soon as her fingers skimmed the back of her neck Elaria jumped into the air. Her cheeks were a dusted pink as she whined, "Don't scare me like that," Elaria told her.

"I did ask you," Katara told her.

"He says you're not ready. Says you haven't mastered waterbending and earthbending yet," Chey spoke privately with Aang.

"Wait, how does he know that?"

"He saw the way you walked into camp. He could tell." Chey responded to him,

"I'm going in any way!" Aang responded to him, nothing would stop him by this point, within their grasp was the only person who could teach him firebending. Most of all, the only person who could help him learn so that he could keep his friends safe.

Aang left them in a hurry-shooting past Chey he disregarded the closed curtains of the man who didn't want to teach him.

Katara continued to brush the strands of Elaria's hair. The girl had fallen into a daze by the occasional caress of soft fingers against the back of her neck.

Elaria hummed quietly to herself. Until she noticed something peculiar.

"Wait- where did Aang go?" Elaria asked.

"I don't know," Katara replied confused.

Elaria sighed. He had to stop disappearing all the time. They're already at risk. Who knows what this group has planned for them?

"We seem to attract these dangerous situations too often," She lamented. Katara huffed a silent laugh. "You only say that now?"

"Don't tell me you're used to this?"

Elaria could feel the sigh at the back of her neck. She fought against another blush. She clenched her hands and prayed she didn't have a red face.

Katara- on the other hand didn't notice any of her internal panic. The waterbender continued.

"It's not a matter of being used to it . . ." She looked off, "but knowing that whatever happens we'll make it out, "

Elaria exhaled "Can I have some of that faith?"

"You just need to find the right person to give it to," Katara hummed,

Elaria glanced behind her, Katara, despite the grime on her face always looked pretty, but it's times like this that Elaria thought she was beautiful.

"Right"