Daughter of the Moon - Book Three: Fire

Chapter 21.1: Home

- Elara -

Return to me by the next Full Moon...

Those words had been haunting me for weeks—even while I was trapped in the Fire Nation prison—and I had no idea why. At first, I wasn't even sure where the words had come from, but I quickly discovered that they had most likely come from Yue. I didn't know why she had told me that—I couldn't even remember when we had last spoken—but I couldn't shake off the feeling that it was important.

There wasn't too much I could do about it at that moment, though. Instead, I found myself trapped in Appa's saddle once again as I fled from the Western Air Temple with Aang, Sokka, Suki, Toph, Katara, and (worst of all) Zuko. Just as I had suspected, Azula had somehow managed to track down the war balloon we had used to escape from the Boiling Rock, which left us with no choice but to abandon Jade and the others as we flew off on Appa as a diversion which allowed them to run off without getting hurt.

I had almost joined them as they escaped on the war balloon, knowing full well that I would be much safer with Jade, Hakoda, Teo, Haru, and The Duke than it would be traveling with the Avatar, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Perhaps I felt the need to finish what I had started, or maybe I felt responsible for protecting Aang against Zuko's stupidity, but I just couldn't abandon my friends like that, especially when I knew that it was still my duty to travel with the Avatar.

So, we ran. Of course, Zuko had to go and get himself nearly blown up by his psychotic sister in an attempt to protect us from the mini armada Azula had brought with her to kill us (not like I cared, or anything, not to mention that it didn't really work), but aside from that little hiccup, it had been smooth sailing out of the Western Air Temple.

We glided safely to a small alcove a few days after our encounters with the Fire Princess, allowing my small band of teenagers a moment of relief after our sudden departure. I immediately jumped out of Appa's saddle once we had landed, marching my way to a private place where I could think about this strange voice in my head. Zuko had tried to follow after me to make sure I was safe (of course), but Aang defended me when I had asked for a moment alone.

I then found my way to a secluded outlook where I could see the glimmer of the full moon reflecting off the ocean, shivering in the cold as my friends huddled around a fire to enjoy a quick meal. I looked up to the sky in hopes that I would find some answers—that Yue would offer me some guidance about what I should do—but I learned almost nothing. The Moon Spirit remained silent, leaving me feeling completely, and utterly alone.

But that was when it hit me. Maybe the Moon Spirit wasn't avoiding me on purpose. Maybe she couldn't communicate with me. Maybe whatever had happened to me in the Fire Nation had plugged my connection to the spirits, including my connection to Yue. I knew that I would relying on the Moon Spirit more than ever as Sozin's Comet quickly approached, and there was only one solution that I knew of that could solve my little problem.

I had to go home. To the Moon Warrior Tribe, hidden in the Northern Mountains.

There was talk of flying out west and training Aang at Ember Island so that we would be close to the Fire Nation Capital once Aang was ready to face the Fire Lord, so I knew that time was short. My old tribe was already a significant distance from where we were staying, and if we did go into the Fire Nation, I knew there would not be another opportunity for me to make amends before the battle for the world.

With this in mind, I quickly made my way towards our makeshift campsite, fearing that wasting another moment would result in me missing my chance.

I pushed through the foliage to find Zuko, Sokka, Suki, Katara, Aang, and Toph sitting comfortably around the fire, chatting happily amongst themselves as they remembered the old days (which mostly consisted of Zuko hunting down Aang with all the resources he could get his hands on). I felt bad jumping into the conversation and ruining the joyful mood with my depressing problems, but I also knew that this was probably going to be my only chance. I had to speak up now, or forever hold my peace.