Onee-Chan Is Gone (Sokka x OC)

Prologue (Part One)

Waddling down the dirt road towards the squirrel-mouse, a young toddler with pitch black hair and sharp gray eyes squealed and walked as fast as her tiny legs would take her. Climbing up a tree, the squirrel-mouse disappeared in the long branches and leaves.

Taking a moment to look around she realized her parents were nowhere to be seen. The people walking by paid less than any attention to her, minding their own business. How long ago had she separated from her parents?

Looking around she didn't recognize any of the market stands or people walking by. Tears started welling up in her eyes and she puffed her cheeks out.

Glances were spared to look down at her in curiosity while she bawled her eyes out next to a tree. No one bothered to check and see if she was alright and went about their business.

As her tears started to dry she felt something land on her shoulder. A soft, furry feeling brushed up against her cheek and she saw that the squirrel-mouse had perched on her shoulder. It must've sensed her sadness and climbed down to comfort her (or at least that's what she wanted to think).

Just as she started to smile at the furry creature that had taken a liking to her, three burly men loomed over her. You could practically see the color drain from her face as she scooted backwards to sit against the tree.

"Hey, doesn't that look like the Beifong family's kid?" one of them asked menacingly.

"I think it is, look at how she's dressed." the one on the left spoke. "Hey, what do you say we take her and hold her for ransom?"

The one on the right put his hand on his hairy chin. "Hmm, I like your way of thinking. How much do you think we should ask for?"

After that, the small kid stopped listening. She slowly backed away from the three scary people who were plotting to kidnap her. Just as she thought she was free she felt her collar being lifted up.

"Where do you think you're going little girl?" The bearded one asked with a creepy grin.

She began to claw at her throat being choked by her shirt. She kicked the air fiercely and passers-by began to notice.

The bearded man quickly dropped her and gripped her wrist tightly. "Let's get out of here quickly," he said nervously.

The three of them walked swiftly in the direction of the forest. The little toddler's small legs couldn't keep up and she was constantly tripping over her own feet only to get pulled into the air by her arm and dragged along with them.

They reached the forest and settled down in a thicker area with many tall trees surrounding them. When she was finally let go she examined her right arm looking at the pulsating bruise shaped like a hand that covered almost half of her arm. She lifted her left hand up to her neck and felt for the sore spot she was choked by. Accidentally pushing too hard on her bruised neck, she let out a yelp and tears brimmed in her eyes.

"Be quiet you little squirt!" the bald man yelled at her.

Only hurting her feelings more she let out a loud sob and tears began to flow down her soft cheeks.

The bald man growled and stood up from the rock he was sitting on. "What did I just tell you!? Be quiet or I'll make you!" After waiting a few seconds and she hadn't stopped crying he stormed over to her and slapped her face harshly.

She screamed and fell over onto the leaf covered dirt. She slowly lifted her hands up to her mouth to muffle her crying.

"That's better. Now keep quiet. We don't want anyone finding you before we get our money do we?" The man asked rhetorically and sat back on his rock proudly.

"Hey, we shouldn't hurt her, they might not cooperate if she's harmed, alright?" The long-haired one said.

The bald man only huffed and looked away, his pride drained.

:::

My eyes opened slowly to the small patches of the last sun covering the muddy ground. I felt a small rustling in my pocket and saw a small pink nose peek out, I recognized it was the squirrel-mouse from earlier. Slowly sitting up I felt a twinge in my right arm and remembered the bruise that had been made the day before. I placed my hand on my cheek and felt a sting from the spot where the bald man hit me.

I frowned and pet the soft squirrel-mouse's head gently and looked grimly into its deep pitch-black eyes.

After a while of sitting there in the peace of the rustling of the leaves on the trees and the sunlight peeking through creating a green hue on the ground, I heard bickering coming from the other side of the tree I was leaned up against.

"That was my mushroom! I picked it myself I get to eat it!" The bearded one yelled.

"But you already had three! Neither of us had any!" The long-haired one exclaimed.

"Yeah! Give it over! We know you have more!" The bald one screeched.

An idea popped into my head and I slowly backed up making sure that I was hidden by the trees. Once I couldn't make out what they were saying anymore I made a break for it, running deeper into the forest.

All I could hear was the sound of my heartbeat thumping in my head and the panting coming from my mouth. Leaves and sticks crunched under my thin shoes as I ran as fast as my legs would take me. The air had turned cold and the sun was nowhere to be seen making the bite of the wind even sharper.

Tripping, I scrambled to my feet not daring to look back and find out if they were chasing me or not. My face and hands were covered in dirt and my hair was tangled with leaves as it flew through the air, not being able to keep up with the rest of my head.

At some point I must've closed my eyes because as I ran forward suddenly there was no ground beneath me. I flew through the air for a short second before landing on my feet. My knees buckled and I began to tumble down the steep hill covered in thorn-filled bushes.

After the rolling finally stopped I laid limp on the grass-covered ground. Scrapes littered my face and body. Blood was dripping down my head and my hair laid strewn on the ground. My eyelids fought to stay open but my body finally succumbed to the sleep it needed to rest and heal.