End of the Beginning

Chapter 20

Early in the morning, we packed up camp and left for the Forgetful valley. Aang decided to leave Appa at the entrance since we didn't know if we were suddenly going to go down an enclosed path Appa couldn't cross. Momo decided to tag along though he rested on Sokka's shoulder as we walked in.

"So this must be it: Forgetful Valley!" Aang stated.

"How do you know?" Sokka asked,"Are you detecting something with your special Avatar powers?"

"Sokka, there literally a sign," I said, pointing to the moldy wooden board pinned to the tree.

"Ohhh," Sokka breathed out.

"So where do we go from here?"  Katara asked.

"I'm not sure," Zuko replied.

"I think we should go this way," I said. There was this unshakeable feeling that for some reason the entire place was familiar to me.

"But there's not even a path," Zuko said confused.

"Come on, Zuzu," Azula said before shooting fire to the right where I signaled to,"For a true fire bender there's always a path!"

"What are you doing?!" Katara asked.

Zuko, Aang, and I quickly put out the fire before it could spread anymore.

"I suppose one of you imbeciles has a better idea on how to proceed," Azula spoke.

"Any idea is better than burning down the whole forest!" Katara yelled.

"What'd I tell you last time you did something like this?" Sokka said in annoyance,"Oh yeah. Nature hates you!"

"That's enough!" I yelled making my siblings shut up and Azula roll her eyes. I took a deep breath to calm down,"I'm sick and tired of you all fighting. For everyones sake just quit it,"

"Kya's right guys! Be quiet!" We all turned to Aang who covered his face,"I am detecting something with my special Avatar powers! It's kind of making me wanna go,," He made a deformed expression that seemed confused,"Like this,,"

"Sweetie, not with the faces again!" Katara said.

"No, no," Sokka said,"I think Aang is onto something! If you look carefully, there are actually faces all over the place!"

"Like this leaf," I said, pulling the large leaf that had a saddened expression which Sokka imitated.

"Sokka, stop!" Katara scolded, "Aang can't help it, but you're just being a jerk,"

"And that squirrel toad!" He then imitated the back of the squirrel toad with a big goofy mile.

"And the bark of this tree," I said, touching the tree which held an angry face. It all just seemed to familiar but I couldn't understand why.

"And that giant flutter bat over there!" Sokka announced once more,"Aang, the patterns on its wings sort of look like the face you're making."

"Hey, you're right!" Aang responded,"Don't fly away, Mr. Flutter bat! I think we're meant to be friends,"

"Aang, don't run off by yourself!" Zuko said, concerned about the free spirited Avatar,"You don't know what's out there!"

"Lets go follow," I said pulling Zuko,"I think he's going in the right direction,"

I could feel that familiar sensation again. An echo, like a pool of water. And I was determined to find it. I couldn't explain why, or how, but I felt that same feeling when the Lady of the Ocean wished to talk to me. As if there was someone I missed.

"Kya," Zuko said, trying to keep up with my quick pace,"I'm going to trip,"

"Sorry," I said, letting go of his hands and running off. There was a spiritual presence that I couldn't identify and it intrigued me.