The Last Airbenders > Zuko

6

We were stopped at a little beach. We had stayed the night balled up in sleeping bags in the sand. It had been two days since our encounter with Patch Boy. Today's goal was to reach the Southern Air Temple. I was thrilled, honestly. It had been a hundred years since anyone had lived in the temple, the place where I met Aang and adjusted to life, my second home. I had been thinking all morning. How different will it look? Are there any surviving animals there? Is it rotting, or completely destroyed?

"Wait till you see it Katara, the Air Temple is one of the most beautiful places in the entire world." He smiled as he tied Appa's reigns back onto his horns.

She gave the boy a sympathetic smile. "Aang, I know you're excited but it's been a hundred years since you guys have been home."

"That's why I'm so excited!"

I looked to Aang. I was packing up the little basket of newly collected fruit from the forest behind the sand. "We don't know what could be there Aang. Who knows, it could be completely destroyed. If what Katara and Sokka said were true, they attacked every Air Temple." I finished and picked up the basket into my hands. "Not to burst your bubble, but just be prepared for anything, kay?"

He shrugged. "It's gonna be okay, I'm just curious to see what it'll be like. I need to see it for myself."

I nodded, agreeing.

I wasn't really one to talk. I felt almost the same as Aang, is it really true that there's no airbenders left? Surely a few survived. Maybe a few were able to flee and hide, and maybe they stayed hidden out of fear of their safety.

I could only hope.

Sokka was still snoring in his sleeping bag. I placed the basket in Appa's saddle, jumped down back onto the sand, and made my way toward the Water Tribe boy.

"Sokka, wake up."

He didn't reply or flinch to my voice.

"Sokkaaaa." I poked him with a stick I found on the sand.

"Shush Nara." He flipped onto his side to face completely away from me.

This time, to make sure he woke up, I sent him a gust of wind. It hit his back and made him roll in the sand down the beach a few feet. He woke and shot me a glare.

"Rise and shine!"

***

We were in the air again, maybe two hours had gone by since we woke up at camp. Sokka was digging around in his bag on Appa's saddle, while it was my turn to take the reigns. Aang was beside me while Katara was leaning on the edge of the saddle.

"Hey! Who ate all my seal jerky?" Sokka asked as he shook the empty pouch in his hand.

Aang blinked. "Oh, that was food? I used it to start the campfire last night." He scratched the back of his neck.

"What?!"

"It's fine Sokka, we'll find more food later." Katara grumbled.

I giggled.

A few moments went by before Aang started bouncing in his spot. "The Patola Mountain Range! We're almost there Nara, look!"

A huge smile formed onto my face. "You're right!"

"Hey guys, before we get into the temple, well, I just want you to be prepared for what you might see. The Fire Nation is ruthless. They killed my mother, and they could've done the same to your people." Katara warned with a somber expression painted onto her face.

I gave her a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I just wanna see the place honestly."

Aang looked at me surprised. "You don't believe there's any left?"