now or never || an atla fanfic

𝓿𝔦𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰

"I told you guys, there's something special about this place," Aang confidently stated while ducking tree branches.

Sokka, walking side by side with the avatar, sliced various vines and brush out of his path with his sword. "Now why would your Avatar sense lead us here?"

They'd abandoned their Fire Nation ship hideout--for now--since they weren't about to drag a ship into the middle of a swamp. Ditching the ship on a secluded island off the coast of the Earth Kingdom, the six made their trek to the Foggy Swamp Tribe.

"It's a good thing it did," Suki admitted. "We need to remain off the charts for a while, and this place is largely ignored."

The six approached a rare vacant area--save for a few stray leaves and dry brush--but it would be a perfect hideout for the time being.

"This place looks decent enough," Zuko pointed out.

"Are you kidding me? It's perfect!" Sokka exclaimed, picking up two sticks and rubbing them together vigorously. "I can make the fire!"

Katara clapped her hands, "We should split into two groups so that we can set up camp faster."

"I'm with Zuko!" Toph announced.

"I'll help set up camp with them," Suki volunteered, "someone needs to make sure they don't burn the swamp down."

"Okay...that just leaves Sokka, Aang and me then," Katara said. "We can gather food and supplies from the swamp."

The trio set off into the swamp, determined to venture the unknown area and gather some well-needed food. The supplies they'd brought on their ship had only lasted them so long, especially with the new members.

Aang paused in his path, hearing a twig snap not very far from them. "Did you guys hear that?"

"Maybe it's your "avatar sense" tingling again," Sokka said, mimicking Aang with air quotes.

"Oh will you ever shut up about that?" Aang retorted.

"To quote Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 3, line 92, 'No,'" Sokka quoted.

"Actually, it's 87," Aang corrected.

"It's neither, you idiots," Katara interrupted. "Now hush, I could've sworn I heard someone over there."

"You're probably just being paranoid, Katara," Sokka dismissed.

"Well my paranoia is what saved your ass countless times," his sister shot back.

"Oh really?" he crossed his arms. "Name one time during this trip it did."

Katara opened her mouth, but she couldn't formulate a response. She bit the inside of her cheek to prevent her from saying anything worse, before storming off into the mist.

She heard Aang's voice in the distance, attempting to reconcile the siblings. Katara walked farther. She knew it was childish, but she couldn't bear Sokka's presence after his rude comment. After all, it'd been her who kept the family together after their mother passed. Their father was so grief-stricken he couldn't face his own children.

"The nerve of him to say something like that," Katara muttered, reaching down to pick up a stick. "As if he's been helpful this entire trip."

Katara ventured deeper into the swamp, lost in her own thoughts and gathering sticks to notice the mist growing denser with each step. It wasn't long before she couldn't even see two feet in front of her.

She glanced around, panic seizing her, hoping to find a way out.

Where the hell am I?

Mist and fog.