Avatar: The Last Airbender Book One; Water

Chapter Eight: Winter Solstice; Part Two

"Let's go Appa, come on boy!" Aang was urging his bison, tugging on his reins the morning after he told us he'd have to leave for the Fire Nation, but Appa was refusing to move an inch.

"Look, I'm sorry, but Katara, Ahona, and Sokka can't come to the Fire Nation with us. If they got hurt, I would never forgive myself..." Aang told his friend, looking away sadly before again urging the bison to move, "So get your big butt off the ground and let's go!"
Appa just let out a long groan and still didn't move.

"I think his big butt is trying to tell you something," Sokka told him and Aang turned to look at us in surprise.

"Please don't go Aang, the world can't afford to lose you to the Fire Nation," Katara tried to plead with him sadly, "We can't afford to lose you either."

The young airbender thought for a moment, but he stood up defiantly, "But I have to talk to Avatar Roku to find out what my vision means. I need to get to the Fire temple before the sun sets on the solstice, and that's today!" He airbended himself back onto Appa's head as he'd previously jumped down and was trying to push his legs.

I huffed and ran in front of Appa to stop him, throwing my arms out defensively, "We're not letting you go to the Fire Nation, Aang." I declared.

"At least not without your friends." Sokka finished for me, smirking.

I nodded, placing my hands on my hips, "We got your back." Momo flew up and perched on Aang's arm, Appa moved forward and licked Sokka who shrieked in disgust.

After that heartfelt intervention, the three of us climbed into Appa's saddle and got ready to take off.

"It's a long journey to Crescent Island," The Senlin village leader told us, "You'll have to fly fast to have any chance of making it before sundown." He handed Aang a small bundle of something, "Good Luck."

"Thank you for your-" Aang started to say, being his usual respectful self.

But the Leader interrupted him, "Go!" He ordered, pointing towards the ocean in the distance. Appa then promptly took off, without Aang saying another word.

_

We were still flying by midday, and sundown was creeping up on us quicker and quicker as time dragged on. My siblings and I had our eyes trained on the ocean below us, slightly fearful of having to enter into the territory of the people we feared and hated the most. But we really had to let go of our fear.

"Come on boy, we've got a long way to go." Aang pointed out, urging Appa to move quicker, "Faster!" The Bison roared as he picked up the pace.

"Aang, we've got trouble!" Katara suddenly warned and I turned to see Zuko's warship chugging along behind us, and it was gaining and fast.

My chest went tight, my left hand clenching on the railing of Appa's saddle, "Big trouble."

"Yeah, and it's gaining, fast!" Sokka shouted.

Suddenly, a fireball launched from the ship, toward us and I screamed a warning, "Fireball!"

"I'm on it!" Aang screamed back in response. He steered Appa out of the fireball's path, but the smoke washed over us, making us cough.

"We have to get out of Zuko's range before he fires another hot sinker at us!" Katara exclaimed.

Sokka looked at Aang, "Can't you make Appa go any faster?"

"Yeah, but there's just one little problem-" Aang began unsteadily and we all looked down to see an entire row of Fire Navy ships forming a large blockade.

Aang turned back to voice his plan, "If we fly north we can go around the Fire Navy ships and avoid the blockade, it's the only way!" He tried arguing, but we had a different idea. More dangerous, yes. But much faster.