Avatar The Last Airbender: "Touched By Fire And Earth" (Toph Beifong)

S2 Ep12: The Serpent's Pass

I knelt down next to Sokka, examining the map intently. Toph sat nearby, playfully dipping her feet in the water, while Aang effortlessly glided across its surface. It was a relief to see him finding some solace after the recent events.

"Are you sure this is the best route?" I asked Sokka, pointing at the path he had chosen.

Sokka nodded in response. "Yeah, we don't really have any other options," he replied with a hint of resignation.

Before our conversation could continue, Katara's voice pierced through the air. "Waterbending bomb!" she shouted, leaping off the cliff's edge and elegantly flipping into a cannonball. As soon as she made contact with the water, a massive wave surged forward, crashing down with tremendous force.

The splashing droplets stained the ancient map, causing Sokka to sigh. "These are 5,000-year-old maps from the spirit library," he grumbled. "Just great, now they're all wet."

Emerging from the water, Katara squeezed her hair to remove the excess moisture. "Sorry about that," she apologized, using her waterbending skills to draw out the water from the map, leaving it completely dry once more.

Sokka laid the map on the ground, and Aang inquired, "So, have you guys figured out which route we should take?"

Taking charge, I pointed to a specific spot on the map, indicating our current location. "Since we just left the desert, we must be here," I explained. "And Ba Sing Se is located over here. The only passage that connects the south to the north is a narrow strip of land known as the Serpent's Pass."

Toph, sounding uncertain, questioned, "Are you sure that's the best path to take?"

Sokka interjected, "It's the only way. Without Appa, we don't have the option of flying there."

I punched Sokka on the arm. "Come on, really?" I chided him.

Katara interposed, scolding Sokka for his insensitivity. "Enough about Appa. Can't you at least try to be more considerate?"

Interrupting the tension, Aang interjected, "Katara, it's okay. I know I was upset about losing Appa earlier, but right now, my focus is on reaching Ba Sing Se and informing the Earth King about the upcoming solar eclipse."

Katara, initially taken aback by Aang's change in attitude, responded, "Oh, well, alright. I'm glad to see you're feeling better."

Sokka picked up the map decisively. "Then it's settled. We're heading straight to Ba Sing Se, no more distractions."

From a nearby direction, a male voice called out, "Hello there, fellow refugees." I turned my gaze to find a man and two women approaching. One of the women was visibly pregnant, and they seemed amiable. I offered them a polite wave.

Sokka frowned and nudged me with his elbow. "Quit acting like a child," I muttered under my breath as the trio drew nearer.

Aang took the lead and initiated the conversation. "Are you guys also headed to Ba Sing Se?" he inquired.

The man smiled warmly. "Absolutely," he replied, placing his hands gently on his wife's pregnant belly. "We're trying to reach Ba Sing Se before my wife, Ying, gives birth."

"Great," Katara said with a smile on her face. "We can travel the Serpent's Pass together."

The trio's mood quickly shifted to fear, and Ying spoke up. "The Serpent's Pass? Only the truly desperate take that deadly route."

"Deadly route, great pick, Scorpion and Sokka," Toph said sarcastically as she punched both of us to the ground.

I quickly got up and asked, "Do you all have any better ideas?"