Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Seventy-One

Kali clutches tightly to Sokka's hand as they manoeuvrer the dark cave. She can hear her heartbeat in her ears. Loud enough to drown out the noises around them. The sounds of their footsteps disappear into nothing. She feels herself sinking, her eyes rolling backwards as she struggles with the darkness all around her. Suddenly, Aang's hands are on her face, gently keeping a hold of her as she takes sharp and uneven breaths. She's freaking out. Terrified of being submerged in such darkness.

"It's okay" He whispers. "It's Aang. You're okay" She reaches up and clutches his wrists, taking in deep breaths. "You're free" He assures her, leaning forward to rest his forehead against hers. She and Aang are friends. He knows more about her than any of the others. When she'd wake in the middle of the night and he'd find her sitting in a tree. They'd talk. When they'd be foraging together. When he'd sit with her at a river as she fished. They talked. And whilst they could have used those moments to actually get started on his naturebending, she just didn't want to push it. She's the new girl and she's not very demanding. That's not her personality. He doesn't judge her for Zuko in the same way that the others do. Toph's not so bad. Kali has no issue with the Earthbender, but Sokka and Katara are very vocal about the Fire Nation and Zuko. She's never had that from Aang. He would just listen to her, holding her hand when the conversation turned to Raya, smiling as she talked about Zuko. Perhaps that is why she likes Aang so much. Suddenly, Sokka and Toph both hug her tightly and Kali lets out a small noise of surprise. They might not understand why she is freaking out, but they know that she is and that is enough for them to reach out and try and comfort her.

"Are you okay?" Sokka asks her, she nods but then realises that he can't actually see her.

"Yes," She voices and pats Aang on the top of his bald head in thanks. He chuckles and tugs on her braid in response. "I just...I don't like the pitch dark" She explains to Sokka.

"Then why did you let me pull you down here?" Sokka asks, scolding her for letting him bring her in here.

"People need us" She whispers sadly and proudly at the same time. She came down here because she thought she could help. Regardless of how she feels about the dark. "I'll be okay" She assures them, trying to sound braver than she feels right now. Because she still feels scared. That feeling of dread it clawing at her throat, but this is more important.

"Are you sure?" Toph asks her. Kali hums in agreement.

"It's nothing" She adds softly. "Just a fear of the dark" She knows it is not that simple, but she can't let it affect what they are doing. And she knows that that part of her life is so far behind her now. She knows that. This is just some lingering thing. A lingering part of her past that she is trying so hard to escape. Sokka keeps an arm around her shoulders as Toph pulls him forward. Aang holds tightly to Kali's other hand to both comfort her and keep track of his friends. Torches illuminate the area ahead of them, revealing a metal door. Toph releases her hold on her friends and reaches out to touch the door. Her fingers glide over the metal. Then using metalbending, Toph breaks it down, like it was made of paper. Aang and Sokka take the torches from the side of the door but Kali steps up to the doorway and takes a deep breath. Remembering how she felt when she set that hut on fire. That anger she'd felt. She turns slightly and throws out her hand. The torches all along the path suddenly light up. Showing them the way forward. Aang and Sokka both stare at Kali who turns a proud smile on them. Considering this is only the second time she has done any firebending, she is proud of herself.

"Well, that works" Sokka mumbles and heads past her with Toph. Kali sinks a little knowing that at that moment, he saw a firebender and not Kali. Aang gives her a sad smile and takes her hand to follow after the others.

At the end of the hallway, they find several villagers chained to the walls of the cave. Snapping the four of them back to reality. A reminder of why they are here in the first place.

"We're saved!" A prisoner shouts, relief sinking into every single one of them. Toph is the first to move. The first to respond to this. She unfastens her meteor bracelet and begins to unlock the prisoners' shackles using earthbending.

"I didn't know spirits made prisons like this" Aang comments. "Who brought you here?"

"It was no spirit" A female prisoner answers.

"It was a witch!" A male prisoner adds.

"A witch?" Kali whispers, shifting closer to Sokka. She's only ever heard stories of witches.

"What do you mean?" Sokka pushes.

"She seems like a normal old woman, but she controls people like some dark puppetmaster!" The female prisoner answers. Sokka's features instantly harden as he puts two and two together, realising just who it is that they are talking about.

"Hama!" He manages to get out through gritted teeth.

"Yes, the innkeeper!" The male prisoner agrees. Sokka turns to his friends.

"I knew there was something creepy about her!" He admits, curling his fingers into his palm. And he did. Sokka did have an 'instinct' about Hama and the inn.

"We have to stop Hama!" Aang states, standing up taller now that they have some idea about what is happening here. Now that they have someone to blame for it.

"I'll get these people out of here" Toph adds. "You go!"

"I'll help" Kali offers. Toph goes to argue about not needing help but that is not what this is about. "It will just be faster if we do it together" Kali assures her. "I am also sure that they would be happy with something to eat or some healing. Both of which I can offer whilst you free them" Toph lets out a breath and then nods. Kali makes a very good point. Aang and Sokka then flee, leaving the two girls to rescue Hama's prisoners.