Southern Star

Chapter Eight: Salute the Battlefields

The day after the incident at Messenjataun, the Avatar and his companions were too exhausted to continue talking to Song, but she didn't mind. She remained alert, wary of the so-called Combustion Man or any Fire Nation towns and ships that would target Appa. Toph and Katara dozed, and Avatar Aang remained on the bison's neck, and Sokka kept going from staring at Song to staring at Song's sword to staring at Tongyi. He never said anything, though, and eventually he fell asleep, too. Toph and Katara had sent Hawky off with a letter, so Tongyi didn't have to worry about getting bullied.

"How long were you travelling before you found us?" Avatar Aang asked her.

"A week," said Song. "I thought your friends would still be in the Earth Kingdom."

"And why did you decide that you wanted to help us all of a sudden?"

Song almost told him right then and there about what it was that her grandfather had done.

"Nothing in particular," she said instead, digging her nails into her palms. She didn't like lying, nor was she very good at it, but why would he let her help them if she told him then? "I just escaped prison and came to you. I wanted to help save the world."

"So you said," he replied. "Well, I'm glad you found us."

"And..." She hesitated. "Zuko's fallen back to the Fire Nation. It is as if we were never friends. I betrayed him. He let me get taken to prison. I can't serve him anymore. I want to serve you."

"Oh. Well, there's no reason to serve me. You can be my companion, though."

"Your companion," repeated Song. She thought about that, and nodded.

And that was that. Though maybe he would change his mind when he found out about her grandfather.

When Appa landed again, it was dark, and they stopped on a large island with a mountain surrounded by a forest. There was a village nearby, and Sokka (after he woke up) made plans with Avatar Aang to go the next morning to get more supplies. Neither of them consulted with Song, and neither Katara nor Toph asked for Song's help unloading the camping supplies, so she took it upon herself to get any firewood that they might need.

"How are we going to use that much firewood?" Sokka asked her, his voice sharp, when he saw the pile she had made. It was almost as tall as Toph.

"Oh, leave her alone, Sokka," said Toph. "While you were busy stretching, she was trying to help. I think she did much better than you could have."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Hey, calm down," said Katara, who was busy making a fire out of the firewood. Song glanced at the Avatar, wondering if he still didn't know how to firebend. "We're all still really tired and hungry."

"Maybe we could eat some sticks," said Sokka, and Toph sent a column of earth that made him trip over himself before he could say anything else.

Song smiled at that.

Avatar Aang and Katara made a small meal from some of the berries they found nearby and the last of the bread they must have had with them. Song gave most of her meal to Tongyi, who fell asleep in the branches above them after he finished eating. Sokka complained about there not being any meat, to which Katara replied "Aren't you the one that wanted to eat the sticks?"

From there, Avatar Aang suggested they all tell stories instead of arguing.

Sokka volunteered to go first, because of course he did, and then after him no one else volunteered. After months of travelling with Iroh, she had gotten used to wise and engaging anecdotes. Sokka's stories were neither wise nor engaging, so she wasn't very invested in any of them. In fact, his stories seemed to get worse as he went along.