Water and Wind || Kataang

Chapter 4: New friend

Aang
I had been flying for two days, only stopping for Appa to rest. I wanted to get to the air temples as fast as possible. I needed to start rebuilding them . Right now that was my distraction. And I really needed a distraction.

„Okay buddy, are you ready to take off again?" I semi asked Appa while petting his head. He growled and lowered his head. I knew he was tired. I should let him rest for a few more hours. In that way he will have more energy to fly to the air temples and we would get there faster without making too many stops.
We were still in the earth kingdom, but on an island. It looked similar to Kyoshi Island. I started walking towards the town. Momo landed on my shoulder.

„Want to come with me, Momo?" I jokingly said and he did his little growl.

As I got closer I noticed how small the town was. I mean I had seen many towns, but this one was tiny. Maybe it just felt small because I was coming from Ba Sing Se. I shrugged and got closer. There were some people but not nearly as much as in the other towns I was in. I spotted a merchant selling some food. My stomach started to ache. I hadn't had a hot meal since Ba Sing Se.
„Excuse me, do you have some vegetarian meals." I asked the merchant as I approached.

„I have lettuce if you want it. Everything else has fish." She was an old lady with dusty clothes.

„Nevermind then." I sighed and wanted to walk away.

„Come on. If you want to grow strong, you need meat. No women wants skin and bones." She said as her voice grew agitated.

„I think I'll be fine. Thanks though." I didn't want to think about women right now.

„You youngsters always have your own opinion on everything. Would it kill you to follow the advise of your elders?" She was starting to get on my nerves.
„I'm vegetarian because of my culture, not because I'm an angsty teen who wants to rebell." I darted my eyes towards her.

„Oh your culture. Everyone respects their culture now. Just eat some meat damn it." She slapped a fish on the counter. I stepped back.

„Leave him alone, Aunt Lau-Dee. Don't force the poor boy to eat your food." This girl came out of nowhere to my defence.
She looked to be around my age and had long dark hair with dark eyes.

„Uh thanks." I Said as we began walking away. She walked along side me.

„Don't worry about it. She is just sensitive when people don't like her food. She takes it personally." I smiled at her.

„Is she really your aunt?" I asked her.

„Yeah, my oldest one. This island is inhabited by my family. Every person you see here is related." She smiled as she looked up at me.

„Oh wow. I thought this island looked kind of small. There aren't many houses and even less people from what I saw." I said looking around the town.

„Yeah. The island used to be filled with people but most of them grew tired of it and left. My family held off and we are the last ones standing." She joked.

„That seems so cool. Everyone here is your family. If you need anything, your family is right here to help you." I may have sounded a bit too excited.

„I guess it does at first. It gets boring after a while. I mean imagine it, You don't meet new people, there is practically no one your age, everyone here knows you. There is no privacy. I have never been outside the island." She bit her lip and sighed.

„You've been here your whole life?" I asked rasing my eyebrows.

„Yep. You're the first boy my age, I've seen in a while. Apart from the boys who do the food deliveries, there really isn't anyone I get to meet. Someone I'm not related to, I mean ." She smiled again.