Kunoichi amongst Benders (Avatar x Naruto crossover)

Chapter 7: Escaping the Desert

Hello everyone. So I've got a confession, I almost didn't post this week. I've been dealing with a family loss and it's been tough doing anything, even getting out of bed. But I know we all have our own low times. What used to get me through was reading a story or watching anime. And I hope to anyone who is going through a time time that my stories will give you solace and lift your spirits.

So Enjoy.

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While the sand glider the group found had a needle on it, they soon realized it wasn't a normal compass needle since it wasn't pointing north, which Sakura confirmed with her compass. But they decided to keep following the line, to see where it would direct them. Aang and Toph used their bending, creating a wind force that was cold and strong to briskly carry them through the sands, crossing miles of the desert that would've taken them longer on foot.

Sakura noticed a structure emerging in the darkness ahead, growing larger as they approached. She squinted to make out the shape and then called out, "There's something over there!"

Katara, holding the compass, glanced at it and then at the structure. "That's what the compass is pointing to," she said. "It must be the magnetic center of the desert."

Toph grinned widely, her spirits lifting at the sight. Walking around in the sand, was like taking off glasses if she wore them on her feet, everything was blurry, and feeling nothing within her range was unnerving more than she cared to admit. The desert didn't just make Katara feel helpless.

"A rock? Yes!"

"Maybe we can find some water there,"

"Maybe we can find some sand benders," Aang said softly, his eyes focused on the structure as he bent the air to propel them towards it, as he swung his arms to pull the wind forward with purpose.

As they drew closer, the structure revealed itself to be a massive rock formation, standing tall amid the endless dunes. It cast long shadows in the light, providing a welcome respite from the vast, featureless expanse of the desert.

Specks of light were already touching the sky upon reaching the base of the rock, they began to explore the area, although it seemed to be just as barren as the desert, with nothing growing, and only multiple entryways inside of it. Toph didn't care, it was something solid, something she could see, and immediately fell back into the rock, feeling its solidity and taking comfort in the familiar sensation of earth beneath her fingers as she stretched out and moved like she was making a snow angel.

"Not that solid apparently...." Sakura muttered, her mouth twitching as surprise pulled it down.

The rock was large enough to be considered a hill, and the top offered a view of the desert, but nothing else. To evade their disappointment for the object of their excitement, they kept investigating.

"Let's check inside," Sakura suggested.

Stepping through one of the entrances of the caves, everyone was quick to notice the unusual structure it held, not a solid base of rocks alone, but softer solids, an odd musky smell, and yellow liquid that seeped through the walls like an open wound.

"What is this?" Sakura asked, gesturing to the fall liquid running her hand down the wall with a phantom touch only.

Sokka came up beside her with Momo on his shoulder and scooped up a generous amount with his hand before tasting it and spitting it out and commenting that it tasted like rotten penguin meat, to which Katara reprimanded him for like a mother scolding her child.