A Search within the Force and Flame

X

 Sokka barely dives out of the way as the wolf's massive teeth snap shut, missing him by inches. His heart slams against his ribs as he scrambles backward, eyes wide with panic.

"The wolf spirit must've left the spirit world for a good reason! So please, everybody, be respectful!" Aang exclaims, hovering slightly in the air, his expression urgent.

Logan, now out of the hole, unholsters his pistol in one fluid motion and starts firing at the wolf as he sprints forward.

"Then tell that to Fido!" he shouts.

Sokka, still trying to catch his breath, glares. "Logan's right! You expect me to be respectful after it just tried to eat my head?!"

As the chaos unfolds, Zuko's gaze locks onto the wolf's fur. Something about it sends a chill down his spine. His eyes narrow as he studies the strange markings.

"Those symbols on its belly..." Zuko mutters, his voice trailing off just as he jumps out of the way of the charging beast. "They almost look like a—"

Blaster bolts ping off the wolf's hide like pebbles thrown against a boulder. One shot bounces off its snout with a sharp ping. The beast stops. Slowly, its head turns toward Logan. Its beady red eyes narrow, locking onto him with chilling intent. A deep, guttural growl rumbles from its chest, low and menacing.

"GRRRRRR..."

Logan's blood runs cold. "Uh-oh," he mutters.

"Logan, RUN!" Aang shouts.

The Jedi doesn't need to be told twice.

Azula, still trapped on the ground, watches with an expression she doesn't quite understand—something foreign, something alien to her. A sharp, gut-wrenching sensation flares in her chest as the wolf spirit lunges after Logan, fangs bared. Her breath catches. Her face twists—not in anger, but something disturbingly close to fear. Not for herself.

For Logan.

"GET ME OUT OF THIS ICE!" Azula demands, her voice frantic as she struggles violently.

"NOT NOW, AZULA!" Zuko snaps.

Logan sprints, then pivots sharply. Channeling the Force, he propels himself into the air. As he hovers, he thrusts his arms forward. A powerful shockwave explodes outward, slamming into the wolf. The beast skids backward, claws tearing into the ground as it fights for balance, ripping up soil and dust in its wake.

Logan lands, eyes locked onto the dust cloud. His chest rises and falls in measured breaths as he watches, waiting.

The dust settles, the wolf still stands.

Shaken—but not deterred. Katara's gaze sharpens. She studies the creature's fur, then gasps.

"Aang, look! That's the face you've been making!" she shouts.

Aang's eyes widen. "You're right... I think I get it now!" He launches himself into the air, positioning himself between the group and the spirit wolf just as it begins to charge again. Katara reacts instinctively, raising her arms in a swift motion. A thick barrier of ice erupts from the ground, separating her, Logan, Sokka, and Zuko from the beast.

Azula, watching from the ground, suddenly stops struggling. The panicked feelings settle into something deeper, more unsettling.

"Stop, big giant spirit wolf! Listen to me!" Aang commands, hovering in front of it.

The wolf pauses, its red eyes flickering with something unreadable.

"I felt your presence earlier, see?" Aang gestures to his face, contorting his expression to match the markings on the wolf's fur. "Just like the design on your fur!"