Open Your Mind

Chapter Fourteen

"Absolutely not!" Colonel Shinu growled as he glared at the taller Commander Zhao after watching one of his famed Yuyan Archers shot three arrows into the dead center of a target, splitting the first and second arrows, "The Yuyan Archers stay here. Your request isdenied, Commander Zhao."

"Colonel Shinu, please reconsider...their precision is legendary. The Yuyan can pin a fly to a tree from one hundred yards away...without killing it." Commander Zhao said persuasively before his tone turned annoyed, "You're wasting their talents using them as mere security guards."

"I can do whatever I want with their talents," Shinu retorted, giving Zhao a stern look, "They're my archers, and what I say goes."

Zhao turned to the face the colonel with a frustrated and angry look on his face.

"But my search for the Avatar-"

"Is nothing but a vanity project!" Shinu snapped, cutting Zhao off mid-sentence and glaring up at him, "We're fighting a real war here, and I need every man I've got, commander."

"But-"

"That's final! I don't want to hear another word about it!" Colonel Shinu stated harshly as he turned away, just as a messenger hawk cried out then landed on the colonel's arm.

Shinu turned towards Zhao slightly, taking the scroll off of the hawk and letting it hop onto the ledge. Shinu opened the scroll and read it with a confused expression.

"News from Fire Lord Ozai?" Commander Zhao asked curiously as he walked closer to the colonel, who handed him the note.

A smug smile made its way onto Zhao's face and he looked at the colonel haughtily, "It appears I've been promoted to Admiral. My request is now an order."

Colonel Shinu kept his face impassive as he bowed and left the small lookout tower. Zhao watched the Yuyan Archers continue to practice below with a pleased expression on his face, unbeknownst to the figure in a blue mask that had heard the entire conversation perched on the roof of the above him. The mysterious blue-masked figure pulled away and disappeared into the shadows without a sound.

"This should bring your fever down." Katara commented worriedly as she gently pressed a wet cloth to Sokka's forehead.

"You know what I love about Appa the most?" Sokka asked suddenly from his position huddled in his sleeping bag, somewhat delusional from his illness, "His sense of humor."

"That's nice. I'll tell him." Katara said complacently and Appa growled quietly.

"Classic Appa." Sokka said with a laugh, his eyes closed as Katara held the wet rag to his forehead.

"How's Sokka doing?" Aang asked concernedly as he walked over to where Katara was sitting beside Sokka who was lying on Appa's side.

"Not so good," Katara replied quietly, "Being out in that storm really did a number on him."

Sokka gave a pitifully sniff as his nose began to run and his body shivered.

"I couldn't find any ginger root for the tea. But I found a map!" Aang said excitedly as he held up the rolled map then opened it on the ground, "There's an herbalist institute on top of that mountain. We could probably find a cure for Sokka there."

"Aang, he's in no condition for travel. Sokka just needs more rest. I'm sure he'll be better by tomorrow." Katara said only to start coughing into her fist.

"Not you too." Aang stated quietly, his expression becoming even more concerned as he looked at Katara.

"Relax, it's just a little cough. I'm fi-" Katara started coughing again, this time with more force.