Book 1: Hikaru

Trust

After traveling for sometime, we decided to find someplace to camp before night fall. Appa landed us in the middle of a forest, once we landed, Aang, Sokka and I went to check the surrounding area. While we looked around, Aang found a small sword stuck into the ground.

"Hey look a sword made out of a whale's tooth," said Aang picking up the sword.

"Let me see that," said Sokka as Aang gave him the sword, "This is a Water Tribe weapon!"

"What's a Water Tribe weapon doing way out here?" I asked.

"Not sure," said Sokka staring intensely at the sword, "See if you guys can find anything else."

The three of us immediately began searching the area for anymore Water Tribe signs. Then Katara came seeing us searching the area, "Did someone lose something?"

"No we found something," said Aang.

As I continued to search, I found a broken half of an arrow underneath some leaves.

"Hey Sokka, I found something," I said picking up the arrow, upon closer examination it looked to be burnt, "It's burned."

Sokka then noticed some battle marks on the nearby tree, "There was a battle. Water Tribe Warriors ambushed a group of firebenders. The Firebenders fought back, but the Warriors drove them down this hill."

Sokka ran down the hill with the rest of us close behind. We followed Sokka to a beach at the bottom of the hill, Sokka stopped and stared disappointed at the ocean waters.

"So then what happened?" asked Aang.

"I don't know," sighed Sokka, "The trail ends here."

"Wait, look!" shouted Katara pointing a little further down the beach, to a large Water Tribe boat.

"It's one of our boats!" shouted Sokka as we ran toward the boat.

"Is this Dad's boat?" asked Katara as Sokka inspected.

"No, but it's from his fleet," explained Sokka, "Dad was here."

"Why don't we came here for the night?" I suggested, "It'll be dark soon."

"Right," nodded Sokka.

"I'll go get Appa," agreed Aang.

"Besides," I thought looking at the boat, "I don't think they'd want to be anywhere else tonight."

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Late that night, Aang and Katara were fast asleep, leaving me and Sokka sitting around the campfire. Sokka stared at the fire as if deep in thought about something.

"This boat must bring back some memories of his dad," I thought, Katara had told me some things about their family. Their dad left with most of the men from the Southern Water Tribe to fight the Fire Nation, leaving Sokka to take care of Katara, "He must miss his dad. I know I miss mine."

Suddenly we heard something walking toward us, Sokka and I immediately stood up ready for an attack.

"Who's there?" shouted Sokka reaching for his boomerang.

"Come out where we can see you!" I shouted opening my gourds.

A man with long brown hair and dark skin came out of the shadows. He had on a blue robe similar to Sokka's, but his left upper portion was removed, showing bandages covering that part of his body.

"Sokka?" asked the man.

"Bato?" asked Sokka, waking Katara and Aang.

"Who the what now?" asked Aang rubbing his eyes.