The Ruka Wild ↠ Book 1 > A:TLA [Avatar: TLAB-LoK Watty Awards 2018]

Chapter Thirteen:

Ruka

Haru and I walked side by side away from where my siblings, Aang, and I are staying for the night.

"Please thank your mother for letting us stay there. It really means a lot." I said to him. Haru nodded.

"I'm sorry for what my sister said earlier. She didn't - we didn't know about your father." I said sympathetically. "That's okay." He said. "She feels really bad about it." I added.

"It's okay Ruka, really." He half smiled. "It's funny, the way she was talking back in the store. It reminded me of him."

"Oh?" I raised a brow. "How?"

"My father was very courageous. When the fire nation invaded, he and the other earth benders were out numbered - ten to one." He looked over to me. "But they fought back anyway."

We stopped at the edge of the mountain. He kneeled down and looked ahead, while I stayed back and watched him. "After the attack, they rounded up my father and every other earth bender and took them away. We haven't seen them since."

I walked over and sat next to him. "I mean, I understand why you earth bend. You just can't stop because it's who you are. But, if you know you're at risk, why keep doing it?"

He picked up two small rocks and twirled them in a circle in the air with his fingers. "The only way I can feel close to my father now is when I practice my bending." He closed his hand, turning the rocks into sand, letting the sand seep through his fingers. "He taught me everything I know."

I sighed, "Did you see the necklace Katara was wearing?" He nodded, "it was beautiful."

My eyes saddened, "it was our mother's. We lost her in a fire nation raid. That necklace is all we have left of her."

"It's not enough, is it?" He asked. I shook my head, "No. I never told anyone this, but... I was always jealous of her being the one to wear it. My mother gave it to her and at first, I didn't mind it. But now that she's gone and that necklace is the only piece of her we have left, Katara is the one that has it around her neck."

Haru put his hand on my shoulder, and I turned to him with a weak smile.

"You're father's a brave man." I said softly. "Sounds like someone I just met." He scoffed, "If I were brave, I'd do what he did and fight back."

I shook my head, "No. You're brave for not fighting back and staying with your mother."

He too gave me a weak smile. He grabbed my hand and as he stood up, I did too. "Let me show you something." I nodded.

>>>

We walked down a dirt path, similar to where we spotted him earth bending earlier, except next to us were leafless trees. 

When we turned a corner, we saw rocks falling down and an echoed "Help!". Haru turned to me, "The mines!"

We ran to the mine and saw an old man's body covered in thick dirt. He reached his hands out for us, "Help me!"

The dirt continued to fall over him and soon he'd be buried alive. Haru tried his best to hold the dirt and rocks back, also holding the top of the mine to try and slow the rocks down from falling over the man. I kneeled down to the man and pulled on his body to try and get him out.

I huffed, "It's not working! We have to find another way!"

He shook his head, "There's no time! Pull harder!"

"Haru, you need to earth bend." I said while continuing to try and pull the man out. He frowned, "I can't."

"It's the only way, Haru. No ones around, you won't get caught - feel what your father would feel!"

He thought about it for a moment before moving away from the mine and getting in front of us. He extended his arm out and took in a deep breath. He did a spin, then when his body returned to face the mine, he extended both arms out with his fists closed.

The rocks and dirt all pushed back, leaving the man's body free. I smiled up at him, "You're a hero!" He smiled back, and walked over to us and helped me pick up the man.

We put his arms over our shoulders and walked back up the path.

"I know that was risky." I told him. "Thank you."

"No, thank you." He said.