Accidental Avatar

In said forest...

We'd been walking for some time when a wolf's cry met our ears.
"That wolf sounds so sad..." Katara said softly.
"It's probably wounded," Sokka responded.
"No," Bato said with a heavy sigh. I had let him in on my plan to remind them that they had promised to take Aang to the North Pole and how he had been scared he would lose his only friends in this era. Bato had agreed that their duty was with Aang. "It's been separated from the pack. I understand that pain. It's how I felt when the water tribe warriors had to leave me behind." Bato's eyes were sad, and he looked directly at the two siblings. "They were my family, and being apart from them was more painful than my wounds."

Sokka's expression grew sad as he looked past all of us. I put my hand on Sokka's shoulder. "Ohana means family. That means no one gets left behind or forgotten." I say softly. "And that's what we are. You guys are my ohana, and so is Aang."
"Sokka?" Katara stood a little away from us and hadn't quite heard what I had said.
"We need to go back," Sokka responds firmly. "I wanna see dad, but...helping Aang is where we are needed the most."
"You're right," Katara says, smiling brightly.

Bato walks over to us and puts his arms around the two siblings. "Your father will understand. And I know he's proud of you." Bato looks straight at me. "It doesn't matter what element you bend, but what feelings and bonds you build. You have my trust, and I will bring word of you to my comrades. You have our thanks. Keep them safe."
I bow respectfully to Bato. "And you have mine. Thank you for showing me kindness not many others would after what I have revealed to you. I will protect them no matter what."
Bato reaches into his shirt and pulls out the map. "I know where to go from here. Take this in case you want to find us. I'll leave a message at the rendezvous point."

♍

We had been walking for some time when the sound of thumping reached our ears, a low growl accompanying it. Sokka and I positioned ourselves in front of Katara, flames dancing to life in my hands. There was a crash behind us, and we turned, pulling Katara behind me as I shot fire forward. The flames missed, and we were pinned to a wall. The creature seemed to be sniffing us.

"So, this is your girlfriend?" A woman's voice floated over to us, and we paused. I looked up and saw an incredibly stunning woman looking down on us. Behind her was a fat old man, someone else, hidden from view and Zuko. Zuko jumped down and started stalking towards us. "Well, no wonder she left. She is way too pretty for you and looks like she found someone better looking... But then again, your new girl blows this girl out of the water with that body. Careful she doesn't decide pretty boy over there is better."
"Yeah, nah," Comes a quirky response, almost lazy. "I don't think he's my type, thanks."

Zuko ignores the comment, and I try to better look at the other person, still hidden. "Where is he!?" Zuko demands. "Where's the Avatar!?"
"We split up!" Sokka yells, standing defiantly between Zuko and his sister. "He's long gone!"
"How stupid do you think I am?" Zuko demands.
"DON'T ANSWER! IT'S A TRAP!" The quirky voice calls out, and you can hear the laughter in her feminine voice. "Oh hey, it's those peeps!" Finally, the figure behind the fat man reveals herself, and for a second, I'm struck dumb. It was Amaya. I should have realised by the sound of her voice! She's sitting there, looking mighty pleased with herself, her blonde hair braided and falling over one shoulder to rest just past her waist.

"Oh, herro missa Amaya," I say, grinning at her. "Howu doin?"
"Oh, herro missa Peanuh." She responds, grinning madly. "Meh."
"Is everything a joke to you?" Zuko demands, turning on the girl.
"Funny things are." She quips back. Sokka taps my shoulder, and I realise that it was now or never to make a break for it. I glance back at her, feeling like I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. My friends or my past? In the end, I decided to go with Ohana. They don't care who I was, only who I can become. Sokka grabs Katara's hand and quickly darts, shouting 'run!' as he goes. I sweep the area with an arc of fire which Zuko dispels with ease. He threw a fireball at me, but I dodged and rolled out of the way. "Surender." He yelled.

"You mean you wish to surrender to me? Very well, I accept." I retort. "Lay down your weapons and tie yourselves up with her whip," I say. Zuko sends another fireball in my general direction while the blonde cackles away gleefully.

I turn to chase after Sokka and Katara when something whips across my back, and I fall, my limbs no longer working properly.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Zuko demands.
"Play Pai Sho?" The girl suggests, to which the fat old man laughs heartily. The other woman urges her beast forward, and it nudges Sokka's pack.
"It's seeking a different scent." She said absently. "Perhaps something that the Avatar held." My blood runs cold when the map falls out of the pack, and the monster sniffs it. Soon, we are all tossed onto the back of the monster, and Zuko sits between us and the girl, who starts humming to herself absently.