Rainbow's Gift (Avatar The Last Airbender Fanfic)

13. Blending in

Taliya's POV
My eyelids were gently touched by the sunlight as I stirred awake. I had slept well unlike the past two days but my body was still sore from my fight with Jet. I opened my eyes to see green all around me. My heart skipped a beat out of fear. I thought I was on the ship where Kuzon would be banging my door so I could wake up. Every time I thought about Kuzon I thought about the kiss. I was still surprised that he liked me more than just a friend.

I missed Ty Lee and Onji, the way we would laugh all day in school and get in trouble with the principal who was so uptight. I finally sat up. I had slept on one of Appa's last legs. Aang had slept on one of Appa's first legs. Appa was really soft. Katara and Sokka had slept with their sleeping bags on the ground. I looked at myself. I was dirty. I felt dirty. I stood up lightly. From how the trees looked there had to be a river or a stream nearby. I tiptoed past everyone. As I passed Sokka, I stifled a laugh. He had drooled over his sleeping bag. He had to be a crazy sleeper. I walked to the direction I thought the river would be.

I admired the forest as I walked through it. So many thoughts were rushing through my mind. Here I was with the Avatar. I ran away from my father to help him defeat Ozai. Was it the right decision? What if my father had put Kuzon in jail? I didn't even know if these guys had allowed me to join their group. Aang and Sokka seemed to be okay with it but Katara........ I knew Katara hated me from the first time I saw her.

There was actually a river ahead. I guess my geography classes did help. I walked over to it. I was still limping but my leg felt a little better. I started to think about Sokka. I didn't know why every time I found him looking at me, my heart leapt. He made me feel warm and gooey inside and no one had ever made me feel this way. What was this feeling that wanted me to look into his ocean blue eyes all day long?

I started to strip until I remained with my inner wears. I walked to the bank of the river and placed my foot inside. I immediately started missing warm baths. I entered the water which reached my waist. The water was refreshing.

Sokka's POV
"She's gone!" I think I heard Katara shout. I covered myself more but I think she pulled my wolf tail.

"What's your problem?" I grumbled.

"Didn't you here? Taliya is gone."

"What?" I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I looked around. She wasn't there.

"Do you think she ran away? Aang asked as he sat up slowly.

"No she couldn't. She wouldn't run away." I said now standing looking around.

"I told you guys. She's from the Fire Nation. What did you expect?" Katara said with a smirk on her face. I didn't know why she hated Taliya. She had barely spoken to her besides questioning her.

"She's around here somewhere. I know it." I said now walking around  our stuff. "I'm going to look for her."

"You still don't believe your girlfriend is evil?" Katara stared at me angrily.

"She's not my girlfriend." She couldn't have left, could she? I took my boomerang and my club and headed out. I walked aimlessly till I heard rushing water. I walked faster but I saw a figure in the distance. It was Taliya. I knew she wouldn't run away. She seemed to be washing up. I wasn't supposed to watch. It would be spying on her. As she stood up, her back was to me. I noticed she had a lot of burn scars mostly on her arms. Her body was still flawless..... I'm not supposed to look at her. I could feel my cheeks warming up.I turned around swiftly only to face Aang. He looked disappointed in me as he folded his arms.

"Sokka are you.....spying on her?" He asked.

"No. Let's go." But as soon as I took Aang's hand,  we heard a weird shriek. There was a bird that had all the colours of the rainbow flying around her. She looked at it with awe and I smiled at her excitement.