The Freedom Fighter ➵ Sokka

A Beginning and an End

Nara wondered how many mornings she began in the hours most considered to be night.

The sun was yet to rise, and the absence of the warmth it provided ached into her bones. A headache pounded at her temple from a severe lack of sleep, an ache which Nara ignored. She was never at her physical best in the early hours before the day started proper, but she couldn't afford a sleep in. Too much was about to happen for that.

She and Sokka had a plan. Or, not so much a plan as it lacked many details, but a semblance of a plan. Sokka had left a note for Nara to find after dinner detailing it, though how he'd found her tent she'd never know. Wake early (her job as Sokka was a self-proclaimed heavy sleeper), then sneak around the hideout to try to find evidence of whatever it was Jet was planning. If there was any evidence to find. Nara still had no idea what they were looking for exactly. All she knew was that they had to be sure that the rest of the Freedom Fighters wouldn't be in any danger if they stopped Aang and Katara from helping Jet.

Rubbing her arms to keep the chill in the air at bay, Nara crept silently through the hideout. Out of habit she sticks to the deepest shadows, her dark blue and green layers of clothes blending into the surroundings. Her nerves were on edge, tensing at every hoot and rustle.

Which is what saved her. Sensing a presence more than hearing anything, Nara froze in place beside one of the tents. She tried not to move, ears straining. Waiting a few moments, she saw what it was that had put her on guard. Longshot, slinking out of his tent and grabbing one of the lines down to the ground. He shot through the air, disappearing from sight.

Edging towards the drop, Nara kept her eyes up waiting for more Freedom Fighters to appear. None did, so she looked down to the forest floor. There she saw Longshot being greeted by Sneers and Pipsqueak. Behind the boys was the wagon loaded with all of the supplies they had pilfered from the Fire Nation soldiers the day before. What did they need with so much blasting jelly? That changed the plan. No longer did she and Sokka have to search for any clues left lying around. Clearly the blasting jelly had something to do with the forthcoming, and all they had to do was wait.

Footsteps sounding on the platform on the next tree told Nara there wouldn't be long to wait. As quickly as she could, Nara backed up until she was safely in the shadows, then cursed silently. She was supposed to be waking Sokka. How was she meant to do that when there was no way to get from the tree she was currently sheltered on, to the one where Sokka, Aang, and Katara all slept? Watching the Duke drop to the ground to join their friends, her mind raced. Sokka's tree was only two bridges along. She could see it from her position. Maybe she could throw something at the tent, hope it was enough to wake him?

About to step out to do just that, Nara quickly pushed back when she heard a voice.

"Let's go." Jet, and he wasn't alone. He and Smellerbee both strode past where Nara hid, barely concealed now by a branch. As they began to drop, a flicker of movement caught her eye.

The entrance to Sokka's tent had been pushed open. The Water Tribe boy crouched there, watching Jet and Smellerbee descend. Nara breathed a sigh of relief. At least with him already awake, she wouldn't have to waste any more precious time. Sensing he was about to follow the Freedom Fighters alone, Nara half stood up and waved her arm madly. "Psst!" Startled by the noise, Sokka frowned in her direction. Sensing he couldn't spot her, Nara rolled her eyes and stood up properly and waved once more.

A goofy grin lit Sokka's face, but quickly disappeared and he pointed angrily towards the ground with a questioning look. 'What do we do?' he seemed to be asking.

Nara grabbed a line, and swung down to a lower branch on her tree, waving Sokka to follow. He joined her, and she pointed to the ground where the cart was. "They've got the blasting jelly," she hissed.