Mari: Scroll 1

Winter Solstice part 1: The Spirit World

Alright guys, I have to apologize for being gone for so long. So here it goes.........

I'm sorry!

I didn't have internet, which was a total bummer, but I'm back and here's a new chapter for ya! 

And as always, I don't own Avatar: TLA, just my own OCs. 

Enjoy. 

*Mari POV*

        I lounged in the saddle, laying on my back with my arms folded behind my head. I watched as the clouds lazily floated by above me. 

"Those clouds look so soft don't they? Like you could just jump down and you'd land in a big soft cottony heap." Katara said. She was on her stomach right beside me, while Sokka sat up, carving a piece of wood. Aang was, as always, on Appa's head. 

"Why don't you try it?" Sokka suggested. I glared over at him. 

"Your hilarious." Katara said. 

"I'll try it!" Aang suddenly shouted and grabbed his staff, jumping off of Appa. He fell, laughing and disappeared in a mass of white fluffiness. 

"Crazy Airbender." I muttered as we looked for him. He turned up behind us, soaking wet. 

"Turns out clouds are made of water." He said. I shook my head as he used his bending to dry himself off. My eyes caught a dark patch of land that didn't belong in the rolling green hills we were flying over. 

"What is that?" Katara asked. 

"It's like a scar." Sokka said as the three of them gathered beside me. Aang hopped back onto Appa's head and landed us in the middle of darkened land. I hopped down and took in the burnt remains of the land. 

"This is awful." I said, placing my hand on the trunk of a tree. 

"It's so quiet." Sokka commented. "There's no life anywhere." 

"Aang, are you okay?" Katara asked. I happened to look down and found foot prints, both human and Rhino. I grabbed Sokka's arm. 

"Look." 

"Fire Nation! Those evil savages make me sick, they have no respect for any-"

"Shh." Katara shushed his rant and pointed to Aang who sank to the ground, his shoulders slumped. I could only imagine what he was feeling right now. He ran his hand through the ash covered dirt, letting it stream through his fingers. 

"Why would anyone do this?" He asked. "How could I let this happen?"

"Aang, you didn't let this happen, it has nothing to do with you." Katara said. 

"Yes it does, it's the Avatar's job to protect nature, but I don't know how to do my job." He said. 

"Well that's why we're going to the North Pole, to find you a teacher."

"Yeah, a Waterbending teacher, but nobody can teach me how to be the Avatar." He said, defeated. "Monk Gyasto said that Avatar Roku would help me." I sat down next to Aang and dug my fingers into the dirt. It was cold, all the life gone from the land. 

"The Avatar before you? He died over hundred years ago, how are you supposed to talk to him?" Sokka asked. 

"I don't know." Aang admitted. Momo, sensing his master's sadness, ran over and settled down in his lap. We fell into silence, all of our spirits low. 

"Hey Aang, ready to be cheered up?" Katara asked. 

"No." He huffed beside me. I couldn't help but laugh as Katara hurled an acorn at Aang's head. "Ow! Hey, how does that cheer me up?"