THE OTHER AIRBENDER (Book 1)

(VIII) Air

The whole way, I can't help but feel terrified for Katara. What if they do something terrible to her in prison? What if we're not able to get her out of there? Or worse... What if they capture Aang, too?

"She'll be fine, Alya. Katara knows what she's doing," Sokka assures me, but I remain unconvinced.

"This was a stupid idea."

"You know Katara. She wouldn't have able to live with herself if she didn't at least tried to help Haru," Sokka replies. "Besides, we've got two airbenders, a ten-ton flying bison and the best warrior in the South Pole to bust her out. What could go wrong?"

"Many, many things," I reply, rolling my eyes. "What if she doesn't find Haru?"

"She will," Aang assures me.

I can't help but also wonder if my mother is in a prison like this one. Although I seriously doubt it, considering that the Fire Nation would probably never have kept a prisoner as important as her, a descendant of the Air Nomads, in the Earth Kingdom. They probably took her somewhere closer to the Fire Nation.

After the sun sets, Aang sneaks into the prison and quietly manages to bring Katara towards us. I am relieved to see that she seems to be fine, granted, without Haru.

"We don't have much time. There are guards everywhere. Get on!" Sokka whispers to her.

"Katara, what's wrong?" Aang asks, as we all notice her hesitation to jump onto Appa.

"I'm not leaving," Katara replies, as Sokka and I exchange questioning looks. "I'm not giving up on these people."

"That's noble of you, but we can't afford to lose you, Katara," I reply. "The longer you stay, the harder it'll be to bust you out."

"We can't abandon these people! There has to be a way to help them," Katara retorts.

"Maybe she's right. What do you say, Sokka? Alya?" Aang says, much to my displeasure, agreeing with her.

"I say you're both crazy!" Sokka replies, speaking my mind. We quickly react to duck a searching spotlight aimed in our direction, which only intensifies my worry. "We need to leave, now!"

"No!"

"I hate when you get like this. Come on, we better hide," Sokka says, jumping off Appa, followed by Aang. "Alya, go hide with Appa. We'll call you as soon as we figure something out."

"What? Why am I bison-sitting?"

"Would you rather stay in prison with us?" Aang suggests.

"Good point. I'll see you later," I say, as I tug Appa's reins softly. "Yip-yip!"

***

"I don't know, maybe I was wrong. Maybe I'm the motherly one in the group. No. That's not it. I guess I'm just the most cowardly one. Aw, man, this stinks. My friends are out there, fighting to help the earthbenders free themselves, and I'm here, cowering away, talking to you, Appa."

Appa simply grunts in response. He barely uses any sounds at all, but I think I understand what he's saying. I take the hint and smile, before pulling the reins back in the direction of the prison.

Flying overhead, I can already appreciate the riot unfolding below us. I quickly join in, landing in front of several guards, before spinning around rapidly and creating an air vortex that launches them far away. I spot Aang from the corner of my eye, shooting some coal with his airbending.

"Alya! You came!"

"Couldn't let you have all the fun!" I reply with a smile.

"No, please! I can't swim!" The warden pleas, as he and the other remaining firebenders are being held with coal right over the water.