THE OTHER AIRBENDER (Book 1)

(XV) Fire

"Great lesson today, Alya!" Aang congratulates me with a smile.

"Thanks. I'm still a bit bummed that I can't get the sensory thing," I say, sighing heavily.

"You'll get it eventually."

I hope he's right. I've been perfectly able to master all the offensive tactics about airbending, but I'm still struggling at using the air around me to help me predict and avoid others' attacks. Aang says it's important for me to learn this because an airbender's fighting style will always be a defensive one, but for some reason, I am far better at attacking than I am at defending.

"Sokka, you're supposed to put the tarp on top of the tent. You know, so we don't get rained on?" Katara's complains to her brother, which makes both Aang and I turn toward them curiously.

Apparently, they're setting up a tent, and the object of discord seems to be Katara's insistence on placing a tarp on top, while Sokka doesn't really seem to share that concern.

"Ordinarily, you'd be right, but seeing how it's the dry season, you're not. Besides, that tarp makes a pretty warm blanket," Sokka replies casually.

"But what if it does rain?"

"What if it doesn't? Then I would have put up the tarp for nothing," Sokka replies, angering Katara in a matter of seconds.

"You're infuriating!"

"Katara, why don't you worry about gathering firewood, because that kindling is looking pretty sorry."

"Well, if you don't like my firewood-" Katara suddenly thrusts the firewood she carries in her arms towards Sokka harshly.

"Fine by me, if you're not gonna do your job..." The bickering continues, seeming intensifying by the second.

"Aang," I turn to him with a sigh. "Mind helping them out?"

"What?" Aang widens his eyes. "Are you crazy? Do you want them to yell at me? Why don't you help them out?"

"Well... You're the Avatar, right? Isn't it your job to keep the peace?"

Aang sighs heavily. "I guess you have a point."

"Of course I do," I reply with a smile. "Come on, Aangy. You can do it."

"Don't call me that," he pleads, before heading into the confrontation and clearing his throat, momentarily getting both Sokka and Katara's attention. "Hey. What's going on here?"

"Why don't you ask Miss Know-It-All, Queen of the Twigs," Sokka says bitterly.

"Oh yeah? Well, you're Mister Lazy Bum, King of the," Katara picks up a small twig and throws it at his head angrily. "Tents!"

"Okay, listen guys, harsh words won't solve problems, action will. Why don't you just switch jobs?" Aang suggests, as both of them glance at each other thoughtfully.

"Sounds good."

"Whatever."

Aang walks back towards me with a proud smirk on his face. "You see that? Settling feuds and making peace, all in a day's work for the Avatar."

"I can see that," I smile, rolling my eyes playfully. Suddenly, I realize that Momo and Appa are fighting each other beside us, apparently over a watermelon. I nudge Aang's arm and nod toward the two bickering. "What about those two?"

"No problem!" Aang then walks toward them takes the melon away, using his airbending to slice it into two parts. Momo's is clearly smaller, and he makes a point to let Aang know his dissatisfaction. "Come on, Momo, that's fair. Appa's got five stomachs."