THE OTHER AIRBENDER (Book 1)

(XVI) Air

Aang and I watch the tribes start setting their camps from afar. It's really easy to spot the differences between them: while the Gan Jin tribe set up very complicated and elaborate tents that take them forever to set, the Zhangs use far simpler tents that they finish up setting in a few minutes.

"Well, it seems that Sokka and Katara finally found people that share their tent perspective," I note, attempting to make him smile.

He sighs heavily. "I failed, Alya. I couldn't make them get along."

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. You tried your best. Sometimes, you need to let people figure things out on their own. That's how you learn and grow," I tell him, putting my hand on his shoulder gently.

He smiles back at me. "I suppose you have a point. Thanks, Alya. You know... You kind of sound like Gyatso."

"Do I?" I raise an eyebrow playfully. "I guess my wisdom makes me sound a lot older. "

He giggles, shaking his head, as we both take a seat on the ground, watching the sun set in the horizon. Momo also rests between us, as we gaze to the camps and watch their campfires glow dimly.

"Sure would be nice to be sitting around one of those campfires, telling stories and laughing," Aang comments.

"I just want to get out of here so that we can get some tasty lychee nuts. I'm starving," I say, sighing heavily. Momo suddenly turns toward us and offers us a bug he snatched from the floor. I squirm with disgust, shaking my head. "Uh... I'd rather wait for lychee nuts. Thanks, Momo."

"Lonely isn't it, being impartial?" the guide says, joining us all of a sudden.

"I wish I could help these people get along, but it just seems impossible. Anyhow, I guess our biggest problem is getting out of here," Aang replies, as the guide sits next to him, struggling a bit because of his injuries.

"I'm not so sure the two problems are unrelated."

"Don't worry, Aang. I'm sure we'll figure this out together," I say with a smile, while letting out a yawn. "But for now, let's get some sleep. We won't do anyone any good if we're too tired to scare off crawlers."

"You're right," Aang says leaning back on a boulder. "Goodnight, Alya."

"Goodnight."

***

"All clear, we're almost to the other side," the guide declares, as we continue our journey through the treacherous canyon.

We finally manage to get ahold of Katara and Sokka, and Aang immediately questions what they've learned about each tribe. "Katara, Sokka, will these people cooperate long enough to get out of the canyon?"

"I don't think so, Aang, the Zhangs really wronged the Gan Jins. They ambushed Jin Wei and stole the sacred orb," Katara explains, making little to no sense.

"The... what?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah Katara, what are you talking about? Wei Jin didn't steal the orb, he was returning it to their village gate and was wrongfully punished by the Gan Jin," Sokka retorts, crossing his arms over his chest angrily. I'm still just as confused as before.

"Not punished enough if you ask me."

"Okay, okay, I get it! Now I need your help, I need everyone together at the base of the canyon wall," Aang says, as we turn toward everyone else. "Please everyone, as soon as we get out of here we can eat and then go our separate ways, but I need you all to put your heads together and figure out a way up this cliff."