𝑴𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑻𝑨𝑰𝑵𝑺 || 𝑨𝒂𝒏𝒈 (𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 2)

Avatar Day*

Dreams of her father had plagued Jade ever since they left the swamp. Just over a week had gone by, and Jade wondered how long it would be before she would stop having dreams that made her wake up with tears in her eyes.

It wasn't that she didn't want to remember her father. She loved reliving the memories she had with him. But whenever she was about to wake up, something would happen to remind her that he was gone. Sometimes he would just disappear, or sometimes he would run off and leave her behind. And every time, she woke up to find her eyes teary. She had more than a few close calls that her friends almost noticed.

But that particular morning, she was startled out of her dream by a loud rumble. The ground shook below the stump upon which she slept. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes. But then she spotted two rhinos emerging from the forest around their campsite. The armor on their heads told her they were neither wild nor friendly. And with the saddles on their back carrying men in red, she could already tell this wouldn't be a quiet, peaceful morning.

Two more men on rhinos emerged from the bushes. Jade watched the four of them circle their campsite, then glanced up to see a fifth on the cliff above them.

"Give up!" The bearded man called down. "You're completely surrounded!"

Jade scrambled to pull herself out of her sleeping bag. She ran over to climb into Appa's saddle without looking back. But when she turned to wait for her friends, she saw Katara turning back.

"My scrolls!"

And Aang gasped from his place on Appa's head. "My staff!"

She watched them go back for their possessions. Luckily for Jade, she always kept her most prized possessions in the saddle; her mother's journal wouldn't be left behind that way. She didn't care if she lost a sleeping bag or some food. It was tragic, but it wouldn't have been the first time.

As Sokka joined her in the saddle, Momo and Miko flew over to them. Once Katara had her scrolls and Aang got his staff, they were able to fly off. "Yip yip!"

When Appa went over the cliff, the warrior on the cliff shot a blast of flames at them. Those in the saddle yelped as they ducked down to avoid it.

But then Sokka sat up with wide eyes. He reached back toward their abandoned campsite. "Wait, my boomerang!"

Jade spotted the forgotten weapon next to his flaming sleeping bag on the ground. "Why didn't you remember it sooner?!"

"We have to go back for it!"

Katara grabbed his arm. "There's no time!"

"Oh, I see, so there's time to get your scrolls," He turned to Aang, "And time to get your staff, but no time for myboomerang?"

She smiled. "That's correct!"

Sokka slumped in defeat. "Oh..."

~㊏~

Being hunted by the Fire Nation wasn't just scary; it was annoying. It meant having to abandon supplies at a moment's notice and then spend their money to buy new stuff. Right now, they were living on the money Jade's grandfather gave them when they left the Northern Water Tribe. Being the chief, he gave them a lot. When he handed it to her, Jade's jaw had dropped when she felt how heavy that pouch was.

As they waited for Katara to replace their food, Sokka was sulking on the ground. Aang walked over to stand next to him. "Sorry about your boomerang, Sokka."

Jade crouched down to set one hand on his shoulder. "Maybe we can find you a new one."

He gaped at her. "You think I could just replace my trusty boomerang?!"