Avatar: shackled earth

"Do you even know where Kyoshi Island is?" Ariya asked, her voice cutting through the forest's ambiance like a blade.

"Sure, sure," Tomo replied, waving a hand as if the question were ridiculous. "It's, uh… that way." He pointed vaguely to the east.

Ariya stopped mid-stride, turning to face him with a raised eyebrow. Her sharp gaze was a weapon in itself. "You have no idea where we're going, do you?"

"I mean, does anyone really know where they're going in life?" Tomo countered, his grin smug and carefree as he laced his hands behind his head.

Ariya groaned, long and exasperated. "We are lost, Tomo."

"Not lost. Just… exploring," he said, shrugging.

Before Ariya could unleash the full force of her frustration, the two of them stepped into a clearing—and froze.

Tents lined the area, their dark-red fabric emblazoned with the Fire Nation's unmistakable insignia. Soldiers were scattered about, sharpening weapons, eating rations, and tending to their armor. The air grew heavy, thick with the scent of smoke and metal.

The world seemed to pause as the soldiers turned their heads in unison, their eyes locking onto Tomo and Ariya. The silence stretched taut, like the string of a drawn bow.

"Well," Tomo muttered, his voice barely audible.

The soldiers grinned like wolves catching sight of an injured hare.

"RUN!" Tomo shouted, punching forward with both hands. A gust of wind exploded from his palms, throwing up dirt and debris as the nearest soldiers stumbled back.

He didn't wait to see the results. Grabbing Ariya's wrist, he bolted for the tree line.

The forest became a blur of greens and browns as Tomo and Ariya sprinted through the undergrowth. Branches lashed at their faces, roots threatened to trip them, but the sound of pursuit spurred them on.

"You just had to point in a random direction!" Ariya snapped between ragged breaths.

"Hey, they probably don't even know it's us," Tomo said, dodging a low-hanging branch.

"They were grinning, Tomo. Like we were fresh meat."

"Okay, so they definitely know it's us."

Behind them, the Fire Nation soldiers crashed through the forest, their shouts growing louder.

Tomo's heart pounded in his chest. He hated this—running, always running. Airbending should have been his ticket to freedom, not another excuse to flee. His frustration bubbled over, and an idea struck him.

"Hold on tight!" he yelled, grabbing Ariya around the waist.

"What—"

Before she could finish, Tomo thrust his hands downward, releasing a powerful burst of air. The force propelled them upward, and they landed on the broad branch of a towering tree.

"Are you crazy?" Ariya hissed, gripping the trunk for balance.

"Crazy or brilliant? Hard to tell sometimes," Tomo said, crouching low and motioning for silence.

From their perch, they watched as the soldiers stormed through the area below, their torches casting flickering shadows.

"Spread out!" one of the soldiers barked. "They can't have gone far!"

Ariya shot Tomo a pointed look, but he ignored her, focusing on steadying his breathing.

Minutes felt like hours as the soldiers searched, their voices growing fainter. Eventually, the forest fell silent.

"Do you think they're gone?" Ariya whispered.

"Only one way to find out," Tomo replied. He dropped down first, using a small gust of air to cushion his fall. Ariya followed, landing lightly beside him.

The two of them moved cautiously, sticking to the shadows as they put as much distance as possible between themselves and the Fire Nation camp.

Hours later, just as exhaustion began to set in, they stumbled upon a village nestled at the edge of the forest. The sight was a relief—a cluster of homes, their windows glowing with warm light. Smoke drifted lazily from chimneys, and the faint hum of activity reached their ears.

"Finally," Ariya muttered, her shoulders relaxing for the first time in hours.

"See? My sense of direction isn't so bad," Tomo said, grinning.

Ariya shot him a glare that could have felled a lesser man.

They entered the village cautiously, keeping to the shadows. Despite its peaceful appearance, they couldn't afford to let their guard down. The Fire Nation's reach was long, and news traveled quickly.

As they approached the central square, the smell of roasted meat and fresh bread wafted through the air, making Tomo's stomach growl loudly.

"We need food," he said, rubbing his hands together. "And maybe some directions."

"And a place to rest," Ariya said, though her tone was uncertain. She glanced at Tomo, frowning slightly. "Do you have some brilliant plan for how we're going to pay for any of that."

Tomo hesitated, then smirked, pulling a small pouch of coins from his pocket and shaking it lightly. The faint clinking sound caught Ariya's attention.

"Where did you—" She stopped herself, her eyes narrowing. "You stole that from the guards, didn't you?"

"I like to think of it as… fair compensation," Tomo replied, his grin widening.

Ariya pressed her fingers to her temples, clearly fighting the urge to argue. "You could've told me earlier."

"And miss the look on your face?"

Ariya sighed. "Fine. Let's just find an inn before I change my mind and leave you to sleep in the woods."

Tomo reluctantly agreed, though his eyes lingered on a nearby food stall where a vendor was handing out skewers of grilled fish.

The inn was a modest building near the center of the village. Its wooden sign, depicting a steaming bowl, creaked softly in the breeze. They stepped inside, greeted by the warmth of a roaring fire and the murmur of conversation.

The innkeeper, a stout man with a jovial demeanor, looked up from behind the counter. "Travelers, eh? Looking for a room?"

"One room," Ariya said, cutting off Tomo before he could open his mouth. "We're low on funds."

Tomo reached into his pocket, pulling out a small pouch of coins. He tossed it onto the counter with a nonchalant grin.

The innkeeper raised an eyebrow but said nothing, sliding the coins into his till. "One room it is. Dinner included, if you'd like."

"Yes, please," Tomo said, his grin widening.

Ariya sighed.

Later that night, they sat cross-legged on the floor of their small room, eating bowls of stew. The warmth of the meal did little to soothe the tension lingering between them.

"We need to come up with a better plan," Ariya said, breaking the silence.

"I thought we were doing pretty well," Tomo replied, slurping his stew.

"'Pretty well' isn't going to cut it, Tomo. Kyoshi Island isn't going to magically appear because you point in a random direction."

Tomo set his bowl down, his usual grin slipping. "Do you think I don't know that? Every time we run, every time we barely scrape by, I feel it. And you're right—I'm not strong enough. Not yet."

Ariya blinked, taken aback by his sudden seriousness.

"But I'm trying," Tomo continued. "I'm trying to get better, to figure this out. Airbending isn't just something I can snap my fingers and master. It takes time."

Ariya sighed, her expression softening. "I know. I just… We don't have the luxury of time."

Tomo nodded, understanding the weight of her words.

The two sat in silence for a while, the room quiet save for the faint crackle of the fire in the hearth.

Finally, Tomo lay back on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. "We'll get to Kyoshi Island," he said softly. "I promise."

And for the first time in days, Ariya allowed herself to believe him.