Safe and Sound on the Ground - GAang <Kei Lan, EK>

[katara]

The bison had landed well away from the city, and safely hidden in the forests that surrounded the small village. Appa had to be left behind, so as not to garner too much attention, but well within reach should his help be needed. The three young kids had ventured to the edge of the village and Katara now smiled at the sight. "Now this.. this looks like a good, safe place. I don't see any Fire Nation so we should be able to stay here for a while and regain our strenght. Appa probably needs a rest too, right Aang?" Her bright and laughing gaze turned downward to the young avatar who stood a few inches shorter than her. A water skin was slung over her shoulder, her hand that had been primed ready to pop the cork now relaxed enough to be placed on Aang's shoulder, reassuringly.

The tender moment was interrupted however by the most hideous sound Katara had ever heard. A deep gurgling as if something was trying to escape from the very bowels of the underworld, like a monster rolling along the ground.. a thousands angry ostrich horses. Surprise engulfed her face, followed by a quick look on condescending disgust as she whipped around to face Sokka.. and his rumbling stomach. Katara scoffed.. "I can not believe I am related to you and that noisy and demanding stomach of yours!"

[tali]

Aang grinned and covered his face with his hand to keep the amusement from kataras critial gaze. Being the avatar he was supposed to be serious and refined but it was too funny. "sokka you shoul get a muzzle for that thing" He couldn't help it, he laughed grabbing his sides trying to bit back the rolling chuckles. Coughing her kept the grin and looked off his grey eyes scanning the village. He hated to leave appa behind but the bison was happy eating foliage. Even if they found a bed to sleep in he'd probly ditch and spend the night with the bison. " so..... anyone know what the towns called?" Natually the avatars hands went behind his back as he straightened up a bit trying to look his best. In the back of his mind he kept reminding himself to stop acting like a kid... somehow it never helped much.

If nothing else the town seemed nice, peacefull almost. It wouldn't stay that way though. He always brought trouble no matter where he went. Maybe the firenation wouldn't come this time. Maybe they'd have a peacefull stay and be able to move on in the same manner. He quenched his desire to bound into town with the usual excitement and vigor. As much as he wanted too, they may not take it the best way. Not everyone was so happy to have the avatar back

[sokka]

The water youth frowned at the cat calls and insults he rolled his eyes and grunted. “Whatever I just hope we can find something to eat, I’m getting sick of fruit. It maybe fine for waterbenders and bald little air nomads, but real men need meat.” He got off Appa and took out the map. We are at Kei Lan. They have some good shops we can browse at and a field for Appa.” He felt Momo jump and land on his shoulder.

“We can hang loose at Kei, before setting off again. Oh! Looks like they have a dojo and a noodle shop, oooh man, to best things in the world, noodles and fighting. Sokka rubbed his stomach. He walked with his sibling and best friend down to the town looking into the map, he gave a dopey smile. “Oooh, sweet and spicy noodles here I come!”

[katara]

"I thought you said you wanted meat..?" Katara mumbled, ignoring Sokka's dillusions as they had already left Appa in the woods.. but they would have to remeber the field. "Maybe later this evening you can go out to Appa and show him the field.. I think we'll be safe here. We haven't seen any Fire Nation for days and letting him go out into a field should be alright." Katara crossed her dark arms across her chest and turned towards her brother and stopped at the edge of town. "You have to remeber, Sokka.. even though Cheif Arnook gave us a lot of money... we have to spend it wisely. Who knows when we'll get more.. we aren't exactly working. We have got to make it last till we reach Ba Seng Sei at the most.." Her tone of voice was scolding, depriving her brother of his one true love of food. The motherly facade didn't last for long though.

A smile cracked through her travel worn face, her tired eyes lighting up as she suddenly took off running. She thrusted a hand in the air, the two halves of her dress streaming out behind her. "Last one to the noodle stand is a rotten platypus-bear egg!"

[tali]

Aang grinned more than welcoming the light hearted attitude. It'd been so long since they could all kick back, for a twelve year old he probly had more knotts in his body than an elderly earthbender. " see ya sokka!" He laughed following behind katara his clothing fluttering with the movement. Even walking felt good after such a long ride on his bison. Appa was smart, he'd find food on his own and then he could use the whistle later to find him. Food sounded great, his stomach was already protesting though he kept quieter than the naggin sokka. It felt like he could eat a whole mound but then he'd get sick and katara would yell. Noodles were great and all but some fruit would be nice too.

Seeing Katara so light hearted effected his attitude greatly. She was always so solem and grey, more than the fur on a koalaseal. But now, they had no reason to worry, they probly wiped out the firenavy at the northpole. With no Zuko to trail then and no general whats-his-face. They'd be smooth sailing for weeks

[sokka]

"Hey hey HEY!" Sokka ran hard to catch up to his little sister and the avatar. "Darn it! You had a head start!" Sokka huffed and puffed as he sprinted down the rolling slopes of the hill, pass the village gates and into Kei Lan.

The water warrior stopped to catch his breath. He looked up to see Katara and Aang where just starting to reach the gates. "HA! I WON!" Sokka said triuphantly. The warrior pumped his fists in the air and took a look around. "Now..where to find some eats..oh! There is the noodle shop!" Sokka rubbed his hands greedly as he walked up to the noodle stand and sat on a stool. The noodle keeper walked up and asked Sokka what he wanted. He warrior looked on the menu. "Hmmmm spicy shrimp sounds good. HEY, Katara! Aang! Over here!" Sokka waved to call over his companions

[katara]

She laughed as her brother passed her and the Avatar. She considered for a moment, using a water whip to pull his feet out from under him but decided not to. No need to use her bending on such a perfect afternoon. As they passed through the gate, Katara slowed to a walk and may her way to the Noodle Stand. She would have much rathered gone to a nice, sit own resturant where they could get their money's worth, but... she was hngry.. and noodles would hit the spot right now. She smiled as she read over the menu, tapping lightling on the wooden board. "Some pad thai noddles for me please?"
She then stepped off to the side so that Aang could order and her brother could harass the poor Noodle merchant while they waited for him to fix up their noodles. She grabbed a pair of the simple wooden chopsticks and twirled them around he finger.

[tali]

Aang sweat dropped sitting on the stool blowing himself back and forth looking over the menu. He laughed nervously and stopped looking at the man behind the counter. " anything...... without meat?" A glare made him stiffen a bit and he gave the man a wide apologetic grin. " kay..... I'm fine then..." He smiled looking at his friends feeling some stress drain away from him. The town seemed nice and peacefull. The way small towns like this should be, with everything they'd seen on their travels it was nice to see some places had some sort of peace about them.

"katara have you thought about where we shoul be headed next? " Aang could feel some eyes boring into the back of his skull but he didn't want to turn around, it could be some villagers or it could be firenation, he didn't know which he was more afraid of. Being the avatar he could never predict how people would react to him, or if they'd even notice. How was he supposed to act. Declaire, 'the avatar is here!' or just go with the flow. There was so much he didn't know, it was amazing he'd made it this far and there was still a lot more for him to do.

[sokka]

Sokka slupped down his noodles with the grace of a wild hogmonkey. Not really pay attention to what was going on.
"Mrph? More please." Sokka asked handing the noodle man his bowl to be filled again.
"I'm all up for the dojo. I could use a workout...hopefully it won't be filled with warrior women with fans. Oh yay noodles!" Sokka digged into his second helping slupping with enthutisamsm.

"Man these are good noodles!" He heard laughter behind him,
"I bet for a fat little piggy." Sokka turned his head to see a flock of girls laughing at him as he ate. Sokka cheeks turned cirmson and pushed the bowl away.
"Ermmm, well we should get supplies and go. We can stay at Tao Minh Dai for long. We need to get to Kei Lan." The noodle man piped up.
"Oh you should, their is a Latern festivle coming up, you three might like it, I have a nephew up there."

Sokka smiled. "So? How bout it guys?"

[katara]

"Sokka.. Your map must be wrong. We're in Kei Lan!" Katara spat at her brother, her eyes narrowed in frustration at his lack of intelligence. She rolled her blue eyes as she twirled some spiced noodles around her chopsticks. Her lips pursed and she turned her head away from the two males.

"We should really try and find an Earth Bending Teacher. We don't have that long till Summer's end and we should get to Ba Seng Sei. I think we can only afford to stay here in Kei Lan for a day or two.. and we should spend that time restocking our supplies." Lifting the noodles up to her lips, she slurped them off the sticks.

The water tribe girl began to walk away from the two boys, eating and slurping her noodles as she went. Her braid of hair swayed behind her with each step. Her eyes searched the buildings that lined the main street of Kei Lan. They were indeed setting up for a festival. However, they needed to find a place to stay first. The young woman sighed and turned to face them. "Let's find a place to stay first and then we can decide if we'll attend this latern festival, alright?" Katara swore up and down.. watching these two was worse than watching the two and three year olds back in the South Pole. Demanding, inconsolable and with no idea of the dire time that was pressing on them..

[tali]

Aang winced a bit hopping down from the stool following Katara. She was always so serious, it had to be bad for her in some way he imagined. The festivle sokka proposed sounded like a bunch more fun than looking for an earth bending teacher. " well maybe theres an earth bender here..... we could always travel to omashu, I bet Bumi would love to teach me! I mean, we're friends and all..... thats only a days flight from here." Aang grinned wiggling his eyebrows in a vain attempt to sway her decision. Knowing this wasn't going to get him far he glanced back at Sokka egar for any assitance in this.

"it sounds like a good idea right sokka?" His grey eyes pleaded for him to agree, he was the self proclaimed plan maker and here was his chance. The only missing factor was convincing Katara it was a good idea. Aang paused for a momment looking at a shop selling clothing. No one besides him wore such bright colors in the earth kingdom. Maybe the reason the firenation kept finding him was because they stood out so much...

[katara]

The group had managed to find lodging for the evening at a small inn within the village of Kei Lan that accepted their Water Tribe Coinage. The night had gone uneventfully, with Katara remaining relatively silent. Numerous things concerned her. They had not seen any sign of Zuko since the Seige of the North Pole, and had not encountered any Fire Nation since leaving.
The first to awaken in the morning, Katara set about to gathering a small breakfast for her brother and friend, sokka spread eagle and upside down on his sleeping bag like a dead squid, and Aang curled up neatly in his. The water tribe girl set out small bowls of rice and a smoked salmon that she had bought in the early hours of the morning for her and her brother. Knowing that Aang, in line with the monk's belief, didn't eat meat, Katara had purchased some fresh fruit and had a bowl of honey to dip them in. Sokka though Aang was crazy.
She leaned down, close to the steaming rice and lifted the copper lid off of the pot. A cloud of steam curled around her face as she smiled over the plump grains. Producing a wooden serving spoon from behind her back, Katara straightened and cleared her throat.

CRASH!

The copper lid trembled violently in her hand, it's sound echoing around the room in waves. Lowering the spoon, Katara bowed towards the sleepy heads she knew would wake up. "Breakfast is served."

[airnomad]

"HooWAH-haaahaaa!" came the blurted response from the young Avatar's mouth as he straightened up on his bedroll and looked around with his hands raised defensively after being awoken by the crash of Katara's spoon on the metal lid. Aang's eyes blinked rapidly to clear the fog of sleep as he swept his gaze around the room before noticing Katara with the spoon and lid in hand. He let out a sigh and allowed his hands to droop to his sides as he realized there was no danger.

"Oh..." he said groggily and fell back flat against his bedroll. "Morning, Katara," Aang said through a yawn as he rubbed his eyes free of sleep. A moment later he rolled himself back forward, blowing a breeze of air from behind him to aid the movement and coming to a rest sitting on his knees and facing the breakfast pot. "What's for breakfast?" the boy asked, leaned forward to look into the pot and get a wiff of its contents.

[sokka]

Sokka was still sleeping when he heard the loud crash signaling breakfast. Sokka got up and looking around, “Whah, oh, right breakfast.” His stomach gurgled in acknowledgment and the young warrior strode up to the table to eat. “Mmm, smoke salmon, hey Katara can you not, ya know, try to deafen us with the crashing thing?” Sokka pointedly asked as he ate his breakfast. The sun’s light traced shadows on the wall, as Momo stretched and played with the dancing shadows in the new light. Sokka quietly ate, still sleepy and a little unaware.

“So what are today’s plans” he asked as the waterteen finished his breakfast he looked outside and noticed how hot it was getting already, it will rain most likely. The boy sighed as he scooped another bowl of rice. He ate thinking about the warm weather and whatever they had plans to do today. He shifted on his seat, waking up from sleep.

[katara]

"If you two would have waken up 10 minutes ago, I wouldn't had had to do that." The water bender scolded as she replace the pan and ladel in Appa's many saddlebundles. She then turned and approched the two bous.
"Today, my dear brother we're heading south to Omashu to locate King Bumi so that Aang can learn earthbending." Katara said rather pointedly, as if she was pointing out some great error in Sokka's thinking. She lowered herself to the spread out blanket, plates and bowls of steaming food set out. Her dark brown hand pulled her skirt under her legs as she sat, curling her feet under her. She reached forward and grabbed a small bowl, using her chopsticks to grab a slice of the smoked salmon scooping some rice into her bowl.

"Though.. When I was in town this morning.. while you two were sawing logs.. I overheard some villagers talking about rumors of a massive Fire Nation army amassing to the North west of Ba Seng Sei.. That might be something worth checking out, Aang."