Opened Eyes <Earth Kingdom>

[daxia]

Sunset was creeping upon the horizon as another tiring day of training ended. Nuo collapsed onto the ground, perspiration decorating her body. She had released the golden clasp sewn into her blouse so that the skin of her neck a few inches of skin below were visible, but not enough skin was shown to suggest promiscuity. Her hair was tied up into a bun with a large red ribbon to keep it from being a nuisance during her ardent training. Panting heavily, she managed to struggle to her feet and walked over to the edge of the river she had been practicing near. She knelt before it and cupped her hands in the depths of the cool water, enjoying the blissful ecstasy of the coldness wash over her heated flesh. She proceeded to flip the handful of water onto her face and the nape of her neck as an attempt to drain her flesh of sweat and to cool down. Droplets clung stubbornly to her pale skin and strands of hair that had managed to be hit.

Satisfied and now thoroughly cooled down, she stood up and walked over to where her mentor was sitting cross-legged on the ground and studying a map of the Earth Kingdom that they had acquired from a little shop in Kei Lan. Nuo grabbed a blanket folded neatly on the ground and used it to dry her face and neck. She was always exhausted to the bone after a day of training, but somehow felt empowered, complete invigorated.

In short, she felt alive.

As she redid the clasp to her neck, she looked towards Tao who was still engrossed in the map. She was tracing a line with a pointed lead stone along a path that lead to the largest city in the Earth Kingdom: Bai Seng Sei. Nuo watched as the older woman drew a circle around the city on the map and looked at it with a troubled expression. She knew what her mentor was thinking: the great capital was going to be a bitch to get into. However, that’s where they were needed, and that was where Nuo wanted to be. Besides, how many people of the Fire Nation could say they had seen the greatness of what lay beyond those thick walls? She would feel honored to be able to see what the greatest war heroes in her country’s history were deprived of.

Nuo wordlessly pulled at the loose end of her ribbon and freed the mass of her ebony hair, letting it falling freely over her shoulders. She ran a carefree hand through her locks and grabbed a nearby leather pouch whose contents jingled melodiously as she lifted it from the ground and tied it to her waist.

“I finished for the day. I’m going to go find us some food.”

Tao looked up at her pupil, a light smile upon her lips. For some reason, Nuo found her to look more aged whenever the last remnants of light of the retreating sun bathed her in the same way it did now. She looked tired, conflicting…almost as if she was hiding some deep, dark secret. Nuo always knew her mentor probably had a lot on her mind, but she couldn’t help but feel that there were things she should be telling her as well.

“Very well then.”

Nuo hesitated before grabbing her double-headed scythe and walking into the wooded path towards a small village that they had just scourged. Unfortunately, there were no benders or real fighters present; all of them had been drafted for the war. As she was walking, she heard someone whistle from the treetops and then the swooping sound of someone jumping. Before she knew it, two young men dressed in common Earth Nation attire were blocking her path, both from the front and the back. She looked from the left and right of her, noting that the biggest one was blockading the back entrance while the scrawnier one grinned at her stupidly from the front. The front one spoke first.

“Hey there, chickadee! Picked an awful bad spot for you to be wandering all by your lonesome.”

He moved an inch closer, still grinning wickedly like the cat that just swallowed the canary. His companion spoke next, a cruel sort of laughter lacing his words.

“Yeah, who knows what kind of scum you can run into in these parts?”

Nuo restrained herself from rolling her eyes, as she didn’t want to remove her attention from them.

Take a look in the mirror, idiot.

The stick figure stepped closer, forcing Nuo to take a step back in turn. How she would enjoy slicing this kid’s feet off for even daring to come near her. She reached in back of her and gripped her staff, ready and waiting for the correct moment to strike.

“My, you wear expensive-looking clothing, don’t you?”

Nuo prematurely swung out at the voice that had suddenly come up behind her, but unfortunately she missed and now exposed her front for an assault. Instead, the boy quickly grabbed at her pouch and yanked it from the leather ties on her waist, descending into the treetops once he had claimed his prize.

“HEY!”

The girl felt her temper flare and suddenly gain the best of her as she followed suit. She speared the trunk lightly with one bladed end and used it as leverage to get to the treetops. Thrusting all her weight into the lift off, she yanked her weapon free and managed to land on a branch near the thief. The greedy little beggar looked surprised that she had just lifted herself so easily into the tree to join him. Before he could escape again, she expertly swung her staff and dispatched the chain that lay coiled within the black metal. The chain wrapped around his meaty ankle while the blade dangled limply against the branch. Nuo pulled the staff deeply into her left side and dragged the boy out from under his feet. With another swift, precise movements she unraveled the chain and let him fall helplessly to the ground. They weren’t high enough for him to break any bones, but the impact with the ground would still render him painfully still.
Meanwhile, his companion could only watch, petrified, as their prey suddenly switched over to being the predator. Unfortunately, Nuo was far from finished with hunting. She quickly jumped from the branch and landed on her feet gracefully, though she had to bite back the pain of the impact. Her muscles were still sore from training, after all, and she was already straining herself as is.

With a quick flick of her wrist, she dispatched the chain once more and snaked it towards the scrawnier mugger. He jumped back into reality with a whelp and attempted to run, but the chain already claimed the calf of his leg and pulled him downward. He fell to the ground with a helpless yelp. Nuo walked over and pressed the heal of her sandal into his chest and the other blade of her staff caressing lightly against his throat.

“Wallet, please.”

She watched as his frightened gaze wandered to his unconscious companion.

“B-but he has your wallet!”

“I know. I meant yours.”

“Wait, wha…?”

Nuo simply pressed the cold metal of the blade closer to his throat, hoping he would take the hint. The boy may be stupid and poor at picking targets (did he not see the shiny blades at the end of her staff from the treetops?), but he definitely cherished his life enough.

“OKAY, OKAY!”

The boy complied easily and handed over a small black leather pouch that Nuo assumed was his wallet. She snatched it from him and released him, then walked over to his friend and retrieved her own money pouch from him. The scrawny guy had already made a break for it, leaving his companion to fend for himself. Nuo sighed, not really enjoying the idea of the guy being eaten by bears as much as she had once thought a few minutes ago. She kicked him the side and awakened him from his pain-induced slumber, peering down at him with unkind eyes.

“Amscray.”

Wide-eyed and eager, the boy scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as he could in the same general direction his friends had. Once they were out of sight, Nuo opened her new found fortune and looked at the contents.

“No wonder those morons took to stealing, they’re both freaking broke.”

-----------------


Nuo returned from the town market thirty minutes later, carrying two large sea bass in a basket. The stench was unsettling but once they were put over a campfire the scent would turn into a mouth-watering fragrance. She didn’t particularly care for fish herself, but she knew that Tao enjoyed them. As she approached, Tao looked up from a scroll she was studying and Nuo smirked inwardly as she saw her tutor’s expression transform into the essence of pure delight.

“Ooh, you caught us dinner?”

She didn’t want to mention where the money to afford such an expensive meal came from, so she just nodded and placed the basket down on the hard ground.

“Yeah, we’ll go with that.”

Nuo smiled inwardly and clapped her hands clean, then went over to the river to cleanse her hands of the stench. She stood up and dried her hands by flicking them a few times and ridding them of excess droplets.

“I’ll go get us some fire wood!”

Somehow, Nuo felt awfully cheerful. Part of it was her victory against the two muggers in the woods, and another was probably due to the face that they were soon going to be at Bai Seng Sei soon. She was impatient to sink her teeth into some Earth benders, to succeed and even fail, and above all learn.

Learn how to bring an Earth bender to their knees, that is.

Nuo-Xue wandered into the woods, gathering appropriate kindle, and came near a dirt path that was the main road to her desired destination. She could see its outline in the horizon already she was impatient to be safe behind those walls and soaking up the detail and greatness. Soon, so very soon, she would be able to finally put her abilities to the test.

[ashuku]

The light of the fading sun graced the main road to Bai Seng Sai, and on the road was a sole man. Ashuku, still dressed in his dark brown robe with a hood walked down it slowly, occasionaly kicking a pebble here and there. He hummed a slightly happy tune as he walked, and in his hand were a couple observations written on parchment, maps, and his battle plans. Everything was going well for him.

As he walked his eyes glanced to a young lady who was busy gathering sticks and stray peices of wood. On any other night, Ashuku would have passed her by, giving her nothing but a scowl, but the night was approaching and his troops were still quite a walking distance from this road. Prehaps this young lady will allow me to sleep in her camp...

He quickly stuffed the peices of parchment in the large sleeves of his robe and approached her, giving a polite bow and saying slowly, "It is not wise to be out here alone Miss, but it seems you are gathering wood for a fire. Is this correct?"

He slowly looked her over again, trying not to make his head move while doing this. She seemed to still be a teenager, although she may have been close to adulthood. Ashuku had dealt with too many teenagers recently, but maybe he won't have to try to kill this one..

[daxia]

Upon hearing approaching foot steps, Nuo snapped out of her reverie and looked up from her wood-gathering. Her oddly paired eyes each iris representing a trade mark hue of the Fire Nation, observed the rather cheerful man striding down the road. He was dressed in the garb of the common Earth Nation peasant, but Nuo had an unpleasant, intuitive feeling about him. For whatever reason, he seemed familiar and yet completely out of place to her. Perhaps it was the beard? Many of those high up in the military ranks of the Fire Nation grew beards, including her father. Now he was just a diplomat to do Lord Ozai's dirty work, but he still let his beard grow long as a show of wealth and importance.

And not to mention seniority and superiority.

As the stranger came near and spoke to her, Nuo had to fight back a frown that almost spread upon her lips. Her lips instead twitched ever-so-slightly and settled for a minor, somewhat amiable smile instead. After he spoke, Nuo felt herself squirm restlessly within. Why did all males assume that a female couldn't be unaccompanied since some terrible fate may befall their 'helpless' existance? Such mannerisms annoyed Nuo, but she could see he was only trying to be kind and thus let it slide. When he mentioned the fire wood, she couldn't help but reply cruelly in her thoughts:

No, I'm gathering it for company...the hell do you think?

Instead, she replied indifferently and with a small nod of her head. Courtesy was a both a great gift and a great curse, as it caused her to suffer the torture known as self-consciousness and humility. If she had tried harder to become a lady of the court, she would most likely had to act like this every day: Impassive and perfect, like a doll. The very thought disgusted her.

"Yes, it is. It's for warmth and cooking. Why do you ask?"

Nuo tilted her head to the side and looked genuinely curious, though she was eager to go back to the camp site and eat her fish. Tao was most likely scaling and gutting the critters right now, and the very thought made her stomach whimper in hunger. As she tilted her head to the side, her phoenix-symbol earring came into view from her hair. The rising phoenix earring, a famous design of a somewhat large ruby cut into the shape of a phoenix rising in the ashes and set in a golden border was a famous insignia of the Heng clan, a family revered for their wealth and military prowess in the Fire Nation. Nuo didn't mind who saw her family's crest, as she doubted any one outside the Fire Nation would recognize it, and thus she didn't think this man would ever identify it.

Of course, how was she to know how wrong she was?

[jenjae]

"Death takes what man would keep and leaves what man would lose."

Jen-Jae glanced down from her perch on a rather large boulder. A fresh brook gurgled from around the stone, parting across it in bubbling ripples. A heavy sigh escaped her lungs. Her mouth creased into a small frown. With her Omega spear, Zhi Liu, in hand the Earth Kingdom warrior slide off of the rock, her feet splashing in the cold stream. Dirt and grim washed from her bare ankles and feet. Jen-Jae enjoyed that clean sensation when she had a chance to experience it. A smile flitted across her face. Being a female, the Earth Kingdom didn't seem to trust Jen-Jae to be out on the front. She was left with patrol and guard duties.

Near Bai Seng Sai.

A shiver crept up on the sun kissed woman. Night was falling, casting new, much more alive shadows dancing in the trees. A bird called out from somewhere in a tree. A screeching caw of a cow. Jen muttered something to herself and gave an expression of tenterhook. Absolutely nothing had happened throughout the entire day..But now it was night. Night was when ill-will stirred and when trouble brooded. Jen-Jae Maeda continued her path of patrol, creeping through the woods, carrying her spear. At least she was trusted to go out on her own.

And then Jen-Jae began to sing, though she did not know why, and her voice balanced and hovered in the slow, cold air like a sort of bird.

"Armed with resistance and blind to the cost
They say your purpose is mindless and lost
But we don't adhere to the slader they spill
We mourn with your losses and stand by your will-"

She did not remember having heard the song before, but the words pinched and plucked at her like children, trying to drag her back to some place that they wanted to see again. So she returned to the ghyll, which widened and deepened into a river past her humble eyot. The pleading children, composed of words, lead Jen-Jae warily downstream. She spotted what had to be a camp. A camp? It was a good location, but no Earth Kingdom denizen had reason to be out here. Even refugees took haven in the grand capital or nearby villages. It was either an unmarked outpost..or intruders. The spearman tucked a curl of chocolate hair behind her ear, licked her dry, cracking lips..And gripped Zhi Liu tighter.

She began to advance.

[ashuku]

Ashuku's eyes wandered to the earring, and although his eyes didn't flash much, his mind did. He recognized it immediatly, the Rising Phoenix of the Heng clan, it was a clear symbol that almost anyone with a foot in the Fire Nation's nobility would recognize. She is clearly Fire Nation, a refugee prehaps? Most interesting...

Despite his curiousity about the earring he gave the girl a warm smile and began to gently stroke his beard. He could hear the sounds of singing echo off the trees in the distance, but decided to ignore it, since he had other things in his mind. Like pursuading this one to let him rest in her camp.

"I humbly ask because I have no place to rest tonight," Ashuku began, letting kindness and sincerity blow easily through his words, "Would you be so kind as to let me rest in your camp, so I can be warm this eve? It is at least another days walk to my destination, and I am weary."

His smile continued on his face, hoping the girl would agree so he could inquire about the earring further, and find out why she was near the Earth Kingdom capital, instead of being treated as superior in the Fire Nation.

"I will not ask to eat any of your food, or drink any of your water," he added, "But just to have someone to speak with, and some warmth for my rest."

With this he accidently tipped his arm, sending closed parchments to the ground. They all remained closed, and no writing could be seen on the outsides of them. Ashuku scrambled down immediatly, and began to gather the scattered rolls of paper up.

[daxia]

Tao was sitting comfortably beneath the shade of a tree, fanning herself with an elaborately designed silk fan she had inherited from her grandmother when she was a young child. The sefu of Shu Fang Seng was actually an elderly woman in her late forties, though she looked to be in her late thirties instead. Her chestnut hair was layered with regal silver strands and her skin was only slightly wrinkled from age. Her body still looked in the shape of a young woman’s, and she dressed like a diplomat from Omashu itself. The only thing that gave away her true age was the tired look in her eyes. Only her eyes were able to reveal how truly worn she was, and how truly old.

It had been twenty years since she had been plucked from her hometown of Tachi Dai and sent as a prisoner to serve the Fire Nation. Her brow furrowed as her mind drifted into the past, her eyes seeing right through the light-reflecting water. She could still smell the smoke that blossomed along the buildings, the frightened cries of her neighbors, and the unforgettable, sobbing wails of the children. Her children…

All it took was the snap of a twig and her attention was brought to the approaching figure. At first Tao was wary of the stranger, considering how her grip was firmly upon what looked like a spear.

Could this girl be a spy on patrol?

However, on further inspection, she could tell this girl seemed to have a much sweeter disposition then she was revealing right now. Tao gave a friendly smile to the girl and a nod of her head, her voice amiable and pleasant on the cool night air.

“Good evening, young miss. May I help you?”

----------------------------------------

Meanwhile…

No no no no, absolutely not, hell no…

The correct answer kept replaying in her mind whoever and over, but Nuo knew the decision that would determine whether this man bunk down with them or not would be solely Tao’s doing. And being the bleeding heart she was, she knew the answer might very well be yes.

Despite how adverse she was to the idea of bunking with a complete stranger, no matter how friendly they seemed, she kept a façade of complete sweetness and kindness that was leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She had no choice BUT to be friendly; if this man was truly of the Earth Nation, she surely didn’t want him alerting the guards at Bai Seng Sei that someone suspiciously cruel was about to attempt to pass through their wall right under their noses.

Nuo kept up her role as ‘kind, traveling peasant’, though it was difficult for anyone to believe she was a peasant by the way she dressed.

“That decision would have to be made by my teacher. I’m camping with her, and thus she is responsible for me and our campsite.”

She picked up another piece of timbre and gathered it into her arms before turning around and heading back up the path and towards the campsite. She looked over her shoulder and called to the man,

“This way.”

As they were walking back up the path, Nuo grew more wary about the man’s company. For whatever reason, she had a foreboding feeling gnawing at the pit of her stomach, but decided to write it off as hunger. She decided to ignite a conversation, though she was afraid her voice became slightly hostile as she spoke.

“I’m sorry, what did you say your name was again, sir?”

[jenjae]

Jen-Jae's expression was that of befuddlement. Her bare foot had snapped a twig too close to the site, and she cursed herself for being so foolish. One of the occupants of the camp saw her and called out before Jen could see the speaker. She scanned the area, resting her eyes under a tree. There was the woman who had greeted her, dressed in garbs of Omashu. Her hair was the color of ripe chesnuts, though streaked with silver strands. She couldn't exceed Jen's age by more than ten years..Could she? The lassitude in her eyes suggested otherwise, but Jen-Jae found it hard to believe. Her grip on the icy blue-white spear's handle eased, as she straightened out of the 'crouch-I'm-being-stealthy' stance. The woman had smiled, so Jen smiled herself.

"Umm..Hello." She replied nervously. Hearing her voice falter, the spearman tried to keep speaking. "I'm from around Bai Seng Sai.." Her hands fidgeted around her weapon. The camper was dressed like she was of the Earth Kingdom..But could she be trusted?

Jen-Jae's voice returned to its strong, level tone.
"I saw your camp from up stream. I wanted to make sure everything was all right." Her gold Earth-charm swayed from her neck. She tried to sound affable. "It's my job to make sure Earth Kingdom citizens are protected, and-Well, I-" Jen felt like a fool. The alone reason she was here was because those blasted song-children yanked her here. How could she explain that? Not without bothering this woman of bonhomie further. What a mess. Jen-Jae let out a discontented sigh.

[ashuku]

Ashuku continued to grin warmly at the girl as they walked along the path, and with his parchments safetly in hand again, he took a walk of pure confidence and happiness. He noticed however, the slightest bit of hostility in her voice as she asked him his name, but he let his face ignore it. He knew, though, that she was trying to hide a personality, prehaps a fiery one, beneath that kind girl face. He enjoyed people like this, because they were similiar to himself.

"I am Siatai," he lied, keeping his voice level and his eyes normal, "I am returning from Bai Seng Sai to my village. Camping so close, you must also be on your way there. Fine city, although a bit dangerous at the moment."

As he was walking he pulled his hood down gently, and observed the girl again. Her one golden eye, and the black hair proved his theory, this girl is definatly Fire Nation. He ran his hand through his dark, messy hair, humming a happy tune as he walked alongside the girl.

"Your name, miss?" he calmly asked, hoping to continue the conversation, and prehaps learn if she is really of nobility, or just a Fire Nation refugee who found some nice earrings.

[kaska]

Though they were there before, and the noises could've been mistaken for some animals smashing around or a bear slashing up trees, the sounds were getting louder and louder as they got nearer and nearer. Off, about a hundred yards northwest of the camp, a man trained alone, adorned in bleeding bandages and chips of wood and stone.

I. Have. To. Survive! Every few days, he would train so rigorously that he could even bring himself near death in the sheer internal damage that he could cause to his body. There he was, hands covered in bandages soaked with his own blood, punching at tree, chips of heartwood flying everywhere.

"I will not lose to the Fire Nation!!" he screamed aloud, loud enough for the echos of the forest to make their way easily to the campsite. Just as he yelled those words, the tree splintered, falling down next to him. "Two hours on one tree. I'm losing my touch. Throwing practice."

He put his jacket back on, and, with the flick of his wrists, a steel weapon dropped from the inner sleeve to his hands. Within a split second, his arms were crossed, and there were two chopsticks in the bark of a tree, lined up vertically with inhumane precision. Each one had half of their length in the tree, yet he went over and pulled them out effortlessly.

"One last test." he muttered, his voice tired and burdened. He flicked his right wrist and another one dropped into his hand. With a very powerful motion, he threw at...at a boulder the size of him. As soon as it struck the surface stone, he followed up with a kick, his leg plating ramming the stick into the stone and causing the surrounding half inch or so of rock to crumble around it. Removing the stick and reinserting it into his sleeve, he leaned against a battered tree, panting heavily and untying the bandages on his hand, making it totally visible. His hand was viciously brutalized, both wrinkled and scarred from fire and now cut and bruised from his relentless training; today was a lite session.

[daxia]

If anyone looked at Tao and thought her a powerful threat, many would think them crazy. She was an elegant, graceful woman who seemed gentler then the tapping wing of a butterfly. However, for those who knew her as an enemy, well…

Let’s just say there are many a bender who may still have nightmares about the day she defeated them and their elements. Tao smiled warmly at the young girl who seemed to be tripping over her words. She gently patted a place in the grass next to her, offering the girl an invitation.

“Everything is quite all right. We’re just a few weary travelers making our way to Bai Seng Sei. Well…currently my pupil went to fetch firewood. So, young lady, what’s your name?”

---------------------------------------------------

As the two walked through the woods, Nuo had finally written off the feeling that this stranger posed any threat. He seemed so docile, and besides, if he were a thief he would have robbed her by now. There was always the possibility he wanted to ransack their campsite while they were sleeping, but Nuo doubted the man could carry much on his own. Besides Nuo’s jewelry and their clothes, the woman had nothing of real value.

When the man mentioned that her destination had grown a hazardous place, she looked back at him, and eyebrow raised curiously.

“Dangerous? How so? It’s the safest city, as far as I was told.”

Then he asked her for her name. At first, her tongue spilled the words freely, having no discourse or worry at all.

“My name is Nuo-Xue He…”

She stopped before she could reveal her last name. She narrowed her eyes on the ground, knowing that if she gave away her clan’s name she may jeopardize her chance of fighting real earth benders once beyond the walls of Bai Seng Sei. Hell, she won’t be able to get anywhere near the wall itself! Thus, she corrected her error, despite being a little late in the game. Besides, she doubted the man cared much for learning her name any way.

“Nuo-Xue…just Nuo-Xue.”

Before they reached the campsite, Nuo heard the sound of a man screaming incoherently (something about the Fire Nation, or so she thought) and thought he was in great pain. She glanced at Siatai, her eyes asking whether he had heard the strange sounds as well. Seeing the look on his face and determining that he had, she quickly moved in the general direction of the noise. She was completely unprepared for what she saw next: there he was, the bandaged man she had met in Omashu, cracking into solid stone with a mere chopstick. The girl stood there, gaping for a moment, before calling out to him.

“Hey, you again! What’re you doing?”

She hadn’t noticed his revealed flesh, but as she came closer and got a good view of his hand she winced slightly and kept her attention to his face. She didn’t mean to react so negatively to the flesh that lay beyond the mask of bandages, but she couldn’t help it; she had never seen skin so disfigured before.

[kaska]

When he heard a familiar voice while paying attention to his hand, he quickly started to wrap it up again. So, the beast comes back once more. I never did get her name, though. Should I ask? Meh. The question she asked was not to be unexpected, and it could look like multiple things: cutting down a tree, training, being a masochist, etc., etc., etc.

His response to this rather simple question was equally simple, if not lacking any form of detail at all, "I'm practicing." And that was it...he didn't continue, and didn't say anything more. All he did was cut off his bandaging with a steal chopstick and kneel down to fetch some more bandages from his pack. Dammit! I forgot to pick up more bandages in Omashu!

Slowly, he glanced over at the girl, blood dripping from his exposed, and now very cold hand. With a smile on his face, obviously for some form of deceptive kindness, he inquired, "You wouldn't happen to have any medical bandages with you, would you?" If not, I'm screwed. I'll probably get tetanus or gangrene like this. I can't wear the old ones anymore, they'll infect me and an amputation isn't in my game plan.

"Well, you see, it's kind of an urgent situation, considering that, now that my hand and fairly raw flesh is exposed to the elements, it could become infected with some sort of internally mangling disease or something of the like. And the old ones...I can't wear them...they're already covered in infected blood and tree sap." The smile on his face grew a bit bigger, but ceased as he winced from the pain of stretching the skin on the left side.

[daxia]

"P--practicing?"

It was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. She had never seen any one, even Tao, do such extraordinary and powerful things with just their body alone. Bending was one thing, but she already knew this man wasn't a bender. He was using the strength of his own physicality, and she couldn't help but feel a little vulnerable when she compared her current strength to the little demonstration she had walked in on.

However, she quickly got over her surprise by shaking her head and turning around, ushering the one called Siatai to follow her.

"Well, sorry to bother you..."

Before they could walk off, however, Saijin asked if she had any bandages. Nuo looked over her shoulder, puzzled, until she saw that his wounds had reopened and his bandages were all bloodstained. She quickly averted her eyes to the side, not used to the sight of so much blood.

"Not on me, but we do have a first aid kit back at the campsite...follow me..."

As they walked towards the campsite, Nuo suddenly realized she had reserved a question for the bandaged man ever since they departed from the market place a few days ago. She looked up at him curiously, though she still seemed bitter about dragging along two free loaders back to the campsite.

"Oh yeah. I never got your name before, back in Omashu."

[jenjae]

Jen-Jae happily accepted the offer to sit down. It was a window to escape more blundering, awkward speech. She plopped down into the grass beside the elder woman, dandelion seeds taking to the air on impact. The Earth Kingdom warrior laid her spear beside her, the blade pointed away from both of them. The stranger spoke.

“Everything is quite all right. We’re just a few weary travelers making our way to Bai Seng Sei. Well…currently my pupil went to fetch firewood. So, young lady, what’s your name?”

Jen-Jae gazed out, as if she were thinking of something else. She suddenly felt very tired, and almost forgot to answer the question. "..My name is Jen-Jae Maeda." Her eyes cast down, briefly dimming from their hazel luster. The spearman was surprised by the twinge of shame she felt when she pronounced her surname. She fidgeted with her hands, pretending to take special notice of the dirt under her fingernails. Awkward silence..or it felt like that. "I don't have anything to hide." Jen blurted, not realizing why she was saying what she did. This woman seemed to ease her into telling her things, but not in a forceful way. It was like Jen wanted to tell her. "I'm a fighter..a spearman..for the Earth Kingdom." The gleam in Jen-Jae's eyes reignited. "If you don't mind me asking, what is your name?"

[ses]

Another day of journey across the mountain ranges of the Earth Kingdom came to an end once the night had slowly crept over the large forest. All those night-dwelling creatures and pesty insects came out from those dark places they dwelled in while this certain traveler retired for the day after a grueling long day in the unbearable sun and heat of the Earth Kingdom. The Fire Nation was warm year-round, however, the Earth Kingdom was far more hotter. As a traveler to many lands, one learned how to navigate the harsh weather from their years of experience.

Clunk, clunk.

That noise echoed softly the green corridors of the Earth Kingdom forest that was silent. A little too silent for his liking. The orange-red glow of flames and yellow fire-flies lit his make-shift camping ground, dancing with the wind that gently blew through the tall trees that had been cloaked in the ebony shadows. The fire-nationer let out a soft groan as he dropped his personal effects onto the ground beside him where he sat upon a old log.
At his feet laid his prized helmet, chest-arm, arm guards and gloves along with his over-coat. His simple under-robe was what he wore as of now, instead of all his other heavier clothing allowing him to get comfortable and stretch his tense muscles.

Once he dropped the remainder of the armor that covered his shins and knees, he stretched his arms above his head with a small sigh of relief once his spine had been popped into the right position and his muscles had been stretched. A soft smile formed on his lips as his faithful emu companion, Shinju chirped and nudging his shoulder with her berk.

"Fine, Shinju. I'll rest." Nagamasa said as he tossed the remainder of the gathered wood beside him into the flames, watching as the fire flickered and crackled softly. Another soft chirp emerged from the emu as it seemed to curl up beside the warm flame to take a well-needed nap. That seemed like a good idea.. however, there was still a few things the traveler needed to do. Gather more wood, food, find water and take a look at the map to see how close Bai Seng Sei was from here then a well-needed nap would be nice.

With that, he started from his camp and out into the forest to search the needed items. He strolled through the darkness with a lit stick until he stumbled upon a camp. He stuck to the shadows for a moment, assuring that no one was around before slowly walking into it and looked around.

[gandalan]

Haruko, with his wooden sword held in it's sheath, walked down the road. He hadn't read any road signs along the way, so for all he knew, he was going to the Fire Nation. Ah well.

He'd given up on holding things inside himself any longer. He had to be open to others now.

His shirt had been cleaned free of blood. He still looked the same. Almost. Just that he wasn't as squinty eyed as before. His left arm jangled in it's sling. He moaned slightly. It wasn't so much open and bleeding, as that it ached and hurt, and would be unusable for some time. It was getting towards evening, and he needed to stop and rest. He could go without food, though he had some. Rationing was important.

His stomach grumbled in protest, and he took a drink of water from a stream running beside the road. He then patted his stomach. Wait till morning...

It grumbled again.

He sighed. This wasn't all that easy, but his father had been correct. Once he left the city, he'd felt much better. Fresh. New. Alive.

He continued walking until he heard voices. He stopped, alarmed. Who could be out here? Bandits? Outlaws? With his left arm incapacitated, he wasn't much of an archer.

He nervously approached, gulping. If they were hostile, he was dead. He looked around to see a most interesting group.

A girl with a double sided spear sort of weapon... he didn't have a name for it. It was strange looking... how wierd.

A bearded man, who looked very important.

Another girl, who looked only slightly older than the first.

A man with his entire body in bandages.

Wow. From this, his simple left arm injurt didn't seem like all that much of a problem. And they certainly didn't seem like bad people.

He stepped forward briskly, ready to push onward, past these people, and he was about to do so, as he clipped his sandal on a rock. He tripped forward, dropping his wooden bow, and slammed his tender left shoulder into the ground. He screamed in pain, as he felt it re-open. He turned over onto his back on the ground, his right arm grasping the wound, writhing in pain.