Chapter 20- Tough and Rough Times

"Don't make me put this down!" Toph scowled at the sounds all over the desert. The sandbenders surrounded Appa and threw ropes over him to trap the bison. Twig hopped off of Toph's shoulder and ran to bite on of the sandbender's legs. The Bender yelped and tried to shake Twig off, but he used his claws to dig deep into his leg, drawing blood and scratches.

Just then, Twig was lifted off the ground by some sand dust and he then had rope wrapped around his neck. He screeched and attacked the Bender who caught him, but the thief just tightened the rope around Twig, making the tiger monkey cry and was thrown on the sand gliders.
"No! Stop sinking!" Toph shouted and tried to attack the sandbenders, but missed and kept holding onto the tower.

Appa was pulled away, and Twig was held down with a knife hovering over him. Toph shed a tear as she realized she failed saving the two creatures, and broke the promise she kept for you.

"I'm sorry Appa!! Twig!!"

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"(Y/N)?... are you okay?" Katara asked as Aang stopped arguing with the Gaang and flew off, but you  weren't paying attention at all. You just stood there, staring into nothingness with a blank stare. You turned your head to face her, and she flinched at seeing your eyes.

They were... lost? It was like you weren't even there, your eyes... they were broken. The moment she placed her hand on your arm, you grasped her shirt sleeve and did not let go.
"We'd better start walking. We're the only people who know about the solar eclipse. We have to get that information to Ba Sing Se," She said, and you all started to move.

"You think if we dig out the giant owl, he'll give us a ride?"

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Who knows how long you all have been walking, probably hours, but who knows for sure? You were behind everyone else, until Toph bumped into Sokka.
"Can't you watch where you're-" Sokka stopped as he realized what he said.

"No," Toph bluntly told him as you walked passed Toph and into Sokka.
"Right. Sorry," Sokka scratched his neck sheepishly as you didn't even care that people were in front of you, you just leaned your head against Sokka's

"Come on guys, we've got to stick together," Katara pleaded with you three.
"If I sweat anymore, I don't think sticking together will be a problem," Sokka said as he was stuck to your clothes, which Toph pushed him away.

"Katara, can I have some more water?" Toph asked Katara as she brought out some water.
"Okay, but we've got to try to conserve it," You slowly opened your mouth to drink some water, and Sokka tasted the water carefully.
"We're drinking your bending water... You used this on the swamp guy!" Sokka shouted in disgust.

"It does taste swampy," Toph nodded, and you just drank the water in silence, still looking down at the sand. You always hated the sand, now you had a burning hatred for it now. Momo opened his mouth for more and Katara shook her head.

"I'm sorry, it's all we have," She apologized, but then Sokka looked up in excitement.
"Not anymore! Look!" He grabbed your hand and dragged you over to some cactuses, opening them up and started to drink with you and Momo.

"Sokka, wait! You shouldn't be eating strange plants!" Katara yelled at him, and brought Toph over when she sees her brother pouring cactus juice into your mouth, and you letting him.
"There's water trapped inside these!" He smiled and cut some more open, showing Katara.
"I don't know..." She trailed off, eyeing the drink.

"Suit yourself. It's very thirst quenching though," Sokka grinned, but then his pupils dilated, shaking his head and he waved his finger.
"Drink cactus juice. It'll quench ya! Nothing's quenchier. It's the quenchiest!" Sokka said while being disoriented, moving around while shaking the cactus.

"Okay, I think you've had enough," Katara said and dumped the juice into the sand.
"Ha! Look at (Y/N)! She likes the cactus juice!!" Sokka laughed and pointed at you, while you were just standing there with juice dripping from your mouth, and you collapsed to the floor, hugging the cactus to your chest, not even caring about the spikes.

Katara sighed and picked you up, making you hold onto her clothes again.
"How did we get out here in the middle of the ocean?" Sokka blurted out in awe. You all kept on walking until a loud sound was heard, making you all turn around to see a mushroom cloud.

"What is that?" Katara mumbled, making Roph look around.
"What? What is what?" She asked as you just stared at the cloud.
"It's a giant mushroom! Maybe it's friendly!" Sokka said in wonderment, with Momo staring too.

"Let's just keep moving. I hope Aang's okay," Katara pulled you and Toph as Sokka waved his arms around.
"Friendly mushroom! Mushy giant friend!" He cheered, but soon followed close behind. The sun was setting, and you spotted something in the sky.

You slowed down and realized it was Aang, who crashed landed nearby. Katara turned and ran over to him.
"I'm sorry, Aang. I know it's hard for you right now, but we need to focus on getting out of here," She pleaded with him, but he just crouched down.

"What's the difference? We won't survive without Appa. We all know it," He blandly said, hugging his knees close to his chest.
"Come on, Aang. We can do this if we work together. Right Toph?" Katara turned to Toph, who just kicked the sand in frustration.

"As far as I can feel, we're trapped in a giant bowl of sand pudding. I got nothin'," She said with crossed arms.
"Sokka? Any ideas how to find Ba Sing Se?" Katara said with hope, but Sokka was just laying in the sand with Momo.

"Why don't we ask the circle birds?" He pointed to some buzzard wasps.
"(Y/N)...?" She turned to you for last resort. You just laid on the ground, still clutching onto the cactus and slowly shook your head.

Looking at you, Katara rubbed her face and sighed calmly.
"Okay... We're getting out of this desert, and we're going to do it together! Aang, get up. Everybody, hold hands. We can do this. We have to," She made everyone hold hands and dragged everyone across the desert.

The sun went fully down, and Katara made you all stopped on a sandy hill.
"I think we should stop for the night," You all fell over and laid there as Toph looked at her.
"Is there any more water?" She asked.
"This is the last of it. Everyone can have a little drink," Katara bended some, and then Momo suddenly charged and spilled the water in the sand.

"Momo, no! You've killed us all!" Sokka cried out dramatically, and Katara just hovered her hand over the wet sand.
"No, he hasn't," She said and bended the water out.
"Oh, right. Bending," Sokka said in awe.

"Sokka, (Y/N), let me see the things you got from the library," Katara told you two, and you silently gave her the scrolls.
"What?! I didn't steal anything! Who told you that?!" Sokka held his bags and then pointed at Momo accusingly.

"It was you! You ratted me out!" He yelled at the lemur, in which made him cry, making Katara raise an eyebrow.
"Sokka, I was there," She took the bag anyways, and took out some scrolls.
"It doesn't matter. None of those will tell us where Appa is," Aang retorted and watched the desert.

"No, but we can find out which way Ba Sing Se is. We can use the stars to guide us. That way we can travel at night when it's cool and rest during the day," She explained while she check the scrolls. You laid on your back, setting the cactus on your stomach to sleep with.

"Just try to get some sleep. We'll start again in a few hours," Katara mumbled, looking over to where you were laying. She sighed and laid down next to you, making you to turn over and hug her closely. She hugged you too and you started to shake under her, sniffing and letting out choke sobs quietly.

She pulled you closer as she rubbed your back, and you clutched onto her clothes.

"I know... I know... I'm so sorry..."
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And that my chaotic disasters, is when (Y/N) decided to marry Katara.

Just kidding-

But really, Katara would beat my ass and I would still love her.

Oh! And here's what you looked like during this desert trip, nothing but an empty husk.

Tell me why you acted this way instead of lashing out instantly, I like y'all's thoughts on these character analysis.

Stay healthy and stay tune.