We start seeing a forest. Momo is chasing a bug through the trees. In his pursuit he lands on the ground to see a neatly stacked pile of lychee nuts. When he runs toward it, Momo is pulled into the air by a cage trap, joining two other caged animals. Camera changes focus to find the rest of Team Avatar camping.

"Where's Momo?" Aang asks, looking around, Tai, Aang, Katara, and Sokka arranged in a circle, the siblings sitting next to each other with bored faces, and Aang standing. Tai lays on the ground nearby eyes closed. Momo screeches and the gang looks around.

The group rush through the forest, a moment later Aang spots the three animals in their cage traps hanging by rope on tree limbs.

"Hang on, Momo!" Aang uses his airbending to fly to the top of the tree, jumping from trunk-to-trunk to get higher. He finds the traps' mechanisms, undoes them, and carefully lowers Momo to the ground where Katara and Sokka are waiting. They open the trap together and the lemur runs out with one of the lychee nuts in his mouth. Katara and Sokka look on as Momo gets on his hind legs and eats it as though nothing has happened. Sokka grunts in frustration and facepalms. When Aang lands, he looks up to see the other two animals seemingly crying out to him for help. "All right, you too." He jumps up to them.

Sokka sighs. "This is gonna take forever." He throws his boomerang to simply cut the animals free.

Aang inches his way upside-down to the traps on the tree branch. They fall before he can reach them. "That works."

The hog monkeys run up the tree and out of the camera's view and Aang jumps back down, dirt flying from the ground as he lands. Tai joins them rubbing his eyes while yawning. Everyone gathers around two of the traps and Sokka kneels down to examine them.

"These are Fire Nation traps..." Sokka comments. "...you can tell from the metalwork. We better pack up camp, and get moving." They gather their things and begin to pack them onto Appa's saddle. "Uh uh. No flying this time."

Aang turns to Sokka confused. "What? Why wouldn't we fly?"

Sokka takes the sleeping bag from Aang's hands. "Think about it: Somehow Prince Zuko and the Fire Nation keep finding us. It's because they spot Appa, he's just too noticeable."

"What? Appa's not too noticeable!" Katara replies.

"Besides, if there's Fire Nation here already we need to get away quickly." Tai says to Sokka.

Sokka points dramatically at Appa; condescendingly. "He's a gigantic fluffy monster with an arrow on his head! It's kinda hard to miss him!" The bison yawns.

Aang sits comfortably on the animal's head. "Sokka's just jealous 'cause he doesn't have an arrow."

"I know you all wanna fly, but my instincts tell me we should play it safe this time and walk."

Katara leans forward at her brother and smiles. "Who made you the boss?"

Sokka points his finger at his chest; to Katara. "I'm not the boss, I'm the leader."

Tai rolls his eyes. "Same thing."

"You're the leader? But your voice still cracks!" Katara says amused.

"I'm the oldest, and I'm a warrior, so..." He says through a cracking voice, he does his best to hide it by deepening his voice. "I'm the leader!"

Katar rolls her eyes. "If anyone's the leader, it's Aang. I mean he is the Avatar." She looks back to Sokka.

"Even without that, I'm the eldest here." Tai says through baggy, tired eyes.

"Are you kidding, he's just a goofy kid!" Sokka shouts.

Aang speaks while hanging upside-down from Appa's right horn with feet sticking out in the air. "He's right."

"Why do boys always think someone has to be the leader? I bet you wouldn't be so bossy if you kissed a girl." Katara says.

"Oi." Tai crosses his arms. "Not all of us think about leadership." He frowns.

Sokka defensively. "I've kissed a girl, you just haven't met her."

Tai stands behind Sokka; bored. "Is her first name Ima last name Gination?"

"Who? Gran-Gran? I've met Gran-Gran." Katara retorts.

Sokka throws his arms into the air. "No! Besides Gran-Gran. Look, my instincts tell me we have a better chance of slipping through on foot, and a leader has to trust his instincts."

Katara rolls her eyes sarcastically. "Okay, we'll try it your way, oh wise leader."

"Just..." Tai sighs for a moment, "Just give him this for a day, maybe we won't be cursed by the monkey's paw."

Aang steps over, now wearing a backpack. Momo is sitting on the top. "Who knows? Walking might be fun." Tai begins to laugh at his comment. Cut to the forest at a later time. Between trees the group trudges along, with Sokka in front, followed by Aang and Momo, Katara, and Appa with Tai asleep in the saddle. "Walking stinks! How do people go anywhere without a flying bison?"

"Well I don't know, Aang. Why don't you ask Sokka's instincts? They seem to know everything." Katara says sarcastically.

"Ha, ha, very funny." Sokka retorts.

"I'm tired of carrying this pack." Aang complains

"You know who you should ask to carry it for a while? Sokka's instincts." Sokka's eyes turn to Katara in irritation.

"That's a great idea. Hey, Sokka's instincts, would you mind-!"

"Okay, okay, I get it. Look guys, I'm tired too. But the important thing is that we're safe from the..." Sokka walks through a bush and sees something in front of him. "Fire ... Nation."

Sokka sees a Fire Nation campsite with a lot of soldiers; most of them are seated or crouched near the fire with bowls in hand and a couple of them sit close to the tents, which have the Fire Nation emblem on the doorflap. One of these soldiers has a patch over his left eye. They all notice the group and get up.

"Run!" The three turn to run but a firebender blocks them off by setting the plants behind them on fire. "We're cut off!"

Aang looks down. "Sokka, your shirt!" Sokka yells; Katara clears a fire on Sokka's shirt with waterbending.]"

"If you let us pass, we promise not to hurt you." Tai jumps over the flaming bush standing defensively with the sword he took from the pirates. "But please, do try us." He says holding the blade defensively in front of the group.

Katara whispers towards Tai and Sokka. "What are you doing?"

Sokka leans over. "Bluffing?"

"You promise not to hurt us?" The Eye-Patched soldier says mockingly. He's somehow knocked out.

"Nice work, Sokka! How'd you do that?" Aang says.

"Uh, instinct?"

Katara points up a tree. "Look!"

In a tree, a young teen, roughly the same age as the gang, with hook swords, Jet, jumps and takes down two soldiers. He runs forward and takes down two more using his hook swords.

"Down you go." Katara looks amazed, Tai bemused, Aang shocked, and Sokka confused.

Another soldier charges at Jet, but he is defeated.

"They're in the trees!" A young boy lands on top of the soldier and turns his helmet around to blind him, before riding him around while laughing. Another boy launches arrows at the soldiers while more boys come out of the trees. Aang, Tai, and Katara are shown fighting the soldiers. Sokka holds up his boomerang and yells as one approaches him, but stops when Jet takes him down first.

"Hey, he was mine!" Sokka complains.

"Gotta be quicker next time." Jet replies.

Sokka looks dismayed and the camera cuts to show a huge boy fall out of the trees and easily take down two soldiers as Jet skillfully takes down one more, causing this soldier's weapon to hit another soldier, who was going to battle Sokka, in the head, making that soldier also fall down.

Sokka stomps his foot. "Man!"

Jet disarms another soldier and runs up to Katara. "Hey."

"Hi."

They look around to see a now empty camp

Aang: looks on amazed. "You just took out a whole army almost single-handed."

Sokka scoffs disdainfully. "Army? There were only like, twenty guys."

Tai responds to Sokka the background dragging away the soldiers. "That's still more than you could handle alone, Sokka."

"My name is Jet, and these are my Freedom Fighters, Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak."

Aang laughs; looking at The Duke. "Ha, ha, Pipsqueak, that's a funny name." The Duke sniffs his nose, as Tai's eyes pan upward to Pipsqueak in dawning horror.

Pipsqueak looms over Aang in a threatening manner; in a low, growling tone of voice. "You think my name is funny?"

Aang looks taken aback for a second before replying in an upbeat tone. "It's hilarious!"

Pipsqueak is still looming forward with a frown on his face. He suddenly starts laughing. Aang and The Duke follow suit. Pipsqueak pats the Avatar on the back in a friendly manner, though the hit was hard enough to knock Aang flat on the ground. The Duke stops laughing and looks down at Aang sprawled on the ground before his feet, face flat in the dirt, though when Aang raises his head and continues laughing, so does The Duke.

The scene fades to the Fire Nation camp, and the camera cuts to show the Freedom Fighters raiding the empty camp.

Katara approaches Jet. "Umm, thanks for saving us Jet. We're lucky you were there."

"I should be thanking you. We were waiting to ambush those soldiers all morning, we just needed the right distraction, and then you guys stumbled in."

Katara eyes Sokka annoyed. "We were relying on instincts."

"You'll get yourself killed doing that."

"Correction." Tai says walking up on the two. "You'll get killed relying exclusively on instincts."

"Gotta agree with you there." Jet says with a chuckle.

Sokka looks at them disdainfully as The Duke and Pipsqueak look through the barrels. "Hey Jet, these barrels are filled of blasting jelly." The Duke says.

"That's a great score." Jet says grinning.

"What use would you all have with blasting jelly?" Tai asks his gaze focusing on Jet.

"And these boxes are filled with jelly candy!" Pipsqueak cheers.

"Also good, let's not get those mixed up."

"How could you?" Tai asks again, confused.

The Duke nods. "We'll take this stuff back to the hideout."

"You guys have a hideout?" Aang asks excitedly.

"You wanna see it?"

Katara nods equally as excited. "Yes, we wanna see it!"

Tai shrugs; very obviously bored. "I thought we wanted to move on?"

Jet smiles at her and the camera fades to show them standing on the forest floor. "We're here."

"Where? There's nothing here." Sokka says annoyed.

Tai looks to the trees above, he hums and shrugs his head. !No, that's not what I'd say..."

"Hold this." Jet gives a rope to Sokka.

Sokka nods skeptically. "Why? What's this do?" He screams as he is pulled up into the branches.

"Aang?" Jet offers Aang another rope.

"I'll get up on my own." Aang leaps up into the trees with airbending.

"I'll take one." Tai takes a rope from Jet and is sent into the trees.

Jet extends a hand out. "Grab hold of me, Katara." Katara blushes as she takes his hand and they rise up through the tree together in a romantic setting. They come to a landing on a wooden platform in the trees. Once up there, Aang is seen zip lining through the trees.

Aang:p speaks while passing through with Momo. "Nice place you got!"

"It's beautiful up here!" Katara says.

Jet nods. "It's beautiful... and more importantly the Fire Nation can't find us."

Smellerbee lands near the two. "They would love to find you. Wouldn't they, Jet?"

"It's not gonna happen, Smellerbee."

Katara turns to him as Aang zips by again. "Why does the Fire Nation want to find you?"

"I guess you could say I've been causing them a little trouble. See, they took over a nearby Earth Kingdom town a few years back."

Pipsqueak grins. "We've been ambushin' their troops, cutting off their supply lines, and doing anything we can to mess with 'em." Sokka is now seen comically hopping around trying to get past Pipsqueak.

"One day, we'll drive the Fire Nation out of here for good and free that town." Jet says.

Tai hums looking towards the town. "As brave as that sounds that may only bring retribution." He warns.

Katara, ignoring Tai looks at Jet with unmistakable awe. "That's so brave."

Sokka manages to get by Pipsqueak. "Yeah, nothing's braver than a guy in a tree house."

Katara rolls her eyes. "Don't pay any attention to my brother."

"No problem. He probably had a rough day."

"So, you all live here?" Katara asks. Sokka who is being ignored comically sinks back behind them.

"That's right. Longshot over there?" The screen cuts to Longshot and The Duke walking not making a sound. "His town got burned down by the Fire Nation. And we found The Duke trying to steal our food. I don't think he ever really had a home."

"What about you?" Katara asks.

Katara and Jet come to a halt as the rest pass. "The Fire Nation killed my parents. I was only eight years old. That day changed me forever."

Katara looks down. "Sokka and I lost our mother to the Fire Nation."

"I'm so sorry, Katara."

The screen fades from the two of them alone on the suspension bridge to the blue sky above the canopy. A cloud of cawing birds is disturbed as Appa raises his head with a roar. In the hideout, ropes with lanterns hang between branches. Sentries keep watch on several upper platforms while the group sits at a banquet table. While the group eats, Jet stands on the table.

"Today, we struck another blow against the Fire Nation swine." Everyone cheers. Katara and Aang smile while Sokka cops an attitude and a scowling face. Tai watches from a platform above the banquet, not sitting at the large table instead he stares down pensively. "I got a special joy from the look on one soldier's face, when The Duke dropped down on his helmet and rode him like a wild hog monkey." The Duke, without his helmet, climbs up the table. He marches on the table with his arms in the air. "Now, the Fire Nation thinks they don't have to worry about a couple of kids hiding in the trees." He prepares to take a drink from his wooden cup. "Maybe they're right." A very loud and long boo is heard; with an angry face. "Or maybe ... they're dead wrong." A loud and long cheer is heard.

"Hey Jet, nice speech." Katara says.

"Thanks. By the way, I was really impressed with you, Tai, and Aang. That was some great bending I saw out there today."

"Well, he's great. Aang's the Avatar and Tai was trained by a master." Katara blushes. "I could use some more training."

"Avatar huh? Very nice." Jet says ponderously.

Aang smiles. "Thanks Jet."

"So I might know a way that you and Aang can help in our struggle."

"Unfortunately, we have to leave tonight." Sokka starts walking away.

"Sokka, you're kidding me! I needed you on an important mission tomorrow."

Sokka turns around. "What mission?"

The scene changes to the top of the forest the next day. Jet, Tai, and Sokka are in branches of the same tree. Jet cups his hands and makes a birdcall; several trees down Pipsqueak and Smellerbee step into view from their branches. They reply with another birdcall. Sokka jams his jawbone knife into the trunk of the tree.

"What are you doing?" Jet asks.

"Shh ... It amplifies vibrations."

Jet hums genuinely impressed. "Good trick."

Sokka puts his ear to the handle of his knife. "Nothing yet." He Whispers. "Wait! Yes, someone's approaching."

"How many?" Tai whispers in response.

"I think there's just one."

Jet does a another birdcall. "Good work, Sokka. Ready your weapons." Sokka takes his knife out of the tree. Tai places a hand on his sword. His eyes spot an old man.

"Wait, false alarm ... He's just an old man." Sokka says.

Jet ignores Sokka and prepares to attack the old man, leaping to the ground in front of the traveler. Sokka and Tai watch with horror. "What are you doing in our woods, you leech?"

"Please sir, I'm just a traveler."

Jet takes a step, and with one swipe, sends the man's cane flying from his hand. The old man backs away, but when he tries to flee the way he came, he runs face first into Pipsqueak's chest. The force of the impact knocks him to the ground; Pipsqueak looms over him. He tries to crawl away, but Pipsqueak's foot on his backside effectively pins him.

"Do you like destroying towns? Do you like destroying families? Do you?" Jet shouts.

"Oh... Please let me go... have mercy..."

"Does the Fire Nation let people go? Does the Fire Nation have mercy?" Jet is about to kick the man, but his foot is snagged by Sokka's club and his other leg is caught by Tai's earthbending before it can be delivered. Sokka releases him.

"Jet, he's just an old man." Tai says walking forward kneeling down in front of the old man.

"He's Fire Nation! Search him!" Pipsqueak holds the prisoner and Smellerbee steps up to search the poor man.

"But he's not hurting anyone!" Sokka replies turning to look at Jet.

"Have you forgotten that the Fire Nation killed your mother? Remember why you fight!"

Tai scoffs standing in Jet's face. "To protect the innocent you petulant child."

"We've got his stuff, Jet." She holds up the old man's bag. The old man is thrown back on the ground.

Sokka stands next to Tai. "This doesn't feel right."

"It's what has to be done, now let's get outta here." Jet pushes past Sokka. Pipsqueak and Smellerbee follow. Sokka looks at the old man still on his hands and knees in pity. Tai steps forward raising the old man to his feet using his earthbending. "Come on you two!"

Sokka slowly turns and runs to catch up with the others. Tai takes a moment to find the old man's cane and return it to him. At the hideout, Aang and Momo are playing with the ziplines again. He leaps near Sokka and Tai.

"Sokka! Look what the Duke gave me!" Aang is wearing a bag and pulls a small pellet from it. With a sly grin, he tosses it next to Momo, where it explodes with a pop. Momo puffs up like a startled cat. He hisses and lunges for the bag. Momo sits on Aang's shoulder and tosses several pellets at his feet. Aang dances about wildly. "Ow! Quit it!"

Sokka is oblivious of it all. He's sitting with his back to the trunk and staring at the ground, glaring. Tai is repeatedly tapping his foot almost anxiously, that is until Katara walks up.

"Hey, Sokka. Is Jet back?" Katara asks.

"Yeah he's back. But we're leaving."

Aang turns suddenly. "What?"

"But I made him this hat." Katara shows a cap made out of stitched leaves with a flower on top.

Tai crosses his arms. "Your boyfriend, Jet's a thug."

"What? No, he's not." Katara says.

"He's messed up, Katara." Sokka retorts.

"He's not messed up, he's just got a different way of life, a really fun way of life." Aang says.

"He beat and robbed a harmless old man!" Tai says stunning the pair.

"I wanna hear Jet's side of the story." The scene changes to Jet in a room.

"Tai, Sokka, you told them what happened, but you didn't mention that the guy was Fire Nation?" Jet is sitting on a hammock-bed, the others stand. Sokka stands grumpily as far away as he can get. Aang is wearing the hat Katara made; he looks ridiculous and goofy.

"No, he conveniently left that part out." Katara glares at Tai

"He's an old as man and your an angry pre-teen." Tai replies his arms crossed.

"He was an assassin, Tai." Jet pulls out a knife and thrusts it into a nearby stump. It is a sinister looking curved blade. There are four spikes evenly spaced along the grip, with enough space for fingers to go between them. There is a ring on the butt of the knife. "See? There's a compartment for poison in the knife." He pulls on the ring and removes a small glass tube filled with red liquid. "He was sent to eliminate me; you helped save my life, Sokka."

Tai goes silent but his glare only grows more and more as the conversation continues.

"I knew there was an explanation." Katara says cheerfully.

Sokka steps forward. "I didn't see any knife!"

"That's because he was concealing it."

"See, Sokka? I'm sure you just didn't notice the knife."

"There was no knife! I'm going back to the hut and packing my things." Sokka stomps away.

"Tell me you guys aren't leaving yet. I really need your help."

Aang steps forward. "What can we do?"

"The Fire Nation is planning on burning down our forest. If you both use waterbending to fill the reservoir, we could fight the fires. But if you leave now, they'll destroy the whole valley."

Aang and Katara look at each other and walk back towards their hut.

Tai steps forward his arms crossed. "You may have fooled them with Smellerbee's knife, but I can sense that your lying."

"A pompous royal like yourself wouldn't understand the struggle we've been through."

Tai nods slightly. "No, I wouldn't... had I not been traveling with the Avatar for the past few weeks. I stole this from a pirate." He gestures to his sword. "I've helped prisoners of war escape a fire nation facility, and had to deal with angry spirits."

"So you think you've seen suffering?" Jet replies angry.

"No, but I know when someone's gone too far. You've got a fire in your eyes, while your drive is admirable, it's pushing you too far. Flooding the damn won't help if the fire nation attempts to burn the forest... it'll only help if- mph!" Something cuts Tai off as a struggles is heard by no one except Jet, and those in his hut.

Fade to them entering their hut. Sokka is tying up a mat on the floor.

"We can't leave now with the Fire Nation about to burn down a forest!" Katara shouts.

"I'm sorry Katara. Jet's very smooth, but we can't trust him." Sokka says.

"You know what I think? You're jealous that he's a better warrior and a better leader!"

"Katara, I'm not jealous of Jet. It's just that my instinct—!"

"Well my instincts tell me we need to stay here a little longer and help Jet. Come on Aang."

"Sorry, Sokka."

"What, wait where's-?" Aang And Katara are already gone. They leave the hut.

Fade to the night sky above the canopy. A full moon shines on Appa, who is on his back and snoring extremely loud as he sleeps. Inside the Trio's hut, Sokka sleeps propped up against his still-packed gear while the others sleep in their sleeping bags.

"Let's go."

Sokka wakes up. He pulls the door flap aside enough to see some of Jet's followers descending on the rope lines along with a struggling figure trying to escape their grasp. Sokka grabs a rope line down to a lower branch. On the ground below him, Jet's Freedom Fighters are quietly pushing the loaded wagon as Jet leads them out of the camp. Sokka stealthily follows. In the dark valley. Upstream, and up toward the wall of the valley there is an old falls, and beyond that a man-made dam. A bare cliff off to the reservoir's left provides the view. Jet and his boys emerge from the forest. He goes to the edge and looks down on the dam below. The reservoir behind it is low. He turns back to the wagon. They also drop the squirming figure on the ground to reveal a tied up Tai.

"Now listen, you are not to blow the dam until I give the signal. If the reservoir isn't full, the Fire Nation troops could survive." The Duke jumps off the wagon.

"But what about the people in the town, won't they get wiped out too?" Jet places a hand on The Duke's shoulder.

"Look Duke, that's the price of ridding this area of the Fire Nation." He looks to Longshot. "Now don't blow the dam until I give the signal—got it?" Longshot nods.

Sokka watches incredulously from the bushes. He frowns, and hears rustling just before Pipsqueak drags him out by his wolf-tail. Smellerbee's knife is instantly at his throat.

Smellerbee sneers. "Where do you think you're going, ponytail?"

Jet, standing near the edge of the cliff. As he watches, Pipsqueak and Smellerbee drag Sokka between them. Pipsqueak still has a handful of Sokka's wolf-tail. "Sokka, I'm glad you decided to join us." Pipsqueak and Smellerbee send Sokka to his knees. He rubs his shoulder.

"I heard your plan to destroy the Earth Kingdom town."

"Our plan is to rid the valley of the Fire Nation." Jet says.

"There are people living there, Jet; mothers and fathers and children."

"We can't win without making some sacrifices."

Sokka points an accusing finger at Jet. "You lied to Aang and Katara about the forest fire!"

"Because they don't understand the demands of war. Not like you and I do."

Tai wiggles on the ground uncovering his mouth as he slowly works at freeing himself. "I do understand. I understand that there's nothing you won't do to get what you want."

"I was hoping you'd have an open mind, but I can see you've made your choice."

Tai growls as he's being dragged away. !Jet... you'll fail... I hope you can see the errors of your ways, but until then hold my sword, I'll come back for it when it comes time for you."

Jet doesn't respond the sword already strapped around his waist as he flinches under the fiery glare of Tai. Pipsqueak and Smellerbee grab for Sokka. Before he can even react, Jet has his wrist pinned with the hooks of his shuang gou. Sokka's other hand is forced behind his back.

"I can't let you warn Katara and Aang." Jet releases Sokka's hand; it is immediately forced behind his back. "Take the two for a walk, a long walk."

"You can't do this!"

"Cheer up, Sokka. We're gonna win a great victory against the Fire Nation today."

Tai struggles against Pipsqueak holding him. "And a greater reckoning when they inevitably return." He warns Jet for a second time.

The screen pans to the riverside upriver from the dam. The collected water behind it is much less than the larger cavity of the reservoir. The river leading to down to it is a thread compared to its 'rainy season' gully. Jet, Katara, and Aang are seen walking upriver along its west bank.

"Jet, I'm sorry about how Sokka has been acting." Katara apologizes.

"No worries, they've already apologized." Jet says.

"Really?" Aang and Katara stop and look at one another. "Sokka apologized?" Aang asks surprised.

"Yeah, I was surprised too. I got the sense that maybe you talked to him or something."

Katara nods. "Yeah, I did."

"I guess something you said got through to him. Anyhow, he went out on a scouting mission with Pipsqueak and Smellerbee."

"I'm glad he cooled off. He's so stubborn sometimes."

They are now walking in the gully, beside the 'river'. Aang pauses after noticing something strange, and is launched into the air by a blast from the geyser he was standing on.

"All right, we're here. Underground water's trying to escape through these vents. I need you guys to help it along." Jet says.

"I've never used bending on water I can't see. I don't know..."

Jet stands behind her and places his hands on her shoulders. "Katara. You can do this."

Aang airbends himself back on the ground. "What about me?"

"I know the Avatar can do this."

Aang and Katara stand on one of the many geysers in the gully. While Jet looks on, they bend the water up. After a few minutes, a stream of water emerges from the hole. They pull it to their height and send it toward the river where it continues to flow like a waterfall. The water quickly joins the river.

"Yes! Good job! This river empties into the reservoir--a few more geysers and it'll be full."

"Look, there's another steam vent."Aang and Katara walk off in its direction.

"Okay. You two keep it up, I'll go check on things at the reservoir." Jet turns and walks away.

"When we're done we'll meet you over there."

"Actually ... probably better if you meet me back at the hideout when you're done." Jet resumes walking away Aang and Katara bend the next geyser into another fountain.

"I bet that's enough, and I'm not just saying that to be lazy." Around them, over a dozen geysers flow into the river.

"Let's catch up with Jet at the reservoir." Katara says.

"I thought we agreed to meet Jet back at the hideout." Aang says.

"Well, we finished early. I'm sure he'll be happy to see us." Katara says with a smile.

The screen changes to a path in the forest. Pipsqueak and Smellerbee follow Tai and Sokka, who have their hands tied behind their back. Smellerbee gives Sokka a shove; Sokka stumbles but remains on his feet.

"Come on, move along!"

"How can you stand by and do nothing while Jet wipes out a whole town?" Sokka says.

"Hey listen Sokka, Jet's a great leader. We follow what he says, and things always turn out okay." Sokka notices a couple of snare leaf-piles nearby identical to the one that enticed Momo, right down to the pile of nuts.

Tai hums. "Ah I get it follow the leaderont ever question what they've got to say. If that's how Jet leads, then he's got a lot to learn." Tai says grinning. They sprint off in the direction of the snares. Smellerbee makes a grab for him, but misses.

"Hey!" They give chase. Sokka leaps over the leaf piles and Tai dives into the earth underneath. Pipsqueak and Smellerbee don't, and end up snared and hanging many feet up in the air.

Sokka stands next to Tai as he reappears. "While you two are up there, you might want to practice your knot work." He holds up his now-worthless bindings, turns, and walks away.

"Hey Smellerbee, you gonna eat your lychee nuts?" Smellerbee hits him in the head with a lychee nut and it lands in the pile he's holding. "Ooh." He picks one up and licks his lips.

Tai and Sokka look to each other, nod, and wordlessly run off together.

Katara and Aang are standing on the edge of the cliff. At the base of the dam, four of Jet's people are unloading barrels from the wagon and arranging them.

"What are they doing?" Katara asks.

"Hey, those are the red barrels he got from the Fire Nation." Aang asks.

"Why would they need blasting jelly?" Katara asks. Her gaze turns to Aang, who is horrified.

"Because Jet's gonna blow up the dam."

"What? No, that would destroy the town. Jet wouldn't do that."

Aang opens his glider." I've gotta stop him." He takes off.

Katara repeats to her p, this time less convinced. "Jet wouldn't do that."

Before Aang can reach the edge, Jet crosses his path from behind and snatches the glider. Aang is left wobbling precariously on the edge, and uses airbending to get himself back on stable footing.

"Yes I would."

"Jet, why?" Katara asks.

"Katara, you would too if you just stopped to think. Think about what the Fire Nation did to your mother, we can't let them do that to anyone else, ever again."

"This isn't the answer!"

"I want you to understand me Katara. I thought your brother would understand, but—!"

"Where're Tai & Sokka?" Tears fall from her eyes.

Jet reaches out and touches her face. "Katara."

She lowers her head, and with a shout, sends Jet flying with the water from her waterskin. She draws it back into the skin when she's done.

"I need to get to the dam." Aang says panicked. Aang's closed glider is on the ground. As he reaches for it, one of Jet's hook swords pins it. Jet has the two swords hook to hook; with a yank he pulls Aang's glider to him.

"You're not going anywhere without your glider." Jet swings the swords at Aang. Aang somersaults backward to avoid the extra reach. Aang finishes his retreat in a nearby tree.

"I'm not gonna fight you, Jet."

"You'll have to if you want your glider back." Jet taunts.

Aang retreats back into the forest, as Jet hooks the branch and pulls himself up. Katara follows on the ground. Jet attacks; Aang defends himself with balls of air, which Jet ducks. Jet attacks head on, but Aang blocks with his arms and sends his opponent flying into a tree trunk with an air kick. Jet combines his swords again and advances. Aang avoids the flail-like move and sends another air blast. Jet stoops down and lets the air flow over and past him before lunging. They continue the chase through the many levels of the forest. Jet catches up to Aang and sends them both freefalling, attacking as they go. They both end up on a branch. Jet continues his attack. Aang avoids it all. Jet charges again, but Aang hits him with a jetstream of air. Jet falls. He recovers, but loses the glider in the process. Before Aang can get to the ground Jet kicks him into a trunk. He lands with a thud next to his glider. A small tributary flows past him. Aang is slow to get up. Before Jet can take more than a step however, he his hit by a large water strike. Katara is there; she uses water from the river to throw Jet against the trunk of the tree. Over and over she attacks; Jet is unable to cut the water and its force plasters him against the trunk. She freezes Jet from toe to neck.

"Why, Jet? I can't believe I trusted you. You lied to me, you're sick and I trusted you!" A birdcall is heard. Katara and Aang are startled, and look to the valley beyond where it's coming from. Jet gives an answering birdcall. "What are you doing?" Katara asks.

"You're too late." Jet says,

Katara's eyes widen; horrified. "No!"

Aang opens his glider and runs for the nearby cliff. His glider's wings are damaged to the point that he has no lift, and slams back into the ground near the edge. Katara runs over to help him.

Aang trig goes to get up, in pain from the fall. "Sokka and Tai are still out there, they're our only chance."

"Come on, Sokka. I'm sorry I ever doubted you, please."

Longshot stands on a branch, his bow pulled. He has a flaming arrow on the string. He takes aim and fires. It arcs down to the base of the dam. Katara watches in horror.

Katara whispers. "No ..."

The center of the dam explodes in a cloud of smoke and fire. Katara and Aang watch a massive wall of water go to the town. Inside the town the streets are empty except for the occasional barrels and the Cabbage Merchant's cabbage cart. The water rushes through the open gate, as a cresting wave dwarfs it. The wall and gate are swallowed as the wave strikes the town. The flotsam carried away includes a smiling doll in a purple dress.

"Sokka didn't make it in time." Aang lowers his head.

"All those people..." She turns in rage back to Jet. "Jet, you monster!"

"This was a victory, Katara. Remember that. The Fire Nation is gone and this valley will be safe."

"It will be safe, without you." In shock, Jet looks up to see Sokka, Tai, Appa, and Momo rise from below the level of the cliff.

"Sokka!" Katara cheers.

"We warned the villagers of your plan, just in time." Tai says jumping off of Appa landing in front of Katara and Aang.

"What?!"

Cuts to an illustrated set of flashback stills each being panned through. "At first they didn't believe me. The Fire Nation soldiers assumed I was a spy. But one man vouched for us, the old man you attacked. He urged them to trust us, and we got everyone out in time."

The flashback ends and the townsfolk are seen on high ground above the river, on the bank opposite the town. A little girl, who was seen in the flashback, runs down to the water's edge as the doll floats by. She retrieves it. Happily. "Misses Pretty!" She hugs her doll.

"You fools! We could've freed this valley!" Jet roars.

"Who would be free?" Tai asks. "Everyone would be dead."

"You traitor!"

"No, Jet." Tai walks over to Jet. "You became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people." He takes back the sword from Jet as well as entraps his feet under a layer of stone over the ice.

"Katara. Please, help me." Jet pleads.

"Goodbye Jet." Katara says as she and Tai climb on top of Appa.

Sokka gives Appa's reigns a flick. "Yip yip." Jet is left behind, still frozen to the tree.

The sky they fly in is empty, save a few wispy clouds.

"We thought you were going to the dam. How come you went to the town instead?" Aang asks.

Katara chuckles. "Let me guess, your instincts told you."

Sokka shrugs his right shoulder. "Hey, sometimes they're right."

"Um ... Sokka? You know we're going the wrong way, right?"

Sokka is surprised, but quickly recovers. "And sometimes they're wrong." With a grin, he pulls Appa's reigns. They fly off screen before reappearing, going in the opposite direction.

Chapter End.