"Good luck." Katara tried to smile at Aang and Asha, who both avoided eye contact, the latter snorting in disdain as she read over her own map. 

"You too." Aang at least replied. 

Asha mutters a 'yip yip' to Gumi who starts flapping his wings, taking off with Aang following. 

"I'm an idiot." Aang mutters, only flinching when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around him. Asha, who had jumped from Gumi, offering comfort in any way she could for poor Aang. 

"It's my fault I got mad." She whispered, burrowing herself into his shoulder.

"No, it's not. Maybe, it was meant to be this way." Aang finally hugs her back. The two flying in each others arms, surrounded by silence.

___

A wolf's howl can be heard as the three water tribe members walk forward.

"It sounds so sad."  Katara looks up, hoping to see a bison or dragon in the sky, disappointing herself when she sees nothing. 

"It's probably wounded. " Sokka deadpans as he struggles to stay on his feet.

"No, it's been separated from the pack. I understand that pain. It's how I felt when the water tribe warriors had to leave me behind. They were my family and being apart from them was more painful than my wounds." Bato looked to Sokka who stopped in his tracks.

"Sokka?" Katara looked to her brother as well.

"We need to go back."

___

The two air benders had landed shortly after,  walking with their animals as a last ditch effort in case the siblings turned back, Asha running her hand along Gumi's black scale and Aang watching for Momo.

"We might need to go it alone Aang." Asha hated saying it. Truth be told, she had grown to love the two like they were her own siblings. Katara being the older sister she went to with problems and Sokka being the overprotective older brother, cracking jokes every now and then. 

Their heads snapped up as on older lady, the superior ran up to them. 

"Avatar! You and the girl must leave!" 

"Okay, I get it! Everyone wants us gone." Aang turns to get on Appa, grumbling angrily while the woman frantically grabbed Asha's shoulders.

"A group of people came to the abbey looking for you." The old woman sounded out of breath.

"Who?" Asha looked ready to bolt to the abbey the minute a name was dropped, eyebrows furrowed.

"A fierce looking woman with a horrible monster and a young man with a scar." 

"Zuko." Aang groaned. Just once, couldn't he give up? Now was not the time, not with Sokka and Katara gone, not with him and Asha still re-bonding with each other. Just...not now. 

"Seems he's hired June." Asha looks to Aang, firm faced. 

"The beast was using a necklace to follow a scent." The woman explained, Asha mindlessly reaching for the choker around her neck, relived to find it still tightly tied there. Meaning the choker they had was Katara's.

___

"So this is your girlfriend. No wonder she left, she's much to pretty for you." June laughed as Zuko ran to Katara.

"Where is he? Where's the Avatar?!"  

"We split up! He's long gone!" Sokka yelled back.

"How stupid do you think I am?" Zuko turned to Sokka who grabbed his sister by the arm.

"Pretty stupid. Run!" Sokka turned, ready to run until the beast's tongue spikes their backs, making them fall as the paralyzing agent courses through their veins. The siblings look to each other, scared for the air benders, until the gate to the abbey is blown open; a familiar pair of benders riding in. 

"Looking for us?" Aang grins at the prince and bounty hunter, Asha behind him wearing the same grin.

"Two air benders?!" Zuko looks at the paralyzed siblings, teeth gleaming as his brain wracks a million and one ways to defeat both of them now.

Asha jumps and over the beast, a Shirshu, and narrowly avoids its tongue as it snaps at the girl, both throwing off it's riders and falling flat on it's back. 

"Aang!"

"Asha!" 

The siblings give a sigh of relief as the two benders stand on either side of the beast. Zuko fires a string of fire at Asha as June gets on her Shirshu, charging at Aang. However, Zuko's fire is thrown off course by dragon deflecting, throwing it's own fire-- which he narrowly avoids.

Aang is cut off by Appa as he rams into the Shirshu.  Almost smirking at the Shirshu, Appa stands in front of his rider, Aang smiling at his bison. However his smile fades as he watches Asha dodge and deflect Zuko's fire.  Gumi  helping Appa with the Shirshu.  

Gumi throws fire at the bounty hunter and her ride, knocking them unconscious for a few seconds.  They quickly get up, June using a whip at her Shirshu who lashes at Appa's tail, making the poor bison collapse. Gumi taking position right in front of him. Gumi and the Shirshu charge at each other having a head on collision throwing June over the dragon's head; rolling out of the way of the giant clawed foot. 

Asha stands in front of Aang, just as Gumi had done for Appa, as Aang was thrown off a roof. Twirling her staff she deflects fireballs and such from the angry prince. 

Once Aang gets up, the two dodge, Aang simply jumping and Asha flipping over the prince before Aang throws a gust of wind, pushing the prince off the roof only for June and her Shirshu to replace him.  Gumi being a support system for Appa as the bison uses his tail to blow tiles off the roof. 

"You've got something I want!" Aang yells at Zuko who holds the necklace in his hand.  He looks to Asha and nods over to the struggling animals. She runs too them, June and the Shirshu following, as Aang faces Zuko

Zuko throws a fireball at Aang, destroying the cover of a well behind them. The two dance around, neither able to gain an advantage until Zuko lunges at Aang who effectively doges, using his foot to catch the loop of the necklace, yanking it from Zuko's hand. Said prince falls down the well as Aang catches the choker.  It's as Aang turns to leave Zuko shoots back up from the well, landing in front of Aang. 

Appa attempts to fight for Aang, only for the Shirshu to strike him three times in a row, effectively paralyzing the Bison. Aang turns to go to his bison to further prevent a fourth hit but Asha beats him, smacking the Shirshu's tongue with her staff. Gumi following her. The Shirshu attempts to strike Gumi but quickly reels back at the sharp scales of the dragon, who bellows hot fire around the Shirshu, pushing it back,

The two air benders look cornered until sisters from the abbey start pouring jugs of perfume onto the ground. Asha watching as Katara water bends a sheet of perfume only to drop it on the Shirshu. She almost feels bad as the Shirshu looks panicked and stars throwing it's tongue around. Hitting Zuko and June in the process. Asha deflecting a throw at Katara with her staff.

"June! No!" Asha watches as an older man runs to the falling bounty hunter, wincing as he catches her and they fall together. Then she looks to the rampaging Shirshu who panics a little longer until it jumps over a wall, running into the woods. 

Aang smiles at Asha as the other two approach them. All of them looking to the bounty hunter whose on top of an older man, who seems to have his arm wrapped around the girl.  

"I didn't see you get hit uncle." Zuko looks to his uncle who smiles and shushes the teen. Aang pulling Asha closer to him with a frown.

___

"So, where do we go?" Appa had recovered and now they were all in the air. Gumi and Asha beside them.

"We're getting you two to the North Pole." Sokka answered as Katara smiled; Asha sitting up from her place on Gumi's saddle, a frown on her lips as Katara continues. "Yea, we've lost too much time as it is." 

Asha pats Gumi between the horns and jumps to Appa. "Don't you wanna see your father?" Asha looked to Sokka.

"Of course, but your our family too Ash. Right now, you guys need us more." Sokka smiles at her, holding an arm open for a hug, which she gives him. Their own apologies spoken more through actions than words.

"And we need you too." Katara smiles at Aang.

"Plus, you guys definitely need some type of supervision-" Sokka started, laughing as Asha smacked him, playfully, her cheeks flaring bright red as she stutters over a response. 

"What he means, is that you guys haven't seen your family for over a hundred years, so who knows what might happen." Katara stepped in before Asha killed her brother

"I only wish I could give you a piece of the old life Katara," Aang smiled at her, Asha eyeballing him back before he winked at her.

"I'll be fine, I assure you."

"Still, just a little trinket. Maybe something like... this!" He held up the choker, chuckling when Katara snatched it back. "How did you get this?" She smiled, tightening it around her neck.

"Zuko asked to be sure we got it too you," He preened, watching as the mood lightened significantly. 

 Turning, Asha looked at Aang. "That's so sweet of Zuko," She mocked. "Would you give him a kiss for Katara when you see him?" Asha struggled to hold in her giggles as he rolled his eyes. 

"Sure!" Aang mockingly agreed, shooting them open when her felt a soft pair of lips connect with his cheek and a dragon groan. He watched, red faced as Asha jumped back to Gumi, her face just as red, even if she hid it better-- Katara and Sokka laughing behind them.

"Smoochie, smoochie!"

"Sokka!"