━━━━━━༺༻ ━━━━━━
eight. hope !

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓'𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌, a narrow, winding strip of land that looked like little more than a fragile thread across the vast, churning waters. It was the only direct path to Ba Sing Se, connecting the Southern and Northern parts of the Earth Kingdom, but few dared to cross it. The name alone held an unspoken warning, whispering tales of danger and despair.

Most would never risk it. But now, here they were, nine people standing at the edge of this ominous road, each carrying their own burdens and hopes.

“This is the Serpent’s Pass?” Sokka muttered, folding his arms and squinting at the narrow path ahead. "I thought it would be a little more wind-y, you know, like a serpent." He sounded disappointed, almost as if he’d expected something grander than the understated stretch of land. "Huh, I guess they misnamed it."

Hini couldn’t help but glance over at him. Sokka’s comment was lighthearted enough, but seeing him stand so close to Suki—the way his shoulder almost brushed against hers as they leaned forward to look—sent a pang through her. She bit her lip, turning her gaze away quickly. It wasn’t that she had any reason to feel that way; she barely understood why she did. But the sight left a heaviness in her chest, an ache she didn’t want to acknowledge.

“Look at this writing!” Ying, one of the refugees, interrupted, pointing up at the sign above them. Her voice trembled, and her eyes were wide with worry. “How awful!”

“What does it say?” Toph asked, reaching out blindly to tug at Hini’s tunic, her fingers brushing Hini’s hand briefly. Hini gently took Toph’s hand in her own, giving her a small, reassuring squeeze before reading aloud.

“It says… ‘Abandon hope,’” Hini said softly. Her voice caught on the last word, the grimness of it settling over her. The weight of those words seemed to sink into her skin, chilling her.

“How can we abandon hope?” Ying asked, her voice breaking. “It’s all we have!”

Hini looked at Ying, her eyes softening. She wanted to say something to comfort her, to promise that they’d all make it across together. But just as she opened her mouth, Aang spoke.

"I don't know. The monks used to say that hope was just a distraction, so maybe we do need to abandon it," he said, his voice unusually cold, distant.

“What are you talking about?” Hini asked, her voice soft but insistent. She wasn’t even sure if she disagreed; she just couldn’t understand why Aang — of all people — would say something so bleak.

"Hope is not going to get us into Ba Sing Se and it's not going to help find Appa." His voice was flat, his eyes fixed on the dark waters beyond the path. "We need to focus on what we're doing right now and that's getting across this path."

Hini felt a pang of something — hurt, confusion — flutter in her chest. She caught Katara’s gaze, and they shared a look of mutual concern, a silent question neither knew how to answer. Katara gave a small, uncertain shrug, her face lined with worry, before she turned back to Aang with a soft, “Okay, if you say so.”

They began the journey across the narrow strip of land, their footsteps echoing in the silence as each step took them further away from any hope of turning back. The Serpent’s Pass loomed ominously over them, its jagged rocks and narrow ledges forcing them into single file. Even the sound of the water crashing against the cliffs below was muffled, as though the pass itself was trying to swallow any sign of life that dared traverse it.

Out on the lakes, Hini’s eyes caught the shadow of a Fire Nation ship, its black hull cutting through the water with an air of menace. A chill ran through her.

“The Fire Nation controls the western lake,” Suki said, her voice barely more than a whisper as she looked toward the dark shape on the water. “Rumor has it they're working on something big on the other side, and they don’t want anyone finding out what it is.”

As they trudged along, the ground beneath them suddenly began to tremble. There was a sharp crack, and a section of the narrow ledge gave way, causing rocks to crumble and sending Than, one of the refugees, tumbling toward the edge. Hini’s heart skipped a beat, but before anyone could react, Toph’s hands shot out, her bending pulling the rocks together and lifting Than back onto solid ground.

“I’m okay!” Than gasped, his voice shaky but grateful.

Relieved, Hini was about to thank Toph when a chunk of rock dislodged from the ledge and tumbled into the lake below. They all froze as they saw the Fire Nation ship pause, turning in their direction. The glint of its cannons catching the sunlight sent a fresh wave of dread through Hini’s chest. She didn’t even need to hear Sokka’s voice to know what would come next.

“They’ve spotted us! Let’s go, let’s go!” Sokka shouted, urgency lacing his voice.

Without a second thought, Hini grabbed Toph’s hand, pulling her forward as they broke into a sprint. Her pulse thundered in her ears, a combination of adrenaline and the sickening fear of what would happen if they didn’t make it to cover in time.

Aang launched himself into the air on his glider, deflecting a fireball back at the ship. But another fireball struck the cliffside, dislodging a cascade of rocks that rained down on the narrow ledge. Suki was directly beneath them, frozen in the split second of shock.

Sokka lunged forward, wrapping an arm around Suki’s shoulders and pulling her out of the way just as the rocks crashed where she’d been standing. “Suki, are you okay?” he asked breathlessly, his eyes darting over her as though to make sure she was unharmed. “You have to be more careful! Come on!”

As they scrambled to continue forward, Toph quickly bent a section of the mountain to shield them from the falling rocks, her brow furrowed in concentration as she held the barrier steady.

Sokka barely seemed to notice, his attention still focused on Suki. Toph let out an exasperated huff, crossing her arms with a smirk as she mimicked Sokka’s voice. “‘Thanks for saving my life, Toph.’ ‘Hey, no problem, Sokka.’” Hini felt her stomach twist, though she forced a small chuckle.

Seeing she’d managed to make Hini laugh, Toph grinned, clearly encouraged. “I mean, I save both him and his girlfriend from getting crushed, and they don’t even acknowledge it?”

Hini’s smile faltered, her heart sinking at the mention of the word “girlfriend.” She forced herself to keep her expression steady, but the sting was unmistakable. Did Sokka see Suki that way? Were they really…? She swallowed, her gaze turning back to the rocks in front of them as she tried to push the thought aside.

“You… you think she’s really his girlfriend?” she asked hesitantly, the words tasting strange on her tongue. She wasn’t even sure why she’d asked, but a part of her needed to know.

Toph shrugged, nonchalant as always. “I mean, probably. Why? Don’t tell me that’s why you’ve been all sulky lately.”

Hini’s lips twitched into a slight smile. “I’m always sulky,” she muttered, hoping her humor would deflect the conversation.

“Not like this!” Toph exclaimed. “I swear, if those two do anything to mess with you, they’re both getting a rock in their face.”

Hini chuckled softly, though her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I don’t think that’s necessary, Toph.” She sighed, staring out at the path ahead, her voice quieter. “Really, it’s not a big deal. I mean, Sokka’s the first guy I’ve met who didn’t either wave a sword in my face or act like a pretentious snob. I’m sure this… whatever it is… it’ll pass.”

Toph squinted as if to see through Hini’s words. “Whatever you say, Sulky,” she muttered under her breath.

Hours later, at sunset, they arrived at a small, sheltered clearing where they could set up camp. Shadows stretched across the rocky ledges, cast in the warm glow of the setting sun. The air was thick with the scent of earth and distant pine, a rare moment of calm in the midst of their harrowing journey.

As they unpacked, Hini’s gaze lingered on Sokka, who was helping Suki arrange her things. Sokka crouched beside her, fussing over her sleeping bag and examining the rocky ground as though it were the most treacherous terrain they’d encountered all day.

“Suki, you shouldn’t sleep there. Who knows how stable this ledge is? It could give away at any moment!” he said, adjusting her bag.

“Sokka, I’m fine. Stop worrying!”

“You’re right, you’re right. You’re perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. Wait!” His eyes widened, and he stepped back, looking alarmed. “Oh, never mind, I thought I saw a spider. But, uh… you’re fine.”

Hini watched the exchange, a bittersweet ache settling over her. She forced herself to look away, feigning interest in her own things as she laid out her bedroll and unsheathed her sword, pressing it into the ground beside her in its usual spot for easy reach.

As the stars began to blink into the darkening sky, the others gradually settled down, their soft voices fading to silence. But sleep didn’t come easily for Hini. She lay still, eyes half-closed, listening to the soft crackle of the campfire and the quiet rustling of the night.

In the dim firelight, she saw Suki rise, casting a glance around the camp before quietly slipping away in the direction Sokka had gone earlier. Hini’s fingers tightened around the hilt of her sheathed sword, a strange mix of restlessness and resignation coursing through her. She tried to tell herself that she didn’t care, that Sokka’s feelings were none of her concern, but the ache in her chest told a different story.

Eventually, fatigue won out, and she drifted into a light, uneasy sleep. She didn’t notice when Suki returned a few minutes later, her face lowered and her expression unreadable in the shadows. The silent heaviness lingered between them, casting its own shadow over the small, flickering campfire as the night wore on.

━━━━━━༺༻ ━━━━━━

The next morning, the group set out again, the Serpent's Pass stretching before them in a winding trail of peril and mystery. Mist clung to the rocky terrain, blurring the edges of their path and making the route ahead seem almost like a dream, a daunting mirage hanging over the water’s surface. Hini kept her gaze focused on the group ahead, her stomach tense, both from the uncertainty of their surroundings and the lingering thoughts of Sokka and Suki from the previous night.

As they reached a section of the path that was submerged underwater, Katara’s voice called them to attention. “Everyone, single file!” she instructed, raising her hands to the surface of the water. With a fluid motion, she parted the waves, creating a pathway through the water. “Aang, I need help!”

Aang joined her, bending a sphere of air around them to keep the passage clear, allowing everyone to walk safely through the drowned-out path. Hini felt the pressure of the water surrounding them, thick and heavy, yet held at bay by their combined bending. The light filtered through the water in an eerie blue glow, casting shifting shadows across the group. Each step seemed slower, more calculated as they moved forward in the air bubble.

Momo darted ahead, his attention drawn to the groups of fish darting around outside the bubble. Hini chuckled softly, the sight of him easing her nerves a little as he swam through the water. But a moment later, his chirps turned to alarm as he bolted back, his tiny form nearly colliding with Hini's head as a massive shadow appeared outside the air bubble.

“What is that thing?” Katara’s voice trembled slightly, her eyes widening as she looked out into the depths.

Hini’s heart raced as the shadow loomed closer, darker and more menacing with every second. Without warning, the creature broke through the water with a deafening shriek, shattering the bubble and sending a wave crashing down on the group. Toph raised her hands and bent a patch of earth beneath their feet, lifting them up just in time to avoid being swept away.

A massive serpent coiled before them, its scales glistening and its eyes narrowed in predatory focus. The air seemed to grow colder, the weight of fear settling heavily over them.

“I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent’s Pass!” Sokka yelled, his voice filled with equal parts terror and exasperation. He turned to Suki in desperation. “Suki, you know about giant sea monsters — make it go away!”

Suki shot him a withering look, her expression barely masking her own nervousness. "Just because I live near the unagi doesn't mean I'm an expert!"

Hini barely registered their argument as she stared up at the serpent, her hand instinctively reaching for her sword. The creature’s eyes locked onto them, glistening with a cold intelligence. Beside her, she heard Sokka mutter something ridiculous about offering Momo as a sacrifice, holding the poor creature up like a peace offering. Hini couldn’t help but stifle a small laugh, despite the fear tightening in her chest.

“Sokka!” Katara snapped, scolding him even as she took a defensive stance.

Aang was already in action, pushing the serpent back with a powerful gust of wind. “I’ll distract it! Katara, get everyone across!” he shouted, taking off on his glider and drawing the serpent’s attention as he flew circles around it, each pass diverting it further from the group.

Without wasting a moment, Katara froze a wide patch of water into an ice trail that stretched across the lake, leading to the other side of the pass.

Hini could feel the cold radiating up through her feet, the ice slick beneath them, but there was no time to worry about slipping. Behind her, she heard the furious splashes of the serpent, Aang’s distant shouts as he continued to keep its attention away from them.

They were almost across when Hini looked back, her heart dropping as she saw Toph still stranded on the small island of rock, her feet frozen in place. The earthbender’s face was pale, and her hands gripped the edge of the rocky ledge tightly.

“Toph, come on! It’s just ice!” Sokka yelled from the other side, his voice ringing with urgency.

Toph reached out with her foot, feeling for the ice’s surface, but her blindness rendered it a terrifying unknown. “Actually, I think I’ll just stay on my little island here, where I can see,” she shouted back, her voice wavering with forced confidence. Hini knew it was taking every ounce of Toph's bravery just to admit her fear. Then, as if to make her decision for her, the serpent surged from the water, its powerful body slicing through the remaining rock and leaving Toph with no choice.

“Okay, I’m coming!” Toph said, inching her way forward, her steps tentative and unsteady.

“You’re doing great, just follow the sound of my voice!” Sokka called out.

“It’s hard to ignore,” Toph grumbled, though Hini could see she was using his voice to steady herself. Hini felt a pang in her chest, a strange warmth as she watched Sokka’s focus on her sister. She shook herself, swallowing down the unexpected feeling, and leaned forward.

“You’re almost there!” she encouraged, her voice loud but trembling. Just then, the serpent struck the ice, shattering the bridge and sending Toph plunging into the water below.

“Help!” Toph’s cry tore through the air, panic clear in her voice. “I… I can’t swim!”

Without hesitation, Hini and Sokka leapt forward, but before they could even reach the edge, Suki was already diving in. Hini watched with a mix of admiration and relief as Suki’s strong strokes cut through the water, pulling Toph up just as she disappeared beneath the surface.

When they emerged, sputtering but safe, Toph clung to Suki, her arms trembling as she gasped for air. “Oh, Sokka, you saved me!” she said, turning her face toward Suki, mistaking her for him in her disorientation. Then, with a flush of embarrassment, Toph planted a quick, grateful kiss on Suki’s cheek.

“Actually, it’s me,” Suki replied, amused, but keeping her voice soft, gentle.

“Oh…” Toph chuckled, a blush creeping up her face. “Well, uh… you can go ahead and let me drown now.”

Hini’s heart finally steadied as they all got back to solid ground. She rushed over, wrapping an arm around Toph’s shoulders, grounding her sister with a gentle squeeze, both of them breathing out sighs of relief. Only once everyone was safe did she feel herself relax, her heartbeat gradually settling. She looked at Suki, who was wringing out her soaked clothes, a steady presence in the chaos.

A quiet thankfulness filled her, but beneath it, another feeling stirred. She glanced over at Sokka, who was still staring intently at Suki, admiration clear in his eyes. A small pang of something unidentifiable flared in Hini's chest as she watched the way his gaze softened. She bit her lip, feeling a strange twist of emotions that she wasn’t quite ready to name.

As they continued toward the end of the Serpent’s Pass, Hini fell into step beside Suki, who walked a few paces ahead of the group. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she caught up and reached out, her voice quieter than usual. “Hey, Suki,” she began, her voice laced with sincerity and something close to admiration. “I… I just wanted to thank you. For, you know… saving Toph back there.”

Suki’s expression softened as she looked at Hini, her surprise shifting into a warm, steady smile. "Of course. I’d do it again in a heartbeat." She paused, her eyes catching the slight flicker of unease in Hini's gaze. "Toph’s tough, but even she needs someone looking out for her sometimes. I guess I just happened to be in the right place."

Hini nodded slowly, glancing down to hide her face as a wave of relief washed over her. “Still… it means a lot to me. I’m not sure what I would have done if something had happened to her.”

For a moment, the two of them shared a quiet silence, a mutual understanding settling between them. Suki placed a reassuring hand on Hini’s shoulder and offered a small nod. "I get it. She’s lucky to have someone like you watching over her."

As they continued walking, the air between them settled into a comfortable silence. Hini felt a sense of calm, yet her thoughts were a tangled mess. She glanced back at Sokka, who was leading the way with his usual confident stride, the warmth of the moment with Suki lingering like a pleasant ache.

With a soft sigh, Suki finally broke the silence. “Look, Hini…” She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “I know we haven’t really talked much. And I think I might know why.” Her gaze drifted, almost instinctively, towards Sokka.

Hini followed her gaze, a subtle warmth creeping up her cheeks as she noticed Sokka again, his face lit up with the excitement of seeing Ba Sing Se on the horizon. She felt a nervous flutter in her chest but kept her focus on Suki.

“But I hope we can be friends,” Suki continued, her voice gentle yet sincere.

Hini managed a small, genuine smile, her earlier nervousness easing. “Of course we can be friends.”

They shared a soft laugh, and the tension that had been building between them seemed to dissolve. The moment only grew lighter as they both noticed the towering walls of Ba Sing Se coming into view.

“There’s the wall!” Sokka exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement. “Now it’s nothing but smooth sailing to Ba Sing Se!”

But their moment of triumph was cut short as Ying, one of the refugees they had been traveling with, let out a loud, painful groan. Hini spun around, her heart racing as she saw Ying clutching her belly, her face twisted in discomfort.

“Oh no!” Ying gasped.

“What’s wrong?” Sokka asked, his initial excitement melting into concern.

“The baby’s coming!” Ying said, her voice strained.

Sokka’s eyes went wide, his face going pale. "What? Now? Can't you hold it in or something?"

“Sokka, calm down.” Katara’s voice was calm and reassuring, stepping forward with a practiced ease. "I helped Gran-Gran deliver lots of babies back home."

Sokka looked at her in disbelief, clearly struggling to process. “This isn’t the same as delivering an arctic seal! This is a real… human… thing!”

"It's called a baby, Sokka, and I've helped her deliver plenty of those, too," Katara said firmly, giving him a reassuring look before turning back to the task at hand. "Aang, get some rags. Sokka, water. Toph, I need you to make an earth tent, a big one."

Toph immediately got to work, her hands pressing down as she shifted the ground, forming a sturdy tent around them. The tent offered some shelter, sealing them in from the cold winds and giving Ying a semblance of privacy. The atmosphere felt tense yet determined as each of them jumped into action.

“Suki and Hini, come with me,” Katara directed, and the two girls hurried to her side, ready to assist. Hini felt a mixture of nerves and excitement; she’d never been part of something so… intimate, so human.

Inside the earthy tent, Ying’s painful groans echoed off the rock walls as the process of delivering her baby continued. Hini reached out, squeezing Ying's hand as Katara knelt beside her, maintaining a steady, calm presence. “You’re doing great, Ying,” Katara assured her, dabbing Ying’s forehead with a damp cloth.

“Sokka, where’s that water?” she called over her shoulder, her voice rising just enough to convey the urgency.

Sokka stumbled into the tent, water in hand, just as Ying was instructed to push. The intensity of the moment must have overwhelmed him; as soon as Ying began pushing, he paled, swayed slightly, and with a small, helpless gasp, fainted right beside them.

Hini bit back a chuckle at the sight of him crumpled on the floor, and Suki stifled a laugh as they both exchanged a look, their shared amusement helping ease some of the tension. But before long, a new sound filled the air — the soft, startled cry of a newborn baby.

“It’s a girl!” Katara announced, her voice full of joy as she held the tiny bundle up for everyone to see. The tent seemed to brighten in that moment, the tension giving way to awe. Aang, Toph, and a groggy Sokka peered in from outside, eager to see the new life that had just joined their world.

Toph smirked, nudging Sokka playfully as he regained his senses. “So, you want to go see the baby, or are you gonna faint like an old lady again?”

Sokka rolled his eyes, trying to regain his dignity as he adjusted his stance. “No, no, I’m good this time,” he muttered, brushing himself off and entering the tent with the others.

Inside, the baby’s cries quieted, and everyone gathered around to marvel at the tiny, squirming bundle in Ying’s arms. “She sounds healthy,” Toph observed, her face unusually soft as she listened closely.

“She’s beautiful,” Hini whispered, caught up in the delicate beauty of the moment.

Sokka leaned in, squinting at the baby, his expression somewhere between awe and bewilderment. “It’s so… squishy-looking,” he said, his voice a mixture of amazement and confusion.

Ying and Than shared a tender look, lost in the joy of their new daughter. Than squeezed Ying’s shoulder, his voice low but full of love. “What should we name her?”

Ying looked down at her baby, a thoughtful smile playing at her lips. “I want our daughter’s name to be unique. I want it to mean something,” she murmured, her gaze fixed on the tiny face in her arms.

Aang, who had been watching quietly from the side, wiped a tear from his cheek, his own heart visibly full. “I’ve been going through a really hard time lately,” he said softly, his voice filled with emotion. “But you’ve made me… hopeful again.”

Ying’s face softened at his words, and she looked back down at her daughter with a newfound certainty. “I know what I want to name our baby now,” she said, her voice warm and full of conviction. “Hope.”

“That’s a perfect name,” Than agreed, his eyes shining with pride. “Hope.”

━━━━━━༺༻ ━━━━━━

As they stood outside the earth tent, Aang gave the group one last look, determination filling his gaze. “I promise, I'll find Appa as fast as I can. I just really need to do this.”

Sokka gave him a solid nod. “See you in the big city.”

Hini smiled, her voice soft yet encouraging. “Say hi to Appa for us,” she said.

"You'll find him, Aang." Katara said.

Aang smiled back, his gaze lingering on Katara. “I know. Thank you, Katara. You ready, Momo?" With Momo perched on his shoulder, Aang turned, took a deep breath, and took to the sky, leaving the group watching his silhouette fade into the horizon, each of them waving goodbye.

As the others began to filter out, Hini stayed behind, her mind drifting as she watched Aang disappear. Beside her, Sokka stood in silence, shifting awkwardly on his feet. She could feel his presence, the warmth and familiarity of it, but there was also something else — something unspoken and heavy.

Sokka finally broke the silence with a deep sigh. “Hini—”

She cut him off gently, offering a small smile. “It’s okay,” she said, lifting a hand in reassurance. She wanted to ease his guilt, to let him know she wasn’t expecting anything more from him. At least, that’s what she told herself.

“But—” he started, his gaze meeting hers, filled with a vulnerability she rarely saw from him.

“Sokka,” she interrupted softly, her voice steady but carrying an unspoken depth. “You don’t owe me anything. I hope you know that.”

He looked down, clearly struggling with his words. “Yeah,” he said after a pause, though his expression held a hint of conflict. “Yeah, I know.”

A quiet lingered between them, their unspoken feelings filling the space, almost tangible in the air. Hini could feel her heart beating just a little faster, wondering if he would say more, if he would let his guard down even a fraction more. But before either of them could speak again, Suki approached, her expression gentle but resolute.

“Sokka, it’s been really great to see you again,” Suki said, her voice carrying a warmth that Hini couldn’t help but notice.

Sokka’s face shifted, surprise flickering in his eyes. “Whoa, hold on,” he replied, glancing between her and Hini. “Why does it sound like you’re saying goodbye?”

Suki’s gaze softened as she met his eyes. “I came along because I wanted to make sure you got through the Serpent’s Pass safely. But now, I need to get back to the other Kyoshi Warriors.”

Turning to Hini, Suki offered a sincere smile. “It was nice meeting you, Hini. Take care of yourself.”

Hini returned her smile, trying to keep her expression steady even as her chest felt tight. “You too, Suki. Thank you… for everything.”

With a gentle hug for each of them, Suki pulled away and disappeared down the path, leaving Hini and Sokka standing side by side once more, the air feeling somehow heavier in her absence.

They stood in silence, side by side, watching the fading light, each caught in their own thoughts.