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five. cactus juice !

𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐈 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐃 𝐀 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃, squinting against the harsh desert sun, her eyes desperately scanning the endless waves of sand for any sign of Appa. The vast expanse stretched out before her, with no comforting silhouette of the sky bison in sight. Her heart sank, frustration and worry pressing down on her chest.

Behind her, Aang's voice broke through the heavy silence, his tone sharp and accusing as he whirled around to face Toph. "How could you let them take Appa? Why didn't you stop them‌?"

Toph flinched, her usually confident demeanor faltering as she raised her hands in defense. "I couldn't! The library was sinking! You guys were still inside, and I-" She paused, her voice breaking slightly, as if trying to find the right words to explain herself. But Aang was already storming toward her, his frustration boiling over.

"You could've come to get us!" Aang's voice grew louder, his face flushed with a mix of desperation and fury. "I could've saved him!"

Hini's heart raced as the tension between them escalated. She had seen Aang upset before, but never like this, never with such raw intensity. It was as if losing Appa had ripped away a part of him, leaving him teetering on the edge of something darker. Unable to stand by any longer, Hini strode over to them, positioning herself between her sister and Aang.

"Alright, Aang, that's enough!" Hini's voice was firm but laced with concern, her gaze locking onto Aang's. She could feel the pain radiating from him, but she couldn't let him take it out on Toph.

Toph, however, still felt the need to explain herself, her voice quieter now but full of remorse. "I can hardly feel any vibrations out here. The sandbenders snuck up on me, and there wasn't time for-" She trailed off, her usual tough exterior cracking under the weight of her guilt.

Aang's eyes narrowed, his voice sharp and cold. "You just didn't care! You never liked Appa! You wanted him gone!"

The words hit Toph like a blow, her expression tightening, though she didn't speak again. Hini's chest tightened at the harshness of Aang's accusation, her protective instincts for her sister flaring. But before she could respond, Katara approached, her hand resting gently on Aang's shoulder in an attempt to calm him.

"Aang, stop it," Katara urged, her voice soft yet firm. "You know Toph did all she could. She saved our lives."

Sokka, who had been eerily silent until now, spoke up from where he stood, still scanning the desert as if hoping against hope that Appa would suddenly appear on the horizon. "Who's going to save our lives now? We'll never make it out of here."

His words seemed to settle over the group like a dark cloud, the weight of their situation sinking in. Hini could see the exhaustion in everyone's faces, the unspoken fear that they were truly lost in this endless wasteland.

Aang's frustration boiled over, and he abruptly turned away from the group, his fists clenched at his sides. "That's all any of you guys care about - yourselves!" His voice was raw, full of anger and betrayal. "You don't care whether Appa is okay or not!"

Hini winced at the accusation, her heart aching for him. She knew how much Appa meant to Aang - how much Appa was part of Aang's very being. But the words he flung at them were unfair, lashing out in his grief.

Katara stepped forward, trying to reason with him, her tone measured but strained. "We're all concerned, but we can't afford to be fighting now. We need to stick together."

But Aang's mind was already made up. "I'm going after Appa." His voice was cold, resolute, the pain in his eyes now hardening into determination. Before anyone could say another word, he unfurled his glider and took off, soaring into the sky, leaving Katara's desperate pleas to be carried away by the wind.

Hini watched him disappear into the distance, her throat tight with a mix of worry and helplessness. The silence that followed felt suffocating, heavy with all the words left unsaid. After what felt like an eternity, Katara broke the stillness, her voice low and filled with resignation. "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."

Without further discussion, the group began moving, though the tension between them lingered. Katara led the way, her back straight but her steps heavy with the weight of responsibility. Hini fell into step beside Toph, her hand reaching out to squeeze her sister's. The simple gesture spoke volumes, a silent reassurance that Hini was on her side, that she understood the pain Toph was feeling even if no one else did.

Toph squeezed back, her expression unreadable behind her usual mask of stoicism, but Hini could sense the gratitude in that brief touch. The desert stretched out endlessly before them, a barren reminder of just how small and vulnerable they were out here, and Hini couldn't help but feel the gnawing fear creeping into the pit of her stomach. How were they going to survive this?

Sokka, ever the one to lighten the mood - even in the most dire of circumstances - spoke up again, though his tone lacked its usual cheerfulness. "You think if we dig out the giant owl, he'll give us a ride?"

Hini usually found herself laughing at Sokka's dry humor, but now, the words felt hollow. She shook her head solemnly, her eyes downcast as the weight of the situation pressed down on her. The desert was vast, unforgiving, and with each step, the reality of their situation became harder to ignore.

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It felt like they had been wandering the desert for an eternity, each step heavier than the last. The sun hung mercilessly overhead, burning down on them, and the shifting sands seemed endless, swallowing their footsteps as quickly as they made them. Exhaustion clung to Hini like a second skin, the dry heat sucking the last bits of moisture from her body. Her lips were chapped, her throat parched, and every breath felt like inhaling fire. She wiped her brow, though there was no relief from the unrelenting sun.

Beside her, Sokka trudged along with Momo perched on his back. His movements were sluggish, but he was determined to press on. With a sigh, he stopped suddenly and gently lifted Momo, positioning him so that the little lemur's wings could fan out and create some much-needed shade. Hini glanced up, her face softening with gratitude as she offered him a tired smile.

"Thanks, Sokka," she muttered, her voice hoarse from dehydration.

"Don't mention it," he replied, though his face was flushed from the heat, and it was clear he wasn't much better off.

Just as they exchanged a brief moment of camaraderie, Toph stumbled into Sokka, nearly knocking him over. His annoyance flared up instantly.

"Can't you watch where you're-" Sokka began, irritation seeping into his voice, but as he turned to face her, the realization hit him. His eyes widened with understanding.

"No." Toph answered plainly, cutting him off with a simple, blunt statement.

Sokka quickly backtracked. "Right. Sorry." His tone was sheepish, and he knew better than to push further.

Katara, walking ahead of the group, turned around, her eyes full of concern for her friends. "Come on, guys. We've got to stick together." Her voice was gentle but filled with determination. It was clear she was trying to keep their spirits up, even if she herself was starting to falter under the weight of the journey.

Sokka, still tangled with Toph, tried to awkwardly free himself, their clothes stuck together with sweat. He pushed against her, though it did little to help. "If I sweat anymore, sticking together won't be a problem." His attempt at humor was half-hearted, but it was enough to earn a slight smirk from Hini.

With an irritated huff, Toph placed her hand squarely on Sokka's face and shoved him to the ground, effectively freeing them both. Sokka grunted, landing with a soft thud in the sand, while Toph simply crossed her arms.

"Katara," Toph called out, her voice flat, though there was a hint of weariness beneath it. "Can I have some more water?"

Katara hesitated, glancing down at her water pouch. "Okay, but we've got to try to conserve it." She uncorked the pouch and bent four small blobs of water from it, sending them into the mouths of Hini, Sokka, Toph, and Momo. The water was barely a sip, but it was something.

Sokka swished the water around in his mouth, savoring the coolness before finally swallowing. A thoughtful look crossed his face, and he smacked his lips, trying to place the strange taste.

"We're drinking your bending water?" he asked, his expression souring as he realized where the water had been. He scrunched up his face in disgust. "You used this on the swamp guy!"

"It does taste swampy," Toph agreed, her tone casual as she wiped her mouth.

"And moldy," Hini added with a grimace. The taste lingered unpleasantly, and she shuddered, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand.

Momo let out a sad little cry, smacking his lips in protest. Even he wasn't spared from the unpleasant flavor.

Katara's face fell, guilt and exhaustion mixing in her expression. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, corking her water pouch with a resigned sigh. "It's all we have."

For a moment, the group was silent, the oppressive heat pressing down on them. It seemed like they were at their breaking point, the weight of their situation hanging heavy over their heads. Just when the hopelessness of the desert seemed like it might swallow them whole, Sokka's face suddenly lit up, his eyes wide with a spark of an idea.

"Not anymore! Look!" He pointed excitedly ahead.

The others followed his gaze, squinting against the blinding sun as Sokka hurried over to a cactus nearby. With a triumphant grin, he whipped out his machete and cut a piece of the cactus off. Without a second thought, he began drinking the fluid from inside, clearly thrilled by the discovery.

Momo scrambled after him, eager to join in.

"Sokka, wait!" Katara's voice was laced with concern. "You shouldn't be eating strange plants!"

Katara rushed over to Sokka, her concern growing with every step, while Hini followed close behind, dragging a reluctant Toph by the hand. They arrived just in time to see Sokka and Momo eagerly gulping down more cactus juice, oblivious to the potential consequences.

With a triumphant grin, Sokka cut open another part of the cactus and proudly offered it to Hini, his enthusiasm undeterred by her skeptical expression. "You told me you were thirsty!" he said, the juice dripping from his chin.

Hini backed away, eyeing the cactus warily. "I don't know, Sokka... this doesn't seem like a good idea."

Sokka said, cactus juice dripping off his chin. "Suit yourself. It's very thirst-quenching, though." He gave Hini a big smile.

Sokka waved it off, his smile widening as he took another sloppy drink. "Suit yourself. But it's very thirst-quenching." His pupils suddenly dilated, expanding like saucers, and he blinked rapidly, as if trying to shake off the strange sensation. "Drink cactus juice!" he declared to no one in particular. "It'll quench ya! Nothing's quenchier!"

Katara exchanged a worried glance with Hini just as Sokka started crawling across the ground like a caterpillar, his movements erratic. With a wild leap, he jumped to his feet. "It's the quenchiest!"

Hini cringed, watching as Sokka continued his bizarre behavior. Katara wasted no time. She grabbed the cactus from him and poured the remaining juice onto the sand. "Okay, I think you've had enough."

Suddenly, Sokka's wide-eyed gaze shifted to Toph. His face contorted in confusion. "Who lit Toph on fire?"

Before Katara or Hini could even process his absurd question, they were distracted by a sudden whooshing sound overhead. Looking up, they saw Momo flying in tight, dizzying circles, his speed increasing with every loop. Then, with a sudden drop, Momo plummeted to the ground, landing headfirst in the sand.

Katara rushed to his side, scooping the unconscious lemur into her arms and cradling him protectively.

Toph, unfazed by the chaos around her, asked dryly, "Can I get some of that cactus?"

Hini quickly wrapped an arm around Toph's shoulders. "Yeah... I don't think that's a good idea."

Katara, her concern for Aang growing by the minute, turned and addressed them both. "Come on, we need to find Aang."

With that, Katara led the way, pulling Hini and Toph along as they trudged through the desert. Sokka, however, stayed behind, staring blankly up at the sky, lost in his cactus-fueled delusions. Realizing he wasn't following, Katara retraced her steps and grabbed Sokka by the arm, dragging him forward.

"How did we get out here in the middle of the ocean?" Sokka asked in awe, his voice dreamy. Hini sighed, trying to suppress a laugh, while Katara simply shook her head.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew sand across their path as they crested another dune. Squinting against the dust, they spotted something unusual in the distance - a giant mushroom-shaped cloud rising from the ground.

Katara squinted, shielding her eyes from the sun. "What is that?" she asked, turning to Hini for confirmation.

"What? What is what?" Toph asked, her brows furrowing as she tugged on Hini's hand, unable to see the spectacle for herself.

Sokka raised his arms in the air, an expression of pure wonder on his face. "It's a giant... mushroom!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with childlike excitement. "Maybe it's friendly!"

Katara sighed, already exhausted from dealing with him. "Let's just keep moving. I hope Aang's okay," she said, starting to walk away, with Hini and Toph following close behind.

But Sokka wasn't done yet. As they moved ahead, he dropped to his knees in front of the distant mushroom cloud and began waving his arms in a strange, worshipful manner. "Friendly mushroom! Mushy giant friend!" he chanted, oblivious to the absurdity of the situation.

Hini glanced back at him, shaking her head. "I swear, he's getting weirder by the minute."

Katara just sighed. "Let's hope this wears off soon."

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As the twilight deepened, casting long shadows across the endless desert, the group trudged along in single file, their exhaustion palpable. A shadow passed overhead, and Aang landed behind them with a soft thud, kicking up a small cloud of sand. The dust settled, but Aang remained crouched, his gaze fixed on the ground.

Katara was the first to approach him, her voice gentle but firm. "I'm sorry, Aang. I know it's hard for you right now, but we need to focus on getting out of here." She rested a comforting hand on his shoulder, but he pulled away, his expression bleak.

"What's the difference?" Aang muttered, his voice hollow. "We won't survive without Appa. We all know it."

Katara knelt beside him, trying to meet his eyes. "Come on, Aang. We can do this if we work together." She turned to the others, looking for support. "Right, Toph?"

Toph crossed her arms, scowling at the endless stretch of sand. "As far as I can feel, we're trapped in a giant bowl of sand pudding. I got nothin'."

Katara didn't lose hope. She turned to Hini next. "Hini?"

Hini shook her head, her shoulders slumping. "Feels like we've been walking in circles, Katara. I really don't know how we're going to get out of here."

Desperation creeping into her voice, Katara glanced at Sokka. "Sokka? Any ideas how to find Ba Sing Se?"

Sokka lay sprawled on his back next to Momo, both of them gazing blissfully at the sky. With a dreamy smile, Sokka pointed upwards. "Why don't we ask the circle birds?"

Hini looked up, spotting the buzzard wasps circling ominously overhead. She grimaced, knowing those creatures were no help. Katara pressed her hands to her temples in frustration. "Ugh... We're getting out of this desert, and we're going to do it together!" She took a deep breath, turning back to Aang. "Aang, get up. Everybody, hold hands. We can do this. We have to."

Reluctantly, they all linked hands. With Katara leading, they continued trudging forward, the sun slowly sinking behind the dunes, casting a warm orange glow across the sand.

After what felt like hours of walking, Katara finally stopped. "I think we should rest for the night," she suggested, her voice soft but resolute.

The others sighed in relief, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion. Toph immediately voiced what everyone was thinking. "Is there any more water?"

Katara opened her pouch, her expression apologetic. "This is the last of it. Everyone can have a little drink."

Sokka, with Momo still riding on his back, crawled toward her as Katara bent the remaining water into the air. But before anyone could drink, Momo leaped excitedly at the water, knocking it to the ground.

Sokka let out a theatrical cry of despair, clutching his head. "Momo, no! You've killed us all!"

Katara, ever calm, placed her hand over the damp sand and smoothly bent the water back into her pouch. "No, he hasn't," she said matter-of-factly, bending the water to Toph.

Sokka blinked, suddenly realizing what she'd done. "Oh, right. Bending."

"Sokka, let me see the things you took from the library," Katara said, her tone gentle but firm.

Sokka immediately grew defensive, clutching his bag. "What? I didn't steal anything! Who told you that?" His eyes darted to Momo, and he pointed accusingly. "It was you! You ratted me out!"

Katara raised an eyebrow, exasperated. "Sokka, I was there." She calmly took the bag from him, sifting through the scrolls. As she examined them, Aang sighed deeply.

"It doesn't matter," Aang said, his voice heavy with sadness. "None of those will tell us where Appa is."

"No," Katara agreed, "but we can figure out which way Ba Sing Se is. We can use the stars to guide us." She pulled out a map of the stars, spreading it in front of her. "That way we can travel at night when it's cooler and rest during the day."

Katara turned around, expecting the group to show some enthusiasm, but instead found them all sprawled out on the sand. Sokka, Aang, and Toph lay motionless, while Hini sat with a hopeless expression, shrugging in defeat.

Katara sighed deeply. "Just try to get some sleep," she said, folding the map. "We'll start again in a few hours."

With that, they settled into the sand, their weariness overtaking them as the stars blinked into view overhead.

𝐀/𝐍 !!!

had to split this chapter in half becuase it was wayyyy too long (for reference this is the shorter half... yeah)