The Avatar team soared through the skies on the back of the flying bison, a sense of awkward silence filling the air.

"We knew it wouldn't all be laughter and roses... Right?" Sokka voiced the question that was on all their minds, each carrying their own dose of reality.

"It's no use dwelling on it. Living in the past won't improve our present. So, wipe those frowns off your faces, or I'll toss you over the edge of this flying bison," he threatened, managing to coax smiles from the group and lifting their spirits.

"That doesn't scare me. I can fly."

"Me neither. You're a lightweight compared to me, Sokka."

"At least we're over the sea. You practically threw me into something I can control."

"Fair enough. I get it. You guys have superpowers, and I'm just a regular guy. No need to rub it in." Sokka grumbled and turned away from them, arms crossed.

"Come on, Sokka, that's not true. You're really funny."

"And smart. Remember that time you figured out who was stealing beef jerky from the warehouse?"

"That's right! Everyone was blaming poor polar bear Naha, and Sokka found out it was old Yenkis!" He said proudly, his ego inflating with the praise from the Avatar and his younger sister. But there was one person who hadn't chimed in yet.

"Come on, Naruto, you have to say something," Katara whispered in the shinobi's ear. He was actually contemplating what to say, wanting to choose his words carefully, especially for someone as sensitive as Sokka when it came to his abilities compared to theirs.

"Uhh... Yes, of course! Sokka, there are many things about you that are... great, like your wolf's tail."

"It's a wolf's tail," a vein popped on Sokka's forehead. In his culture, tying his hair in a wolf's tail signified that he was recognized as a warrior of his tribe.

"Of course, buddy, it makes you look tougher and more mature. Who knows, maybe I'll grow my hair long and tie it up the same way." What a blatant lie. The way he said it so quickly and with a forced smile made it hard to believe. At best, only a complete fool would fall for it.

"I know, buddy. It took months for my hair to grow to the right length. But trust me, it's worth it. And don't worry, I'll help you get one just like mine."

"That sounds... cool." Naruto had no intention of ever wearing a wolf's tail. It would make him look like Ino, and pardon him, but that girl was incredibly loud and annoying. Although perhaps a style like Shikamaru's wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Guys, look!" Everyone peered down in the direction the Avatar was pointing, revealing an immense forest and swamp that stretched for hundreds of kilometers, disappearing into the horizon. Undoubtedly, it was a vast place teeming with both animal and plant life.

"Do you feel that?" Aang appeared the most excited as they soared over the forest, sensing an almost spiritual attraction that made him feel as if the swamp was calling to him.

"Feel what?" For those without a strong spiritual connection, it was merely a vast, dark forest.

"There's something big." Naruto couldn't quite pinpoint what he felt, but it didn't fill him with fear or fascination. Instead, it piqued his curiosity. His level of spiritual sensitivity was nowhere near Aang's, but the ability to sense the killer instincts of individuals like Zabuza, Orochimaru, Gaara, and others had given him some idea of detecting things beyond the grasp of ordinary people, such as chakra – an energy present in every person from birth in his shinobi world. Whatever lurked in that swamp felt... alive.

"We should steer clear of this place."

"What's the matter, wizard? It's just trees and plants."

"I don't know, Sokka. I can sense something odd in this place... something dark," the waterbender spoke in hushed tones, sharing the unease about whatever might be hidden down there.

"I think we need to land. King Bumi said I have to learn to listen to the earth, and I feel like it's calling me now. Should I ignore it?"

"Aang, you make it sound like the earth is alive." Naruto came from a world where he'd witnessed truly bizarre phenomena and creatures that even dwarfed mountains, but the notion of the earth speaking was a bit too surreal for him. "I doubt a piece of land would say, 'Come on, friend, let's have a cup of tea.'"

"I guess you're right." Disheartened, Aang accepted his friends' words. Perhaps he was simply fatigued, and the strange sensations were products of his own imagination. Adjusting the reins of his flying bison, he was about to instruct it to ascend, but then they heard an unusual noise that made them glance behind them.

"Oh, man..." They found themselves overshadowed by a colossal tornado that laid waste to everything in its path. Before they could react, they were sucked into its vortex, carried away against their will.

…..

"All refugees, please start registering your names, and soon you will be assisted to pass through the border," announced the messenger from the Earth Kingdom. His guards began to gather the townsfolk, preparing for their mobilization. In the midst of the crowd of refugees, Azula, impatient as ever, distanced herself, hoping for some space.

She despised being surrounded by commoners, who were often dirty and emaciated. Her discomfort among them was evident. Finding an alley, she sat down on a wooden box. Ignoring the rumblings of her hungry stomach, she gazed into a puddle of dirty water, contemplating her reflection. It had been a few weeks since she left the town that had cast her out, and despite herself, her thoughts wandered to the girls who had once welcomed and helped her.

Her fingers delicately traced the scarf around her neck, which she now regarded as her most valuable possession.

"What are you doing here?!"

Azula reacted swiftly, narrowly avoiding a sword swing that nearly claimed her head. Unfortunately, her hood wasn't as lucky; it ended up separated from her cloak. With a grunt of irritation, she discarded the cloak, revealing her dark and red attire.

She threw her cloak toward her attacker, temporarily obstructing their vision, and swiftly followed up with a powerful kick that sent them sprawling. Without hesitation, she unleashed a blazing wave of fire, intending to reduce anyone daring to challenge her to ashes.

To her dismay, her flames were repelled and dissipated, revealing her assailant.

Azula's frown deepened as she saw her older brother, Zuko, wielding twin swords, his expression seething with rage.

"You've been trailing us? To hunt us down!"

"Don't flatter yourself, Zuzu. You were never important to me before your banishment, and you're even less so now." Her acidic words only further stoked her banished brother's fury.

With a roar of anger, Zuko charged into the fray, and Azula wasted no time in retaliating, her hands ablaze with fire. Each step they took was a step closer to a fight both siblings had always yearned for.

"Halt!"

Thankfully, that showdown wasn't meant to occur at this moment.

Both teenagers froze in their tracks, with Zuko's twin swords mere inches from Azula's throat, and her flaming hands just as close to gouging Zuko's eyes.

For several moments, the two brothers locked eyes until Zuko took a step back, sheathing his swords in the scabbard strapped to his back.

Azula extinguished the flames in her hands and directed her attention to the person who had intervened.

"I'd say it's a pleasure, Uncle, but that would be a lie," she spoke with a mocking smile as she noticed her uncle at the alley's entrance.

"Well, I'm not lying when I say I'm surprised to see you here, Azula," the elderly Dragon of the West replied calmly, glancing around. Fortunately, the skirmish had gone unnoticed by onlookers.

That would have caused unnecessary trouble.

"You both look like a mess," he remarked, disregarding his niece's glare, as he assessed the state of their disheveled clothing.

"You don't look much better," Zuko grumbled, still with a hand resting on his sword's hilt, earning another stern look from his sister.

"Better than you, Zuzu."

"Don't call me that."

"Oh, what? Are you going to run to Uncle and cry?"

"We'll see who's crying today!"

"Zuko, enough!" Iroh's raised voice brought the prince to a halt as he was about to unsheathe his swords. Zuko grunted in frustration but did his best to calm down. "Why don't we have some tea and talk rationally, like the family we are?"

The two brothers exchanged a few more glares before, without uttering a word, they followed their uncle.

[ If you want to read advance Chapters then go to Pat reon and support me there.

PAT REON I'D:- Alzero ]