The Avatar's Guardian

Chapter 31 The Serpent's Pass

We thankfully found a peaceful place to make camp for a short while. A lake in the middle of nowhere. Katara had fun jumping off the highest rocks into the water while the rest of us, minus Sokka, just put our feet in the water. Sokka on the other hand was busy studying the map that he had. Figuring out which way to go.
Katara did a cannonball off the highest point, and it was a big blast. Because she's a waterbender, any cannonball she does will be big. The only problem about this cannonball, was that it got all of Sokka's papers wet.

"Sure, five thousand year old maps from the spirit library, just splash some water on them." He complained holding up the dripping map.

"Sorry." She goes to the edge of the lake, and waterbends the water out of the scroll, making it undamaged.

"So, did you figure out what route we're going to take?" Aang asked Sokka, getting out of the water himself.

"Okay. We just got out of the desert, so we must be around here." Sokka pointed to a small lake in the middle of the barren land. "And we need to go to Ba Sing Se, which is here. It looks like the only passage connecting the South to the North is this sliver of land called the Serpent's Pass."
"You're sure that's the best way to go?" Toph asked him.

"It's the only way. I mean, it's not like we have Apps to fly us there." I instantly glare at him for mentioning Appa. I mean seriously, can he not take a hint?
"Hey,, shush up about Appa." Katara called him out on it. "Can't you at least try to be sensitive?"
"Katara, it's okay." Aang spoke up "I know I was upset about losing Appa before, but I just want to focus on getting to Ba Sing Se, and telling the Earth King about the solar eclipse." I think me hitting him a few times helped him get to this point. Or at least I hope it helped a little.

"Then to Ba Sing Se we go." Sokka rolled up the map, and as soon as the map was put away, and he was standing, I instantly hit him on the head, knocking him to his feat.

"What was that for?" He cried out in pain.

"For being an idiot." I didn't have any time to say anything else, because a few people showed up.

"Hello there, fellow refugees!" A man said, behind him, was a very pregnant women, and a teenager.

"So, are you guys headed to Ba Sing Se as well?" Aang asked them.

"Sure are." Than, the man of the group replied. "We're trying to get there before my wife Ying has her baby."
"Great, we can travel through the Serpent's Pass together." Katara must have instantly regretted saying that after looking at the fear on the travelers faces.

"The Serpent's Pass?" Ying asked. "Only the truly desperate take that deadly route."
"Deadly route. Great pick, Sokka." Toph hit his arm painfully, judging from the sound of pain coming from his mouth.

"We're desperate." He said, trying to defend himself.

"You should come with us to Full Moon Bay. Ferries take refugees across the lake. It's the fastest way to Ba Sing Se."
"It's also hidden, so that the Fire Nation can't find it."
"Well, we're definitely taking the ferry." I said, the others didn't try to argue with me.

We were lead into a cave, and Earth Kingdom earthbenders let us through the cliff.

"I can't believe how many people's lives have been uprooted by the Fire Nation." Katara said, looking at how many refugees are here.

"We're all looking for a better life. Safe, behind the walls of Ba Sing Se."

We got into line and at the front, the same cabbage merchant was trying to bring his cabbages with him on the boat, but the Bureaucrat called security, which happens to be a Platypus Bear.