Chapter Text
Ancient trees stretched like arms toward the starlit sky, plunging the woods into eerie darkness. It seemed they had been walking for hours, but were no closer to finding a place to stop.
“Hey, here’s a clearing!” Aang called, breaking through the thick, dark forest. “Let’s stay here for the night.”
“Last one to set up the bed rolls has to make rice!” Katara sang. “No excuses now that Uncle Iroh taught all of you how to cook.”
“Still blind!”
“Like that’s ever stopped you. Come on. Let’s set up camp.”
Toph pitched a tent in seconds with her bending. “Hey Sparky, get that fire going. I thought you were a Firebender!”
“Your bending has been kind of weird ever since your Uncle left…”
“Thanks, Aang,” Zuko scowled. “I just need to -”
“To what?”
“I don’t know! Meditate, probably. Uncle was always talking about how bending comes from the breath.”
“Well, I think there’s enough breathing going on. Whoever is moaning and groaning needs to shut the fuck up,” Toph snapped, collapsing with a huff. “The closer we get to the mountains, the more somebody keeps making noise. How’s a girl ever supposed to sleep around here?”
Zuko rolled his eyes and coaxed the fire to life. “I told you yesterday. No one is making noise. Maybe it’s the wind.”
“Or maybe it’s a taqriaqsuit , ” Sokka yawned, scratching his hair as he set out his own bed roll.
“Knock it off. We’re too far from the poles,” Katara said. “Gran Gran always said they don’t like the heat.”
“Like anyone knows what they really like. You never know, Sis. Toph could be onto something.”
“The tak-ra-huh?”
“The taqriaqsuit. They’re Shadow People that you can only hear when the ice is still and the tiger-whales are silent. In the darkest nights, you might hear a distant laugh, or a cry for help. Legend has it that they live in a world like ours, but can never be touched by humans. To try is to vanish and never return. ”
“Like Nini?” Sokka shuddered.
“Yeah. She was a little girl in our tribe who disappeared during a blizzard. Every once in a while, we’d see smoke coming from her empty chimney, and Mom swore she heard her call, ‘I’m so cold, and I can’t get warm!’ After that storm, Nini was never seen again.”
Help! Help us! The wind seemed to howl through the trees. Aang shivered. “You’re scary, Katara.”
Her grin was sharp. “Only when I want to be. Besides, the Shadow People are just a story we tell in our tribe. I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about here.”
“Aside from the Fire Nation soldiers trying to kill us, and rogue Earthbenders who work for Princess Crazy, and not being able to get any meat for five whole days!”
“Small details, Snoozles.”
A branch cracked, echoing like a cannon in the stillness.
“Wait.” Zuko jumped to his feet, the flames roaring up around him. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“Someone’s coming. All of you, get out of sight.”
“Zuko -”
A shaky lantern bobbed towards the clearing. “Who’s there?” a frail voice called out. A pale, almost skeletal woman hobbled into the clearing, her lank, gray hair hanging loose around her face. The lantern swung from her grip, casting shadows like claws over the group.
Sokka, Aang, and Toph screamed in unison, clinging to each other.
“What are you kids doing out in the forest so late? It’s not safe, you know.”
“Thanks, but I think we can take care of ourselves,” Zuko scoffed. “And if it’s dangerous, what are you doing out here?”
The woman smiled, baring her teeth like a threat. “I’m old enough to know danger when I see it.”
“Wait, what do you mean, it’s not safe?” Aang cut in. She softened a little, turning her body away from Zuko.
“On nights like this, when the moon is full, people have been disappearing in these woods. The village says there’s a creature dragging them to the mountains to feast on their blood.”
Help me! Please, somebody!
“Uh, guys?” Toph murmured, shifting her weight.
“Feast? On their blood?” Sokka yelped.
She nodded. “With a group like yours, where you’re all so far from home, you’d be gone before anyone heard your screams.”
Everyone froze.
“Which is why I must insist you come to my inn! My name is Hama.”
“Uh, that’s very, uh…” Aang stammered, but Hama just turned to Katara.
“What do you think, my dear? I recognize your necklace - you and this boy are from the Water Tribe. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a familiar face.”
Katara’s eyes were like saucers. “You’re from the Water Tribes? North or South? Or maybe the Foggy Swamp? Are you a bender?”
Hama chuckled. “I am a bender, from the South.”
“I’m not the last one?”
“No, my child. Why don’t you walk with me and tell me everything? We are both a long way from Wolf Cove.”
The group fell into step behind the bobbing lantern as Hama and Katara led the way.
“I don’t like this, Sparky,” Toph whispered.
“Me neither. She freaks me out.”
“It’s not just that. Something is wrong with the ground here. The tunnels aren’t right.”
“What do you mean, tunnels?” Zuko stopped and grabbed her arm.
“Come along, friends. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to you, hmm?” Hama called.
“I’ll tell you later. Let’s move.”