Chapter 64: Stone's Secret

"Ironfang was born at The Bending Tower?!" Rusty gasped, shocked.
"Yes, he was..." sighed Crystal, "and there's a huge story to that, I promise you."
"Aha! He was spying at The Bending Tower to get the Reese Cups!" shouted Tiggerkat.
"Okay. One, not so loud, Tiggerkat, and two, if we was born there, how could he be spying?" Ash turned to Tiggerkat.
"I guess you're right..." mumbled Tiggerkat.
"But... But wait," Fan said, "Stone, you weren't born at The Bending Tower. And when you were here, Ironfang didn't live at The Bending Tower-"
"Correct," grumbled Stone.
"I don't think many of us were alive when Ironfang lived at The Bending Tower, I'm sure it was moons and moons ago," Creature pointed out.
"-So you must've been born at..." Fan gasped.
"I was born at the Fire Nation, yes!" snapped Stone.
"Mom always said that-that Stone was a very l-loyal Firebender," Flare said with caution.
"Yeah, she also said that Stone shouldnt've left, that she'd make a good Firebender leader," Crystal added.
"Yes, I was a loyal Firebender," Stone grumbled.
Ash grew wide-eyed. That's why Bone and Slice had said "I know you" to Stone! That's also why Stone must've let Slice join us; she-she might have made a deal with Slice, that if she kept her mouth shut, she could come with us! And that's why Crystal and Flare were allowed to come, they'd spoil Stone's secret if she didn't let them!
"I wanted to tell you guys," growled Crystal, "but since Stone let us come, I kept my mouth shut!"
I knew it! thought Ash triumphantly.
"So... Why'd you leave the Fire Nation?" Eclipse asked Stone.
"Because," mumbled Stone, "I was exiled."
"Ironfang exiled you?!" Slice gasped, sounding impressed, "when someone does something bad, he'd kill them instead of exile them!"
"Um, he didn't exactly exile me..." sighed Stone. "I was at the Fire Nation one day. There was a pup who was born a runt. Since I was so loyal, Ironfang called upon me to kill the pup. I was going to, but..."
"But what?" prompted Dust.
"I-I suddenly had a flashback. I think the Peacebenders were showing me all of the evil stuff I had done for Ironfang in the past... I saw everything bad that I did. Then a voice... I think it was my m-mother's... She told me to leave the Fire Nation and set off for a better place," Stone explained, "then the flasback was over. This innocent little pup was looking up at me... It's mother was watching me with fear... I told Ironfang no. I couldn't do it."
"Who knew Stone had such a kind heart," Rusty whispered to Ash, chuckling.
"Yeah," laughed Ash silently.
"So then," Stone continued, glaring at Rusty and Ash, "Ironfang said it was either me or the pup. At that moment, I ran. I knew it was hopeless; Bone and another Firebender, a fennec fox named Nuewfoow, chased too. I thought I was dead for sure. But some fire came out of nowhere... I don't know who Bended it. But it made some logs collapse, trapping Bone and Nuewfoow on the other side. So I ran into the forest."

Author's Note:

DA SECRET IS REVEALED. The question is, who was it who saved Stone? >:3