Chapter 16: Fifteen Minutes Left

Dust was standing in a tree, looking down on Rusty. Rusty laughed, "You're like a squirrel!"

"I'm not as weak as one though!" Dust shot back, jumping onto Rusty, dry mud in his fur. Rusty laughed and kicked Dust away.

"That's what I learned from you!" he exclaimed.

Dust snorted. "Oh, really?"
"Yeah, really!" Rusty playfully growled.

Suddenly, the bushes rustled. Out stepped Spots, Max, Stone and Raoul. They both eyed Rusty and Dust curiously.

"Found the herb yet?" Spots asked.

"Nope, we're still looking," Dust shrugged.

"Well, hurry up!" Stone snapped, "You only have fifteen minutes left!"
Rusty rolled his eyes. We'll find the herbs by then! "Chillax, Stone, we'll be done in time!"

"But we won't be if you keep stalling!" Dust insisted.

"Oh, look who's talking," Max snorted, "You sent two hours down the drain, and now you have fifteen minutes. Fourteen maybe, now."
"See!" Dust growled, "You wasted a whole minute lecturing us! Scram! Shoo!"

Stone snarled and revealed her fangs, and trotted away. Spots, Max and Raoul ran after her.

"What idiots!" Dust grumbled. He trotted away. Rusty quickly followed his brother.

After a while of silent walking, they made it to a river. Rusty sniffed the air. We must be close to finding the herb, he told himself, and studied the bushes.

Dust didn't hesitate to jump into the river and get the mud off his pelt. Rusty turned to look at his brother. "Is the water nice?"
"Cold!" Dust exclaimed. Rusty looked away to try and find the herbs. He began searching. Feather hadn't told him what the herb scented like. Rusty looked at one bush, then the next, and the next, trying to find the herb.

"Ugh, I can't find it!" Rusty wailed. Then, some cold water hit his pelt like hail. Rusty turned to see that Dust was out, his pelt now soaked with water. 

"Did you look at every bush?" Dust asked, trotting up to his brother.

"Yes!" Rusty insisted. He noticed that Dust had a look of panic on him; they didn't have much time left until Ash would join the Peacebenders.

Dust searched every bush. "I can't find the herb either!"
Rusty grew wide-eyed. "Quick! We got to run to The Bending Tower and ask Feather for help!"
Desperate and scared, the two brothers darted off, side by side.

Author's Note:
No Ash! Don't die on us! D8>