Chapter 38: Saved

"Yes, indeed, me," said the meerkat with a smirk. He had a stick in his hand that was bigger than he was. The meerkat began pacing around the quicksand, watching the group helplessly sinking. Ash felt the sand pulling at him, but he kept trying to remain floating on top of it. "I set this trap for you, to catch you into the quicksand. Not so much of a maniac now, aren't I?"
"I dunno, you haven't changed to me," snarled Twig, unsheathing her claws. She tried getting out of the quicksand so she could attack the meerkat, but was stuck. Twister quickly whispered something to Twig, and Twig laid still.
The meerkat smiled. "Like your attitude, kitty cat, but you need some improvement on attack."
"Kitty cat?!" snarled Twig, "I'll show you who's a kitty cat, you little--"
"Enough, Twig," Darner said, laying still. He looked at the meerkat. "What do you want?"
"I've decided to help you on your little quest," smirked the meerkat.
"Well, we don't NEED--" Twig began, but was shushed again, this time by Twister instead of Darner.
Ash kept listening, curious as to why the meerkat had trapped them in quicksand trying to kill them if he was going to help them out. "So why are you trying to kill us if you want to help?"
"Kill you?" gasped the meerkat, "Who ever said I wanted to kill you? You've done nothing to me... Well, except get a little mad, but that's nothing compared to what Tiredblade does to me!"
"Who?" Ash said. What kind of a name is Tiredblade?
"He's--"
"Nevermind, just get us out of here!" snarled Stone. "You got us into this mess, meerkat, you're gonna get us out!"
"Meerkat, oh, please, address me by my name," snorted the meerkat, acting as if they all already knew his name. He used his stick to cut a rope around a tree, then put his paws on it and pulled. Down came a huge "basket" made out of poison ivy vines.
"I'm not going in that--" Twig began to cough. Ash gasped as he saw she was beginning to swallow sand, being suffocated by it; she obviously kept thrashing too much.
"It's either this or sand!" Twister growled, and she bit onto the poison ivy and heaved herself out of the sand, looking as if she was struggling, but made it in. Akumu came in after her, and then came Darner and Stone, and then Moonlight.
"I... Can't... Reach!" gasped Ash, trying to move; when he did, however, he only sunk into the quicksand more. Please don't let me die, he pleaded to the Peacebenders.
"Alright then, mate, I'll getcha," nodded the meerkat, and he moved the vines so the basket now hovered over Ash. The meerkat lowered it and Ash bit onto it, and Akumu and Twister helped him get up.
"A lit-" Twig coughed some more, and was sinking more. "HELP!" she managed to get out, her eyes already going under the sand.
"Get her!" wailed Twister. The meerkat began moving the vines. Ash grew wide-eyed as he saw Twig sinking deeper, deeper, deeper...
As the she-cat's belly was the only thing visible, Ash couldn't stand it no more. He latched his paws into the vines and leaned over, so far he made the basket tip. Everyone yowled in surprise, trying not to fall back in. Ash stuck his paws in and grabbed Twig, pulling her up.
Twig was knocked out, and Ash stuck her in the basket. "She's alive," he breathed, "but she fainted."
The meerkat lowered the basket onto the ground. "Now, that wasn't too bad now, was it?" he said, and put leaves in the basket then poured it on the quicksand. "If Tiredblade comes along 'e'll fall in that!"
"Um... Who is Tiredblade, exactly?" Moonlight asked.
"He has a connection with the fire," said the meerkat, stroking his branch. "Do you have a connection with the fire?"
"Er... Whatever that means," Twister said.
"I think he means Tiredblade's a Firebender," Ash nodded. He looked at the meerkat. "No, we have no connection with fire."
"Good, good," the meerkat said, "Because if you'd did, you'd be on Tiredblade's side, right?"
"Right," Moonlight nodded, "All those with a connection with the fire are on Tiredblade's side. I have a connection with the earth."
"Yes, yes," nodded the meerkat. "So, anyways, I volunteer to help you."
"Okay, meerkat," Twister nodded.
"Call me by my real name," said the meerkat.
"Er... Which is...?" Ash asked.
"Tiggerpaka."
"Tiggerpaka?" Akumu echoed.
"Tiggerpaka." Confirmed the meerkat.
Ash shivered, "Um... Are you in anyway related to Tiggerkat?"
"What? No, whoever she is," grinned Tiggerpaka. "Anyway--" he stopped. "Oh snap, I hear something! Sorry, you're on your own, pals!" the meerkat darted off.
"Er... Thanks for the help!" Akumu called.

Author's Note:
Promises, promises...