Chapter 10: A New Dream

Ash opened his eyes. The forest around him was glorious. The sun shined through the trees, covered with green leaved. Maybe I can find some prey here, Ash thought, and he trotted through the forest, his paws swishing through the dead leaves on the ground. He sniffed the air to try and find some prey.

"Ha!" came a voice, and Ash jerked his head up and saw Hazen there, a smile and a glare on his face, as he stood a few feet away from Ash. "You want to know the answers to your past, don't you? Well I know them!"

"Hazen!" Ash snarled. "What are you doing here?" 

Strangely, Hazen seemed not to understand. "I know the answers to your past!" He exclaimed tauntingly, and Ash growled at him. "Don't you want to know your past? Well I'm not telling you! Not unless you can catch me, that is!" Hazen darted off. Furious and his curiosity at its peak, Ash followed. This should be easy! Ash thought, already gaining on his brother. Hazen turned and smiled at Ash, and ran faster ahead. Panting, Ash followed, and quickly jumped, yowling, and pinned Hazen to the ground. 

Suddenly, Hazen faded, and Ash gasped. He looked to see Hazen reappear a few feet away. "Ha! You want the answers to your past, don't you? Well I know them! I'm not telling you! Not unless you can catch me, that is!" Hazen darted off yet again. Growling, Ash ran after him. You won't escape me this time! Ash thought, seeing Hazen's head turn to look at him. However, Hazen sped away, so fast he seemed to disappear. Ash blinked as he saw Hazen was gone.
"Ash," said a deep voice. Ash looked around wildly, wondering where the voice was coming from. He sniffed the air, and watched as Cloudsky, Feather's former mate, fly slowly out of the forest, landing on a mossy rock in the clearing. Relief swept over Ash; he had met Cloudsky before in a dream while at the Water Tribe. He was dreaming now, then. "Cloudsky!" Ash exclaimed happily. He trotted over to Cloudsky. "Cloudsky, The Bending Tower--"
"Ash," Cloudsky interrupted, "you are chasing after obvious and easy ways to learn your past, ways that will not open to you easily, nor ever will. There is another way to achieve what you want." He finished, then looked at Ash, obviously awaiting a response.
"So how else do I find out my past?" Ash asked, cocking his head.
Cloudsky looked at Ash, his expression showing nothing of his emotions. "A tree holds the answers," he said simply, and, just like Hazen did the first time, faded away. Ash perked his ears, and looked around. Cloudsky was nowhere to be found. Ash let out a frustrated sigh, and looked up at the cloudless sky above him angrily. "Is that all?!" he yowled, and kicked a pebble on the mossy ground.
"Ash?" came a voice, sounding familiar, like it belonged to a young female apprentice. Ash couldn't tell whose it was, though. He whipped around and saw a monkey sitting there, looking at him with her big, hypnotizing eyes.
"Susan!" he exclaimed, suddenly recognizing her. He ran up to the monkey. Stone's former apprentice, murdered by a Firebender in the middle of the night; she looked wiser, and like she enjoyed living in Peacebenders' territory. She smiled at him.
"Ash!" she smiled. "I missed you, Stone and the whole Bending Tower. But I watch them from here now, guarding them. She sighed. "They're going through so many difficult times now. Fortunately, I can see everything going on from up here, plus a glimpse of the future!" she beamed. "Sadly, though, the older Peacebenders won't grant me permission to see the future fully. They say I'm not mature enough yet, that I haven't lived up here long enough."
"Not mature enough?" Ash echoed, hardly believing his ears, "but you look like you're wiser than Airwing! And your Guardian has joined your body, so why haven't you been granted access?" Ash had learned from Cloudsky that Guardians were your spirit up in the Peacebenders' territory who watched over you, and in very desperate times, help you get out of what trouble you're in so you can complete your destiny and get to the Peacebenders (or Darkbenders for evil animals) safely. A Guardian joined one's body when they joined the Peacebenders, which accepted them there.
"Well, I'm still very young Ash, I still have the personality of an apprentice. It'll take a while before I grow up a bit more." She smiled. "But listen. What I'm really here for is to help you. The Peacebenders refuse to give you clear answers to things you need answers for."
"But why?!" Ash demanded.
"They want you to find out yourself, Ash, because they think it'll be better if you can 'interpret things on your own'," Susan rolled her eyes. "But I'm going to bring you info for you! You deserve to know. So I'mma help you! Just come visit me every night-"
"Er, I don't control where I go in my dreams," Ash interrupted.
"-And tell you things!" Susan broke in. "Don't worry! I'll make sure you reach your destiny all fine!"

Author's Note:
Ahh, that little mischievous Susan. ;w;