Chapter 6: Hunting with Airia

Ash yowled as he woke with a start. He looked around. The den was empty. His heart pounding, Ash shakily got to his paws. He had been having the same dream since the third day the Firebenders had been ruling The Bending Tower, and the dream still wouldn't go away; the dream was about him and Eclipse chasing a voice that never showed itself. Sighing, Ash exited the den and walked down the hall and out to the yard.
Hazen walked up to Ash, "You are to go hunting with me, Mistletoe, Rusty, Airia, Fang and Crystal," Hazen said, and Ash followed Hazen reluctantly to the group, who were all waiting for him. As Ash and Hazen arrived, the group began trotting to the exit, and Ash found himself walking alongside Airia. "Um...hi," Ash said to her, trying to strike up a conversation.
"Hey," Airia replied, and looked forward. Ash sighed. Why is it so hard to try and become friends with her? Ash thought, shaking his hanging head. He had loved Airia since he was an apprentice and she saved him from drowning, but wasn't really close friends with her.
Rusty sniffed the air, "Hmm, fox. I'mma go find it," he said, quickly looking at Crystal, then turning back to look ahead, and he walked off, jumping over some bushes.
"I'm going to go with him," Crystal nodded, and she walked after Rusty. Ash turned around to see Mistletoe sniffing the air, and she began following a scent trail. Strangely, Ash watched Hazen walk after her. He's probably still upset about having to leave Mistletoe, Ash snorted, and he watched as Fang in the direction of Rusty and Crystal, obviously wanting to see if they weren't causing any trouble that'd be bad for the Firebenders.
Ash found that it was only him and Airia now.
"Er..." Ash stuttered, "Want to...hunt together?" Ash managed to get out. He looked up at Airia and tried not to quickly look away. Much to Ash's relief, Airia nodded, and she sniffed the air.
"There's a beaver by the waterfall. Let's go get it," Airia reported, and she trotted away, an Ash followed her. They arrived at Ice River and followed the river towards the waterfall. Ash spotted the beaver, but then sighed. "Y'know...whenever I'm near the waterfall I can't push the image of Spots falling to his death out of my mind."
Airia nodded. "Spots was a good Bender, it's sad that he's dead." Airia crouched down and stalked for the beaver, and Ash watched her. She was stalking it perfectly. The beaver didn't even notice her there; Airia was a great hunter, Ash realized.
Suddenly, Airia slipped. Yowling, Ash's reactions took over and he dove for her, and gasped as he saw Airia dangling from the cliff, wide-eyed and looking, speechless, at the ground so far away it couldn't be made out what was down there. The only thing pounding in Ash's ear was the sound of the waterfall. It was then that Ash realized the only thing keeping Airia from falling down was his grasp on her scruff. Airia looked up at him. "Ash..."
"I can't pull you up, you're too heavy," Ash said, struggling.
"Er, Ash?" Airia said, then extended her wings. "I have wings, I can fly."
Ash felt embarrassed. "Oh! Right..." He let go of her and as she began to fall she quickly snapped her wings and flew, so fast and swift, high into the air, spiraling. One word described how she flew so gracefully: beautiful.
Airia then landed. "Thanks for wanting to save me, Ash. If I were wingless I'd be a goner," she smiled. "Goldwing was right, you are good at defending others' lives." She looked at where the beaver previously was. Now it was gone. "Well, guess we'll have to hunt something else now."
"Airia...?" Ash said, his voice almost whispering. Airia turned around. "You..." it took all of his courage to finish the sentence. "You...fly beautifully."
Airia smiled. "Thank you, Ash."

Author's Note:
D'aww. :'D