Chapter 38: The Water Tribe

Ash trotted towards the Water Tribe, which was barely visible in the fog. Ash hoped that the fog might help them sneak around. Spots came up to Ash, sniffing the air. Kirin trotted up, looking nervous, followed by Rusty, a look of determination on his face. Stone followed, and Miguel came up as well.
Everyone began moving. Ash trotted down the hill, heading for the Water Tribe, Spots on one side of him and Rusty the other. A breeze swept by, making Ash shiver. I can't wait to get someplace warmer, he thought.
The Water Tribe got closer and closer as they walked towards it. The ground next to it was covered with ice. Ash stood on the ice and walked cautiously, trying not to slip. Rusty, however, tripped and slid across the ice. He tried getting back on his paws but slipped again, and dug his claws into the ice, and he managed to stay put. Ash kept walking, and Rusty walked after him, latching his claws into the ice still to hold on.
"Come on Rusty, by the time you've got to the Water Tribe the Firebenders will be back!" Stone hissed.
"Sorry, but this is slippery!" Rusty growled.
"Well, we're getting across it fine," Stone glared.
Ash approached the Water Tribe and peeked through the entrance. The hallways were empty. Ash walked in and sniffed the air. No one was nearby. Ash walked down the hall, and Rusty fell into the hallway, apparently he had just slipped on the ice yet again. Rusty got up and walked after Ash, muttering under his breath. Stone followed in stealthily, and so did Miguel, Kirin and Spots.
"Hmm...where's the Water Tribe?" Ash wondered aloud.
"Maybe we'd better look around," Stone rolled her eyes.
"Really? I never would've guessed!" Rusty grumbled.
Ash headed down the hall. He peeked in each room to see if any Waterbenders were there, but each room seemed to be empty. He walked up some steps he'd never been up before. Two more staircases lead up, one left and one right.
"Okay...Me, Kirin and Spots will take the right. Miguel, Rusty and Stone will take the left. Got it?" Ash said.
Everyone nodded.
"And if you find the Water Tribe, find the other group," Ash added.
Ash walked up the staircase and it lead to another room that was empty. There was a window by it and Ash leaned his head out it. Down below was the "yard" that was an icy ground in the middle of the place. Kirin was sniffing around, and Spots poked his head out of an exit. "There's a way out of here," he said. Ash trotted over and looked out. There was an ice-covered "fence" on the edge and no wall, so you could look at the yard below. Ash trotted along the floor, looking down at the yard. I've never been to these rooms before, Ash thought. This place made The Bending Tower seem like the Tribe of Flying Birds' camp, which was basically just a clearing in the forest.
They kept walking until they turned around a corner. Ash looked in a room in the side of the wall. It had a big window that faced south of the Water Tribe, and it had a puddle in the ground for drinking. Ash knew what room it was right away: the leaders' room. Right across from the entrance was a balcony across the hall, and Ash could tell it was for when Waterstreak, the leader, made announcements.
Where are they? Ash wondered. He was hoping that they all weren't dead.
Suddenly, there was the sound of wings flapping. Ash turned around to see Waterstreak had flown in through the window. "Ash! What are you doing here?" he demanded. "This place is overrun by Firebenders! It's not safe here."
"We're going to free you guys!" Ash exclaimed.
"What?" Waterstreak said. "You...you guys were free from the Firebenders and didn't help until now?"
"They only just got free from the Fire Nation!" Kirin protested.
"We've been under the Firebenders' control for so long...we're suffering," Waterstreak whispered.
"Come with The Bending Tower," Ash said, "we're gonna defeat the Fire Nation!"
"No...we're not sting enough. We'll leave, but go off on our own. My own nephew gave me this scar," he looked at an x-shaped scar on his chest. "I know where to go. Just...leave. Leave." Waterstreak looked at Ash. Ash grew wide-eyed; it seemed like he was slightly...crazy.
Ash backed up and quickly ran out. Spots and Kirin darted after him. They went down the stairs and saw the others standing there.
"What happened?" Miguel asked.
"Waterstreal will lead the Water Tribe away, but he doesn't want to come with us. He's going mad...we should get out of here," Ash breathed.
"Going mad?" Rusty echoed.
"Because the Firebenders are making him crazy," Spots replied.
"Poor guy...let's leave," Miguel nodded.
They all trotted down the stairs and out of the Water Tribe. They ran around the place and ran alongside the walls. The wind roared in Ash's ears as he ran. The sun was beginning to set. It was getting late.
Finally, they found The Bending Tower behind the Water Tribe.
"Where's the Water Tribe?" Crystal asked.
"They're going a different way," Ash said. "Let's go."

Author's Note:
Writing this while watching Adventure Time. c: