Howls and cries of alarm bursts out from the animals. Ash was sure none of them had been in a sandstorm before. "We're in trouble," Ash muttered as the sandstorm kept flying towards them. He turned to the animals of The Bending Tower. "Everyone! Does anyone here know what to do in a sandstorm?!" he demanded.
"Idiots!" Cumulus snarled, "thanks a lot! Ironfang will hear about you putting me in danger for sure!"
Everyone ignored Cumulus. Tiggerpaka then stepped forward. "Stand aside, everyone! I got this!" he insisted. He walked to the front of everyone and put his paws in front of him. "Sandstorm! I command ye to halt!" he yelled.
Of course, that didn't work.
"We're obviously doomed," Tiggerpaka announced.
"I know what to do!" Kabu yelled, just as the winds began to pick up and the sandstorm came closer. "Everyone, face away from the sandstorm and remain calm! Do not panic! If the sand gets in your eyes, it won't be good."
Quickly, everyone did as Kabu said. They faced away from the sandstorm. "Okay," Kabu continued, "shut your eyes as tight as you can! Same with your mouth, don't get a mouthful of sand."
Ash closed his eyes and mouth as tight as he could. He could hear the sandstorm getting closer.
"Now, everyone duck down!" Kabu had to roar due to the loud noises of the approaching sandstorm, "put your paws over your nose so you don't breathe any sand in."
Ash then laid down on the sand and put his front paws on his nose, pushing them down tight. He didn't know if Kabu said anything else, because just then the sandstorm finally caught up to The Bending Tower. It roared in Ash's ears, and he pressed his ears against his head. He could still hear the sandstorm. It pushed against his body, and Ash could feel sand sticking to his pelt and face. We're going to be covered by the time this is over! Ash thought worriedly. He didn't know if any animals were being swept away by the strong force of the storm, because the winds were so strong he would never be able to hear any roars or cries of the animals.
How big is this sandstorm?! Ash yelled in his head, not daring to say it out loud. He felt like the winds would throw him away and he'd get lost, separated from The Bending Tower. He tried to dig his back legs into the sand to keep him on the ground. The sand kept sticking to his fur; Ash was glad Kabu knew what to do, because they'd probably all be killed in the sandstorm if they didn't cover up and duck down like Kabu said to do.
Suddenly, something slammed into Ash. It was smaller than him, and it felt like sand; Ash didn't want to see who or what it was in case it'd risk him being hurt. But the thing that hit him didn't yell out or make any noises, so Ash assumed it probably had its mouth covered as well.
Finally, the winds got calmer and calmer until the wind went away. Ash waited a bit, and then dared to slowly open his eyes.
The sandstorm was gone.
Ash then looked at the thing that had slammed into him. He found that it was Streak, who was covered all over in sand. Ash took his paw to brush the sand off Streak, but Ash found that his paw was also covered in sand. Streak opened his eyes. "Sorry Ash," he said, "I didn't know I could slam into you like that. At first I was worried I had slammed into Stone."
"That was like a haboob," commented Kabu.
"A what?" Nzuri cocked her head. Patch snickered.
"Haboob," Kabu repeated. "Where I was born, it means 'strong wind'."
"Well, that was a strong wind," nodded Sun.
Ash chuckled. He then rose to his paws, and bits of sand fell off of him as he did, but he was still covered in sand. "Is everyone alright?"
Everyone then got to their paws and began responding with "Yeah", "Yes", or "Uh-huh". Everyone looked fine, but really covered in sand.
"We should find an oasis to wash ourselves off," suggested Firefly.
"Good idea," agreed Dust, "is there one nearby?"
"Airia, Nyx, Zap--" Ash began, but then stopped and shook his head. That'd never work. He was going to have them fly away and look for an oasis, but what if they got lost? Then he'd lose all three of them, and they were all important, especially Airia.
"What?" Airia cocked her head.
"I...I was going to say you should go fly away to find an oasis, but you'd get lost," Ash muttered.
"So you're saying that we're not good enough to go on a mission like that?" Airia said.
"No! I--" Ash began, but Airia cut him off with a giggle.
"I was just teasing, Ash. But," Airia began, "I could float above everyone and Nyx and Zapada could see me because I'm big enough and they could just follow me back to here."
"Good idea," Ash nodded. "Nyx, Zapada, don't go too far. If you can't see Airia well you should turn back."
"We'll be fine," Zapada insisted. She took off into the air, followed by Nyx. Airia flew after them, high above to hover in the sky. Ash watched her go, then turned away. He looked at his pelt, which had a lot of sand sticking to it. I hope we find an oasis, he thought. Ash didn't want to greet the Earth Kingdom while covered in sand on his whole body.
Everyone paced around and talked to each other, except Ash, who was waiting for Zapada and Nyx to return. He looked into the distance. The sandstorm cloud was gone. Ash hoped that another sandstorm wouldn't occur while they were out in the desert.
"I've never been in a sandstorm before," Patch meowed. "That was cool."
"It was not," Rainbow glared, "you could have been killed."
"But we weren't killed, mom," Nzuri pointed out.
"You were in danger. All three of you," Rainbow insisted. "We're all lucky to be alive. If it weren't for Kabu, I could have lost my kits."
"Mom, calm down. It's over," Streak snorted.
Rainbow sighed. "I'm just glad you're still here."
"Rest assured, we're glad too," Nzuri smiled.
Then, Zapada and Nyx flew in and landed. "We found an oasis!" Nyx reported. "Not too far off."
"Good!" Ash smiled. "Lead us to it."
"Oh!" Zapada smiled, "and we spotted the Earth Kingdom!"
"Really?!" Comet exclaimed.
"Yeah!" Nyx nodded, "it's beautiful! It's surrounded by trees. But all we saw was the gate. But the gate is huge. There were several animals guarding it. Once we go to the oasis, we can head north and we'll be at the Earth Kingdom in no time."
"Awesome! I can't wait to see the Earth Kingdom!" grinned Patch.
"Speaking of earth," Streak turned to Ash. "When can I be an apprentice?"
"After we visit the Earth Kingdom," Ash nodded. "There's no use in teaching you three Bending out in the middle of the desert."
"Okay," Streak nodded.
Everyone then headed for the oasis.
Author's Note:
Can't wait to write another chapter. c:
I had to look in my book "The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Extreme Edition" to help me write about them surviving in the sandstorm. That book series is awesome, you guys should get it. xP
Sorry if this wasn't very realistic, I dunno much about sandstorms. :c
And yes, "haboob" is a real word.
"Idiots!" Cumulus snarled, "thanks a lot! Ironfang will hear about you putting me in danger for sure!"
Everyone ignored Cumulus. Tiggerpaka then stepped forward. "Stand aside, everyone! I got this!" he insisted. He walked to the front of everyone and put his paws in front of him. "Sandstorm! I command ye to halt!" he yelled.
Of course, that didn't work.
"We're obviously doomed," Tiggerpaka announced.
"I know what to do!" Kabu yelled, just as the winds began to pick up and the sandstorm came closer. "Everyone, face away from the sandstorm and remain calm! Do not panic! If the sand gets in your eyes, it won't be good."
Quickly, everyone did as Kabu said. They faced away from the sandstorm. "Okay," Kabu continued, "shut your eyes as tight as you can! Same with your mouth, don't get a mouthful of sand."
Ash closed his eyes and mouth as tight as he could. He could hear the sandstorm getting closer.
"Now, everyone duck down!" Kabu had to roar due to the loud noises of the approaching sandstorm, "put your paws over your nose so you don't breathe any sand in."
Ash then laid down on the sand and put his front paws on his nose, pushing them down tight. He didn't know if Kabu said anything else, because just then the sandstorm finally caught up to The Bending Tower. It roared in Ash's ears, and he pressed his ears against his head. He could still hear the sandstorm. It pushed against his body, and Ash could feel sand sticking to his pelt and face. We're going to be covered by the time this is over! Ash thought worriedly. He didn't know if any animals were being swept away by the strong force of the storm, because the winds were so strong he would never be able to hear any roars or cries of the animals.
How big is this sandstorm?! Ash yelled in his head, not daring to say it out loud. He felt like the winds would throw him away and he'd get lost, separated from The Bending Tower. He tried to dig his back legs into the sand to keep him on the ground. The sand kept sticking to his fur; Ash was glad Kabu knew what to do, because they'd probably all be killed in the sandstorm if they didn't cover up and duck down like Kabu said to do.
Suddenly, something slammed into Ash. It was smaller than him, and it felt like sand; Ash didn't want to see who or what it was in case it'd risk him being hurt. But the thing that hit him didn't yell out or make any noises, so Ash assumed it probably had its mouth covered as well.
Finally, the winds got calmer and calmer until the wind went away. Ash waited a bit, and then dared to slowly open his eyes.
The sandstorm was gone.
Ash then looked at the thing that had slammed into him. He found that it was Streak, who was covered all over in sand. Ash took his paw to brush the sand off Streak, but Ash found that his paw was also covered in sand. Streak opened his eyes. "Sorry Ash," he said, "I didn't know I could slam into you like that. At first I was worried I had slammed into Stone."
"That was like a haboob," commented Kabu.
"A what?" Nzuri cocked her head. Patch snickered.
"Haboob," Kabu repeated. "Where I was born, it means 'strong wind'."
"Well, that was a strong wind," nodded Sun.
Ash chuckled. He then rose to his paws, and bits of sand fell off of him as he did, but he was still covered in sand. "Is everyone alright?"
Everyone then got to their paws and began responding with "Yeah", "Yes", or "Uh-huh". Everyone looked fine, but really covered in sand.
"We should find an oasis to wash ourselves off," suggested Firefly.
"Good idea," agreed Dust, "is there one nearby?"
"Airia, Nyx, Zap--" Ash began, but then stopped and shook his head. That'd never work. He was going to have them fly away and look for an oasis, but what if they got lost? Then he'd lose all three of them, and they were all important, especially Airia.
"What?" Airia cocked her head.
"I...I was going to say you should go fly away to find an oasis, but you'd get lost," Ash muttered.
"So you're saying that we're not good enough to go on a mission like that?" Airia said.
"No! I--" Ash began, but Airia cut him off with a giggle.
"I was just teasing, Ash. But," Airia began, "I could float above everyone and Nyx and Zapada could see me because I'm big enough and they could just follow me back to here."
"Good idea," Ash nodded. "Nyx, Zapada, don't go too far. If you can't see Airia well you should turn back."
"We'll be fine," Zapada insisted. She took off into the air, followed by Nyx. Airia flew after them, high above to hover in the sky. Ash watched her go, then turned away. He looked at his pelt, which had a lot of sand sticking to it. I hope we find an oasis, he thought. Ash didn't want to greet the Earth Kingdom while covered in sand on his whole body.
Everyone paced around and talked to each other, except Ash, who was waiting for Zapada and Nyx to return. He looked into the distance. The sandstorm cloud was gone. Ash hoped that another sandstorm wouldn't occur while they were out in the desert.
"I've never been in a sandstorm before," Patch meowed. "That was cool."
"It was not," Rainbow glared, "you could have been killed."
"But we weren't killed, mom," Nzuri pointed out.
"You were in danger. All three of you," Rainbow insisted. "We're all lucky to be alive. If it weren't for Kabu, I could have lost my kits."
"Mom, calm down. It's over," Streak snorted.
Rainbow sighed. "I'm just glad you're still here."
"Rest assured, we're glad too," Nzuri smiled.
Then, Zapada and Nyx flew in and landed. "We found an oasis!" Nyx reported. "Not too far off."
"Good!" Ash smiled. "Lead us to it."
"Oh!" Zapada smiled, "and we spotted the Earth Kingdom!"
"Really?!" Comet exclaimed.
"Yeah!" Nyx nodded, "it's beautiful! It's surrounded by trees. But all we saw was the gate. But the gate is huge. There were several animals guarding it. Once we go to the oasis, we can head north and we'll be at the Earth Kingdom in no time."
"Awesome! I can't wait to see the Earth Kingdom!" grinned Patch.
"Speaking of earth," Streak turned to Ash. "When can I be an apprentice?"
"After we visit the Earth Kingdom," Ash nodded. "There's no use in teaching you three Bending out in the middle of the desert."
"Okay," Streak nodded.
Everyone then headed for the oasis.
Author's Note:
Can't wait to write another chapter. c:
I had to look in my book "The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Extreme Edition" to help me write about them surviving in the sandstorm. That book series is awesome, you guys should get it. xP
Sorry if this wasn't very realistic, I dunno much about sandstorms. :c
And yes, "haboob" is a real word.
"haboob"... Interesting. XD
ReplyDelete~Leafy
P.S. Hmm I might check that series out.
Haboob! X3
ReplyDeletehaboob?
ReplyDeleteThat's an unusual word for "wind" xD
ReplyDelete