Chapter 28: Fighting The Current

Ash tried to fight the current, but it kept pushing him away. He squinted his eyes against the cold, splashing water.
"Get him!" Eclipse shouted.
Creature jumped into the water and began swimming towards Ash. He dived under the water.
Ash had never felt water before. It seemed weird to him.
Suddenly, he saw a bunch of fish behind him. They began swimming, hitting Ash in the sides.
"Help!" Ash wailed, but found himself being sucked underwater.
Not knowing about the water, Ash tried to breath. Water went into his mouth. He broke through the surface of the water and began to cough.
Creature swam swifter, getting close. He finally grabbed ash with his claws and put Ash on his back.
"Dig into my back!" Creature ordered.
Ash dug his claws into Creature's back. Creature swam upstream, heading for land, where the rest of the group was wide-eyed.
"Come on, get him back safely!" Charlotte called.
"I'm trying!" Creature shouted.
Ash looked ahead. They were nearing the group.
Then, something lifted Ash up. He was carried off Creature. As Ash was about to shout for help, he found himself put on the ground by the group.
Looking up, Ash saw that Feather was the one who lifted him.
"Feather!" Eclipse gasped.
"I was looking for herbs," the she-hawk explained. "I had mistaken Creature for a Firebender!"
Creature crawled out of the river. "It's okay, Feather. You helped Ash."
"Be more careful on the journey. You should get moving! You're a slow group, I figured you'd be at least at Mt. Ice by now," Feather smiled. She flew off.

Author's Note:
Well, Ash is safe. Man, I haven't posted a chapter for a while...sorry 'bout that...

Chapter 27: Crossing The River

"Are you still okay, Ash?" Eclipse asked.
"I'm fine," Ash glared. It's just a little scratch!
"Thorns around here are very sharp," Willow warned.
The patrol jumped over some bushes. On the other side was a river. It was big - a strip of water, flowing through the forest.
"Let's just jump across," Rusty shrugged.
"We can fish," Dust suggested.
"None of us know how to," Airia said.
Ash's belly grumbled. He was very hungry.
"We need to find shelter soon, to rest and eat," Charlotte announced.
"Let's quickly cross the river, then find food and shelter," Stone rolled her eyes.
Airia flew over the river. She stood on the other side. "Come on over."
"Easy for you to say," Rusty rolled his eyes, "you can fly."
Airia narrowed her eyes.
Dust took a few steps back. He ran and jumped over the river, barely making it.
"Go, Ash," Fan nodded.
Ash's eyes grew round. The river seemed huge now. His legs shook with fear.
"How ironic. A Waterbender scared of a river," Stone sneered.
Ash quickly hid his fear. He didn't want Airia and Stone thinking Ash was no good. He wouldn't give them a reason to keep making fun of him.
Snapping twigs, Ash took a few steps back. Closing his eyes, he began to run. He jumped and his front paws landed on the other side.
"Ash!" Rusty shouted.
"I can pull myself up!" Ash said. He tried, but then the current took him away.

Author's Note:
I am just too evil. >:D

Chapter 26: A Prickly Enemy

"We need to get moving," Fan said to the patrol, "before some other Firebender rears its ugly head."
"'Ugly' is right," Rusty laughed.
"This is no laughing matter," Stone snapped.
You never laugh, thought Ash as he rolled his eyes.
"Fan is right," Creature nodded. "We do need to get moving."
"I'm going to keep close to Eclipse in case Firetalon comes back," Willow announced.
The patrol walked on. The sun was in the middle of the sky.
"It's about lunchtime," Charlotte said.
"We'll get lunch after we find a safe place to rest and hunt," Fan promised.
"I hope that's soon," Dust complained.
Ash winced as he stepped on something sharp. He looked at his paw and licked it.
"What happened, Ash?" Asked Eclipse.
"I stepped on something sharp, no big deal," Ash reported. His pad was bleeding.
"No big deal?" Rusty walked over. "You've stepped on a thorn."
"Is it stuck in your paw?" Willow fretted.
"No, I told you, I'm fine," Ash glared.
"Let me check it," Eclipse insisted.
Sighing, Ash held out his paw for Eclipse to examine.
"It's bleeding," Dust's eyes were wide.
"So? It's just a small scratch!" Ash growled.
"Don't pick up Stone's attitude," Charlotte laughed.
Stone didn't look amused.
"Get a small cobweb," Eclipse ordered Light.
Light nodded and, without hesitating, ran away.
"Can't I just stick it in a river?" Ash asked.
Eclipse didn't reply. She studied the sky.
"If Ash just sticks it in a river," Dust said, "then we'd be done much quicker."
"This blood wouldn't stop if you put it in a river," Eclipse finally spoke. "It's bleeding and won't stop."
"What kind of thorn is the one Ash stepped on, then?" Rusty asked.
"I don't know," Eclipse admitted, "I've never seen anything like it."
"Back," came Light's voice. She handed Eclipse a small cobweb. Eclipse put it on Ash's paw.

Author's Note:
That thorn must be big, if Ash's paw was bleeding so much that it didn't stop. :3

Chapter 25: Battling

Ash looked around wildly, trying to figure out where the hawk sound came from. Looking in the sky, he saw he couldn't find it.
Eclipse looked like she was trying to calm herself down. Dust and Rusty were standing next to each other, looking wildly.
"Scared?" Light taunted.
"We're not scared!" Dust insisted.
"Yeah! We were born without the fear, unlike you guys!" Rusty growled.
The bushes rustled. Dust jumped and hid behind Rusty, and Rusty crouched down.
Stone came through. She studied the twin wolves. "Scared now, are you?"
"We're not!" Dust glared.
The hawk call came again. Then, a flash of black went by Eclipse, and she fell down.
"I found you, Eclipse," the hawk said.
"Firetalon?" Eclipse gasped.
"Yes," the black hawk sneered. "I was Feather and Cloudsky's only offspring, but then they got you. So here's how I felt!"
As Firetalon was about to slash Eclipse's muzzle, Charlotte tackled Firetalon.
"It was your choice to leave!" Charlotte retorted. "You didn't have to become a loner!"
"I'm no loner," Firetalon sneered, "I became a Firebender!"
Charlotte's eyes widened in fear. Ash stood back in horror.
Firetalon flew out of Charlotte's grip, as fast as lightning. He flew high in the air, then, lightning fast once again, aimed a blow at Charlotte.
To Ash, everything was going in slow motion. Ash jumped into the air, and pounced onto Firetalon's back, crushing him onto the forest floor. Then, the slow motion stopped.
Before Firetalon could react, Ash quickly slashed Firetalon's forehead. "You've made a mistake passing through this forest," Ash growled.
Firetalon glared at Ash and slipped out of Ash's grip. He headed for Eclipse, and picked her up, flying into the sky.
"Eclipse!" Came Airia's voice. She flew out from behind the bushes, heading for Firetalon.
"I feel so useless," Dust turned to Rusty.
"Tell me about it," Rusty rolled his eyes.
"Are there any other Firebenders?" Asked Stone. Ash didn't know why, but the raccoon seemed nervous, with her eyes wide.
"No, just Fire-" Ash was cut off as Firetalon fell to the ground in front of Stone.
"Stone?!" Firetalon panted, laying on the ground. "I know you! You...you-"
Before Firetalon could say more, Airia and Creature lunged at Firetalon. Dust joined the frenzy. They slatched, bit, and hit Firetalon.
Finally, Airia got a huge air current using her tail. She made it hit Firetalon, and he flew into the sky, flying against his will until they could no longer see him.

Author's Note:
Hehe...what was Firetalon about to say about Stone? Luckily, Airia and Creature interrupted him...>:D

Chapter 24: Training

As the Water Tribe patrol left, Spots sighed. Now, he kind of regreted choosing not to go.
But it's dangerous, he reminded himself. They're all risking their lives!
It was true. Spots didn't want to endanger himself. He trotted towards Kabu, his head hanging. What if my friends don't return?
"Alright, Spots," Kabu said, "we're going to give you your assessment. If you pass, you'll become a true Airbender.
Spots wagged his tail. He had been waiting for this for moons. Yes! "What do I have to do?"
"We're doing this with Skye," Kabu explained. "She will be here, after she visits Feather."
"What happened?" Spots asked nervously.
"Skye was flying through the forest when she flew too low, and a rabbit jumped up and clawed her because Skye alarmed it," Kabu explained.
"I'm here," came Skye's voice. She hopped over. "I'm not allowed to fly for a while." Spots noticed she had a bit of ointment on her wing.
"Alright," Kabu nodded. "Let's begin. First, Spots, I want you to show us how good you are at flying with the wind."
Spots nodded. He felt like jumping around like a puppy. No, he told himself, I'm no longer a puppy. I'm now a big dog.
Whirling his tail, Spots closed his eyes tight to help him concentrate. He felt an air current at his tail. His instinct told him to jump into the air. Doing so, Spots landed on the air current and flew to the highest roof of The Bending Tower.
"Good," Kabu called, "see if you can come down!"
Spots nodded. He could see everything from the top - all the students practicing, and the tall trees behid The Bending Tower.
Spots whirled his tail again, and jumped on another air current. He rode it to the bottom.
"Good," Skye nodded.
"Now, let's see you hunt. Let's go into our territory," Kabu said.
They all walked out of the yard and towards the forest.

Author's Note:
Instead of talking about Ash still, I'm leaving you guys on a cliffhanger and I went to Spots instead! -laughs evilly- XD

Chapter 23: Strange Stuff Happens

Ash opened his eyes. He was alone in the forest. The river flowed, fish going through it. No one was around.
"Charlotte? Eclipse? Creature? F-Fan....?" Ash called out.
No response.
Was that all a dream? Ash thought regretfully. Am I still a loner, and I dreamt about becoming a Bender?
Suddenly, there was a blow to Ash's side. He closed his eyes tight. Opening them, he saw a black she-wolf standing over him.
"Who are you?" Ash thought nervously.
"Your kin," the she-wolf replied. "You are dreaming, Ash. While the deer had knocked you out, I thought this was a good time to visit you."
"You're dead?" Ash gasped in astonishment.
"Yes. Ash, I'm your mother," the black wolf said. "My name is Midnight."
"What happened? I-I can't remember any of my history," Ash's legs trembled with anxiety.
"Because, Ash, you were abandoned," Midnight sighed with grief. "I don't know what I was thinking. But The Bending Tower is where you are supposed to be."
As Ash was about to ask more questions, the dreaming world around him began to get blurry.
"No, no, don't leave me!" Ash wailed.
"We're right here, Ash."
Ash woke up, startled. Eclipse, Fan, and Charlotte were standing over him.
"Where-where'd the deer go?" Ash asked.
"Creature took Stone and Airia to chase it and kill it," came Dust's voice, and the young apprentice came over.
"Will he live, Eclipse? He's losing a lot of blood," Charlotte looked at Eclipse nervously.
"Most likely, he will," Eclipse nodded. "But you're right; he's laying in a lot of blood."
Ash looked at his side. There was a puddle of blood.
"Do something!" Ash cried.
"Rusty is looking for cobwebs," Eclipse promised.
"Back," came Rusty's voice. He gave Eclipse some cobwebs. "They were so hard to find!"
Eclipse took the cobwebs and placed them on Ash's side. "This will stop the bleeding."
"Should we get him something else?" Fan asked.
"Yes," Eclipse nodded. "Get a moss ball and soak it in the nearest river. Dust, you go too."
Dust ran off, and Fan followed.
"You will recover," Eclipse nodded, "if things go well."
But, as Ash was about to sigh with relief, there was the call of a hawk.

Author's Note:
Ash is going to live, thanks to Eclipse! But the question is...who is that hawk? 0_0

Chapter 22: Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover

"I'm bored," Rusty complained.
"We're not even out of our territory yet!" Dust shouted.
Ash rolled his eyes.
"If you're bored, think about how happy you'll be once we get there," Charlotte said calmly.
"Wanna play a game?" Eclipse suggested.
"Like what?" Light snorted. "I don't want to play, 'Bender Trivia.'"
"We can play 'Enemy'....who wants to?" Dust said.
"How do you play?" Ash asked.
"We look out for any enemies, hence the name," Rusty rolled his eyes.
"Like there will be any Firebenders around," Stone snorted.
Well, there was. Ash thought silently. Downstairs.
Suddenly, a twig snapped. The patrol froze.
"Care to re-think what you said, Stone?" Said Dust with a smug tone.
Stone glared at the apprentice, but said nothing.
There was another twig snap.
Airia sniffed the air. "Not a Firebender."
"Good," Fan nodded. "But what is it?"
"Deer," Eclipse replied instantly.
"A big one," Charlotte's eyes grew wide.
Then, the bushes rustled. Charlotte was right. A male deer poked his head out of the bushes. He had many antlers, and he looked huge.
"It's just a deer," Light rolled her eyes. "They're prey."
The deer started snorting angrily. It jumped out of the bushes and ran toward the patrol.
"Split up!" Creature shouted.
Airia grabbed Charlotte by the scruff and flew into the air. Fan glided to a tree branch.
The others, having no way of flying, were trapped. Ash ran to a tree and sunk his claws into the bark, trying to claw his way up, but he fell down.
Creature bared his teeth and snarled. Ash looked up, and saw Airia put Charlotte on a tree branch. She flew down and got Stone and Dust, and carried them up to the top of a tree.
The deer looked at Ash and began charging at him. Ash, with his eyes wide, tried to dodge, but the deer scraped him in the side with his antlers, making Ash bleed.
"Airia! Get Ash!" Charlotte wailed.
In pain, Ash closed his eyes tight. It felt as if his side was on fire.

Author's Note:
Who ever knew a deer could be so threatening? XD I'm so evil. >:D