Well, this is my first Avatar: The Last Airbender fanfic! I hope I do a good job writing this, because I want my readers to enjoy my work :) So please Read and Review when you finish the chapter, i'd love feedback to know if i should continue:)

Well, this chapter is relatively short, like most of my first chapters are XD, but i hope this is enough to spark someone's interest:)

I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender (c) Mike and Bryan

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The rain pelted down from the sky, soaking the barren lands hundreds of miles below. Raindrops twisted and danced in the air as they raced through the sky, unexpectedly hitting a large, flying object. My flying bison, Appa.

I steered Appa throughout the sky, soaked right through my clothes, shivering madly as the cold twisted up along my spine. The rest of the gang, Katara, Sokka and Toph struggled unsuccessfully to find a dry place on Appa’s back, covering their heads with whatever they could find.

A load groan came from ahead. I reached down, gently rubbing Appa’s head. “Don’t worry buddy, it shouldn’t be much further until we find some place to land.” I said to him, trying to sound assuring. I really wasn’t sure how much further it was. For all we know, we could be heading in the wrong direction and I wouldn’t even know it. It was hard to tell when all I could see ahead was a large sheet of rain.

Katara made her way towards the front of Appa’s saddle, yelling at me trying to overcome the sound of the rain. The rain won. “Aang, how much longer until we reach the city down south? I’m not sure we’ll make it in this weather.” She said, sounding worried.

I groaned, knowing she was right. We had been flying for hours, possibly in the wrong direction; the weather was becoming fiercer, as if it were determined to pull us back down the ground. I turned to face Katara, “I’m not sure, we should probably land though. Appa is getting tired.”

I reached down, stroking appa’s fur again. “Don’t worry pal, you’ll be able to rest soon.” I pulled back up, staring past Katara at the sky behind her. It was darkening to the point where it would soon feel like evening, even though it was only afternoon. A loud grumble filled the sky; loud enough to make everyone quickly clap their hands over their ears. A quick flash of light near the end of the sky made me positive it was thunder.

“We need to land somewhere quickly, the weather is getting worse,” I yelled back at everyone. I squinted, searching the ground below for a possible place to land. The clouds and rain were so heavy; it was impossible to see anything. The only visible thing I could see was a boot shaped lake several hundred feet below. Then it vanished beneath the clouds.

“Katara!” I yelled back, waving my arm to get her attention. “Yes?” She said, her voice filled with worry. I tossed my map behind me to her.

“See if you can find a boot shaped lake anywhere on the map in the general area were in. Maybe there’s a city or town close by where we can land.” She nodded, quickly unfolding the map, her eyes darting back and forth before she exclaimed a loud “here!”

I looked back, seeing her point to a small lake that looked like the one we had just passed. “Were in this general area,” she said, waving her hand around the lake on the map. “There’s a mark on this map right here, it looks like some sort of place where we could stay until this storm passes, I’m not sure what it’s called though, the rain washed away some of the ink.”

“It’s the only place we can stay right now, I’ll head a course in that direction,” I said, turning appa slightly to the left.

We rode in silence for the next few minutes, no one bothered to say anything since the roar of thunder drowned out our voices. It wasn’t until a few minutes later, when Sokka began to call out, “I think I see it! Over there!” He began to wave frantically in the place where he had seen the place. Even if it wasn’t what we were looking for, everyone was drenched down to their skin, it would have to do.

As we came closer, it seemed as if the place got larger, taller perhaps. Like it was some sort of castle, a temple perhaps. Katara placed her hand on my shoulder; I could feel tension running through her fingers.

“Aang, I think I know…what this place is,” she said unsteadily, looking at the map. I gave her a questioning look. “I think it’s the…southern air temple…” I stared out ahead, squinting. I felt a ring of ice form around my body, and it wasn’t because of the cold either. She was right. As we came closer, it would be impossible for anyone who had ever been to the Southern Air Temple to deny it.

Pain crawled across me as I remember what happened the first time I returned there. Devastated, learning the truth about what happened to myself. I felt my knuckles turn into fists. Katara gave me a half hug.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright? We may be able to find another place if it’s too painful for you to be here.” I sighed. I was stronger then last time, I’m sure I could handle it for the most part.

“No, everyone’s cold and wet. We should be on solid ground until this storm passes.” Katara nodded, making her way back to sit with Toph and Sokka, while I steered appa closer to what once was my home.

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The second chapter will be up soon; Please R&R, please? XD

t-f