Clever warden

The guards threw us into some kind of cart, and it rolled towards the end of the docks. (I was just playing along ,since we were heading were aang would eventually be, also what better place to practice metal bending) It was dark, but I could see the silhouette of a black ship. Haru and I were thrown into a lower deck ,and we felt the ship begin to move. I felt around at the walls. Judging by where the corners met, it couldn't be any bigger than an igloo. It was so dark I couldn't see my own hands.

"Katara, Aang, and Sokka will come for us" I said in no particular direction, but I knew Haru was in the room with me somewhere.

"They wouldn't know where to look for us. We don't even know where we're going"

"They'll come" I assured firmly. The guards hadn't searched us yet, and I had to hide my kunai somewhere before they did. (Underestimating children) The door above our heads opened and, I shielded my eyes as a ball of fire glowed over our heads. He threw down some kind of torn bags in front of us. I stepped back as he jumped down with a knife. The guard grabbed my wrist and roughly cut off the bindings and did the same with Haru.

"Get dressed in your uniforms. We'll be arriving there shortly" he said and closed the door above our heads. It was pitch black again. I didn't have a choice but to find my 'uniform' on the ground and attempt to put it on. The ship came to a halt when I finally found the part of the torn bag, to put my head through. The door above opened once again and we were roughly pulled out along with others that were on the ship.(seems he underestimated what a child could do and didnt search me)

The sun was just beginning to rise ,and I could see a metal platform in the middle of the vast water.We were forced into a line with guards on either side. I saw one guard talking to a rather old looking man and pointing at me. I glared back. The old looking man walked towards us. I held the bottom of my sleeve so my kunia wouldn't fall out. The old looking man, who now I could tell was the warden, walked towards me, stopping about a foot away from where I stood.

"Is he the one?" he drawled.

"Yes, sir" the guard behind him replied.

"Take him down to the prison hold. I'll deal with him later" he commanded.

Haru stepped closer as if he was about to defend me. "Don't. I'll be fine" I warned in a whisper, as the one guard grabbed each arm and led me away. As Haru and the other earthbenders were led , in the opposite direction. As we crossed over a bridge, I saw the pale faces of tired earthbenders doing useless labor. They pushed me inside the lift, and it led down to a metal corridor. We eventually stopped in front of a metal door , and they pushed me inside. It was an empty room with a table and two chairs. The more I thought about it, the more I believed it must be some kind of interrogation room. So for the mean time I reached into my pocket and activated the sound barrier and perception filter. I then took out my kunai, and started trying to metal bend it. I used the kunai instead of the room walls or floor for two reasons. One there could be another guard on the other side, thus alerting people.(Perception filter isn't invincible to prying eyes) Also the metal in the steel around ne is alot less refined, then my kunai. So practicing with my kunai ,will bring me further in my training. I also keep my sensing out ,for anyone approaching the door. Now to get to training.

×××3rd person POV×××

"Did you find him?" Aang asked, whirling around to face Sokka as he came back inside the barn.

"No, he wasn't in the woods and I couldn't find him in the market" he replied, walking over to his sleeping back and began to roll it up.

"You told him we were leaving at dawn, right?" Aang questioned, jumping off from the mountain of hay and landing lightly on his feet.

"Of course I did. He's probably somewhere saying goodbye" Sokka remarked nonchalantly, throwing his sleeping bag into Appa's saddle. "Oh, they were coming back from a sunset walk last night" he explained when Aang gave him a confused look. "Where's Katara?" he added.

As if right on cue, Katara came barging in through the door making both boys jump. "They took him! They took Haru away!" she cried in panic. "Wrathos was right, that old man turned him in. This is all my fault! I forced him into it!" she rambled in one breath.

"Katara, slow down. When did this happen?" Sokka asked, taking his sister's hand and squeezing it reassuringly.

"Last night. Haru's mother said they came for him last night" she explained, trying to calm down. "Where's Wrathos, I have to talk to him"

"he's been missing since this morning. I can't find him anywhere" Sokka replied. Katara's eyes widened and more worry crossed her face.

"I bet he's probably with Haru!" Aang said. "Maybe he was with him when the Fire Nation came"

"Oh no" Katara whispered, clutching her hand to her heart. The more she thought about it, the more possible it was. She knew why they'd take Haru, but why Wratho's? He wasn't a earthbender or maybe he is now?What would they do with him? Wait couldn't he just escape with haru, no wait if he uses his powers he will have to leave us sooner.The worst case scenario flashed through her mind and Katara shook her head vigorously. "We need to find them" she said firmly.

Sokka squeezed her shoulder. "I want to find them too, Katara. But it'll be hard to track them" he said.

Katara pulled her hand away. "We won't have to" he said with a sense of determination. "The Fire Nation will take me right to them"

"Why would they do that?" Aang asked in confusion.

"Because they're going to arrest me for earthbending" she declared as Aang and Sokka exchanged uneasy looks

*Back to where I am*

I leaned against the wall. I didn't know how much time passed, but it had to be at least half a day. I had to force myself to keep my vigilance. I noticed someone heading down the corridor twords here with my keen senses, and some metalbending radar ability I've been training.By the time someone finally walked in, I had already deactivated and put everything away. It was the warden. I stood up straight and shook off my drowsiness, the best I could.

"Sit" he said.

"I'll stand" I said stubbornly. Not bothering to be polite.

He raised an eyebrow, but seemed to accept my choice. "So tell me, how one of my guards came to find a potential airbender in an Earth Kingdom village, when they are all supposed to be extinct?" he asked, seating himself on the other side of the table.

I thought of Aang and shifted my kunai in my sleeve. "I'm a traveler" I said.

"It doesn't matter I'll contact my supervisor and get a handsome reward, for delivering one of the last airbenders. And with information on where more of your kind is, I'll be rich" he repeated in a greed filled voice. I quickly go intangable"WHERE..." and then put my fingers on his forehead.I sealed that memories up then implant it ,that I'm a really powerful earthbender instead" His face went blank for a minute then he said "You thought it fit to interfere with one of my guards ,while he was arresting another earthbender?" he asked, folding his hands together.

"My friend saved a man's life from one of the mines, and was about to be wrongfully arrested for it. I felt compelled to intervene and help him" I said.

The warden chuckled as though he found what I said to be a humorous joke. "Well, are you aware that earthbending is against the law here?" he asked.

I clenched my fists. "I've heard something about it" I said through gritted teeth. "You would've lost a coal miner if he hadn't done what he did" I added.

The warden didn't remark, instead gave me an up and down look. "Where are you headed?" he asked.

"Nowhere in particular" I lied.

He pursed his lips in a tight line, clearly annoyed. "Well, let me ask you this. Where are you from?" he asked.

"What?" I asked, taken aback. It seemed like a simple question, but there was obviously more to it, I could tell.

"Where are you coming from?" he repeated in a more impatient tone.

He knew as well as I did that it didn't matter where I was from, he was going to keep me here anyway. But my mind suddenly started running in several directions. I couldn't tell them I was from the South Pole. They already knew I was a airbender. They might even feel compelled to investigate the village, to see if they have anyone else that's powerful. I wasn't going to risk putting the village ,in another traumatizing situation.

"Well?" he said impatiently.

"North Pole" I replied the first thing that came to mind.

The warden didn't blink and neither did I. He suddenly stood up from his chair. "Well, forgive me for telling you this young lad, but it seems your travels about going to be delayed for at least a few years" he said boringly. The door opened and a guard stepped inside before grabbing my arm. "Of course if I hadn't known any better. I would've thought you were Fire Nation" (oh really ,well if I'm from the north pole I need to play my part) I turned my head faster than anyone could blink and angrily kicked the chair towards the warden, purposely missing him by inches. The guard grabbed both my arms and tried to restrain me. I glared at the warden and he calmly looked back. "I'm nothing like you!" I spat.

The warden looked at the fallen chair and exhaled before looking at me. "Because this is your first day, I will give you a warning. I'm sure you wouldn't want to spend , the rest of this month in solitary, now would you?" he told me. The guard forcefully twisted my wrists behind my back and I didnt fight. The warden's eyes bore into mine. "I said, would you?" he repeated

"No" I muttered back venomously. He stood upright.

"Good. Take him away" he commanded.

The guard led me out of the small room and outside. The sun was high and shined directly in my face. How long had I been in there? He let go of my arms. I was led to the deck where I saw more morbid, pale, and exhausted faces of earthbenders. I glanced at the sky, hoping maybe to see Appa flying over my head.

"Wrathos" I heard someone say to my left.