(no subject)
The first thing Toph realized when she finally came to was that she wasn't cold. She expected to be frozen solid and left in some icy prison with just a frosty slab of frozen bread to suck on. Instead, she felt comfortable. Almost comfortable enough to go back to sleep...
She shook her head and let out a small moan, shrugging off the desire to lose consciousness once more. She could hear muffled voices in the room with her and she could vaguely make out two figures standing nearby.
"...don't think this is a good idea, Chief Arnook. She's still Fire Nation, and she very nearly injured one of my men," a male voice said in a straightforward, but respectful tone.
"She is also a child," the second man said in a commanding tone. Toph wrinkled up her nose at his comment and resisted the urge to shout a protest. "I will not have my family and this tribe remembered for locking up children like prisoners of war. If the Fire Nation is so despicable that they are sending women and children to war, then we must show that our ways are different. Warmaster Kiviuq has stationed three of his finest Waterbending masters to watch over her. I trust his judgment."
"Yes, but--"
"Your protests have been heard and taken into consideration, Captain," the chief said in a booming voice.
The captain paused for a moment before bowing slightly. "Forgive me, sir. It was not my place." He turned and exited the room.
This 'Chief Arnook' guy sounded like a big deal, so Toph ruled out being in some kind of prison. Was she... in the Water Tribe's palace? They couldn't be that stupid, could they? In any case, it didn't sound like they wanted to hurt her. She stirred slightly and then sat up. Immediately, three guards turned toward her and assumed Waterbending stances. Then again, she's been known to be wrong before. She slips off of the bed and shifts into a fighting stance herself and prepares to show the Waterbenders what she's made of.
But ouch, if only she didn't have that nasty bump on the head compounded by another nasty bump on the head. She immediately fell back onto the bed without so much as even spraying sparks menacingly at the guards.
"You're not ready to stand yet," the chief said as he slowly approached her. I would've never guessed, she thought to herself. "We do not intend to harm you, just want to speak with you. I am Chief Arnook of the Northern Water Tribe, and you are in my home."
Toph didn't answer. Instead, she contemplated tossing a fireball in his face, but in her current condition, she doubted that she could do anything when the guards retaliated. She'd just have to wait and listen and hope this old windbag shut up sometime soon and left her alone to think about an escape plan. She hated being patient.
The older man sighed when he didn't get a response. "I know you must be frightened." She scowled and nearly jumped out of the bed at him. She'd show him how scared she was! Too bad her muscles didn't respond. "The other Fire Nation soldiers you were with are being held beneath the ice. They are fine, so you don't need to worry about them." Well, that sure was a relief. She was worried sick about that jerk that caught her on the ship. "But why were you on a Fire Nation warship?"
Toph scowled at him. It was a look she practiced often. She imagined that it was so horrible that it could freeze a person's very words in their throat. Too bad it never seemed to work.
Chief Arnook began to laugh. Laugh heartily. Toph's mouth hung open for a second before she quickly closed it. She could feel her anger rising. He was laughing at her? She found herself wishing that he'd come just a little closer...
"I've seen that look many a time from my own daughter," he said, still chuckling. "I suppose I shouldn't expect you to cooperate?"
Her scowl was now a full-blown glare. Now she was determined that the only thing she was going to give this old geezer was a face full of embers if he'd just lean in a biiiiiit more.
"Very well," he muttered and began to back away. Dang it! "Maybe you'll feel more like talking tomorrow after you've had some rest. These Waterbenders will be staying to look after you. A child such as yourself shouldn't be left alone; it would be impolite."
Okay, that was the last straw. She could imagine the pompous grin on the man's face. "Who do you think you are!?" she spat at him. "I don't need you or your stupid Waterbenders! Throw me back out in the snow! I can make it! Hey! Come back here!"
Chief Arnook left the room, chuckling happily. "I'll return tomorrow, and I have a guest that would like to meet you. A healer will be by later to look at your injuries." Toph would have jumped up and pursued him, except that whenever she tried, her head felt like it was trying to do a backflip off of her neck. She sat up slightly and immediately flopped back down.
She could tell that the Waterbenders were looking at her and laughing to themselves. "Well what're you looking at?" she muttered irately. "Ooo, yeah, you guys sure are big and special. You get to look after a little girl! I bet you had to fight to get such an important job!"
She waited for a retort but they remained silent. "Hmph," she sighed angrily. "Lot of fun you guys are. You make my parents look exciting." She rolled over and decided to ignore them as well.
She thought about trying to burn her way through the ice wall, but her head was still spinning from her injuries and the shouting. After a few moments, she fell asleep again.
She shook her head and let out a small moan, shrugging off the desire to lose consciousness once more. She could hear muffled voices in the room with her and she could vaguely make out two figures standing nearby.
"...don't think this is a good idea, Chief Arnook. She's still Fire Nation, and she very nearly injured one of my men," a male voice said in a straightforward, but respectful tone.
"She is also a child," the second man said in a commanding tone. Toph wrinkled up her nose at his comment and resisted the urge to shout a protest. "I will not have my family and this tribe remembered for locking up children like prisoners of war. If the Fire Nation is so despicable that they are sending women and children to war, then we must show that our ways are different. Warmaster Kiviuq has stationed three of his finest Waterbending masters to watch over her. I trust his judgment."
"Yes, but--"
"Your protests have been heard and taken into consideration, Captain," the chief said in a booming voice.
The captain paused for a moment before bowing slightly. "Forgive me, sir. It was not my place." He turned and exited the room.
This 'Chief Arnook' guy sounded like a big deal, so Toph ruled out being in some kind of prison. Was she... in the Water Tribe's palace? They couldn't be that stupid, could they? In any case, it didn't sound like they wanted to hurt her. She stirred slightly and then sat up. Immediately, three guards turned toward her and assumed Waterbending stances. Then again, she's been known to be wrong before. She slips off of the bed and shifts into a fighting stance herself and prepares to show the Waterbenders what she's made of.
But ouch, if only she didn't have that nasty bump on the head compounded by another nasty bump on the head. She immediately fell back onto the bed without so much as even spraying sparks menacingly at the guards.
"You're not ready to stand yet," the chief said as he slowly approached her. I would've never guessed, she thought to herself. "We do not intend to harm you, just want to speak with you. I am Chief Arnook of the Northern Water Tribe, and you are in my home."
Toph didn't answer. Instead, she contemplated tossing a fireball in his face, but in her current condition, she doubted that she could do anything when the guards retaliated. She'd just have to wait and listen and hope this old windbag shut up sometime soon and left her alone to think about an escape plan. She hated being patient.
The older man sighed when he didn't get a response. "I know you must be frightened." She scowled and nearly jumped out of the bed at him. She'd show him how scared she was! Too bad her muscles didn't respond. "The other Fire Nation soldiers you were with are being held beneath the ice. They are fine, so you don't need to worry about them." Well, that sure was a relief. She was worried sick about that jerk that caught her on the ship. "But why were you on a Fire Nation warship?"
Toph scowled at him. It was a look she practiced often. She imagined that it was so horrible that it could freeze a person's very words in their throat. Too bad it never seemed to work.
Chief Arnook began to laugh. Laugh heartily. Toph's mouth hung open for a second before she quickly closed it. She could feel her anger rising. He was laughing at her? She found herself wishing that he'd come just a little closer...
"I've seen that look many a time from my own daughter," he said, still chuckling. "I suppose I shouldn't expect you to cooperate?"
Her scowl was now a full-blown glare. Now she was determined that the only thing she was going to give this old geezer was a face full of embers if he'd just lean in a biiiiiit more.
"Very well," he muttered and began to back away. Dang it! "Maybe you'll feel more like talking tomorrow after you've had some rest. These Waterbenders will be staying to look after you. A child such as yourself shouldn't be left alone; it would be impolite."
Okay, that was the last straw. She could imagine the pompous grin on the man's face. "Who do you think you are!?" she spat at him. "I don't need you or your stupid Waterbenders! Throw me back out in the snow! I can make it! Hey! Come back here!"
Chief Arnook left the room, chuckling happily. "I'll return tomorrow, and I have a guest that would like to meet you. A healer will be by later to look at your injuries." Toph would have jumped up and pursued him, except that whenever she tried, her head felt like it was trying to do a backflip off of her neck. She sat up slightly and immediately flopped back down.
She could tell that the Waterbenders were looking at her and laughing to themselves. "Well what're you looking at?" she muttered irately. "Ooo, yeah, you guys sure are big and special. You get to look after a little girl! I bet you had to fight to get such an important job!"
She waited for a retort but they remained silent. "Hmph," she sighed angrily. "Lot of fun you guys are. You make my parents look exciting." She rolled over and decided to ignore them as well.
She thought about trying to burn her way through the ice wall, but her head was still spinning from her injuries and the shouting. After a few moments, she fell asleep again.