Tigerswan chapter 2

She ran, swiftly and silently through the trees, watching the black smoke get closer. Once she reached her home she dropped behind one of the many bushes that surrounded the yard. The smoke was coming from the burning hives, but she could see the beginnings of a fire inside the house too. She looked around carefully, watching to see what the soldiers were doing. They're leaving, she thought incredulously as she did a quick count, about twenty of them in total and their insignia was a black boarcupine on a red background. Once they were far enough away Hachi ran into her burning house, fearing the worst.

"Dad! Dad! No," she had found her father, beaten and tied to a chair with fire starting to build high around him. "Dad, Dad come on we gotta go," she cried, trying to get to him. Even before she made it through the flames she knew it was no use. Her father wasn't there anymore. "I love you, Daddy." She kissed his forehead and looked around her home quickly, to see if there was anything she could salvage. She ripped her skirt to make a small mask to protect her from the smoke and another larger piece for a makeshift bag. She darted around her home quickly grabbing some food and was about to leave when a small box caught her eye.

For Hachi

A loud crack went through the roof and she knew her home was about to cave in, she grabbed the box and ran out to the shed coughing. Her clothes were heavily singed and the smell of burnt hair was overwhelming. She opened the shed, putting her small bag of food and the box inside one of the leather packs they had. She looked through the various weapons as quickly as she could, deciding to take her new katana, throwing knives and the curved dagger she loved. She changed into dark coloured pants, knee high leather boots and a dark coloured long sleeved top they kept in the shed for training. She debated getting rid of her torn blue skirt, but it was all she had of her mother; so he kept it, tying the piece she had used to block the smoke around her forehead.

Hachi checked over herself to see if she was forgetting anything. She wore the leather and metal plate she always wore when they did raids, but left out the over tunic. She lined her eyes with black, partly for the sun factor and added two red lines on each cheek for warrior paint. She froze, hearing the shouts from the townspeople coming, and knew that she needed to leave. She paused before closing the shed door, her father's bow and quiver sat with the rest of the training gear and her father's swords. She wasn't a great shot, but something in her couldn't bear to leave it behind. She slung the quiver over her shoulder with her sword and pack then grabbed the bow before running into the forest, heading in the same direction as the soldiers.

*****

She wasn't sure how long she followed their trail, it was well past dusk and the quarter moon was high in the sky. Up ahead she could see the small glow of their fire. She slunk slowly and quietly along the forest floor until she was just outside their camp. She removed her pack, quiver and drew her sword, waiting for them to drop their guard enough for her to go in. She had never taken on so many on her own before, but she couldn't let her father's death go unavenged. She looked around the camp, trying to plan out her attach when she noticed something out of place, or rather someone. A boy, about her age, was tied to one of the trees just outside the fire's glow. He didn't look Fire Nation, despite the red shawl he had around his shoulders.

"What are we going to do with him?" one of the soldiers asked. Hachi snapped her head back, listening in. What had he done to deserve being captured?

"We'll take him to Pohuai Stronghold. General Shinu heard about him through the locals, he wants to see if he can convert him to our side. He'd be a great asset to the Yu Yan; if he lasts that long. The little brat's caused us so much trouble on the way here he might just happen to have an accident before we get there." Hachi didn't know who Shinu was or what the Yu Yan were, but she had a feeling if this boy were to be taken to them it wouldn't be good. He didn't look like much, but if he had caused enough trouble that they were thinking of killing him, he definitely was more than meets the eye.

While she waited for the right moment to come Hachi was struggling to make a choice; she could save the kid or she could go and take out as many Fire Nation scum as she could. When the right moment came she found that she had already made the choice. Without realizing it she began to slink over to where the boy was tied instead of charging in with her blades drawn. The boy turned his head when he heard her approach behind him. Hachi's light brown eyes met his dark ones and she put her finger to her lips, telling him to be quiet, then went to work at cutting the knots. Soon the ropes were on the ground and the pair had disappeared into the shadows. Hachi retrieved her things and led the boy to a small cave atop a hill with a good view of the soldiers' camp.

"So what did you do for them to be that ticked off with you?" she asked, dropping her things inside the cave and opening her pack to retrieve the food. She thought about starting a fire, but decided against it. The light might give them away. She looked up at the boy as she handed him an apple and half the loaf of slightly toasted bread she had managed to rescue. He just looked at her silently. "Just cause I told you to be quiet earlier doesn't mean I don't want you to talk ever," she rolled her eyes and waited for another moment before giving up; maybe the kid was mute?

"Fire Nation burned down my village. I've been hiding in trees and shooting at them any chance I could." He had a nice sounding voice, Hachi decided, even though he seemed to carry no emotion in it.

"Me too, they killed my father and burned down my home. I want my revenge."

Though the moon gave very little light she was still shocked by the amount of emotion in the boy's eyes, especially when his words carried none. I'm sorry for your loss, they seemed to say and at the same time she could see something else. He touched her arm and she realized what it was. You need time to mourn. She pulled her arm away and stood.

"Finish the job, mourn later. That's what Dad always taught me. I'm not about to let them get away with what they did. I won't rest until they've gotten what they deserve." She looked towards the camp, hearing shouts in the distance, they must have noticed the boy was missing. "I'll take first watch, get some sleep-" she stopped, realizing she hadn't asked his name.

"Longshot."

"Longshot," she repeated with a nod as she sat at the mouth of the cave, her back to him. She could feel his eyes boring into her. She knew she should give him something to call her too. She was sure Longshot wasn't his real name, if he didn't trust her to give her his real name she wouldn't give him hers. Her thoughts flashed back to her flaming home and the last thing she saw before she left, the sign she had made when she was a kid, 'Smeller Bee hive,' slowly burning. "I'm Smellerbee. Now go to sleep, I'll wake you when it's your turn."

As she watched the light from the fire in the soldier's camp flicker and soften, telling her they were going to bed, she wondered what she'd do after they were dead. She wasn't sure who killed her mother. Her father never told her what their insignia was and one girl couldn't fight the whole Fire Nation on her own. Hachi touched the burnt ends of her hair; the girl she used to be was dead. She had died when her father did. Hachi had loved her hair, it was one of the few things that showed she was a girl, but if she was going to live on the run, finding Fire Nation soldiers and taking them out, it would just be a hassle. She took her dagger out of her pouch and hacked at the strands until it was out of her face and so short she wouldn't need to worry about brushing or tying it back anymore. With a small sigh she kicked the hair out of the way and went to wake Longshot so she could get a couple hours of sleep before they continued following the soldiers.

"Longshot, it's your turn," she said, gently shaking him awake. Even in his sleep he was silent, but he was also a light sleeper. He sat up and nodded leaving his red shawl behind for her to use as a blanket while he went to stand watch. "Wake me at dawn," she ordered as she lay down. She wasn't sure if he had heard, but she was asleep in seconds.

*****

Smellerbee was shaken awake shortly after dawn just like she had asked. After quickly checking to make sure the soldiers were still at their camp she sat and dug out the last of the food; another two apples, some smoked pig-deer meant and a handful of leechi nuts.

"We'll need to find more food before nightfall," she commented between bites of apple. Longshot only nodded, dashing Smellerbee's theory that he was just tired the night before. She noticed him looking at her hair questioningly; she shrugged finishing her breakfast and got up to stretch. "Long hair is a hassle on the road; this will be easier to manage. Come on, looks like they're getting ready to leave too." She strapped her katana to her back before donning her pack and was about to pick up the quiver and bow as well, but Longshot beat her to it.

I'll carry these, he seemed to say. She shrugged and let him sling the quiver on his shoulder as they set off, far enough behind the soldiers and off the path enough that they didn't risk discovery. As the day progressed Smellerbee found that Longshot's silence wasn't really awkward, it was one of those comfortable silences people often had with close friends and family.

*****

Soon enough the soldiers were breaking for dinner. Now was their chance. Smellerbee slipped her pack off her shoulders and tucked it amongst the roots of a large tree before looking at her companion.

"I'm going to watch from the trees for them to let their guard down," she whispered as she started to climb the tree. "You don't have to help if you don't want to, but I'd appreciate it." Longshot nodded and began climbing up another tree. Together they made their way to the camp, through the tree tops, in silence. They watched and waited for the right moment to strike. The men were relaxed, and why wouldn't they be? They were miles away from any village and travelling leisurely, which told her that they weren't on regular duty. No one would be looking for them right away. She glanced over at Longshot and wondered if he could handle taking their lives, if he was a good shot even. Longshot looked up and noticed her watching him. She couldn't be positive, but he looked a little surprised. He nodded towards the camp, indicating that now was a good time to strike. All doubts about his abilities disappeared as she dropped from the trees, landing on someone's shoulders and slitting their throat before moving on.

Arrows flew left and right, while Bee seemed to fly between them, slashing and stabbing those who dared get close enough to her. Fighting, this is what she did, it was all she knew. Fighting with Longshot wasn't bad, it was natural, but it wasn't the dance like it had been with her father. As the last soldier fell, an arrow in his neck and a gash down his side, the harsh reality came crashing down on her. She would never feel the same way again, underneath all her skill as a merciless fighter she was just a kid, barely twelve years old.

Smellerbee took a deep breath and pushed the feelings away, she would deal with them after she was as far away from the bodies as she could get. She turned to look for Longshot and found he had gone back to retrieve her pack and was filling it with food. When finished with the task he stood and was prepared to go. Smellerbee hesitated, what about clean up? They weren't going to dispose of the bodies? She shook her head and joined Longshot and they continued to head East, the way the soldiers had been going. Let the animals have them, they deserve to rot.

*****

The rest of the walk until nightfall Bee traveled in silence, Longshot would look over at her, trying to get answers to no avail. When they stopped for the night Smellerbee sat with her back to the fire, looking at the stars. They were the same stars she had spent her whole life knowing. Seeing the familiar pictures in the sky she remembered staying up late at night and her father teaching her the stories behind them. She felt a hand touch her shoulder and looked up to see Longshot beside her.

Are you okay? Smellerbee shook her head, burying her face into her knees as he sat down next to her.

"Can I have hug?" Longshot opened his arms, shocked by the sudden display of emotion and let Bee fall into them, crying softly until she fell asleep. For the first time in the day and a half he had known her she actually looked her age. Unsure what else to do he just let her sleep the way she was until she was in a deep enough sleep he could slip away. He covered her with his red shawl again and sat next to her, his back to a tree, keeping watch.<p>