Anger. Rage. Hate and guilt coursed through her form like a violent storm that Xiao could not even begin to comprehend. The promise was there and the knowledge of knowing what she had to do, but she just could not bring herself to move. At least not until she was touched by one of the others, then the focus snapped to those without rather than the hurt and loss she had dwelled on within.<br/><br/>“NO!” she snapped at You when she touched her. “Don’t you even dare speak of what he deserves!”<br/><br/>The ground seemed to mirror her emotions as it trembled and quaked in response to the hurt that Xiao felt. “NONE OF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY A THING ABOUT HIM! NONE OF YOU!” she stood now, for the first time since she knelt at his side and face those that she called her family. “WHERE WERE ANY OF YOU WHEN THIS HAPPENED?! WHERE WERE ANY OF YOU WHEN HE WAS STRUCK DOWN?! WHERE?!”<br/><br/>Xiao stomped her foot as if to emphasize her words and a crack appeared. Jagged and angry it sped toward those before her as if she meant to have the earth swallow them whole, only for it to stop just short. Angry hot tears streamed down her face and she continued to glare at those around them, blaming them for the death of her beloved brother, even if she felt that she herself was truly the one at fault.<br/><br/><br/><span style="color: #40BFFF"><span style="font-style: italic">Another group of people reached, another lost soul wrangled up and the twins now sat before a fire after a long days travel. The fire popped and cracked as the wood burned hot and bright, casting an odd illumination on the faces before it. Those who made up the rest of their family, slept off in their blankets as the older pair enjoyed the evening together. Above the sky was clear, so Xiao enjoyed the chance to gaze up at the stars. This life was more adventurous than she had previously thought they would do, sure she had expected them to travel and see the world, but never to this degree. At least not when it came to the wayward adoptions that her brother appeared fond of, something she had never pegged him for to be honest. <br/><br/>Even if it was nice to have company and even more so to be able to form connections beyond one another, she still worried that it was not the safest thing for them to do. <br/><br/>For him to do. <br/><br/>The stars above seemed to hold no answers to the worry that gnawed at her. Soon she began to fidget like she had an itch she could not scratch, even going so far as to rub her back against the log she rested against in an effort to get comfortable. <br/><br/>“What troubles you sister?” Ro said from where he sat across from her.<br/><br/>“Life?” she said with a huff as she sat up. <br/><br/>“Life? Come now sister you and life are nearly as close as you and I,” he teased. “But do tell me what is on your mind. I can feel it gnawing at you, as if it were my own troubles.”<br/><br/>This time she sighed as she met his gaze, “I worry about you.” <br/><br/>“Why?”<br/><br/>“Because you are just so trusting with people,” she looked to those sleeping about the camp and lowered her voice. “I know you are the Avatar and all, but there is such a thing as being too trusting, even for me,” the last part mainly an addition due to her being the more talkative and social of the pair. If she felt uncomfortable about this, then surely he should as well. Right?<br/><br/>A kind and amused smile danced on his lips as he just shook his head, “I never worry and do you know why?”<br/><br/>Ro and his word games, wanting her to wait for his “wisdom” it was not something she enjoyed though it was something she felt she could not do without either. <br/><br/>“Why?” she finally asked for she knew he would wait until she asked to get more amusement out of it. <br/><br/>“You,” he said simply. <br/><br/>“Me?”<br/><br/>“Yes you. I have no reason to worry or fear for my safety because I always have you there to protect me. I may be the avatar, but I know there are somethings that I won’t see and that is where you come in. My sister who has always had my back ever since we were kids,” he relaxed back into a posture for meditation. “You should have more faith in yourself. I know I have all of my faith in you…”</span></span><br/><br/>As that memory flashed through her mind the anger at those before her left and she just stood there unsure of what to think or even how to feel. It was her fault and now she would have to fix this somehow…<br/><br/>“I...I’m sorry…” she whispered to her friends as she looked at them with regret. “You is right, we have to get away from here and…regroup,” the words were hallow almost as if she was still trying to gather herself.<br/><br/>Turning back to her brother’s form she found Pip there instead, the Badgermole had snuggled up to his former Master and held him close to his large form as gently as possible with his exceptionally sharp claws.<br/><br/>“Pip,” she spoke softly to the beast and step toward him. “We have to go,” she went to grab the body of her brother but was met with what could have been a growl from Pip. “I know that you’re sad and hurting,” she spoke softly to the mole to try and ease its own suffering. “We have to go.”<br/><br/>Again she reached for her brother and again the mole rebuked her efforts, this time with a bat of its paw.<br/><br/>“Pip…please,” though even before her hand could reach for her brother, the earth beneath their feet quaked and then a hole began to open about the mole and the body of Ro. “No…No….NO! PIP! STOP IT!”<br/><br/>Try as she might, she could not stop the earth, could not command it to halt even as she watched the dark envelope the badger and her brother. In a last ditch effort, she scrambled forth once more, as she ignored the Badger she grabbed for her brother but to no avail. His body had slipped from her grasp though she did not come away completely empty-handed. A final sigh and grunt of annoyance, before she just…gave up.<br/><br/>“Let’s go,” is all she said to the others before she mounted up and turned Falcor back the way they had come. Toward the fire nation, toward where her brother was to be reborn.<br/><br/>“Do what you must while we are gone, we will return with the next Avatar,” she said to the two remaining council members as she moved past them and took off at a gallop of sorts. The future was uncertain, but she had a promise to keep with her brother and whether or not the others choose to help did not matter to her. If she had to, it would be done on her own. She promised him she would and he said he had his faith in her, so she would try to earn that faith back.