1 Prologue

Aaron's heart drummed so hard that he feared it'd leap from his chest.

He'd kept low, dashing from bush to bush as he navigated through the forest's undergrowth, but they never lost him.

'Since when could Rhinos track!'

The ground rumbled as they galloped after him.

"You can't run forever!" A manic voice called.

Aaron knew better, but he couldn't keep himself from looking back, and the horror was fresh in his mind again. Riding atop Rhinoceroses half the size of huts, four overly muscled men chased after him. Though they lacked the grace of a trained Airbender or his experience in the wild, they followed him easily enough as he turned, doubled back and hid under the shadow of trees.

He'd heard rumors about the ferocity and skill of the Rough Rhinos, but seeing them up close made them even more terrifying.

Aaron estimated he still had plenty of stamina to run, but he had no doubt the Rhinos would corner him before then.

Behind him, he heard a rhino trumpet as its rider dug his heel into its side, and to Aaron's left, he felt vibrations from the trembling ground ride up his thighs.

Facing them would be a death sentence, especially with reinforcement no doubt close behind, but luckily he didn't have to. Just beyond the approaching end of the treeline was an 80 ft. drop and his ticket to freedom.

A small smile edged his lips as he leaned forward and spread his hands to his side. With a deep inhale, he called the air, and he felt his entire body spring forward as it answered.

His mopy air thrashed in the wind, his face started to burn, and it took all of his coordination to avoid roots, trees, and other obstacles as the world blitzed past. His smile turned to a victorious grin when he cleared the last of the trees, leaving his pursuers in the dust.

Just before Aaron cleared the cliff, he spied a blurry black mass jump out of the thicket and launch a muscly man draped in armor of red and black. Somehow, the man managed to lock eyes with him, and his fist shot forward a glorious stream of red and yellow that set the lip of the cliff on fire, obscuring Aaron's path.

The surprise was enough to make him falter, bleeding nearly half of his speed.

The earth trembled as the Rhino rider raced towards him, fist coated in flame, and at the same time, a second Rhino burst through the thicket behind him and struck out with a lethal flame stream.

The men before him were undoubtedly the most dangerous firebenders he'd ever faced, yet he did not despair.

Change was coming, and soon, it would be the fire benders who had to run and hide.

Aaron's fingers spread as he vaulted and spun forward, pulling the air around him into a sphere which he rode through the wall of fire and over the cliff face.

Shouts and streaks of fire followed, but it was too late.

Aaron could be more cautious this time, and it'd take at least several months for them to track him down. But by then, should've found the Avatar.