Trapped... [Open]

Tony would have been practicing his bending powers in the snow, far out but still nearby the village. Waving his arms up, the snow follows it as he smiles. While doing this, he spots a huge cave ahead of him about a few miles forward.

"Woah........"

Slowly and cautiously now, Tony walks toward the cave with his hands in his pockets. As he enters the cave, he looks around as looks at the stelactites and stelagmites. He goes deeper into the cave, looking around expecting a yeti or something to come and jump out to scare him. Instead, the cave makes a low rumbling sound as it vibrates.

"What was that?"

The cave starts shaking violently, making the entrance collaspe. Stelactites fall from the roof of the cave as it continues shaking violently. Tony moves his hand up, the snow follows his hand and blocks the stelactites from stabbing him. Soon the shaking stops and everything is calm.

"Oh no, I'm trapped!"

"No, we'll need them to construct two more drydocks here." Kano said, pointing at the map spread across the table. On it were laid out the plans for the new city, a project they'd been heavily invested in since the war. The only name it had so far was "The Yard."

"Understood, Chief Kanoei." the chief architect in command of the project nodded. "But we really should turn at least a portion of the waterfront into some sort of marketplace. The Yard will be one of the best possible ports for trade once it's completed."

"I understand, but two nations will be counting on this place for their shipyard, at least in part." Kano nodded. "We can't apply ourselves to what we want until we address what we need. See to it, if you would.

"Of course." the chief bowed. Kano was just about to ask around for the next order of business when the doors of the conference room burst open and his grandfather, the commander of the city guard, and his mother entered.

"What's all this?" he asked at the sight of the look on their faces. The three of them looked extremely concerned.

"I'm afraid there's a bit of a problem." his grandfather said without pause.

"It's Asumi and Dakar's boy, Tony." his mother said urgently, almost cutting Hakano off. "He went out into the tundra to practice earlier today and he hasn't been seen since."

"Clear this off." Kano ordered the assembled officers of the Yard's development project, gesturing at the table. They removed all the papers and maps assembled there to reveal the map affixed to the table's surface, a detailed map of the entire North. He then looked back around at his mother. "Bring his parents here immediately. We need to know what they know." she nodded and left the room at a quick pace.

"General," Kano said, turning his attention to the Guard Commander. "I want you to assemble every warrior you can find and inform them of the situation. They'll be making up the search party. One of every two of your guards are to be selected. The rest stay at their posts. Make sure Dakar is with them if he's anywhere but with his wife, understood? I won't have a desperate father subjecting himself to this. I'll do the explaining of the orders to him, but it'll be your second's job to see to it, understood?"

"Yes, my lord." the General nodded.

"The General and everyone who is not the Prime Minister is to excuse themselves now." Kano said pointedly. There was a flurry of bows and obedient responses before everyone in the room left, leaving Kano and his grandfather. Kano leaned on the edge of the table with both hands and looked over the map.

Hakano didn't say a word.

"We have seven hours." Kano said simply. His grandfather understood this meaning immediately.

"Is the blizzard approaching that quickly?" he asked, leaning on his cane.

"She thinks so." Kano nodded. "If we're to have any hope of this whatsoever, we need every able body. The General is assembling those I can order to do this. I want you to find those who are willing to volunteer. If we don't find that boy in the next seven hours, by tomorrow morning, he will be dead."

"And so will you if you don't return in time."

"Find Nakkoa." Kano said with a sigh.

"Here." Asumi said through, her voice quivering as she and her husband stood there, looking down at the map. She had indicated a place a mile or so north of the city. Kano couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Make that six hours." he said in a whisper to his grandfather standing next to him. That far north, they were walking into the storm.

"Do you know anything else?" Suna asked. "Any other places he liked to go?"

"N-no. But that doesn't mean there aren't any other places." Asumi said. "Tony is an adventurous boy. All I know is he talks about that spot..."

Kano leaned on the edge of the map table, examining the terrain marked on it. There wasn't much around there. If he disappeared, it could have been anything. Even a wolf attack wasn't out of the question on the northern tundra. For all anyone in that room knew, Tony was already dead. It wasn't a piece of information Kano felt comfortable voicing with the boy's parents there, but apparently it wasn't everyone who felt that way.

"He could be dead already."

Kano's eyes snapped up and came to rest on a young man who was clearly part of the city guard, a lieutenant by the looks of him. The General looked as though he wanted to hit him.

"There's a storm coming." the young man continued. "Everyone's heard about it by now. If that kid didn't show by sundown, what are we supposed to do? We can't run out into a blizzard to save one stupid kid."

"ENOUGH!" Kano roared at him. "Have you no decency!? Look whose presence you're in! Now get out of this room."

The lieutenant looked as though he wanted to argue it, but he turned at a look from the general and left the room without another word. Kano's gaze moved to Asumi and Dakar, both of whom were looking thoroughly distraught now. When he spoke, he did so firmly.

"Let me make this perfectly clear..." he said. "We will search until we find this boy alive or dead. I will not turn back so long as there is hope, and there is hope."

"Indeed." his grandfather nodded. "General." he said, looking at the head guardsman. "These rock formations marked on the map here. What are they?"

The general leaned in and examined the small mark drawn on the map where Hakano was pointing. He seemed puzzled for a moment, then his eyes widened in realization and he stood once more.

"Dragon Maw Cave." he said. "Very treacherous, that place. Prone to collapses at the slightest reverberations. It's still standing, though I really don't know how. What with the heavy winds... I'll just say the last person who walked in there brought an entire tunnel down on his own head with nothing more than the sound of his footsteps."

"Then we start there." Kano said with a note of finality.

"Are you sure, sir?" the General asked.

"Yes." Kano nodded. "There's nowhere else he could have gone. If he's not on the tundra, we make for the cave immediately. General. Are there any detailed maps of the cave network?"

"No." the General answered, shaking his head. "But we only know of two entrances. That one in the tundra, then an outlet in D'zerk's Point."

"That's almost thirty miles north and east..." Suna said, surprised.

"Yes." the General nodded.

"Very well." Kano nodded. "Tell Captain Klargith to take the Seawolf to D'zerk's Point and wait for us there. If we have to make our way through the cave network, we'll need a swift mode of escape at the other end. Where is Nakkoa...?"

Kaito lay sprawled out in his bed, tired from the days work his father had left him. It had been a full day full of gathering fish, scrubbing down the ship, and practicing his bending. “Ahhh” he groaned as he rolled over in his covers. His father had warned him today’s work would be tough and his sore muscles were proof enough of it. Regardless he knew it had to be done and now he had the rest of the day to recuperate. As the onset of sleep crept over him and his eyes grew heavier he began to fall into a well deserved rest.

“KAITO,”a voice rang out stirring him from his sleep. Kaito recognized the voice as his father’s but feigned ignorance in hopes of getting a minute more of rest. “KAITO,”he heard again and a violent shaking forced him awake. “Father I’m awake I’m awake,” he spoke taking his fathers hands off him. “Just what is going on,” he asked rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and letting out a yawn. “A child has gone missing and Chief Kanoei has called all able bodied villagers to assist him.” The news of this shook the fatigue off Kaito’s body instantly. With the sudden rush of adrenaline he quickly rushed to change and ran out the door after his father. Looking around Kaito noticed the city guards also rushing around in panic. “The situation must be worse than I thought,” he thought quickening his pace.

Arriving on site both Kaito and his father rushed to Chief Kanoei for orders. Looking on at Kanoei, Kaito felt a sense of pride as he watched his leader coordinate the men. Kaito felt proud to be under his rule and was glad to serve him. Kaito watched on as Kanoei issued orders and finally stepped up. “Chief Kanoei,” he spoke “I would like to offer my assistance to you, I’m a bender and have also been trained in healing.”

"Right. Captain. Your team will be north of Captain Korik's group." Kanoei explained, pointing at the search pattern plan on the table. The wind was picking up from the north. They were starting to feel the storm's approach and the pressure of limited time was being felt by all.

One by one, soldiers and officers looked to him for their assignments. Volunteers there were too. He looked around as one of them declared themselves to be a waterbender and a healer. He considered the one who had spoken. He looked just about Kano's age and determined.

"Good." Kano nodded. "Kaito, right? I'm familiar with your father. Well, no time for introductions. You're with Nakkoa and I. We're going to move ahead of the teams and make straight for the Dragon's Maw. That's where we think young Tony's gone missing. Dress warm. There's a fair chance we're going to get stuck in the blizzard before this has all concluded."

Tony had been sending snow to the crumbled entrance trying to get out. "COME ON!" He then charges toward the crumbled entrance, the snow slowing him down. As he comes into contact with it, he falls back and lands on his butt in the snow. "HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP!" His voice rings out through the entire caves. As if in response, a high growl is heard deeper in the cave. Tony backs up into the crumbled entrance just as a moose-wolf appears. "N-Nice......Moose.." The Moose-Wolf growls softly at Tony, dipping its head down. It then charges at him, bearing its teeth out so that spit hits the snow with each step. Tony dives out of the way just in time as the Moose-Wolf smashes into the crumbled entrance. He moves his hand back quickly, the snow following his hand toward the Moose-Wolf. It goes over the Moose-Wolf and the animal is temporarily blinded, by it being coated with white snow. Tony pushes both of his hands up just as the snow turns into a spiral, lifting him up and it pushes him to the cave ceiling a little. He slams the snow down, this smashing into the Moose-Wolf now. It would then go unconcious as Tony returns to the snow ground.

"Please.........someone find me.." Tony mutters to his self.

Kaito was stunned as he received his order that he’d be traveling with Kanoei. Even more surprised that they’d be traveling straight into a oncoming blizzard. Kaito had to give him credit to be putting his life on the line for this child. Meaning it would fall to him and Nakkoa to ensure his safety. Well mostly Admiral Nakkoa but he would still be there to help out.

“Alright I will be ready to depart shortly,” he replied. Stepping back he walked to his father to inform him of his orders. “I’ll be heading out with Chief Kanoei towards Dragon’s Maw where they suspect this kid to be,” he spoke hesitantly, trying to gauge his reaction to the news. His father took a deep breath and sighed deeply “sooner or later my heart will give out, the way you keep diving headfirst into danger.”

Kaito stood silent, knowing full well his father was right. His time at sea had made him into the headstrong charge in and figures it out later kind of guy he was today. “Well dad I just thought if it were me out there you’d do the same” he said in reply. His dad couldn’t help but laugh at this “you’re fully right about that son,” then as he finished his laugh “but all the same stay safe out there, you’re old enough now but that doesn’t mean I still won’t worry about you.” “I’ll make it a top priority of course,” he replied the determination showing in his voice.

His father smiled at him, pulling off his coat and handing it to his son. “Here the chief said to stay warm,” he said handing the coat to his son “just be sure to follow his orders out there.” Grabbing the coat from his dad Kaito quickly donned it. “Yes sir and thank you,” he said “well I don’t want to keep him waiting any longer,” he then gave his dad a quick embrace before heading back to Kanoei. “Chief Kanoei I am to ready depart whenever.”