[color=7bcdc8][center][h2]Huo[/h2][hr][/center][/color]

Flying is just controlled falling. It is an art of airbenders to manipulate the currents of wind around them to lift them high into the air, flipping and gliding as seamlessly as a bird in the sky. Huo had always found the birds of the swamp to be the most graceful of creatures, and what little envy lived in his heart was reserved for those who could ride those currents of wind and sail high enough to truly observe the world as it was.

Huo was falling without an ounce of grace as the winds had betrayed him... no, an airbender. A nonviolent nomad using violence. Huo had not been expecting the sudden shift in behavior, a sudden enemy he had failed to notice. Huo must have missed something... had the airbender not just launched two of the earth kingdom soldiers into the ocean? Did he believe Huo to be working for the soldiers? No, even he knew that didn't make sense. He must have missed something, clearly. Was the nomad trying to abscond with the residents of the fishery with the swordswoman? It seemed unlikely, given his warning. Though he was offering a kindness to her that was denied to him... perhaps he had trouble hearing in the chaos? It could explain why the soldier had ignored the waterbender's plea. He'd have to work on projecting.

All of that was a less immediate concern, as Huo smacked into the rippling waves of the sea. The force had knocked the breath out of his lungs, filling the vacuum with water. Huo's eyes shot open with sudden panic, before instinct took control. A simple wave of his arms, and Huo pulled a swell of water under himself to shoot back up to the surface. His head bobbed up for air, and he spit a stream of water out of his mouth like a stone fountain. He was facing away from the shore, staring at two earth kingdom soldiers who were just regaining their own senses after meeting a similar fate. Huo sighed as he addressed them. [color=7bcdc8]"Y'all aren't very welcoming around here, y'know that?"[/color] Huo lifted both arms quickly and slammed them back down on top of the water, launching two streams of water to blast the soldiers farther into the sea. Last thing Huo needed was more surprises. The two streams of water jetted Huo backwards towards the shore at a slower rate, before he twisted his body and waved his hands in the water to swell a small wave to slow his approach. About five feet from the shore, Huo simply breastroked until he could stand and walk out of the water.

Huo stood at the very fringes of the fight, not far from the Tao the bag of rice, dripping with seawater. A bit of seaweed was tangled in his unkempt mane. He watched for a moment as the earth kingdom soldiers formed a wall around Ryschi and the airbender assailant Tianshi. Huo took a pause to catch his breath, lifting his hands to his chest to help center himself. With a spin and a flicking of his arms, Huo shot a concentrated whip of water out from the sea towards the nearest soldier. Huo took a step back and pulled the arms back, just as the whip coiled around the soldier's leg and yanked him off his feet. The soldier slammed into the earth face first, and the whip of water floated near Huo. He took a defensive stance, the water nearly licking his heels as he was ready to make full use of his environment this time around. Unlike Chi, Huo had at least one person ready to fight by his side.

Huo called out in a very loud voice, clearly overly projecting to make sure his friend could hear him. [Color=7bcdc8]"Ryschi, can you tell yer friend in there to cool his gourd? The water round these parts is mighty cold and salty."[/color]
[hr][@Hero][@Kronshi][@Achronum]