"Well, what do we have here?" An older boy approached Tenzin, grinning. Behind the boy, three other boys laughed. "It's the whittle airbender."

Tenzin backed away, a trickle of sweat running down his nose. The boy continued to follow, and suddenly scooped him up and held him upside down by an ankle.

"Put me down!" He yelled, struggling to try and loosen the boy's grip.

"Oh, you want me to put you down? Okay. I know the perfect spot."

He carried him to mud puddle a few feet away and let him dangle over it for a few seconds before releasing him. Tenzin yelped, then fell into the puddle with a splash. The boys burst out laughing, and Tenzin glared at them, trying to stop the tears that were running freely down his face, leaving a trail in the mud that had spattered there.

While they were busy laughing, Tenzin jumped up and ran to the nearest tree. After five seconds, they realized he had gone, and took off after him. When Tenzin reached the tree, he airbent himself up to the closest branch and climbed up the tree to the next one before he looked down. The boys were at the bottom, shouting and waving their fists at him.

After ten minutes, the boys left, and Tenzin stayed on his branch, too afraid to come down. After a while, he began to shiver, his teeth chattering. He was wet, muddy, and miserable. He should be at home now, eating dinner, and talking about his day. Yet here he was, stuck in a tree.

Suddenly, he heard someone calling him.

"Tenzin!"

He immediately recognized his older sister Kya's voice, and answered. "Kya, I'm over here!"

Kya followed her brother's voice to the tree and looked up to find Tenzin perched on his branch. Tenzin jumped down beside her. She looked him over in shock.

"What in the world happened to you?"

"Some boys dropped me in the mud."

Kya frowned. "Why?"

Tenzin shrugged and took Kya's hand, and together, they walked to City Hall.

When they arrived, they found the rest of their family already there. The adults were huddled together in deep discussion. The kids were running around them, laughing and squealing. Bumi was the first to spot his brother and sister.

"Hey! What happened to you?" He yelled to them. Everyone stopped what they were doing to turn and stare at them, adults and kids alike.

Tenzin, embarrassed by all the staring, tried to hide behind his sister.

Katara approached her two children with a determined expression that scared Tenzin some. Whenever his mother wore it, it meant someone was bound to be in trouble. He just hoped it wasn't him.

When Katara reached them, Kya stepped out of the way so Katara could see Tenzin clearly. She looked him over with a troubled expression.

"What happened to you?"

Tenzin stared at the ground and didn't reply. His mother then turned to Kya.

"Did he say anything to you?"

Kya looked at her brother for a few moments, then turned to her mother. "He said some older boys dropped him in a mud puddle."

Katara pursed her lips and looked at Tenzin again before turning back to Kya. "Did he say why?"

Kya shook her head.

"Where did you find him?"

"Up a tree."

Katara turned back to her son. Tenzin avoided her gaze, knowing that if he looked into them, he would have a harder time staying quiet.

"All right," Katara said with a sigh. "We'll discuss this tonight when your father gets home."

Tenzin cringed. He didn't want to tell his father what had happened; he didn't want him to think he was weak.