The afternoon sun filtered through the towering trees as Appa drifted over another stretch of endless Earth Kingdom wilderness.

"How much farther?" Sokka groaned for what felt like the hundredth time.

Aang shrugged. "We'll find the next town eventually."

"Hopefully before Sokka starts eating his boomerang," Katara teased.

"I've considered it."

Just then, a flash of russet fur darted through the undergrowth below.

A fox.

It paused atop a mossy rock, its fluffy tail swaying gently behind it. Golden eyes met the group's, calm and almost... knowing.

"Aw..." Aang smiled. "Look at it!"

"It doesn't seem scared of us," Katara whispered.

Sokka narrowed his eyes. "That's exactly what worries me."

The fox blinked once before trotting away. After a few steps, it glanced back over its shoulder, almost as if it was making sure they were following.

"I think it wants us to come with it," Aang said, already hopping off Appa.

"Aang, wait!" Katara called.

The fox led them through twisting forest paths, weaving effortlessly between ancient trees until it reached a quiet clearing bathed in golden sunlight.

It stopped.

Turned.

And looked directly at them.

"...Now what?" Sokka muttered.

The fox's form shimmered.

A gust of wind swept through the clearing.

Poof!

A cloud of white smoke burst outward, scattering leaves in every direction.

When it faded...

The fox was gone.

Standing in its place was you.

You casually brushed a leaf from your shoulder, completely unfazed, as though transforming from a fox into a human was the most ordinary thing in the world.

The three of them stared.

Aang blinked in amazement.

Katara's eyes widened.

Sokka slowly raised a finger.

"...You were a fox."