Thread: AVATAR: An Icy Burn-Out (BennyQ/Sketchyequine)

The ships cut through the water with a sharpened point at the front designed for cutting through ice and rough waters however, for most that saw the fire nation approaching it also seemed to cut away the freedoms of man. The fire nation was brutal and left no stone unturned. This war between the nations was far older than any of the warriors in the fleet of twelve ships. Each ship held 50 warriors for a grand total of six hundred, and, unlike many of the other nations, they had plenty of benders to work with. Each ship housed ten firebenders, and all ten were all highly skilled in their art. The fire nation didnt send out their benders until they were moulded into lethal warriors who would not be easy to take down. At the head of these fifty men and women who made art out of flames? A woman. This woman had been at the top of her class. She was a skilled combatant and leader with a set of skills that made her a force to be reckoned with. Daughter of a commander and betrothed to a man with a powerful name, she had influence in the fire nation, but more important she had influence over this fleet. In fact, she lead it. It was Zinni that called the shots with these men and women, and they were going after those ships. At first she had planned to intercept them in the water even if that was where they would be most powerful after all, they were outnumbered and undoubtedly outskilled as compared to Zinni and her troops. But when the fleet turned tail and ran like a group of damn cowards. After them. She called, standing at the bow of the lead ship. Her voice was cool and collected even as she planned to go into battle. Zinni could see no reason to be worried. He fire nation might lose a handful of foot soldiers, but the loss was outweighed by the gain. These ships were on their way north, no doubt toward the northern water tribe. There would be benders on these boats. Well throw anchor a mile north of them and loop around on the rhinos, attacking them on all sides. She nodded and started her trek from the bow down into the belly of the ship were she alerted the soldiers in charge of the care of the animals to hurry up and get the beasts ready. They were taking this battle to land. The womans pale hands cupped he nose of one of the beasts gently, rubbing her thumbs softly over his rough, thick, tough skin and took a deep breath. There were few joys in life for Zinni. Unexpected, yes, that such an esteemed firebender would be unhappy, but it was true. This beast , affectionately named Ze, was Zinnis war mount, and he was quite possibly her only true friend in the world. He had seen countless battles beneath the woman and had served her faithfully in each one of them. The beast had been a gift to Zinni upon her completion of training at age eighteen and also an offering in exchange for her hand. Now, four years later at the age of twenty two, Zinni liked the rhino better than she liked her fiance, but tradition was tradition. Within the hour the ships were anchored and the hundreds of rhinos and men were unloaded and armed for battle. Everyone, save for the few leaders, were dressed in traditional fire nation armor, but Zinni had a little more flare in her battle attire . She hopped onto the back of her armored rhino and fastened her sword to her side before moving the beast forward to speak in front of her soldiers. Attention gentlemen. She began. Her voice was loud and authoritative. You are all to circle around back silently at just enough distance to go undetected and begin to subdue the natives. We are not here for a genocide although some casualties are to be expected. Do you best to keep at least the benders alive. They are of value to me. She nodded. Tightening her grip on the reins. Non benders, you go first. The firebenders will make up the second wave. As soon as the battle is won head back to the ships and lock all prisoners in the cells. Anyone still on land when the lock up is complete will be left behind. Do I make myself clear? Yes captain! The men cried. Onward! She shouted, and without hesitation everyone began to move. They made their way through the woods quietly and efficiently. Those mounted and those on foot each kept their mouths shut and their helmets on as they moved, saying silent prayers in their minds that things would go smoothly with this capture. The last thing that Zinni needed was to have to explain significant casualties to her father and the rest of the council. She needed to do this swiftly and easily without getting her own or even the enemies killed. They were destined for prison camps, not for unmarked graves. While she was happy to hurt anyone who crossed her she always attempted not to walk too close to the edge of death. Thus far? Her murdering had been minimal and most of her captives now made themselves useful working in coal mines or doing some other useful trade while still keeping them away from their elements. However, in her experience, waterbenders were tricky. Their element had to be provided on a silver platter to them otherwise they would die of dehydration increasing the death toll. Unlike with the air nomads, the fire nation had decided not to wipe out the water benders for one reason or another, but they were the main targets for leaders like Zinni. Any intel that could be gained on camps, ships, and strategies were highly valuable and would be extracted from victims at great cost to their own personal health. While Zinni didnt like to murder age was more than happy to torture. The beauty of it with water benders was that she could torture them within an inch of their lives and by the next day, if provided a cup of water, they would be as good as new again and she could start all over on them again feeding on their screams until they have her what she wanted. Once they had the pathetic little camp of the water tribe surrounded, still hidden within within the shrubbery. The foot soldiers lined up in front of the mounted and all waited for the word from Zinni. As soon as their leading lady gave a nod of her pretty little head they charged hundreds of armed soldiers moving in on probably less than a hundred strong water nomades. This fight was won before it had even started. The soldiers got to work restraining who they could or murdering if they must, but most of the nomads were no match for the fire nation warriors. Within minutes everyone in that quaint little camp was either subdued or dead except for a few more talented benders were were putting a bit of a dent in Zinnis army. Firebenders its our turn. She nodded and her men went forward ahead of her while she held back. With this method she would easily be able to pick out the most dangerous water bender and take he or she one herself. All of her soldiers were highly skilled, but not even they could take on the young and beautiful Zinni. She counted 30 beats in her head before running the rhinos neck and asking him to charge full speed ahead. The thundering of his monstrous feet, nearly twice the size of all the other rhinos, rang through the tree line as she let out a battle cry of her own. As soon as she broke the tree line she let out a puff of air that quickly formed into a wall of flame flying outward and singing all the nomades not wearing proper protective gear. At that moment all eyes were on her save for her warriors who were working their own magic on the water benders. Zinnis eyes fell on a young, handsome man with long, dark hair who was causing obvious trouble with some of her warriors, and she urged Ze forward into another charge directly at the man who, despite being younger than even Zinni herself, seemed to have the most spunk out of his group. A trouble maker no doubt. The rhino hit him catching the fabric of his pathetic clothing of his forward most horn and carrying the man back into the tree line away from his people without any trouble whatsoever. Zinni spurred on the beast until the rest of the battle was well out of sight then she yelled Drop him, Ze! This is far enough! And, like a well trained beast, the rhino lowered his head just enough that the boy dropped to the dirt with a loud thud forced to roll to a stop just inches from being crushed under the rhinos trampling feet. The animal wheeled around to face the fallen waterbender with a silent command from his rider and slid to a stop facing him. Zinni gave him a quick back and jumped off of his back in a graceful maneuver landing on her feet. Without hesitation Zinni walked forward, her hands twisting and turning in front of her until they formed a fireball engulfed in blue flames. In an instant she planted her feet, hurling the skin melting ball of flame at the man without an ounce of regret on her face. It probably wouldnt kill him. Right?