At Camp:
Toji gathers the camp leaders and decides another celebration should be held - not just for the sake of the Embers' successful mission rescuing Etisha, but for the whole camps growth and forward momentum.
Dharma pulls Jang Tae aside to congratulate him on their infiltration, and Moshi comforts Etisha while she acclimates to settling in the camp.
During the celebration, a farmer approaches and tells Toji that Fire Nation soldiers are terrorizing farmsteads up to the north.Toji is cautious this could be a trap, and Dharma questions if the camp is getting too big if the farmer was able to find them as their notoriety increases.
Agreeing to assist the farmer in pushing back the soldiers, the group gears up, bringing Chuko. Toji assigns a duty to Chuko - if the farmer is lying and it is a trap, she'd have the least trouble putting an end to them.
At the farms, the group meets Tokar, a burly Earthbender who's been leading the hand-off of supplies and food to these soldiers. He explains they're essentiually ronin from Bozan's units when he was captured at the Fall of Taku. He'd heard of successful anti-Fire-Nation raiders in the region (the capture of Shan and rescue of the Embers) and was hoping for help to end these soldiers.
The group agrees to assist if the farms keep quiet about the camp proper and join as a sattelite outpost. Rather than combat the soldiers, the group traps them and intimidates them into not only backing down, but joining with these Earth Kingdom citizens in protecting the land.
They return to camp, leaving Tokar in charge for the time being. Plans are made to further patrrol the outskirts of the region. Toji seeks guidance from Bhaga, and the idea is offered to build inward, but more Earthbenders are needed to expand. Bhaga suggests also expanding toward/gaining help from Ba Sing Se, but thise angers Toji, who believes the Earth Kingdom monarchy doesn't care about the people on the fringes (unlike the great protective shield of say..the Fire Nation army).
Toji wonders about word from Tokala, as help from the Northern Water tribe would help improve any attack on Okuru's camp to the east.
Meanwhile, at the Northern Air Temple:
Shizaku has difficulty traversing the mountain paths upward, dumbfounded by Jyoti's nimbleness. They find some camps and evidence that others have been up in the region and it's not completely abandoned. Shizaku is less perceptive that others have been in the temple far more recently.
This causes two bounty-hunters to get the drop on them - a scarred and muscular firebender name Saki and a slim, cocky waterbender name Mura. Shizaku manages to convince them they aren't air nomads or worth any trouble and are just looking for relics.
The bounty hunters seem to back down, uninterested, while Jyoti pushes forth toward the records hall with Shizaku....
