The episode opens at a shallow area of a lake with Aang and Katara working on their waterbending while Sokka (with a sleeping Momo on his chest) relaxingly floats on his back on a huge leaf in just his underwear. Sokka tells Aang and Katara they need to think about going soon if they want to get to Omashu that day. Katara is showing Aang a move called the Octopus and Aang blushes as Katara moves his arms into a proper stance. Aang performs the move as Katara throws icicles at him. He manages to effectively defend himself with the move.
Suddenly, they hear music as a group of people approach playing instruments and singing. The leader introduces himself and his group as nomads wandering wherever the wind takes them. The group seems reminiscent of a hippie like group: carefree, and unconcerned with material things. The leader (Chong) appears to have some short-term attention/memory issues as he repeats himself from time to time and jumps from subject to subject.
Meanwhile, Iroh is looking at a beautiful flower telling Zuko that it is either the White Dragon bush which produces a wonderful tea or the White Jade bush which produces a deadly poison. Zuko impatiently announces he is going fishing as they need food not tea. Iroh is left contemplating which plant it may be "Hmm, delectable tea or deadly poison?"
Back at the lake, Sokka and Momo approach the others who are having flowers made into adornments for their hair/head (including Appa). Aang excitedly tells Sokka that the nomads offered to show them some sights, but Sokka again says they need to get going and have no time for the sightseeing. Katara agrees with Sokka. Chong tells them about secret pass through the mountains to Omashu - calling it a real legend. Aang agrees that going underground will not work for them as Appa doesn't like being underground and they need to do what makes Appa comfortable. After a brief scene with the Fire Nation firing at them as they try to fly, the gang decides to go with the nomads through the tunnel as Sokka states "Secret love cave, let's go."
Zuko returns to Iroh with his catch, a very small fish, only to find his uncle has ingested the plant, which turns out to be poison. After his uncle begins again to guess about plants properties, Zuko decides enough is enough and they need to look for help. As they consider their options, Zuko states, "If the Earth Kingdom discovers us they'll have us killed." To which Iroh states, "But if the Fire Nation discovers us we'll be turned over to Azula." They decide to take their chances with the Earth Kingdom.
On their way to the tunnel, the gang finds out it's not just one tunnel but a series of tunnels designed by the two lovers in the legend to thwart anyone following them. Chong explains that the cave's curse says they must trust in love to find the way through or be trapped for ever and die. As they see smoke from the Fire Nation approaching, the gang decides to head into the cave anyway. As the Fire Nation approaches the cave after the gang had entered it, they decide to destroy the entrance and trap everyone inside rather than take their chances with the curse.
Although shaken by the turn of events, the trapped group decides to work their way through. Sokka will keep track of where they are going so they can solve it like a maze.
In an Earth Kingdom healing facility, Iroh is attended to by a young Earth Kingdom girl who realizes they are not from around there as villagers know not to touch the White Jade bush. The camera shows Iroh has had a severe reaction including swelling and redness, but is still his jovial self as he says "oops" to the young woman's comment. Zuko tells her his name is Li and his uncle is Mushi. Iroh tells her they just call "Li" Junior as he is named after his father. The young woman introduces her self as Song and offers for them to come for dinner. "Junior" initially refuses, but once roast duck is mentioned "Mushi" asks for directions to Song's house.
After it appears Sokka's map making doesn't seem to be getting them anywhere, Sokka determines there is only one explanation - the tunnels are changing. Suddenly, the earth quakes beneath them.
At Song's house, her mother serves dinner, while Song tells of how they used to be refugees after the Fire Nation raided their village and took all the men - including Song's father. Li (Zuko) says he also hasn't seen his father in years. When Song asks if his father is fighting in the war, Li (Zuko) hesitates and then just says "Yeah".
Back in the tunnel, the nomads begin to panic as they hear strange noises approaching. Suddenly a wolf-bat flies past them and as Sokka attempts to fight it off with a torch, the torch falls at Appa's feet. A frantic Appa then begins running around hitting the sides of the tunnel which not only scares off the wolfbat, but causes a rock slide. Aang manages to blow the nomads, Sokka and Momo to one side then pushes Katara to the other side with Appa as the rockslide separates the two groups.
Outside Song's house, Zuko appears to be meditating. Song asks to join him. She attempts to touch Zuko's scarred face, but he stops her. She tells him she too has been hurt by the Fire Nation and then lifts her pant leg to reveal scars on her leg, which shocks Zuko.
Momo sits on Sokka's shoulder as he walks with the nomads as they play music and sing. Sokka is clearly annoyed, but says nothing.
Aang, Katara and Appa attempt to make their own way through the maze when they see a door. Thinking it is the exit, Appa charges the door, but they discover it is the tomb of the two lovers from the story. Katara reads the story. They met on a mountain which divided their two warring villages. By learning earthbending from the Badger-moles, the two built the elaborate tunnels so they could secretly meet, but prevent anyone from following them. One day the man did not show up because he had been killed in the war. The woman unleashes powerful earthbending, but instead of harming anyone, she declared the war over. The two villages helped her build a new city where they would live as one. It was named Omashu after the woman (Oma) and man (Shu). Katara then reads "Love is brightest in the dark"
A nomad (Moku) expresses frustration over Sokka leading them to another dead end. Sokka tells Moku that at least he's trying to come up with ideas. Chong then says he's had an idea for an hour, but didn't know they were trying to come up with ideas. Chong idea is if the answer is to trust in love then they should play a love song and then begins to play music as Sokka smacks himself on the forehead in frustration.
Next, it's time for Katara to voice her own crazy idea. Maybe the answer is for Aang and her to kiss. Although excited by the idea, Aang attempts to hide his feelings and manages to put his foot into his mouth by saying he definitely wouldn't want to kiss Katara. Realizing he said the wrong thing, Aang questions himself "What is wrong with me?"
As Li (Zuko) and Mushi (Iroh) depart from dinner at Song's house, Song tells them there is hope - the Avatar has returned. Unknowingly, Song has touched on a bad subject and Zuko bitingly says "I know". After going through the gate, Zuko sees the family's ostrich horse and decides to take it despite Iroh's protest over stealing from people who just showed them kindness. However, Iroh relents and also mounts the animal. From an opening in the door, Song watches them leave - her disappointment evident, but without saying anything.
As the light from the torch is about to run out, Aang and Katara move in closer to one another for a kiss, but the viewer can not know for sure if they did. Shortly after the light is gone, luminescent crystals begin to glow on the ceiling of the tunnel.
Sokka, Momo and the nomads are attacked by a swarm of wolf-bats, but Sokka soon realizes the wolf-bats weren't attacking them, but running from something else. Suddenly, huge badger-moles appear, but just as Sokka is about to be attacked, his finger touches an instrument and a musical note is made which seems to calm the badger-mole. The nomads begin to play music to calm the creatures.
Aang and Katara realize the crystals were used by the lovers to guide them to each other and that they show the way out. They rush out of the tunnel, but then wonder where Sokka may be. Suddenly, two huge tunnels appear (one on each side of the exit) and the badger-moles come out carrying the missing group members on their backs. After dropping the group off, the badger-moles head back into the mountain; closing the tunnels they created behind them. The nomads head in their own direction as Aang, Sokka and Katara head to Omashu.
However, as they crest the final ridge to see Omashu, they see the city has been taken over by the Fire Nation.
