Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

The Arrival of the Yellow-haired Girl

It was midday. I had spent my morning up until now tracking a herd of buffalo-yaks. I wasn't far from the village, but the freshly fallen snow from last night's storm was impeding my travel. Hopefully, the buffalo-yaks would be struggling similarly. Squatting down to study an imprint in the snow, I took in a lung full of icy cold air. The air always tasted better after a snowfall. It was crisper; fresher. The imprint in the snow was in the shape of a buffalo-yak hoof, and there was more all around. Judging by its depth, the herd wasn't far. I was on the right track. Smiling to myself about the funny word pun I had just made, I stood back up to keep moving. I was hopeful that I would be able to bring down a fully grown buffalo-yak. Just one would provide my village with enough meat to last about a month if it was properly cured. Any unwanted fat could be used to make soap or used to grease weapons. And I've seen Gran-gran use it as a salve for cracked skin or as a lip balm. The fur was much needed with its many possibilities. It could be made into blankets, tarps, and clothes. I knew of a couple of kids who were outgrowing their coats. The bones and organs wouldn't be wasted either. I could use a dried and cleaned buffalo-yak bladder to make a waterskin. Katara has been asking for one. And the women could use the bones to make beads for their hair and toys for the kids.

I thought of all the goods a buffalo-yak could bring as I neared the shoreline. I wasn't surprised that I'd follow the herd here. Most herds head to the coast during the summer months. I don't know why. It was just their habit. But I was grateful to know the tricks of my homeland. We didn't use to hunt buffalo-yaks. Not when they could be caught and trained to be beasts of burden. The females were good for milk too. But after the men left to aid the Earth kingdom, we suffered a harsh winter. The buffalo-yaks that lived amongst us had to be sacrificed for food and resources. And the needs of my people haven't lessened since then.

When my footing started to become more rocky than snowy, I crouched behind a boulder. The herd shouldn't be far and I didn't want to alert them to my presence until I had my spear ready. Now, would be the best time to analyze my surroundings before proceeding. Dad had always said that only fools act without a plan.

I look left and then right; not expecting to see much other than snow, rocks, and water. The herd is ahead of me. My village is behind me. There are no other settlements near us, and we haven't encountered any travelers since before the first Fire Nation raid. I was alone.

And yet, I ended up looking left again when a beaming reflection of light hit me in the eye. I raised a hand over my eyebrows to shadow my gaze. I wasn't worried. With so much ice and snow, it wasn't uncommon for light to bounce off the frozen waters' shiny surfaces. But still, caution was important. Especially because the whole tribe is dependent on me to hunt for them since all the men had gone to war.

Surveying the shore, it didn't take me long to find the cause. There! About five yards away was a…. was a girl! My breath hitched in my throat as my eyes widened and I lowered my hand. How is she here? The girl was lying face down on the beach that was more gravel than sand with her lower half still in the water. And her arms lay in awkward angles as if she had no say in their placement. On one of her wrists gleamed a metal of sort of bracelet. That's what had drawn my attention.

Buffalo-yaks forgotten, I stood up from behind the boulder. Prior to Dad leaving, prior to the Fire Nation attacking; I would have rushed forward to aid the stranger that had washed up on our borders. But misfortune had taught me to be suspicious. If they weren't from a water tribe, they were more likely to be dangerous. The girl appeared to be unconscious, judging by her stillness. But I poised my spear to be in a perfect impaling position as I approached. I moved quietly at the start; keeping my weight evenly split between my footsteps. But noise became less and less of a concern the closer I got. This girl was so pale, that she nearly blended in with the snow; like there was no life in her. How long had she been in the water?

Once I was close enough to touch, I decided that this girl was in no state to suddenly jump up and charge at me. I kneeled and laid my spear next to my right foot. Being this close, I could now see details that I couldn't before. Her hair was matted with clumps of seaweed mixed in. And the ends of it looked singed. Fire Nation, was my immediate thought. My suspicions were confirmed when I spotted the only color on her skin. Angry red welts and inflamed blisters littered her arms. This girl had been badly burned. Another Fire Nation victim. Her clothes were another thing that was weird. She was only wearing what seemed to be loose pants that ended above the knee and a sleeveless top. By water tribe standards, it was indecent. The fabric of both was thin and unlike anything I had ever seen before. But I knew they didn't offer any protection against the elements of the South Pole. I let out a deep sigh, now more sad than suspicious. She looked like she had suffered much and I was certain I was looking at a corpse. The girl looked to be close to my age, and she was pretty in a weird sort of way with icicles forming in her ragged yellow-hair and the strange pallor of her skin. Maybe I thought so because it had been a long time since I had last seen a girl in my age group. My sister didn't count. But there were still unanswered questions. The girl looked like she had been attacked by a firebender. Was a Fire Nation ship nearby? If not, how had she gotten to the South Pole? A shipwrecked trading vessel maybe?

I took off my right glove as I steeled myself for a job I didn't want to do. I needed to confirm that she was dead. Then I could release her body back to the sea, as was the custom amongst my people. It didn't make sense to me, but they believed that when we die and got sent to the sea our souls were freed to journey to the spirit world. After that, I'd put off hunting to search for signs of a shipwreck. We didn't get many ships up at the South Pole. Even less after the first time the Fire Nation raided our village. But it does happen. And I need to know if there were any other potential survivors, and whether or not they were traders or Fire Nation soldiers.

With another deep breath, I placed two fingers on the girl's neck; at her pulse point. I became completely taken back when I felt a faint thump-thump. "Holy La!" I exclaimed, using the water spirit's name as I withdrew my hand as if I had been shocked. A heartbeat. A dangerously slow heartbeat, but still it was there. How was she alive? No one should be alive with skin that colorless. Especially after being exposed to freezing water and being dressed in so little. She didn't even have any shoes! Still, setting the impossibilities aside, I moved on instinct. I shoved my glove back on my bare hand before digging my arms under the girl's armpits; praying that it was just her arms that were injured as I dragged her legs out of the water. I didn't want to make it worse. But, as a South Pole local, I knew the biggest threat to her life right now was her lack of body heat.

Next, I pulled my coat off from over my head. There wasn't much I could do for her outside of the village I didn't have any supplies to make a fire or block out the frigid wind. If there was any chance of saving this girl, I had to get her back to the village without letting her get any colder. Hopefully, Gran-gran could help. I worked to wrestle my coat on over her head; lifting her and rolling her whenever I had to. It wouldn't get her warm. Especially when she was wet. But maybe my second-hand body heat would buy her some time. I didn't bother trying to get her arms into the sleeves. As long as she was unconscious, she wouldn't be able to move them anyway. That completed, I stood up and left my spear on the ground. I could come back for it later. I worked fast to pick up the strange yellow-haired girl; grunting under the strain as I maneuvered her on my shoulder. In her waterlogged state, she was heavy. Heavier than Katara at any rate. But I could manage. I had too.

I made it back to the village in record haste. And for the first time in a while, I wasn't disappointed in myself for coming back without food to feed my people. Not when the only thing I could think about was the fading life I was carrying. As soon as I crossed the village's threshold, I was greeted with gasps and questioning stares as the women noticed the limp form in my grasp. It had been an age since we last had a stranger amongst us, and they weren't particularly welcome. But I paid them no mind. I, as the oldest male in the village, would have to address them with the facts about who I had found eventually, but right now the important thing was getting this girl to Gran-gran.

It only took a handful of steps before I was stepping through the entrance flap of my family's tent. "Gran-gran", I said urgently to the old woman on the inside who was stirring stew over her hearth. She turned around slowly. Obviously not understanding my panic. But she froze and her eyes grew large once she saw what I was carrying. "Sokka, what-", She tried to ask.

But I was already speaking before she could finish. "I found her on the shore", I said as I walked over to my bed and squatted to lay the girl down amongst my furs. "I thought she was dead, but she has a pulse!" I felt like I was speaking faster than I ever had before.

Gran-gran dropped her ladle in the cauldron of stew and left it to simmer as she hurried over to investigate the matter herself. Her face was skeptical as she peered down at the girl. Probably thinking the same things I had first thought. Who was she? Why did she look so... foreign? What had happened to her? And that was without Gran-gran seeing the burns on her arms. "Are you sure you felt a heartbeat?" Gran-gran asked softly as if she was about to deliver bad news.

I nodded my head so fast that it hurt. "Please Gran-gran", I said as I reached out and grabbed her wrist with my gloved hand. "See for yourself", I pleaded as I gently tugged until Gran-gran's gnarly old knuckles touched the girl's neck. I was taking a leap of faith by assuming that the girl hadn't perished in the time it had taken to get from the shore to here.

Gran-gran sighed but formed her hand into a position to take a pulse. I let go of her, but I didn't step back as I waited to hear Gran-gran's verdict.

I didn't have to wait long. In seconds, Gran-gran's face changed from foreboding to shocked to determined. "Sokka", she barked; having entered into full-on healer mode. "Go find your sister. Tell her I need her help. Then gather all the tiger-seal blubber the tribe can spare. We're going to need a big fire to get this child warm".

I didn't need to be told twice. Bolting out of the Tapiq, I yelled out Katara's name, not caring that I was still coatless. I had a job to do and limited time.

With the arrival of the foreign-looking girl, I lost my bed and had to make do with a bedroll laid out next to the hearth for warmth. This bothered me some. I worked all day. I should get to sleep in my own bed. But I was the one that had placed the yellow-haired girl where she currently lays. I couldn't exactly kick her out of it. Especially when she still wasn't awake. Days passed and the girl didn't stir. She remained cocooned in my bed and furs with only her face visible. The only exception was when Gran-gran would change the dressings on girl's burns. Gran-gran barely left our home as the yellow-haired girl took up her time; constantly checking that she was breathing and that the tent's cooking fire remained lit to offer warmth. But there really wasn't a whole lot Gran-gran could do. The girl's burns and blisters had been treated, her singed and ratted hair had been cleaned. Gran-gran and Katara hadn't been able to save most of it. The burnt parts had to be cut and the knots with clumps of seaweed tied in were so close to her scalp that it was near impossible for Katara to comb out. They ended up shearing off the knotted clumps of hair. Leaving the yellow-haired girl with locks as short as a year-old baby. I had never seen a girl with hair that short before. The women of the water tribe let their hair grow and kept it pulled back to make it manageable. I hoped the yellow-haired girl's culture wasn't similar. Because she'd be unhappy when she woke.

I wanted to spend more time in the tent with my strange discovery and think about all the questions I wanted to ask. But just because there was an enigma living in my tent didn't mean that all my responsibilities vanished. So, my days were as busy as ever as I tried to make sure that everyone has a functioning roof and food to eat. But my evenings were filled with staring at the girl as Katara and Gran-gran took turns spooning fishy broth and pouring sips of water down her throat. Every night, Gran-gran told me that there was a chance that the girl would pass beyond our reach. But even morning her heartbeat could still be found. I went out hunting after than first day. I found my spear that luckily hadn't been buried in the snow. As I looked for signs of the buffalo-yak herd once more, I kept my eyes open for signs of a shipwreck or other foreigners but there was nothing. Making it seem like the girl I had found had just swum into existence. I wouldn't be able to get any answers to my question until the girl woke and I could ask them myself. And boy, did I have questions. So many that I probably forgot one every time I came up with a new one. One question that I wasn't worried about forgetting was about the girl's strange bracelet. Gran-gran had shown it to me after I had been allowed back inside after I had first brought the yellow-haired girl into Gran-gran's care. Only the rim of the top was metal; the part that had reflected the light that had caught my attention. It surrounded some sort of glass. At least, it felt like glass, but I couldn't see through it. Its surface was black. It was so ugly that I no longer thought it was jewelry, but I couldn't figure out its purpose. So, what was it? The part that was used to fasten it to her wrist was made of something that I had never seen or felt before. It was solid and bent like leather except it was purple and I could almost see through it. Whatever it was, it was something that couldn't be made in the South Pole. I kept the ugly looking bracelet with my fishing gear; adding it to the list of things I wanted answers on.

On the third day following the yellow-haired girl's arrival, I finally found some time and a reason to stay inside my family's tent. Katara had been begging for time to practice her waterbending, and finally, Gran-gran and I relented just to get her to stop asking. Then Gran-gran got called to the home of a mother of two young boys how needed her medicinal knowledge. Gran-gran didn't want to leave the yellow-haired girl alone. Stating she didn't want her to wake up in an empty tent. I offered to stay. The meat I had brought back yesterday would last us a while, I had nothing around the village that needed to be done today, and there was weapon maintenance that I could do inside. So Gran-gran left, leaving me with instructions to try to get water into the girl ever so often.

As soon as the tent flap closed behind Gran-gran, I looked at the yellow-haired girl expectantly. As if just my presence and no one else's was what was needed for her to wake up and answer all my questions. But when a minute passed with me staring at her and she remained unmoving, I shook my head and ran a hand down my face. Foolish. Of course, it wouldn't work like that. So, I set up to work on the floor; laying out my spearheads and arrowheads, my whetting stone, and everything else I needed to care for my weapons. This was something that Dad had taught me at a young age. It was something that we did to occupy our time during the dark season. But now that it was just me, I had to do it more frequently to keep up with everything. The job was boring; having to do the same thing over and over again, and it was hard to stay still for so long. But a small part of me enjoyed it because I didn't have to think as I work.

I made it through two and a half spearheads before I heard a muffled groan. I almost ignored it. Whoever it was; it wasn't my problem. I dealt with hunting, security, and village repairs. Helping with bodily complaints wasn't a job I was responsible for. But then I remembered why I was sitting in the tent and not Gran-gran. I snapped my head up and turned to look in the direction of my bed. The yellow-haired girl! Her head just moved! Dropping the spearhead, I climbed to my feet. It only took two steps before I was at her bedside, and I was just in time as she groaned again. Her eyes blinked open groggily; revealing unfocused brown pupils. It was a relief to not see the amber-ish eye color of the Fire Nation. But her brown eyes didn't tell me where she was from. Just that her origins weren't obvious. She blinked again and wrinkled her nose as she started to shift around under all my furs. It must feel weird to wake up after a long period of time. Maybe her arms and legs still felt asleep. I bet there felt heavy at any rate. "You're awake," I said even though I didn't really know what to say. "You've been asleep for at least three days". I wanted to let every question I had pour out of me like a waterfall, but I knew that it would be a waste of time if she wasn't able to pay attention yet.

Her eyes darted around as she unseeingly took in her surroundings; the thick furs she was laying on, the dirt of the floor that wasn't covered by weaved rugs we made from buffalo-yak fiber wool, and the lit hearth emitting smoke that floated out of the opening in the tent's ceiling. Until her eyes settled back on me. Her pale-yellow brows got pulled into a slant as if she was thinking but the thoughts were arriving at a glacial pace. "I found you on the shore", I said to help her brain start working. "You were half frozen. If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead". I wanted her to know exactly what I had done for her. I wanted her to see me as the man that saved her life. As the only girl close to my age who I wasn't related to, I wanted to make a good impression. That is if she didn't end up being a threat once she fully recovered.

The girl mumbled something that was too muffled to make sense. She winced as she started to try to sit up. "Don't", I said as I reached out to stop her. "Your arms were badly burned. I'm not sure if you should be putting weight on them". The yellow-haired girl blinked up at me again. This time her eyes grew bigger as alarm started to set in and she left her sleepy state behind. She opened her mouth as her lips started to form a word. But instead of vocalizing it, a hoarse cough came out that had her turning her head away from me. "Water", I said as I moved away to fetch one of the jugs we used to store our drinking water. Of course, she'd need water before she would be able to answer my questions. "Don't move", I called over my shoulder as I grabbed the first water jug that I saw. "I'll be right there".

My heart was beating fast. This was the first exciting thing to happen in a while. The first exciting thing and hopefully a good thing to happen in a while. It didn't take me long to return to the yellow-haired girl. But in the second I had been away, she had managed to free her bandaged arms out from under her cocoon of furs, and she had pushed herself into an upright position; staring at the bandages with a look of horror. Had she forgotten that she had been burned? I asked myself as I knelt next to my bed. "Here", I said as I uncorked the jug and raised it to the strange girl's lips. She flinched back when the jug got close to her face, but a survival need must have taken over, because not a second later she was taking long gulps of water. With one of her hands reaching up and resting on top of one of mine. When she was satisfied, the girl lightly pushed against my hand, signifying that I could take the jug away. I did as the girl let out a big breath of air. One that had her shoulders heaving. "Can you tell me your name?" I asked as I set the jug on the floor next to me. "What happened to you?" I asked as I looked back up. The girl was staring at me again; eyes just as wide as before. Like I was just as much of a mystery to her as she was to me. "Was it the Fire Nation?" I continued to throw out questions. Once I was certain that she wouldn't cause trouble or hardship for my tribe, I could answer her questions. She must have some too. I mean, I would if I woke up in a stranger's tent. "How did you end up in the ocean?"

I chose then to pause; to give the yellow-haired girl time to answer. A moment passed in silence as we just stared at each other. Me, with a look of expectance. And her with a combination of confusion and fear. I guess I had asked a lot of questions without much restraint. But I've been waiting three days to get answers! I shifted impatiently as the girl slowly opened her mouth again. This time the sounds that came out of her mouth were clear and carefully pronounced, but still, they didn't make any sense. Like a string of consonants without any vowels or pauses. She had spoken gibberish, without me understanding a single thing. "Um…" I said after she closed her mouth. "What?"

By the time Katara came back from her waterbending practice, I had tried to communicate with the yellow-haired girl by miming, talking louder, using a lot of hand gestures that didn't really explain anything, and talking very very slowly. Maybe she had damaged her hearing when she had been in the ocean too long, or maybe she was just stupid. Either way, I was getting frustrated when nothing worked. I had waited days to learn about this stranger and now she couldn't tell me anything. All she did was sit in my bed, give her gibberish responses, and stare at me with fearful eyes that looked ready to tear up. "She's awake!" Katara exclaimed when she entered the tent. I turned to look at my sister, frowning as she pulled off her gloves and rushed forward to sit next to me on the floor. "I'm Katara", she said once she was settled, haphazardly dropping her gloves in the process. "It's good to see you awake. We weren't sure you'd make it". My sister smiled at the yellow-haired girl as she waited for a response. But there was no change. The yellow-haired girl was now staring at the two of us, but there was no comprehension in her expression.

I huffed and rested my chin in the palm of my hand as I balanced my elbow on my knee. I thought this was my chance to finally have someone my own age to talk to. That the water spirit, if he actually existed, had finally taken pity on me. But instead, I got a weak and helpless girl that didn't understand anything. Couldn't even thank me for saving her life. Katara looked towards me when it became clear to her that the yellow-haired girl wasn't going to answer. "Sokka, what did you do?" She asked, voice accusing.

I sputtered as I sat up and started gesturing with my hands. "Me! I didn't do anything. She just woke up and doesn't seem to understand anything!"

Katara narrowed her eyes. She pointed a finger at me and poked me in the chest. "All I know is that we left you alone with her, and when I got back, she's awake and looks like she's about to cry", she said gesturing to the yellow-haired girl who had moved further back into my bed when we had started to raise our voices. "You said something rude to her, didn't you?"

I threw my hands up into the air; ignoring the yellow-haired girl when she flinched. "It wouldn't matter if I had!", I argued. "She wouldn't have understood it. All she's said is a bunch of gibbering-nonsense".

Katara frowned at me, but when she looked back at the yellow-haired girl she was smiling. "Ignore my brother", she said. "He's loud but he's harmless". I huffed again. That was an insulting thing to say about a warrior. "It's nice to meet you. What's your name?"

The yellow-haired girl glanced at me as if she expected me to say something before her eyes focused on Katara. She opened her mouth again, and the same stream of nonsense constants sounds came out as before. Her voice trailed off at the end like she understood that we wouldn't understand her as she looked nervously between my sister and me. That was something, I suppose. At least, she knew that she wasn't making sense.

Katara didn't react right away. Probably because she didn't want to admit that I was right. Instead, she very calmly said, "huh? That's… different". I snorted. Different was a polite way of putting it. Katara wasn't deterred though. She placed her hand flat against her chest and made sure that the yellow-haired girl was looking at her before saying "Katara", and patting her chest. She repeated this a couple more times before gesturing to the girl. "What's your name?" She asked.

"You already tried that", I said with an eye roll.

Something seemed to resonate with the yellow-haired girl, however; because she sat up straighter. But when she tried to speak again, the same gibberish as before came out, except this time it was shorter.

"No", I said as I waved a hand in my sister's direction. "Her name is Katara". I drew out every symbol in my sister's name to emphasize the sounds.

The yellow-haired girl looked at me briefly with her lips pressed together before turning back to my sister. With a shaky bandaged hand that probably hurt to move, the girl pointed to my sister. "Katara", she said. She mispronounced the name, struggling with the 'ra' sound, but at least it was comprehensible. Then she pointed to herself, wincing a little in the process. She opened her mouth and… more gibberish. I sighed. Great. She could say one word. And not even a useful word that answered a single question. The yellow-haired girl repeated this a few times; point at Katara and saying her name before pointing at herself and saying gibberish.

"See", I said when she was done. "She doesn't understand anything".

"No", Katara said in a contemplative voice. "I think", Katara briefly paused before trying to repeat the girl's gibberish. "Is her name". I snorted again. Who would name their kid gibberish? "I think she speaks a different language".

"How?" I asked. I was still frustrated, but if Katara thought she had answers, I was willing to entertain them. "There's only one language. Water tribe, Earth Kingdom, and Fire nation; we all speak the same language?"

Katara rested her hand on her chin as she thought. The yellow-haired girl watching us carefully through the whole process. "I don't know". Katara admitted. "But she doesn't look like anyone from the Fire Nation or the Earth Kingdom. And we know she isn't from a water tribe. So, we have to assume that she's from somewhere else. We'll just have to teach her our language until she can tell us where that is".

"Great", I grumbled to myself. Here's another job for me to do.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Life with the Yellow-haired Girl

The yellow-haired girl healed slowly in the weeks that followed. It became easier for her to move, and about a day after waking, Gran-gran decided that she was able-bodied enough to move about our tent freely. As she found her feet, the girl stumbled a few times; legs shaking as they became used to supporting her weight again after having been inactive for days. The girl walked cautiously like she was doing what she could to make sure she stayed out of our way as we went about our day. It didn't bother me much. Seeing as most of my time was spent away from the family tent. But I know Katara had been trying to actively involve the girl as she went about her chores. Both as a way to teach the yellow-haired girl our language and to give her something to do. It slowed Katara down, and I often came home to find her completing tasks that shouldn't have taken her very long to do. Katara said she didn't mind. That it was nice to have someone to work with. Even if the yellow-haired girl was more trouble than useful. But I didn't get it. The yellow-haired girl was a burden. She created more work. I get it that the girl would die if we didn't help her. I'm not saying that we should kick her out because after meeting her it was clear that she wasn't a danger to anyone. But we had enough problems to deal with. We didn't need anymore.

But I kept my thoughts to myself and spent more time than I usually did away from the village; hunting and fishing. And whenever someone asked me why I pointed out that I now had another mouth to feed. But with the dark months quickly approaching, I knew I couldn't avoid my family and the yellow-haired girl for much longer. As soon as the first winter storm hit, we'd all be trapped inside our tent for most of the time. Only going out when it was absolutely necessary.

By the time Gran-gran deemed that it was safe for the girl to go without bandages on her healing and now permanently discolored arms, the girl had learned all our names. Though the only name she managed to pronounce correctly every time was mine. I think it's because Sokka had one less syllable than Katara and because Gran-gran had elected to teach the girl to call her Gran-gran rather than Kanna. Saying that it would be less confusing for the girl since she heard Katara and I using that title. The yellow-haired girl had also learned the words for water, fish, and tent. It served as proof to Katara that the girl could learn. But I thought she was picking up on things rather slowly. How hard could it be to learn words?

She hadn't seen much of the village yet. Gran-gran didn't want her exposed to the cold so soon after recovering. We also didn't have any spare coats for her, so unless she was going to the outhouse, she remained within the cloth walls of our tent. It was just as well too because she was too tall for Katara's clothes to fit her properly. Meaning that she was wearing mine, and my people weren't accustomed to seeing a girl wearing a man's tunic. They already thought the yellow-haired girl was strange enough. She wouldn't be accepted here until she stopped being so… foreign. Gran-gran was working on making clothes for the girl. But she thought it was important that the girl learned to sew and also said it would help her regain dexterity in her fingers. So, it was slow going as Gran-gran tried to teach her without using words. A lot of time was wasted undoing the incorrect stitches the yellow-haired girl made so she could try again. I didn't see how any girl her age couldn't know how to sew. I thought it was something every girl did. It was one of the first things Mom had taught Katara. But this girl fumbled with the needle; as if she had never held one before. Even I was better than she was. And I only picked up a needle when I needed to fix a fishing net or patch a hole when on a hunting trip.

"Knife" Katara said as she held up one of Gran-gran's cooking knives for the yellow-haired girl to see.

"She doesn't know the word for knife yet", I asked, having just come in from teaching the younger boys. Both girls turned to look at me. The yellowed-haired with her usual blank expression, while Katara glared.

"She's learning a lot", Katara defended. All of us tried to avoid using the girl's gibberish sounding name whenever possible. Our tongues got tied whenever we tried. And the yellow-haired girl never seemed to recognize that we were calling her. So, to me at least, she remained the yellow-haired girl. "We worked on the laundry today, and she didn't need any help lighting the fire to boil the water", Katara said as if using flint was a great accomplishment. I rolled my eyes as I walked further in and sat down next to the girls. I know that it's nice for Katara to have someone to talk to whenever she wanted. Even if she's just having one-sided conversations. But it did irk me. I was the one who found her.

"What's for dinner?" I asked as Katara put down the knife.

"Sea prune stew", Katara answered casually as she moved on to the next item in front of her. She picked up a comb made from tiger-seal bone and handed it to the yellow-haired girl. "Comb", Katara pronounced slowly.

"C-comb", the girl repeated.

"What happened to the fish I caught this morning?" I asked as the girl passed the comb back to Katara. She wouldn't have any use for it until her hair grew.

Katara placed the comb next to the knife and picked up one of my socks. A washed one, I'm assuming. "Gran-gran gave it to Sanna for her kids. They were sick and Gran-gran said they needed protein". I groaned and flopped down to the ground as Katara handed the yellow-haired girl my sock. "Sock", Katara said.

"I need meat!" I complained before the girl could mimic Katara.

Katara scoffed as the girl put the sock back down and climbed to her feet. For what? I have no idea. "I thought it was your duty to provide for the people in this village?" My sister asked, throwing my words back at me.

I reached up and ran both of my hands over my face. Can't a guy get a little rest? "It is", I answered; half-listening to the rustling sounds the yellow-haired girl was making on the other side of the tent. "But that doesn't mean I should have to go without every night!"

"Don't be dramatic. You like sea prune stew", Katara said.

I was going to point out that it was Dad who liked the stuff. I, on the other hand, was a connoisseur of meat! But before I could, the yellow-haired girl returned. "Sokka", she said in her strange accent. I removed my hands from my face to see her standing over me with a piece of blubbered seal jerky in her hand. How did she- Slowly I reached up and took it. She smiled at me before sitting down in her original place. Had she understood me?

"That was amazing!" Katara praised the yellow-haired girl Who just smiled in response. I don't think she knew exactly what Katara had said but recognized it as a compliment. "Sokka", Katara said as she turned in my direction. I had already stuck the blubbered seal jerky in my mouth and was lazily chewing it. "I didn't teach her any of that. She picked it up on her own!"

I turned my head just enough to shoot my sister an unimpressed look. "So, she can listen. Big whoop". But… it did feel nice to be heard.

The next day, I came home with a tiger-seal skin that had been curing in the village smokehouse. I had tracked down and killed the seal two weeks ago. And the skin was only finished today. I had wanted to use it to make the new winter gloves for the kids. They were always wearing them out or losing one. And if I lined the inside with fur Gran-gran wouldn't have to worry about treating frostbitten fingers this winter. But with the arrival of the yellow-haired girl who had nothing, new gloves for the kids were no longer a top priority.

Inside the tent, Gran-gran sat with the yellow-haired girl. That meant Katara was probably out waterbending. They were silent and neither of them looked up when I entered. They sat across from each other with the girl holding Gran-gran's left hand in both of her scarred ones. The girl's fingers were rubbing and smoothing Gran-gran's wrinkled skin. I squinted my eyes. Why was she doing that? Why was Gran-gran letting her? "What is she doing?" I asked; making myself known.

Gran-gran sighed; so relaxed that she didn't move as she answered me. "I don't know. But it's doing wonders for my arthritis".

Walking further in, I studied them as I dropped the skin to the floor. "How does she know the word for arthritis?" I asked.

"She doesn't," Gran-gran said as she pulled her left hand from the yellow-haired girl and gave her her right hand instead. The girl didn't seem to mind. She held on to Gran-gran's right hand with a smile and started rubbing it like she had been doing with the last; paying careful attention to Gran-gran's knuckles. "She noticed that my hands were bothering me when we were sewing her coat, and just started doing this".

Gran-gran explained as I squatted and spread the tiger-seal skin until it was lying flat on the ground without a single wrinkle. I guess it was good that the yellow-haired girl had some sort of skill she could bring to the table. Maybe she could learn some medicine stuff from Gran-gran once she could talk better and take over some of Gran-gran's work. I had to move a little to be able to grab some charcoal from the hearth. A risky thing to do when lit, but I'd been doing this for years. "Is she going to be done soon?" I asked as I returned to my position in front of the tiger-seal skin. "Cause I wanted to get started on this before dinner"

Gran-gran finally looked in my direction, and her peaceful look made me feel guilty for interrupting. Gran-gran was just as responsible for the village as I was. As the village elder, she was often called on to assist others on top of what she did for me, Katara, and now the yellow-haired girl. "And what is it you want to start?" She asked as she eyed the materials I had spread out in front of me.

I felt my face heat up. Ever since the girl woke, I had made my opinions about her using our resources. Even though I was really just annoyed that I wouldn't get to talk to another teenager like I had wanted. But this was different. This was something she needed if she was going to make it through her first winter in the South Pole. "She needs boots of her own", I admitted; looking away from Gran-gran. She'd had been using old boots that someone else had out-grown. But they were old. The fur lining was worn down, and the stitching used to make it waterproof was starting to break. Besides, we made our boots to be a custom fit for the original owner. So, the ones she had now weren't a comfortable fit.

"That is a good reason for us to stop", Gran-gran said. I looked up in time to see her gently turn her hand in the yellow-haired girl's grip until her hand was on top. The yellowed-haired girl looked up at Gran-gran with curiosity. Having gained the girl's attention, Gran-gran said slowly, "Go to Sokka, child". She moved her hand that was on top of the girl's, to point at me. "Call her, Sokka", Gran-gran told me. "Help her understand".

I sighed. It shouldn't be that confusing. Gran-gran was pointing at me. That should be clear enough. But I didn't what Gran-gran asked. Using my hand that was holding the charcoal, I gestured her to come closer. "over here", I said; my voice sounding half-hearted even to my ears. But the girl didn't seem to notice. She rose from her spot in front of Gran-gran and walked towards me using little steps. Like she was afraid of stepping on something. But she listened, and it wasn't long before she was standing near the edge of the tiger-seal skin; looking back and forth at Gran-gran and me like she was seeking confirmation that she had done what we wanted.

I nodded. "Put your foot here", I said, pointing to the spot on the tiger-seal skin that I wanted to use first. She didn't move. I sighed. Right. 'Foot' and 'here' were words she didn't know yet. With the hand that wasn't holding charcoal, I reached out and touched her sock-covered foot. "Foot", I repeated.

"F-foot", she mimicked; just like she does with Katara.

Gran-gran cackled to herself as she stood up. "I'll start dinner", she said. "Let me know if you need help".

I didn't answer Gran-gran. Instead, I grabbed the girl's ankle and pulled it until she picked it off the ground. She let out a small squeak as she fought to maintain her balance, but by the time she was steady, I had already placed her foot on the tiger-seal skin in the position that I wanted it. "Stay", I ordered gesturing my hand like I was pushing the air down. She seemed to understand at least that much because she didn't move. With the charcoal, I traced the outline of her foot; adding a little room to have enough skin to work with when I actually constructed the boots. Her feet seem to be about the same size as Katara's, but hers were just a little wider and she had high arches. When I was done with that foot, I waved her off the tiger-seal skin before saying, "other foot". She must have remembered the word for 'foot' and guessed the meaning of 'other' because there was only a half-second pause before she placed her second foot next to the outline for the first. Something inside of me swelled. Was this the same feeling Katara got every time the yellow-haired girl used a word that she had taught her? Whatever the feeling was, I brushed it off. I didn't mean anything. I was just doing my job as a provider.

Once I had traced her feet, I used my hands to measure how much of the skin I'd need to make the top part of the boots. I did this by place one of my hands on the back of her heel and then place my other hand above it to measure. The skin on her leg was smooth. Not like the ruined skin on her arms. I gulped and had to remind myself that I had a job to do and shouldn't be thinking about anything other than getting the correct measurements. I ended up lowering my top hand a bit. Looks like there are only a hand and a half-length between her heel and the bottom part of her calf. Keeping my hands together, I moved away from her and placed my hands on the tiger-skin. I stared at it for a while, to remember the length with my eyes, before moving one hand to grab the charcoal and draw a line. "You're done", I said to the yellow-haired girl once the line was drawn. I had all the information, I needed. But the girl didn't move. She continued to stand next to me; staring.

"How long until you are done with her boots?" Gran-gran asked from the opposite end of the tent.

"hmm", I thought to myself as I was already moving on to the next step. "About two or three days". That should be a doable timeline. Especially when considering everything else I had to do.

"Good", Gran-gran said with a nod of approval. "She should be finished sewing her coat by then too. Then you can take her with you the next time you go fishing".

That caught my attention, fast. "What?" I asked as I snapped my head up. The yellow-haired girl jumped back in alarm. "Why would I take her fishing? What good would that do?" I couldn't watch her and fish at the same time. What if she got lost or if I didn't catch anything? Either outcome lead to me getting blamed for not doing my job.

"Sokka", My Gran-gran said in warning. I took a deep breath. Gran-gran rarely got mad. But when she did, she'd put the fear of La into you. Seeing that I had calmed myself, Gran-gran's tone went back to normal. "I know you were hoping for a friend when you found this girl. And I know she's not what you expected. But she can still be a friend, just one you'll have put more effort into. Give her a chance. There are things you can teach her that she can't learn in the village".

I sighed but didn't argue. I was the one who brought the yellow-haired girl into our lives in the first place. So, I guess that means I am stuck with her. "Alright, Gran-gran. I'll take her fishing". Gran-gran smiled as the girl just blinked at us without any comprehension.

The yellow-haired girl was starting to look better now that she had her own coat and boots. She was less… sad looking. And just as I had promised Gran-gran, the day after she had both her coat and boots, I took her fishing. We left the village early in the morning when everyone else was just starting to cook their breakfast. But it was better to fish either early in the morning or near the end of the day, as that's when the fish would be looking for food themselves. I decided not to take a canoe out. The water was generally calm during this time of year, but I didn't want to bring up any bad memories for the yellow-haired girl by taking her out to sea. I had found her washed up on the shore, after all. And the last thing I needed was a weepy emotional female on my hands. Instead, we made the trek to a part of the sea just off the coastline that I knew was frozen solid. We'd go jigging. With winter approaching, soon this would be the only type of fishing my people and I could rely on. It wouldn't hurt for the yellow-haired girl to learn a bit about it. I kept my pace quick as we walked, and was surprised when the yellow-haired girl didn't complain once. Though I guess she doesn't have to words to complain… Still, even though she was slightly out of breath, the girl never lagged; she kept pushing forward. A couple of times, she slipped on patches of ice she hadn't seen; causing her to reach out and grab onto my sleeve to keep herself standing upright. The first time, it annoyed me. This was why I didn't want her to come with me. She'd only slow me down. But then it happened a second time. And then a third, and a fourth. Each time she didn't give up. She just found her balance and moved on. And I realized that if she wasn't going to complain, I couldn't either.

When we got to where I wanted to be, I had to make two trips across the ice. One to drop off my fishing gear and spear, and another to help the girl figure out how to walk on ice. It wasn't something that could really be explained; even if the yellow-haired girl could understand any explanation I could give her. Walking on ice was a skill that you had to learn by doing. It was something that everyone from a water tribe figured out at a young age. It was such a common part of our lives that we didn't even pause when stepping off the ground. But for someone who hadn't grown up here, it was like learning to walk all over again. I had her hold on to my elbows as I gripped her forearms. We made slow progress as we traversed the ice to what I had deemed as the best fishing spot. Once we got there, I let go of her arms and only had to wait a couple of seconds before she let go of mine. "This", I said, gesturing to my gear and ice under our feet. "Is jigging". I didn't wait for her to give a response, because I knew she would give one. Instead, I knelt down and took out my hunting knife to saw a square hole in the ice. The yellow-haired girl watched this whole process, making some sound in her gibberish language once I had finished cutting and had removed the ice from my fishing hole. I looked up at her as I tossed the ice aside to see a look of understanding on her face; like she knew exactly what I was doing. "Do they fish like this where you're from?" I asked, before remembering that she wouldn't know what I was asking. Shaking my head, I put my knife back in exchange for my fish lure. "We use this", I said to her as I showed her the fake fish carved out of a rib bone attached to a toughly woven thread. "and make it swim around in the water like this", I explained through both words and action. The action was for her benefit as she watched me stick the fake fish into the hole and drag it through the water by the connecting thread. "It attracts the fish, and when they're close to the surface, I'll use my spear to catch them". Me using words was for my benefit, so I didn't have to spend the whole morning with this girl in silence.

But the girl pointed with the gloved hand to the spear lying next to me and said "spear?" Like she wanted to make sure she'd heard me correctly.

"I guess Katara taught you that word, huh?" I asked. But she didn't answer. Seems like she can only handle one word at a time. "Take this", I said gesturing to the thread in my hand. It took a couple of gestures before she knew what I wanted. But once she did understand, she didn't hesitate in taking the thread from me with both hands. "Keep pulling it back and forth", I said; moving her hands for her until she started to do it herself. "Good, just like that", I commented, even though I knew it didn't matter. I picked up my spear in my dominant hand, and we both peered into the square hole and waited… and waited…. and waited. This was always my least favorite part of fishing. When I used to go fishing with Dad, we'd pass the time by talking and swapping jokes. But it wasn't like I could do that with the yellow-haired girl.

So, the waiting continued in silence. I remained ready to spear at fish at any moment as the girl continued to pull the fish lure around in the water. Occasionally, I would feel her eyes on me. Like she wanted to make sure that she was using the lure right. But she didn't make any sounds, so I didn't have a reason to look at her. That is... until the waiting got to be too much for me. "Hey", I said without looking up from the hole in the ice. "Do you know why fish swim in schools?"

And of course, I didn't get a response.

"Because they can't walk", I delivered the punchline. Only then did I look up. She was staring at me; blinking with her usual vacant expression. But for some reason, at that moment, it cracked me up. I started laughing through my teeth. "What do you call a fish that won't shut up?" I asked between breaths.

Again, no response.

"A big-mouthed bass", I snorted; laughing at my own joke. The yellow-haired girl didn't get it. I knew she wouldn't. But seeing me crack up must have done something to her. Because a smile slowly started to grow on her face. "Why are fish so gullible?" I asked, pausing even though I didn't have to. "Because they fall for things hook, line, and sinker!" I laughed louder and harder. It's been a while since I last got to use these jokes. Katara hated them. It was only Dad how had appreciated my humor. Even though she didn't know what I was saying, the yellow-haired girl started giggling; finding my laughter contagious. The sound of her laugh was light and sweet. Kind of like the sound of otter-penguin chicks chirping. As we continued to laugh, I thought of something else that I didn't mind about the yellowed-haired girl being here. She couldn't tell me that my jokes weren't funny, and if I laughed hard enough, she might even join in. When the laughter died out and we both started staring into the hole in the ice again, I took a long breath. "I guess you're not so bad", I said.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

How the Yellow-haired Girl Got Her Name

I ended up taking the yellowed-haired girl fishing a couple more times. Despite only being able to say a few words in our language, she wasn't bad company. She let me talk as much as I wanted without arguing or telling me I was wrong. And I could catch twice as much fish with her than I could on my own because there was another person to help carry things back to the village. Jigging also became easier with a person to handle the lure for me while I used the spear. The yellowed-haired girl was still more of a burden than anything else. With someone always needing to tell her what to do. But Gran-gran was right; I needed to give her a chance.

"First", I said as I held up one of the fish we had just brought back to the village. "You need to dunk the fish in the water", I said as I demonstrated what I meant. The yellow-haired girl was standing behind my shoulder, watching my every move as I held the fresh into a pot of water. "Rub it on both sides. And try to get all the icky sea stuff off the scales." I looked over my shoulder to see if the girl was following but she didn't seem to notice. Her eyes were locked in on the dead fish in my hands. I suppose that was good enough. Facing forward again, I placed the fish on one of the plate stones we used for gutting small game. Picking up my knife, I said, "then you need to remove the fins". I did this part quickly; starting with the dorsal fins, moving on to the tail, and finishing the underbelly fins. I was waiting for some sort of disgusted noise from the yellow-haired girl. Whenever one of the younger girls first learned how to do this chore, they always acted like it was the grossest thing ever. But the yellow-haired girl remained silent. Alright, I thought. Let's see how she does when I actually get to the fish's innards.

With the hand not holding the knife, I gripped the fish by its finless tail and lifted it a little. "Now you need to get rid of the scales", I explained as I the knife and started scrapping down fish with the blade. The scales looked like they were jumping into the air as they were detached by the knife. Still, the girl didn't react. Maybe this was something she had done before. "You're going to have to do this a couple of times", I said as I flipped the fish over to do the other side.

Once I had the fish free of scales, I laid it flat on the gutting rock again. Turning slightly for the yellow-haired girl to see, I showed her how I was gripping the knife. "You'll need to hold it close to the blade, with one finger on top to keep it steady". The yellow-haired girl blinked at me, but she didn't look as lost as she normally does. Turning back to the fish, I grabbed it by its tail again. "Start at the tail", I said as I dug the tip of the knife into the fish's underside. "And pull towards the head". I performed the actions as I talked and soon there was a gaping hole in the fish's belly with its guts threatening to spill out. I looked over my shoulder. The Yellow-haired girl was still watching; her nose was scrunched up and her lips pressed together. But she made no noise. I was a little impressed. Usually, girls squealed at this part. Katara had when she had first learned. But I guess the yellow-haired girl was older than the girls we normally taught this skill to. I let go of my knife as I moved over to an empty pot. "Use your hand to clean out the guts", I said as I did; making sure that I felt all around the inside of the fish to make a good example. The red and pink guts spilled into the empty pot with little ka-plunking sounds and the fishy smell intensified. But I barely noticed it. This was a smell that I was very familiar with. We couldn't let the guts of kills lay on the ground. Not when the scent could attract wild polar-bear dogs. So, when the women treated the game inside the village, all guts and innards that we wouldn't use had to be carefully collected to be disposed of later.

"Now, you remove the head", I said as I laid the fish back down. My knife was sharp so I didn't have to saw it off. One quick chop was enough, and soon I was adding the head to the gut pot. Sometimes we'd cook the fish with its head still on. But since the fish we caught today was going to be salted for the dark season, it was better to just preserve the meat. There were more steps after removing the head, but this was all I wanted her to do for now. My goal was to make a sort of system with her. If she could do the parts that I just showed her, then I could do the rest and we'd be done in half the time. Of course, it was usually the women who gutted and filleted fish. But if the yellow-haired girl was going to remain amongst us she needed to learn this, and currently, the only people willing to work with her were me and my family. Everyone else in the village was still too alarmed by her unexplained appearance and suspicious of her lack of knowledge. Katara had laundry today, and Gran-gran was making house calls. So, that just left me. I scooted over a few inches to give the yellow-haired girl room to share the gutting stone with me. "Sit", I ordered; gesturing to the spot next to me. It took her a few seconds, but the girl did lower herself next to me; sitting properly with her legs together and feet pointed to the left. 'Sit' was a new word that the girl had learned. Katara had taught it to her a couple of nights ago, and Gran-gran had been correcting the girl until she started to sit like a woman ought to. Previously to that, the yellowed-hair girl had been sitting like a man with her legs crossed in front of her. I had to admit it. The strange girl was learning fast.

"Take a fish", I said as I pointed to the pile of freshly caught fish. She seemed to understand as she did as I asked. I walked through all the steps again. Except this time, I had her hands under mine as we did the steps together. I had figured out during our fishing trips that this was the best way to teach her. By doing the action with her she learned exactly what I wanted her to, and if I talked she might pick up a few more words.

It didn't take to long go over the steps again. I spent most of that time correcting her grip on the knife. The last thing I needed was for the yellow-haired girl to accidentally slice her hand open. Gran-gran would blame me if that happened. The girl didn't try to pull her hands away from me once. She only flinched back the first time her hand came into contact with the fish's squishy organs. I watched her face as I helped her scoop out the bits that we couldn't use into the gut pot. She remained focused on her task, but her face twisted up and she turned a little green. At one point she turned her head away as she tried to swallow a gagging sound she was making, but once she recovered, she was looking at the half-gutted fish again. As soon as we had chopped off the head, I let go of her hands and watched. Would she get up and run away? Would she puke?

The yellow-haired girl did none of those things. Instead, she breathed deeply through her nose; like she was steeling herself. Before slowly reaching out to grab a new fish. I smiled, please with what I was seeing. The yellow-haired girl may not know anything, but at least she didn't shirk away from work. I watched her do the first two steps independently before picking up a new knife to fillet the fish we had already gutted. Maybe the winter wouldn't be so bad with the yellow-haired girl living with us.

I finished one fish when the toes of boots appeared in my line of sight. "Sokka", a woman said. Please don't tell me another igloo needs to be repaired. I thought as I looked up. It was Sanna, the woman whose kids needed protein. Her weathered face was wrinkled in worry. "Do you think it is a good idea for her to use a knife?", she asked; blue eyes darting over at the yellow-haired girl as she worked.

Sanna's question confused me as I turned to see what she saw. The yellowed-hair girl was working on severing the fins from the fish's body. She hadn't looked up when Sanna had approached; too busy concentrating on what she was doing. The girl was holding the knife as I had shown her. She was working slowly; still trying to figure out how much force she needed to use. But that was normal for beginners. Looking back at Sanna, I shrugged. "She hasn't cut herself yet".

"No, Sokka", Sanna said with a shake of her head. "What if she uses the knife to hurt someone? This girl is not like us. We can't trust her". Then I understood. The Fire Nation raids had scarred my people for life. Me included. Now anyone that wasn't water tribe was considered a menace. It didn't use to be this way. My dad used to tell me about when they used to travel to visit our sister tribes in the North. They would stop along different ports to trade with the Earth Kingdom. It was from them that we got most of our metal goods. And we'd greeted any travelers brave enough to sail this far south to rest at our hearths; eager to hear about the outside world. The Fire Nation had ruined guests for us.

It wasn't too long ago that I had looked at the yellow-haired girl like she was now; with distrust and suspicion. But now, as I watched the girl try so very hard to finish something as simple as gutting a fish. Handling a knife like how I would handle explosives. I couldn't see a threat. "Sanna", I said carefully as I looked back to the older woman; trying to sound like my dad when he was dealing with village matters. "I promise. The girl's not going to hurt anyone". Sanna frowned, suggesting that she didn't believe me. So, I tried again. "She has nothing. We're the only reason she's alive. She isn't going to hurt us". It was only after I said it, that I realized I believed it. The yellowed-haired girl was nothing to be scared of.

"Sokka", the girl called softly, causing both Sanna and me to look at her. Sanna's expression was less than friendly, but the girl didn't seem to notice as she held out a gutless and headless fish for me to see. I couldn't see any lingering scales, and while the slit in the fish's belly was a little jagged, it had been thoroughly cleaned out.

"Good job", I said; giving her a thumbs up. She was proving to be a lot easier to teach than the younger boys. It made me feel like I wasn't such a lousy teacher after all. The girl smiled like I had just given her an igloo of her very own. Her genuine want to please made me blush and for a brief moment, all I could focus on was her shiny unstained teeth. Without prompting, she set the fish down so I could fillet it, and grabbed a new one. I'd never seen a girl so happy to gut a fish before.

"So, that's it then?" Sanna said; voice sounding weary. I returned my gaze to her and waited for her to explain. If she was Katara or someone younger than me, I made some comments. But while I had more power as the only man in the village, Sanna was still my elder. If I was rude to her and Gran-gran found out, I'd get my ears boxed. "She's staying? You're going to adopt her into the tribe?"

It hadn't occurred to me until Sanna asked. But that decision was up to me. As stand-in chief, if I wanted to welcome a new person into our tribe I could. And it made sense too. The yellow-haired girl wouldn't be able to survive here on her own. Sure, maybe she would have been okay if she had woken up in the Earth Kingdom where it's warmer. But not here where we had permafrost. "Yeah", I answered after making a sudden decision. "She's going to become water tribe. As soon as I think of a good name for her".

"Gran-gran", I said quietly. We had just finished dinner and the girls were cleaning up. I could hear Katara saying words and waiting for the yellow-haired girl to repeat them back as they worked. Katara would find out soon what I was doing, but I wanted Gran-gran's opinion before I did anything. And I didn't need my sister's input as I figured out what I was going to do. Gran-gran looked at me from over the hearth with a slim screen of smoke between us. It was making her look wiser and elder-like than she normally does. "I want to adopt the girl into the tribe".

Gran-gran stared at me for a long moment. So long, that I started fidgeting, mentally kicking myself for it. Warriors don't fidget. Chiefs, even stand-in ones, didn't either. And yet, one look from my Gran-gran had me wiggling like a boy. "I think that is a good idea", she said after a moment. Her agreement was all I needed to start acting like a warrior again. "It will be a long time before she will have the words to tell us where she is from. And even then, it may be unsafe for her to return home. We should prepare ourselves and her for a future where she remains living amongst us". Return home? That hadn't occurred to me. When the girl had first woke up and we learned that her language was different from ours, I had forgotten that she must have a home somewhere. Somewhere other yellow-haired people lived and spoke in long streams of consonants. I had never heard of such a place, so I just assumed that the girl was the only one of her kind. Even though that didn't make sense. If the yellow-haired girl could go home one day, would she want to? The burns on her arms looked like she had been assaulted by a firebender. So maybe she didn't have a home to return to? There wasn't a way to ask her yet. And during the day she didn't act like she had anything heavy weighing on her shoulders; like a destroyed homeland. But sometimes at night, I'd wake up to the sounds of muffled crying. Once she had become healthy, the yellow-haired girl had started to share Katara's bed with her. So, my sister was the one who tried to comfort the strange girl at night. But nothing she did really worked. Not when the yellow-haired girl couldn't tell us what was wrong or what had happened to her. The idea of the yellow-haired girl possibly leaving one day caused a strange taste in my mouth that I couldn't figure out. But I didn't like it. Especially when I was just starting to like her presence. "You'll have to give her a name", Gran-gran said; breaking me out of my thoughts.

"I have one in mind", I promised. We were typically named after tribe members who had traveled to the spirit world. As a way to carry on our ancestors' legacies. But it was different for people who were adopted in. They were the start of their line and were typically given names that spoke of one of their traits or of a hope we had for them. "But how do I do it?" I asked Gran-gran. "How do I make it…. Official?" The southern water tribes weren't known for our ceremonies. That was more of a Northern water tribe thing. But we did small things for important events; kids coming of age, marriages, and adoptions.

"The same way we bless babies", Gran-gran answered. "You'll draw the symbol for water on her forehead and give her a name".

That's it? I blinked. That's easy. "I can do that".

Gran-gran smiled with her mouth closed. "I know you can, my grandson".

"What should I use to draw on her head?"

Gran-gran had an answer for that too. "Traditionally, we used blood. But your warrior paint will work". Gran-gran looked over to where the girls had finished cleaning and had moved on to Katara bending water from a small bowl as the yellow-haired girl watched; mystified. Maybe she's never saw waterbending before coming here. "Katara", Gran-gran called. "Please bring her over here".

"Why?" Katara asked as she looked up; letting the water fall back into the bowl. It splashed a little upon impact, causing the yellow-haired girl to flinch back in an effort to avoid the little droplets.

"Sokka is going to adopt her into our tribe", Gran-gran answered like this was something I did every day.

"Now?" I asked, surprised.

Gran-gran shrugged. "Why not? You said you had a name in mind. Making her a member of the water tribe will give her the same rights and protections of the other women. And we are already living like a family, might as well make it official". Gran-gran explained her reasoning; a sparkle in her eye. Why do I get the feeling that I had just played into her hand?

"That's a great idea!" Katara said as she grabbed the yellow-haired girl's hand; pulling both of them to their feet.

"Uh", I stuttered as the girls were suddenly standing next to me. Okay…. I guess we're doing this now. "Can you get my warrior paint?" I asked Katara. For once, she nodded and did what I asked without making some comment about how I should get it myself. Probably only because it was something that would benefit the yellow-haired girl. While Katara did that, I gestured to the spot next to me. "Sit?" I asked the yellow-haired girl.

Just like when we had been gutting fish, it took her a few seconds before she was sinking down next to me. She looked between Gran-gran and I like she was trying to use our expressions to figure out what was going on. I didn't try to explain. There was no way I could pantomime what I was about to do for the yellow-haired girl to understand. Katara came back with grey paint in hand. "Thanks", I said as I took it from her. Katara smiled before she turned to sit next to Gran-gran on the other side of the hearth. The yellowed-haired girl watched her get settled before looking back at me. She eyed the paint in my hand in a way that spoke of mild unease. But she seemed to trust us enough to allow me to do what I was about to do because she didn't move.

I smiled at her, trying to show that this wasn't a big deal. But it was shaky. I was starting to feel nervous for some stupid reason. Dipping my index finger in the paint, I reached up and slowly drew the first swirl of the water symbol on her forehead. She shivered at first, not expecting the feel the cold paint touching her skin. But when I drew the next line she remained still. It didn't take long and soon I was setting the paint down. I leaned forward and blew on the newly painted mark to help it dry. "You're Kaya". I said after I leaned back.

"K-Kaya", The yellow-haired girl repeated slowly and quieted.

I grabbed her wrist and placed her hand over her chest. "Kaya", I said again. Then I moved her hand again so that she was touching my chest. "Sokka", I said to help her understand. I repeated the process a few more times until comprehension lit up in her brown eyes. "Your name is Kaya", I finished. I dropped her hand and looked over at Gran-gran and Katara. Both were smiling.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

The Winter Months

"Once there were two igloos combined by a shared wall with an opening so that the occupants may visit both". Gran-gran said.

The dark season had arrived, and with it came heavy storms of snow and sleet. Our work became limited and our days shorten. Activities were restricted to chores that could be done sitting around the hearth and listening to the tales of the past.

"Two people were living in one of the combined igloos while a full family lived in the other."

Already I could feel my eyes dropping. This story was one of Gran-gran's favorites. She told it every year. I had heard it so often, that it was hard to pay attention to. Katara didn't have that problem. She shares Gran-gran's love for our people's traditions and cleaved onto every word. I just didn't understand why we couldn't come up with new stories.

"The larger group had water in their igloo. The smaller group had no water".

And then there's Kaya. Not used to dark filled days, she moved groggily at the start of the season but she adapted. Gran-gran's stories must be more difficult for her to sit through than they are for me, considering that she didn't know enough words to really understand what Gran-gran was talking about.

"The two living together were brothers while the family was made up of a grandfather and his grandchildren who had lost their parents".

While Katara sat close to Gran-gran; eagerly awaiting every word, Kaya was next to me on the other side of the hearth. She was laying on her stomach, her side pressed against my thigh for extra warmth as she worked on darning one of Gran-gran's socks. A skill that the yellow-haired girl had only recently required. She was slow at it; having spent all day on this chore and she often got her fingers tangled in the thread. But at least it gave her something to do.

"The older brother wanted a drink of water so he asked his brother to get him some from the family next door. The younger brother agreed and as he crossed into the other igloo, he said, 'I have come for a bit of water for my brother'. The old man said, 'Help yourself to water on the floor, but first remove your tunic before dipping in'. The grandfather spoke quietly for all of his grandchildren were pretending to be asleep in their beds", Gran-gran continued as the fire cracked and I fought a yawn. "The boy obediently removed his tunic. But as he started to get water, the grandchildren saw the younger brother's bare chest. They jumped out of bed and onto the younger brother; cutting him with their long fingernails and eating his flesh".

I winced. I always did at this part of the story. I could never figure out why Gran-gran liked it so much.

"When the boy felt awful pain from their fingernails he started to cry calling to his older brother, 'These children are monsters!'"

Kaya looked up when Gran-gran changed her voice to match what was happening in the story. Her eyes studied Gran-gran, before turning to an enraptured Katara, and then to me. We locked eyes and did nothing but stare for a moment until Kaya smiled and turned her focus back to the sock she was holding. For a second, I forgot that it was winter.

"The big brother came immediately to the rescue; holding a big hunting knife in his hand. He cut off the grandchildren's noses with one strike, leaving them to hang loosely by the skin", Gran-gran paused to take a breath. "And that is why, we don't ask strangers for water", she finished.

I rolled my eyes. "Last time you told that story, you said, 'that is why we don't combine our homes with strangers'", I complained. Gran-gran liked to change the morals of her stories every year. Which wouldn't be a bad thing if the stories changed as well.

"I liked it", Katara broke in.

"You always like Gran-gran's stories". I argued as Gran-gran smiled to herself; sitting back to watch Katara and I verbally spar. "You even liked that one about the flying polar bear-dog".

"I was five", Katara retorted. As if age was an excuse to have bad taste.

The wind was howling, and visibility was poor as I worked on bringing fresh fish to different families' hearths. It hadn't been snowing this morning. It was the first break we've had in days. The opportunity couldn't be wasted, especially since it met that we could stretch out the food we had preserved for a longer length of time. So, with my gear in hand, I had set out early to try my luck at fishing. This time, I didn't take Kaya with me. While the girl had adapted surprisingly well to our way of life, she wasn't surefooted on ice or snow and I didn't want to watch her attempt to trudge through the winter landscape.

Fishing wasn't a complete success. I had managed to catch some, but not enough for every hearth in the village to have a fresh catch. It was tempting to stay outside of the Village and fish longer. But when my nose started to burn from being so cold and the tips of my fingers started to go numb, despite my gloves, I knew I had to turn back with what little I had. It was lucky that I had headed back when I did. Not even halfway home and the wind had picked up, bring more snowfall with it.

I made the decision to disperse the fish to the families with the youngest children. Knowing that it was harder to keep little bellies satisfied during the winter months than it was for the people who had survived many winters before. Even though that meant that my family wouldn't have anything fresh to eat. Sanna and her boys got the last one and then I was hurrying to enter my family's tent. The only thing I wanted at that moment was to sit close to the fire and eat something warm.

No one welcomed me as I slipped through the entrance of our tent and secured the flap behind me. Gran-gran was telling another one of her stories and Katara was too enthralled to interrupt her to give me her usual greeting. But Kaya looked over her shoulder at the sound of my approach and smiled. This time she did not have any small tasks set up before her as Gran-gran told her tales. No socks to darn or spearheads to sharpen. She must be bored, I thought as I set my fishing gear near a wall of the tent before stepping closer to the warmth of the hearth.

Listening to Gran-gran talk for hours already wasn't that exciting, but imagine doing that when you don't understand most of the words spoken. Although, who knows? Maybe Kaya could understand more than she could say.

I continued to think as I sat cross-legged next to the yellowed-haired girl on her side of the hearth and started to pull my coat off from over my head. It had gotten a bit wet with the fresh snowfall, so I had to make sure it dried otherwise I wouldn't be able to leave the tent to get any work done tomorrow. Coats aren't normally worn inside tents anyway. The fabric of our tents are thick and does a good job of keeping the heat trapped inside. But Kaya tends to keep hers on; always feeling the cold.

"She had a lovely top-knot, that used to be her tail. When the man saw her in human flesh for the first time, he thought she was very beautiful".

I rolled my eyes as I picked up on the story Gran-gran was telling tonight. The man who married a fox. I did my best to keep silent as I laid my coat out flat in the last free spot next to the fire. Katara must have picked this one. Gran-gran preferred the tales that held a word of warning. While Katara always preferred the girly lovey-dovey mush.

"For a moon, the man and the fox appeared to be very happy together as he hunted and she cooked", Gran-gran continued. As soon as I had finished with my coat, a bowl of steaming stewed sea prunes and a slab of salted fish were pushed into my hands. I accepted them but fumbled slightly as I tried to keep my grip on both.

"But the fox started to talk about traveling, and living amongst other people. So, they wandered until they found a village and settled down amongst its people".

As soon as I was sure I wouldn't drop the food I had been given, I looked up to see Kaya. She was still smiling; seemingly pleased that I had accepted the food she had given me. Not that she had given me much of a choice. Still, food was what I wanted. I nodded my thanks before sticking the fish in my mouth and let hang from my teeth as I cradled the bowl with both of my hands, letting it warm them.

"This village was well suited to the man and the fox because one of the villagers also had an animal for a bride that had taken human form; an artic rabbit", Gran-gran said. And around my mouthful of food, I started to remember this story. Maybe Katara hadn't chosen this one if it has the type of ending, I am thinking of. "The two men decided to change wives to see if one suited them better than the other. However, the villager who now had the fox found that he did not like her as much as the hare. She smelled and wasn't nearly as sweet as the rabbit had been".

Kaya had turned back to face Gran-gran and was copying Katara's posture as they listened to the story. But I knew she couldn't really be paying attention. We definitively hadn't taught her the words for wives or fox…. She might know the words for the artic rabbit. I think we had that for dinner one night before the dark season hit.

"This angered the fox because she believed that she was desirable to all men. So, in the dead of night she ran away; going inland to a place where man rarely ventured".

Once I had eaten all the salted fish I had been given, I moved on to the stew. I took big gulps of the broth with the bowl raised to my lips. It felt good as the warmth trickled down my throat. As I did this my eyes kept glancing over to the yellow-haired girl. Her hair had grown back. It wasn't at a girl-long length yet. But long enough that Katara had been able to pull it into a small ponytail. The strands of her hair that were still too short for this remained free to frame the girl's face. And… I think it looks nice.

"The man who had originally taken her to be his wife, was distraught because he was fond of her even though he also enjoyed his time with the rabbit. So, he left the village to search for the fox. He searched for many years but never found her. And the man never settled down again". Gran-gran finished with her hands relaxed in her lap. She took her time as she looks at all of us in turn. Spending more time on Katara and me than on Kaya. "And what does this story teach us?" She asked.

Katara answers first. "That all men are fickle", she said in indignation with her hands placed on her hips. I roll my eyes, my action is hidden by the bowl I am drinking from. Soon there will be no broth left and I'll have to eat the sea prunes.

"That is one interpretation", Gran-gran said, sounding amused. But she doesn't allow Katara time to give an explanation about why she's right. Instead, Gran-gran's eyes swing over to me. "What about you, Sokka? What do you think the message is?"

I take my time to swallow and lower my bowl before answering. Gran-gran usually doesn't ask us what we think during story time. She's happy to tell us what meaning she found in the tales as is her right as our elder. But now she's staring at me, with something twinkling in her eyes that I can't decipher. She has a reason for telling this story and asking us this question, and I can't figure out why. I don't like it.

Briefly, my eyes find Kaya again before flickering back to Gran-gran. The yellow-haired girl isn't paying attention to any of us. Instead, she's running her finger around on the ground like she's drawing something. Lucky. I wish I didn't have to listen to Gran-gran's stories. "I think it means that when you find something good, don't assume you'll find something better".

A pleased grin grows slowly across Gran-gran's wrinkled face. She's acting as if I had just passed some type of test. I have an inkling about what that test had been about, but… I glance back over to an oblivious Kaya. I'm not sure I like what Gran-gran is hinting at.

Kaya's nice. And she never complains (not that she knows how to) or avoids work. She helps Gran-gran with the chores that are starting to become too much for the old woman and Katara likes having her around. The rest of the village is still not too sure about the strange girl with the yellow hair, but she was the first person in my age-group that I had gotten to be with in a long time. She was also the only girl around my age that I had seen in a long time.

Kaya and I were the only two teenagers in the south pole. Gran-gran probably reasoned, and I did too, that if things didn't change, I'd only have one option. If the men don't come home and traders don't visit our shores again; bringing with them new people and opportunities, there would only be one person I could build a life with. There was no one else. Katara was my sister and all the other girls in the village were at least a decade younger than me. When I looked at Kaya, I was most likely looking at my future wife.

When you find something good, don't assume you'll find something better. I repeated in my head as I went back to eating. But was Kaya the fox or the artic rabbit?

Work Cited

U. (n.d.). Eskimo Folk-Tales (1025110693 786920528 K. Rasmussen, Ed.; 1025110695 786920528 W. Worster, Trans.). Retrieved November 02, 2020, from.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Snowmelt

When the sun returned, I was the first one to step out of my family's tent. Yawning, I paused where I stood in front of the entrance flap to look up at the sky. There were a few clouds but not too many that the sun was blocked. I squinted my eyes they adjusted to the brightest. The sun's rays were reflecting off the snow; making the scenery almost blinding. But it was a welcomed sight. I was getting sick being stuck in a tent for days on end with only three women for company. After I finished yawning, I raised my hands over my head and started to stretch out my back. The first couple of days after the end of winter was usually filled with excitement from being able to move about and talk to the neighbors they hadn't seen in months. But there was also a lot of work. Most of which fell on my shoulders as the only male. Repairs would be needed for some of the tents and ice structures. Hunting was a given. But it might still be too early for the herds to return to the coast. And then there were the younger boys. I'd have to start up their lessons again. Who knows, I thought as I worked out a hard knot in my spine. Maybe a couple of them would finally be ready to start helping out a bit more. I could use it. Even if it was just fetching and carrying things.

"Move, Sokka", Katara said from behind me as she jabbed my exposed ribs with a finger. The unexpected contact in a place I didn't like to be touched caused me to jump to the side as I tried to keep myself from making a noise I knew Katara would tease me for. Pain in the butt little sister that she was. "You're blocking the way and we want to get started on Laundry", she continued as she poked her head out of the tent flap.

I glared at her as she moved entirely into the daylight. "You could have just asked", I complained. It wasn't like I was going to stop her from doing laundry. La knows that after months in that tent we all wanted clean clothes.

Katara acted like she didn't hear me as looked around the village. "Come on, Kaya", Katara called as she moved to the right. "If we finish early maybe there will be enough time for me to show you the otter penguins".

I rolled my eyes with a scoff as the tent flap started to move for the third time. Katara insisted on talking normally with Kaya, but I didn't think it did any good. Kaya had learned more in the time we spent in the tent. Moving from one-word utterances to two words. But I bet the only thing that came out of Katara's mouth that she understood was her name.

Still, the yellow-haired girl stepped out of the tent; pausing when the sunlight hit her face. She closed her eyes and basked in it; breathing deeply through her nose. My face relaxed as I watched her. There was just something about watching someone enjoy the little things in life that made me see things in a new light. But my attention wandered to the blue shale rock that hung around Kaya's neck on a black choker. Feeling heat on my face that wasn't due to the sun, I looked away. It was a struggle to come up with a unique design in the tent with Gran-gran and Katara snickering in my direction whenever they saw me working on it. But I managed to come up with something. And presented it to Kaya as soon as I had Gran-gran's blessing.

Of course, there was no way of explaining the necklace's meaning to Kaya. To her, it was just a piece of jewelry. But I didn't see the point in waiting. Gran-gran's story about the fox had hit home. Kaya was it for me. I wasn't going to get a better option. Not when there were no other girls my age in the village. So, I thought maybe me giving her that necklace would help Kaya fit in better with the rest of the women. Besides, it's not like we'd be married tomorrow. There's no way we'd be able to go that far without finding a way to explain things to Kaya.

"Just don't go too far", I told Katara. "When you go see the otter-penguins be careful. We don't know how the land has changed during the dark season".

Katara had the gall to roll her eyes at me. "I know that. Don't worry. I know what I'm doing". She said as she grabbed Kaya's gloved hand and started pulling off into the village. I let them go with a frown. You'd think that with everything I did, I'd get more respect from the members of my own household.

Before all the men had left, engagements in the village resulted in well-wishes, blushing females, claps on the shoulder, and questions. Many questions. As Kaya and Katara ran around the village getting their chores done and the other members of our tribe caught a glimpse of the necklace hanging from Kaya's neck, I didn't get congratulated or wishes for my good fortune. The only thing I did get was a bunch of nosy inquiries from women old enough to be my mother. Why so soon? Aren't you too young to wed? What would your father say? Some of their questions were more polite and curious than others. Will you move out of your family's tent? What about Katara and Elder Kanna? Are you happy, Sokka? Others were just comments of disapproval disguised as questions. If you marry that girl, she'll one day become the wife of a chieftain. You know that, right? Does she even understand what you tell her to do? How can you marry someone who isn't like us?

The women were relentless. Enough so that I couldn't begin one task without being interrupted minutes later. Finally,  Gran-gran came to my rescue when it was clear that the women weren't going to stop any time soon; suggesting that they should have something fresh to eat to celebrate the end of the dark months. And that I should take Katara and Kaya with me for company. If only to prevent the busybodies in their village from pestering the girls when they could no longer get to me. But that part went unsaid. Just like it was left unsaid, that by the time I returned with Katara and Kaya at my side, Gran-gran would have verbally whipped the women back in their places. So, I was quick to agree. It took maybe a minute or two to find my fishing gear. Another five to round up the girls. And then we were off.

"It's not getting away from me this time. Watch and learn, Kaya. This is how you catch a fish", I said; eyes trained on the water with my spear held at the ready. But half of my focus was on the girl sitting behind me. Kaya had come a long way since we had found her. She had put on some weight. Her hair had grown long enough to be braid into one of their water tribe styles, and she moved about their village with more confidence and purpose than she had before. Though communicating with her was still a hassle. She tended to speak in two to three-word utterances that weren't always understandable. But she seemed to comprehend more than she could say. Which was one of the reasons I decided that I liked to take her fishing with me. It was a chance to speak to her for long periods of time, in the hopes that Kaya would be able to learn new phrases and words. Then maybe one day we could have more than a one-sided conversation. It would be important for when our engagement ended and we were married. Or so Gran-gran said. I just wanted to hear how awesome Kaya undoubtedly thought I was.

Kaya peers over my shoulder. Aware of what was going on because of the spear in my hand and our current surroundings. But she had no idea what word meant what. Other than the word fish. That one she had learned early on because it was the water tribe's main source of food. Kaya wasn't interested in fishing per se. But she knew that I wanted her to watch. And that was enough of a reason for the yellow-haired girl.

But Kaya and I weren't the only ones in the boat. Katara had been more than willing to come along too. Especially if it meant putting off chores for a while longer. Fishing meant water. And water meant a chance to practice waterbending. Though, Katara wasn't paying any attention to me or the yellow-haired girl. Instead, she was peering over the opposite side of the boat. Doing what? I don't really care. As long as she doesn't scare away the fish.

"Sokka, Kaya, look!" Katara called out in excitement.

Kaya didn't need to be told twice. I could feel her shifting behind me as she turned to look at my little sister. It was probably something waterbending related. Whenever Kaya was confronted with the mystical powers of bending, her eyes would grow wide as she watched the floating water in a frozen state. I imagined that was what was going on behind me. But I didn't look.

I couldn't break my focus. Not when there was a whole village to feed and a girl to impress. "Sshh! Katara", I whispered harshly. "You're going to scare it away. I can't wait to eat it. Mmmm ... can't you imagine how it'll smell when it's cookin'?" Maybe I'd have Kaya gut it before Gran-gran cooked it. Just to help the yellow-haired girl be even more impressed by my skills as a hunter.

Neither Kaya nor Katara answered me. I wasn't surprised. Kaya was still finding her tongue and Katara generally ignored me when she wanted to. Still, whatever Katara was doing, she apparently really wanted me to look. Like when she was five and still thought I was cool. She used to follow me around all over the village and get in the way. Man, I thought. That was a long time ago. I wonder if Katara even remembered that.

"But, Sokka!", Katara called to me again. "I caught one!"

That's nice. Though I hadn't really heard her words. Still, I didn't look. How could Katara expect me to look when dinner was just seconds away from being impaled on my spear. It looked like a big one too. Probably enough to feed the three of us. As I raised my spear; getting ready for the opportune moment, icy cold water poured down my back.

"Hey!" Katara complained like it was my fault that I was suddenly wet.

I dropped my spear at the wet impact. First, I sputtered, and then I shivered as I tried to shake the water off. Whirling around in the boat to face the two girls, I knew what happened without having to ask. Katara was trying to show off again. "Why is it that every time you play with magic water, I get soaked?" I asked my sister. Feeling irritated, I gave up shaking to try to wring out the excess water instead. Kaya covered her mouth behind her sleeve to hide her chuckle at the face I was making. It almost made it worth it to hear the yellow-haired girl laugh. But I wouldn't be telling Katara that.

"It's not magic", Katara retorted. "It's waterbending! And it's ..."

I cut her off, having heard all this a million times before. "Yeah, yeah, an ancient art unique to our culture, yadda, yadda". While we bickered, Kaya looked back and forth between the two of us. She recognized it as sibling banter. We had done much of the same in the tent during the dark months. But the only word she probably knew was water. "And Look, I'm just saying that if I had weird powers, I'd keep it to myself". I finished before locking eyes with Kaya and smiling. Only for my smile to widen when she shyly returned it. It was nice to have one girl in this family that didn't argue with me.

Katara raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "You're calling me weird?" She asked, drawing Kaya's attention back to her. I rolled my eyes. There goes that moment. Turning away from both of the girls, I spotted my reflection in the water. Hopefully, Katara would be done complaining soon and we could go back to fishing. "I'm not the one who makes muscles at myself every time I see my reflection in the water!" Katara yelled. I didn't have to turn around to know that she was pointing an accusing finger at me. Huffing at being called out, I lowered my bicep and returned to looking straight ahead. And it was a good thing that I did because it meant I saw that we were headed for! Fast approaching, were rough waters, a rushing current, and slabs of ice dotting the way.

"Oh no", I said, becoming serious. As quickly as I could I let go of the spear, and grabbed the oar instead. Katara would be fine. Dad had taught us how to navigate these waters, often treating it like a game as we prepared for the ice dodging trial. But Kaya was a different matter entirely. I had never taken her out this far before. I hadn't taught her how to move her body with the currents to prevent capsizing. How could I even describe that to her? "Hold on to Kaya", I yelled behind me. "Help her lean at the right times".

Katara didn't argue this time, recognizing that I had slipped into leader mode. I didn't look back to check to see if Katara was doing what I asked. There wasn't time. But I trusted my younger sister. Even if she was a loudmouth and caused me a lot of trouble, Katara wouldn't ignore an order at a time like this. But that didn't stop her from calling out directions to me. "Watch out! Go left! Go left!" As if that would help.

I tried my best to avoid the slabs of ice. But the water was too strong and it wasn't long before we were bouncing off the sides of different pieces of ice. We were jolted left, right, left, and right again. Until we slammed into one slab of ice right in front of them. The boat slid up; throwing all three of us out and onto the frozen water before the boat broke and was rushed further down the current. Kaya gasped upon landing face-first on the ice. I groaned, already feeling the beginnings of ice burn on my cheeks. While Katara had to get the last word in. "You call that left?"

I forced myself into a sitting position as Kaya struggled to do the same. Did Katara not see what they had been up against? "You don't like my steering? Well, maybe you should've"- I paused to gestured mockingly with my hands. "waterbended us out of the ice". Kaya rubbed her nose once she was upright. Trying to rub some heat back into it. But it might be a lost cause. Kaya was always cold. Even sitting around the hearth in the family tent, she'd shiver.

Katara stood up, very annoyed at this point. If her scrunched-up nose was anything to go by. "So, it's my fault?" She asked angrily.

Having reached the end of my rope, I pinched the bridge of my nose. Why can't she just listen to me? It's my job to protect her and provide for her, but she makes it so hard! "I knew I should've left you at home!" I stated as Kaya regained her favorite pastime of desperately trying to follow our conversations. "Leave it to a girl to screw things up!" I continued, commenting on something I knew would set Katara off.

Katara waved a gloved hand in Kaya's direction, unknowingly causing a small ripple in the water behind her. "Kaya's a girl. And you wanted to bring her along!"

Her name, she recognized at once. But hearing it while Katara was upset was making her anxious. "Kaya", I started to say, waving my own hand at the pale-faced girl. "Listens to me and doesn't try to change everything into an excuse to waterbend!" The retort came out fast and easy as I raised my voice.

"Um", Kaya broke in, voice squeaking a little. She didn't use her voice often. She generally didn't have a need since no one would understand her. But she hated it when we fought, especially because it wasn't always clear why. "Kaya home?" She asked, pointing in the direction that she thought we had come from. Her name and the word 'home' were some of the few words she had recognized from what Katara and I had been yelling at each other, so that was the only thing she could think to ask.

While Katara continued to fume; standing before us, I took a deep breath. I'm the one responsible. They depend on me. I had to keep reminding myself that. Gesturing with my hands to Kaya in a downward motion, I watched the yellow-haired girl take a deep breath herself. It was the type of hand gesture we trained polar bear-dogs to recognize as a command to not jump up. But somehow, I had taught Kaya that it meant that she didn't need to be afraid and to tell her that everything was okay. "It's okay, Kaya", I said in a much calmer voice than I had been using with his sister. Kaya's lack of knowledge and lack of independence was sometimes annoying. In all honesty, she was one extra burden that I really didn't need. But it wasn't her fault. Kaya was trying her best. Just like all of us. I turned my frustration back to Katara; the one that was capable of taking it. "And you know I only take Kaya with me because she needs to learn how to survive out here and to teach her new words. And because the others haven't accepted her yet. Otherwise, I'd keep her in the village where she's safe with the other women".

Katara groaned, feeling equally frustrated as she balled her hands into fists. "You are the most sexist", she started to rant as she gestures with her hands widely to give emphasis to her words. "immature", waves started to build up in the water behind her. "nut brained". The glacier behind her started to crack; gaining my and Kaya's attention. My eyes widened as I started to get nervous. This is why I didn't like Katara leaving the village. She was too emotional, and couldn't fully control her bending. Kaya started inching closer to me. She didn't know what was going on right now. But she knew Katara was mad. She knew that was why the glacier was breaking, and she knew that I would be the one most likely to help her. "I'm embarrassed to be related to you!" Katara continued, volume raising. "Ever since mom died, I've been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier!" The crack running up the glacier grew larger.

I knew what she said wasn't true. I had a whole village to hunt for. A whole village where security and the education of the future generation of warriors fell on my half-trained shoulders. I had more responsibilities than Katara was giving me credit for. But it stung that Katara wasn't willing to recognize that. In any other situation, I would have given Katara a list of everything that fell on my shoulders. But not now. Not when all three of us were in a rocky situation, "Uh ... Katara ...", I tried to warn her; my voice no longer carrying any heat. Kaya got close enough that she was able to latch onto my sleeve. I allowed it. I didn't know if Kaya knew how to swim or not and now wasn't the time to find out. It was probably for the best that she was in grabbing distance. Just in case.

Katara unclenched her fists long enough to point an accusing finger in my face. "I even wash all the clothes! Why doesn't your fiancé do the washing? Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Let me tell you, not pleasant!" She stamped her foot, and crack finally reached the very top of the glacier.

My voice became high-pitched as I pleaded, "Katara, settle down!"

"No that's it! I'm done helping you! From now on, you're on your own!". Katara reached the full extent of her rage the same time that the ice and water behind her swelled, and speed up the current. Their slab of ice shook and dipped under the sudden movement, making Katara lose her balance. Her feet slipped out from under her and she slid into me. Reacting quickly, I grabbed Katara with one arm and pinned Kaya to my side with the other. Too many things could go wrong in this situation. They could all drown. They could get too wet and freeze before they could make it out of the water. Or worse, they could get separated, get lost, freeze, and die alone. So, I did the only thing I could think of and tried to keep my family together as the water carried us away. Luckily, the ice slab we were on didn't tip over as we traveled down the rushing current. Maybe we shouldn't have taken a boat out so soon after the dark months. It was minutes before the water calmed and Katara along with it. "Okay", I said once it was safe to do so. I raised one arm to release Katara, but kept Kaya where she was; knowing the girl wouldn't want to move any time soon. "You've gone from weird to freakish", I informed my little sister; referring to her bending misfire.

Katara looked around in surprise, taking in the water that had been a rapid just moments before. "You mean I did that?" She asked, as Kaya slowly peaked her head up. Katara and I weren't yelling at each other anymore. She probably was taking that as a sign that everything was okay again.

Feeling that I was no longer tense, and seeing that Katara was no longer glaring, Kaya let go of me and glanced around. We were even further from land than before. And now we didn't have a boat. Great. Just great. I climbed to his feet before answering. "Yep", I said, nudging Katara with my elbow. "Katara, the almighty waterbender". The sarcastic words came easily and I didn't feel bad about it. After all, this was what Katara wanted; to be a powerful waterbender. And for a moment, she had gotten her wish. Just long enough to strand us in the middle of a half-frozen ocean.

Katara didn't get a chance to retort. Not when Kaya started to wave her arms at us; shouting a foreign word in sounds that we didn't even know how to make. But Katara and I got the gist of it. Turning around, we saw that Katara's power had done more than send us adrift. It had uncovered a giant glowing glacier. I had my guard up at once. The only good thing that glowed were the stars; everything else was suspicious. I threw an arm out the block Katara before she could do something stupid, like approach the damn thing. While I reached behind me with my other arm to grab the weapon I kept holstered on my back; trusting that Kaya would have the sense to stay put. The three of us stared at the glowing glacier a moment longer before a particular detail caught my attention. A person! There was a person inside the ice! Things became more unusual when the person inside of the ice opened their eyes. That shouldn't be possible! Then, not only the person's eyes but marks on his head and arms started to glow too. This can't be good. I thought as my eyes narrowed. How was I going to get both Kaya and Katara out of here and away from… from that thing? Because that was clearly what we needed to do. Nothing good could come from a glowing man in a glacier!

"He's alive!" Katara exclaimed, already moving to get past me. "We have to help him".

"Katara, get back here!" I sputtered after her once she succeeded in escaping me. Why did she never see things the same way as I did? A person frozen in a glacier should not be alive! Let alone be able to open their eyes! This wasn't normal. When Katara didn't listen, I clicked my tongue in annoyance. In a quick decision, I decided to leave the weapon on my back. Instead, I ordered, "Kaya stay", before picking up my fallen spear and running after Katara. Stay. There was another word Kaya understood.

Katara pounded and clawed at the ice as she tried to get to the person inside. But she wasn't making much of an impact. Whoever was in there most have wanted to get out, because it wasn't long before the glacier started to crack. The wind picked up the moment I reached her said, and the glowing intensified. Mystified by what was happening right in front of her, I had no problem pulling Katara away. Though there wasn't enough time to get very far before whatever was happening happened. Clutching Katara to me, I readied my spear for an attack; thinking that I really should have left Katara back at the village. With a great burst of energy, the wind intensified for a split second. It was strong. Strong enough that we could have been blown off our feet. But just as quickly as it came, the wind died with the shattering of the glacier. Leaving behind an ice crater. Still, the glowing continued. As the person emerged for its now destroyed icy prison.

"Stop", I yelled at the stranger when the glowing person started getting too close. That glowing thing couldn't be healthy. What if it was contagious? There was no way that that person was safe to be around.

Katara saw things differently. "Stop it", she complained, as she batted at my spear so it was no longer pointed at the newcomer. Katara didn't understand it. Sure, I had helped Kaya without a second thought when she had suddenly appeared. But Kaya was a girl and half-dead when I found her. She wasn't a glowing boy and had somehow survived inside a ball of ice! People didn't just do that!

The figure slid down the ice until he was lying on the outside. Katara rushed forward to examine his state. It was a bald boy around her age dressed in colors I hadn't seen before. I didn't know what to do. Every instinct I had was screaming at me to not get any closer. But I couldn't leave Katara. And even if I did manage to pull her away, where would we go? Without a boat, Kaya, Katara, and I were stuck on this hunk of ice with the weird glowing boy.

Surprisingly and suspiciously, the boy was awake. Even from where I was standing, I could make out his voice as he said hoarsely, "I need to ask you something ..."

"What?" Katara asked as she cradled his head. There was excitement and worry in her voice. Enough that it was rubbing my skin the wrong way. We didn't need to bring any more strays to the village. What was Katara doing?

"Please ... come closer," The boy said with no change in tone.

Katara leaned in closer, making me tighten my grip on the spear. "What is it?" My sister asked.

"Will you go penguin sledding with me?" The boy asked, his week voice completely transforming into one of a healthy and energetic person.

Katara leaned back, not sure what to do with the sudden change. And penguin sledding? What a random thing to ask. "Uh, sure ... I-I guess", she answered slowly. It wasn't what she had been expecting. It wasn't what I had been expecting. And I was at a loss for what I should do. Penguin sledding wasn't… something evil a glowing person would do. Unless it just a cover story for something worse.

Apparently happy with Katara's response, the boy sat up. He rubbed his head as he looked around. First, he took in the vast icy sea that surrounded us from all sides. Then he looked at me as I hovered behind my sister. I watched as his eyes found Kaya from where she was watching from a distance behind me. Finally, the boy focused on Katara once more. "What's happening here?" He asked.

That innocent question proved to be too much. "You tell us!" I demanded; marching a couple of steps closer. "How did you get in the ice? And why aren't you frozen?" I gestured madly at the broken glacier, before poking the boy with the butt of my spear. Insert dominance, I thought to himself. Let him know that I'm the one in charge here.

Unperturbed by my example of power, the boy calmly pushed the spear away from him. "I'm not sure", he answered. At the exact same time, a rumbling sound came from the same place the boy had come from moments ago. The boy's face lit up and he was dashing around the ice before Katara or I could comment. "Appa!", He exclaimed at what he found there. Katara had followed him when he had scampered away and gasped at what she saw. Her expression forcing me to follow not long after. It wasn't ideal. Not when it meant walking further from Kaya and going to a place where she couldn't see me. But she didn't have a way to protect herself. Not like Katara with her waterbending or me with my weapons, so staying put was still the best thing for her.

When I was able to look around the ice, I saw what had Katara gasping. The sight had my mouth dropping open too. "Are you alright?" The boy asked as he ran up to the giant beast without any fear at all. The beast made a deep bellowing sound in response.

"What is that thing?" I asked.

"This is Appa, my flying bison", came the glowing boys very quick response. How…. How is this my life?

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Frosty Atmosphere

Well, the flying bison ended up being the swimming bison. But you wouldn't know it the way Katara was acting. Still, we made it back to the village. That was something at least. But coming back with another stranger brought its own difficulties. Entering the village with a giant beast that we couldn't eat caused the women to mutter amongst themselves uncomfortably. Then, when they caught sight of the bald kid that Katara hadn't stopped talking to since she found him, they stared with suspicion. Katara acted like she didn't notice the hostility of our people as she led the bald kid, Aang, to meet our Gran-gran. Or maybe she truly didn't notice; too elated to have someone her own age. But she was the only one. Aang walked beside Katara with his shoulders slightly hunched and kept a tight grip on his staff. However; despite the tense atmosphere, he greeted every uneasy look with a smile and a polite hello. At least this one spoke the same language as us, I couldn't help but think.

Kaya and I walked behind them. I had my spear in one hand as Kaya clings to my other. If Kaya was normal; if her hair wasn't yellow colored and she didn't speak a language of gibberish, I'd have thought she was like any of the other women in the village. That she was afraid of a strange newcomer. But, if I was honest with myself, I knew that wasn't the reason for Kaya's discomfort.

"Do you think that boy came for her?" I heard someone mutter; placing extra emphasis on her. There was no need for me to question who the speaker was referring to.

"What if she summoned him?" Another questioned.

Grinding my teeth together, I pulled my hand from Kaya so I could sling an arm over her shoulders; pulling her in closer. Kaya was harmless. By La, Kaya was helpless. How could any of my people think she was responsible for the bald kid suddenly appearing amongst us? Weird yellow hair aside, they were making Kaya sound like she was a witch. Not the girl who pricked her fingers every time she held a needle. Not the girl that was content to complete any chore she was given. Not the girl that they had been sharing resources with for months.

"That girl is an ill-wish", whispered another as we drew closer and closer to our tent.

"She brings nothing good", another agreed, despite the fact that Kaya had not been responsible for any hardship in the months that she had been living with us. "And Sokka is so attached… I fear it might be too late".

Glancing at Kaya's face, I was struck (not for the first time) with the impression that she understood more than she could express. Her eyes were downcast. She was holding her chin down; tucked into her coat. And there was an unease to her expression as she tried very hard not to look at anyone. Did she know? I asked myself as Katara and Aang came to a standstill in front of our family tent. Gran-gran stood out in front of it, listening to Katara as she started introductions. Did Kaya understand that her only friends in the village were my small family?

I should've stayed to help Katara explain things to Gran-gran. I should've been the one to give Aang permission to join us for the night. But I did none of those things. Stepping around Katara, her guest, and Gran-gran, I pushed Kaya to enter the tent before following behind her. I thought giving her that necklace would help her gain some footing with the other women in the village. I thought that after the dark months had passed and the others could see how at ease my family was with the yellow-haired girl that they would be more accepting. That Kaya would be welcomed into their circles; grounding her to her new home. But from all their questions clearly, I was wrong. The bald kid and his swimming bison didn't help things either. Now, the only I could do that I thought would help was to keep Kaya far enough away that she couldn't hear the others. Maybe if I caught a squid we could color Kaya's hair to a more traditional color for a couple of days. That might help ease tensions… but then Kaya would smell like a squid.

"Sorry we didn't catch any fish", I said just for the sake of saying something. Kaya looked at me in an expression I hadn't seen on her face before as she started pulling off her gloves. I didn't know what to make of it. But it kind of reminded me of the time my mom had sat me down and told me I was going to be a big brother. "Umm…" I said as I looked around the tent; trying to find something to talk about. Anything to get her thoughts off what was happening outside. A pot was boiling over the hearth. Obviously, containing whatever Gran-gran was going to make us eat tonight. There was the laundry sitting off to the side that the girls hadn't gotten the chance to wash considering today's unplanned fishing trip. Not that that did me any good now. Then there was…. My eyes landed on some spare spearheads. The kind I strictly reserved for buffalo-yaks and other large game. It took two steps for me to be close enough to grab them. The dark months were over. Soon the herds would be returning and I'd be needing them. "Think you can sharpen these for me?" I asked as I moved back to Kaya to show her what I was holding.

Sinking into her usual spot by the hearth, Kaya nodded. Her eyes were a bit glum as she accepted the chore from me. It was one she was familiar with as she had learned her way around them during our time together stuck in this tent. Quickly, I gather the materials she would need to complete the task before standing awkwardly over her; watching. What should I do now?

Scratching the back of my heading, thinking about what I needed to do about the bald kid and what Gran-gran would want me to do, I glanced over to the tent flap. "I'm gonna-" I started to say; gesturing to the exit. Other than a small nod, Kaya barely responded. "So… just stay here", I finished, feeling a little lame. This would be so much easier if I actually knew if she understood. If she could tell me what she was thinking.

I started inching for the way out. Not wanting to face what was waiting outside, but knowing that I probably have to. There was now another stranger amongst us. And once again, I was the one who brought them into the village. It was an action that was costing me the trust of my people, and I couldn't let that happen. But a soft-spoken, "Sokka", brought me back.

Looking over my shoulder, Kaya was sitting unmoved with one of my spearheads in her hands. Staring up at me, she waited for a brief moment before asking with her limited vocabulary. "Kaya bad? Kaya go?"

It took me a couple of times of repeating Kaya's words in my head until I found meaning. But I got it eventually… At least, I think I did. "No", I said as I turned back around and took a step closer to the yellow-haired girl. I squatted down so we were at eye level. "Kaya good", I stated simply; hoping that the fewer words I used the more she'd understand. "Kaya stay".

She stared at me for a minute; not blinking. And I didn't rush her. Her words may be simple, but what she was actually asking was deep. Deep enough that it should probably be Gran-gran in here having this conversation with her. Touchy-feely girly stuff always made my skin crawl. But Kaya was my responsibility. My problem. So…..

The minute passed and Kaya nodded once to show she understood. Picking up the stone I used to keep things sharp, she started working. But before I could move to go, Kaya spoke up again. "Sokka stay?" She asked, her voice nervous.

I glanced over at the tent's exit; knowing I should go and knowing that I didn't want to. Sighing, I brushed a hand over the top of my hair. There were fears that needed to be soothed, and people that needed to be addressed. Especially concerning the fact that I hadn't brought any fresh kills back. But it felt nice that there was someone right in front of me that wanted me around not to fill some need other than company. So, maybe, just for one night, I could take a break. "Yeah", I caved, turning back to my fiancé. "I'll stay". And I flopped down next to on the ground floor; stretching out my back.

Whatever Gran-gran must have said to our people and to welcome Aang must have worked, because it was quiet when she entered the tent; Katara and the bald kid following behind her. "Aang will be joining us for dinner", Gran-gran announced as both Kaya and I looked at her for guidance. "After, he has volunteered to sleep in one of the spare tents we use for storage".

Aang bowed his head slightly after Gran-gran's explanation. "Thank you for the hospitality", he said politely and cheerfully as Gran-gran moved over to her hearth.

Sitting up I watched as Gran-gran raised a weathered hand and pointed over to where we kept the dishes. "Kaya, child. Help me serve", Gran-gran instructed. The gesture was necessary to help Kaya interpret what was being asked of her.

Kaya moved quickly, handing me the spearheads she had been working on before leaving to do as Gran-gran had asked. It was a task she was familiar with. It was one Gran-gran had started Kaya on during the dark months after I had made my intentions clear to her and Katara. 'For when she is keeping her own hearth', Gran-gran had explained.

Knowing what my own task was before we could eat, I moved to clean up the sharpening tools and put the spearheads in their proper spot. Meanwhile, Katara showed Aang the little she could in our tent. "That's Sokka's bed. Gran-gran's is over there. And that's the bed Kaya and I share", she said as she pointed them out. Other than that, there really wasn't much to see. The hearth at the center of the tent spoke for itself with the smoke emitting from it being a dead giveaway.

"You have a lovely home", Aang commented, causing Katara to beam at him.

"It keeps us warm and the snow out", Gran-gran replied humbly as Kaya appeared at the old woman's side with enough bowls for everyone.

As Gran-gran helped Kaya set the bowls down, I moved to sit in my usual spot. "Come sit, Aang", Katara said as she gestured for the bald kid to take a seat at the hearth. But Aang let Katara go first and followed suit behind her; picking a spot next to my sister as he sat crossed-legged. I wasn't sure what to make of that. It was good manners to let Katara go first, but sitting next to her and looking casual about it….. should I do something? Say something? What would dad do if Katara brought home a boy? But a sharp look from Gran-gran had me keeping my mouth shut. Fine. But if something happens, it's not my fault.

"I hope you like sea prune stew", Gran-gran said as she handed the ladle to Kaya and gestured for the yellow-haired girl to fill the bowls.

He better like it, I thought as Aang assured us that he would. Until I could catch some fresh game and until the others could harvest seaweed and the like; sea prunes were all we had so soon after the dark months' end.

Knowing that I couldn't keep watching the bald kid for much longer without being accused of being rude, I turned my attention to Kaya. Her scarred hands were careful as she poured stew into the first bowl. That done, she handed the bowl to Katara to be passed to Aang. As was customary, Aang got the first bowl since he was a guest. It wasn't too long ago that Kaya received the first serving; being a guest herself. I wonder when we stopped doing that. Kaya's transition from guest to family member felt natural and I couldn't remember exactly when the habit had changed.

The second bowl Kaya filled, she handed to me. The third went to Gran-gran. Then Katara, and Kaya kept the last bowl for herself. It took patience on Gran-gran's part to teach the behavior to the yellow-haired girl. Understandable, considering that there was no way to explain its purpose. But Kaya learned and adapted as she has always done since waking up in our village. Polite manners dictated that guests were served first. As the family provider, I was next. Being a respected elder, Gran-gran came after. Leaving only herself and Katara. As equals, it didn't matter who was next. But since Kaya was serving, she gave Katara the next bowl.

Gran-gran nodded; satisfied with my fiancé practicing our customs as she turned her attention to the rest of us. "Katara told me that you had quite the adventure today", Gran-gran said to start a conversation before she took a sip of broth.

"Yeah", I grumbled unhappily around a mouthful of food. "We lost a boat". And what's worse, I had no idea where I could find enough wood to replace it. "And I wasn't able to catch anything either".

"But I'm grateful that you found me", Aang broke in, lowering his bowl away from his mouth so was could all see him clearly. "I think Appa and I would've had a hard time finding our way otherwise". Aang offered everyone a sheepish grin; showing off his good nature. I could only hope it wasn't an act. "And now Katara and I can go penguin sledding together. So, maybe everything that happened was good luck". Hmph, optimism. I thought only Katara was capable of that. I guess she found a kindred spirit.

"Penguin sledding, you say", Gran-gran said with a raised eyebrow; mostly just to keep the conversation flowing.

"Is that alright, Gran-gran?" Katara checked after she had swallowed. "I told Aang I would go with him". The hope and longing in her voice was obvious.

Gran-gran shifted and took her time answering; holding Katara and Aang in anticipation. It was something I knew Gran-gran enjoyed doing. Especially when she was telling one of her stories. But I was smart enough to never call her out on it. "I suppose so", Gran-gran consented. "As long as you finish your chores in the morning". Leaving Aang and Katara to smile at each other, Gran-gran looked over at me. "And what are your plans for tomorrow?"

Gulping down what I had in my mouth, I answered, "Fishing in the morning", because we really did need some fresh meat. "And I want to start up lessons with the younger boys again". That would give me the chance to see who was finally old enough to be trusted with more of a workload. One of the boys was getting close to the age I was when I had first been allowed outside of the village by myself to go jigging. If La was willing to show me any Mercy, the boy's mother would let him go.

Gran-gran hummed to herself as she looked over at Kaya. Engrossed with the task of filling her stomach, Kaya paid no head to our words. That was common at meals. dinner conversation rarely included her as there wasn't much for her to contribute and it was hard to eat and learn at the same time.

Having made her mind up about something, Gran-gran turned her attention back to me. "Then I will take Kaya with me tomorrow. She can assist me with my rounds". The frown I must have made cued Gran-gran in that I wasn't happy with that decision. After listening to the others when we returned home today, Gran-gran wanted Kaya to be in their presence? No, it would be better for Kaya to say inside until Aang left and took all suspicion with him.

I didn't need to voice any of that for Gran-gran to disagree with me. Reading my face, she said, "After today, I think it is time that the others learn more about Kaya. They can only do that if they spend time with her".

That was the end of the discussion. It was always easy to tell with Gran-gran because she turned away from me and was not willing to hear any more about it. But that didn't mean I had to be happy with the decision. Kaya wasn't stupid, as I've come to realize. She may not always understand what we said, but if the other women said something unkind, Kaya would feel it. Tomorrow, I better not come home to a crying female. That's not something I'm prepared to deal with.

"Uh, I hope you don't mind me asking", Aang broke in; bringing all our attention to him. All except Kaya's, that is. But Aang wasn't looking at any of us. His eyes were fixed on Kaya. Kaya, who was still staring into the depths of her bowl. "But Kaya is a water tribe name and you… don't look like you're from here". He hadn't phrased it as a question as he had intended. But the information Aang was searching for was clear.

Still, Kaya didn't lookup. Nor did she offer an explanation; completely unaware that someone was talking to her at all. "Sorry", Katara spoke quickly before Kaya's lack of response could be construed as rude. "Kaya's still learning our language. So, it's hard for her to know when someone's asking her a question", Katara tried to explain. Offering an example, Katara held her bowl with one hand as she used her other one to tap Kaya on the arm.

At the contact, Kaya was pulled from her dinner. The yellow-haired girl looked up at her friend, blinking as she waited to find out what Katara wanted. "Kaya, Aang was asking where you're from", Katara said.

Of course, we had no way of know how much of that Kaya actually got. Especially when all Kaya did was slowly pronounce the bald kid's name. "Aang?" The yellow-haired girl's brown eyes flashed in our guest's direction before focusing back on Katara; trying to decipher if that was right. She knew who the bald kid was. We had done an introduction between the two foreigners back when we were riding the swimming bison. So, this whole exchange was just confusing for the girl.

"She speaks a different language?" Aang asked, curiously.

Katara nodded as she moved her line of sight from Kaya and back to the new kid. Leaving Kaya to glance around at all of us as she tried to figure out what was going on. "We found her", Katara started to explain as I used the same downward hand motion from early today to tell Kaya that everything was fine. "Well, Sokka found her washed up on the shore a while back. She was sick for a long time and the clothes she had on her were strange; made of fabrics we had never seen before. When she was better, we learned that she spoke a different language. We don't know where she's from and she couldn't tell us. So, Sokka adopted her into the tribe and named her Kaya". Katara paused for breath; giving Aang time to take all that information in. But Katara wasn't done yet. "Say, it sounded like you've traveled a lot. Do you know where she's from? We've never heard of different languages or people with yellow hair".

Studying Kaya closely with his eyes, Aang shook his head; only looking away from the yellow-hair girl when she started to shift uncomfortably under his gaze. "No, sorry", Aang said. "I always thought there was only one language and I've never seen hair color like hers before".

I'm not sure why this line of conversation irked me, but it did. "It doesn't matter", I stated as I reached across Gran-gran to hand Kaya my bowl. Without being asked or prompted, Kaya started to refill it with more stew; allowing me to continue. "Kaya's water tribe now. She belongs here", I finished as Kaya handed me back my bowl. In my opinion, she belonged here more than the bald kid did. At least she hadn't be found glowing inside a giant ball of ice.

Leaning towards Aang, Katara started to gossip into his ear. But she failed to whisper in a low enough voice that I couldn't hear. "Sokka is only getting defensive because he decided that he's going to marry Kaya".

"Katara", Gran-gran warned. And after that, the only conversation we had involved penguin sledding.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

The Mark of Dragons

"Now men," I started to say; pacing in front of the recruits and holding out my trusty boomerang. The snow crunched under the heel of my boot as I pivoted. "It's important to show no fear. We are the water tribe. We fight to the end with courage!" I found my words moving, but looking at the blank faces of the kids sitting cross-legged in front of me with snot dripping from their noses, I knew I was the only one affected.

One of Sanna's boys raised his hand and waved it around as if I wouldn't be able to see it otherwise. "I gotta pee!" He declared. I wished I couldn't see or hear him. How was I going to get these boys ready for the real world if I had to keep stopping my plans for bathroom breaks and… and… for them to grow up?

"Listen!" I exclaimed, trying to reach them. "Until our fathers return, they're counting on us to be men and that means no bathroom breaks!" And by La, I needed at least one of them to hurry up and grow. There were only so many hours in a day, and I didn't want to spend all of them working. Sure, I didn't want to go penguin sledding with some bald kid like Katara. But that doesn't mean I didn't have hobbies. Like… like…. Well, if I had time, I could find some hobbies.

Sanna's boy didn't stop. "But I really need to go", he said; jiggling his legs a little to express his urgency.

Sighing, my shoulders dropped. How did Dad ever manage to do this; teaching the younger tribe members? I should have taken notes. "Okay", I caved. "Does anyone else have to go?" And…. Every hand shot up in the area. Slapping a gloved hand over my face, I groaned and dismissed the class.

As the younger boys scampered away from me, my eyes landed on Kaya standing off in the distance. Her arms were full; carrying a basket with all Gran-gran's healing supplies. But when she saw me looking at her, she smiled. It was a smile that made this impromptu bathroom break not so bad.

"Have you seen Aang?" Katara asked as she approached. And then the moment was ruined. "Gran-gran said no one's seen him for a while".

"If no one's seen him, why would I?" I asked as the sound of laughing boys drew both of Katara's and my attention. They better not be goofing off. Not when we haven't even gotten to hunting training yet.

But following the sound of laughter lead to the missing bald kid; laughing and playing with the boys as if they were old friends. I frowned. My lessons were fun. Why didn't they laugh for me when I made boomerang jokes? "Katara, get him out of here", I demanded. "I got a class to teach".

And the next thing I know, the kids were climbing all over the swimming bison like it was a snow fort. Aang sat on its back helping the smaller kids complete the climb. My shoulders tensed. Great. Now it would be ten times more difficult to get the recruits to focus. This is why I don't schedule playtime until after I'm done talking. Katara starts laughing at the kids' amusement. I almost felt bad for putting my foot down…. But, I really need at least one of them to learn how to feed themselves. To feed their family. "Stop!". None of the younger boys paid me any mind as they continued to run and climb on the swimming bison. But my shouting bought me Aang's attention. That was something at least. "We don't have time for this. We are in a war. These boys need to be ready".

Aang jumped off the bison's back and floated to the ground as another example of his airbending freakishness. "What war?" he asked as he made his way over to Katara and me. His voice was innocent. So, innocent that it was kind of annoying.

"You're kidding, right?" I asked flatly. How could he not know? The whole world got turned upside down because of the Fire Nation. How could he not know?

Before Aang could give me an answer. Something caught his eye. "Penguin!" He screeched before darting off; running faster than most can through the snow. Almost like he was floating on top of it. Damn airbender.

So, I asked Katara the same question as we watched him go, "He's kidding, right?"

She didn't have an answer, so she frowned at me. Why couldn't she smile like Kaya? Kaya would smile if I asked her a question. Of course, she also wouldn't be able to answer me. But…. You know what, never mind.

"Alright tropes", I called out once Katara left to chase after the bald kid. "Come back. We're going to learn how to bait fish today".

Standing by the bison's leg, Sanna's boy raised his hand. "But I still gotta go!"

"Then hurry up!" I shouted, grinding my teeth. We were never going to get anything done at this rate.

I ended lessons a little before lunch. As I had expected, after playtime with Aang none of the boys were too keen on learning about fishing. But at least two of the older boys were able to tie strong enough knots in their fishing line. I'd have to see about taking them jigging soon. If they could be trusted to do that, then I could spend more time tracking large game, and then everyone would be able to eat meat. It would be meat all around!

As the kids ran off to their respective tents, I scanned the village. Most of the women were busy minding the fires and boiling snow to replenish our freshwater supplies. Maybe there would be enough that we would be able to wash tonight. I bet the girls would like that. Kaya always seemed more relaxed after a wash. Speaking of the yellow-haired girl…. I glanced to the left and found her squatting in front of one of the elders. Not Gran-gran old. But old enough that this elder didn't have any children in her tent. Her husband and sons had all left to fight in the war. Kaya had one of the elder's hands in both of hers as she rubbed the skin around the knuckles. Just like she had done for Gran-gran when I had decided to make her boots. Her expression was gentle as she worked in silence. And I was happy to see that the elder wasn't sneering at Kaya or trying to pull away. In fact, the elder seemed completely at ease with Kaya's foreignness. Guess Gran-gran was right. The other women just needed to get used to her.

As if reading my thoughts, Gran-gran wandered over to my side. "She did well today", she told me. "Kaya remembered the words for burn and salve. And can tie a bandage better than my old weathered hands". A moment passed in silence as Gran-gran and I watched Kaya massage the elder's hands. "I think the next time you bring home a seal, I'll teach her how to brew some of my blubber remedies. Healing is an appropriate trade for the wife of a chieftain".

My cheeks filled with heat at the reminder. Right… marriage. That was still years off. Not until Kaya was able to understand what the necklace she wore meant and she was able to give me her consent. Not until I had the means to build her a tent and hearth of her own. And…. And not until we both felt ready. Still, as I watched Kaya work, I couldn't help but think maybe it wouldn't be years off. She seemed content enough. I felt content enough watching her. Was this what Dad felt when he had been engaged to Mom? I wish I could ask him.

A high-pitched whistling sound filled the air; echoing off in the distance. Everyone stopped what they were doing; heads swiveling to find the source. Looking to the East, I watched with dread as a red flare went off high in the sky. High enough that it could be seen miles and miles away.

"Isn't that the direction where the wrecked fire nation ship is?" Someone asked amidst the silence that had taken over the village.

Unfortunately, they were completely right. Hushed whispering broke out as mothers found their children and everyone discussed what we should do. Do we break down the village and move further inland? Not an optimal solution. There were not enough able bodies to carry all our supplies and at least here we had our ice structures to offer some protection. When the whispering grew louder and louder, I knew I had to step up before panic became too strong. "No one is to leave the village", I declared; sounding more confident than I felt.

Letting go of the Elder's hand, Kaya stood up and turned to the sound of my voice. Following the other women's example, she remained where she was instead of approaching. Her brown eyes glimmered with confusion as she looked around the village; trying to get a read on the atmosphere. But she always looked back at Gran-gran and me; waiting for one of us to tell her what to do. Did she know what that flare meant? She didn't seem particularly alarmed by it. So, either flares were something commonplace to her, or she had no idea what they could be used for.

"We don't know what caused the flare to go off", I continued before I could get too distracted by the yellow-haired girl. "Panicking won't help. We'll stay together and work together. If anyone sees anything suspicious come find me. Until then, we will not abandon our homes". The whispered died down and I was left with the hope that I had made the right call.

"My grandson is right", Gran-gran spoke to the women; using her wisdom to back my leadership. It was something we've been doing since Dad and all the men left. Without her support, I doubted anyone would listen to me. I was, in some cases, more than half their age. "I suggest we continue with our duties. We'll need to make sure our homes and food storages are secure. We most all help each other". Gran-gran's words were the end of it and soon the women were breaking off to do just as she suggested. When we no longer had the attention of everyone in the village, Gran-gran turned towards me. "I will supervise the efforts, and I know you'll want to check the ice walls. Have Kaya accompany you. The others need to see her helping". Before I could comment or ask why Gran-gran was calling across the village. "Kaya, come here child".

The yellow-haired girl didn't need to be told twice. She picked up her feet and fell into a light jog as she made a beeline for us. Her brown eyes were wide as she picked up on the tension everyone was now carrying in their shoulders. "Kaya help?" She asked once she was standing in front of us.

"Yes, child", Gran-gran answered. She placed a gloved hand on my shoulder. Kaya's eyes tracked the action. "Go with Sokka and stay with him". Gran-gran spoke her words slowly and clearly.

Kaya nodded once; locking eyes with me. "Kaya stays with Sokka", she repeated the direction. If the situation were different, and we weren't concerned about the origins of the mysterious flare, Kaya's improved grammar would have been complimented. But now wasn't the time.

"Come on", I said as I held out a hand to her. Which Kaya took after only a small hesitation as she worked out what I wanted. "We're going to check the foundation", I told her as I lead her away. I didn't expect her to understand. But right now, I needed to talk to somebody. Whether they could understand me or not.

"And keep an eye out for Katara", Gran-gran called after us. "She and Aang haven't returned yet". I swallowed my worry as I kept going. Katara better come home. I won't be able to look Dad in the eye if she doesn't.

Katara wasn't happy with me. Not that she usually was. But banishing her first friend in years from the village was making her feelings more noticeable. Girls! But what did she expect me to do? Aang admitted to messing with the wrecked Fire Nation ship. He was the reason the flare was set off. Accident or not, he was bringing danger to our shores.

I sighed before refocusing with a small shake of my head. Now wasn't the time to be worrying about my little sister. Not when I had a village to defend. In a spare tent I typically used for cured meats, I adjusted the sleeves of my tunic and fastened them tight to my writs with thin rope made solely for this purpose. Kaya sat across from me with my warrior paint set up between us. She had been quiet, more so than usual, ever since I had turned Aang away. What did she think of that choice? I wanted to ask but didn't have the time or means to teach her the words.

She kept glancing out the tent flap as I pulled on my boots; chewing on her bottom lip as she thought through whatever was rolling around in her head. As a yellowed-haired person, was her thoughts different from ours? Or did she have the same worries? Hopefully, La would grant me the time to find out.

The warrior paint was next. It was something I had witnessed my dad do a handful of times. It was something I had practiced even more. But this was the first time I was applying the paint for real. Kaya's eyes studied my every move as I started by painting the skin around my eyes. "You don't need to be scared", I tried to assure the both of us; switching from the black paint to the grey. "I know what I'm doing". Expect, I didn't. Before picking up the white paint, I set the grey down. "I'll keep everyone safe". My words sounded hollow to my ears, so maybe it was a good thing Kaya couldn't understand them.

"Sokka", Kaya said once I had completed my warrior's face and finished preparations by strapping my boomerang to my back. When I locked eyes with the yellow-haired girl, she opened her mouth. But closed it soon after; unable to find the words she needed to express whatever thought she had in mind. Her eyebrows dipped inwards and her scarred hands curled into fists. It must be frustrating; not being able to say exactly what you're thinking or feeling. I'm glad I'm not a yellow-haired person.

Speaking of yellow-hair….. Other than the occasional passing thought, I had grown accustomed to Kaya's strangeness. Enough so that I hadn't even bothered to think what Aang might have thought about Kaya's weird hair color. It didn't matter with the bald kid, but nothing could be risked when dealing with Fire Nation soldiers. "Here, Kaya", I spoke over any attempt she might have made to voice her thoughts. Reaching over my warrior paints, I grabbed the hem of Kaya's hood and tugged it over her head; covering her yellow color. "Keep your hood up", I order. Kaya blinked twice; not giving me the sense that she was comprehending what I was asking. "Hood", I repeated, tugging at the garment. "Hood".

"H-hood", Kaya repeated slowly after the second prompting.

"Hood", I tugged on it again. "On", I said patting the top of Kaya's head. "Keep your hood on".

If she understood more, I'd explain why. But now wasn't the time for a lesson, and it'd be better if Kaya wasn't confused by orders when the Fire Nation arrived. So, I stopped once Kaya gave me a hesitant nod. Studying her face, it was still obvious that Kaya wasn't born one of us. The pallor of her skin was something we only saw in our dead. And there was nothing I could think to do to hide the yellow of her eyelashes and eyebrows. Hopefully, the Fire Nation wouldn't be looking too closely. Glancing out the tent flap; taking in the uneasy silence of the village, I took a moment to steel my nerves. It's warrior time. "Let's go", I said as started forward. Trusting Kaya to follow. I'd find Gran-gran and leave Kaya with her before climbing to the lookout point. If the Fire Nation was determined to ruin what little my people had left, I was going to be the first one they'd have to contend with.

Things… weren't going well. Having been knocked into the snow after my initial attack, I found it hard to decide what I should do next. The leader of this band of Fire Nation soldiers (identifiable as leader only by the stupid helmet on his head), stalked to the front of his men. His most noticeable feature was his scarred left eye and it definitely screamed horrible firebending tyrant. He stood with his back towards me. Him and all his men; facing the women and kid who were cowering together. "Where is he?" Scarface demanded to know. Except he was met with silence. My muscles twitched and my heart stilled when Scarface's arm shot out; snatching Gran-gran from the crowd by her hood. Doesn't he know that's no way to treat an elder? Even if we are on opposing sides.

All the women seemed to gasp at the same time as Katara reached out in an attempted to bring Gran-gran back when she was ripped away from her. But the fire bender had Gran-gran well in hand before any real attempt could be made.

"He'd be about this old", Scarface said as he shook Gran-gran to emphasize his reference. "The avatar! Master of all elements".

Still, my people offered no information. How could they? No one has seen the avatar for over a hundred years. Honestly, despite Gran-gran insisting he was real, I thought the dude was a myth. Unhappy, Scarface threw a tantrum; unleashing a wave of fire over the heads o my people. Women and kids alike yelped in fear as they ducked their heads and covered their faces. I had to do something; I need to do something. My muscles tensed under me as I prepared to charge at the threat.

"I know he's here!" Scarface demanded; shaking a closed fist at his audience that had smoke leaking out from in between his fingers.

Before he could release another blast of fire, and before I could do anything heroic, A figure dressed in a women's coat with the hood pulled up dashed in front of the others holding a cooking pot. Kaya! What are you doing? My breath hitched in my throat. Almost as if the whole world had slowed down, I watched as Kaya flung the contents of the pot at Scarface. Water sloshed out of the pot and into the air; flying in his direction. I blinked and a second later Scarface was drenched. I guess…. That is how you put out a fire.

For a brief moment, everyone stood still out of surprise. Including the Fire Nation soldiers. I bet no one from a small village like ours had ever tried to do that to them before. Scarface recovered faster than anyone else. He growled deeply from the back of his throat before lunging forward.

Kaya tried to take a step back to stay out of arm's reach. But Scarface had her faster than she could react. With fistfuls of Kaya's coat, the firebender pulled her in close; the motion forcing her hood off her head. "Kaya!" Katara yelled in alarm.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Scarface yelled into Kaya's face.

To her credit, Kaya didn't cry. Instead, she tried to break free from Scarface's grip; scratching at his hands with her ungloved ones.

Scarface breathed with labored emotion through his nose; emitting steam as he waited for some sort of response from the yellow-haired girl. But, of course, Kaya had no words for him. It was in that silence, that I watched as Scarface took a moment to take in the situation. "Yellow hair", I heard him comment. Out of curiosity, maybe. But I didn't like it. Like a set trap, I was ready to be sprung as Scarface turned his attentions to a different part of Kaya. He let go of her coat in favor of grabbing onto her scarred hands. I couldn't see the firebender's face, so I had not a single insight as to why the scars of a girl would interest him so, but he pushed up Kaya's coat and tunic sleeve on her left arm before the gasping. Quickly, he did the same to Kaya's right arm; ignoring my people who were still huddling together in front of him. And ignoring all of Kaya's attempts to claw herself away from him. When the burn scars on both of Kaya's arms were visible, Scarface said barely loud enough for me to make out, "the mark of dragons". A low murmur broke out amongst the Fire Nation soldiers at the announcement. The mark of what?

Though I finally found what I needed to get my feet moving again when Scarface asked Kaya, "But what would you be doing here?" His voice taking a more shocked tone than the demanding one he had been using before. Didn't his mother ever teach him he shouldn't crowd a girl like that!?

Letting out a battle cry, I held my club with two hands as I charged Scarface. In response, Scarface pushed Kaya in the direction of his men, making the yellow-haired girl fall into the snow as he widened his stance and ducked a shoulder right as I ran into him. Propelled, I sailed over the firebender, my feet above my head as I lost my grip on my club. In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have announced my approach with a war cry. There wasn't much time to recover as I had to roll out of the way of a fire blast. Landing on my knee with one foot under me, I grabbed my trusty boomerang from my back and flung it into the air. Scarface dodged and my boomerang went sailing past his head; disappearing from sight. No worries, Boomerangs come back.

In the meantime, Sanna's older boy picked up a nearby spear as Kaya climbed to her feet. "No fear", Sanna's boy proclaimed before tossing the weapon to me. I snatched it out of the air easily enough; only half noticing when Kaya made a move to rejoin our people. But, now on the opposite side of Katara and Gran-gran, she stayed on the outskirts. I couldn't blame her. Sanna was the closest person to Kaya.

With the spear in hand, I charged again. This time for sure! But Scarface used his arms to block and actually broke my spear! And he didn't even break it once, but multiple times. Before using my own weapon against me! Pushed off my feet, I landed on my butt and all I could do was stare up at Scarface and his stupid helmet. His face expressed how unimpressed and unaffected he was by my efforts; causing me to grind my teeth. I had trained so hard for the day I would have to fight the Fire Nation. Was this truly the best I could do?

It was in that moment with Scarface looking down at me that my boomerang came back. Whirling through the air, it clanged into the back of his helmet, throwing the firebender off balance. Serves him right! I couldn't help but think as he staggered to regain himself. When he was steady again, Scarface growled as flames shot out of his closed fists as if he was holding daggers made of fire. This… was bad news.

However, entering the scene on the back of a penguin came Aang; right under Scarface's feet. Scarface was knocked off his feet as he fell backward. His stupid helmet left his head and crashed into the snowy floor; revealing that Scarface was bald as well. Except for one patch that he had a ponytail growing out of. The kids cheered at Aang's return as he got off the Penguin. Given the moment of respite, Kaya dashed over for the outskirts of the group. Dropping to her knees she slid the last couple of inches to my side. "Sokka", she whispered in a scared voice as I felt Katara place her hands on my shoulders. Probably doing the same thing Kaya was doing; making sure I was okay. Except…. I was supposed to be the one making sure they were safe.

"Hey guys", Aang greeted as the penguin waddled away. Like he hadn't just interrupted a fight.

Feeling embarrassed I raised a hand. For the first time, I was grateful that Dad wasn't here to see this. "Thanks for coming, Aang".

Scarface, regained himself and he approached with his men; arms raised in a fighting stance. But Aang wasn't having it. With his staff in hand, he stood in front of our tribe and sent a blast of chilled air over the Fire nation soldiers; blowing snow onto their uniforms. "Looking for me?" Aang asked cheekily.

Scarface was already soaked from Kaya's attack. Adding the snow now on his person, he was probably freezing. But still, he continued his approach; his men flanking his sides and closing in on us. "I've waited years for this", Scarface shared as if we cared. "Hours spent on training only to find that you're only a child!"

In fluid movements, the firebender started another attack; sending multiple fire blasts in Aang's direction. But our bald kid was able to block them all by twirling his staff out in front of him like a baton. Aang kept the fire away from us. Even as the feeling of heat on our skin had the women and child cowering once again; some crying with terror. Kaya clung to me as she closed her eyes against the approach of the flames.

When there was a pause between attacks, Aang lowered his staff with resolve and looked directly at Scarface. "I'll go with you if you promise to leave everyone alone".

Raising out of his stance, it was clear when Scarface accepted Aang's offer. He gave a singular deep nod. "No, Aang!" Cried Katara as she stepped past Kaya and me as two Fire Nation soldiers came to collect Aang; pushing on his shoulder to get him to walk in front of them. No. I thought, echoing Katara's words. How much did these guys have to take?

"It's okay, Katara", Aang tried to reassure my sister as he was led away. Climbing to my feet, I pulled Kaya up with me to watch Aang go. "Will you take care of Appa for me?" Aang asked, speaking louder and louder the further he was pulled away.

We watched him go for lack of a better option. With his Fire Nation guards, Aang was pushed past Scarface how had an accomplished expression on his stupid face. He tracked Aang's progress towards his ship with his eyes. Only looking back towards us when Aang stepped foot on the ship's gangplank. I knew something bad… well, extra bad was going to happen when Scarface's eyes lingered on Kaya. "And take the mark bearer", he ordered.

"No", Katara cried again as we both tried to grab onto the yellow-haired girl. But just like with Aang, two soldiers came and ripped her away from us. Unlike Aang, Kaya didn't go willingly.

A bunched of different sounds from her nonsense language left Kaya's mouth as she kicked at the two soldiers who had grabbed onto her arms; dragging her through the snow in the direction of where they wanted her to go. "That wasn't part of the deal!" Aang yelled from the gangplank as he heard what was happening behind him. Kaya twisted in the hold the Fire Nation soliders' hold as Aang's complaint went unheard. But nothing she did was enough to shake off two fully grown men.

"Kaya!" I called taking a hurried step forward.

Gran-gran gripped my shoulder to still me. "You have no more weapons, Sokka. You must wait". And so, defeated, I watched as the two foreigners were taken from our village. Was this what Katara felt when I had first banished Aang from the village? It's awful.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Embarking

Kaya was asleep; curled into my side with my bedroll wrapped around us both. I'm not sure how she managed to fall asleep after being kidnapped by fire nation soldiers and rescued all in the same day. And yet, here she was; sharing my body heat and using my chest as a pillow. Leaning back, I had my arms raised behind my head to support my neck as I watched the night sky fly by. Sleeping on a flying bison, that sure was a new one. So new that I didn't even have any jokes about bison yet. Still, after a long day where nothing had happened as it was supposed to, I was appreciating this moment.

"If Gran-gran could see what the two of you were doing", Katara said from the front of Appa's saddle. Or, I was appreciating the moment until my little sis had to go and ruin it. Katara was sitting behind Aang, who was sitting cross-legged on Appa's head as he steered us through the night. He was being quiet after he'd talked himself out of words as he described all the places he wanted to go and all the animals he wanted to ride. Thank La.

I picked up my head just high enough to get a look at Katara's tattle-tale smirk. Anyone with a younger sibling would know what I was talking about. "Drop it Katara", I said; wanting to sound stern, but it came out pleading. I knew she was right. Gran-gran would box my ears if she saw me sharing a bedroll with Kaya, fiancé or not. Speaking of the yellow-haired girl, she hadn't stirred once since I started talking and remained pressed against my side; completely wiped. Just what had happened on that Fire Nation ship? "You know Kaya can't handle the cold like we can, and I'm-" I found myself pausing without meaning to as my eyes flickered down to where the girl's head rested heavily on my chest. Was my excuse for this plausible? My face heated up as I glanced back up at Katara. Hopefully, it was too dark for her to tell. "I'm just keeping Kaya warm", I argued.

Katara's monotone "uh-huh", had me frowning. After the day we just had, why did she care if Kaya and I were close? It wasn't like I was the one who initiated the contact. It was Kaya who latched herself onto me as soon as I found her on that ship. I just…. Didn't end the contact in the hours that followed.

Now that my attention was pulled away from the night sky, I was back to thinking about the day's events. Holding class this morning felt miles away at this point, and the memories of the unwelcome visitors in our village passed through my mind at a whirlwind speed. The memories that were the most clear were the ones of Katara and I reaching the fire nation ship and retrieving our friends. Thank La for flying bison, I suddenly realized. Otherwise, today's rescue wouldn't have been possible not with the canoe I had originally been planning on taking.

"Hey, Aang", I started to ask as my curiosity finally chewed away at my resolve. Besides, it's not like I could ask Kaya. The bald kid turned his head and looked over his shoulder in my direction. "What happened? With the fire nation soldiers. Was Kaya…." I trailed off; aware that Katara was listening very intently. I mean, Kaya didn't appear to be hurt. There weren't any new injuries on her from as far as I could tell. And other than being clinging, it wasn't like Kaya was trembling in fear or doing any of the other things I thought a damsel in distress was supposed to do.

Aang dropped the reigns; trusting Appa to pilot himself. With a release of air, Aang levitated a few inches above Appa's head as he turned himself around to face us and lowered himself back down to sit cross-legged. "I don't think they hurt her", Aang spoke earnestly; his large eyes peering at me. "I mean, they separated us so after we left your village. So, I didn't see everything. But even after what she… did, the prince didn't do anything to her. So, I mean, I think she was safe".

Intrigued, I raised an eyebrow. "Why? What did she do?" I asked, glancing down at the girl who was still out of it.

Aang blushed; causing Katara to lean closer in his direction out of interest. "Kaya kicked the prince in his no-no spot".

A moment passed of just me and Aang maintaining eye contact. But as soon as his words fully sunk in, I was choking on air and gasping as I tried to smother a laugh; mindful that Kaya was sleeping. "She did?" I wheezed out; eyes watering under the strain of trying to keep my amusement in. "Kaya did?" I asked for confirmation. This was the greatest thing I've ever heard. Kaya, this meek little female, assaulted the fire nation's prince's family jewels.

Aang nodded his answer; seemingly confused about why I found this so funny. Which only made it more difficult to keep my laughter contained.

"I don't get it", Katara shared as she looked at me and Aang in turn. "What's a no-no spot?"

That innocent question burst the dam; making it impossible to hold back any longer. Tilting my head back, I laughed as loudly as I could. Leaving Aang to sputter as he struggled to answer Katara without wanting to actually explain.

Maybe it was the vibrating of my chest. Or all the noise I was making. Or maybe it was a combination of the two. But Kaya shifted; groggily being pulled into consciousness. Groaning softly, she sat up and rubbed her gloved hands under her eyes. Kaya was silent for a moment as she watched me laugh; her brain trying to figure out what she had missed. "Sokka?" She asked sleepily.

Now that she wasn't resting on my chest, I had more mobility; even if both of our legs were still cocooned in our shared bedroll. Placing my hands on either of her shoulders, I shook her a little. "I'm so proud of you", I praised in between breaths as my laughter started to die down. Although; sprouts of snickers were still erupting the more I thought about Kaya kicking scarface.

Shivering in the cold night eye, Kaya turned her head slowly in the direction of the others". "Sokka…." She drawled out slowly, as she struggled to find the word she was looking for. "Sokka broken?" She finally asked.

Who knows if that was actually the word she wanted? Or if it was just the closest word she could use to what she really wanted to ask. But Kaya's question caused another round of uncontrollable snickering.

"Uh…" Aang vocalized as he rubbed the back of his head. He probably didn't feel like he knew me well enough to be allowed an answer.

Katara, on the other hand, didn't hesitate. "Yes", she answered; her voice flat and void of expression.

Somewhat alarmed, Kaya turned to me and started scanning my face for signs of injury. Still catching my breath, I raised my hands and made the downward hand motion to let her know everything was fine. "You know she doesn't understand it when we're sarcastic", I said; frowning at Katara as Kaya settled back down.

Katara's response was just as flat as before. "She'll need to learn if she keeps spending time with you".

Ignoring my little sister like big brothers have been doing for ages, I turned my attention back to Aang. "Tell me what happened. This is a story I want to hear". It must have been one Katara wanted to hear as well, because she too looked towards Aang.

"Um well…" Aang began as he collected his thoughts. "It happened like this…..

"Hey! Let her go!", Aang yelled as he tried to get someone to listen to him. He took a step in Kaya's direction as the gangplank snapped closed; sealing the ship and making it seaworthy once more. But he wasn't allowed to get close. The two soldiers who had escorted him to the ship blocked his attempt. Meanwhile, the two that had grabbed Kaya were trying to restrain her limbs. The yellow-haired girl hadn't stopped yanking her arms, throwing around her weight, and kicking out since she was grabbed. Incoherent words none of them had ever heard before left her mouth at random intervals as she yelled at her abductors in her native tongue.

In normal circumstances, it wouldn't have taken the two soldiers much effort to subdue the girl. That would have been Aang's guess. But for whatever reason, the soldiers seemed to be taking more care with the yellow-haired girl than they would with most prisoners.

"Calm down", one of the soldiers holding Kaya tried as Prince Zuko ignored them all and lead the way to the deck. But those were words Kaya hadn't learned. As such, she made no effort to stop her struggling.

"She doesn't understand", Aang tried to explain as he yelled over his shoulder; having been pushed forward to follow after Zuko. Still, no one listened.

"What's with the girl", An old man asked the prince as they joined him on deck. The old man's eyes washed over Aang with no real expression, but they came confused at Kaya's struggling form. Aang understood why. Yellow hair was a unique color.

Narrowing his eyes at Kaya, as she tried to headbutt the soldier holding her arms behind her, the prince scowled. The girl was unplanned. "She's been marked by dragon fire". Aang took in the prince's words; wondering if being marked by dragon fire was the same thing as having the mark of dragons. It must be. Though that still didn't tell him its meaning.

The old man raised an eyebrow as he folded his hands in front of his big belly. "No one's been blessed by dragon fire for many generations. How could they? Dragons have been extinct longer than you've been alive, Prince Zuko". Aang's breath hitched at the news. That was awful. Poor Dragons.

"I know that", the prince argued with a sigh of frustration. In a few agitated steps, the prince was standing in front of Kaya and the soldiers holding her in place. Aang tensed under the hands of his own guards; ready to try to intervene in case things became worse. Without communicating with his men or seeking consent from Kaya, the prince pulled her from the soldiers and held her in front of him by her arms. "But how do you explain this?" He asked the old man has he pushed Kaya's sleeves up on her right arm so they were above her elbow. All the members of the fire nation who were present seemed enthralled by the burns that swirled around Kaya's hand and forearm. Aang couldn't understand why. They just looked like old scars from a bad experience with fire. If anything, Aang thought it looked like they hurt.

The old man was calm and collected as he answered. "That is the mark of dragons", he accepted. The old man paused for a moment; examining the burns from a distance as Kaya twisted under the prince's hold; trying to get him to let go. "So, what are you going to do with her?" The old man asked the prince.

The prince let out a huff of hot air as if annoyed at the lack of explanation. "I don't know", he admitted before turning his ire on Kaya. "Stand still", he growled out; giving the girl a hard shake. If anything, being jostled like that only made Kaya fight harder.

Clearly, the fire nation prince was losing patience. If he ever had any at all. "Please", Aang tried again; worried that Zuko would do something to Kaya when she failed to listen. "She doesn't understand. Her language is different".

"There's only one language!" The prince snapped. It was a first reaction; as evident when Zuko paused and studied the girl with greater scrutiny. Just like he had done back in the village, the prince focused on the parts of Kaya that were foreign to him. "Such a bizarre color", he commented; leaning into Kaya's personal space to get a closer look. Even if it wasn't a socially appropriate thing to do. "She can't be a water tribe native".

Fed up with Zuko and just the current events as a whole, Kaya's face scrunched up. Aang wasn't sure exactly when she did it. But one moment the prince was standing upright as he studied the girl. And the next moment he had released her as he hunched over; protecting himself as gasping for air as if the wind had been knocked out of his lungs.

Everyone watching was aghast. It was a sight the fire nation soldiers had never seen before; their exiled prince taken down a notch by a girl of little importance. It was something Aang hadn't expected. He didn't know Kaya very well… he didn't know her at all. But he hadn't been expecting that. Once free, Kaya scrambled back. Hurriedly, she pulled down the sleeves on her right arm and balled her hands into fists; keeping them raised and close to her face. As if she was preparing. As if she expected payback. But that didn't happen. The only person who hadn't acted shocked at Kaya's attempt at self-defense was the old man. Chuckling in humor at the prince's plight, the old man approached Kaya; not at all worried about her defensive stance. "How about some tea, my dear?" The old man offered as he unfolded his arms. Placing a hand on her right shoulder, the old man gently steered Kaya away. Away from Aang, Zuko, and the gawking soldiers.

At the old man's gentle approach, Kaya slowly lowered her fists and went with the man willingly. "Kaya home?" Aang heard her ask in her usual use of fragmented sentences.

"Kaya. Is that your name?" The old man responded, not offering Kaya any information, or commenting on her lack of grammar.

Still regaining himself, the prince called after the old man as he pulled himself out of his hunched-over position. "Teach the wretch some manners when you're at it", the prince yelled; his face scarlet with rage.

"… And that's why I don't think they did anything to Kaya", Aang finished his story. Pausing to allow me to have another good laugh. Taking a deep breath, I wiped some water from my eyes as Kaya patted my back; like she trying to help me but was unsure what I needed help with. Oh, that was good. The story was even better with the details Aang was able to provide. "I mean", Aang continued in explanation. "She kicked him pretty hard and he didn't even raise a hand to her".

"Well, that's good", Katara expressed as I finally managed to stop laughing. Yeah. It was good. Downright lucky. From what I knew about the fire nation, they weren't the sort to restrain from retaliation. Maybe it had something to do with this mark of dragons nonsense.

Aang nodded in agreement. "I don't know what happened after that. They took me below deck. And after I escaped, I found Kaya sitting in a room with the prince. The old man had fallen asleep, and it looked like the prince was trying to figure out how he could communicate with Kaya. From there, I was able to grab Kaya and we made a run for it. That's when you and Katara showed up with Appa, so you know what happened next".

Throughout Aang's retelling of events, Kaya sat next to me; listening without really comprehending. Though she would react when she heard her name. Running a hand over the top of my hair, I thought, 'we really need to teach her some new words'.

"So", Katara started; forming her words slowly. "Are we really going to ride elephant koi fish?"

Aang beamed at the change of subject as I groaned and flopped down on my back. Not this again. Katara, why did you have to bring it up? I complained in my head; aware that Kaya was eyeing me in confusion.

"Of course!" Aang exclaimed as his energy level went from a three to a seven in a split second. "You'll love it Katara. They're as big as Appa". Aang was gesturing animatedly with his hands as he described the fish's size. "And when you see one, you just swim out, stand on their backs, and hold on to their dorsal fins. They'll take you on the ride of your life".

Good-naturedly, Katara smiled at Aang's enthusiasm. "That sounds like fun", she said; like she couldn't wait to try it. She was sure to be disappointed then when I told her she couldn't. If Dad or Gran-gran ever found out I let her do that, they'd kill me. Penguin sledding was one thing. But giant fish that could drown you was another entirely.

"But", there was a change in Aang's face as he changed the topic. A forlorn change. "I think we better stop at the Southern Air Temple first. It's on the way to Kyoshi Island".

Katara looked in my direction as if she was asking what she should do in response. I shrugged. As if I would know. Katara was the sensitive one. Shouldn't she know?

Turning back to Aang when she realized that I wasn't going to help, Katara answered, "whatever you think is best, Aang".

Aang nodded his head and didn't meet anyone's eyes. "I've been away too long", he shared.

"Yeah", I agreed as I tugged on Kaya's sleeve to get her to lay down next to me. She shivering more than I liked to see and I kind of enjoyed having the weight of her head on my chest. "Being frozen in a block of ice for a hundred years is a long time".

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

The Southern Air Temple

Aang was in high spirits; laughing lightly as he ran ahead on the path to this supposed air temple. He pulled Kaya behind him. Pausing a couple of times to point out objects to the yellow-haired girl and giving her their names. Of course, on this path that meant she was learning the words for rock, cloud, and cliff.

Katara walked next to me, studying our surroundings closely and bothering her bottom lip in worry. None of us knew what we'd find at Aang's home. But Katara knew it probably wouldn't be good. Especially with Aang's apparent optimistic denial.

But if Aang wasn't going to worry about it, I didn't see a reason for me to either. "This place better have food", I said clenching at my rumbling stomach. Using seal blubber jerky for starting a fire, blasphemy!

Aang came to a halt in front of an edge looking out at something below with Kaya standing slightly behind him, listening to whatever he was telling her. Briefly, she looked over her shoulder at us. Like she was making sure we were still there. Once she saw we were still walking, Kaya faced forward again.

Katara rolled her eyes. Her little hair loopies blew around in the wind. "We're one of the first outsiders to see an airbender temple and the only thing you want to ask about is food?" She gestured with her hands to show how ridiculous I was being.

Frowning, I made my own gestures. "I'm a simple guy with simple needs", I stated. Why was that hard to understand? Besides, we'd see who the ridiculous one is when everyone becomes hungry and there's no food because we didn't make it a priority.

As soon as we were close enough, Aang smiled before pointing to the field below; directing our attention. Said field was a bunch of bamboo poles sticking out of the ground. What is that? Some type of airbender torture device? "That's where me and my friends played airball. ", he explained the field of bamboo poles. "And right next to it is where Appa and his friends would sleep. And-" Aang continued, but he cut himself off with a sigh, dropping Kaya's hand in the process. Aang's shoulder's slumped as Kaya took one big step away from the edge.

"What's wrong?" Katara asked. But I'm not sure why. When this day started, both Katara and I knew it wasn't going to be easy. Probably something to do with the people skills Katara was always claiming to be better at than me.

"I just see weeds", Aang answered; his normal light-hearted air gone. "Where are all the bison, the lemurs, and the people?"

Katara shot me a look in a silent order to do something. I shrugged in response. Unsure about what she expected me to do about it. Besides, as far as I was concerned, she was the one who brought Aang into our lives. So, he was her problem. My problem was currently standing within reaching distance of me looking content and seemingly unaware of the heaviness of this place. I wasn't responsible for both foreigners. Kaya was taken care of, so Katara needed to step up and take care of her foreigner.

My mind was changed for me when Katara jabbed her elbow in my ribs a little harder than necessary. Causing me to grunt as air was forced out of my lungs. Kaya turned at the sound, eyes a little wide as she tried to decide if my slightly hunched-over form was something she needed to be concerned about. Glaring at Katara, I sighed and gave Kaya the downward hand motion for 'everything's cool'. Fine. I thought; stepping forward and around the yellow-haired girl. Looks like I have to do anything. I mean… I guess I am still the oldest dude. That means I'm in charge, right?

"So, uh…", I started to say; asking Aang for his attention. "How do you play? Airball, you called it".

Aang recovered fast if his broad smile was anything to go by. "Okay! Let's play. I'll teach you". Jeez, if he kept this up, his fast-changing emotions were going to give me whiplash. Aang made a running start before leaping off the cliff; letting the wind carry him and lessen the impact of his landing. When he was standing level with the airball field, he turned and waved up at the three of us. "Come on!"

My jaw was slack as Kaya and Katara came to stand next to me. As if afraid I'd be stupid enough to make the same airbender leap that Aang did, Kaya latched onto my sleeve. How…. I'm not sure I'll ever understand how little Aang cares about gravity.

"Aang!" Katara yelled down to the boy. "How do we get there? Is there a path or stairs?"

Aang lowered his arm as some color entered his cheeks. Rubbing the back of his neck he laughed a little. "Sorry! I'll come back up and show you the way".

It was a trial to figure out how to climb the bamboo poles. Apparently, if you're an airbender, you're supposed to float up. Then, seeing as I had no way to manipulate the ball which was really just a tumbleweed, I ended up knocked off the bamboo poles and onto my butt seven times. Seven times! Groaning, I pushed myself up; catching Kaya's attention in the process from where she had been sitting next to a patch of tall weeds. She seemed to like them. Not weeds specifically. But any green plant-growing-thing. Nothing really grew at home. Maybe vegetation was something she missed. Or maybe this was the first time she was seeing it. Who knows what type of place yellow-haired people come from. "Making him feel better hurts", I complained.

Kaya blinked at me as she picked apart the words she understood. "Sokka hurt?" She asked slowly; stumbling over a couple of sounds.

I paused, looking at her. Hurt. That was a new word for her. Too bad she only seemed to know what it meant in a literal sense. "Just my pride", I answered; feeling less annoyed as Kaya's nose scrunched up in confusion. We really needed to work with her on using pronouns and verbs. But how?

"Sokka", Kaya interrupted my thoughts. She waited until she had my full attention. With one hand Kaya parted the tall weeds. With the other, she pointed. "Look. Kaya find".

My shoulders tensed at the unwelcomed confirmation, but I'm not surprised. Sitting at the base of the cliff is a cracked and old fire nation soldier helmet that looked like it hadn't been touched in decades. "Look at what I found", I corrected kaya's sentence as I crawled over.

With less confidence than before, Kaya repeated the statement back to me, except she missed the pronoun completely. But still an improvement.

My attention was fixed on the soot-covered helmet that was probably older than my dad. Maybe even Gran-gran. Causing Kaya to shift her focus back to it as well. She doesn't touch it; sensing it wasn't something she should dirty her hands with. She probably didn't understand, but the odds of us visiting a graveyard just became extremely more likely. "Katara", I called to my sister from where she was watching Aang goof off airbender style.

Kaya looked away from the helmet to watch Katara's approach; trying to read my sister's face as Katara took in the discovery. "Fire nation", Katara stated, sounding like how I was feeling.

"We need to tell Aang", I said. I didn't want to. Not so soon after we got him to stop looking like a kicked otter penguin. But… I also didn't want him exploring his old home unaware and stumbling upon something worse than an old helmet.

Katara gave me a long look before sighing with a long nod. "Aang", she called, turning around to where Aang was still playing with the tumbleweed. "Come take a look".

"Okay", Aang called back; running and laughing as he blew the ball around his shoulders.

As Aang approached, I watched Katara's face morph through a couple of different expressions. And before Aang reached us completely, Katara waved her arms causing snow from the ledge above to come crashing down. Kaya squeaked and scrambled away just in time as cold, wet, mushy ice crystals drenched my head and shoulders, and buried the helmet.

"What is it?" Aang asked as I gasped at the sudden chill and hurriedly worked to brush the snow off. I mean, come on! I didn't even have my coat on.

"Uh" After a brief pause, Katara lied easily. A little too easily if you asked me. "I learned I could bend snow as well as water".

Kaya stood up with me and started to brush to worst of it off my shoulders. At least somebody cared. Too bad that somebody wasn't my own sister. "Nice", Aang commented. Not seeming surprised that snow was another type of bendable water. "Are you guys ready to see the rest of the air temple?" Aang didn't wait for a response, already turning and heading in a direction we hadn't explored yet.

"You shouldn't protect him from this", I warned once Aang was out of hearing distance, ducking slightly to get the last of the snow off the top of my head.

Katara's gloved hands balled into fists. "Yes, I can", she stated stubbornly, refusing to look at me as she started after Aang.

Sighing, I turned to face Kaya. "I don't know if you have little sisters. But if you do, I bet they listen to you better than Katara listens to me".

Kaya tilts her head to the side. Something she often does when she's thinking. I waited; having no hurry to watch Aang realize what happened to his people. And who knows. Maybe whatever Kaya was about to say would be something worth the wait. Maybe she'd finally be able to share something about herself. Maybe she'll spontaneously make some gains in understanding our language and we'll be able to have a conversation. She'd actually be able to understand my jokes and she'd tell me how funny I am. Or how good-looking I am.

But when Kaya opened her mouth the only thing she said was, "Sokka… covered in snow".

… Yeah, I got ahead of myself. That… that was hoping for too much too soon. "Yup. I was covered in snow. Good job", I praised. At least cover was another new word she managed to pick up.

Kaya beamed before she started after Aang and Katara. I hesitated for another moment longer. Sometimes… sometimes it's really hard being the dude in charge.

The southern air temple is something else. Something I've never seen before. Their walls are built out of stone. Not ice bricks or compacted snow. There were tall curved archways that must have taken hours and hours of work; creating a sense of a lot of open space. Like the walk up here, the paths were curved. But not as twisted.

It was quiet. Too quiet. The only things to listen to were our footsteps on the smooth stone floor and Aang talking Katara's ear off. Something about a sanctuary with a locked door that he hadn't been ready to open until now. I don't know.

Kaya and I were busy with something more important. The search for food! At first, I hadn't wanted to poke around too much. No matter what culture you're from, it's bad-mannered to go into someone's home without their knowledge or their permission. Especially since we didn't know if these could truly be called homes anymore. They could be tombs. And disturbing a final resting place was ten times worse than entering a home uninvited. If Gran-gran's stories were going to be believed. Although, now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder if that's why we release our dead to the sea. It was hard enough living in the south pole, we didn't need any trapped spirits making it worse.

But Aang said we were free to look in any room we wanted as long as something wasn't locked. "We are nomads", he explained. "Not a lot of us stay in one place. Temples are meant to offer lodgings to all traveling air nomads. So if a room isn't occupied, you're allowed to go in". He left out the part where he had been gone a hundred years and the part where we hadn't seen another soul outside our group all day. Katara and I took the coward's path and didn't remind him.

So, as Katara and Aang went to investigate the sanctuary, Kaya and I poked our noses into the different buildings. There wasn't much. Just a lot of dust. Dust on old wooden furniture that looked ready to become dust itself. Dust cover fabrics that had a lot of holes in them. But that didn't stop us. People need to eat! "Food", I told Kaya. Mostly just to make some sound. "We're looking for food. Something tasty and preferably meat". But who was I kidding? If we did find meat it wouldn't be safe to eat.

Kaya picked up what looked like a spinning top with its paint faded from age. "Food", she said holding it out to me.

"No", I said, feeling confused. Kaya knows the word for food. Tapping the object in her hand, I gave her the correct name. "Spinning top. You know like a toy. We're looking for food". Kaya's face was blank, leading me to rub my stomach. "You know, yum".

In response, Kaya set the top back down where she found it, leaving the dust in the nearby area disturbed. She walked away from me and further into the room, seeming unaware that I was feeling perplexed and was staring at her back. Food was one of the first words Kaya learned. 'What's for dinner?' is my favorite conversation topic. Of course, Kaya learned the word for food first. So, what's with the relapse?

Brushing some loose strands of hair from her face, Kaya squatted to look under a low table. Narrowing my eyes, I watched as she dug out what looked like a hat that lost its shape. Smiling to herself, Kaya stood up the dingy old thing in her hands and made her way back to me. The closed-lip smile on her face was pleasant to look at. But, for some reason, it had me on edge. Kaya wasn't frugal with her smiles. All you had to do was look at her to provoke one. But right now, it was unprompted.

Just as she had done with the spinning top, Kaya held out the mishappen hat for me to see. Even when she was holding it, I could see the dust now sticking to her scarred hands because she'd chosen to pick it up. "Look at…" Kaya paused, her face twisting up as she tried to remember the phrase I told her earlier in the day. After a few seconds, Kaya shrugged and gave up. "Kaya found food", she finished her butchered sentence. Yup, pronouns were the next thing she needed to learn.

But, staring at the very inedible hat in her hands, a pronoun lesson wasn't something I was concerned about at that moment. What was this? Kaya knew what food was and when I was talking about food? "No", I started again, this time with my eyebrows wrinkling. "This isn't food. It's a hat". Had Kaya really forgotten food? I mean, it's food. It's kind of essential! "You know, a hat? You wear it".

Kaya blinked twice without her usual signs of comprehension flickering in her brown eyes. Did something happen that we're not aware of? From when she was stuck on that fire nation ship with prince scarface? Did she hit her head and Aang wasn't there to see it so he couldn't tell us? But then, why did she only forget the word for food?

I started miming what one does with a hat by putting a pretend one on my head. "Hat", I repeated. "You wear it on your head". Kaya continued to stare blanking at me. "Um…. Head", I said, reaching over and patting the top of her yellow hair as an example. "Head. You wear a hat on your head. We want to find food. Um… food". Pinching my thumb and fingers together, I touched my lips a couple of times. "Food; things you can eat". Um… how else can I explain this without any real food to demonstrate with? Better question, why did I have to explain this? I know Kaya knew this… Or she used to. Was this bad? Whatever this was, could it be fixed? And…. And why was she laughing?

Having watched me mildly panic, Kaya turned her face into the should of her jacket as humor made her shake. The worry I held in my shoulders evaporated as I caught on. Oh. "You're messing with me", I said with a sigh. But the sound didn't match the corners of my mouth pulling upward.

For a short moment, Kaya made eye contact and without thinking, I reached out and pulled her closer. "Was it funny? Making me act stuff out?" I asked, even though I was confident she didn't know the words I was using. Matching her playfulness, we made a big show of Kaya pretending to get away from me and me pretending to never allow her to escape. "You knew what food was all along", I accused as Kaya giggled and darted away. At the exit of the lodgings, we were in, she looked over her shoulder, just long enough to make sure I was following before taking off.

And then, I played my first game of tag in years. Although, playing with Kaya was a lot different than playing with Katara or other kids from the village. We ran from house to house. With Kaya ducking behind curtains or furniture to keep distance between us. Though she made sure never to be out of sight; laughing whenever I got within catching distance. This game of tag had a lot more baiting and teasing than the times I'd played as a kid. Impressive really. Since Kaya could only use her mannerisms and expressions to egg me on.

Occasionally, when she had time to do it, Kaya would find other non-edible items in the different places we entered. Each time she'd hold them up for me to see and ask, "food?" And every time, I'd pretend to growl and start the chase all over again.

It was nice; to be able to play a game without feeling like I was slacking off. Or that someone was going to go hungry because I wasn't out hunting. It was nice. Seeing Kaya laugh freely; far away from the women who thought she was a bad omen. It was nice to forget about my growling stomach. It was nice…

A few steps ahead of me, Kaya ducked into another lodging; pushing aside a cloth curtain serving as a door in the process. I hesitated outside. Partially to give Kaya some time to figure out how she wanted to continue this game, but also to take a quick look around. Just in case Aang and Katara had left the sanctuary thing and were looking for us. During our game, Kaya and I had wandered a little from where they left us. I couldn't see them or hear them calling for us. So, they much still be in there.

Shrugging to allow myself to be unbothered and stay in this moment, I started forward. Only to be stopped with Kaya re-emerged. Her eyes were held wide open and there was a slight tremor in her hands as she held the curtain out of the way. "Sokka", she said in a strained voice that sounded close to breaking.

"What is it?" I asked, stepping closer. Close enough to make out the little bits of water collecting in the corner of her eyes.

Kaya offered no verbal response. Instead, she pointed behind her and made sure I had enough room to get around her to enter the lodging. Which I did, carefully. What had she found? Kaya re-entered the room behind me, keeping close to me with our game of catch and release completely forgotten. Kaya didn't have to point in order for me to see what she had discovered. Soon, my feet stilled on the smooth stone floor as I took in the sight of dust, ash, destruction that was possibly a century old, and … a pair of skeletons.

The sight was a painful reminder. Of where we were, why we were here, and what this would mean for Aang. Did we… tell him? We had to, right? Or I had to tell him. Since Kaya couldn't and Katara so far hadn't been willing to have difficult conversations with him. Oh, La! What if the reason Katara and Aang were taking so long in that sanctuary was because they found more skeletons in there? What if Katara was trying to handle this on her own?

"Sokka", Kaya whispered; acting completely different from how she was just moments ago. I tore my eyes away from the skeletons. Instead, watching Kaya stare at the bones. In the time we'd spent in this specific spot, she'd grasped the sleeve of my coat in both of her hands. "Here is… What…" Kaya paused and nervously gestured to the skeletons as frustration showed in her slanted eyebrows. "Why… Why Kaya and Sokka here?"

She didn't know. My eyes started to feel dry as I spent a little too much time staring at Kaya without blinking. I mean, it makes sense she wouldn't know about where we were or why we were here. Not one of us had told her. Or tried to tell her. Kaya didn't know Aang was over a hundred years old. Nor did she have any sense about what went down at this temple all those years ago. Kaya, more or less, was just along for the ride. And I had let her run around without warning about what we might find.

Turning around and stepping in front of her, I made sure Kaya was looking at me. Both of our smiles were long gone as I tried to figure out what to say. But it was difficult to think of the right words. Especially since I was in no hurry to teach her the word for genocide. "This is Aang's home", I finally settled on; using words Kaya already understood.

Comprehension flickered in Kaya's eyes before it was washed away with grief. She looked away from me to stare at the floor as she used her left hand to trace the swirling scars on her right hand. I didn't rush her and kept the skeletons out of sight as she thought. Slowly and a little shaky, Kaya raised her head and pointed to another cracked and dirty fire nation helmet that had been left behind. "Fire nation?" Kaya asked. Probably remembering what Katara said when we found the first helmet at the bamboo pole field.

"Yeah", I confirmed with a nod; heart aching. "The fire nation… um, hurt Aang's home". Hurt wasn't a strong enough word to describe what happened here. But my answer was limited to the words Kaya knew.

Kaya lowered her arm to continue to trace her scars. Her next question came out in a watery mumble. "Fire nation hurt Sokka's home?"

I nodded. A sudden tightness in my throat made it difficult to talk, but somehow I managed. "They hurt our home too". Not as bad as this place. At least we still had a tribe and people. But we lost many. My mom… And it led our fathers and brothers leaving in the small hope of securing some sort of future for us.

"Fire nation bad?" Came Kaya's next question. Though judging from her voice, it sounded like she already knew the answer.

Taking a step closer, I wrapped my arms around her; pinning Kaya's arms to her sides, and rested my chin on her shoulder. "Fire nation bad", I agreed; holding her tight. "The fire nation is very very bad".

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Kyoshi Island

"This is home", I said; pointing to the south pole on our map. Kaya tracked my finger with her eyes. "And we're… somewhere over here", I continued; drawing a circle on the map with my finger on a section of ocean depicted on the map. "And we're going here". I pointed to the North Pole. On the other side of the Appa's saddle, Katara worked on patching a tear in my pants. Something that made this impromptu geography lesson with Kaya a bit uncomfortable. But we had spent the dark months together in the same tent and would be on the road for the foreseeable future. So, it wasn't like we were unfamiliar with each other. Besides, I had a long coat.

Kaya's eyes darted around the whole map with the middle of her forehead wrinkled; barely paying attention to the north pole which I was still pointing to. Like she was looking for something else. Something she wasn't finding. At least she didn't seem confused about what a map was. Kaya let out a small huff of air when nothing stood out to her. Instead, she pointed to the north pole, right next to my finger, and asked, "Why?"

Which was a very good question. I stopped pointing at the North Pole to scratch behind one of my ears. But it was a very good question that I couldn't give an answer. The days after we left the Southern air temple, after picking up another mouth to feed and stopping Aang from accidentally blowing us off the face of the mountain, Kaya had gotten a lot of language instruction. From me, Katara, and Aang. Flying around on a bison across the ocean, only occasionally stopping at random islands, left us with a lot of time that was no longer being wasted on chores. During that time, Kaya picked up on some new verbs, and continued working on using the WH- question words; who, what, why, and where. She was very fond of the word 'why', as we soon found out. But pronouns were still a toss-up with Kaya continuing to refer to herself by saying her name.

Still, even with how much she learned, telling Kaya, "we're going to the North Pole so Aang can master waterbending because he's the avatar and needs to learn it as a first step to him saving us all from the tyranny of the Fire Nation", wasn't going to be easy for her to interpret.

"Hey, Katara. Check this out", Aang called from where he was steering Appa with his new pet, Momo. Or pretending to. Honestly, most of the time it felt like Appa was the real navigator on this journey.

While Aang's call was enough to get Kaya and me to look at him (A needed distraction. Hopefully, Kaya would forget her question), it wasn't enough to catch Katara's attention. Aang held his hands parallel, palms facing each other. In between them, three small marbles he'd reclaimed when we were at the Southern air temple swirled around in another demonstration of his awe-inspiring airbending.

While Kaya looked impressed, I rolled my eyes. This again.

"That's nice, Aang", Katara said without turning away from her task; pushing the needle through the fabric and pulling.

Aang's shoulder's slumped as he stopped the airflow and clasped his hands together; caging the marbles. "You weren't looking", he complained with a frown. Geez, he was laying it on thick. This kid had a lot to learn about girls.

In response, Katara looked up after completing a stitch. "It's great", she tried again.

Aang's frown deepened. It was deep enough that Kaya copied the expression, looking at me to help her piece together what was happening. Not that explaining this was going to be any easier than explaining Aang's destiny. "I'm not doing it now".

"She's sewing, Aang", I decided to step in. "Girls are serious about that stuff. You shouldn't bother them when they're doing women's work".

I meant it to be supportive. I meant it as a way to explain Katara's lack of interest. It was a comment to get Aang and his tween version of flirting off Katara's back. You know, when flirting is more 'look at me' requests than actually expressing attraction. But based on the narrowed-eyed glare Katara was shooting in my direction, you wouldn't think that. "What about sewing makes it 'women's work?'" She asked pointedly.

As if she didn't know. Leaving the map with Kaya, I leaned back into the supplies we have tied down to the back of Appa's saddle. "Simple. Sewing is women's work because girls are better at it than guys. While guys are better at hunting and fighting. You know, men's work". I explained, not understanding why Katara seemed to get more annoyed the longer I talked. I mean, both men and women had an equal amount of work, which I acknowledged. So, what if the work was different?

Katara's face twisted into a scowl; a look that had Kaya shifting nervously. But for once, Katara didn't start yelling at me. Instead, she held up my pants. "I'm all done", she declared with a fake smile, despite the large hole still visible in the pants. "See what a good job I did?" And she let my pants go. The wind created by riding on a flying bison blew my pants back. One pant leg smacked Kaya on the shoulder. While the rest of it was caught by my face.

Sputtering, I sat up and grabbed a hold of my pants before they blew away completely. Being without pants would be worse than having pants with a hole after all. "Katara, please!" I tried; finding the hole and sticking my hand through it. "I can't wear these". Especially not on a journey to the north pole.

Katara didn't look even a little swayed. She's my sister. She wasn't really going to let me travel like this, right? And then Kaya, sweet easy-going Kaya, started laughing. It started out in a restrained huff. But something about my face had her hunching over the map with full stomach-aching laughs. Kaya's laugh sounded like an otter penguin bleating for fish. Since she started living with us, I was the only one who had managed to provoke that sound from her. And… I guess that's still true. But I didn't like it when it was at my suspense.

"Katara, please", I whined. But my little sister remained unmoved.

Kaya took deep breaths and calmed herself. Though, as soon as she looked up and back at me, the otter penguin noises started all over again. The sound was contagious and soon Katara's face soften and Aang was lifted out of his disappointment.

"It's okay, Sokka", Aang said; smiling at Kaya as the yellow-haired girl tried with little success at quieting herself. She pressed one of her hands over her mouth as the other held onto the map. It muffled the sound a little. But not by much. "Where we're heading, pants aren't required".

… That didn't make me feel better. Katara turned towards Aang; asking him if he knew how far out we were. I turned to Kaya. "Why are you laughing? You don't even know what Katara and I were saying".

Kaya shook a little; forcing herself to take more deep breaths. This time, the action allowed her to return to normal. She leaned towards me. Once again, reminding me that I wasn't wearing pants. "Sokka face", she said; poking the tip of my nose before pausing. Kaya glanced to the right; searching for the right word. When it didn't come to her, she used her free hand to hold her stomach. "ha ha ha" she mimicked.

"Sokka face ha ha ha", I repeated to myself. Sometimes, repeating the things Kaya said made it easier to figure out what she was getting at. Sometimes, I had to say it a couple of times before I understood it. This time once was all I needed. "You think my face is funny. That's why you laughed!"

Kaya smiled widely and nodded. "Sokka's face is funny", she spoke correctly… maybe. I think she might have been saying that I make funny faces. Or, so I hope. Seemingly happy that she managed a complete sentence, Kaya took the pants I was holding and exchanged them with the map. She quickly found where Katara had stuck the needle in the fabric and continued where she left off. Kaya leaned into me as she sewed; the tip of her tongue picking out between her lip as she made stitch after stitch. Her needlework wasn't as neat as Katara's. But the yellow-haired girl had come a long way since Gran-gran had helped Kaya make her coat.

A feeling of contentment took over Appa's saddle. Still, as I half listened to Katara and Aang, and watched Kaya work, I couldn't let go of what Kaya said. 'Sokka's face is funny'. Great. It was something every guy wanted to hear. My fiancé thinks I look funny.

Kaya really liked trees. Her muddy brown eyes would light up when she saw them. And she wanted to know the words for all their parts; branch, bark, trunk, leaf. Kaya would point to them and wait eagerly for me to tell her so she could repeat it back. Sometimes she'd tell me the words in her language. At least, that's what I thought she was doing. But I didn't try to say the foreign words or remember them; never being able to get my tongue to wrap around those strange syllables. I wasn't like Aang, who liked to try to make the sounds of clashing consonants like Kaya could.

As Aang played in the water and Katara watched, Kaya and I explored the surrounding forest. Always grateful for a break from flying, I didn't mind following Kaya as she dashed from tree trunk to tree trunk; glancing up at the canopy of leaves over her head with delight.

Though, we didn't wander far from the shore. Hopefully, Aang's dip in the ocean wouldn't be long and we could fly a bit longer before nightfall. "Sokka", Kaya called as she came back to where I was standing with my back against a tree. In her hand, she held a pine cone. Something I knew by name and had only seen a few times before. Kaya rambled on as she held out it out for me to see. Some of her words I recognized. But most of what she said came from her own language. The only thing I could pick out were, "Tree…. Winter…. Paint… family". What those four things had in common with a pinecone, I'd never know. Or why Kaya was so excited to find a pinecone. At least, I won't know until Kaya knew enough words to tell me.

"Yeah, that's a pinecone", I said; trying to remember what little I knew about them. "Comes from trees but not something we can eat".

Swallowing a small laugh, Kaya stared down at the pinecone in her hands with a sort of nostalgic fondness; acting as if she understood me completely. Her demeanor had me arching an eyebrow and standing up straight. Did she understand me? "So does your home have pinecones?" I asked in some sort of disguised test. I didn't want to get my hopes up. Nor did I want Kaya to feel my disappointment when she couldn't fully answer me.

The smile on Kaya's face was uncommon for her. It was small and had a sort of gentle longing. Slowly, as if crawling her way out of a memory, Kaya nodded. "Kaya's home has… pinecones", she said; only stumbling over the pronunciation of the new word she just learned.

It was four words. Four words strung together in a simple sentence. But it was a sentence that was correct. And even better, it was four words that directly responded to what I had asked. "You can understand me!" The realization had me taking two big steps away from the tree I was leaning against and closer to Kaya.

Startled by my sudden approach and exclamation, Kaya scurried a step back; clutching the pinecone against her chest out of instinct. Her brown eyes stretched wide as she stared into my face. Her expression was confused. "Kaya know what Sokka say". Her words came out just as slowly as before. As if she couldn't understand why I was so surprised that she could answer my questions.

And okay, her second response wasn't as correct as her first. But Holy La! "We can have conversations now!" I celebrated. Unable to restrain myself, I placed one of my hands on each of Kaya's shoulders. This was great! This was awesome! "We can talk about where you come from. We can talk about how you got here… Well, not here here. But how you ended up in the South Pole". Bewildered, Kaya blinked as I kept going. This was amazing! Kaya had learned enough that I could finally get some answers. Maybe even learn where other yellow-haired people could be found. And I could tell her my jokes and she would actually get the punchline. Or we could share stories about our dads. And I guess if she's able to follow all that, it was time for me to explain what her necklace meant…

Suddenly blushing, my hands slipped off Kaya's shoulders. Pine needles softened my footsteps as I took a step back. We did need to have that conversation, did we? I was kind of hoping Gran-gran would be the one to explain things to Kaya when the time came. But that was before we found a one hundred- and twelve-year-old boy frozen in an iceberg and had to take a trip around the world. "Hey, Kaya", I started as I stared at the toes of my boots and scratched the side of my face with one of my index fingers. "What do you like about me?" I asked. Based on Kaya's response, maybe I could determine if now was a good time to discuss future plans.

A gentle breeze rattled the leaves and branches over our heads as Kaya continued to blink at me; the pinecone still safely cradled against her chest. "Sokka…" She started to say. Unaware at that moment, that my heart thumping against my ribcage like it was trying to get out. "Sokka talk fast…"

The finger inching the side of my face stilled. I talk fast… That's what Kaya likes about me? What a weird thing to like. Eyebrows slanting together in confusion, I looked up to see Kaya staring back at me with her own slanted eyebrows. Although her face held a tinge of concern that mine didn't. Or did she mean something else when she said I talked fast?

I didn't get the chance to ask. Over by the shore where we had left Katara and Aang, a shout of alarm sounded. Spinning on my heel to face the right direction, I heard Katara yell, "Aang! Watch out!"

Ugh, what now! I thought as I started back the way we came. I'll just have to think about what Kaya said later. "Come on, Kaya", I said over my shoulder. "We better go see what's-"

Hands reaching under my arms yanked me off balance. All around us, I could hear whooshing sounds. Kaya gasped as a carefully placed foot between mine, knocked me over completely. Attack! We're being attacked! I realized as I tried to simultaneously jab an elbow into my assailant and climb to my feet at the same time. But a knee digging into the center of my back made any counterattacks futile. Man, why did I leave my boomerang in Appa's saddle? That had to be my first mistake.

"Alright, you got me", I relented as my arms were yanked back and bound at the wrist. Even with my head smooshed into the dirt, I could still hear the sounds of a struggle happening a few feet away and knew it had to be Kaya. Meaning, my attacker wasn't alone. "Just leave Kaya alone", I tried as my ankles were quickly bound. "She's just a girl".

Though my attackers didn't seem to care as the struggle continued. Though, maybe they were taking more care with Kaya than they had with me. Considering that it sounded like Kaya was still able to put up a fight. Maybe… Maybe Kaya could get away. Then she could run and get Katara and Aang and get me out of this mess. "Kaya!" I yelled as I wrestled to turn my head in a different direction. All I got for my effort was a blindfold tied around my eyes. "Kick them in the no-no spot. Just like you did with Prince Scarface", I yelled out my orders as the knee in my back lifted.

"Ow!" An unfamiliar voice exclaimed before the sound and feeling of a bodying falling next to me reached me.

By the small squeak that accompanied it, I can only assume the body belonged to Kaya. Well… maybe the others heard me yelling. Assuming the scream we heard earlier wasn't Aang and Katara getting assaulted.

"She threw a pinecone at me", the unfamiliar voice explained. My lips quirked despite the seriousness of the situation. That's my girl. But… wait. That voice… the one who was just speaking; that didn't sound like someone who'd be able to hogtie me. Who attacked us!?

Okay, so… The place we're at is called Kyoshi Island. A place that had a human-eating sea monster protecting its shores. Probably the only reason the Fire nation had left this place unscathed for so long. And surprise, surprise the people of this island loves airbending avatar Aang. Which meant we didn't have to meet their resident sea monster for trespassing. Yay for us. But what's even weirder about this place was the fact that all their warriors were girls! Females! A girl wearing a dress and waving a fan was able to knock me down and tie me up! How?!

"This is so good", Aang gushed around a mouthful of breakfast pastry. "I bet you'll like it better than seal blubber jerky", he called to me from where I was sitting with my back against the wall; arms crossed and frowning at the floor. Not that he stayed focused on me for long. "Kaya, Katara, try the orange one. I think they're my favorite".

Katara didn't need prompting as she helped herself. But Kaya waited until Aang shoved the aforementioned pastry into her hands. "Orange…" She repeated the word as she picked off little bits and stuck them in her mouth for a taste.

"Yeah", Aang said; grinning broadly when Kaya took a bigger bite out of her breakfast; apparently liking whatever she sampled. "It's orange. Just like this is orange", he said; pointing to the orange shawl-like part of his shirt. "They're the same color".

"Color", Kaya parroted back to him as Momo slinked close enough to steal food from the table.

"Sokka", Aang tried to get my attention again. "Come eat. You're missing out".

"Not hungry", I grumbled as I glanced at a decorative room divider that didn't look like it served any functional purpose. I guess that's the benefit of living in a home that you couldn't pack up and move. You got to own unless stuff. Like decorative room dividers.

"When are you not hungry?" Aang asked; failing to read the room.

Watching the back and forth, Kaya lowered her pastry away from her mouth. Giving Momo the perfect opportunity to snatch it from her before scurrying back under the table. Not that the yellow-haired girl seemed to mind. She just shrugged before tentatively helping herself to another one.

"Ignore him", Katara told Aang once she finished swallowing. Her voice sounded far too pleased to be an example of what a supportive sister should sound like. "He's just grumpy because a bunch of girls got the best of him yesterday".

"They didn't get the best of me! They… they caught me by surprise". Yeah. That was it… I was surprised. First, I was busy with Kaya and then I was worried about Katara after she screamed. Anyone in my shoes would have been caught off guard.

"Yes, they caught you by surprise", Katara agreed. But the smirk on her face kept me from being soothed. Nibbling on a pastry with Momo using her lap like it was some sort of plate, Kaya watched the exchange just like she had with many of our conversations as we sat around Gran-gran's hearth. At least she didn't look as amused as Aang did. "And then they beat you up".

Sputtering, I sprung to my feet. Where was the loyalty!? "Sneak attacks don't count!" I declared; shaking a fist in the air. "It's… it's unsportsmanlike".

"Excuse the interruption", a smug-sounding voice interrupted. All four of us, five if you counted Momo, turned towards the voice.

"Suki, good morning", Aang greeted cheerfully once he took in the sight of the leading girl from yesterday standing in the doorframe of the lodgings we were given.

Just like yesterday, her face was painted and she was dressed in her uniform. Armor and all. Did she ever take it off? Geesh!

"Good morning avatar Aang", Suki greeted. Bowing a little before she fully entered the room. "I hope everything is to your liking", she asked in reference to the half-eaten spread on the table.

"It's wonderful", Aang answered at the same time as he offered the Kyoshi resident a bun. One which she politely refused. "I haven't had anything like this in ages". Yeah, I thought with a snort. Especially because my jerky isn't good enough for him.

"Everyone has been so kind", Katara added as Kaya situated herself so her back would be to Suki as the other girl came closer. Briefly, Suki's eyes washed over me as my face burned. How long had she stood in the doorframe? How much did she hear? "I'm not sure we can thank you enough".

"No thanks are necessary", Suki said; her eyes focusing on the other three. Giving me a needed respite to lower my fist. "We're just sorry for any distress we caused. We had no idea you were the avatar".

"Don't worry about it", Aang said right before he shoved another pastry into his mouth. "How could you've known?" he asked; sending crumbs flying in every direction. If Suki was disgusted at getting an eye full of half-chewed food, she didn't show it. "So, what can we help you with?" Aang asked eagerly. "Does the village need me to help clean the statue? Or do they want another airbending demonstration?"

"Nothing like that", Suki answered; her smile genuine. Or at least, that's what she wanted us to think. A genuine smile was probably easy to fake under all that makeup. "Though I'm sure the village would enjoy that. I'm actually here to see if your friend would like to train with me and my warriors today. Kaya, was it?" Suki asked as she directed her eyes to the yellow-haired girl.

Kaya blinked up at her; interpreting Suki's words at her own pace and giving me enough time to speak for her. "Kaya doesn't fight. She doesn't know how".

Suki's eyes flashed over to me; sparking something dangerous. "She can learn. Wen Di is still complaining about how much getting beamed by a pinecone hurt". Suki's eyes softened before they returned to Kaya. "You have good aim. Do you want to learn how to use it in a fight?"

"No", I refused without thinking. "You're not teaching Kaya anything".

The next time Suki looked at me, it was with a heated edge. "I wasn't asking you", she said confrontationally with her hands on her hips and elbows sticking out. "You don't get to decide for her".

Oh, yes, I do. Kaya is my responsible. Same as Katara is my responsible. And what's worse, Kaya doesn't have the words to speak for herself yet. So, of course, I have to decide for her. Kaya doesn't know what people are asking her!

Before I could say any of that, Katara jumped in with a warning look on her face. One that slipped off as soon as she addressed Suki directly. "That's a kind offer. It's just… Kaya doesn't speak the same language as us. She's learning… but we don't know how much she understands. It might be hard for you to teach her".

Crossing my arms once more and grumbling to myself, I watched as Suki's painted face lit up with intrigue. It was the same with every new person Kaya encountered. Yellow hair is weird and there's only one language so how could she be speaking a different one. Yada. Yada.

Except, Suki didn't say or ask anything along those lines. Instead, she knelt in front of the yellow-haired girl. "Hi Kaya. It's nice to meet you". She spoke slowly and directly to Kaya. "My name is Suki".

Suki waited patiently for a response, as Kaya glanced around her at all of us. Looking for some sort of cue. But the only one she got was an encouraging nod from Katara. "Hi, Suki?" Kaya said after a moment; her words coming out like a question.

Though no one seemed to mind. Instead, at the same rate of speech, Suki asked. "Do you want to learn how to fight? It could be important. Since you're traveling with the avatar".

I snorted in the background. Everyone ignored me. Except for Katara who shot me a dirty look. There's no way Kaya followed all that.

Affirming my belief, Kaya looked towards Katara. As if asking for help. "Kaya", Katara tried. "Do you want to go with Suki?"

This was getting ridiculous. "She's not go-"

I started to say but fell silent when Kaya spoke up. "Kaya go with Suki? Learn…" Since she didn't know the right word, Kaya raised both of her hands. One she kept flat and the other formed a fist. To pantomime what she meant, Kaya lightly punched her flat hand.

She… when did Kaya learn that? I asked myself as Aang and Katara perked up at Kaya's comprehension. "Yes", Suki answered; sounding as encouraging as Aang and Katara looked. "Learn to fight".

A half-smile, slightly unsure, grew on Kaya's face. It was a smile that made my stomach twinge. "Kaya go", Kaya agreed.

"Great", Suki said as she stood up; watching as Kaya cleared away the crumbs Momo left on her lap before following. "The girls will be thrilled to have you".

"Just let us know if you need help", Katara said as Aang shoved another pastry in his mouth. "Kaya's a fast learner, but it can be hard to understand her sometimes".

"We'll figure it out", Suki assured us as she and Kaya headed for the door. "See you later".

Suki walked out first, with Kaya hesitating in the doorframe long enough to wave goodbye before she followed. I waited long enough for the sounds of their footsteps to disappear before complaining. "Great. Now I'm going to have to undo whatever bad habits they teach Kaya".

"Let it go, Sokka", Katara said with a roll of her eyes. "It's like Suki said. We're traveling with the avatar and learning to fight is important. Besides, Suki knows what she's doing and you weren't offering to teach Kaya how to defend herself".

My bottom lip stuck out without my consent. Stupid girl warriors with their stupid fans. How did they even beat me? It doesn't make any sense.

"So, uh", said Aang; interrupting my inner turmoil. "What did Suki mean about a pinecone?"

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Suki

Day one on Kyoshi Island was boring. There was nothing to do here. It wasn't my village. These weren't my people. So, no one came asking for me to help patch a roof. There weren't hungry children following my steps and asking when I was going to hunt. Being guests meant our own day-to-day work was reduced. Plenty of villagers volunteered to groom Appa. Our meals were provided.

But the others made do just fine. Aang was wanted for posing for paintings, and sharing what little he knew about being the Avatar. He even had a group of girls following him around and gushing if he so much as sneezed. Single-handedly and without any direction, Katara planned and organized supplies for when we'd depart. The only thing she asked for was help carrying the stuff back to our room. And Kaya had been gone since morning. It was only me who had nothing to do; wandering the village aimlessly. Well… Me and Momo. But out of all the humans, I was the only one being useless…

"They said Kyoshi was really tall", Aang talked Katara's ear off. Only occasionally remembering to swallow his dinner. "Not as tall as her statue. But tall enough that people noticed".

"That's great, Aang", Katara said as I stirred the contents in my bowl. It was noodles and something else. Flavorful. Considering it had more ingredients and seasonings than were available back home. "I'm glad you're taking an interest in avatar things". I think there are cloves in here. I can't remember the last time our tribe could cook with cloves. Probably not since the last time traders reached our shores. It was good. But… what sounded good right now was some of Gran-gran's stew.

"Yeah", Aang agreed. Although, I don't think he really did. "Tomorrow I'm going to show Appa to everyone. And then maybe they'll tell me about Kyoshi's animal guide".

Frowning into my bowl, I didn't see it when Katara set hers down. But the soft thump was enough to go by. Don't mind me guys. I'll just continue to wallow in my uselessness… alone. "It is very nice here", Katara said. She left out the 'but' even though it was heavily applied in her tone. "It's just… we can't stay here. The North Pole, remember?"

"We got time", Aang said. "It's just a-" Aang stopped himself from making whatever point he had in mind with the door slid open. "Kaya!" He greeted instead.

My head snapped up. The yellow-haired girl waved sluggishly with her arm bent at the elbow. Most of her hair remained in the braids Katara had tied to frame the top part of her head. But some hairs stuck out in a frantic sort of way. Not that Kaya was acting frantic by any definition. She looked dead on her feet as she tried to balance to take off her boots. It wasn't helping that she had her coat slung over her left arm.

Kaya rarely took her coat off. Even when inside. She was always cold and preferred to burrow herself into the fur-lined garment whenever possible. Except, now. Apparently. Boots off, Kaya dragged her feet as she approached; her shoulders slumped as she sleepily rubbed at one of her eyes. Her face was flushed with a sheen attached to her skin.

"How was it?" Aang asked the yellow-haired girl as she sat next to me and across from him. Folding her legs under her, Kaya sank to the floor with her feet pointed to the left. Like someone who would not be moving anytime soon. I hadn't seen Kaya this lethargic since she first woke up in our tent. What had that Suki girl made her do?

Kaya yawned before answering. Probably involuntarily. But it also gave her time to understand the question. We were fine waiting for Kaya to think. Katara busied herself with filling a bowl for Kaya. Aang had infinite patience when it came to Kaya finding her tongue. And I… I wanted to know. "Suki…good", Kaya said for lack of a better description. "Work hard. Kaya…" She paused again; slowly raising her arm and flexing the muscle in her bicep. "Hurt", she finished; pointing to her muscle to communicate what she meant by 'hurt'. Sore. The yellow-haired girl was sore. Lowering her arm, Kaya looked at me; her expression hopeful. "Go again, tomorrow?"

My mind went blank. Again? Kaya wanted more time with a girl that could hogtie a man. Sure, why not! Because Suki was just such a better warrior than I was. I was only good for teaching people about fishing and getting beat up.

"Yeah", Aang answered for me before I got the chance. A wide grin was on his face as he leaned on the table; either ignoring or not feeling Katara's grumpy look. "We're going to stay a few more days".

While most of the snow was melted, some aligned every path. It made walking anywhere impossible to do in silence. With nothing better to do, I decided to go with Kaya as she left to meet up with Kyoshi's warriors. It was better than sitting in a room all day. And this way, I could at least see if Kaya was learning things that weren't 'water tribe' appropriate. Because eventually, Aang would defeat the Fire Nation (or be killed). And we'd eventually return home (or we'd be dead). And if we made it home, Kaya would have to fit in with the other women of the tribe. She already stood out enough. Adding Kyoshi Island combat knowledge would only make it worse.

Being the one who knew where to go, Kaya led. It was the first time she'd ever led anyone. At least for as long as I had known her. As we walked through the village, she kept looking over her shoulder and smiling. Like she was making sure I was still there, and happy when she saw I was.

Being in the village, it was nice to see other people; men, women, and kids of all ages. A people who weren't divided by war. Families who weren't missing their menfolk. And a culture that was still untouched. But the niceness of this didn't last long. They were only interested in Aang and there's only so much a guy can take hearing about a twelve-year-old who's crushing on your little sister.

Kaya took us away from the heart of the village. Up a winding path and resting on the tree line, rested the Kyoshi training hall. Built on top of short stilts, the structure was wooden with matching stairs to reach its porch. The sliding door was open and the hall was already occupied.

"I can't believe a bunch of girls beat me", I grumbled under my breath as Kaya took the stairs with a bounce in her step. This time, she didn't look over her shoulder as she crossed through the doorway. "Hey Kaya. Glad you made it back", someone greeted.

Peaking into the room through the open door, none of the girls noticed me. Too busy waving their fans around. Except for the girl who broke away to talk with Kaya. They had moved over to the corner of the hall where Kaya pulled off her coat and the girl talked her ear off. It wasn't Suki. This one's hair was too long.

I had to admit it. This was a nice training hall. Tall ceilings. Good ventilation. Plenty of weapons to practice with. Even if most of those weapons were fans. Maybe I could've taught the boys back home more warrior stuff if I had a place like this.

Suki stood out as the leader as the girls moved through their katas. Something you could only see because she stood with no one behind her or in front of her. On her left side, her comrades waved their fans in sync. If their lines were uniform, a leader wouldn't have stood out. They were quiet. Only the sounds of whooshing fans could be heard. Well, that and the girl who greeted Kaya. From their corner, she was walking Kaya through some stretches. Talking more than was needed. No one noticed me.

"Oh, Sorry", I announced myself. "Didn't know there was a dance class going on". As soon as I stepped into the room, the girls stopped and folded their fans. Some crossed their arms. Some scowled. Kaya and her friend didn't seem to notice. "Kaya wanted to come back and I didn't want her getting lost".

"How kind", Suki replied. Her voice came out thick. As if she had to force the words out. Turning her head slightly, Suki looked over in the corner where Kaya and her friend sat across from each other; knees straight and feet together as they pulled each other's arms to stretch out their backs. "But it doesn't look like she needs you". This was said with a pleased smile. A smile that made my frown twitch.

"So, what are you teaching Kaya, anyway?" I asked as I took a step further into the room. "Dance moves are okay", I said; waving a hand at the fans the girls clenched in their hands. "But I don't want her getting hurt".

Shrugging, Suki answered like I wasn't bothering her. "Blocking, breaking holds, hitting targets", Suki listed off. "You know. Everything she needs to protect herself without having to rely on… pinecones".

The girls standing behind Suki giggled as my chin dipped and I glared. "Pinecones haven't failed Kaya yet". And they never would. I was… er… Pinecones were very capable.

Suki raised an eyebrow. Which was something I didn't think should be possible for someone wearing that much make-up. "That's not what happened yesterday".

The hairs on the back of my neck bristled. "Yesterday was a fluke", I said; pointing my index finger at the girl. In front of the other painted faces, Suki placed one of her hands on her hip. Over in the corner, Kaya and the other girl finished their stretches. Now, they were turned towards us; watching. Kaya's face was perplexed. Her friend looked unimpressed. "I'm the best warrior in my village". I'm the only warrior in my village. "You just caught me on a bad day".

"Really?" Suki asked without actually asking. "Best warrior in your village. Wow". She sounded anything but. As she briefly looked behind her, the other girls started giggling again. Why do girls do that? Giggling in a group like how viper wolves howl as a pack. "Maybe you can teach us a thing or two", Suki suggested as she returned her eyes to me.

…What? "Oh… Well… I-"

In the corner, Kaya and her friend climbed to their feet. Picking up on the tension more than the words (or maybe she was picking up both), Kaya nervously glanced around the hall; holding her scarred hands close to her chest. While her friend leaned her weight on her; an arm resting over Kaya's shoulders with the same unimpressed look on her face as before.

"Big, strong man like you", Suki kept going. "I bet there are loads you can teach us".

A challenge. That sounded like a challenge. Squaring my shoulders, I picked up my chin. "Sure", I agreed. "If you really want me to". The girls with the fans and the make-up were watching. Kaya was watching. I moved one leg behind me and used the other to stabilize my balance as I lowered myself into a practice stance. One I never thought I'd use on a girl. If Dad knew what I was doing, he'd… but when in Kyoshi Island. "This may be too much, but try to stop me", I directed before bending low and striking forward; aiming a blow at Suki's abdomen.

The hit never landed. I never touched her and Suki never gave an inch. Without forming a defensive stance before I struck, Suki still managed to throw me off. By holding out her left arm, her closed fan jammed into my shoulder before I could make contact. It was a sharp sort of jarring impact that forced me to gasp as I staggered backward; my momentum being used against me.

"Not bad", I relented once I was able to stand still. The girls kept giggling as I rolled my shoulder; trying to rid myself of feeling the blow. All except Kaya, who silently remained under her new friend's arm. "For a beginner".

Not flattered by the compliment at all, Suki crossed her arms her fans still in hand. "I'm glad you think so", she taunted. "Got anything else to show us?"

Oh, yes, I did. I charged again. But... nothing worked. One thwarted roundhouse kick. One stolen belt used to tie my limbs together just like yesterday. Both attempts ended with my face meeting the floor. Both times, the girls laughed; hiding their snickering faces behind their fans. All except Kaya, whose face became more and more crestfallen the longer this went on.

My anger died as my face burned. How could she trust me to protect her now? Provide? Sure, I've proven I could do that since finding her washed up on our shores. But I couldn't stop Prince Scarface from dragging Kaya onto his ship. I couldn't stop a bunch of girls from tying us up. So, what good was I?

As the other girls made little effort to compose themselves, Kaya moved forward; out from under her new friend's arm. It only took a handful of steps for her to reach me. Squatting, Kaya made quick work of freeing my wrist and ankle from my belt. "Sokka?" She asked softly; checking in as I sat up and took my belt back.

I couldn't look at her. I couldn't look at any of them. What good was I if couldn't even stand up to a bunch of girls? And Dad expected me to take care of a whole village… if he could see me now.

"Sokka?" Kaya tried again.

"Don't be late for dinner", was the only thing I could think to say as I pushed myself to my feet. The open door was right behind me. Making it easier to turn my back to Kyoshi's girl army and retreat.

"Sokka!" Kaya called after me. This time louder. I walked away with my shoulders hunched.

"Don't worry about it, Kaya", I heard Suki say. "I want to show you how to use a slingshot. I think you'll be good at it".

Aang and Katara were talking a lot less than they had last night. As far as I could tell, something happened today that made Katara feel that Aang having an interest in Avatar stuff was no longer a good thing. Something about showing off for a bunch of girls. I wasn't really listening. Besides, girls weren't a topic I wanted to discuss right now.

Instead of sharing things from our day, like we would have done if we were sitting around Gran-gran's hearth, we sat in silence with our noses buried in our bowls. Tonight's meal had rice. Rice was something the south pole hadn't seen in many many years.

"I'm going to ride the Unagi tomorrow", Aang announced.

Katara's grip on her bowl tightened. "Have fun".

"Oh, I will", Aang baited. "Dangerous things usually are fun".

"I'm sure the girls will love to see that", Katara returned in kind. What kind of vegetable is this? It's red and sweet with a bitter aftertaste.

"They will", Aang assured my little sister; his twelve-year-old voice rising to match her shrillness.

Where does this even grow? Just like last night, the door slid open and Kaya lumbered in with her coat hanging over her arm. Her eyes were half-lidded as she shucked off her boots and joined us. "Sokka… good?" She asked as she sat next to me; tuning out Katara and Aang's squabbling.

"I'm fine", grumbled into my bowl; weird red vegetables forgotten.

I could feel Kaya's eyes on me for a long moment. Clearly doubting me. "Sokka learn", Kaya spoke carefully. Meanwhile, Aang and Katara were giving each other such short responses that they were starting to sound like Kaya. "Sokka learn and Suki help". Kaya suggested. The grip I had on my bowl tightened. "Suki good at… helping". Teaching. I think Kaya meant that Suki is good at teaching.

"I don't want to", I answered.

At the same time, Aang said, "The girls think everything I do is fun".

Kaya took longer to respond than Katara did. Looking up from my food, I saw her eyebrows scrunched together as she thought. "Why?" she finally asked; having come to the conclusion that that was the word she needed.

I slammed my bowl down on the table at the same time that Katara did. "I'm not like other girls!" Katara exploded.

"Because I don't need some girl teaching me how to be a man!" I yelled at the same time.

The effect of both statements happened immediately. Aang started at Katara with his mouth hanging open; half-chewed food was on display for all to see. While Kaya was startled; falling over her folded legs to get away from me. Her eyes strained wide, glistening. And I… I deflated. Oh, man! Gran-gran would have boxed my ears if she ever heard me talking like that. Let alone to the girl who was wearing my necklace.

"Come on, Kaya", Katara said as she rose to her feet and stalked around the table to the yellow-haired girl's side. "At the market, I heard someone say something about a bathhouse". With Katara holding onto her arm, Kaya climbed to her feet; shooting me alarmed glances throughout the process. "Let's go find it", Katara said as she headed for the door; taking Kaya with her.

The sliding door slammed shut behind them. "What's her problem?!" Aang asked as soon as the girls were gone.

"Us", I realized as my fingers curled into fists as they rested on my knees. Aang hadn't included Kaya in his question. The only problem he was focused on was Katara's. But my realization included Kaya. So, I made sure to add her in my response. No one's ever looked at me like that before. Like they were afraid. Especially not a member of my own household… "We're their problem", I answered with my head bowed. There was something else. Something I was missing. But what?

"How could we be the problem?" Aang asked; sounding genuinely confused. I didn't answer him.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Fish in The Pond

"Come out, Avatar", Prince Scarface yelled from atop his Komodo rhino. Rhinos and riders flanked him on either side as they stood facing a deserted street. A street that had been full of everyday life just this morning. Though the invaders weren't fooled into thinking no one was home.

Lining the street were houses and businesses. Some were a combination of both. And inside them were terrified people who wanted nothing to do with the Fire Nation. Just like how my people were when the Fire Nation made the South Pole a target in their war.

The only ones not taking shelter were the Kyoshi girl warriors… and me. If the dress can be overlooked. Suki's strategy relied on guerilla tactics. From either side of the street, either darting behind the buildings or balancing on snow-covered rooftops, we were unseen as the fire Nation soldiers progressed. Holding our breaths; we went unheard.

Once the rhinos and their burdens reached a specific point in the street, the warriors on the roof jumped; in a coordinated attack. Fans unfolded, they dislodged riders for rhinos to announce our presence and disarmed who they could. It was probably an amazing sight I'd love to see; witnessing fire scum get knocked on their butts by a bunch of gi… I mean warriors.

But I couldn't just watch. As Suki charged Zuko's rhino, I followed. Dodging between fireballs, Suki leaps off the ground. Her fans were poised and ready; holding them in the very same offensive position she'd only just taught me an hour ago.

Being airborne though… unless you're an airbender, that always leaves you vulnerable. Weaponizing his mount, Zuko pulls the rein so hard that when the Komodo rhino turned its tail whipped through the air. Thusly knocking Suki out of it. With no time to recover, Suki landed on her side. Her arms sprawled out with no way to defend herself.

I was a few feet away. Close enough that I could read Scarface's intentions as he drew back a fist. But far enough away that I worried I wouldn't get there in time. Red hot flames flew in Suki's direction. Her panicked eyes pushed me forward faster. When I made it, I could feel the heat engulfing the air as the brightness of the flames was nearly blinding. Holding the fan like I had been taught and brandishing it like I had been taught, I waved the fire away; causing it to disperse. A fan is definitely more effective against fire than a boomerang. Who knew?

A short, but tense moment passed where Zuko glared at me and I glared back; my stance at the ready. Thank La the fire prince couldn't hear how fast my heart was pumping blood.

Around Suki and me the other Kyoshi warriors handled Zuko's men. I could hear the grunts and blows that are a part of fighting. But there were no screams. Maybe that meant no one from the Fire Nation had gone into the houses. Hopefully.

The moment ended not by any move either one of us made. But by another Kyoshi warrior leaping from a roof and tackling Prince Scarface from his rhino onto a porch behind him. Free of the weight, the rhino wandered off without guidance.

The girl who tackled Zuko had him pinned with her fan, and… and that wasn't going to hold him for very long. "I guess training is over", I said to Suki as she started to climb to her feet. Running to help the other girl, I left her to follow when she could.

The girl pinning Zuko didn't move until we were able to corner him. But before any capture could happen, Zuko sprung up and forced his feet under him; an angry scowl on his disfigured face. Performing a sweepy twirly fiery leg thing, Suki was knocked into a pole. The other girl was blown into the house by the force and I… I was on my own.

Zuko's leg came at me once. I jumped over it; flames and all. Like a children's top, Zuko circled back around and I jumped again. No problem. The third time, Zuko changed rotation and I was knocked down before I had fully landed. My breath left me as my head smacked against the wood of the porch. Ow. Was that just me, or did that sound louder than necessary?

At least, Scarface didn't stick around. Jumping over me, Zuko re-entered the street. "Come out, Avatar. These little girls can't save you". A funny thing to say considering Aang was younger than them… sort of. In the time we were busy getting our butts kicked, Zuko's men were able to retaliate. Smoke was heavy in the air as roofs and homes burned. Now… Now, I could hear some screaming.

"Why do you cower b-" Whatever the prince was going to say, he was cut off when a stone sailed through the air like a dart and pegged him on the side of his head. Fists balled and growling like a wolf, Zuko turned to find the source.

Rising to my feet, I did the same with Suki right behind me. It wasn't hard to find who was responsible. She was standing in the center of the street; a burning house on either side of her. Her face was twisted in concentration as she held one arm out in front of her; holding a slingshot. Her other hand was pulled back by her ear; the sling was already loaded with another stone. My eyes widened as I recognized her straight away.

I wasn't the only one. The yellow-colored hair was a dead giveaway. "You!" Zuko snarled as he took a step in her direction.

"Kaya!" I yelled; waving my fan around to get her attention. "Get out of here!" What did she think she was doing? What did she think she could do?

But Kaya didn't hear me. She stayed focused on the approaching prince. When he took another step, she released another stone. This time aiming for his forehead. With an angry snarl and flared nostrils, Zuko waited until he was in range before batting the stone out of the air with a lighted fist. He didn't stop moving forward; eyes locked on Kaya.

Kaya stood stationary; her feet planted as she loaded up another stone from a pouch fastened to her hip. The tip of her tongue was poking out between her lips as she concentrated to line up a shot. "Kaya!" I yelled again. The grip I had on the fans I was borrowing tightened to the point that my knuckles ached. She'd only been training for three days at this point! What did Kaya think she could accomplish by making a stand like this? This was bad. This was… I… I needed…. Gah! Why was I such a fool?

A fool. It's what I called myself throughout the night as I tried to fall asleep. By that point, the girls already returned from the bathhouse and managed to find sleep themselves. A fool. It's what continued to echo in my head as we ate breakfast the following morning and everything left to go about their day. Aang to ride the stupid Unagi. Kaya to her lessons with Suki and the fan-waving brigade. And Katara… off to do whatever she had planned. All morning, I called myself a fool as I wrestled with a plan for what to do.

It took me longer than it should have to trudge my way through the village and back to the dojo. The sun was already high in the sky by the time I reached it. The whole way there, I walked with my shoulders hunched and my head down; kicking any stone I came across. What would Dad say? What would he want me to do? What would my mom have wanted me to do?

Just as it was yesterday, the dojo was full and no one paid me any mind as I climbed the stairs and poked my head in. Suki led her warriors; her back towards me. She formed a move and the others copied; fan poised in their hands. Kaya wasn't with them which had me confused at first. Considering that the yellow-haired girl left that morning saying she was going to see Suki... er... sort of. That's what we thought she meant. All Kaya had really said was just, "Suki".

But a quick survey of the whole training hall solved my confusion. Kaya, with the same girl from yesterday, was off in a corner. She was standing with one foot in front of the other as she held a slingshot in her left hand while the right pulled back the sling part. "Good, you remember", the girl helping her said. "Just raise your elbow a bit more", the girl corrected, moving Kaya's arm herself to create a correct form.

"Um… Hey, Suki", I woke up the nerve to interrupt before I lost it entirely and had to spend the whole day referring to myself as a fool.

The response was almost immediate. The girls copying Suki lowered their fans and dropped out of their stances while Suki turned to face me. "Want another dance lesson?" she asked as she folded her arms and scowled.

Even with all that makeup caked on, it was an impressive scowl that had me looking at my boots. "No…" I started to say with an awful taste on my tongue. "How do I say this?" I asked myself; raising a hand to rub the back of my head as I thought. "I just want to say… What I mean is…"

Upper lip curled back, Suki barked, "Hurry up! What do you want?"

Her volume was loud enough that it attracted the attention of Kaya and her friend. Picking my head up, I saw Kaya release the tension in her slingshot and turn towards the commotion. Her friend did the same. Though their expressions didn't match. While her friend copied Suki's crossed-armed posture and unhappy face, Kaya stared with wide eyes as she worried her bottom lip. At least it wasn't the same way she'd looked at me last night.

"Suki", Kaya's friend said before I could muster my nerve again. "If you're stuck dealing with this buffoon, I'm going to take Kaya outside and work with the long-range targets", the friend said once her eyes had done a sweep of me and continued to find me unsatisfactory. Dropping her crossed arms, she placed an arm around Kaya's shoulders. Just like she had done yesterday when I interrupted.

"Thanks, Wen Di", Suki said without looking away from me as the other girl stirred Kaya passed us and out the door. I raised my shoulders to my ears as they passed me; not knowing what to make of Kaya's expression, and feeling like I shouldn't guess her feelings when she can't tell me herself.

"Well," Suki said once Wen Di and Kaya had made it down the stairs. "What is it?"

Exhaling deeply through my nose, I lowered myself to my knees with my heels under me. Keeping my hands in front of me and in contact with the training hall floor, I bowed until my nose was touching the floor in between my hands. "Yesterday, I was wrong. I shouldn't have mocked your efforts. If you can forgive me, I would be honored if you would teach me".

There was a tense moment of silence. From my position, I could see anything. Not Suki's reaction or that of the girls standing behind; watching us. "You want to learn from a girl?" Suki challenged after the moment passed. Though I was relieved to hear her voice lose some of its sharp quality.

"I was wrong", I admitted again. I'd say it as many times as I needed to. Anything to stop feeling like a fool. "Things are different where I'm from. But I shouldn't have assumed… I'm sorry I insulted you and your customs".

Through my close contact with the floor, I felt when Suki shifted her weight inched away from me. "We usually don't teach boys", she stated; sounding neither hostile nor goading. More like she was just stating a fact.

It felt safe… or safer. So, I raised my head; hoping to show how serious I felt about this. "Please make an exception. I think… I think there's a lot I can learn from you".

Suki relaxed her posture and her arms fell to her sides. "Alright", she said. This time her voice matched the tone she used when speaking to Kaya. Although, she used a normal speed when talking to me. "But you have to respect our traditions".

Yes! I thought as I sprang to my feet. This was good news. "Of course," I agreed before Suki could change her mind or any of the other girls could protest.

"And I don't want to hear any complaining", Suki continued.

"You have my word".

Suki smiled. It was a smile that had me gulping nervously. It was a smile that led to me wearing a dress with make-up covering my face. What would Dad say about this?

As I found out firsthand, the Kyoshi fighting style was very flowy. Like dancing. But I had the sense to keep that thought to myself. The other girls had been dismissed to handle their own responsibilities once they got their fill of laughing at me. Not it was just me and Suki in the training hall. She had me running through the different motions, fans in each of my hands, as she corrected from the sidelines. Sometimes my feet weren't spaced apart enough. Sometimes my balance was off. Most of the time, I wasn't using the fans the way the moves required.

"You're not going to master it in one day", Suki commented as I tried again; ignoring the cramping muscle in my left calf. "No one could do that".

We had been at it for a while. Shadows were forming in the corners of the hall as the sun had moved from its position when we'd first started training. But I wasn't ready to stop. I needed to make amends and prove myself. And this was the only way I knew how to accomplish that. "I think I almost got it", I said even though that wasn't true.

Coming to the end of the sequence, I widen my stance, and snapped the fan shot. It was supposed to be like a finishing blow. But instead of keeping a firm grip on the fan like I would have done if it were one of my hunter knives, the fan slipped from my grasp and sailed out of the window. Flying similarly like a boomerang, it smacked into a tree off in the distance; disrupting snow resting in the tree's branches. From outside, two voices could be heard. One was a surprised squeak from Kaya. The other was her friend, Wen Di. "If you were trying to do that, you missed the target". Wen Di called; sounding unbothered. Since I first arrived at the training hall, Kaya and Wen Di had been outside working with a slingshot. Apparently, the Kyoshi warriors had targets set up for varying levels of difficulty to be able to practice with such weapons. Since Suki started teaching me, we've listened to Kaya and Wen Di work just as hard as we were.

Walking over to the window, Suki looked out. Making it easier for me to hide my embarrassment. Though the makeup also helped. "Fighting is not just about strength, you know", she said as I stepped closer. "We were taught to use our opponents' strength against them by redirecting their force and thinking flexibly to counter their rigidity". Suki stepped to the side. Now we both could stare out the window.

From there I could see Kaya and Wen Di still at it. Wen Di stood next to Kaya, playing with my lost fan in her hand as Kaya focused on a target several yards away. Suki and I watched in silence as Kaya released the sling part of the slingshot. With a nearly silent twang sound, a small rock soared through the air before smacking into the posted target; nearly dead center. As Wen Di congratulated Kaya on the good shot, Kaya didn't pause. She found another rock and repeated the process. Again, hitting the target close to the bullseye. How long had she been practicing?

"She's good at it", Suki remarked. "Someone must have taught her before. Aiming, I mean. The slingshot was new to Kaya when I introduced it yesterday. But once she figured out the make and weight of it… well, she makes hitting those targets look easy. I think I'll start her on moving targets tomorrow".

I grunted in agreement. It was a noise that felt out of place when wearing this dress. "We didn't teach her anything about aim", I mused out loud. "Must be something from before we found her…" My thoughts wandered. And Suki allowed it as we watched Kaya kit the same target over and over again until she ran out of rocks. For not the first time, I wondered about what kind of life yellow-haired people led. What did they learn? And why?

"I want to try again", I told Suki; turning away from the window.

"Okay", Suki agreed as we moved to the center of the training hall to give ourselves enough room.

Suki charged before I barely fell into a ready stance. She had her right arm extended; targeting a soft spot where my shoulder connected with my arm. But I was ready. I was ready without really having to think about it. Protecting the soft spot, I curled my left arm across my chest and when Suki stepped in to strike, I pushed back. Her momentum worked against her, and Suki fell; landing on her back.

She blinks at me in surprise from the floor as I blinked back at her. "Huh", I vocalized. The voice in my head was much louder. That was awesome!

The surprise melted off Suki's face as quickly as the snow outside was as she hurried onto her feet. "I did that on purpose", Suki declared; her hands clenched into fists. "You needed a win".

My lips twitched into a smile I couldn't help. So, this is what training with someone… someone who was on the same level was like. It felt nice. "I got you!" I said as I pointed at Suki with a grin. "Admit it".

Pointing was a mistake. Not willing to miss an opportunity, Suki grabbed my finger and twisted until my knees were bending in pain and I was making sounds; asking for release. This wasn't what I had in mind!

"Okay", Suki related, only letting go once she was satisfied. "You got in a lucky shot. Let's go again". And so, we did. Again, and again. Always with the background sounds of Kaya hitting targets and her new friend cheering her on and offering advice.

Kaya wasn't taking advice anymore. She let another stone fly. Again, Zuko batted it out of the air as if her effort meant nothing. Again, Kaya didn't move. Forget moving targets. The next thing Kaya needed to learn was a sense of self-preservation.

Scarface was getting closer and closer to Kaya. Still far enough that she could fire rocks. But close enough that I feared for Kaya's impending capture. "Kaya", I yelled again. She really needed to run. Why wasn't she? I needed to…

Before I could charge forward; before I could make any attempts to intercept Zuko from reaching the yellow-haired girl, a much-needed distraction called out. "Over here!"

In the opposite direction from where Kaya was, stood Aang with his staff in hand. He was a welcomed sight. Especially since the only other things to see at the moment were Fire Nation soldiers and burning houses.

Prince Scarface paused in his pursuit of Kaya as he turned on his heel to face Aang. As the avatar, Aang remained Zuko's main priority. And even though Aang is my friend, I couldn't be more thankful that capturing him was more appealing to Zuko than hunting down Kaya.

As Zuko sent fireballs after Aang, and Aang dodged like the airbender he is; even blowing Zuko into a building for his efforts, Kaya finally moved. She ducked into one of the houses she was standing in front of. Okay, that was… it wasn't good. But it was better than a few moments ago. "I'm sorry", I said as Suki and the other girl started to regain themselves. "I'll help bash some fire nation heads along the way but I need to get to Kaya and find my sister". Aang was already up in the air by the looks of it; Zuko was temporarily subdued. It was time we figured out what we should do. But it wasn't something we could accomplish when scattered.

"We understand", Suki assured me as the other girl rejoined the battle. Out on the main street, one of the Kyoshi warriors knocked a Fire Nation soldier flat on his back through the strength she placed behind her fand. "Go".

I started forward; planning on starting with grabbing Kaya. Since I at least had an idea where she was. But a last-minute thought had me turning back to Suki. "I just want to say-"

"There's no time", she cut me off.

I kept going anyway. "I just wanted to say, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have treated you like your just a girl when you're a warrior. I see that now".

As if forgetting the fire and fighting happening around us, Suki's face, despite the make-up, visibly softened. "I am a warrior", she said as she leaned in; pressing her lips against my cheek. It was the first kiss I ever received from someone I wasn't related to. When Suki pulled away, I was still due to shock. "But I'm a girl, too. You can be both, you know". Well… yeah, now I know! "Now, go!" Suki ordered. "Find your family".

And I did. Finding Katara, my sister, anxiously waiting on the back of our flying bison. Then Aang, our friend with his pet lemur, and finally Kaya… my fiancé. Who I've never kissed before… Kaya, who Suki didn't know was my fiancé… Oh, La! That foolish feeling was back again.

As I internally panicked about my unexpected girl problems, Aang filled me in on the plan. We were leaving; fleeing Kyoshi island in the hopes Zuko and his men would follow us and leave these people alone. It didn't feel right to risk them having to fight this battle alone. But we couldn't think of what else to do. And so, Appa flew with all of us on his back. We kept our eyes on Kyoshi island, watching the smoking and breathing in relief when was saw what looked like Zuko's ships leaving Kyoshi's shores. They'd be okay, Suki and her people. Hopefully.

Kaya and Katara started to relax. But I couldn't. Not as an unexpected realization kept repeating itself in my head over and over. I wasn't stuck in the South Pole anymore. Kaya wasn't the only girl out there. It… was a puzzling thought. And a small part of me hated myself for it… Kaya wasn't the only girl out there.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Omashu

"This is the Omashu delivery system", Aang said as we stood just within the gates of the city. As he talked, Aang scratched at the mop of Appa hair on top of his head. "Miles and miles of tubes and chutes". He sounded thrilled. Thrilled enough to forget how uncomfortable his disguise was. "Earth bending brings the packages up, and gravity brings them down", Aang explained as he tracked one of the mail carts with his eyes.

It was an impressive sight; a mechanism this large and elaborate. How many hands did it take to build it? Maintain it? We'd never have something like this at home. It was enough of a challenge to fix structures if they started to melt. But… I guess the Earth Kingdom doesn't need to worry about melting buildings.

It was nice to see. Dad would've loved it. But a lesson on Omashu's postal service wasn't why we were here. "Great, they get their mail on time", I said as Kaya leaned over the stone railing; peering down into the city. Her eyes were wide as she took in every detail she could. "Which way to the market?" I asked before Aang could get too distracted.

We needed money. And Food. And money to buy food. So, unless Omashu's mail service was hiring day laborers, the market was where we needed to be.

Though leave it to Aang to not read the subtext. "They do get their mail on time", he cheerfully announced as Momo peaked out of his Appa wig. "And we're going to ride it", Aang announced.

For a short moment, I traced the different chutes lining the different levels of the city. "No!" First, it was the otter penguins. Then it was the unagi. And now this. We'd never make it to the North Pole at this rate. Wouldn't even make it beyond the Earth Kingdom if we kept putting things like this ahead of survival.

"Just one ride", Aang claimed without turning away from the tubes and chutes as he talked. "One ride and then we'll head straight for the North Pole", Aang promised. It was like he didn't know why we stopped in Omashu in the first place.

Katara was wistful as she voiced her opinion. "It does look fun".

Bowing my head, I pinched the bridge of my nose as my shoulders rose and fell with one drawn-out breath. "Okay", I said once I was ready. "You have fun with that. Let's just meet up here by sunset".

"Wait!" Aang called as I started to walk away. The girls turned to watch. I didn't stop. "You're not going to ride with us?"

Raising a hand, I waved without turning around. "I need meat!" I called behind me. They just didn't get it. Though Katara probably should have. I was the oldest. There were four mouths I needed to feed, including myself. Five if you counted Momo. And luckily, Appa could graze so I didn't have to count him. But five mouths… four and a half. That was a lot. Especially when we couldn't hunt every day and smoke or preserve what we found. We also couldn't trust that people would just feed us as the people of Kyoshi Island did.

I didn't get too far. Maybe five steps out, a hand latched onto my coat sleeve. I slowed; knowing there was only one person who'd grab me like this. "You want to come with me?" I asked; glancing down at Kaya.

Smiling and nodding, Kaya looked over her shoulder to wave at Aang and Katara before tugging on my sleeve to get me moving again. "Find meat, yes?" She asked.

"Uh". Heat rushed to my face as guilt gurgled in my gut. Kaya was volunteering to work instead of play. And another girl kissed me and she didn't know. "Yeah". Speeding up, Kaya jogged every other step to keep pace. It didn't matter. I told myself. Suki was… not here and Kaya was. Kaya wore my necklace and Suki didn't. I liked Kaya and… and… she needed me.

Finding the marketplace was the easy part. We just had to follow the sounds of vendors shouting out to anyone who walked by. Though it took time. Omashu was built on a mountain and its streets were built around hills. Some manmade. Some natural. Every building was made from the same type of stone as the gate walls with matching green tiled roofs. The buildings sat close together and spoke of a big population. A big population meant crowded streets. And crowded streets meant a slow traveling pace.

But we got there and quickly found the real challenge was finding work. I didn't think it would be in a place this big. There were butcher shops, produce stalls, textile merchants, metal smiths, carpenters, and stone masons. Someone must need help with the heavy lifting. But no one did. Everywhere we stopped, everyone I asked either had children, apprentices, or employees to do the grunt work for them.

It wasn't until we stumbled upon an inn that we had any luck. "I need help with firewood and busing the tables", the innkeeper said as she wiped down a tea tray with an old cloth. "And I can only pay half a day's wage".

It wasn't much but it could at least get us as far as the next town. Besides, the day was already half over. "That's fine", I agreed; offering my hand to shake on it.

The innkeeper's hand felt weathered in my own. It reminded me of Gran-gran's hands and spoke of years of work. It was comforting to know hard work existed everywhere. "The kitchen's back through there", she said as she let go of my hand. "My cook can show you where we keep the firewood and when the ovens don't need tending to, you can grab a tray and help out". Her eyes darted to Kaya hovering behind my shoulder.

The yellow-haired girl wasn't looking at either of us. So, it was hard to determine how much she understood of our exchange. Instead, Kaya looked like she found the inn's customers interesting as she watched them go about their business.

Jutting her chin in Kaya's direction, the innkeeper stated, "She can wash dishes".

"Umm", Looking over my shoulder, Kaya and I made eye contact. As if she realized she was now a topic. But all Kaya did was smile. "Yeah, Kaya knows how to do that".

The innkeeper nodded slowly as her eyes lingered on Kaya's weird hair. But she snapped out of it soon enough. "Get to it", she ordered with a sharp bark. "I'm not paying for you to stand around".

The cook was just as old as the innkeeper. With a hunched back and a greasy forehead, he wielded a ladle like how I used a hunting knife. "Don't get water all over the floor, girly", the old man chided as he waved the ladle in Kaya's direction; throwing in pinches of different herbs into a bubbling pot. Kaya nodded with a half-smile. Confusion in her eyes as she glanced at the floor in her surrounding area. I didn't blame her. Kaya was already elbow deep in dishwater and there wasn't a single drop on the floor. So, what was the cook complaining about?

Kneeling by the ovens, I feed the fires the newly chopped wood. There was a small yard attached to the kitchen; giving me plenty of room to swing an axe. But still close enough that I could hear everything going on in the kitchen. Something the cook liked to take advantage of. "Where's that wood, boy?" or "Hurry up! If the fire isn't hot enough, the meat won't be cooked in the middle". Fanning the flames to make them bigger, I started to understand why the innkeeper didn't have enough help like the other businesses we stopped at.

At home, we washed dishes using a cauldron and simmering water. So, Kaya had no problem plunging her scarred hands and forearms into the slightly murky basin. Though… that water would probably need to be changed soon. Where do you get water in a city like this? Wasn't like they could just fill a pot with snow and boil it. The biggest difference between dishes at home and dishes in Omashu seemed to be how you scrubbed them. At home, the women used harvested sea sponges to scrub our bowls clean. Here, they used handfuls of sand to scour. It took Kaya a few attempts before she figured it out. The old man grumbling about her slowness didn't help. But he never refused any freshly clean pot or baking dish Kaya handed back to him.

When the fires were burning steadily and there was firewood chopped and ready, I did what the innkeeper asked of me. Holding a tray with one hand, I went around to each deserted table and cleared it of its used dishes. At this time of day, it was mostly empty tea cups. But once and a while, someone would order food. Though you'd think the inn was still in their lunch rush based on how the cook talked.

It was interesting… at least, I thought it was. Seeing all the food and drink that came out of the kitchen minutes after people ordered them. Food that the inn didn't get through hunting and gathering. But by purchasing the ingredients in the market. What would it be like to live in a place like Omashu? What would I do for a living if I couldn't hunt?

Shaking my head, I moved back to the kitchen with a full tray. Passing the innkeeper taking a table's orders as I went. It'd be boring. I decided. Living behind stone walls and doing the same thing day after day.

Kaya's shoulders were scrunched up to her ears as she scrubbed a plate free of its food residue. The corners of her mouth twisted in an uncomfortable grimace. "You okay?" I asked; unloading my tray into the basin. Kaya nodded without looking at me; causing me to linger at her side. She'd been okay before I left…

"We don't see a lot of Water Tribe folk these days", the cook commented as he slapped a flank of meat into an oiled pan. It started to sizzle upon impact and the smells that followed made my stomach growl. "Thought maybe the Fire Nation took your lot out like they did the Air Nomads".

Placing the tray down, I went back to tending the fires. But I kept Kaya in the corner of my eye. "We're still standing. There just isn't a reason for my people to travel anymore". Not that we ever did much before. Home was home. And there was no other place like the South Pole. I bet even the North couldn't compare.

The cook sniffed with a long nasal sound as he flipped the flank in his pan. "Why are you here then?" He asked. The more he talked to me, the more relaxed Kaya became. Though it had my muscles tensing.

I couldn't tell the truth. Traveling with the Avatar wasn't something we should advertise. Even if Aang made that difficult. "My dad's fighting with the Earth Kingdom", I settled on. "I want to see him". Kaya stacked three clean bowls next to the basin before she moved to a cluster of plates. She refused to look away from the dishwater as she worked. Her hands must be pruney by now.

"Thinking of joining him in battle?" The old man asked. Redirecting my gaze from Kaya, I was startled; realizing the old man was staring at her too. His eyes fixated on her back rather than the radish-turnip he was dicing.

"No", I answered with narrowing eyes. After that, any trips I made out of the kitchen were done as quickly as possible.

"Here", the innkeeper said as she shoved silver and copper pieces into both our hands. "Half a day's wage as promised".

"Ah, thank you", I said with a small bow as my hands fumbled to keep ahold of every coin. Quickly, I counted them in my head. Yeah, that should be enough to get us to the next city. Kaya added her wages to my hands. Blinking at the sudden increase, I changed my calculations. And we wouldn't starve either. Good to know.

The innkeeper's eyes flashed between Kaya and me as I pocketed the money. With her hands on her hips, the innkeeper seemed to make up her mind about something. "She trusts you", was her observation.

This prompted me to look at Kaya as well. The easy-going smile from the beginning of the day was gone. Instead, she held herself rigidly; fixed in place close to my elbow with one hand resting close to where I knew she kept her slingshot. "Yeah", I answered. Almost slow as I spent a little too much time studying Kaya's necklace. "We're family".

Seemingly pleased by my response, the innkeeper nodded once before walking over to where the cook had abandoned a bubbling pot on the stove. "You seem like nice kids. Eat before you go", the innkeeper ordered as she filled two bowls with some rich stew and stuck a spoon into each bowl. "On the house".

My mouth watered. But as the innkeeper held out the bowls for us to take, I hesitated. Kaya needed to get out of here. I wanted to get back to the others. Still… free food was free food. Solving the dilemma for me, Kaya accepted her bowl first. "Thank you", she whispered to her feet.

"Um, yeah. Thanks!" I agreed as I took my own bowl. The Innkeeper watched as we took our first bites. There was an explosion of flavor on my tongue that lead to taking quicker bites. Savory. Meaty. Oh, La! Where had this stew been my whole life? The meat was tender. The potatoes melted in my mouth. And the carrots were like little bits of gold just waiting to be found. As awful as that old man was, at least he knew how to cook a decent meal.

An indulgent smile grew on the Innkeeper's face. One that made her look younger. "Now, I have some advice for you", she announced as the cook reentered the kitchen. Seeing the bowls in our hands, he grumbled something about freeloaders on his way to check the ovens. "I hear you're looking for your father. If he is fighting, you'll most likely find him along the coast. That's where the front lines are".

Nodding, I figured that made sense. We were water-tribe. And the best opposing force to fire was water. Dad wouldn't want to be too far away from it. Especially during a fight. May La protect him. With her spoon in her mouth, Kaya inched closer to me. I figured out why a second later. Though the Innkeeper didn't seem to notice.

"When you need to stop for supplies avoid the smaller settlements. The Fire Nation has occupied many of them, but they haven't been as successful with the cities". Sound advice. I nodded again. "And be wary of what you tell strangers and say in public. Neighbors are turning on neighbors to keep the Fire Nation's attention off them. And the Fire Nation is willing to pay for information. Making foreigners an easy target".

Suddenly, I was grateful we made Aang wear that disguise. "Yes, Ma'am", I replied with manners that would've made Gran-gran proud. "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind".

The innkeeper opened her mouth to say one more thing, but a sound outside the kitchen distracted her. "My cabbages!" A voice wailed followed by many choked sobs.

Sighing, the innkeeper moved towards the doors. "I better see what that's about", she muttered to herself. Before she left the kitchen completely, the innkeeper looked over her shoulder at us. "Put your bowls in the basin when you're done and be safe". She left before I could say thank you again.

"After this, we'll meet up with the others", I told Kaya as I shoveled a few more spoonfuls into my mouth. Kaya ate at a slower pace. "I'm not sure if there's time to shop. But maybe we can come back in the morning to buy food".

"You know", the old man started. "It's going to be hard finding your father while dragging along dead weight". Kaya stopped eating. "A strong, resourceful boy like you could travel a lot faster without girly attached to your hip. It'd be safer too. Having hair like that must attract a lot of attention".

I stopped eating. There were a few mouthfuls left in my bowl, but I stopped eating. "Kaya's strong and resourceful too". You had to be resourceful to survive back home. And Kaya didn't lack strength. That much was clear after she stood up to Prince Scarface.

"You could leave her here", the old man kept going. As if I hadn't said anything. "It wouldn't be hard to find girly work". His eyes seemed almost transfixed by Kaya's Water Tribe-styled and oddly colored hair.

Long ago, before Dad left, he'd tell me stories about the other nations. Everything he knew about their customs, mannerisms, and beliefs he shared. "We may live isolated lives, but that's no excuse to live unaware", Dad claimed. One thing Dad talked about often was the differences between us and the others. "Differences don't make us better", he explained. "But it's important to understand". The people of the South Pole share everything they have. The others don't. The people of the South Pole respect and honor their elders. That's not always true elsewhere. The People of the South Pole are a family. The others are too large to live like that. The People of the South Pole value and protect their daughters, mothers, and sisters. For the others… It can be hard to be a woman.

Comprehension hit like a hard ball of ice during a snow fight. I didn't understand before. What was hard about being a woman? All they had to do was cook and clean. But after meeting Suki and her warriors, after watching Kaya tense under the old man's stare, I got it; what Dad tried to explain. "I'd pay you well for her", said the cook. I took the bowl from Kaya's hands and stacked it on my own before using my free hand to tug her behind me. She went willingly. "Though with a discount for the scars on girly's arms".

What do I say to that? I mean… I know my answer. But how to make it clear that this old man was… was… just as bad a Fire Nation soldier!

The innkeeper stomped in. "Something's upset Qianfan. He can't stop talking about the malicious slaughtering of his produce", she said with an eye roll before she paused and took in the state of her kitchen. After studying my protective stance in front of Kaya, her eyes narrowed on the cook. "What happened?" She asked, a hard edge of warning in her voice.

"Nothing", the old man answered without missing a beat.

I didn't miss a beat either. "He wanted to buy Kaya to… to…" I couldn't even finish that sentence.

Luckily, I didn't have to. In two long strides, the innkeeper reached the ovens. Raising her hand high above her head, she smacked the cook on the back side of his skull. "There's no business like that in my establishment!" The innkeeper roared as the old man cowered behind his ladle.

"Think of the profit", the old man tried as the innkeeper continued to beat on him. At one point, she took the ladle from him and started using that instead. "Travelers are less and less common these days. We need to diversify!"

But the innkeeper wasn't having it. It was thrilling and gratifying to see. "Threatening kids with such matters!" She roared. She was so loud that the sobbing cabbage man couldn't be heard any longer. "I won't have it!"

The old man broke not long after. Sputtering apologies as he tried to use his hands to block incoming blows from his ladle. "Come on, Kaya", I said; reaching behind me for her hand. When I felt her fingers lace through mine, we moved. First making a brief stop by the basin to drop off the bowls.

"I'm absolutely disgusted", the innkeeper continued. But she paused long enough to see us out. "I apologize for him", she said with an irate shake of her head; knowing an apology would never be enough to make up for what her cook had suggested. "Go. He won't bother you again. I'll make sure of it. Go and watch out for each other".

"Yes, Ma'am", I said before leading Kaya out of the kitchen.

Before we left the inn, the innkeeper could be heard yelling, "I'll report you to King Bumi for this! But only after I've knocked you senseless!"

I wanted to laugh at the man cowering before the innkeeper. In any other context, it would have been a funny sight. But Kaya's hand in mine prevented that. There was nothing funny about what she must have felt. And it made me think. How much of the world did I not understand?

Back at the meeting point, I leaned on the stone railing with my elbows. The sun was setting behind the city, and down below lamplighters could be seen as they started their routes. "Kaya", I said slowly. "You know you can tell me things, right?"

The yellow-haired girl stood at my side as her hands fiddled with the fringed ends of a blue scarf she now wore draped over her head and wrapped around her shoulders. Once we left the inn, we headed straight for the meeting point with only one detour.

"Things your feeling". Even if I didn't really like talking about that stuff. "Things that happen to you. I'll listen".

Kaya's hand remained encased in mine as we pushed our way through the streets of Omashu. My steps were hurried and I had to make sure Kaya kept up. But I needed to get us out of there. We needed to find meet up with Katara and Aang so we could go back to Appa. Because the sooner we got to the North Pole, the better. At least then we'd be amongst the Water Tribe once more. However, the sight of a textile vendor had me stilling unexpectantly before we left the market. Kaya ran into me because of it.

"Katara's better at it than I am. Aang too, probably. But I'll try. If you talk, I'll try".

In front of the vendor, with Kaya blinking in confusion behind me, I pointed to a blue scarf. "Who much for that?" Like Aang, Kaya attracted unwanted attention. I knew that. But how bad that unwanted attention was remained unclear until today.

One silver piece later, I tossed the scarf over Kaya's head. Her hair was still short enough that none of it peaked out. Now, the only thing to look at was a pale face swimming in a sea of blue. The scarf blocked Kaya's necklace which… But this was better. Kaya was water tribe. When the rest of the world looked at her, all they needed to see was blue.

"It's okay to complain sometimes". I kept my eyes on the streets below. Where was Aang and Katara? They better not have gotten lost. "Everyone does. You can tell us when you don't want to do something. Or if something's too hard or too boring. You don't have to just go along with everything".

My eyes turned to Kaya; waiting to see if I'd get a response. Her lips were pressed together as she stared at the sky; thinking. And it occurred to me. She main not be able to. Complain that is. Kaya may not be able to tell us what she felt. What she was thinking, sure. We've made progress in that area. But… We haven't given her any words for feelings. Had we even taught her how to say no?

The yellow-haired girl took her time in replying. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before saying slowly and carefully, "That… man". Wiping her forehead and arching her back with hunched shoulders, Kaya made sure I knew who she was talking about.

"The cook", I helped.

"The cook was… stupid". A laugh bubbled up my throat, causing me to choke on it. When did she learn that word? "Kaya was…" Wrapping her arms around herself, Kaya shivered as she searched for the right word.

"Scared", I supplied. "You were scared".

Kaya nodded. "Kaya was…" She stopped and corrected. "I was scared. But Sokka there, so Kaya okay".

Blushing, I turned back to the city below. My thoughts from early on repeat in my mind. Suki didn't need me. Kaya did. Together, we stood still and quiet as we watched the sunset. Each with our different thoughts as we waited. Kaya was nice. She trusted me. I liked Kaya… and she was here.

It wasn't until the sun had gone down completely that I realized something more pressing. Katara and Aang still hadn't come back. "Ugh!" I complained as my hands gripped either side of my head. There's no way taking a ride in the mail chutes would've taken this long. What had they gotten into? "Oh, La", I said aloud as Kaya looked on in puzzlement. "If Dad knew I lost Katara, he'd kill me".

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Reconvene

Pressing my palms against my ears, I paced up and down the length of the railing. This was bad. "How do I fix this?" I grumbled; changing directions. A city this big… They could be anywhere!

"Sokka", Kaya tried; her eyes following me.

Could Appa track them? Maybe he had a nose like a polar bear dog. I could… I could wave some of Aang's smelly clothes under his nose and he'd fly us straight to him. That could work… in theory.

"Sokka", Kaya tried again as I passed her.

"That could never work". Appa wasn't a polar bear dog. Stupid! And he'd be too noticeable. What if… What if we used him as a distraction?

The next time I changed directions, Kaya was gone. "Kaya!" I squawked as my hands fell from my sides. Worst leader ever. I couldn't even keep two kids and one girl from getting lost. We never should've left the South Pole.

Staying in place, I jerked my left and right; scanning my surroundings. Blue and yellow. Blue and yellow. Look for blue and yellow. Wait… no, just blue. Kaya's hair was covered. But all I saw was green. Women in green dresses. Men in green tunics. Some wore green hats. I kept looking. Eyes darting around in a seemingly random fashion. They only stilled after encountering the first hint of blue. "Kaya!"

Across the way, she stood with her hands behind her back. A tall man with shoulders bigger than Dad's and dressed in a guard's uniform faced her; peering down. "Kaya!" I yelled as I started to run.

"Help", she said to the man. "Friends…"

Crashing into Kaya, I cut her off as my arms wrapped around her. "Kaya, don't do that!" If she got lost or separated, what would she do? It's not like she could travel back to the South Pole by herself. People couldn't understand her and… and-

"Are you the friend she lost?" The guard asked.

My brain started to slow. Kaya shook her head as she tried to pry my arms off her. "Sokka not lost. Aang and Katara… lost". She gave up trying to get me to let go and chose to focus on the guard entirely. "Help please".

Flummoxed, mouth gaping, my arms flopped to my sides as if boneless. The guard nodded. He could understand her. "When did you last see them?" The guard asked; casting a suspicious look my way.

"Here", Kaya answered as she pointed to our spot by the railing. She could… understand him too. I was starting to feel a little foolish. "Um", Kaya turned towards me. "Sokka, when?"

When? When did we see Aang and Katara last? "Oh, late morning", I told the guard.

Kaya nodded as she went on to explain, "Aang and Katara go ride…" Her vocabulary failed her. So instead, Kaya turned and pointed to one of the many mail chutes.

Tracking her finger, the guard's eyes lit up with comprehension as soon as he saw what Kaya was pointing at. "Oh, those delinquents". His tone darkened.

"Delinquents?" I asked and was ignored.

"Come with me", said the guard. "I know where they are". He turned and Kaya followed. I was still trying to pick up my jaw from the ground. A few steps away, Kaya looked back. "Sokka?" She called.

It was enough. Running, I caught up. "That was amazing", I told her as we continued after the guard. Why hadn't I thought of that? Kaya blinked in confusion.

We were in a palace. The guard took us to King Bumi! Oh, La. What did Aang and Katara do? What if they got thrown into a dungeon?

The stone under our feet was smooth and polished to the point that it shined like metal. Pillars lined the walls with guards stationed at each one. And on each wall hung an Earth Kingdom tapestry. The man leading us walked with his shoulders back and eyes straight ahead. He paid no mind to his colleagues standing at their posts. I, however; couldn't ignore their presence or guarded stares. One, two… Three, four, five. There were five on each side. All to protect one hall? Just how big was Omashu?

While not confident like the man leading us, Kaya did not seem to notice the armed guards lining the hall. Instead, her eyes were skyward; her head tilted back. She studied the tall, arched, stone ceilings with wonder. Often causing her arm to bump into mine as she forgot how close together we walked. No structure back home was this tall or vast. To have one would be a waste of resources and space. Especially for when the men returned and our people went back to following the herds.

At the end of the hall, a single chair sat on a raised dais. More of a throne. And I can only think of one type of person who sits on a throne. This one contained a wilting old man with more hair on his chin than on his scalp. He sat in green robes with a matching funny hat; his back hunched and the fingers on his calloused hands curled in. With boggish eyes, the man watched our approach; making me wonder if the old dude was all there.

Our guard stopped a few feet away before bowing. Kaya and I came to a halt behind him. "King Bumi, these two claim to be traveling with the two delinquents who were brought to you earlier", our guard explained. Only straightening out of his brow after doing so.

A small shift in his seat was the only spark of interest the old man showed. "Is that so?" He asked in a weathered voice. King Bumi's eyes darted over us, seemingly unconcerned.

Leaving Kaya behind the guard, I took a step forward. "Please your…. Kingliness?" How does one address a king? I offered a small bow and deferred my eyes; hoping it was the correct choice. "They're my sister and her friend. And I apologize for anything they did wrong". My palms were sweating and I had to fight the urge to dry them on my pants. With no indication I was heard or that it was correct, slowly, I stood straight. "Are they okay?"

King Bumi stared at me without blinking. It made my fingers twitch. "Your sister and friend", King Bumi began after a long uncomfortable moment, "Were charged with vandalism, the destruction of cabbages, and traveling under false pretenses. You and your companion are also guilty of that last one".

Leaning ever so slightly, Kaya peered around the guard in front of her and locked eyes with the old king. Her brown eyes blinked up at him. Seemingly unaware we were being accused of something. "False pretenses?" I tried to play dumb; laughing to hide my nerves. "What? No. We'd never do that".

King Bumi leaned forward on his throne and laced his fingers together where they rested in front of him. "You are not traveling with the Avatar?" One overgrown eyebrow rose to be higher than the other.

Inside, I was panicking. Did those two dummies blow our biggest secret? Please tell me Aang didn't do something stupid like airbend in a place as populated as Omashu. "You…" Another laugh I hoped didn't give myself away as I rubbed the back of my head and attempted to know nothing. "You think my sister is the avatar? We're just two kids from the South Pole traveling with friends".

The king grunted, unimpressed as his gaze swung over to Kaya. "You, girl. Are you traveling with the avatar?"

Wide-eyed, I turned my head to look at the yellow-haired girl. At first, Kaya looked over her shoulders as if to check to see if there were anyone else King Bumi could be referring to. When she saw no one, Kaya faced the front at pointed a finger at herself. A clear nonverbal question. King Bumi nodded once; barely blinking and his focus never leaving Kaya.

"Aang…" Kaya started slowly. Though she trailed off when I started making shushing noises; glancing at me with confusion. A hard look from the guard who led us here caused me to stop; a shiver shooting up my spine.

"Go on", King Bumi prompted.

"Aang say 'vatar a lot". Her pronunciation was wrong but understandable enough. I slapped a hand over my eyes to hide my face. They're doomed. We're doomed! "What is 'vatar?" Kaya asked; making the guards eye her curiously.

Let out a snort of humor, King Bumi unlaced his hands and slumped back into his throne. "She let the avatar out of the bag". He paused, waiting. For something… Was that supposed to be a joke? An awkward silence filled the hall. The guards seemed used to it. And all King Bumi did was pout with disappointment. If I wasn't worried about the others, I could've related. No one like my jokes either.

King Bumi continued before the silence could linger too long. "For their crimes, I sentenced your sister and the Avatar to…"

My hands shook. Please don't say death. Please don't say death.

"A feast and imprisonment for the length of one night and a day".

…. What?... What!

"The avatar and your sister are currently in the refurbished chamber that was once bad". Kaya silently mouthed the words King Bumi just said. Mulling over them in her mind as she tried to work out their meaning. "You can pick them up tomorrow at noon". To indicate he was done speaking, King Bumi waved a hand. The rings on his fingers glistened.

Wait… No! The guard we walked here with turned around. "Let's go", he said; arms held up to usher us out of the hall.

Kaya's forehead wrinkled as she thought; taking small steps towards the exit so she wouldn't get pushed. "Aang and Katara?" she asked.

"Tomorrow", the guard answered. Sounding neither friendly nor hostile.

"Wait!" I yelled over my shoulder as I was forced to move back down the hall. "You're not going to hurt them, are you?"

King Bumi raised one hand in the air as if waving goodbye. "You'll find out tomorrow", he jovially called back. This guy is nuts!

Kaya and I went back to Appa, leaving Omashu with starlight lighting the way. "He said he'll give them back, right?" I muttered to myself; feeling worse and worse the further we got from Omashu's gates. "I mean, he said he would". Kaya walked ahead; concern etched into her face as she glanced back at me every few steps. She understood we were going to come back for the others tomorrow. Though, I'm not sure if she understood why. "It's just one night. They'll be fine that long".

Saying these things out loud wasn't helping me feel better. When Appa came into sight, Kaya jogged the last couple of steps. Her scarred hands reached out to scratch his furry head. The giant bison was gentle as he rumbled a greeting. Though when he didn't see Aang, Appa rumbled a second time. This one came out sounding like a question. As if a bison could ask questions. "Aang, Katara, and Momo will be back tomorrow", I told the bison as I got closer. Was Momo with them? I thought so but wasn't so sure now.

Appa lowered his head until it rested on the ground. I couldn't decide if the action was because he missed Aang or because he liked Kaya's attention. So Appa could spend the day resting, Aang had removed Appa's saddle before we left for Omashu. Our stuff was sheltered under it in case it rained or if anyone found it. Reaching under it, I dug out two bedrolls and other camping supplies.

What did King Bumi want with them… with Aang that would only take a night and a day? Was that enough time to pass Aang off to the fire nation? Finding the flint and some kindling we kept on hand, I started to build a fire, shaking my head. No, that didn't make sense. Omashu was refreshingly fire nation free. The innkeeper sure made it seem like they had no dealings with fire nation soldiers. The kindling caught some of the sparks flying off the flint. I hunched over to gentle breath over them until they burned stronger. The Earth Kingdome wouldn't want to hurt Aang, right? He was the Avatar. If legend was to be believed, Aang was our last hope.

Sitting back, I watched the flames flickering around the wood. If King Bumi lied to us and we didn't get Katara and Aang back tomorrow, what do I do?

"Sokka?" Kaya's voice broke me out of my musings.

Looking up, she stood on the other side of the fire. Her arms wrapped around her bedroll with Appa laying behind her. Kaya's features were shadowed thanks to the limited light the fire provided. It was eerie not being able to see her eyes clearly.

"Sokka… scared?" She asked, slowly finding her words.

I blinked. Impressed she remembered our conversation from earlier. Not that Kaya had a poor memory. But picking up a new word after only using it once was something to be proud of. However, I didn't expect her to use the word against me.

The fire crackled as I stared at her. Was I scared? No. I couldn't be scared. There wasn't time. I had problems to solve and a sister to rescue. Scared wasn't allowed and… And… Kaya looking at me; patiently waiting for a response had me slowing. A few hours ago, I told her she could tell me things. Thoughts. Feelings. Would she believe I meant it, if I didn't talk about those things too?

"Yeah". Admitting it was hard. It felt like there was a rock sitting on my tongue. "I'm scared".

Kaya nodded. As if she suspected as much. She hugged her bedroll tighter against her chest. "Kaya… I can help?"

Was that a question or an offer? My eyes narrowed. I think it was a question. "Can I help?" I corrected; enunciating slowly.

Kaya parroted the question back to me; staring across the fire. I felt my muscles loosen. "You already have". Because of Kaya, we knew where Aang and Katara were. At first, when they didn't meet us, all I did was panic… because I was scared…

At noon, we returned to Omashu. Just as we were told. It was a challenge not to go earlier. But other than loiter in front of King Bumi's palace, what else was there for us to do? Kaya spent the morning brushing Appa. Much to the bison's contentment. I couldn't stop pacing. Trying to kill time as quickly as possible.

Once the sun was centered in the sky, I started for the gates. "Come on, Kaya". With a final pat for Appa, the yellow-haired girl followed wordlessly. Running a few steps off and on to keep up. I should slow down. But knew I couldn't. Please, Katara. Be okay. What would Dad and Gran-gran say if I let her get kidnapped by an Earth Kingdom king?

Different from yesterday, we were let in with no questions about our purposes or identities. Like we were expected. Passing through the earthbending-powered gate, I gulped and clenched my hands into fists; mentally preparing to march back to King Bumi's place and demand the release of Aang and my sister.

Except… there was no need. My hands uncurled. Standing at the same meeting place we agreed on yesterday was Katara. Her back was towards us as she watched the crowds of people below with Momo clinging to her shoulders. A couple of bags packed with food sat by her feet.

"Katara!" Kaya called; leaving my side to hurry to my sister.

At the sound of her name, Katara turned; greeting Kaya with a wide smile as soon as she recognized the yellow-haired girl despite Kaya's blue scarf. Katara looked fine. I thought as Kaya reached Katara and wrapped her arms around Katara's shoulders. Causing Momo to let out a series of squeaks as he scurried back and forth between the two girls' shoulders. Katara's hair looked the same. There were no bruises or injuries as far as I could tell. Exhaling as the girls finished their hug, I joined them. Momo choosing Kaya's person over Katara's. Did this mean I never had to tell Dad about this? That sounded nice.

"King Bumi said we'd meet you here", Katara said. She sounded to be in high spirits for someone who was just imprisoned. Guess that means 'the room that was once bad' really was refurbished. "Sorry, Aang and I didn't show up yesterday. I hope you didn't worry".

I wanted to say I wasn't worried. I knew she and Aang would be fine. None of this was a big deal. Kaya beat me to it. "Sokka scared", she announced as Momo decided to nestle himself between Kaya's head and her scarf. Kaya reached up to scratch Momo behind one of his ears. Causing the lemur to purr a nuzzle against her cheek.

"No, I wasn't", I argued. Though Katara didn't look convinced; eyeing me with… with… She actually looked apologetic. Why? Just because I felt something? If that was all it took to get her to say sorry for stuff, maybe I should say I'm scared more often. "What's all this?" I asked; gesturing to the stuff by her feet. Better change the subject away from my feelings. "Where's Aang?"

"Supplies. King Bumi bought it for us", Katara answered, appearing very proud about what she and Aang managed to contribute by, you know, getting locked away for a night. "He gave us this too". Taking out a small purse, she tossed it at me.

It was easy to catch but the weight of it had me taken back. So did the jingling sound it gave off when it landed in my hand. Wary, I peeked inside. Money. Way more than what Kaya and I made from working yesterday. Why would King Bumi give them money or buy them food? "Weren't you in trouble for vandalism and…" What was the other reason? "Something about cabbages? Why would he give you stuff?"

Katara's smile broadened. As if the answer was absolutely splendid. "Turns out King Bumi is an old friend of Aang. That's where Aang is right now. They wanted to ride the mail chutes together before we left".

An old friend? My shoulders drooped. "You mean this King Bumi is over a hundred years old?" Katara nodded. "And he remembered Aang?" She nodded again. "So why did you get charged for riding the mail chute and… and something about cabbages?" I asked; waving the hand that wasn't holding the bag of money.

"He said it was a test for Aang". Katara shrugged. "But I think he just wanted an excuse for the two of them to play".

My jaw dropped. All those…. Feelings just so Aang could have a playdate with an old friend? That's it! I'm never going to worry about him ever again.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

The Foodless Forest

There was nothing in this forest. Silent in its emptiness. From game scurrying to hide in the grass to winged animals fluttering from branch to branch. Nothing. What was this place? Kneeling on the forest floor, I rubbed some moss between my fingers. No tracks. No tufts of fur. No animal residue of any kind. The only thing alive here were the plants. And I couldn't figure out why. Things were alive but there was no food. At least, not things people can eat.

Sighing, I let the moss slip through my fingers. We ran out of the food King Bumi gave us yesterday. Camping in this forest for the night was supposed to be our opportunity to hunt and gather enough to last us a couple of days. But a forest with no animals… something had happened here. "Kaya". The yellow-haired girl looked up from where she sat at the base of a tree; fingers shifting through the dirt. "Let's go further in". Maybe we could find a pond or a river and fish. It was either that or go hungry.

Nodding, Kaya scooped up a pile of something into her hands before standing. "What is that?" I asked; raising to my feet as well. It only took a couple of steps to reach Kaya. She held out her hands for me to see. "Rocks?" I asked. Picking up one and feeling its sharp edges on my fingertips.

"Slingshot", Kaya explained; watching as I put the rock back and started poking through some of the others she held.

Ammo. Made sense. Kaya had been practicing with her slingshot a lot since leaving Omashu. Every time we made camp. As soon as the chores were done. Her hands were callused now. From repeatedly pulling back the sling and steadying its handle in her non-dominant hand. There weren't easy to see with her scars. But when we held hands, I could feel them.

"This isn't a rock", I said; picking up one that was smoother and rounder than the others. "It's a nut".

"Nut?" Kaya repeated. Frowning a little at the nut in my hand.

"Yeah. Something we can eat. But too little to fill you up". As an example, I closed my hand into a fist to crack its shell. Kaya leaned forward to watch as I peeled the little brown foodstuff from its protective layer. Popping the nut in my mouth, I crunched down and winced as a dry bitter taste coated my tongue. "Food", I explained. "But gross".

Kaya tilted her head to the side. "I find more", she said after finding the right words; gesturing her full hands. And she had. Looking closely, amongst the jagged sharp rocks were smooth round nuts. "More by the tree", Kaya shared; pointing her chin to where she had been sitting.

Nuts, huh? I thought; staring at the spot Kaya indicated. Better than not eating completely. Still… I glanced up at the tree branches arching over our heads. Why were there no animals around that ate the nuts? Something was wrong with this forest.

Holding open the flap of my game bag, I asked with my eyes for Kaya to drop her findings inside; rocks and nuts. We could sort them out once we got back. "Nuts for dinner", I decided as Kaya did as asked. "Let's find as many as we can".

Nodding, Kaya turned back to the base of the tree; reaching up to tuck a strand of loose yellow hair behind her ear as she searched. Her scarf hung loosely over her shoulders and pooled over the back of her tunic. I gave the area one last wary look-around before joining her. Kaya and I would find what we could and rejoin the others. We could put up with one night of grumbling stomachs and leave at first light for a place that didn't feel off. A forest this green shouldn't be this quiet.

Katara and Aang were already there when we returned. By the looks of it, they began the other chores. A pile of kindling sat in front of Aang and Katara was occupied with our bed rolls. I guess that, and the lack of food meant they hadn't found much either.

Spotting us first, Aang stood up. "You're back! What did you find?"

Kaya moved away as I swung my bag in front of me. She headed for the water skins to take a long drink and splash some on her dirt-covered hands before taking a spot next to Katara. Taking over Katara's task of unrolling the bedrolls when Katara moved to see what I brought.

Digging through my bag, it wasn't hard to find what I was looking for. There were only two types of things in there for me to pull out. "Nuts", I announced. "We got round nuts and oval-shaped nuts and some type of rock-shaped nuts". Those I studied a bit more closely. If only to ignore the disappointed looks on Aang's and Katara's faces. No, not nuts. These were Kaya's slingshot rocks. I put the rocks back in my bag. We'd sort them out later. "Which ones do you want?"

Katara inched closer; picking up a nut and studying it alongside Aang. "Is this it?"

"There's not much in this forest". They must have noticed it too. Not enough food meant few animals, and few animals made for poor hunting. "What did you find?" I asked. Though I could guess the answer. Katara and Aang continued to stare down disappointedly at the small pile of nuts. I felt the same. But at least Kaya and I brought something back.

Momo found his way to Aang and scurried up his leg until he could rest on his shoulders. Katara and Aang opened their mouths at the same time. Though they didn't get to say anything. Cut off by a booming quake as the earth rattled. Appa rumbled discontent as Momo shrieked and pressed himself flat against Aang.

"What was that?" I asked; looking in all directions. Kaya pressed her hands flat against the ground. As if that would allow her to feel something. Based on our positions, we either stood or sat in silence; thinking and wondering about what just happened.

Until it occurred a second time. A resounding boom echoed from the distance. "Over there", Aang announced; pointing. Katara sprang up and followed after Aang as he ran off; taking Momo with them.

"Wait!" I yelled after them. "Shouldn't we be running the other way? When have huge booms ever led to a good thing?" Of course, they didn't stop. Not even to look back. Frustrated, I groaned under my breath. Despite the lack of game, if this is how they hunted; running after everything that made a sound, it's no wonder they didn't find anything for dinner. "Kaya", I called; gesturing to her before Aang and my sister could get too far. "Do you want to stay with Appa or come with me?" She was moving before I finished; reaching for my hand.

Chasing Katara and Aang led us to the edge of a ravine. Staying within the tree line, we crouched behind a felled tree. Aang and Katara barely noticed us joining them. Their eyes were fixed on the source of all the noise. A boy wearing green with hair as long as Katara's stood in the dirt. Moving his arms and legs in forceful punches and kicks as boulders floated and soared in the air as if weightless.

Kaya's breath hitched in her throat as she stared at the sight. Meanwhile, Katara exclaimed, "An Earthbender!" This wasn't Kaya's first time seeing Earthbending. We had seen plenty in Omashu. But it was more controlled and deliberate in the city. This was… raw.

Aang didn't seem to think so. "Let's say hello". He suggested; spirits high.

Reaching behind Kaya, I pulled her scarf over her yellow hair. "He could be dangerous", I observed; remembering what the innkeeper told me about what we said around others. Once Kaya started fixing her scarf herself, I looked away from the Aang and Katara. Watching as Kaya carefully tucked away loose hairs under the blue fabric. Katara and I had a story to tell. We left the South Pole to find our dad. But there was only one person alive with an arrow tattooed on his head. And Kaya wasn't fluent in our language. Those two would always stick out. "Maybe we should-"

"Hi! I'm Katara". My head snapped to my other side. Only to see that my sister was no longer there. Instead, she was approaching the stranger as if he were an old friend. I slapped a hand over my face and groaned. And she wonders why I didn't like it when she left the village by herself. By La, I swear, there were penguin otters with a better sense of caution.

Startled, the earthbender gasped; falling out of his stance as his movements halted. Causing the boulder he was bending to plummet to the ground. A small cloud of dust swirled up around it upon impact. He stared at Katara; eyes wide and mouth gapped. As if a girl standing in front of him, waving and smiling, was a terrifying sight. His eyes barely flickered over the faces of Aang, me, and Kaya before turning and running. Waving his arms behind him as if he was a bird trying to take flight; making boulders and rocks roll to cover his path and hide his escape.

Feeling a little relieved, I exhaled through my nose as Aang stood. "Must've been late for something", he guessed. Always the optimist.

Katara turned back to us, shrugging a little with a disappointed frown. "I just wanted to talk". In a way, I understood. Kind of. Our world grew a lot when we found Kaya and Aang. Knowing there were things and people outside of the South Pole was one thing. Actually seeing them was even better. But… Kaya was looking at me. Slowly, she started pulling her scarf from her head; returning it to her shoulders. As if trying to gauge if I would stop her. But the innkeeper said we needed to be careful. And I believed her.

"It's probably for the best", I said as I climbed to my feet. "Less of a risk of someone saying they saw the Avatar in the foodless forest of the Earth Kingdom". Kaya copied me and started brushing dirt off her skirt.

My reminder of our current location seemed to spark something in Aang. "Hey! I bet that guy was late for dinner. He must be running home. Maybe he knows where we can get food. Like a village!"

Katara was eager to jump aboard. "Which means no nuts for dinner". Just as slowly as before, Kaya raised her scarf to cover her hair once again.

"Wait", I said. But it was too late. Aang and Katara were already running ahead; finding a path around the wall of boulders. "Remember what the innkeeper told me!" I called after them. "We need to stay out of the smaller settlements!" Especially since we didn't know which villages were under Fire Nation occupation and which were still free. Aang and Katara never looked back. Momo flew after them. It was like they expected the run into people like Suki and King Bumi where ever we went. And not people like Zuko.

Turning back to Kaya, I held out my hand; defeated. Kaya didn't need prompting to grab hold of it. "What do you want to eat?" I asked as we started forward. "Maybe we can find it in this village". If it didn't only exist in Aang's and Katara's hopes.

"Um…" Kaya thought, tucking her chin into the folds of her scarf. "Bread?" She asked.

I nodded. All of us, except maybe Aang, had tried a lot of foods since leaving home. Bread being one of them. Kaya had liked those pastries from Kyoshi island. And the small loaves King Bumi gave us. I didn't mind it either. It tasted great with some jerky on top. "We'll look". I promised. "Just", I paused right before we passed the boulders. Kaya stopped next to me. "If anyone asks you… anything, say you're Kaya from the water tribe. Okay?"

Kaya nodded; a slow bow of her head as my words sank in. I didn't remind her to keep the scarf on her head. There wasn't a need.

Turns out, there was a town. A mining town. Small enough that there were only a few structures and even fewer vendors. Eyes were on us as we walked through the street. Not used to the styles of the water tribe and air nomads, we stood out. Though no one seemed agitated that we were here. Just curious. "Nice hat", Aang said to a vendor as we passed; Momo perched on his head as if trying to get a good look. He was all smiles as he walked on the other side of Kaya.

Katara stopped a few steps ahead of us. Her attention was on a door that just snapped shut. "That boy went inside". She moved for the door.

"Katara, he didn't want to talk to us", I tried; stepping forward and leaving Aang and Kaya to make up the rear. "Let's just buy some food and leave".

Katara wasn't listening. She waved a hand at the closed door. "But it's a shop. We can buy our food there. Why should we go somewhere else?" As if buying food was her only motivation. Katara opened the door before I could say anything else. "Katara", I hissed as the door shut behind her. Wasn't this a bit rude? Making someone talk to you who didn't want to.

Aang approached and put a hand on my shoulder; Momo along for the ride. "All business is good business, right?" He asked before opening the door and holding it for all of us to enter.

Giving in, I gestured for Kaya to go in ahead of me. "There better be bread".

Inside the shop, there wasn't much. Barrels on one side. Crates of produced on the other. Behind the front counter a woman with graying hair and bags under her eyes stood; her eyes wary as she listened to whatever Katara was saying. At least there was food.

Close to the counter was the boy, expression almost pleading. "Wasn't me. It must've been somebody else".

The woman behind the counter narrowed her eyes. While Aang failed to read the boy's face. "No. Katara's right. We saw you Earthbending".

The reaction was almost immediate. The boy winced and took a step back from all of us. The woman gasped as if pained before she darted out from behind the counter. Kaya moved closer to me, her hand hovering over her slingshot. While the rest of us just looked confused. The woman dashed for the small window. The only one in the shop. She slammed it shut and secured the latch. As if blocking out the light was all the protection they needed from… whatever this was. Next was the door. She made sure it was locked before whirling around. The woman glared at the boy. "Haru, what are they talking about?" I recognized that tone. It had been a long time since I last heard. But mom had sounded similar the time I put a handful of snow down the back of Katara's coat.

"Mom, don't listen to them". The boy tried to defend himself. "They're outsiders. They don't know anything".

Haru wasn't believed. "You know why Earthbending is dangerous", the woman scolded. The happiness Katara and Aang had been expressing having found the boy again slipped off their faces. I turned my head to Kaya; trying to give mother and son some privacy. Because, dude, I get it. Getting yelled at in front of others was awful. "If you were caught, what would happen to you? What would I do?"

They were interrupted by pounding on the door. "Time to pay up!" A demanding voice announced.

The color drained from Haru's mom's face. Something told me this wasn't an expectant visitor. Nudging Kaya to move closer to the others, I tip-toed to the window; taking a peek through the slots on the wooden shutter. Outside, standing at the door, was a man who spent a little too much time grooming his mustache dressed in the uniform of a Fire Nation soldier. Because, of course, that would be our luck. "Fire nation", I warned; tearing away from the window. Though Haru and his mom were already moving. Moving some more expensive-looking items under the counter and quickly checking to see if anything was left out that shouldn't be. "We need to try to blend in", I told Aang and the girls.

Katara grabbed a random basket of berries. Aang tried to take up an air of casualness as he leaned against a barrel. Though Momo clinging to him didn't help. Kaya just looked confused; watching as everyone hurried to get in position. Her eyes held wide as her fingers fidgeted with the frayed ends of her scarf. So, I moved to stand in front of her; picking up an apple and holding it out to Haru as if asking a question.

There was a second knock on the door. Haru's mom stiffly walked to answer it. "What do you want?" She asked; sounding braver than she looked. The Fire Nation solider walked into the shop, twisting a finger in the end of his mustache, and staring disdainfully at everyone present. "I have customers", she stated. Making it clear this was a huge inconvenience.

After a long lingering look around the shop, the man focused his eyes on Haru's mom. "That is good. Since I'm here to collect". Kaya pressed her hands against my back as Haru gave up the act and moved closer to his mom.

"I already paid you this week", Haru's mom declared; sounding furious. If only the tremor in her hands didn't give her away. Katara put the basket down and Aang straightened as the man moved further into the room. Even Momo picked up that this was not a good time; his ears lay pinned.

"The tax was doubled", the man said, sounding bored.

"That's-" Haru started to say. A scowl on his face. Though he was cut off by the man raising his hands and holding them about a foot apart.

"Remember", he sneered. "Your taxes protect you". Sparks started flying between his hands. Tensing, I reached an arm back. Even though Kaya was already behind me. Maybe I could use it to keep her there. I don't know. "We wouldn't want any… accidents after all". The sparks continued. Swirling and wrapping around themselves until a ball of flames floated between his hands. "Fire", the man paused to lick his lips. "Can be so unpredictable".

The threat hung heavily over our heads and I was taken back to that horrible day the Fire Nation raided my home. And that was just one day of loss. It sounded like these people had been living with them for a while.

With a stiff back and a warning glance at her son, Haru's mom led the man to the counter. Moving out of the way, I kept my arm back; ushering Kaya with me. My hand itched for my boomerang or the hilt of my hunting knife. But I swallowed the impulse. In close quarters with this many people, starting a fight would end with avoidable damage. And the building was wooden. Making the threat of fire worse. There was also no way of knowing if any more Fire Nation soldiers in the area would come to help their friend.

Reaching for a small wooden chest left on the countertop, Haru's mom showed it to the man. Reluctantly opening it and passing what little coin was inside into the man's greedy hand. With boiling hate, Haru watched the exchange while my family tried to be as unnoticeable as possible. Even Katara had the sense to remain quiet.

Lips curled back, the man sorted through the coins in his hand before turning for the door. As soon as I saw his back, I breathed a little easier. "We don't need the copper ones", the man declared as if doing Haru and his mom a big favor. He dropped four coins onto the floor before walking out the door.

No one moved. Not until the door swung shut behind him. "How long has the Fire Nation been here?" Aang asked; gripping his staff with both hands as I returned my arm to my side. Kaya peered around me; frowning at the sight of Haru's mom on her knees to pick up the copper pieces. Katara wore the same frown. I could guess what she was thinking.

Worn and weary, Haru's mom answered like a woman who needed to take to her bed. "Five years", she answered. My hands curled into fists as Katara lowered her head to stare at her feet. Five years ago, the Fire Nation also raided our village and killed our mother. "Fire Lord Ozai needs our town's coal to fuel his ships". This jerkface lord sure was busy five years ago. Was there a person alive his war hasn't affected?

Haru was done. Turning his back to everyone in the shop, he approached the counter until he was close enough to bang his fist against its surface. "They're thugs. All they do is steal. And nobody's willing to do anything about it". Yeah… I knew that feeling. I've felt it. It was like a brand of anger that existed only for the Fire Nation.

"Enough, Haru!" His mom scolded, panicked eyes flying towards the door. "If people heard you talking like that-"

Picking up her head, Katara took a half step forward. I wished she hadn't. "Haru can Earthbend. Maybe he could help".

Haru's mom shook her head before Katara finished; furious at the suggestion. "Bending is forbidden. Any Earthbender found is captured and never seen again". Eyes horrified and pleading, Haru's mom stared at her son. "Haru can never be an Earthbender".

Chin jutted down Haru scowled at the floor. This was just like home. The Waterbenders stolen from our shores… we never saw them again. Though maybe it was worse here. The Fire Nation left once they believed our people were powerless. Here, they stuck around; never allowing anyone a moment of peace.

Katara should get that. It bugged me that she didn't. "You can't ask that". My sister challenged; gesturing with her arms to emphasize her point. How many times had Gran-gran or even Dad talked to her about hiding what she could do? It didn't matter at home. Our people were isolated and united. Katara was safe to splash in the water there. But around strangers, Dad and Gran-gran had been clear. It was better to be a non-bender. "Bending is a gift", Katara kept going. Aang fidgeted anxiously behind her and Haru eyed her curiously. "You can't ask Haru to stop bending. No bender should be asked that. It's a part of us".

"You don't understand", Haru's mom stated; casting Katara's opinions aside.

Opening her mouth, it was clear Katara had more to say. When didn't she? But… It was time to stop. This wasn't our hurt to confront. And if the soldiers in this area were collecting benders, Aang and Katara needed to pass through unnoticed. The most we could do was buy enough food to help Haru and his mom replace what was taken and maybe survive the next time tax collection came around.

"We not here to cause trouble", I said; stepping forward and turning the attention to me. "You're right. We don't understand". Katara looked like she wanted to throttle me. While Haru banged his fist on the counter a second time and his mom let out a harsh breath. "We're just travelers".

"Sokka-" Katara tried to interject. Practically snarling. Aang made conflicted faces behind her. But he's the Avatar. If he's not going to step up, he shouldn't expect us to do it for him.

"Are you still open for business? We need food. We haven't found much in the forest", I said; ignoring Katara as she bristled and the guilty feeling swimming in my gut.

Soothed, Haru's mom nodded; her hands clasped in front of her. "That would be fine". She walked around her son and the counter. "Since the Fire Nation took over, they've stripped our land of most resources. There isn't enough to forage in the forest. The only food we have is what we can raise and grow ourselves. What would you like-"

Haru ran straight for the door, head low and his shoulders close to his ears.

"Haru!" His mom yelled after him as he flung open the door and disappeared onto the street.

"Haru", Katara also yelled as she picked up her feet and hurried after the boy. "Wait!" She did all of this before I could tell her to stop. Not that Katara would've listened anyway. Aang gawked after them; Momo flicked his tail from Aang's shoulders.

Running a hand over my face, I looked at the very scared face of a mother. "Sorry", I said. "If you don't want to sell to us, I understand". We could go back to camp and eat the nuts Kaya and I gathered. That would have to be the consequence for meddling.

Sighing, Haru's mom shook her head. "No. Your money is good here". Her eyes flashed over to the door. And she said in a quieter voice. "It's alright for Haru to feel upset. As long as he's smart about it". Aang moved closer; choosing to stand behind my shoulder. "You won't tell, will you?" Her voice was wistful.

"No", Aang promised; a solemn shake of his head. "Haru's secret is safe with us".

The promise awarded us a genuine smile. It made the feeling in my gut lessen just a tad. Haru's mom started pulling produce and other wares from her shelves. Including a loaf of bread that I was happy to see. "If you're traveling, you'll need lots of supplies", Haru's mom said. She paused right before adding a small clay bottle to the growing pile; her lips pursed. "It could be a while before Haru and the girl come back. We have a barn. How would you like to stay there for the night? You can leave in the morning".

Aang smiled as Kaya inched forward. Once she was close enough, Momo jumped from Aang's head for Kaya's arms. The yellow-haired girl caught him, and held him close; scratching behind his ears. "That would be great", Aang accepted. "Thanks!"

By the time Katara found us in Haru's family barn, Aang had already left and returned with Appa and our stuff. Kaya had already used our freshly bought food to make dinner. "I'm not sure how you thought to put tomatoes and lettuce between bread, but it's good", Aang complimented as he took a bit out of his meal.

Kaya smiled; her back leaning against Appa's flank as the bison munched on hay Aang promised he wouldn't eat. We might have to give Haru's mom more money in the morning. "Its name", Kaya said with careful pronunciation as she pointed to her own meal. A series of gibberish sounds left her mouth. Aang tried to repeat what Kaya had said. It sounded even worse when he did it.

A small giggle left the yellow-haired girl. "We'll have to call it something else", I decided; talking around a mouthful of food. It would have been even better with some jerky stuck in between. But still an improvement to nuts. "Something we can all say". Aang took another bite as I thought. "The Kaya special", I suggested; earning a smile. "How about Kaya's mystery bread thingy?" A full laugh this time; the sound of chirping penguin otter chicks. I felt warmer. Glancing at the door, I wanted Katara to walk through it. When she didn't immediately do so, I felt colder. "How long do you think we'll be able to fly tomorrow?" I asked Aang.

Shrugging, Aang lowered his mystery bread thing away from his face. "Appa got lots of rest today. And we'll all get to sleep well tonight. I bet we can fly pretty far tomorrow".

Good. I nodded. "Do you think-" The door to the barn opened. "Katara!"

My sister stood in the opening. I waited to be yelled at. For her to call me insensitive or tell me I had no idea what it felt like to be a bender and be refused your natural gift. Katara did none of those things. Instead, she said, "You'll never believe what Haru did" as she moved further into the barn.

Kaya moved to hand Katara the mystery bread thing she had set aside for my sister as Katara sat down on a bale of hay. "What?" Aang asked, already interested.

So, she did. About stumbling across a collapsed mine. The old man trapped under the rumple. How Haru pushed passed his fear of being caught to save the man with all his Earthbendingness. Katara only paused to breathe and take a few bites of food. "Haru was so brave", Katara concluded. By the time she finished, our meal was gone. Kaya cleaned up, and our bedrolls were spread out on bales of hay.

"Guess you really made an impression on him", Aang complimented as he lay on his stomach; prompt up by his elbows.

Looking down at her hands resting in her lap, Katara smiled. "Maybe". She sounded pleased with herself. Too pleased, if you asked me. Did she forget everything that went down in the shop today?

"Let's just go to sleep", I suggested. "I want to leave at dawn". Hopefully before anyone else in the town woke. A flying bison was kind of hard to miss after all.

"What?" Katara protested. "We finally have something soft to sleep on. Let's take our time". From the hay bale next to mine, Kaya listened; seemingly able to follow the conversation better than she had been in the past. Would she start arguing with me too once she had the words?

"No", I stated forcefully. I'm glad Katara made a new friend. But that new friend was in danger the longer we hung around. Ourselves too. "There's Fire Nation soldiers all over this town. If they figure out who Aang is, we'll be cooked. Those monsters would eat us for breakfast!" Determined that would be the end of the argument, I rolled over so my back was to Aang and Katara. Placing me face-to-face with Kaya.

Her forehead was wrinkled. "Fire nation eat people?" She followed that? The concern in her voice had me cringing. Great. How could I explain a metaphor using words Kaya knew?

"Not really", I drew out the vowel sounds as I thought. From Kaya's bedroll, Momo poked out his head. He often chose to sleep with Kaya. She didn't roll around in her sleep as much as Aang did. "It's just a saying". Kaya blinked. "A figure of speech". She blinked again. "An expression". Her confusion didn't seem to lessen. Uh… I mean… is it the worst thing for Kaya to believe the fire nation is a bunch of cannibals? All the more reason for her to stay away from them, right? "Um… goodnight! Everyone". I closed my eyes before anyone could say anything else.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

The Rig

Yawning, Kaya rubbed at her eyes before returning to the task on hand. An early start meant all of us were moving slowly and talking quietly. Well… except for Aang, being a morning person. He was downright chipper as we packed and saddled Appa. It made sense to us to prepare Appa in the barn. That way the only chance someone would have of seeing him would be when we were already in the air. As Kaya rolled up our bed rolls, I worked on tying down the bags as Aang threw them up to me. Meanwhile, Katara was outside to fetch water for refilling our water skins. If there was enough left over, I might even allow us the time to wash our faces. The morning was calm and I was grateful for it. That was my mistake.

Katara raced into the barn. No water in sight. "They took him!" She yelled; snapping our attention to her. "Haru is gone. They took him!" Aang gasped as Kaya abandoned her task. Feeling too old for my bones, I climbed down from Appa's saddle. "His mom just told me. The old man, the one we saved, turned him in. Why would he do that?" Katara's hands pressed against her temple as she clutched at her hair. "It's my fault", she mourned. "If I hadn't- It's just… Earthbending shouldn't be a crime".

Approaching, I gave Katara the downward hand motion. Too bad that only works with Kaya. "Slow down", I asked. Once close enough, I grabbed Katara's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze as my other hand rested behind her shoulders. "Tell us what happened".

Katara took a breath that made her shoulders rise and fall. With staff in hand, Aang joined us. Only Kaya remained still; watching and listening as she worried her bottom lip. "It was midnight. Haru's mom said… They just grabbed him!" I flinched. Hard enough that Katara could feel it. So, Haru ended up facing the same fate my people spared Katara from…

I let go and allowed my arms to hang loosely at my sides. Katara knew me well enough to know what that meant. "It's been too long. There's nothing we can do". Aang leaned some of his weight on his staff and frowned down at his feet.

"We have to do something", Katara disagreed; agitatedly gesturing with her hands. "Haru's in this mess because of us".

No, Haru was captured because you wouldn't leave him alone. But I'm not enough of a jerk to say that aloud. Instead, I avoided eye contact and rubbed the back of my neck. Guilt might be the worst feeling. It would be nice if Katara didn't have to know what that felt like. "He's too far to track".

"We don't need to track him", Katara insisted.

I kept going. "We don't know where the Fire Nation took him. Or how many of them we'd have to face. What good is a rescue mission if we end up getting caught?" This wasn't like in the South Pole when Aang and Kaya were taken from us. Then, we had nothing to lose by going after them. Now… to get caught meant handing Aang over to the Fire Lord and that was the exact opposite of what we set out to do.

Nostrils flaring, Katara placed her hands on her hips. At that moment, she looked so much like Mom it was scary. "We don't need to know where Haru is. What if we can rescue Haru without having to fight?"

What if polar bear dogs could fly? What if I could breathe underwater and swim upstream? La! Was she hearing herself? Aang took a more considerate approach. "What do you mean?" He asked; his voice even and trying to not take sides.

"The Fire Nation is arresting benders. If they see me bending, they'll take me straight to Haru". Katara explained.

No. I shook my head. No. Absolutely not! "It was too risky".

Katara glared at me. "Then you guys follow with Appa, and I'll meet you with Haru when we can".

She made it sound so simple! What if they took her to a different place than Haru? What if they kept prisoners separate from each other? We didn't know what the layout was of whatever place she'd be taken. If Katara did find Haru and managed to slip away, how would we know where to meet her? "We're not doing that!" It was alarming I even needed to say it.

Though Katara was already hardheaded like a rock. She might as well be an Earthbender with that stubbornness. "I'm rescuing Haru whether you help or not!" And she stormed off; hands clenched in fists and arms held tensely at her sides.

"Ugh", I groaned at her back; pulling at my hair in frustration. Was I the only sane person here? Aang stared at me; waiting for a decision. My eyes went back and forth between him and the barn door. What to do? "Ugh", I groaned again. This one sounding more pained. I mean, I know what I need to do. I just… don't want to.

When my dilemma wasn't quickly resolved, Aang shrugged in an attempt to be helpful. "Rescuing Haru would be the nice thing to do".

Letting go of my hair, I slouched and gave Aang my best-disgruntled expression. Damn it. "Kaya!" I called. "Don't forget your slingshot".

Katara's plan worked. There was some discussion if she really needed to fake Earthbending when she was a Waterbender. Would they see it as a criminal offense like Earthbending? But Katara wanted to play it safe. So, we used the ventilation shafts of a mine, staged a fight, and watched as my sister got taken away. "Time to follow", I said once Katara and the Fire Nation soldiers were a blur in the distance.

Aang nodded. "Right". He gave a thumbs-up before running for where we hid Appa in the tree line. Momo soared after him. Aang claimed this was fun. Like getting intentionally captured by monsters was something everyone needed to do at least once in their life.

Meanwhile, I tried to not plan my own funeral in my head. Dad asked me to do two things before he left. Look out for the village and protect my sister. Currently, I was not doing the first and failing at the second. Katara better make it through this.

Kaya popped up from her hiding spot; slingshot in hand and blue scarf in place. She joined me as we hurried to climb into Appa's saddle. Aang was already perched on Appa's head; reins in hand. "Stay far enough away that they can't see us, but close enough that we don't lose them. Can you do that?" I asked as Kaya and I took seats right behind Aang.

Peering over his shoulder with Momo only getting in the way a little bit, Aang grinned. "Easy". At least someone is confident.

As Appa began to move, Kaya looked at me. "I don't-" She said as we cleared the tree line. Pursing her lips, she looked up at the sky to try again. Kaya's thinking face was becoming as familiar to me as her confused one. I knew to wait. Luckily, we had time. With a lurch, Appa jumped into the air. Used to it by now, we held on and leaned forward until Appa was horizontal again. "What happening? Why it happening?"

Ah… right. Studying Kaya's face, I found a new problem. Not a big one. But it was there. All morning, bleeding into this afternoon, we'd been reacting. Planning and moving fast without pausing. All day, Kaya followed; watching, listening, hiding when told. How much did she figure out? How much did she pick up? What was Kaya thinking? All those questions summed up to one thing. I didn't know how to explain this.

"Aang?" I asked; making the bald kid turn his head in our direction; trusting he heard all that. "Any ideas?"

"Umm…" Kaya focused on Aang as he came up with something. "Katara's rescuing Haru. And we're rescuing Katara".

Kaya wrinkled her nose. "Why?" she asked again. I didn't know how to elaborate; thinking Aang had done better explaining than I could. Then Kaya shook her head. As if realizing that wasn't easily answered. She made eye contact with me. "Kaya don't like".

"I don't like this", I corrected. What exactly she didn't like was unclear. There was plenty to choose from.

Kaya repeated the correction back to me as Appa flew at a lazy speed above and behind the soldiers. "Katara didn't have to… leave". It wasn't the right word. But Kaya sounded like she already knew. "Stupid to leave with Fire Nation. Sokka say Fire Nation is bad".

She's not wrong. How many times had she heard me say something like that? It was the one thing that was probably the most obvious to her since we left home. The one group she heard everyone talk about as we traveled. The Fire Nation is our enemy.

We drew closer to the water. A ship appeared to be waiting for them. "It's okay, Kaya", Aang broke in. Pulling on the reins so Appa would hover a safe distance as we waited for the ship to load and depart. "I'm the Avatar. The Fire Nation won't hurt Katara on my watch".

His confidence didn't seem to work on Kaya. If anything, she seemed displeased. Like we weren't hearing what she wanted us to. "What is Avatar?" Kaya asked; looking at both of us for an answer. Having heard stories about the Avatar and the Avatar cycle my whole life, I didn't know how to describe it to someone who didn't. Aang seemed to be in a similar boat. Reincarnation and the master of all four elements weren't going to be something easily discussed. Shaking my head to show I couldn't explain it right now, I felt Kaya's frustration. It must be hard being the only person in the world who spoke a different language.

It was a prison made entirely of metal; floating in the ocean an unswimmable distance to land. Kind of ingenious, I begrudgingly admitted. Earthbenders couldn't fight back surrounded by steel and water. We waited for the coverage of the night before approaching. Using the last of the daylight to plan, and rest, and plan some more. "How are you going to find Katara?" I asked Aang when he declared he'd be the one to enter the floating prison. It made sense. With Airbending, he could be over the guards' heads before they saw him. All I could do was duck behind objects and hope for the best.

"Don't worry about it", Aang said. He'd been saying the same thing this whole day. "I can find her".

"That's not what I'm asking", I argued. It was like Aang was purposely ignoring the word 'how' in all my questions. As if a way would magically present itself to him. Some Avatar he's turning out to be. But, as we pulled up alongside the rig, I had to trust him. There was no other way I could think to get Katara back. And leaving her was not an option. It would never be an option.

"Be back soon", Aang promised as he dropped Appa's reins and floated over the railing of the prison. For some reason, Momo followed him.

"Remember, if we're not here when you get back that means some guards walked by". I whispered as Kaya studied the metal structure as if it were going to come alive and attack us at any moment. "Hide. We'll circle back around when we can".

Nodding, Aang scurried off; blending in with shadows and avoiding the light provided by lanterns hung on posts as Momo clung to his clothing.

Sighing, I rolled my shoulders; trying to get them to loosen up. Is this how Dad felt before a battle? I used to think it would be exciting. Now… I just feel stupid for believing it to be. "Do you have your slingshot ready?" I asked Kaya as she sat close to me.

The yellow-haired girl nodded; holding it up even though it was hard to see in the dark.

"Use it if you have to. Don't wait", I instructed; praying these were all words Kaya knew. "Slingshots are better when there's distance between you and the enemy. Don't let anyone get close". Kaya tilted her head to the side; the action nearly hidden by the folds of her scarf. Her lips pressed together in a flat line as she stared at me. Did she miss some of that? Or did she think all of it was obvious? Sometimes, with her, it's hard to tell.

The guards came once. So, Appa flew us around the prison. When we came back to the meeting point, Aang and Katara popped out of hiding and approached on silent feet. "Your time is up", I whispered; feeling like a great weight had been lifted off me at the sight of my sister. She was dressed in a brown sack-like material. Her water-tribe colors were gone. All of us had at least one change of clothes. So, Katara wouldn't have to look like an escaped prisoner the whole time. But we'd have to see about finding Katara a replacement. "Where's Haru? It's time to go".

Katara shook her head. Aang didn't seem surprised. "Not yet".

"Katara", I panicked in a harsh whisper. She can't be doing this. "There are guards everywhere. We can't stay. And I can't leave you". Why couldn't she understand that?

"We have to stay", Katara whispered as loud as she did. "This place is terrible and these people…" Katara trailed off to stare mournfully at the metal ground. "They need us to give them a chance. They're too tired to take one for themselves".

Nope. Not happening. "That wasn't our deal", I said. "You promised just a few hours of trying to rescue Haru and then we'd leave. We didn't agree to save every Earthbender on this rig". We were just four people and a lemur. What did Katara think we could do?

"We can help them", Katara insisted. Good to know her word means nothing. I'll keep that in mind for the future. If we have a future. "There has to be a way we can help".

Aang, Mr. 'It's fun to break into Fire Nation Prisons', was too easy to convince. "Maybe Katara's right", he argued in her favor. "You guys saved me from the Fire Nation. How hard could it be to free a bunch of Earthbenders? What do you say, Sokka?"

"You're crazy. Both of you. That's what I say". Some spit flew out of my mouth. Zuko's ship didn't have nearly as many people as this rig. And we were still at home when we got Kaya and Aang off his ship. Meaning we knew the waters and… and… A spotlight starts to circle; heading in our direction. Aang and Katara ducked as Kaya and I lay flat on Appa's saddle. "It's time to go", I repeated once the light passed and we could pick up our heads.

"No!" Katara said at a normal volume. She wasn't budging.

Groaning, I shook my head. "You're impossible". But Katara didn't seem to care. Feeling as if somehow I'd be blamed for this down the line, I shimmied to the edge of the saddle until I was able to climb onto the rig. "Fine", I snarled at my sister. Only to become annoyed when she and Aang grinned. "But note that this is a terrible idea". Knowing we only had a few seconds, I turned back to Kaya. She sat up straight; expression startled as she held a hand stretched out towards me. As if she meant to grab me before I left Appa's saddle. "Stay with Appa", I told her. Kaya shook her head. "Maybe he can fly you back to Gran-gran if we don't make it out".

"Nothing's going to happen to us", Aang said as Katara glared at me. Taking a half step forward, Aang squatted by Appa's head. "Go hide, buddy. We'll see you tomorrow".

The bison gave a soft rumble as he started to move. I stared at Kaya; her face even paler than normal as unease filled her eyes and showed up on her open-mouthed expression. With Katara deviating from the original plan, there wasn't time to explain things to Kaya. And her only weapon was a slingshot. What good would that due in close quarters like a prison? This was the best option for the yellow-haired girl. Even if she didn't like it. It was also the best option for me. If Kaya was safe with Appa, then it was only Katara I'd have to worry about and then maybe I wouldn't get distracted from whatever lies ahead.

Before Appa was too far away from the railing of the rig, Kaya lurched; sprung forward by her feet pushing off from under her. "No", I whispered as Kaya left Appa's saddle. She grasped onto the railing and started pulling herself up. Breath caught in my throat, I lunged. Aang had a similar idea. I gripped Kaya's left arm, Aang her right, and together we pulled Kaya over to our side. "Are you trying to scare me to death?" I demanded to know; shaking Kaya a little. The yellow-haired girl glared at me. It was a glare that could rival Katara's. The novelty of it on Kaya's face had me backing down. "Aang", I turned to him instead. "Call Appa back".

Aang shook his head. "There's no time". And unfortunately, he was right. Off in the distance, I could see guards approaching by the light of their lanterns. "Come on, we better hide".

The four of us scurried away finding refuge behind a stack of wooden crates. In the dark we held our breaths; not daring to move until the guards passed and the light of their lantern became impossible to see. "Kaya", I turned to the yellow-haired girl. "Why did you do that? You said you didn't like this. You didn't have to be here". I grabbed ahold of her shoulders in each of my hands and shook her.

"Kaya don't like this", she confirmed; shrugging my hands off her. "But Kaya stay with family".

Momo peeped over the wooden crates; ears hung low as I gaped at Kaya. She didn't know what she was getting herself into. "Good idea", Aang said as he gave Kaya a thumbs-up; pleased with her wording. "Families should stick together". Kaya's eyes didn't soften as she flashed a glance over in Aang's direction.

Nice to see I wasn't the only person she wasn't impressed with. But, still… "You used to listen to me", I complained. "You need to listen to me".

The skin between Kaya's eyebrows wrinkled. "I listen. But Kaya…" Kaya tapped her head. "Kaya do that too". I think she wanted to say thinking. She thinks too. "This stupid. Stupid to be… one". Alone? Maybe she meant alone. "Stay with family".

Tearing my eyes from Kaya, I looked at the others. "Anyone get that?"

Katara sighed. "We don't have time for this. We need a plan".

And the conversation changed. Which it probably needed to. This was the first I… any of us had ever seen Kaya angry. Scared, sad, frustrated; sure. Those emotions had been present before. But Kaya was normally all smiles. Seeing her like this was…. well, we couldn't deal with it on a prison rig.

"What's the one thing all prison breaks need?" Aang asked as he thought with his chin tucked down. "Keys", he answered after a few moments.

Katara shook her head. "This isn't that type of prison". Because she knew so much about prison. "The problem is the water. That's what's keeping these people stuck here".

But Aang wasn't willing to let his idea of a prison break go. "I wish I knew how to make a hurricane", he said aloud as Kaya continued to fume from behind my shoulder. "Then the warden would have to run away and we'd be able to take his keys!"

That… made no sense. "Wouldn't the key be on him when he ran away?" I asked.

Aang shrugged; still acting like this was a fun outing. "Just brainstorming". Momo left his look-out perch to circle around Aang's shoulders.

"I tried talking to the Earthbenders", Katara moved on; hurricane forgotten. "If they would just stand up for themselves, I believe they would be able to escape. But they're not even willing to try".

I raised an eyebrow. She's missing a pretty important fact. "If you want Earthbenders to fight Firebenders, they need to have some kind of earth. They can't fight if they can't bend. For that, they'd need some kind of earth or some rock. Something they can bend. And except for Kaya's slingshot rocks, this whole place is metal. Katara, I think they were right".

Disheartened, Katara frowned. "No, it's not", Aang said like he realized something we didn't. Katara perked up. "It's not all metal. Look!" Aang pointed to a smoke stack we could barely see from behind the crates. "They have to burn coal to keep this place working. It's just like Haru's mom said. The Fire Nation needs coal to run its ships. And coal is earth. It's bendable!"

"Okay", I said as a plan started forming in my head. "So we need to figure out how we can get the coal to the Earthbenders".

It was a sleepless night. We needed to understand this rig if our plan was going to work. Our night was spent scouting and working out fine details. The whole night, Kaya followed us; watching our backs with her slingshot ready and Momo napping against her neck in the folds of her scarf. She didn't say another word all night. And her unhappy frown never left her face. As morning arrived, I tried not to dwell on it. Kaya may not be able to yell at me like Katara could. But we'd find a way to work it out after this was all over. If there was an after.

"It's almost dawn", Katara said as she, myself, and Kaya crouched by an air vent. "You sure this will work?" For the first time, Katara sounded nervous. Good. That meant she realized how serious our position was. I'm not sure Aang did.

"Yeah", I answered. "It's just like how we faked Earthbending to get you arrested. The whole ventilation system is connected to where they are burning coal. Aang closed all the vents except this one. With Airbending, he'll be able to send the coal here; the prison yard", Kaya grabbed my sleeve and tugged. I waved her off. "And then we'll have armed Earthbenders". Another tug. "The real question is if your Earthbenders will fight".

A twanging sound and a pained cry broke Katara's and my focus. Our heads snapped up. Kaya stood in front of us. Her slingshot was held in front of her with the sling part slack. Her free hand dug into her hip pouch; pulling out another stone. In front of her stood a guard; spear in hand and rubbing an angry red mark on his forehead. The one place on his head his helmet didn't cover. Not good. I gulped.

"Intruders!" The guard cried before Kaya could let another stone fly. Not that it stayed in her hand for long. A second stone sailed through the air and smacked into the guard's hand. Making him change his spear to his other hand as he tried to shake the pain away.

That was all we were allowed to do. Suddenly, we were surrounded. Guards faced our every side; poking spears in our direction. Only then did I notice the imprisoned Earthbenders standing at a distance behind the guards. They watched like a domesticated herd; their eyes dim. "Stay back", I feigned confidence; pulling out my boomerang and getting into position with Katara. "If you know what's good for you, you won't come any closer!" I gestured for Kaya to move closer. She didn't. Instead, the yellow-haired girl released a third stone. This one pegged a guard right in the eye. The man staggered backward; dropping his spear and clutching at his eye. Despite being one down, the guards didn't attack; though they were fidgeting to do so".

"Katara", a graying man in prisoner garb pleaded. "Please don't do this. You will not win".

"You should listen, child", another old man; this one dressed in Fire Nation armor stepped up behind his guards; hands held behind his back as if he had nothing to fear. He must be the warden.

Kaya locked eyes on him. She reached for a fourth stone. The guard closest to her jabbed his spear in her direction. "No", I called. Kaya dodged. But it was close. Less than an inch. She didn't reach for another stone.

The warden smiled. "One more mistake and you'll be disposed of".

My hand shook. There were too many of them. I couldn't see a way I could get both girls past them. Maybe if Appa came and sat on them all. But that was a big if. Any action from either them or us was cut off by a sudden rush of air that roared in our ears and made the rig shudder. As if waiting for the last possible moment, the grid on the ventilation shaft burst into the air; its hinges snapped as coal gushed out like a geyser.

Then, like a tidal wave, the coal crashed down onto the metal ground and spread out. Some of it neared the feet of the imprisoned Earthbenders. Silence takes over the prison. The arrival of the coal was unexpected enough that no one knew what to think. Giving Aang an opening to make an entrance. He leaped out of the shaft; following after the coal and allowing the air to carry him. His feet carried him steadily as he came to stand on top of the mound of coal. But it wasn't an impressive sight. Coal dust covered his person and got into his lungs which he tried to cough up. Momo flying out of the shaft after him wasn't intimidating either.

Katara moved before anyone else could. She scrambled up the coal mound to stand next to Aang; picking up a piece of coal as she went and holding it above her head. With the guards' attention on her, I inched closer to Kaya. If she was going to use that slingshot, we needed to get distance between her and the guards as soon as possible.

"Earthbenders!" Katara cried. "You can do this! Take this coal and teach the Fire Nation a lesson. No one can take bending away from the Earth Kingdom!"

Silence. No one moved as everyone waited to see what someone else would do. The warden laughed. He laughed so hard, I thought it was an act. "Foolish girl", he sneered. Kaya reached for a fourth stone. "Look at their faces. These Earthbenders were tamed a long time ago. They'll never rise up. They'll-"

A stone smacked the warden in the forehead; leaving behind an angry imprint that was sure to bruise by tomorrow. Whatever the warden was going to say fell from his lips as he glowered instead; searching for the source of the attack.

Others were looking around to do the same. I didn't need to. I knew. Kaya stood tall next to me. Her slingshot raised and the sling bounced having just been released. "Kaya", I hissed. Begging for her to lower her arm to make it less obvious. She didn't. Instead, Kaya was reaching for stone number five.

The warden's eyes found her a moment later. "Another girl stupid enough to think she can defeat us". Kaya glared back at him. Nostrils flared in anger. "Kill the intruders", the warden ordered. "This is a teachable moment for the others".

No…. I shook my head even though that wouldn't do anything. My grip on my boomerang tightened. We would have to fight where we were greatly outnumbered. I… I failed them. I failed Dad. The guards inched forward; spears held at the ready. There wasn't time for Kaya to reach for another stone. The warden looked on with a menacing glee.

Though it didn't last. A single piece of coal flew and pelted the warden from behind. Furious, the warden turned to find the source. "Who's responsible?" he demanded to know. Lucky for us, his cry stilled the guards. As they wanted to know too.

Haru stood apart from the rest of the prisoners. Circulating above his hand, three pieces of coal levitated. The determined downturn of his lips gave me hope. Come on, Earthbenders! Bend that coal!

Like a toddler who didn't get his way, the warden stamped his foot and sent a blast of fire in Haru's direction. Too much for three pieces of coal to stop. But Haru was safe. A wall of coal shifted up to protect him as the old prisoner moved behind him.

The guards began to shift away from us as Aang and Katara hurried off the mound of coal they stood upon; realizing the Earthbenders would be needing it. Momo followed. I took a breath as the warden steamed. "No mercy", he warned as the guards got into position. "No leniency. This will not be tolerated!"

Those who could Firebend started sending blasts of fire at the prisoners. The old prisoner blocked one of them. "For the sake of all future benders", he yelled to his people. "No forgiveness. Attack!"

And the battle was taking place. Coal flew. Guards fell. Prisoners dodged blasts of fire and gasped in agony when they weren't quick enough. There wasn't much I could do about the benders. But I knew my way around spears. Charging forward as Kaya backed away, I swung my boomerang and snapped off the top of a jabbed spear. My boomerang never left my hand. Momo flew above us and collected the broken spearheads with his clawed feet as Katara and Aang followed my example.

From behind us, Kaya let loose more stones. Hitting guards before they could come too close and giving us time to make their weapons useless. When she ran out of stones, she switched to little pieces of coal she found not in use by the Earthbenders. Somewhere along the way, her scarf slipped off her head. Not that it mattered in the heat of battle. There was too much going on for anyone to ask about the strange hair color.

With the combined effort of multiple Earthbenders, a hole was made in the prison's wall. "Get to the ship", the old prisoner yelled to the others. "We're going home!"

"No", the warden panicked as I snapped another spear. "Don't let them escape! This prison cannot fall".

His words had no impact. Because Aang figured out how to make a hurricane after all. With a swirling air tunnel acting like a cannon, Aang had us feed coal through it. It was a suggestion, Katara and I were happy to help with. As we pelted the Fire Nation with coal via Aang's hurricane, Kaya caught up. She stood behind us; watching as the guards fell out of their offensive stances and the prisoners escaped through the hole.

Three Earthbenders, Haru, the old prisoner, and one other remained. Together, they bended the coal to push the last of the Fire Nation off the rig. "No, wait!" the warden begged. "I can't swim".

We didn't care.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Hei Bai

We were back to the quiet days. Reminiscent of when Kaya only had a handful of words. Though those days were preferable if you asked me. Back then Kaya's silence was paired with curious stares and tentative smiles. Now, after the Rig, there was fury in her brown eyes and she kept her lips thinly pressed together.

Aang and Katara must have felt it. Kaya had less patience for Aang as he tried to twist his tongue to form her strange string of constants. During the evening chores, Katara would start talking to the yellow-haired girl, as she was used to doing, only to look over her shoulder to see Kaya working away from her.

They choose to shrug it off; knowing it would blow over eventually. Instead, they focused on the passing scenery or discussed what we'd do for dinner once we made camp. "What fluffy-looking clouds", Katara observed as she lay on her stomach; peering over the edge of Appa's saddle.

It was early afternoon. And we were all feeling relaxed at this time of day. Something travelers only got when they had a flying bison to do most of the work. Aang slouched on Appa's head; not even needing to steer. I sat on the back of the saddle; legs closed and a bit of wood in one hand and a knife in the other. I'd carve a… trinket of some sort. Once I figured out what it should be. Maybe a penguin otter.

My eyes flashed over to Kaya. She sat on the opposite side of Katara; her legs folded under her and one of my shirts in her hands as she busied herself with the mending. Her scarf wrapped loosely around her shoulders and from its folds, Momo was perched. His long bat-like ears perked and twitched in interest as he watched Kaya work from behind her shoulder.

Maybe I could carve Momo. Kaya liked Momo. More than she liked anyone else at the moment. I could give it to her and she would smile. Maybe say something. Then things could return to how they were before the prison break.

Though it was difficult to focus on the carving. Especially when I couldn't figure out how I could turn it into a Momo-like creature. And especially when Katara kept going on about the clouds. "They look like you could jump on top of them and it'd feel like a big soft pillow". Katara sounded like she was daydreaming.

I glanced at Kaya to see if she was listening; to see if she was comprehending. But Kaya had her chin tucked down; concentrating on making her stitches as small as possible. So, I turned my head in Katara's direction instead. "You could find out", I suggested; smiling to let her know I was joking.

One look at me, and Katara knew I was. "Haha", she mocked in response; slight annoyance visible in her brow. Though I found that her expression lightened the overall mood. What good were little sisters if you couldn't tease them?

Aang, however; didn't get the joke. "I'll try it!" He announced as he shot up from his relaxed position and grabbed his staff. Before either of us could say or do anything, Aang leaped off Appa with an excited shout.

Gasping, Katara grasped onto the edge of the saddle and peered over further over the edge. "Aang", she cried as I dropped my carving and knife to do the same. A few seconds later, Kaya was on the other side of me; staring wide-eyed down at the clouds below us with Momo's little lemur hands tangled in her hair.

But we should have known that regular people's physics didn't apply to Airbenders. Falling face first, Aang vanished into one of the clouds with a loud "Woo!" as he left a person-shaped indent in the cloud behind. For a few worrying seconds, we could see or hear Aang. Though before we could fear the worst, there was a woosh from behind. The three of us twisted around in time to see Aang land safely on Appa's saddle; his staff now in glider form.

Katara breathed a sigh of relief as Kaya blinked in astonishment at Aang. Aang, in return, gave us the biggest smile we've seen since saying goodbye to King Bumi. Droplets of water dripped from his person and his clothes. "Not soft at all", he declared; failing to see my unimpressed stare. Now, that was an example of taking things too far. "Turns out, clouds are just water".

I moved on my knees to retrieve my knife and carving. Kaya did the same to fetch her sewing before the cloth could blow away. Only Katara kept her focus solely on Aang as he took in a deep breath and slapped a fist in the palm of his overhand. Somehow, thanks to Airbender logic, this created a blast of air that dried him off before he could even begin to shiver. He breathes in deeply and slams his balled, right fist against his stretched left hand, creating an expanding air ball around him in the process, drying himself off.

Kaya hadn't been fast enough in grabbing her sewing. She had a good grip on it, so I didn't lose a shirt. But she had been in the blast zone. Little droplets splattered her and my shirt. And the rush of air had Momo's fur standing on end; as if someone had to pet him in the wrong direction.

As Aang leaned back; his hands taking most of his weight, Kaya sent him an irritated glare. It took the bald kid a few moments before he noticed. Still smiling, he rubbed sheepishly at the back of his head. "Sorry, Kaya. Sorry, Momo".

Kaya moved further away; taking Momo with her as the Lemur started grooming himself. Frustratingly, it wasn't closer to me. Sorry. Kaya didn't understand sorry. It wasn't like that was an easy word to explain. Which is why I had to make this carving in the first place. Frowning, I stared down at the piece of wood in my possession with a sigh.

A long time ago, after a fish dinner Dad had said something to Gran-gran she hadn't been impressed by. Dad's immediate response was to apologize and tell her she was right and he was wrong. Once Gran-gran was out of earshot, I asked him why he caved so quickly. Dad had said, "Son, sometimes a man must pick his battles. It is wise to pick the battles you can win. And when your opponent is an angry woman, a man will never win".

I didn't get it at the time. Men were stronger, of course, we'd win in a fight. But that was before Kaya and before Suki and before Suki gave Kaya a slingshot. And now I kind of understood. The world was a much better place when the women in your life weren't annoyed by your presence (with little sisters being the one exception) So Kaya could be right, even if she was wrong, if that meant she'd smile and talk to me again. And I could be wrong, even though I didn't know why, as long as Kaya stopped putting distance between us.

My grip around my knife tightened as I continued to frown at the piece of wood. Except I couldn't tell Kaya she was right and I was wrong because those weren't words she knew. Aagh! Maybe life would be better without women in my house (little sisters and Gran-grans not included). Then I wouldn't have to worry about hurting her feelings or messing up when all I tried to do was keep her away from a Fire Nation prison ship!

"What's that?" Katara asked; breaking me from my musings.

Looking up, I tracked Katara's eyes until I saw what she did. I wasn't the only one. Kaya and Aang turned their heads as well. Below us, wasn't the sight of hundreds of trees far away. What lay below us was scorched earth. Black and charred; the patch stood out from an otherwise healthy forest.

Putting the piece of wood away, I kept my knife out. "That can't be good", I said as Aang moved back to Appa's reigns to direct him to land.

Kaya knelt; a frown on her face as she picked up a handful of chard dirt and ash and let it cascade through her fingers. She wasn't alone. This was a solemn place. Kind of reminded me of the foodless forest where we met Haru. There was no bird song. Or twigs snapping and leaves rustling as animals moved. Except this place was worse. At least the foodless forest had greenery and nuts. This place, with its blackened and ready-to-crumble tree trunks, was just… void.

Aang looked the most depressed. His shoulders slumped as he clutched his staff with both hands in front of him. As if that was the only thing keeping him on his feet. "Are you okay?" Katara asked; using what I liked to call her motherly voice.

Stepping further away from Appa, I noticed imprints in the soot I hadn't seen before. The sight made my blood boil. "Footprints", I snarled. Kaya glanced at me from the corner of her eyes. "Fire nation!" I elaborated. It had to be. Why else would only one part of the forest be burned like this? "And they think we're the savages? No respect for life. The next time I see one of them, I'm-"

A low and pained moan cut me off. Aang had dropped his staff and sank to his knees. "Why would anyone do this?" He asked the difficult question. Katara approached on soft feet. Though she stopped a few feet behind Aang. Wanting to give comfort, but respecting his space. Aang held his head in his hands. "If I had been doing my job, this wouldn't have happened".

"Aang", Katara whispered soothingly. "There was nothing you could have done. Even the Avatar can't be everywhere at once".

But her words didn't seem to help. Aang stayed where he was; a gloomy picture as he knelt in the dirt and ash. "Some Avatar I am", he said to himself. "I don't even know how to be the Avatar".

Katara looked at me for help. I stared back at her with a shrug. Don't know what she expected. It wasn't like I could make the forest regrow or teach Aang how to do his job. Honestly, I'm not sure there is a way to fix this. Sometimes, you just have to let it hurt.

With a humph Katara turned away; her frustration balled into fists as she walked off. Kaya watched her go; frowning but not in the angry way she had been. This frown was more thoughtful; concerned. It was the frown I was more accustomed to seeing. Brushing her hand clean on her skirt, Kaya placed a hand against her sleeved forearm. Her fingers started tracing the scars I knew the sleeve kept hidden away. All of us, I was reminded, didn't have good memories when it came to fire.

We wasted daylight on that scarred land. There wasn't anything for us to do here. No hunting or foraging. No nearby water for Appa to drink and for us to refill our waterskins. Despite this, we didn't move on. Aang wasn't ready. He remained on his knees in the dirt and soot. Eventually, Kaya walked over to Appa and started scratching his giant head that he lowered for her. I ended up sitting in the dirt a few feet behind Aang; waiting for this pity party to end.

But it didn't. Not on its own accord. It took Katara chucking acorns at our respective heads before Aang would even look up. But what did I do?! I didn't deserve to be pelted with an acorn. "The forest will regrow", Katara told him as I rubbed the now sore spot on my temple. "These acorns will become trees and then all the birds and animals will return".

Kaya was listening. I could tell by how her head was tilted in our direction. Though Appa held most of her attention. Momo's too by the looks of it. The lemur had left Kaya's shoulders in favor of climbing on top of the bison.

Aang's expression lightened as he rolled an acorn around in his palm. It was then, I noticed the approaching figure. I climbed to my feet faster than I would have in other circumstances. "Who are you?" I asked; hand hovering over where I kept my knife sheathed on my belt.

A quick glance over my shoulder. Kaya was by Appa. Katara by Aang. My family was behind me. And this guy didn't look like he'd cause trouble for us. He was old. Like Gran-gran old. Dressed in robes and furs that were passed their prime and needing a cane to help him walk. Even better, the old man did have a stitch of Fire Nation colors on him. Still, I thought as the old man introduced himself as Kay Fon, anyone could talk. Haru's village taught us that.

"Please", Kay Fon started as he held the top of his cane with both hands; his long beard blowing gently in the breeze. "I saw your flying bison in the air and felt hope. For you to come here of all places…" The old man's eyes landed on Aang and remained there. He seemed transfixed by the arrow tattooed on Aang's head. "There haven't been any Airbenders for a hundred years. That must mean you are…"

Aang glanced at Katara. As if searching for her permission. When she nodded at him, Aang bowed respectably to the elder. "I'm the Avatar", he confirmed. In his bowed pose, Aang missed the look of great relief that took over Kay Fon.

Suddenly, the old man couldn't talk fast enough. "My village suffers a great evil. Will you come, young Avatar?"

Aang started to agree without really thinking about it. "Hold on", I interjected. My voice reminded Kay Fon it wasn't just him and the Avatar standing in the midst of this burnt-down forest. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of Katara, myself, and Kaya standing in the background. When his eyes lingered a few seconds longer than he had spared for Katara and me, Kaya slowly raised her scarf until it covered her hair. "What sort of evil?" I asked. Because we were limited in what we could do. If his village was plagued by…. I don't know, flying lemurs; that was something we could help with. But if his village was occupied by Fire Nation soldiers, we should stay clear. After all, there was still a long way to go before we reached the North Pole.

Kay Fon sighed, his face ashen. "At night, a monstrous spirit raids our home and kidnaps one of our people. Three people have been taken so far. And with the winter solstice fast approaching…" Kay Fon paused and shook his head with a fearful sigh. "When it comes to spirits, only the Avatar can save us. We cannot communicate with Hei Bai, the spirit I speak of, the way he can. We must have spiritual guidance from the Avatar. It would be our last hope".

I lost interest at the first mention of spirit mumbo-jumbo. Sure, I may pray to La, but that didn't mean I thought spirits walked among us. Like they actually cared about the ongoings of men to the extent they could be angered, offended, or hateful. And Kay Fon claimed a spirit kidnapped three of his people? There was probably an explanation that made more sense.

But Aang seemed more interested and alert than before. "This does sound like Avatar business", he said. "I am the bridge between the two worlds. It's my job to help". Katara smiled in agreement. And I decided involvement in this case wouldn't hurt us. A spirit couldn't hurt people. All Aang could do was talk to the air and maybe we'd find out what really happened to the missing villagers. If anything, maybe it meant we'd get to spend the night with a roof over our heads. And so… We followed Kay Fon to his village.

The village we were led to was encased by impressive stone walls. It wasn't a very big settlement. With one great hall and a few surrounding shops and homes. But the structures were sturdy and spoke of prosperity. With the exception of a few of the buildings that appeared to be in shambles. As if something had attempted to smash them to pieces.

It was sunset by the time introductions were made, and the village leader further explained the situation. As normal for small places, the arrival of strangers garnered us a few looks. But the people were more interested in keeping a weathered eye on the sky. Like they were constantly checking the time.

Kaya was quiet as she stood close behind Katara's and my shoulders. Her focus was on the village leader, a clean-cut man who kept his appearance neat, as he talked; listening to what she could. Though, for some reason, she seemed more intrigued than she had with other conversations. It was something about the way her eyes would narrow or spark after hearing certain words.

Despite not knowing what he could do, Aang agreed to help. As if there was ever a question of Aang saying no. 'No' really wasn't in his vocabulary. Katara restating she believed in him didn't help. But… I'm sure it's fine. It's not like spirits can touch us in our world. I'm sure whatever was poaching villagers was something else. Something tangible.

So, when the sun reached the point where it was tucked from view behind the village's stone wall, Aang stood alone in the center of the village; waiting. Appa had been settled into a stable for the night. While Momo, the girls, and I were hidden inside the great hall with the other residents. The ones too afraid to rest in their own homes.

They remained huddled together in the back of the hall; clinging to family remembers. At least that meant the three of us didn't have to push our way to be able to see out an open window. Katara's eyes tracked Aang as he moved further away from the hall. We could hear him calling, "Hello? Mr. Spirit? It's the Avatar. Do you want to speak with me? I'm here to help". He sounded like a madman; talking to some invisible being.

The concentrated frown still graced Kaya's face she stared out at the village as it slowly grew darker and darker. Momo perched on her head and watched with her. Though with less intensity. I hope she wouldn't be disappointed when nothing spooky happened.

"Where are you?" Aang called again. He looked in all directions; his staff held in front of him as he faced the main entrance. "Hei Bai?" Surprise, surprise. There was no response.

"Hei Bai", Kaya whispered from beside me. The new name fell from her lips easily. Did she understand? That Hei Bai was this supposed spirit's name?

"Uhh…" Aang cast another sweeping glance over his surroundings. There was no monstrous spirit in sight. He straightened his spine to try and mask how unsure he appeared. "I officially ask you to leave these people in peace!" He spun his staff in the air before thumping it down in a bout of showmanship. Katara continued to watch nervously as I tried not to laugh. If that was all it took to the spirit portion of being the Avatar, Aang had nothing to worry about. "Okay…" Aang spared one last searching glance. "I guess everything's fine then…" He turned and started heading back to us.

However, from behind him; behind the gates, a massive, buff six-limbed beast appeared. Katara's breath hitched in her throat. At first, the monster was transparent. But as it entered the village; shadowing Aang's steps, it became more solid. No way, I thought to myself. Hardly believing what I was seeing. Spirits weren't supposed to be… to be things we could actually encounter. Spirits were just things we made occasional offerings to and asked for good health and safe passage.

Kaya was the only one not frozen by the otherworldly sight. "Hei Bai", She whispered again; sounding concerned. I get why they called him the black-and-white spirit. Some of his limbs were white. Some black. But Hei Bai's most noticeable feature was his snarling, razor-sharp teeth.

"Aang!" Katara yelled in warning; once the initial shock wore away.

Not as scared as he should be, Aang turned back and started talking as if he was faced with an old friend. "Hello. Are you Hei Bai? My name is-"

The spirit cut him off with a scream. A burst of light roared out of his wide night and covered Aang before Hei Bai moved; stepping over him completely. "Hey wait!" Aang called after him. Though Hei Bai did not seem to notice. The spirit began to swing its multiple limbs; smashing the roofs of buildings and knocking over the guard tower. Each time; blowing away debris from its path with further screams of light.

From the safety of the great hall, we watched Aang run after Hei Bai; yelling for his attention and begging the spirit to let him help. "The Avatar… seems to be struggling to reach Hei Bai", Kay Fon said from behind us.

The village leader shuddered in response. "This spirit, what have we done to deserve this? Why does he hurt us so?"

No one had an answer for him. Before now, I wasn't fully convinced Spirits were real. But… Holy, La! They are…. Speaking of La, I'd probably have to make an offering and apologize to him. There's been one too many La jokes in my time… Maybe that's why I had poor luck.

"But…" Kaya started to say; her voice barely audible as she stared transfixed at the sight of Aang chasing after the destructive spirit. "Hei Bai not bad".

Not bad? She must have gotten some words confused. "Maybe we should go help Aang", I said to Katara after Aang dodged a failing limb. "It doesn't look like talking is working".

"No!" Kay Fon adamantly refused. Even though I wasn't talking to him. "Only the Avatar is a match for spirits. He is the bridge".

Bridge? I snorted. If we could see this spirit, that meant we could fight it. Why stand here and do nothing?

"He's right, Sokka", Katara said as Aang yelled again that he just wanted to help. "Aang will figure out what he must do. We just have to trust him". You know, for a bald kid that almost got eaten by a giant sea monster back on Kyoshi Island, Katara sure has a lot of faith in him.

Another building crumbled and fell under Hei Bai's limb. A gasp of terror echoed throughout the hall at the noise. I couldn't help but flinch. It would take ages to repair all these homes. These people were in for a rough few months. Longer if this spirit problem didn't go away.

Suddenly, Hei Bai turned as Aang stood on a roof; shouting at him. Though Aang was too far away for us to hear what was said. One strong limb swung and Aang was swiped off the roof. Only for him to slam bodily into the roof of another building.

"Hei Bai", Kaya whispered sadly.

Wanted to ask her why. But there wasn't time. One second her face was worried and the next, determination set in. She plucked Momo off her head and set him on the floor before making a mad dash for the doors. "What? Kaya!" I yelled after her. Running a few steps, I was able to grab her wrist and pull her back around. "What are you doing?"

Brown eyes stared up into mine. I was shocked at the lack of fear they contained. "Hei Bai not bad", She said. As if she knew the spirit. And knew him well. "Hei Bai…" She searched for the right word "Hurt".

"Hurt?" I asked. "What do you mean-" I didn't get to finish my question, Kaya shrugged and shook off my grip before she was running again for the doors. Flinging them open, she raced in the direction of all the destruction. "Kaya!" I yelled after her. What was she thinking? That thing was huge. And violent. And clearly angry…. She didn't even have her slingshot ready!

"Ugh", I complained; wasting time to send Katara one panicked look before hurrying after Kaya. Women, was their company really worth all this?

"Wait! Katara yelled after me "Sokka! Kaya!" But Kaya didn't turn back, so neither did I.

With a good head start, Kaya reached the beast before I did. She stood in front of the spirit; her arms stretched out from her sides. "Hei Bai!" She yelled up to him followed by many long strings of constants before she ended with "Kaya help". The spirit's limbs stilled; somehow listening to her when he'd been happy to ignore Aang.

"Kaya!" Aang yelled as he regained to himself; his eyes wide with panicked concern. "Get away from him".

But Kaya didn't move. She just kept talking to Hei Bai. Using some of the words we taught her, and some from her own language. Her voice grew softer and softer every time Hei Bai lowered his head; his razor-sharp teeth drawing closer and closer to the yellow-haired girl. It was frightening to watch, this great terrifying monster looming over my gentle and foolishly-brave fiancé. Was Hei Bai going to snatch her? Eat her? I found myself reaching for my boomerang as I came to a halt by Aang's side.

"Sokka?" Aang asked, sounding scared.

"We'll beat him together", I told him the plan. "But first we need to get Kaya away".

"But Sokka", Aang protested as I raised my boomerang; poised to throw it. "I don't think fighting is the answer and Kaya-"

My boomerang soared through the air. Aimed perfectly; it smacked Hei Bai right on his backside. Though… considering his size, it had no effect. Still, as if stung, the spirit jolted around; making Kaya hastily step back to get out of his way. Her eyes found me. "Sokka!" She yelled; shaking her head furiously.

"Hey, Spirit monster!" I yelled at Hei Bai; anything to lure him away from Kaya and her weaponless self. "Over here!".

"What are you doing?" Aang asked; gripping his staff tightly. "Sokka, I don't think this is right".

There wasn't time for this. Hei Bai was already rushing our way. "Get ready", I tried to prompt Aang. But I had only managed to get that instruction out of my mouth before I blinked and suddenly my feet were off the ground. One of Hei Bai's limbs curled around me as he fled from his village. His skin, if it could be called skin, felt cold like a wash in cold water.

"Sokka!" I heard Kaya cry. Alarmingly, she sounded distant. How fast could this thing run?

I tried to struggle free. Knowing that a fall at this speed and height would hurt but I didn't know what else to do. Where was Hei Bai taking me? What would he do with me? These were all questions without answers. They blurred through my thoughts like the trees did as Hei Bai sped past them. I made no progress in freeing myself from Hei Bai's grip.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

The In-Between Place

It felt like closing my eyes and opening them a second later. Stepping through bamboo with three others behind me, I looked around for the monstrous spirit. But only saw that village. What happened?

"Sokka", Katara cried. Obvious relief in her voice. But I didn't get a chance to see her. Kaya was on me before my eyes could see anyone else. Reflexively, my arms wrapped around her middle; stance widening to accommodate us both. I'm not sure what's happening, but… Standing with no distance between Kaya and me, the right side of my face resting on top of her yellow hair, I decided it wasn't a bad thing.

"What's going on?" I asked as Aang and Katara hurried over. Kaya stepped back; gripping onto my left arm with both her hands. Around us, the villagers surrounded the loved ones who had gone missing. Chatter and cries of relief filled the air. Creating a joyful ambiance for our reunion. Hearing it, seeing it; made me long for a different reunion. One that would take place on the shores of the South Pole.

"You spent a whole day in the spirit world", Katara explained; eyes wide they washed over me. She started at my toes and ended at my head. "How do you feel?"

How do I feel? I silently repeated the question as Aang and Katara waited; shifting a little anxiously on their feet. While Kaya's attention seemed to be directed at her boots as she bothered her bottom lip. The change between now and when we first got to this village was befuddling. What happened in the hours I missed?

Slowly, I took stock of my body. My limbs felt loose but heavy. Like I'd been forced from a deep sleep before I was ready. But I also felt fully awake. There was no struggle to keep my eyes open. And I felt clean… cleaner. My only complaint was a full feeling in my bladder. But that was something I could deal with once Kaya wasn't clinging to my arm. "I'm fine", I answered; pulling my arm free from Kaya so I could hold her hand instead. She wasn't angry and I wasn't stupid enough to let that go. "But how did you get me out, Aang?"

"Yeah, Aang!" Katara turned to face him; now satisfied I wasn't about to keel over. "You did it all on your own. How did you figure it out?" The admiration in Katara's eyes reminded me of when we were younger and she still thought I was cool.

Aang moved his staff from leaning against one of his shoulders to his other before rubbing the back of his bald head. "Actually", his eyes flashed in Kaya's direction. Kaya, who stared at me like she was trying to see something that wasn't there. "I had help. Kaya had a lot of insight".

At the sound of her name, Kaya refocused on Aang; ignoring my raised eyebrow. "Hei Bai not bad", she said. Sounding cautious as a wary eye got sent in Katara's direction. Okay, I thought; gripping Kaya's hand a little tighter. What had gone down when I was… away?

Around us, the villagers started moving. Some returned to their homes. Others found peers to discuss how they were going to rebuild and what to do about the bamboo. Smiling, Aang nodded in agreement. His body language was enough to get Kaya to release some of the tension she held in her shoulders. "Yeah, Hei Bai isn't bad. He was just upset and trying to tell people why".

"Wait, I'm confused", I said as Katara listened with a frown marring her features. "How could Kaya give you insight?" I mean, it didn't matter if Kaya was smart or insightful. It wasn't like she had the words to really share information.

"And you entered the spirit world the same time Sokka did", Katara pointed out. Wait, Aang had been spirited away too? "When could Kaya tell you anything".

"Um… Well", Aang stammered as he tried to find the right words. He kept his eyes on the yellow-haired girl; examining her like she was a puzzle he'd just solved. "I didn't actually go to the spirit world… I think. I think I was stuck in between here and there. Because right after Sokka got taken, I came back to the village. I could see you", Aang told Katara. "But no one could see me. Except Kaya".

"What?" Because that made no sense.

At least, it didn't to me. Katara's eyes widened; raising her hand to cover her mouth. "Kaya tried to tell me and I…" She trailed off; seemingly horrified.

"Yeah", Aang agreed; slowly nodding. "I'm not sure how, but Kaya could see and hear me. And Kaya said she was stuck in the in-between place, that's what she calls the spirit world, for a long time before waking up in your tent…" Aang trailed off. Seemingly unaware of the slack-jawed expressions Katara and I were giving him. "She… In the spirit world, we could understand everything the other was saying. Kaya and me, that is".

"What?!" I asked. Kaya jumped at the sudden increase in volume as a few villagers turned their eyes in our direction.

Katara recovered quicker than I did. "I think you better start from the beginning".

And, so… Aang did.

Aang approached the village gates with his head hung low and his staff dragging in the dirt. The moon was low in the sky; signaling that night was close to its end. In his disappointed state, he didn't notice that no dirt was being disturbed by his staff. At the sight of Katara and Kaya haunting the village gates; staring anxiously into the forest, Aang paused and sighed. He didn't have good news for them. But he approached anyway.

"Katara", Aang heard Kaya say as she stood over the other girl; Momo cradled in her arms. "Hei Bai not bad", she insisted. However, the worry in her eyes told a different story. Sitting in the dirt with her legs folded under her and her feet pointed to the left, Katara refused to acknowledge Kaya. "Sokka…" Kaya trailed off; biting her lip as she searched for a word she could use. She didn't notice the trembling in Katara's arms or the emotion taking over. "… Safe. Hei Bai-"

"What do you know?" Katara asked; jerking her head up to glare at the older girl. The ferocity in Katara's tone had Kaya taking a startled step back as Momo squeaked and scurried out of her arms to hide behind Kaya's shoulder instead. "Sokka was only out there because of you! If you hadn't ran outside, then he wouldn't have… What we're doing is dangerous! Sokka can't always be rescuing you because you don't understand what's going on. He'll get hurt doing that! He has been hurt".

Water welled in Kaya's eyes. Something Katara studiously ignored as she turned her eyes back to the ground; her hand rolled into a fist of defeat. Aang was speechless as he listened in on the girls. Katara never said mean things like that… Okay, to Sokka maybe. But not to Kaya. It wouldn't be a fair fight. Aang was grateful the girls hadn't noticed him yet. What would Katara say to him when he told her he lost her brother?

But Aang knew, even if it was difficult to bear, that only a moment was all he could be spared. "Katara?" Aang approached; voice meek. Katara didn't look up. Though Kaya's head snapped in his direction. "Katara, I lost him. I'm sorry".

Katara remained unresponsive. And Aang feared the worst. But maybe it was better if Katara was angry with him. Better him than Kaya. At least Aang had the chance of-

Aang's attention was pulled away from his depressing musings as Kaya stepped closer. Her eyes stared directly at him. "Aang?" She asked; head tilting to the side.

Aang thought about making the downward hand motion Sokka sometimes did to tell Kaya everything was fine. But he didn't want to lie. "It's okay, Kaya", he said instead. Kaya's eyes widened as if she was seeing him for the first time. "I'll figure this out. I'll bring Sokka back. I'm the bridge between the worlds. Once I figure out how to… be a bridge, getting Sokka back should be easy".

"Katara", Kaya called when the other girl failed to rise from her hunched-over position in the dirt. "Aang is-"

Katara lunged to her feet. "Yes! Aang is gone too". She took an aggravated step forward; fists clenched at her sides. Kaya kept looking back and forth between Aang and Katara. As if trying to direct Katara's attention with her eyes. But Katara never turned away as she let go of some of her frustration. "And maybe he wouldn't be if you hadn't gotten in the way!"

"Wait a minute, Katara", Aang pleaded. He took a step forward; reaching out his hand to touch Katara on the shoulder. "You shouldn't say that. I'm right here and we'll figure this -" His hand went through Katara's shoulder. As if he was made of steam. His words were unable to reach her. Only Kaya seemed able to hear him. "You can't see me", Aang concluded as he frowned down at his hand. "Am I in the spirit world?"

Despite Katara shaking with anger in front of her, Kaya couldn't ignore Aang. Especially when someone was finally making coherent sense. Kaya felt like she could cry. How long had it been since she last understood every word a person said? "Katara can't see you?" Kaya said; rephrasing Aang's words in her own tongue. She glanced down at Momo, who was still clinging to her instead of checking in with Aang as he normally would have done. "I don't think Momo can either". Her tone made her sound perturbed.

It was Aang's turn to stare with wide-eyed amazement. "I can understand you!" Kaya stared back at him in shock. Katara nearly forgotten. "How did you learn so much so quickly?"

At the same time, Katara exploded. "Stop talking in gibberish! No one knows your language, so what's the point?!" She was gesturing wildly and broadly with her arms to enunciate each word. It was probably a good thing they weren't near any bodies of water or Kaya would have probably been washed away.

Fists trembling, Katara took many deep breaths. Still, she failed to notice Kaya's eyes scanning what she would've perceived as open air. "I need time to myself". It was a gruff admittance. One Kaya probably didn't understand. But as Katara walked further into the village, her shoulders held tensely by her ears, Kaya didn't follow. With Aang standing in front of her, the thought of staying with Katara never crossed her mind.

"Wait", Aang said slowly as Momo situated himself so he could hold on to Kaya's hair and watch Katara go. "Katara couldn't understand you but I could… can. What language are you speaking?"

Fidgeting a little, Kaya kept her eyes on Aang; hoping no villager was around to see her talking to an invisible person. "My language", Kaya spoke slowly. "The one I knew before coming here. Aang… where are you? Why couldn't Katara see you?"

Slowly, things started connecting in Aang's mind as the night continued to break into dawn. Katara couldn't see him. But Kaya could. He had been chasing after Hei Bai. A spirit. So, where else could he be if not the spirit world? Though that still didn't explain Kaya… "I'm in the spirit world. I have to be. Nothing else makes sense".

The skin between Kaya's eyes wrinkled as she cast another careful glance at her surroundings. "What's the spirit world?" She asked once refocused on him. There were thousands of questions in her brown eyes. A million different things she wanted to say. But Kaya refrained. With Katara upset, Aang invisible, and Sokka missing, Kaya had to prioritize.

Aang gaped. How to describe it? Before now, it was something everyone knew about. A common fantastical place that appeared in most bedtime stories. "You know… The spirit world. Where spirits live. Don't you have spirits or spirit shrines where you're from?"

Kaya slowly shook her head; her mind elsewhere. Aang wasn't sure what to make of this new information. Which people didn't believe in spirits? Aang couldn't think of any. "Hei Bai is a spirit?" Kaya asked. She already suspected his answer, but waited for Aang to nod before continuing; comprehension sparking in her brown pupils. "You're talking about the in-between place".

"The in-between place?"

"Where Hei Bai lives", Kaya explained. "And Fang, and May-Jim, and Aye-Aye, and-" Aang's mind was whirling as Kaya listed off multiple spirits. Speaking as if she knew them personally. It must have shown on his face because Kaya cut herself off. "The world between worlds… that's where they live". Kaya finished sheepishly. Though she felt compelled to continue the longer Aang openly gaped; jaw slacked. "It kind of reminded me of Wonderland. Since everyone there was so… different and nothing made a lot of sense".

A deluge of different things slammed into Aang's consciousness at the same time. And he did nothing to hold them back. His curiosity wouldn't allow it. "What's Wonderland? Is that where you're from? Does everyone have yellow hair where you're from? Have you been to the spirit world? You talk as if you're friends with them but before you said you didn't have spirits where you're from. So, you must have gone there. How do you know Hei Bai? Who's Aye-Aye? How did you end up with Katara and Sokka?"

The longer Aang went without breathing, the more dazed Kaya became. Did… Did Aang not need air in the spirit world? Or wherever he was? "Um… wait". Kaya held up her hands to slow him down as she attempted to recall all his questions. "Uh, Wonderland is not real. It's a place in a story written in my world". Aang's eyes sparkled and Kaya flinched. Her world. Saying that out loud after so long… What if she didn't belong here as much as she wished to? "I don't think my world has a name since we didn't know there were others. Um…"

Kaya started to scratch Momo behind his ears in an effort to calm herself as the rising sun began to cast the village in a gentle morning glow. She had imagined having this conversation many times. Always, Kaya pictured herself more put together than she currently felt. And she always thought this conversation would be with Sokka. Maybe Gran-gran. But never Aang.

"There was a fire", Kaya said slowly; her face darkening; recalling things she normally tried to ignore. "At my house. My sister was…" Kaya furiously shook her head; unwilling to go down that path. "But I got trapped. I thought I was going to die. But I didn't. Something happened. I don't know what. And I woke up in the in-between place".

"Is that how you got those scars on your arms?" Aang interrupted; completely intrigued. In the back of his head, Aang knew there were other things he needed to focus on. Sokka was missing. So were some of the villagers. As Avatar it was his duty, his responsibility to help. But… He didn't know how to do that. So, what was the harm in listening to Kaya's story? Maybe he'd learn something about the spirit world. Besides, Sokka would be so jealous when he learned Aang was the first person to learn about Kaya's past.

Kaya flinched at the reminder. She would have touched the scars under her sleeves if Momo wasn't keeping her hands occupied. "No", she answered awkwardly. "Those came later. Um… Fang found me", Kaya got back on track. "He helped me. Most spirits are nice, but some are dangerous, and not all like humans. Fang made sure I stayed away from the ones who wouldn't want me there. He introduced me to Hei Bai".

Eagerness sparked in Kaya's eyes as she directed the full power of her expression on Aang. Telling the young Avatar that this was something Kaya wanted him to understand. "Hei Bai is a nice spirit. He doesn't mind humans. He is a little introverted and has a bad temper. But he wouldn't hurt somebody else unless they hurt him first. There has to be a reason he's doing this!"

At the reminder of who was missing from their group, Aang grew somber. "Okay, Kaya. I believe you, But do you know why Hei Bai would kidnap people?"

Staring at her boots, Kaya shook her head as she tried to think this through. "Before last night, I didn't know spirits could visit other worlds".

Her admittance planted a question in Aang's mind. One that led to more answers than he suspected. "You said you don't know how you got to the spirit world. But do you know how you got to this one?" Maybe, if Kaya could remember, Aang could use the same method. Just in reverse. Then he could rescue Sokka and the others, return to his physical body, and everything would be fine.

"It was a mistake". As Kaya spoke, she re-invited eye contact with Aang. Momo purred as she continued to pay great attention to the spot behind his ears. "I wanted to go home. But to do that, Fang said I needed to find the right bridge". Aang's spine stiffened. "So, I started searching the in-between place. I found a bridge. There was no way of knowing if it was the right one. But I… took a chance. And, well, I woke up in Sokka's and Katara's home".

Aang's shoulders slumped as he leaned most of his weight on his staff. He was the bridge. Kaya had found her way into their world by crossing through him… over him? Aang wasn't sure how a person could use a spiritual bridge. But he supposed it didn't matter. "I don't know what to do", he admitted. "I'm supposed to be the connection between here and the spirit world. I'm the only person who can go after the others. But I don't know how. I don't even know how I ended up like this!" Aang flapped his arms in a gesture to his invisible and intangible self.

A shimmer in the sky caught Kaya's attention. Her head arched back as she searched for it. "Aang", she called as she pointed into the sky "Look".

And Aang did. Turning on his heel, he followed the direction Kaya pointed; noticing the same thing she did. It looked like a large ribbon was flying. It grew and grew in size the closer it came; falling closer and closer to the earth. "What is that?" Aang asked as he and Kaya started to make out more features. "Another spirit?" Aang clutched his staff tightly.

"Fang!" Kaya announced; sounding almost relieved when she recognized the dragon hurtling towards them. She took a step forward. Coming to stand shoulder to shoulder with Aang; leaving the village gates behind her. "Maybe Fang can help". Kaya waved an arm over her head as Momo blinked confusedly at the sudden change in behavior.

"Wait, Fang is a dragon?" Aang asked as Fang was now close enough to make out the giant bat-like wings, the horns on his great head, and the whisker decorating his face. "Dragons can be- Kaya step back!"

It was too late. Fang was upon them and Kaya didn't seem bothered in the slightest. As soon as the dragon landed, she stepped close to him; possessing no fear for Fang's size, strength, or the sharpness of his teeth. "Fang", the yellow-haired girl greeted. "It's good to see you. I wasn't sure I ever would again".

Aang nearly dropped his staff as he watched Kaya place a gentle hand on Fang's nose. Fang bowed his great head to allow her to do so. Her hand didn't slip through the spirit. Completely unlike when Aang had tried to touch Katara. How was Kaya able to do this? The dragon made deep chuffing sounds as he blew air on Kaya. Not that it had any physical effect. As such, Momo continued to cling to Kaya. Unaware there was a dragon right in front of him.

"I know. I'm sorry", Kaya spoke remorsefully. "You didn't want me to cross the bridge yet. But I had to leave and I made friends and now…" As if remembering where she was and what was at stake, Kaya stepped aside. Though she left a hand on Fang's nose; taking comfort from the dragon's presence. "Fang this is Aang. Can you help us? No one can see Aang except us, and Hei Bai took one of our other friends to the in-between place".

Fang let out a soft growl. One that had Kaya frowning. "You're here for Aang?" Aang was struggling to believe what he was hearing. What he was seeing. It was like Kaya could understand the dragon. Tentatively, Aang stepped forward. "You don't know where Sokka is, do you?"

One of Fang's long tendrils stretched out and touched Aang on the forehead. Aang was compelled to close his eyes as an image of his past self riding through the air on Fang's back filled his mind. Meanwhile, Kaya looked on. "You're Roku's animal guide!" Aang announced as his eyes flew open. "You were his Appa!" Kaya blinked as she accepted this new information. Did that mean Appa would be a spirit one day too? "Listen, our friend was taken and I don't know how to save him. Is there a way I can talk to Roku?"

Fang let out another growl. One that sent Kaya away from his side. With a graceful turn, Fang showed his back to Aang. "He wants you to get on", Kaya explained.

Determined and eager to move forward, Aang obliged; scrambling onto the dragon's back. "Kaya", Aang said before Fang took off. "I promise I'll bring Sokka back". Kaya nodded in thanks. "It was really nice to talk to you". Aang added as Fang started to move.

Kaya smiled. "You too, Aang" Kaya answered; voice a bit lonesome. She stood still, Momo cradled her arms as Fang leaped into the air; flying off in the direction and Aang could only hope would lead him to Avatar Roku.

"Fang took me to a temple on an island", Aang explained to me and Katara.

Well… mostly to Katara. I was having a hard time following along. My mind was stuck on that bit about Kaya being from a different world. "I'm engaged to an alien", I kept muttering to myself as Aang continued with his story. An alien… What… Why… How… I didn't know what to think.

"Since we weren't physically in this world, we flew right through the temple roof. And inside the temple was a giant statue of Avatar Roku. But I didn't get to talk to him. Instead, Fang showed me a picture of a comet and something about the solstice. I think that's when I'll be able to talk to Roku".

"A comet?" Katara asked; tuning out my existential crisis. "Why did you need to know that to confront Hei Bai?"

Meanwhile, Kaya patted me consolingly on my back. An alien was touching me. A cute, nice alien. But still an alien…

"Nothing", Aang answered with a shrug. "I think Roku just wanted Fang to pass along a message. Because after the temple, and after Fang disappeared, I returned to my body. I was back in the burnt forest with a shrine in front of me. That's when I figured it out and came back to the village".

Aang looked at Kaya and smiled. One Kaya nervously returned. Probably because I couldn't stop staring at her. It's decided. I've decided. We will never tell anyone where Kaya comes from. She'd have a hard time making friends if we did. My people already accused her of being a witch. An alien had to be worse, right?

"The burnt down forest. It belongs to Hei Bai. He's the spirit who guards it. So, when it was burnt down, Hei Bai was upset and angry. He came to the village to get help as these were the people who usually made offerings to his shrine. But when they didn't understand that, he just felt worse". Aang adjusted his gaze to include Katara. "But when I showed him an acorn and told him the same thing you told me, Hei Bai felt better. And he was able to let go of his anger and return Sokka and the missing villagers".

Kaya nodded as if she understood all of that. "Hei Bai not bad", she stated. "Hei Bai…" Her face scrunched up as she searched for a word she could say.

Aang stepped up. "Hei Bai is a nice spirit with a bad temper".

Comradery sparked between Aang and Kaya. Clearly, the two had gone through something together that Katara and I couldn't fully appreciate. "Nice spirit", Kaya echoed; smiling in gratitude.

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

The Fire Temple

Despite common sense! Despite pointing out the obvious! We ended up flying into the Fire Nation. Why? Because of some Avatar mumbo jumbo that would allow Aang to talk to a ghost! I don't like this. My instinct screamed at me to steal Appa's reins from Aang and turn this flying bison around. What would Dad say if he knew I willingly allowed my little sister to cross enemy lines?

As we traveled, talk was limited. Each of us was stuck in our thoughts as we willfully approached danger. What would be waiting for us at this temple? How many firebenders would we have to sneak past for Aang to make the most of this comet? What would happen if we failed?

Kaya watched the clouds. Compared to Katara's nervous hands and my stiff shoulders, Kaya was the most relaxed among us. Even Aang's deep focus spoke of his unease. Did Kaya understand? Katara tried to explain. This would be dangerous. We didn't know what we'd be facing. I had tried too. Maybe Kaya could've stayed in the village and make offerings to Hei Bai. Perhaps she didn't want to dodge fire and confront the Fire Nation. But everything we said to her was meant with a confused head tilt and a carefully enunciated, "Fire Nation bad".

What was I doing? It was one thing to let Aang and Katara pull stunts like this. At least they had their bending. But Kaya… A slingshot wouldn't stand a chance against a whole temple of monsters.

It was Kaya who spotted the ship. She tugged on my sleeve; pointing to something behind me as the air whipped around us. Pulled from my musings, I looked and balked at the sight of the ship chasing Appa's tail. Large and dark clouds of smoke plumed from the ship as an indicator of how fast it traveled. Why hadn't we flown Appa higher?

"Aang!" I called; one arm slipping around Kaya's shoulders as my free hand gripped Appa's saddle. "Fire nation and fast approaching!"

Katara looked back at the announcement. Aang didn't bother. Snapping Appa's reins, he urged the bison to go faster with Momo clinging to him for support. "That looks like Zuko's ship", Katara announced; eyes widening as something hurtled from the ship in our direction. "Fireball!" Katara yelled.

She clung to the side of Appa's saddle. Ducking low as Aang swerved; causing Momo to squeak in panic. "Hang on", Aang yelled. A bit late if you asked me.

Still, Kaya clung to me as I pressed her flat against her legs and as close to Appa's saddle as possible. Her eyes grew to a horrified width as a flaming hot stinky ball of death whizzed passed our heads. She turned her head towards me; spewing gibberish as she tried to express some sort of alarm. Perhaps they didn't have fireballs in her alien world.

"Can Appa go faster?" Katara yelled. "We need to get out of range". Her head was still turned in the ship's direction; keeping a weathered eye for anything else Zuko might throw at us.

"Uh…" Aang's answer was not confident and I felt my stomach drop. "There's just one problem about that…"

Giving Kaya an extra tight squeeze, I looked forward with a nervous gulp. In the sea spread before Appa, a row of Fire Nation ships protected their border. Each had a catapult armed and ready with fireballs of their own. Oh, La! I was about to get both my little sister and my fiancé killed on the same day. Worst stand-in chief ever. I never should've taken them out of the South Pole!

With Momo hiding beneath his clothes, making him look like a hunchback, Aang briefly glanced over his shoulder in our direction. "Let's go North. We can go around the blockade".

Except the blockage was fast approaching, and it wasn't like Appa was the easiest thing to turn. "There's no time", Katara argued. Her braid whipped madly behind her.

Gritting my teeth, Aang expressed exactly what I felt as the blockade became closer and closer. "This is exactly why I didn't want you to come! It's not safe!"

Neither myself nor Katara responded. We couldn't when facing certain demise. Forcing my lungs to fill with air, I tightened my grip around Kaya as she stared at the blockade with increasing bewilderment. "We'll have to run it". I decided; knowing the results may not differ no matter what we did.

Fireball after fireball came hurtling towards up. Pressing my weight on top of Kaya's, I pushed her as close to the saddle as possible as Appa turned, swerved, ducked, and lifted to avoid burning death. The stench of sulfur was stifling and quickly became the only thing we could breathe. The air was ripped from my lungs as I screamed; letting the terror rattle my ribcage. Limited to Appa's saddle, no way to fight or escape, it was all I could do. Katara and Aang must've felt the same because their screams echoed mine. Even Momo was screeching. Kaya, however; was breathless. Maybe because of how I was pinning her down. Or maybe she just wasn't the type to scream.

When the fireballs exploded, clouds of rotting ash consumed us. I could feel it heating my skin and soiling my hair. Appa bore the worst of it. One fireball explodes right in front of him. There was no time to dodge, and he flew straight through. Soon, the scent of rotting ash was mixed with the smell of burning hair.

"Appa!" Aang panicked as the air cleared; revealing bits of Appa's coat that sparked as embers threatened to spread. There wasn't much Aang could do as he was in no position to drop the reins. Katara and Momo acted first; climbing and reaching for bits of Appa to pat out the embers with their hands. Leaving Kaya, I did the same. A squeak nearly escaped my throat as I worried about the flying shag rug. Kaya was slower to assist. Needing time to find her bearings after being pressed flat for so long. But when she did, she joined and soon Appa was fire free. He let out a grumble of relief as we continued to fly.

It was only the first wave. More fireballs were released into the sky. Pleting towards us, Appa did what he could to dodge. My stomach flipped and ached from all his acrobatics. Momo clung to Katara and Katara to the saddle. Kaya reached for me, but I grabbed her hands and forced them both to hold on to the saddle's railing. One of my arms wrapped around her middle as I covered her back while the other, hung onto Appa's saddle for dear life.

A single catapult launched one more fireball. This one sailed straight for Appa; taking him on face to face. Except Aang wasn't about to let his oldest friend be burned for a second time that day. "Aang!" Katara shouted in fright as he leaped off Appa's head. Propelled by his bending, Aang arched a big sweeping kick; sending a slash of air into the path of the fireball. It slammed into the fireball, reducing the attack to flying rumble and smoky ash.

As Appa flew to catch up, Katara sprang forward. Arms stretched forward, she caught Aang as he fell into Appa's saddle. Momo was nearly dislodged in the process. Looking back, I saw a sight I didn't think we'd get to witness. The blockade was behind us.

"We made it!" Aang celebrated; sounding far too excited for someone who had just gotten a face full of fireball.

Katara sat straight as I released Kaya. Our eyes met and for one brief instance, we momentarily agreed that we missed home. As Aang climbed back to Appa's head to retrieve Appa's reins, Katara kept a weary eye on the blockage disappearing in the distance. "They're not following". She sounded surprised.

I shrugged. "It's hard for big ships to change course". They needed time and space to do that.

Kaya frowned as she took in the soot spots that littered Appa and his saddle. She frowned at the ash smudged into her clothes and my face. I half expected her to start crying. But I wasn't surprised when she didn't. Instead, Kaya looked at me and said slowly, "Fire Nation…" She pinched her nose when she couldn't find the word; smooshing her nostrils together.

Despite my unease, I snorted. "Smells", I guessed. "The Fire Nation smells".

Kaya nodded in agreement as she repeated my words. "The Fire Nation smells. Badder than-"

"Worse"

"Worse", Kaya corrected. "Worse than Sokka… Dark months".

"The Fire Nation smells worse than me after the dark months", I interpreted; grinning in spite of myself. "And they call the Water Tribe uncivilized. Hard to believe, right?"

The sun was setting when we landed. And Appa… Appa was done. The great beast groaned as he sprawled out on the ground. "You did good, buddy", Aang praised; rubbing the top of Appa's head as he stared at the temple built on top of the mountain. This temple was different from the southern air temple. From the architecture to the ambiance. As sad as the air temple had been, at least we felt a sense of welcome. Here there was lava bubbling under a nearby bridge and steam hung uncomfortably in the air; making it difficult to inhale.

"Will Appa be okay on his own?" Katara asked as she assured her water pouch was full.

"Yeah", Aang said as he double-checked his staff. "And he can always fly away if he needs to".

My boomerang was strapped to my back and my dagger was sheathed on my belt. "Kaya, do you have your slingshot?"

The yellow-haired girl nodded; patting where it stuck out of her own belt. Her eyes focused on the lava as she rubbed at her scarred arms. She seemed both mystified and horrified by the sight. Did they not have lava in her world? Though, at my continued staring, her eyes slowly flickered away and came to rest on my face. "You can't be convinced to stay with Appa, can you?"

As if she understood every word, Kaya shook her head. Yeah, I figured. Sighing, my shoulders dropped. Some man I was turning out to be; letting my family confront danger.

We approached the temple, climbing the mountain, with cautious steps. "I don't see any guards", I said as we pressed against the walls for coverage.

"Maybe the Fire Nation abandoned the temple when Avatar Roku died", Katara hoped; always the optimist. But that was too much to wish for. We were never that lucky. And this temple… It wasn't dusty. There was no sign of decay. It was well-kept. Someone had to be here.

As sundown approached, Aang sped us on. On tip-toes, we scurried higher and higher up the mountain; keeping to the walls as we drew near the temple. Kaya kept rubbing her arms; wincing every few steps. "What's wrong?" I whispered as we came to a stone courtyard. "Do your arms hurt?"

Kaya shook her head. "Itches", she mumbled.

That wasn't uncommon for old scars. Especially when the scars came from burns. Gran-gran used to apply a cool compress when Kaya felt an itch. As Katara and Aang wondered where we should look first, I held onto one of Kaya's wrists and pushed up her sleeve. Scratching wouldn't help. Might actually irritate the skin more. But maybe if I… Kaya's scars were glowing like the pale sun during the early morning.

Kaya's breath hitched as I gapped. "That new", she said; sounding startled.

It was her tone that prevented me from jerking my hands away. I could feel Kaya eyeing me with nerves as I pushed up her other sleeve. She couldn't be blamed. If Kaya had… glowed at home, I'm not sure I would've been able to protect her from the other women.

"Yeah, sure", I muttered to myself' studying the swirling scars on Kaya's arms. "My fiancé is an alien from a different world where people have yellow hair and speak a gibberish language. Why wouldn't she glow like a star?"

Kaya's scars didn't look like damaged splotches of skin any longer. Instead, the glowing scars swirled around her arms and resembled scales. The scars ended at her elbows; spread out like a fan… like tails. And on her palms, the scars began; rounded with one or two pointy bits. As if they depicted heads. "They look like dragons".

"Fang", Kaya said; seeing what I saw. Was that why they were glowing? Because we were here?

"Ah… Hello!" Aang greeted; snapping me out of my worried muses. Turning, I saw five men dressed in red robes and tall pointy hats.

"We are the Fire Sages. Guardians of the temple of the Avatar", said the one in the middle.

"Great", Aang said as I pushed Kaya behind me. Mystical alien fiancés would have to wait. "I'm the avatar".

If Aang was respecting a warm welcome, we received the opposite. Four out of the five took large, deep inhales; standing straight and chest puffing out. We tensed. Firebenders only breathe like that for one reason.

"Wait!" yelled the fifth pointy hat. His eyes were on Kaya's glowing flesh. "They possess a mark bearer!"

Four blasts of fire shot towards us. Springing forward, Aang met them halfway; using air to deflect all four. "Run", He yelled over his shoulder before sweeping air to knock the sages off their feet. I didn't need to be told twice. Turning, I urged Kaya and later Katara to run in front of me as we ducked inside and disappeared down a hallway. Aang followed seconds later.

When no footsteps chased after us, we slowed to a walk; panting against the heavy steam in the air. "It's so dark in here", Katara said as Momo clung to her shoulders.

"That's okay. We have light Á la Kaya", I said; holding one of Kaya's wrists and stretching it above her head. Causing the glow to wash over us. Kaya yanked her arm free; nervously tugging her sleeves to cover the marks once more.

Katara's eyes were wide. "What was that? Why were they glowing?"

Kaya scuffed the toe of her boot against the stone floor. "Not Kaya's… flat". She clutched her hands behind her back. As if willing them away.

"Fault", I corrected; frowning at Katara. "The glowing scars are not Kaya's fault".

"It's okay, Kaya", Aang said as he rounded a corner. "Maybe Avatar Roku can tell us more about the mark of dragons".

When we rounded the corner, Aang stood in a fighting stance; his staff clutched tightly in his hands. Gasping, Katara copied him as my hand flew to my dagger. A little stream of water floated from Katara's water pouch. And Kaya pulled out her slingshot; aiming from behind my shoulder.

The fifth pointy hat, the one who called out, stood in our path. "Wait", he cried; hands raised to his ears. "I want to help".

"You want us dead", I seethed; poising my dagger for attack.

"Wait, Sokka", Aang ordered. His posture loosened as the pointy hat sank to his knees and laid his palms flat on the stone in a reverent bow.

"Please", the sage said; practically kissing the ground. "I have longed for your return, young avatar. Tonight, Avatar Roku awaits you for an audience. Allow me to guide you to him".

Aang perked up considerably. But… "There's no way it'd be this easy", I muttered.

Still, we followed the pointy hat down multiple hallways and through multiple doors. Sometimes, we were shown secret passageways guarded by firebending. The deeper we went into the temple, the more distrust I felt towards pointy hat. "We must go fast", the sage said. "The others are scouring the temple as we speak".

But that didn't stop the sage from giving us a history lesson. "These passages were formed by the magma wielded by Avatar Roku. Long ago, he called this place his home. My grandfather served him and guarded this temple after he departed for the spirit world. In the generations that followed, we've maintained the temple; waiting for the Avatar's return until… the Fire Lord asked something else from our post". The last part was spoken mournfully. And it made me uncomfortable. Those from the Fire Nation weren't supposed to have hearts!

The sage sighed and shook his head as if freeing himself from grief. "I knew times were changing when the eyes of Avatar Roku's mighty statue began to glow. Much like…" The sage cast a wistful stare in Kaya's direction. She tucked herself closer to my back; glaring at the sage from behind my shoulder. "The blessing of dragon fire. Avatar Roku must have called you both home".

"This isn't their home", I argued; fighting the urge to throw my dagger. "Kaya is Water Tribe. And Aang…" It felt too soon to claim Aang as family. "Aang's a nomad. He wanders where he wants".

Katara seemed to agree; placing a protective hand on Aang's shoulder. Aang though, was more interested in what the pointy hat could tell us. "The blessing of dragon fire, what is that?"

As we traveled through another secret passage, the sage explained, "The blessing for dragon fire is gifted to those a dragon has judged as a worthy sacrifice."

A worthy sacrifice? "Kaya, what did you do?" I hissed as we were led deeper and deeper into the temple. Just how big was this place?

Kaya fidgeted anxiously behind me. "Kaya don't… I not understand".

"The mark of dragons is regarded as a good omen. Amongst the Fire Nation, etched in our history, it is a promise of fortune and prosperity. Villages and towns that had their sacrifices returned to them felt guaranteed that their crops would yield heartily and riches would fill their pockets. Some mark bearers have blessed new monarchs; protecting their right to reign".

What was this old man saying? Was Kaya… Sacrificed?

"But as man began to hunt dragons and their numbers dwindled, mark bearers became rare and coveted. It came to be that as soon as one was returned; they were carted off to bring blessings to noble blood. The mark bearers' families were paid handsomely for them. However, as dragons have gone extinct, so has the blessing of dragon fire. So…" The sage's eyes washed over Kaya a second time as we reached a pair of ornate doors. "I am very curious how your friend came upon her markings. Perhaps I could study them myself".

"No!" Kaya and I shouted as one. Our voices echoed across the high stone walls; causing Aang and Katara to jerk around. They shushed us anxiously; pressing a finger against their lips.

His back to the ornate doors, the sage frowned. "You shouldn't cover the dragon's mark". He spoke directly to Kaya. "They are a sign of honor. You should display them with pride".

It's impossible to know how much Kaya understood, but it was obvious she didn't like the attention. "Not Kaya's fault", she said quietly. Too quiet for anyone else to hear.

"Is… Do we need to go through these doors?" Aang asked.

Mournfully, the sage turned away from Kaya. "Yes", he answered Aang. "Avatar Roku's statue waits for you on the other side. However; opening them will not be easy".

The door could only be opened by five simultaneous fire blasts. Either from five fire sages or one fully trained avatar. "Do you mean we snuck into the Fire Nation for nothing?" I complained studying the doors and taking due diligence to keep myself between Kaya and the pointy hat.

"There has to be a way", Katara said; her voice matched Aang's anguish. After all, we had risked a lot to be here and time was running out.

"If we need five fire sages to open the door, maybe they can be tricked into opening it for us", I said.

Aang and Katara exchanged a look. "What are you thinking, Sokka?"

Five bags filled with oil-soaked animal casings were shoved into five slots on the door. Twine kept the bags shot and acted at the fuse. "The blast should send the other sages running", I theorized; hiding behind a pillar with Kaya in between. "And it will leave the door looking singed; making them believe Aang is already inside. To stop him from talking to Avatar Roku, they'll have to open the doors".

"And that's when I'll run inside", Aang said for another pillar. Katara crouched down next to him.

With one small spark from his finger, the sage lit the fuses. He had just enough time to duck behind a pillar of his own before the five bags exploded. The force was great enough that the stones under our feet tremored and the air was greatly disturbed. But the doors stood strong. Only the residue from the bags left it marked.

I nodded at the sage; signaling him to move. Which he did; hurrying out from behind the pillar. "Come quickly!" He bellowed. "I've found the avatar. He is already in the sanctuary!"

Footsteps stampeded. The sound of it rumbled off the stone as they drew closer and closer. Katara and Aang didn't dare to move. I held my breath. And Kaya hunched her shoulders; her hand hovering over her slingshot.

"He's inside", our sage yelled as the other pointy hats arrived. "Quickly! We must open the doors. Before he can contact Avatar Roku!"

Five blasts of fire erupted from the sages. Even from the safety of the pillars we could feel the heat from their force. With the hand that wasn't over her slingshot, Kaya rubbed at her arm. Did heat make the itchiness worse?

With clinks and clanks, the door started to open. Another time, another place; I'd be wondering about how such a mechanism worked. But right now… Aang sprang forward. Air aided his speed as he slid past the sages and dove into doors.

"Close them, Aang!" I shouted; running out from the pillar to intercept the first sage.

Katara handled another sage; subduing him by water slashing his face. Just as quickly as the doors opened, they started to close. "No!" A pointy hat complained as our sage pinned his arms. Kaya pinged the last sage with a stone from her slingshot. It knocked the hat off his head. A second rock left an angry red mark on his forehead.

"What now?" Katara asked, as she left her Sage on the floor and moved to help Kaya.

"We need to keep them contained", I said; slamming the hilt of my dagger into the soft spot on the back of my opponent's head. "Until Aang's done and we can run away".

Any success was short-lived. Kaya yelped. Katara gasped, "Zuko!" And the sages retaliated. Our sage was flipped and slammed into the stone floor. The one under my hands rolled and blasted fire until I was forced off balance. He was able to knock my dagger free and detain me after that. Two went after Katara as Momo screeched in the background. With two against one, they were able to use their fire to turn her water into steam. And she was grabbed.

Kaya was left to Zuko's mercy. He threw her slingshot to the other side of the room. The sound of it clattering against the stone floor rang in my ears. She yelled many angry words in her gibberish tongue as her arms were yanked behind her and Zuko made sure she wouldn't be able to kick him. "Hurry. Bind the prisoners and open the doors!" Zuko ordered as Kaya fought him. "Stand still!" he growled at her.

A knee between my shoulder blades kept me from rising. Kept me from struggling. Across the way, Katara was in a similar state. "Please, my prince!" Our sage cried as his arms were tied behind his back. Already, a giant bruise was forming on his face. "That child bears the mark of dragons".

I was dragged to a pillar. Katara soon joined me and a chain was wrapped around our arms and torso; binding us to a pillar. "Quiet, traitor!" A sage smacked our sage on the back of his head. "That's impossible!"

But Zuko knew differently. He had seen Kaya's scars. Proclaimed them to be the mark of dragons himself; that day he dragged her from our village. "Go faster!" Zuko barked as Kaya continued to struggle in his grip. "Open the doors!"

Blinding light shined from under the sealed doors. "You're too late", Katara celebrated. But it was muted. Because we were still out here; chained to a pillar and surrounded by firebending scum. And Aang would be too. Once he was done.

A pointy hat must have agreed. He hung his head. "Avatar Roku won't let us inside until he has said his piece".

Zuko snarled in frustration. Steam shot from out of his nose. Still, Kaya fought his hold. She gained no ground. If we ever make it out of her, I'll have to teach her to fight for real. Just a slingshot wasn't going to cut it anymore.

"Please, Prince Zuko!" Our sage tried again. I wished he'd shut up. "Check her arms. Those who gain favor from mark bearers always prosper. Surely that is enough reason to take care".

Things became worse. "A mark bearer? How intriguing". Zuko was grabbed as more firebenders stomped into the room. "Zhao", Zuko scoffed as if the name was a curse. A man with major sideburns paid Zuko no mind Zuko was wrestled to another pillar.

"Kaya!" I yelled as the hands restraining her changed from Zuko's to Mr. Sideburns. To this Zhao's. My heart beat loudly in my ears as I was forced to watch. What was I thinking? I should have forced her to stay with Appa. Kaya and Katara!

The man hummed as Zuko was chained. He didn't keep Kaya at an arm's distance like Zuko had. "Kaya is a Water Tribe name. But you do not come from such stock". Zhao only needed one hand to hold Kaya's wrists. He used the other to finger one of her braids. "Such an unusual color", he crooned; causing a shiver to shoot up Kaya's spine. It was so sharp that I was able to see it even at my distance.

As the blinding light continued to shine from under the door, Zhao dropped Kaya's braid and yanked up her sleeve; revealing the glowing scar on Kaya's left arm. He raised a poised eyebrow. "So, the rumors were true".

Every firebender in the room gasped. Some of the sages tried to drop to their knees. "It shouldn't be possible". One of them breathed.

"Sokka, do you have a plan?" Katara whispered to me as Zuko glared and fought his chains. I bit my lip. Mind racing. Many ideas came to me but none that would work. We needed Aang, a way out, and one mega distraction.

Zhao clicked his tongue in displeasure. "Don't get distracted", he ordered his guards and the pointy hats. Just his voice was enough to force them to straighten up. However, he quickly returned to the creepy musings from before. "My, my. This will be a day for the history books. Two traitors, the mark of dragons, and the avatar. What will Fire Lord Ozai say when I present all four to him? Imagine how he'll reward me".

So much steam blew from Zuko's nose that he looked like a tea kettle. The light was still shining under the doors. And Kaya refused to stand still. She tried to stomp on Zhao's toes. Kick his shins. Jab an elbow into his gut. But he held her in such a way that no blow was landed. Streams of gibberish and random words left her mouth. The words bad and smelly were spoken many times. And I realized… I should probably teach her some insults. Even if Gran-gran wouldn't approve.

But Kaya froze as soon as Zhao's free hand came in contact with her neck. His fingers brushed against her throat like how one would stroke a baby polar-bear dog. I felt my muscles flex against our bindings. If there was ever a time to develop super strength, it was now!

"What's this?" Zhao asked. His hand wrapped around the shale carving dangling from Kaya's neck. "How common. That won't do at all". Kaya's betrothal necklace was ripped from her throat. Katara gasped at the insult as my blood boiled. Not that any of our present company understood that. With a distasteful sneer, Zhao discarded the necklace; tossing it to the side as if it were garbage. "I'm sure your new master will desire a prettier collar around your neck", Zhao purred into Kaya's ear.

I wanted to kill him. I was going to kill him! Katara would help me if her growling was anything to go by. When I was freed from this pillar I would-

The light from underneath the door became brighter. Smoke soon followed as the clinking and clanging returned and the door began to open. "Get ready!" Zhao barked as he held Kaya tighter.

The more the door opened, the brighter the light became. Soon we were blinded. Those who didn't look away in time howled as their eyes burned. Still, that wasn't enough for the Zhao's guards to fall into line. They had their hands aimed towards the doors. "Aang!" Katara shouted; trying to warn him.

"Fire!" Zhao roared. Causing his guards to send rounds of fire at a target they couldn't see. Under Zhao's hands, Kaya winced violently at the onslaught of heat. When the fire burnt out, it wasn't Aang standing in the doorway. Instead, an old man with a long beard and glowing eyes stood in his place.

Our sage was amazed. "Avatar Roku", he gasped; almost going slack in his binds.

The old man drew a circle of fire with his foot. With one mighty step, the fire was sent in our direction. Like a rogue wave, it swept our enemies off their feet and melted our chains. The wave of fire was so strong that the wall was destroyed.

To save himself, Zhao shoved Kaya as he dove out of the way. "Kaya!" I yelled as I ran to her. Nearly colliding with Prince Scarface as he made his escape. Kaya was already climbing to her feet when I reached her. She clung to my hands as fire continued to ruin the temple; the old man unrelenting. "We have to go!" I yelled at Katara as the pointy hats and the Fire Nation guards fled.

"What about Aang?" She yelled back.

But then the old man started blasting the floor. His fire was so hot that it was melting the stone. Soon, the lava under the temple started to become visible. "Katara!" I begged; holding a hand out to her. She ran for me; hair streaming behind her as bits of the floor crumbled in her wake. As soon as I could, I grabbed Katara's outstretched hand. Momo's head peeked out of her tunic as I tucked my small family behind the last remaining pillar. Each of my arms circled around a girl as I used the pillar and my back to shield them. Preparing for the worst, I shut my eyes; cursing our foolishness for ever leaving the South Pole!

Behind my eyelids, I noticed the blinding light start to dim. The heat touching our flesh began to fade. So did the sounds of crumbling rumble. The only thing I could hear were the panicked breaths of the girls and the old man exhaling.

When I opened my eyes and peered out from behind the pillar, the old man was gone. Only Aang resided in his place; kneeling wearily on the floor. "Aang", I said; releasing Katara as she ran from my arms. She raced for him, dropping to her knees to offer support.

Kaya and I approached slower; huddling together and picking our steps as we joined them. "What happened?" Aang mumbled. Barely audible as he leaned his weight on Katara.

"We'll explain later, but we need to leave now", I said; trying to find an exit. But the stairs the others used to flee were gone; destroyed by lava. And the hole in the hole in the wall was too high for us to jump from.

Hand shaking, Kaya pointed to something she was the first to see. "Appa!"

And there was the flying bison coming to our rescue. I had to let go of Kaya to help carry Aang. But she managed on her own; being the first to climb into Appa's saddle and helping drag Aang to safety. Katara clambered aboard bedside them and for the first time since leaving the South Pole, I took Appa's reins; sitting on his head. "As fast as you can, buddy," I told Appa. "Get us out of here!"

We left the destroyed temple and a fleet of Fire Nation ships behind us. As their shapes became less and less distinct, the air became sweeter and I could enjoy a sea breeze once again. "You know", I said; focusing on the others. Katara sat with Aang's head cradled in her lap. While Kaya hugged Momo tight. Her throat looked strange without my necklace. "We have bad luck with temples. Maybe we shouldn't go anywhere near them".

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Jet's Forest

We found a lake… Lagoon? I don't know. It was big enough for Appa to take a bath and had a waterfall. It was a needed break. We all felt the strain from our last adventure. Poor Appa still smelt like sulfur from the fireballs. Momo was being extra clingy. Aang now had a deadline that made him fidgety… more fidgety. And Kaya… Kaya couldn't stop looking at her arms; afraid they would glow again. It was a relief to me; seeing Kaya unnerved by glowing flesh. Because that meant it wasn't normal for yellow-haired people to glow.

"It's okay, Kaya", Aang said as he stood at the water's edge; tree branch in hand to scrub between Appa's toes. "Avatar Roku said your scars glowed because we were close to dragon fire. We'd have to find a dragon for it to happen again".

As Katara and Aang went about their chores, I focused on Kaya. "Uh… Let's start with stretching", I said; touching my toes and working on my arms. This would be different than training the younger boys in the village. Kaya was… Well, she was a girl. How did one teach a girl to fight? My whole life, Dad told me to be gentle with girls. That only cowards would raise a hand against them. But there was no other way to do it. You can't learn how to fight without being in a fight. And Kaya was my fiancé! Oh, Dad wouldn't be happy if he ever found out.

Making sure her sleeves covered her arms; Kaya copied my motions. In some instances, she proved to be more limber than I was. That must be a girl thing. "Do you remember what Suki taught you?" I asked; watching Kaya as she sat and laid her torso flat against her straight legs.

Releasing her feet, Kaya sat straight and blinked at me. "Suki…" Slowly she punched her right fist into her left palm.

"Yeah", I agreed; rubbing the back of my head. "Suki taught you how to fight… A little. I'm going to teach you more".

In the background, Katara took inventory of our supplies and Aang continued Appa's bath. We could hear them talking amongst each other; discussing what waterbending tricks Katara would show Aang and worrying about Sozin's comet. Kaya tilted her head to the side. "No slingshot", she reminded me.

It wasn't just Kaya's betrothal necklace we lost to the fire temple. My dagger. Kaya's slingshot. Both would have to be replaced sooner rather than later. But for now… "Which is why you need to learn something else. Besides, a slingshot isn't going to help if you've been grabbed".

I hadn't forgotten how the firebenders reacted to Kaya's scars. How Zuko hadn't tied her to a pillar. How Mr. Sideburns had leered at her. Kaya may not have to fear death. But a cage was still worthy enough of resistance.

Kaya muddled through my words; repeating them in her head. I wondered if she had to translate them. Or if their meanings came more quickly than when she was first learning. When she finished, Kaya nodded once. Slowly and nervously. Did she remember what it felt like? Having Zhao breathing down her neck?

"So… Um…" I rubbed the back of my head as Kaya climbed to her feet. "I'm going to…" Holding my arms out, I stepped forward; giving Kaya time to protest and not acting at all like an assailant. Grabbing, Kaya's shoulder, I guided her until her back faced me. Then I adjusted my grip; reaching over her and around her neck. My front pressed against her back and I could feel my ears burning. "If someone grabs you like this, I want you to throw an elbow. Aim for a soft part. Up or down. And then, you'll want to turn and push me away. Anything to get me away from your throat. You ready?"

I stood waiting. Except, Kaya didn't move. Behind us, I could hear Katara and Aang splashing around, and Appa enjoying his soak. Um… right. Kaya probably didn't want to do this anymore than I did. "It's okay, Kaya. You won't hurt me. We'll take it one step at a time. Just use your elbow".

From where my arm wrapped around her neck, Kaya grabbed my sleeve and tugged. "Sokka?" She sounded so unsure. "What is… elbow?"

Blinking repeatedly, my arm slipped off Kaya as I let go. Slowly, she turned to face me. Well, that complicated things. "Right. So, this is a-"

Kaya stepped back; eyes wide with alarm. She wasn't fast enough. I didn't even have enough time to turn around. A great wall of water came crashing down over our heads. Our clothes were soaked. Our hair was drenched. The ground under our feet turned to mud. Shoulders dropping, I threw my head back. The back of my wolf tail stuck to my shaved scalp. "Aang!" I yelled as Kaya rubbed water from her eyes.

Waterbending tomfoolery complete, Aang and I left the girls at camp. Katara needed a break. Kaya needed to fix her braids after the unplanned wash and I… I wasn't ready for Kaya to be seen by others. Her hair attracted too much notice. Covering it with a scarf didn't always work. And now that Zhao knew about her, it was better to take precautions.

"Hey, Aang", I said as we entered a nearby village. It was an oceanside settlement. Salt could be tasted in the air. It was a big village. More like a town. A trading port if the docked ships were anything to go by. Dad used to tell stories about places like this. Back when the tribe would sail to trade with the Earth Kingdom.

"Yeah, Sokka?" Aang asked; looking up from a produce vendor's wares.

"All your airbending… stuff", I said; wiggling my fingers. "Can you teach Kaya?"

Aang returned a melon to a stack; seemingly unaware of the scrutiny of the vendor. The old woman had been glaring at us without blinking as soon as we approached; her hands on her hips. I guess it didn't matter. Reading her prices, we didn't have enough money for her stall. "But…" Aang blinked his confusion as he faced me. "Kaya isn't an Airbender".

We moved on; wandering to a different stall and ignoring the eyes that followed our departure. "I know that!" I said; face flushing as I looked away. "I meant how you move, dodge, and block". Stopping in the street; staring at my boots, I missed it when Aang's face lit up and he scurried over to the closest vendor. "She's going to get hurt if she can't defend herself. I can't teach her… I can't hurt her. And you're better at it than I am… Speaking Kaya, I mean".

Oh, that was difficult to admit. Sheepishly, I raised a hand and rubbed the back of my head. My fingernails gently scraped against my scalp. Maybe I could help more once we replaced her slingshot. Or if we found a different weapon for her to practice with. But until then… "So, Aang? What do you think?"

Looking up, I faced Aang's back as he handed a vendor one of the few coins we had to our names. As Aang turned away from the vendor, a bison-shaped whistle clenched in his hand, he beamed and my mouth hung open. "Sure! I can teach Kaya a few things. Maybe Katara would like to learn too".

I thrust my hand out; palm facing up. "Aang, I'll handle the money from now on". Pouting, the boy older than a century dropped the two remaining coins into my hand. Looks like we'll be fishing and foraging for our dinner tonight.

We only spent one night at the lagoon. I managed to catch three decent-sized fish for the girls and me. And Aang found some root, nut… plant thing to eat. It hadn't taken him long. Meaning, Aang and Kaya spent a good hour or so gliding around in circles and spinning on their heels. If I hadn't seen Aang fight, I'd think it was an air nomad dance. "You have to be light on your feet to avoid attacks", Aang instructed happily.

"Feet", Kaya repeated, pointing to her boots. Thanks to Aang, she was quickly memorizing the names of other body parts. Elbow included.

Next to me, tidying up our cooking supplies, Katara sighed. "I know this is important too. But Aang needs to practice waterbending".

Sharpening my boomerang, I didn't look up. "You two got to play in the water this morning. And Aang can bend water now. Besides, it's not like you have more to teach him. Splashing magic water is your only trick".

If Katara was a firebender, she would have burned me with her eyes.

In the morning, we continued on our way. Heading away from the coast and into a forest that stretched for miles and miles. I imagined my ancestors bemoaning the lack of open water. It felt unnatural to not have water guiding our path. But this was the direction we had to go and… it was safer. Prince Scarface had a ship. Mr. Sideburns had a ship. And ships were water-dependent.

For a couple of days and nights, we traveled and camped amongst the trees. Momo and Aang liked it. There was more food for them amongst all the greenery. Kaya's lessons continued. Aang stuck to dodging and avoiding conflict. Even though I really wanted Kaya to learn how to throw a punch. But that wasn't the Airbender way. Katara would grumble once in a while. But we never came across a big enough pond or water source for her to start up the waterbending argument again. Occasionally, Aang would worry. "Sozin's comet" he'd remind us.

"We'll do what we can", Katara would soothe.

One morning, we woke up to the sound of Momo screeching off in the distance. "Where's Momo?" Aang asked; instantly awake. Groggily, Kaya followed; sitting up and rubbing at her eyes. Despite my efforts to pull her back down. No… just five more minutes.

Dragging ourselves to our feet, we used our ears to search. Katara trailed after Aang, calling Momo's name. While Kaya dragged me behind her; her head turning in every direction. This was not how I wanted to start my day. A warm breakfast was a thousand times better than a missing pet. But whatever.

Momo's screeches became louder the moment we entered a clearing. And he wasn't the only one. Other animals were yowling their distress. Katara saw them first. "Oh no", she said; pointing upwards. Hanging in the canopy on iron chains were three cages. Each contained a furry creature; Momo and two others that could probably feed us for a while.

"Momo! I'm coming", Aang yelled as airbending assisted in his fast ascent. Once in the branches, he made quick work of subduing the trap's mechanism. Momo was carefully lowered to the forest floor. Only for Katara to swoop him up into her arms.

"Momo! Are you okay?" The lemur didn't seem to care; snacking on a lychee nut.

Yawning, I ran a hand over my face. The one that wasn't clasped in Kaya's grip. Lychee nuts, the breakfast of champions.

Aang wasn't done. After Momo's freedom, the other caged animals were released. What could've been a stockpile of meat scampered off into the forest before Aang made it back down.

Kaya released my hand; squatting where the traps had fallen and pondering over the metal frames. I followed; ignoring Katara as she scratched Momo behind the ears. This was a bit much. Sure, I liked Momo too. But why did we have to run to his rescue? Little big ears could have waited with his lychee nuts for a few extra minutes.

The traps were made of wrought iron, I observed. Wielded together at a high heat and the edges were unpolished. "The Fire Nation made these", I observed; the last of my drowsiness fading. Kaya's hands flinched away from the traps at the mere mention. How far had the Fire Nation encroached on Earth Kingdom territory? My eyes scanned the thick foliage. We were in the middle of nowhere. "Let's break camp and head out", I decided; breathing easier when Aang and Katara nodded in agreement. We weren't ready for a fight. Too far from water and too few weapons at our disposal.

Their cooperation changed after we loaded Appa with our supplies. "We're walking", I said as Aang moved to take the reins.

"Why?" He asked; head tilting to the side.

"Flying is faster", Katara agreed. Now, Momo clung to her shoulders instead of being cradled in her arms.

"The Fire Nation always finds us", I explained; checking my boomerang. Without my dagger, I found myself checking more often than before. "No matter where we travel, somehow Prince Zuko or some other squadron finds us".

"Appa big", Kaya said; comprehension sparking in her brown eyes. She lingered close to my shoulder. Her fingers playing with the ends of her scarf.

"So?" Katara questioned. "We'd be in the air. Most people don't spend all day staring up into the sky".

"They do when they're on the lookout for a flying bison", I retorted. Frowning and eyebrows slanting inwards. Gesturing to Appa, I tried to make my point clear. "He's gigantic, fluffy, and soars through the sky like he weighs nothing! People are going to notice".

Appa yawned. I'd like to pretend that it was in support. But Aang patting him consolingly told me otherwise.

"Look", I sighed. Grabbing Kaya's hand to get us moving. "I like flying too. But my gut's telling me we shouldn't be seen today. And walking gives us our best chance".

Fallen leaves and twigs rustled and snapped under Kaya's feet. There was another thing for her to learn. She didn't have the silent steps of a hunter. "Who put you in charge?" Katara challenged.

"Dad did", I threw over my shoulder. "Remember?" Still, Aang and Katara were following. Appa too by the sound of it. So, I couldn't be too annoyed.

"He meant with the house chores", Katara argued; voice light. "And you were so busy hunting, you hardly ever helped".

I scoffed. "You try feeding a whole village and then doing housework. I kept us alive, didn't I?" It was slow going; traversing through the forest. Mostly because there wasn't always a path big enough for Appa. But we managed. Managed to talk too.

"Why do boys always think someone has to lead?" Katara continued; her steps shadowing mine. Kaya pulled her hand free from mine; hurrying forward a few steps to place her hands against a large oak in appreciation.

"I don't think that", Aang interjected. He played with Momo as we walked. Balancing in staff as Momo hung on his arms and swung about. "What do you think, Kaya?" Aang asked.

Three pairs of eyes turned to the yellow-haired girl. She froze under the attention; blinking at us as we waited patiently. When no one answered for her, Kaya stepped away from the tree trunk and cleared her throat. "Kaya… I like walking". She self-corrected. "Feels nice".

Katara's shoulders lost some of her spunk while Aang smiled broadly. "You're right. And we get to explore the forest. This could be fun".

I smiled too. Especially when Kaya returned to my side. Her hand reached for mine; our fingers interlocking.

It lasted for a couple of hours. "I'm bored!" Aang whined; shoulders drooping and head thrown back. "My feet hurt".

"Gee, Aang", Katara joined in. "It's too bad we don't have some other way to travel. A nice place to sit while we're flown across the sky. If only we had a way to do that".

My eye twitched; keeping my head facing forward. Sarcasm wasn't a good look for Katara. The sun had already passed the midday mark. And we hadn't made much progress. Not as we would have it Appa was carrying us. I understood their complaints. The forest was getting old. Every tree looked the same. Every rock, bird, and bush did as well.

Kaya was flagging too. Her steps were smaller, her pace slower. But she seemed more at ease under the canopy and amongst the leaves than we were. Smiling at me and shaking her head at Aang's childish complaints.

"I'm tired too", I said casting an eye behind where Appa dutifully followed. He, on the other hand, did not appear tired at all. If anything, this was probably a day of rest for the beast. "But not one's shot any fireballs at us. We're not trying to outrun firebenders. And were safe. That's what-"

"Sokka!"

Kaya's panicked cry had me halting. She was a few steps ahead; her hands pushing aside a tree branch; her steps frozen. Just past the trees, a group of red tents stood erect in a circle. Surrounding a firepit, soldiers sat with their evening meal in hand. Soldiers wearing the fire insignia. Every one of them. And Aang's arrow wasn't covered. Nor was Kaya's scarf on top of her head.

"Run", I yelled as the soldiers started to move. Except, I couldn't. Not yet. Springing forward, my arm outstretched; I reached for Kaya. Who twisted around and tried to get closer.

A blast of fire shot over her head. The heat brushed against my skin as the bushes lit up in flames; creating a wall of fire between us and our retreat. I reached Kaya; arms wrapping around her as some of the soldiers approached; shifting into fighting stances. Hurriedly, my eyes scanned the tree line that wasn't on fire; searching for a way out.

"Sokka!" Aang yelled from the other side of the firewall. "Your shirt!"

My shirt? Burning hot pain that was slowly increasing in my shoulder caught my attention. So did the smell of burning fabric. "Eeee!" I squealed; jerking away from Kaya. Except, she refused. Eyes wide; taking stock of the situation, Kaya unwound her scarf from her shoulders and started beating me with it; snuffing out the flames before they could do their worst.

All the while, the Fire Nation soldiers watched; drawing closer. "Hang on", Katara yelled. "Aang and I are coming!".

"No", I called back; wondering if I was strong enough to throw Kaya over the wall of fire without it touching her. "I can handle this".

"Can you?" A soldier asked. One that stood a little ahead of the others. "Seems to me like-"

Whatever insult was about to leave his lips was cut off by a force impaling the back of his neck. At first, I couldn't see it. But as the soldier dropped to his knees and then fell onto his stomach, I spied a dart. The unexpected attack had me hesitating. The remaining soldiers too.

Kaya tugged at my arm; her scarf dangling in her other hand. "We move", she said; trying to inch us around the wall of flames.

"Did you handle it?" Aang asked over the wall of fire. "Maybe you could handle it more". Because the fire was still separating us. Because there were still soldiers standing.

"It wasn't me!" I answered. Hand uncertain, I unsheathed my boomerang.

"There!" Katara called out. My back to her, I couldn't figure out what she was referring it. But a few seconds later, a boy leaped down from above and took out two soldiers upon landing. He looked close to my age. With shaggy hair and twin weapons in hand. "Two down", he smirked.

Gawking, I didn't notice the firewall fade away until Katara and Aang hurried to our sides. The boy quickly became the focus of the soldiers. They charged at him as we regrouped. And the boy… he didn't even flinch. Another Fire Nation soldier met the ground as Kaya tugged harder on my arm. "We go", she urged.

A volley of arrows and stones flew from different directions; targeting the soldiers as they tried to cover themselves. "They're in the trees!" One of them cried.

It was meant to warn his brothers in arms. But we used the cue to. Our eyes flickered upward; scanning the leaves. All except Kaya who tugged again. "Run?" She asked.

Another boy, this one younger, dropped from above and landed on a soldier. He was followed by a third; this one armed with a bow and arrows. "I think we should help", Katara said; water flowing out of her flask.

Aang nodded in agreement; shifting into a stance and holding his staff with both hands. "Looks like fun".

They jumped into the fray. Momo abandoned Aang with a screech. "Uh…" My eyes darted between the fight and Kaya who had stopped tugging at my arm. Despite obvious discomfort. She didn't have her slingshot. And a few lessons with Aang didn't make her able to fight hand-to-hand. "Uh…" My grip on my boomerang tightened. A soldier was coming closer and closer. "Stay with Appa!" I ordered. Barely sparing Kaya a glance as I raised my boomerang. A battle cry on my lips.

And… The first boy, the one with the shaggy hair, took him out.

The adrenaline I'd built up had nowhere to go. My muscles clenched unhappily. "I had it", I told the interloper.

He shrugged at me; unconcerned. "Should've moved faster".

More joined the fight. All around our age and taking out the Fire Nation soldiers as if they were made of kindling. Soon, no one from the Fire Nation was left standing… And I hadn't helped at all. "Sokka?" Kaya called as the boy started talking to Katara.

I tore my eyes away; finding out that Kaya had listened. She stood next to Appa. Close to his head and her hands buried in his fur. Taking deep breaths, I made the downward hand motion. Though, this time I think it was more for me than to reassure her.

"That was amazing!" Aang celebrated as Momo found his way back to him. "We just defeated a whole army!".

That wasn't an army. I wanted to argue. But my eyes were on Kaya. And my ears were on Katara. "You really saved us back there". She said.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jet", the shaggy-haired boy introduced. "And this is Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak".

What kind of names are those?

Aang didn't mind. "Hi!" He joined right in. Having no difficulty laughing and making friends. Kaya inched closer; replacing her scarf around her shoulders as she stood by my elbow. Her brown gaze searched my face as introductions continued. "And this is Katara and her brother Sokka", Aang said; pointing to each of us in turn. "They're from the South Pole. And this is Kaya. She's-"

"Kaya's Water Tribe too", I interrupted. Stepping in front of Kaya and hoping Aang read my expression. Yellow hair was one thing. Her weird language was another. But the whole alien thing wasn't something we needed to tell others.

"Uh…" Aang lowered his hand. "Yeah. They're all from the Water Tribe. We're traveling together. Heading for the North Pole".

The camp was slowly being dismantled. Jet's friends worked to find food and weapons that were worth taking.

"Thank you for saving us". Katara said, sliding closer to the older boy. Having put my boomerang back, my hands had nothing to do other than curl and uncurl. I… This didn't feel right. "We were lucky you were here".

Why were they here? In the middle of this forest? Why did they want the soldier's weapons? The food, I understood. I wanted it too. But the weapons…

"I should be thanking you", said Jet; standing a little too close to my sister. "We needed a distraction, and then you guys appeared. It must have been fate". A stupid smirk returned to Jet's face.

"Sokka… Sokka okay?" Kaya asked.

Sighing, I tore my eyes away from Katara and the terrible decision she was no doubt about to make. "I'm not hurt", I assured the yellow-haired girl. Noting when she lingered on the singed part of my shirt. Meanwhile, the other boys were proudly presenting crates and snacks to Jet… their leader. "I'm…" My shoulders rose and fell. "… Not happy".

Kaya hummed. She took a moment to watch the camp. Just as I had; listening to Aang excitedly inquiring about the group's hideout and Katara deciding we'd accept their hospitality. Kaya turned. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she rested her chin on my shoulder. The one that hadn't been touched by fire. Little yellow hairs tickled my nose. "Sokka is the best".

My arms spasmed. Something in me calming. Slowly, my arms raised to return the embrace; wrapping around your upper back. "You're pretty great too".