Wandering Firebender

Twenty Eight: Welcome Home, Daughter

Finally after a week of being on the water, Cindra could see the gates of the Northern Water Tribe ahead of her. Now that the air was cold, she had her parka on again. Fishermen on their own boats waved to her as she passed by them.

She expected that she would be stopped by the guards at the perimeter as she came in, but they simply waved as she passed; they could see that she was using waterbending to propel the boat through the water faster, so they saw no reason to be alarmed.

As she reached the gate, she looked up at the symbol of her tribe with a happy smile. She was finally home again. As the waterbenders at the gate opened the way up for her, she let her tired arms fall to her sides. She allowed her boat to calmly drift through the gate.

As she came into the dock, she looked all around her at the familiar surroundings of her home. It was almost impossible to tell that the Fire Nation had ever attacked; everything looked almost brand new to her. It had been so long since she'd been here that she found herself having to readjust to all of the ice and snow.

"Mind your step on the dock, young lady." One of the older men by the pier said as he helped tie her boat to the dock. Cindra smiled and removed her hood.

"Thank you, Mr. Kozu." She said. Mr. Kozu looked up in recognition, and his eyes widened when he saw her face.

"Cindra? Cindra, it's you!" He exclaimed, standing up straight.

"It is me," Cindra giggled, pulling her pack out of the boat. "It's really nice to see you again."

"It's really good to see you! Some of us had heard about you leaving the North Pole. Are you crazy?! You could've died out there!"

"You're not wrong. But it turned out to be the best decision I could have made, Mr. Kozu. So much has happened, and I've grown so much." She grinned proudly. Mr. Kozu wanted to reprimand her more, but seeing her so happy broke down his resolve to do so.

"Heh," He sighed. "I'm just glad to see you safe and sound back home again. You should go see your family. They've been worried sick about you." He recommended.

"Oh yeah, I'm on my way there right now." Cindra nodded, giving him a quick pat on the arm as she hurried past him to make her way home.

Even though she was excited and happy to be home again, she was also incredibly nervous. The idea of seeing her family again, especially her father, put a deep pit in her stomach. After all, she had left home on terrible terms that night.

Rushing as quick as her feet could carry her, she soon found herself standing at her front door once again. She ran her hand on the wooden door and swallowed nervously. She took a moment to breathe in and mentally prepare herself for whatever might happen.

Then she knocked on the door and waited...

"One second!" She heard her mother's voice deep within the house, probably in the kitchen. Cindra said nothing, but smiled a little at the sound of her familiar voice.

Her mother finally came to the door and opened it up. Cindra swallowed and stood straight. Her mother's eyes widened in shock upon seeing her daughter again standing right in front of her. Despite her anxiety, Cindra smiled at her.

"Hi, mom. I'm home." She said softly.

"Cindra...Cindra?" She was in shock. Cindra stepped in and hugged her mom tightly.

"It's me, mom." She said. Her mother hugged her back tightly, quickly beginning to tear up.

"Don't you ever leave us like that again, young lady, do you hear me?" Her mother sobbed a little, "We've been worried sick about you."