The Lunar Warrior [ATLA FF]

Book 1: Water | 6 | The Avatar? Him?

Art drawn by me!

"Sokka, what do you know about hunting?" Ayaan said, standing on the tower by Sokka.

"Um... attack with your spear and hope to get a hit?" He answered to his brother, confused at the sudden question. Ayaan shook his head, fighting back a smile as this was a serious matter.

"No. Hunting involves knowing the terrain and using it to your advantage, using the weaknesses of your prey against them, and knowing where to aim to quickly end any struggle." Ayaan said, a vicious glint in his eyes that Sokka hadn't seen before.

Sokka had never been hunting with his brother. Fishing was one thing, training was another, but when he went outside the village to face off against spirits knows what, he did so alone. He never let Sokka come with him no matter how much he begged him to. It was the one thing he did not yield on. And now Sokka was seeing that side of him. The side that was the predator eyeing his prey.

It was the first time Sokka had ever thought Ayaan was a bit scary.

"We have the homefield advantage. They will probably be wary because of this, and check every area when they realize that no one is here. Our priority is to keep them away from our tribe, so we will cause a distraction. I've already set traps in most of the huts and igloos. Even if they are wearing armor, they will be caught off guard by them. In that moment, we will immobilize them."

"How are we suppose to immobilize them? We don't have any place to put them or good ropes. They'd just burn them anyway."

"We knock them out. They won't be able to move if their unconscious." Ayaan said as if it was obvious.

"H-huh?!" Sokka was shocked by his brother, who was still sharpening his spear. He had a vicious glint in his eye due to the thought of fire nation on their shores. It made his scar sting with phantom pain and a burning inner rage began to stir ever so slightly. But his neutral gaze gave nothing away.

"There are many places on the body that can cause instant losses of consciousness, or even death, when hit correctly." Ayaan got up from sharpening his spear, and went over to Sokka. He gently grabbed Sokka's hands and guided them to different of his body. "Here, in the chest. And then in the spine." He moved his hands again. "The large artery in the neck, located here. And the jaw." He shaped his hands in the way best fit to hit these different places.

"Aim for these places. Hit them will all of your strength. Do you understand?" Sokka's eyes widened further as he nodded. He did understand. It was the first time Ayaan had taught him something in this manner, showing him with his body instead of trying to verbally explain it as he usually did. Ayaan couldn't express how he did things through word of mouth, so instead of doing that, he did this.

"Repeat it."

Sokka did. With ease.

"Good. If you have the chance to aim at these places with your weapon of choice, do so. I know that just us two against many will be difficult, but it was never said this had to be a head on battle. We have to use whatever we can." Ayaan said, fixing Sokka's warrior attire. Sokka nodded, understanding Ayaan's reasoning.

Use what's at your disposal. Battle is not as straight forward as it sounds. Many things can and will happen over a short span of time, an instant can feel like an eternity. Ayaan knew that feeling too well.

"By the way, Ayaan." Sokka said after a moment, "You should teach me like that more often. It was really easy to follow with you guiding me like that." He finished, looking away as he was very happy to learn something new at an important time like this.