The Lunar Warrior [ATLA FF]

Book 1: Water | 14 | Training with Ayaan

Art drawn by me!

When Ayaan woke the next morning, for the first time, flashes of his nightmares weren't invading his mind. He saw a clear blue sky instead of stormy gray one; black snow wasn't falling all around him. He didn't hear his mother screaming or evil laughter. There was only the blue, inviting sky and the morning songs of the birds. He'd gotten more rest than he ever remembered having in the last five years; he had a feeling that it would not happen again, though.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" He heard a familiar voice say. Turning his head slightly, he saw Katara who had been making her way toward him. He looked down slightly, seeing a small mass of white and brown curled into a ball on his chest. Gently, he removed the sleeping creature and placed him on his blanket. He wrapped him loosely, careful not to wake him as he stood, putting the rest of his things away.

"No, you did not wake me." He answered her. There was a bit of awe that could be heard in his voice if you listened close enough. "Who else is up?" He asked her.

"Just you and me. You know how Sokka is in the morning; though Aang may wake soon. He's usually up around this time."

"Hm." He thought for a moment. The place he found last night to train was a good, open space. Maybe, it was time to make good on his promise. "I will wake him up. If Aang is up by then, he is free to join us." Ayaan stated, moving to grab his spear as he headed in Sokka's direction.

"Hm? Join us for what?" Katara asked curiously.

"For training." He said simply. Katara's eyes widened slightly as she remembered their conversation from before clearly.

'This trip will be dangerous. So, after we rescue Aang, you will be joining me in training. Both of you.'

They had settled into a routine of sorts when traveling, and they had free time to settle before they left their camp. This was plenty of time to train, and Ayaan had been using it to do just that. Now that the trio had gotten a bit more used to travel, it was time for them to join him in his training.

"Sokka. Wake up." Ayaan nudged his brother a bit, only getting a groan in response.

"NoOoooOo... 5 more hours....Haven't finished the buffet... fish skewers... seal jerky... sea prunes... meat... Zzz..."

"I will be training you and Katar-"

"...Training?" Within the next minute he was already dressed, his boomerang at the ready, Sokka was standing before Ayaan even finished the sentence. His gaze held a passion never before seen from him during that time of day. His eyes were practically sparkling with anticipation. "Did you say training?"

"Yes."

"Training to become a man among men?" His passion intensified. An aura of happiness was surrounding him.

"I will also be training your sister so I do not know how that saying will apply to her."

He ignored his comment. "I will finally get Ayaan-level manliness. Talent will finally rub off on me!" He was practically blinding with the amount of passion he was letting out. "I SHALL BE A MAN AMONG MEN!"

"You don't need my talent. You already have many." Ayaan said, but he was not heard.

"Come on, Katara! Greatness awaits, lets go!" Sokka was dragging his sister off before Ayaan could say anything more. He could only shake his head at how eager Sokka was to finally be training.

Sokka eventually had to come back since he did not know where he was going. "Uh. Where are we training again?"

Ayaan told them where to go. The place actually wasn't that far from the camp, just 10 minutes walking distance. When they left to go there, Aang was up and wondering what was going on. Ayaan calmly explained it to him.