COLLISION - a zuko and yue centric tale

Chapter one

A koala otter glides through the icy northern waters, its dense coat protecting it from the chill. A shadow passes over it and startled, it dives into the water. Sky bison hadn't been seen in the North Pole for over a hundred years until Appa dipped lower, brushing his feet against the waves.

"I'm not one to complain, but can't Appa fly any higher?" Sokka complains. Aang twists around angrily.

"I have an idea, why don't we all get on your back and you can fly us to the North Pole?"

"I'd love to!" Sokka replies sarcastically. "Climb on everyone, Sokka's ready for takeoff!" He shakes his butt at his companions. Momo jumps up onto Sokka's back and chirps, seemingly awaiting takeoff. Sokka glares at the flying lemur. Perhaps Sokka should climb on his back, seeing as he's the only one of the pair that can fly.

"Look, we're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight," Katara says, trying to calm the waters.

"And for what? We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe. There's nothing up here." He points out, rolling his eyes. Ice. A spiky ice wall shoots towards Appa. Aang yells and steers Appa well away, nearly dumping his passengers, who are holding onto the edge of the saddle for dear life. A similar icy protrusion spikes up out of the water, managing to slam into Appa's stomach, pushing him off course. He falls and hits the water. The surrounding water solidifies and lifts Appa out of the water.

"They're waterbenders! We found the Water Tribe!" Katara exclaims. The trio's eyes are wide as they marvel at the benders who surround them on water tribe boats. They found the Water Tribe.

Water flows smoothly around the canoe thanks to Dorak, the bender who often accompanied Yue on her excursions through the city. Yue takes a deep breath and gives a long exhale, knowing it wouldn't be entirely lost on him. He wouldn't ask or give much of an indication that he had noticed, since he knew the answer to her worry. It was her birthday. Her sixteenth. She was to be engaged soon, and pregnant as well. The daughter of the chief had responsibilities. Yue plucks at her fingernails nervously. They are hidden underneath her heavy fur coat. Mekana, the fish merchant, smiles at Yue. Yue smiles back. That was the reason for these excursions. To see her people.

An air bison cuts through the water ahead of Yue, and she knows that Dorak sees it as well as the canoe falters slightly in the water. The avatar. He must be in search of a waterbending master. He would have fun with Pakku. If he liked endless drills and negative reinforcement, that is. The avatar, Yue guesses, must be the boy with the blue arrow tattoo and the yellow and orange clothing that was foreign to the north and other nations that had survived the last 100 years. The clothes look way too sparse for such a small child, but he doesn't seem to be chilly in the slightest. The avatar has large round eyes and an innocent face that makes Yue's heart drop. A child. Perhaps his innocence will save us all. A flying lemur curls around his neck. The other two humans look to be brother and sister and from the Southern Water Tribe if she recognizes the patterns on their clothes correctly. The boy is cute. He has a wolf tail and a boomerang, Not the most common weapon but perhaps that was something else that the South did differently. After a moment Yue realizes that he is staring at her. He didn't even know who she was yet. Yue lets go of picking her fingernails and covers her face with her hand and giggles. The boy follows her as the canoe glides past, sliding down the broad tail of the sky bison. Before she blushes, she turns her gaze ahead of the canoe. Her mouth still curved in a slight smile, she lowers her hands.

Father will be pleased. Yue knows that he had hopes that the Avatar would come here to master waterbending if he was really alive. He had not been sure of the truth of the rumour, unlike Yue. Yue could feel it somewhere deep inside her that the Avatar was back. She drifts through her thoughts about the implications of the Avatar's arrival until she delves too deeply and the weight of the war begins to weigh on her.