Time To Heal

chapter 41

The first thing that Korra had noticed at breakfast the next morning was that Naga and Eska were nowhere to be seen.

"Eska decided to borrow your polar bear dog." Desna had replied, though something about the bags under his eyes caused the avatar to bite back the complaint that had rose onto her tongue.

"I thought that you two hated animals." She said instead, watching in shock when Desna's eyes clouded with anger as he put down his cup of tea.

"Actually that would have been father." He responded in the usual monotone though this time, Korra could hear the slight hint of bitterness.

Tonraq glanced between the two teens, surprise written across his face.

Korra's not overreacting about Naga, What is going on?

He wondered though he just continued to eat, as if he hadn't noticed the exchange.

"Sorry....That's what I get for assuming too much." Korra stated, hoping to smooth over everything before it got out of hand.

"That is why one should not presume anything." Her cousin retorted as he continued eating.

Something is defiantly up with those two.

Korra thought, though her thoughts were cut short by the sound of the front door closing.

"I hope you did not object that I lent your pet." Eska stated, though something about her colorless tone seemed different, as if it were a strain to even speak.

"No, it's fine." The avatar answered, glancing over at the large white creature that seemed to still be in good condition.

Without another word Eska turned and left the room, going in the direction of the room that she shared with her brother.

"Excuse me uncle. I must go see if she is alright." Desna sighed before leaving the room.     

"I don't get it, why would Eska suddenly like animals and why did Desna seem like he was going to conk out at breakfast?" Korra questioned, dodging a blow from Asami as they sparred in an empty hut nearby.

"I don't think that they are telling you everything. I mean seriously would Naga let anyone ride her that she didn't like?" Asami retorted, though something about the conversation at breakfast that morning seemed oddly familiar.

"No but that still doesn't explain it. I mean it's obvious that they weren't bothered by their dad being killed." Korra retorted, wincing at her own words as she recalled that she had been the one to destroy him.

"Don't you think that there may have been reason for that?" Asami retorted, landing an open handed blow against her girlfriend's side.

Yelping, Korra stepped back and tried to throw a punch. However besides connecting with the engineer's arm where it was attended it missed all together.

"Damn it." She cursed as another light blow landed against her-this time to her upper arm- before replying "I don't know...I mean they grew up in a palace. I'm sure that living with Unalaq couldn't have been that bad!"

Asami only rolled her eyes at that closed mindedness from her girlfriend before returning her full attention to their sparring.

After a while Korra lowered her stance, panting lightly as she sat down onto the floor.

"Why am I so tired? Honestly....I feel like I have a tone of platinum armor on." She complained, the edge of her vision becoming blurry.

Asami felt a feeling similar to electricity run through her as she watched as her girlfriend suddenly aimed a blast of fire at seemingly thin air, the action catching a part of the rug on fire. However before she had time to react a wave of water put it out.

"What happened? Why is she attacking?"

Turning in mild surprise she saw that it was Eska who had doused the flames.

"I don't know...We were sparring then she kind of blanked out." Asami answered, panic running through her as Korra suddenly became very still.

"Desna go fetch Katara....I shall help Asami transport Korra into the healer's hut." The northern chieftain stated as she came over to their side.

Asami was worried, not moving from beside of the avatar's bed as they waited for her to wake up.

"You should eat something. It shall not help if you become ill as well." Desna stated, surprising Asami by placing a hand on her shoulder.

"But what if....." The engineer began to argue, causing the twins to look at each other before Eska replied

"I will sit with her. If she should awaken before you return I shall alert you."

Knowing that she couldn't argue with the twins Asami slowly agreed, following Desna out of the room and into the kitchen.

Eska slowly took the seat in the very spot that Asami had been, one hand gently enveloping her cousin's.

Closing her eyes Eska did the one thing that she never thought she would try to do again, using her energy she scanned the avatar's body though what she found caused her eyes to snap open just as quickly as she had closed them.

Desna returned a moment later, eyes growing wide at noticing the faint glow around his sister's hands as they moved over their sleeping cousin's body.

"What is wrong with her sister?" he questioned, not daring to ask about why she was doing the very thing that they had both sworn never to do again after the last event with their father.

"There are trace amounts of poison still inside of her....She will have to have them metal bended out...or do so herself." Eska replied, earning a sigh.

"Are you in any rush to return home?" Desna questioned, earning a surprised look.

"Why do you ask?" she replied, turning her full attention back to him.

"Because they are going to require aid." He responded emotionlessly.

"Write home to mother...Tell her and the council that they need to continue to govern in our steed until we return from the earth kingdom." Eska replied.