𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕

𝑺𝒕𝒖𝒑𝒊𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒑𝒊𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒑

                  Chapter Thirteen
Elora

We found ourselves navigating through the vast expanse of the icy ocean, surrounded by nothing but sloshing water and towering icebergs stretching endlessly into the horizon.

"I'm not one to complain, but can't Appa fly any higher?" Sokka's voice broke through the monotony, drawing an amused smirk from me.

"What?" he retorted, shooting me a glare.

"You? Not one to complain?" I quipped sarcastically. "That's rich coming from you."

Before Sokka could fire back, Aang intervened with a suggestion. "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 replied playfully, bending over and gesturing towards his back. "Climb on, everyone. Sokka's ready for takeoff." Momo, seizing the opportunity, leaped onto Sokka's back, sending him tumbling.

"Look, we're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight," Katara chimed in, attempting to diffuse the tension.

"And for what? We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe," Sokka complained, a rare moment of frustration slipping through his usually composed demeanor. "There's nothing up here."

"Sokka, stop complaining before I pluck your teeth out and send them in a gift basket to your gran gran," I threatened, earning a terrified look from him.

"Aren't you supposed to be all about love, peace, and rainbows, you know, since you're an Air Nomad?" Sokka muttered, eliciting an eye roll from me.

"An Air Nomad with raging anger issues and an unsettling vocabulary is rare but not impossible, Sokka," Aang chimed in, injecting a hint of levity into the tense atmosphere.

As we continued our journey, our attention was suddenly diverted by splashes ahead, signaling the emergence of a large wave of ice forming in front of Appa. Aang swiftly steered us away, but more and more obstacles appeared, causing us to lose control and crash-land into the frigid waters below.

"They're waterbenders," Katara exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement as boats and people emerged from behind the icebergs.

"We found the Water Tribe!" I declared triumphantly, relieved to have finally located our destination. After signaling our peaceful intentions, the tribe members led us to their home.

"There it is!" Aang pointed ahead, and a magnificent gate of ice and snow came into view, marking the entrance to the Northern Water Tribe's city.

"The Northern Water Tribe," I marveled at the sight, the snow sparkling in the daylight. Sokka appeared equally captivated, momentarily forgetting his earlier complaints in the face of such awe-inspiring beauty.

"We're finally here," I remarked as we approached the towering wall of the Northern Water Tribe. Waterbenders worked in unison to create an opening, allowing us passage into the tribe's inner sanctum. Exiting the tunnel, we found ourselves in a closed cube-like space, except there was no ceiling. The tunnel sealed shut behind us, returning to its blank state, while sets of waterbenders atop the walls guided the flow of water.

Suddenly, the walls split open, allowing controlled streams of water to gush through. The water rose, lifting Appa higher and higher until we reached the brim. Then, the barrier blocking us was brought down, freeing us. It dawned on me that the entire tribe was elevated much higher than expected, almost as if the city was floating on water. If I were to jump off the main wall, I'd have at least a sixty-foot descent to the ocean below.