ultraviolence | avatar, the last airbender

03

TRAVELING WITH AANG, KATARA, AND SOKKA was refreshing to Kiara. As she was on her own for the last eight months, having people to talk to almost seemed like a luxury. Once she explained a little more on her backstory, the group seemed really accepting. Katara was still a little wary of her but eventually started to like Kiara. As much as Kiara enjoyed and needed her solitude, it was nice to not have to do everything by herself all the time. Everyone seemed to have a role. Aang and Katara made the fire and cooked, while Sokka and Kiara would go out to hunt for food.

"So, how did you know Zuko?" Sokka asked.

Kiara stared straight ahead. They were completely surrounded by tall, large maple trees. This maple tree forest reminded Kiara of a time in her life that was in the recent past. However, she knew it was big enough to where they wouldn't run into anybody she once knew. "I've known Zuko since we were children. We practically grew up together."

"Was he always this angry and stubborn when he was younger?" Sokka asked. "He's been tracking our every move since we were at the South Pole. I mean, seriously. Dude does nothing else but hunt us down."

"Surprisingly no," Kiara answered. She lightly smiled to herself. "He's always been hotheaded and stubborn, but never angry. I never saw Zuko as an angry kid. I guess a better word is misunderstood."

"Were you guys ever friends?" Sokka asked.

Kiara paused. "Friends is a relative term. I don't think he's ever liked me," She said, her tone with a hint of bitterness.

Before Kiara was going to speak again, Sokka stopped and raised his weapon when he heard rustling in a bush. Sokka clumsily swung his club at a small rabbit, which caused it to quickly dart away. He groaned in frustration and struck a nearby tree. "Why can't I catch anything!" He complained.

Kiara giggled as Momo (Aang's pet flying lemur) landed on her shoulder and started to chitter. "You're too noisy. You have to remember that nature is quiet. When you stumble around and talk while trying to hunt, it scares off the animals. Watch," Kiara said, readying her bow and arrow. She waited patiently for the squirrel to climb down a tree branch. With one shot, she struck and killed a squirrel in a nearby tree.

"Wow," Sokka mused. "When did you learn how to use a bow and arrow?"

"My mother taught me when I was younger," She said, walking over to the squirrel and taking pulling the arrow out of it. Sokka put the squirrel in a small bag and the two started to walk back to camp. "My father insisted that I learned how to defend myself at the Royal Fire Academy. I suppose he always wanted a boy but I came instead."

"My Dad taught me lots of things too," Sokka said. "I never thought a girl could be good at hunting. Usually in my tribe the women sew things and talk about makeup or something."

Kiara stopped, crossing her arms over her chest.  She tilted her head to the side. "Sokka, it's possible for girls to be feminine and good and hunting. It's not a mutually exclusive event. Beauty can take girls far, but other skills can take them even further."

"I guess that's one way to think about it," Sokka said.

"Besides, I can totally kick your ass," Kiara said.

Sokka scoffed. "Come on, you're a girl!" He griped.

"Promise I'll go easy on you, pretty boy," She teased him with a wink. "I won't make your ponytail fall out."

Momo flew off of Kiara's shoulder and went to grab a pile of berries. Suddenly, a trap enclosed him and sprung about twenty feet into the air. When Kiara looked up, she saw two other hog monkeys caught in the same kinds of cages as well.