To Save a Warrior | A:TLA

𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗅𝗈𝗀𝗎𝖾

WHERE IT BEGINS: THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF KYOSHI ISLAND

The sun was fast approaching the middle of the sky when the familiar roar of the Unagi broke Nami's concentration. The young woman was sat in her small hut of a home, legs folded beneath her as she meditated in front of a white candle. With a quick breath, the flame dissipated, leaving the small area in relative darkness.

She cursed to herself as she rose to her feet with ease, rushing out of the wooden door and barreling down the slightly empty streets. She noticed that many townsfolk were beginning to exit their homes, wondering what or perhaps who had stirred the Unagi, the incredibly large sea serpant, from its otherwise quiet existence in the waters around the Island.

Darting to her left down a small alley, Nami jumped onto a stack of crates and vaulted herself to grab the roof gutter of a small building. She effortlessly pulled herself up, remaining crouched as the open waters became visible. Then she saw it:

The Unagi was chasing a boy back to shore.

Not to mention, the boy was running on water.

Nami rubbed her eyes at that. When she opened them again, the Unagi was retreating and the boy was back on land. She began her quick journey across the roofs, jumping across alley gaps and avoiding weaker spots and animal nests. Resting on the last building just before the shore, Nami watched her friends in fascination.

The Kyoshi Warriors rounded up the apparent invaders with such ease and agility, Nami was impressed. The woman jumped off the roof to the stone street, walking at a leisurely pace as the village's leader, Oyaji, stepped next to her.

"I see you heard the disturbance."

"Completely interrupted my meditation, and I had just really gotten into it," Nami explained dryly, giving the older man a slight smile. He shook his head,

"Then you weren't trying hard enough. The best meditators do not let silly distractions interrupt their pursuit for absolute equilibrium." Nami's smile immediately dipped into a frown as she rolled her eyes; their relationship, if you could even call it that, was very much strained due to her near constant attraction of (and to) mischief and danger. Oyaji had saved her from enough scraps with the village and wider region for a lifetime. He knew his brother-in-law had once been able to tame her, having been much more patient and supportive than himself, but for the past few months she had been particularly bothersome.

"And here I thought you were actually being nice, my mistake." Nami hid her frown with the sarcastic words, giving a sickeningly sweet smile to the older man who just sighed in exasperation in return.

"Suki," Oyaji called out as the pair reached the intruders and their captors, "what do we have here?" A good friend of Nami's, Suki was the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, an entirely-female militant group that was started by Avatar Kyoshi herself several hundred years ago. They served to protect their island from the imminent threat of the Fire Nation to lowly invaders—like the three tied up on the sand Nami noticed with a small smirk. Suki turned to Oyaji, bowing her head slightly in respect before giving a large smile to her close friend.

"We've apprehended three intruders, sir, one of which disturbed the Unagi." Oyaji nodded,

"Bring them to the square."

❀❀❀

"You three have some explaining to do." Nami stood amongst the Kyoshi Warriors, watching the three captured kids struggle against their bonds. The Warriors had blindfolded and tied them to a wooden pole in the village square. Nami could clearly tell from their lack of weapons and appearance that they weren't actual threats to the Island, at least up against the Warriors.