The Lunar Warrior [ATLA FF]

Book 1: Water | 58 | Jet III

An almost full moon shines on a sleeping Appa, who is on his back and snoring. Ayaan doesn't mind the noisy bison at all, his back resting on his soft fluff as he looks up at the rising moon and stars. Momo rests in his arms, warbling snores echoing behind his large friend's. Their presence was one of the only reasons Ayaan was as calm as he was, given what was going on.

There was no way he could sleep, not here. This place was far from safe. He'd already placed all of their things on the saddle before joining his fluffy family here to gaze at the moon. A refreshing feeling seemed to flow through his blood, enriching his being. He always felt stronger at night, especially as the full moon comes in. Lately, especially after... that incident, it was more apparent.

But right now, with such a delicate grip on his strange gifts, he felt even less in control of himself than he had before. His emotions were a turbulent sea, and he was a raft trying to wade through it. Waves crashed upon it with every obstacle, every feeling, and every argument. He doesn't want to scare his family more than he already is, but it seems too late for that if what Katara said is true.

What was happening to him? Whatever that Asrani did with that pearl had stirred something that had been dormant. Something violent and foreboding, an anger that didn't feel entirely his. It was all connected to that dream he had before.

That place with flowing waters and flourishing greenery amid walls of towering ice. The place that felt like home. The person who wanted him to find them. The part of himself that was missing was there. Somehow, he understood at least that. But everything else was a haze, lost in the mental waters he battled too often. This place and Katara's blatant denial of the truth wasn't helping.

He hears a disturbance below before he can be more lost in his thoughts. Peeking out from the canopy, he sees Sokka following after the Freedom Fighters, who are suspiciously stealthy. His instincts flaring, he quickly and silently disappears into the night behind them.

Just as he thought, whatever was happening was in motion already.

.

.

As quietly as he could, Sokka followed Jet and the others that had left the hideout. He was on his own for now, Ayaan most likely with Appa and Momo at the top of the canopy. He knew that Ayaan needed some time after that argument with Katara, and would likely sit and watch the moon. It was his way to calm down after any disagreement that went beyond the norm, it had been like that for as long as he could remember.

Though Just as Katara had so unhelpfully mentioned, Ayaan did seem more unstable after the pirates. Ayaan's way of controlling his emotions were keeping himself busy. He'd train, train again, and then train with them. It was unhealthy. His already abysmal hours of sleep were getting worse. It helped that Ayaan trusted him enough to speak, even just a little, about his stress.

It was slow, but it was working. A little bit of rest here, quiet company there. What Ayaan needed was someone he could rely on while he grappled with whatever was happening. He didn't like opening up about his feelings, not all of them. Sokka respected that, trying his best to take small steps.

If they were home, this would be when he'd go out hunting, coming back with sleds full of food for the village. That was how he destressed, letting his emotions out in his hunts. After that, he'd talk with Gran-Gran, the woman able to see through him to all that was troubling him. She was an adult he trusted more than anyone, and he felt comfortable speaking about those hidden troubles with her.

Here, however, he couldn't do that as often. They needed to get to the north, and while he still hunted, he didn't feel secure enough to leave them alone for that long.