Blessing from the Moon

Chapter 1

Suki had found them lounging on top of a bridge.

Anyone could spot them; after all, everyone was pointing at the Last Airbender that was gleefully jumping over hedges like it was hopscotch, of course with the added blasts of air that made him go way over their heads.

Katara, as usual, simply watched the young boy with what they have called her 'mother' look. A mixture of amusement and annoyance, with a touch of exasperation. Yep. very mothering.

Beside the Waterbender was their tiny Earthbender. And she had her arms securely wrapped around Katara's arm. Usually, Toph clung to her friends rather loosely when necessary but this time, the younger girl was huddling closer than usual due to the extreme climate of the North pole.

It was a happy sight. Typical for the little band of benders that everyone knew were the heroes of their world.

And none of them were even 16.

Aang saw her first, waving frantically in mid-air. "Suki! Hey, it's Suki!"

Suki waved back, hardly a fraction of Aang's enthusiasm, and walked to their point on the bridge. "Hey, Aang. Toph, Katara."

Katara's mothering look vanished, and in its place was a smile of relief and laughter. "Suki!" the Waterbender opted for a hug, but stopped mid-step as she realized there was a gopher-bear that had a vice-grip on her.

Toph, who was totally blind on ice, nodded in greeting. A little to the left of Suki.

"Honey"

Suki, who was sulking for the most part, paused at the name Toph had called her.

"Honey? Seriously?" Katara had voiced out Suki's thoughts. Toph, despite shivering and looking incredibly smaller than usual, shrugged easily.

"Hey, I don't make the game. I just play it."

Aang had finally decided to join them, landing with a strong gush of wind as he did so. He unknowingly caused the tiny girl to press herself closer to Katara, who unconsciously held the girl in return.

"Watch it, Twinkletoes!"

"What you said did not make sense, Toph." Aang pointed a finger at the girl, who (for her credit) was glaring directly at the Avatar. There was no accusation in the Avatar's remark, but knowing Toph, she wasn't going to let it slide.

"Huh? You're Twinkletoes because you're light on your feet, dumb-dumb." followed with a raspberry. It's hard to believe that the greatest Earthbender wasn't even 13, but knowing what Suki knows now, the evidence before her was grounded.

(Katara wrinkled her nose in disgust. "seriously?", which earned her a much stronger raspberry.)

"No, no. The one before-the...uh..." Aang scratched his head as he recalled what the Earthbending master had said.

"Honey? You mean why do I call Suki 'honey'?" Toph had the audacity to ask such a thing. Suki would very much like to know why she's Honey, of all things.

"No...well, yes. Actually, why do you call her honey? But, no. I meant the-"

Katara heaved a sigh. She ignored the two tweens who began to discuss the weird phrase Toph had said, and turned towards the Kyoshi Warrior.

"So, Suki. How are you liking the Northern Watertribe so far?" It never ceases to baffle Suki at how Katara was able to ask such a mundane question while the greatest Earthbending master and the Avatar had a debate on the meaning of Toph's word on either side of her.

And while that was something Suki would usually talk to Katara about, and it is also something Suki would rather want to talk about, the Waterbender's question reminded Suki of her current predicament.