Avatar The Last Airbender: The Sins of the Past [Katara x OC]

Chapter 1-18: The Siege of the North (Part 1): The Calm Before the Storm

It's been around a month since we first got to the Northern Water Tribe. Most of the warriors here seem to have accepted me by now, or are at least tolerating my presence, except for Hahn. He's an uppity jerk that nobody likes. He always talks down to me, referring to me like I'm just a bug he stepped on. Outside of warrior training, I've met Princess Yue a few times. She seems to be a kind girl that doesn't want to marry her suitor, and reminds me of Crystal in a few ways. As I'm heading over to warrior training, I spot Sokka and Yue on another one of their 'secret' dates on the bridge, sneaking up behind them for a chance to tease Sokka.

Yue asks him, "So they don't have palaces in the Southern Tribe?"

Sokka sits down on the bridge's ledge, saying, "Are you kidding? I grew up in a block of ice. It's not exactly a cultural hub."

I finally reveal myself, saying in a teasing tone, "Hey guys, how's your daaaaaaate going?"

Sokka gets spooked, nearly falling off the bridge as I laugh, Yue covering her mouth to stifle her giggles.

He exclaims, "That's not funny, Ryuza!"

I say through laughs, "You're right, it's not funny. It's hilarious!" I start walking back to warrior training, calling out, "Just don't get too carried away, you crazy kids!"

Sokka calls out to me, "You're younger than me! And we're not kids!"

I burst into laughter, but it starts dying down by the time I get to warrior training, and I wipe my eye, getting a few last chuckles out. I haven't had a good laugh in a while. When I enter the building, I come face to face with Hahn.

He scowls down at me, asking, "What's so funny, ash-maker?"

My smile immediately falls, and I say, "Nothing you need to know about, weasel-snake."

I walk past him, grabbing a dagger and practicing throwing it at the target. I can tell I'm getting better, and I'm hitting the target with the blade most of the time. After an hour or two of training, I step outside the building to grab some lunch. Throwing daggers really works up an appetite! As I'm about to head over to a merchant for food, the snow falling around me turns black with soot. My eyes widen in surprise, and I run back to the other warriors-in-training.

I exclaim, "The Fire Nation is here! And by the looks of the soot in the air, there's a lot of them!"

Hahn yells at me, "This is all your fault, you dirty ash-maker!"

I ask, "What? How could this be my fault?!"

Hahn responds, "You must've lead them to us! We've been living here peacefully for the entirety of the war, and the second one of their people gets here, they invade? Yeah, it's a real mystery."

A few warriors come to my defense, but most of them are silent, shifting on their feet. They think it was my fault? But it isn't! Or... is it? Were they really following me here? I feel a tear slide down my cheek, and I run out of the building. If the Fire Nation is coming here, Zhao's most likely at the front of it all, leading them. Not long after, a meeting with everyone is held inside the Chief's Royal Palace. I hide behind my friends as a few of the warriors I'd started to consider as friends glare at me, blaming me.

Katara holds my hand for comfort as Arnook says, "The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe, but they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits. Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us! I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission."