I trudged in the snow, past the guards as they opened the gate for me. As I walked, I pondered over what I was doing. I was a fifteen year old girl going to hunt down the Avatar when even Prince Zuko, banished son of Fire Lord Ozai couldn't find him. I was definately insane.
"Where is your destination?" a guard called from above the gates.
"I'm just taking a walk," I groaned. I had an argument each day I left the Water Tribe walls with this same guy since the day I was born.
"Where?"
"Oh my—just let me go!"
"I can't."
Suddenly, a different voice spoke. It was a different guard. "Oh just let her go or I'll file a report on you."
I heard the two guards quarrel as I tried to find a way out. My eyes scanned the gates. It was tightly locked; impossible to get in and out through.
I sighed and sat on the floor, waiting, when finally, I heard the shift of gears and the gates creaked open slightly. I jumped to me feet and ran out before I could be stopped again, and didn't stop running for the longest time ever.
As I reached the ocean surrounding the Nouthern Water Tribe, I jumped into the water. No, I wasn't crazy, I jumped in there because there was a secret loft under the giant glacier that had been stuck here for ages, where my canoe was hidden. How did it get down there? Don't ask me. All I know is that my mother waterbended it down there years ago for emergencies, and my Gran told me about it just recently.
The water was cold and icy, and I was shivering. I formed a bubbled around me so I could breathe, and I slowly began searching the glacier as the air bubble descended deeper into the water.
What if it wasn't there? I probably had to swim. My closest stop was the Northern Air Temple, and just closer to it was Ba Sing Se. I had a map with me; don't think my grandmother would leave me out here without any source of direction—other than my mind, of course.
As I lowered myself, moving my hands in a smooth motion, I saw a slight glint it the water, just where the sun was beginning to shine onto the ice. I narrowed my eyes, my breath coming in raggedy puffs. I was losing oxygen in here.
I moved the air bubble towards the shiny glint with a swift motion of my arms. I stopped and pulled back my arms, cracking the ice. I did it again and the ice exploded but it took most of my willpower and energy to stop the water from flowing in. I felt my head about to explode; maybe because of the lack of oxygen or because of the force of the entire ocean on my shoulders. With one arm I held the water back, and with the other I kept digging into the ice, deeper and deeper.
I pulled and pushed, and finally, there was a large hole in the ice, and to my amazement, there was a canoe, just as I'd been told.
Now this would be the hard part. Since the ice-cave was deep, if I let the water in, the canoe would be pushed back with all the force, even deeper into the cave, and it would be almost impossible to get out. Somehow I needed to get just a small amount of water in there and waterbend the canoe out of the cave. That meant melting water.
As I held back the ocean, I pulled my air bubble into the cave and let it explode, water falling all around me. Then with all my strength, I pushed the ocean back and froze a thick layer of water to shut off the water, trapping me with little amount of oxygen in the cold, icy cave.
I had to try my plan. Now I could see how it would take a firebender and a waterbender to do this task, and, luckily, I was both, but it drained much of my energy.
I set my legs and arms into a firebender position and readied myself, my fists out in front of me. With one quick movement, I blasted fire out at the ice under the canoe, turning in the air and kicking out with my feet. This was my hobby, and I was good at it.
It took a few more tries until there was a puddle under the canoe. Exasperated, I sat on the cold floor and pulled off my giant fur coat and tossed it on the canoe. It was actually getting warm in here.
Suddenly, I had an idea.
I ended up using my brain and sitting down with my palms pressed against the ice, heat radiating from my hands into the ice, melting it almost instantly. I did that all around for at least fifteen minutes before I had enough water to move the canoe. Now was the hardest part to complete.
I melted the thick layer of ice seperating the cave from the overflowing ocean, once again. As the ice exploded, I stretched out my arms, pushing the water back, away from the cave. As soon as it was under control, I began to slowly start moving the water under the conoe, sweeping my free arm with slow movements, the water moving forward, then back, forward, then back. I made a water pathway to the open ocean, the heavy canoe rocking back and forth on the water I had melted under it. Despite the cold, sweat beaded on my forehead from the tension of holding back the ocean with just one arm. It was so heavy and forceful, I was being pushed back, my leather boots digging into the ice below.
As soon as the canoe touched the water safely, it rocketed upward from the pressure, and I jumped in just as the water flooded into the cave. I was safe.
I swam to the top, the water chilling me to the bone, and clung on the the upside down conoe, the sun blinding me for a second.
As my vision cleared and pushed the canoe over and toppled inside, breathing heavily, my arms aching.
Now it was time to start my Avatar search.
