The Mother Of Fire(AANGXOC)

The Siege of the North pt1

"Caught up in the blast
Caught up in the action
Caught up in the bursting flame
There's comfort in burning"

________________

It is morning and two waterbending students face off against each other. The student on the left, a nervous looking teenage boy whose left eye twitches slightly in anxiety. The boy's opponent – Katara. She looks very confident, a slight smile on her face. The boy raises up a ball of water, turns it to ice, and throws it at his opponent.

Katara bends the ice around her, liquefies it, and sends a huge stream of water back at the boy who is washed up and backwards. As he is washed away, the water turns to ice, imprisoning him about ten feet of the ground. Katara bows in front of Katzumi who was invited to watch the lessons while Pakku approached from over her shoulder.

"Nice try, Pupil Sangok. A couple of more years and you might be ready to fight a sea sponge." Pupil Sangok continues to struggle against his bonds. Master Pakku turns away, makes a motion with his left hand, and the ice prison melts, dropping the hapless student to the ground. The rest of the students who are sitting slumped on the ground.

"Would anyone care for a rematch with Katara?" Pakku asks

They all shake their heads.

"Katara, you have advanced more quickly than any student I have ever trained. You have proven that with fierce determination, passion and hard work you can accomplish anything. Raw talent alone is not enough."

Pakku turns to Aang lying on the ground, floating Momo around on an airball, a lazy smile on his face.

"Pupil Aang!" Momo's airball dissipates and Momo falls on Aang's head.

"Yes, Master Pakku?" he asked

"Care to step into the sparring circle? I figure since you've found time to play with house pets you must have already mastered waterbending."

Aang airbends himself to his feet.

"I wouldn't say "mastered", but check this out!"

Aang spins around, collecting snow around him as he goes. When he is done, he has made himself into a snowman. Momo pounces on him and knocks him down.

Pakku and Katara wear similar expressions of disdain. Master Pakku shakes his head in disgust.

❅

Princess Yue begins to speak as she and Sokka enter, Sokka  is walking on top of the bridge's guard rail.

"So they don't have palaces in the Southern Tribe?" Yue asked

" Are you kidding? I grew up in a block of ice. It's not exactly a cultural hub."

Yue laughs with a warm smile, and puts her hand on Sokka's shoulder. After a moment she pulls back and looks at him seriously.

"Sokka, this is wrong."

"What's wrong? We're taking a walk!"

"I'm engaged. It just... feels..."

Sokka's smile wanes as she begins to walk away, but the smile returns as he gets an idea.

"I know what you need! You need to meet my good friend Appa!"

"Who?" Yue asks

Sokka and Yue enter Appa's pen. He is eating from an enormous pile of greenery in front of him.

"Appa and I go way back. Don't we boy?"

The thunder of Appa's shifting bulk is heard and Sokka's features turn to surprise. Appa pins him down with his forepaws.