Avatar: The Last Airbender

Part 11 (The Siege Of The North)

You watched as Katara faced against a fellow waterbender, getting their stances ready. His was significantly more awkward than hers. He made a ball of ice, about the size of a torso, and threw it at her. She turned it into water as she spun it around her, sending him up in a wave, freezing it.

"That was fast." You muttered.

"Nice try, pupil." Master Pakku said, walking towards him. "A couple more years, and you might be able to fight a sea sponge." He turned the ice into water, letting the poor boy fall. "Would anyone care for a rematch with Katara?" He asked softly, looking among the defeated men. You had been the only one to come even close to being on par with Katara. She had taken down everyone pretty quickly, much to your dismay.

"Katara, you've advanced more quickly than any other student I've ever trained." Master Pakku told her. "You have proven that with fierce determination, passion and hard-work, you can accomplish anything." You sighed, placing your chin in your hand. "Raw talent alone is not enough." He said, looking pointedly at Aang, who was playing with Momo. "Young pupil Aang."

"Yes, Master Pakku?" He asked, the lemur falling on his head.

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

Aang rose. "I wouldn't say mastered, but check this out!" He summoned the snow around him, turning him into a snowman. You smirked, but rolled your eyes. Katara and Master Pakku didn't seem at all impressed. Looking to the sky, you saw Appa fly up. Cocking your head, you excused yourself from the lesson, though nobody hear you, and nobody would notice your absence. Your eyes stayed trained on Appa until you saw black flecks mix with the snowy, white ones. Everyone else seemed to notice it too, because before you knew it, the warning gong was ringing, and people were running up the steps. You saw Sokka, holding Yue's hand, dragging her after him.

"What's wrong? We have to go!" He asked, noticing she stopped.

"No, Sokka, wait. I can't see you anymore. Not at all."

"What? We're just friends." He defended.

"I wish we could just be friends." She admitted. "But I like you too much, and it's too confusing to be around you. I'm marrying someone else." She said, turning away.

"You don't love him, do you? You don't even seem to like him."

"But I do love my people."

"You're not marrying them."

"You don't understand. I have duties to my father, to my tribe. I have to do this."

You walked up to them. "Guys, is this really the time?"

They both looked at you, Yue running off. You looked at Sokka and put an arm around his neck. "We have bigger things to worry about right now." You told him. He nodded softly and allowed you to pull him into the war meeting.

"The day we have feared for so long has arrived." Yue's father started. It seemed like most of the village was here. "The firenation is on our doorstep." You sat with Aang, Sokka and Katara against a pillar. "It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing very well that some of these faces may 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!" He looked down at the crowd. "I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission."

Sokka was the first to stand. "Count me in!"

"Sokka." Katara said softly. Your mouth hung open.