White Hot Flames (ZukoxOC)

35

        "You're...from the Southern Water Tribe?" Katara questions softly.

Hama nods. "Just like you."

"How did you know?"

"Your eyes," Hama smiles. "That shade of blue is specific to our corner of the world."

Sokka frowns a bit. "But why didn't you tell us?"

"I wanted to surprise you. I bought all this food today so I could fix you a big, Water Tribe dinner. Of course, I can't get all the ingredients I need here, but ocean kumquats are a lot like sea prunes, if you stew them long enough."

Rezalia and Aang grimace. "Great," the avatar mutters.

"I knew I felt a bond with you right away!" Katara cheers.

Sokka grins along with her. "And I knew you were keeping a secret, so I guess we're both right." Katara socks him in the shoulder. "But I'm sorry we were sneaking around."

"Apology accepted. Now let's get cooking."

Hours later saw them seated around Hama's dining table, surrounded by bowls of traditional Water Tribe dishes. Aang leans over to Toph and whispers, "I'd steer clear of the sea prunes."

"I thought they were ocean kumquats."

"Close enough."

Hama stands. "Who wants five-flavour soup?"

Aang, Katara, and Sokka all raise their hands. Hama flicks her wrists, sending soup into each of their bowls. Katara gasps. "You're a Waterbender! I've never met another Waterbender from our tribe."

"That's because the Fire Nation wiped them all out. I was the last one."

"How is it that you ended up all the way out here?" Rezalia asks, stirring her spoon around her empty bowl.

Hama narrows her eyes at her suspiciously. "I was stolen from my home. It was over 60 years ago when the raids started. They came again and again, each time, rounding up more of our Waterbenders, and taking them captive. We did our best to hold them off, but our numbers dwindled as the raids continued. Finally, I too was captured. I was led away in chains. The last Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. They put us in terrible prisons here in the Fire Nation. I was the only one who managed to escape."

"How did you get away? And why did you stay in the Fire Nation?" Sokka questions. Rezalia leans back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest.

Hama shakes her head. "I'm sorry. It's too painful to talk about anymore."

"We completely understand. We lost our mother in a raid," Katara pipes up.

"Oh, you poor things," Hama frowns, patting Katara's hand.

"I can't tell you what it means to meet you. It's an honor, you're a hero," Katara says genuinely. Rezalia exhales sharply through her nose.

Hama smiles kindly at Katara. "I never thought I'd meet another Southern Waterbender. I'd like to teach you what I know, so you can carry on the Southern Tradition when I'm gone."

"Yes, yes of course! To learn about my heritage, it would mean everything to me."

Rezalia excuses herself without so much as touching the food set before her.

~*~

The next morning, Rezalia drags the others outside, refusing to be in the house while Hama teaches Katara whatever it is she was aiming to teach her. Aang uses this as an opportunity to look for what might be causing the spirit to capture the townsfolk. "This has gotta be the nicest, natural setting in the Fire Nation. I don't see anything that would make a spirit mad around here."