The Lunar Warrior [ATLA FF]

Book 1: Water | 20 | Arriving at Omashu

As usual, Ayaan was up before the others. All evidence that tears were ever shed were wiped away. He sat in his usual place, closest to the water. The group had made a habit to make their camps by water sources, for which Ayaan was grateful. So he sat there after he woke up. For how long he gazed into the water, he wasn't sure.

It always helped to calm him down when the nightmares came.

Suddenly, there was a little weight on his lap. When he looked down, a small smile graced his lips. "Did I worry you? I'm sorry." He got a purr in response, the little lemur leaning closer to him as if to offer him comfort. Animals seemed to be sensitive to his moods, more so than his family was, aside from Gran-Gran.

There was no hiding anything from Gran-Gran. But, he was okay with that. And it was moments like these where he missed home, a lot.

Then there was a low growl from behind him. Ayaan smiled a little more. Getting up from his spot, Momo climbing on his shoulder, he made his way to the enormous bison. He sat by his leg, both surprised and happy when the gentle giant wrapped his free legs around him. It was like he was giving Ayaan a hug, a very fluffy hug. And so was Momo.

They were trying to make him feel better, and it was working, wondrously. "Thank you." He said, petting them both. It was still very early, so he knew they were still sleepy. But they woke from their slumber to comfort him, he couldn't be more thankful for that.

The next thing he knew, he was getting licked. A large lick behind him, and a bunch of small licks on his face. His face scrunched up, in both disgust and delight at the gesture. He let a small laugh escape him as he replied, "I love you too."

It was then that Katara and Aang were beginning to wake up. Knowing that it was time to leave, he took it upon himself to go wake his little brother. Sokka was not a morning person, at all. But Aang had been very excited the night before in regards to their next destination, Omashu. He said they were very close, and he wanted to show them all of the sights he'd seen in his lifetime.

Although he knew they would be different, he wanted to experience at least a bit of what he did before the war started. And since it was on their path towards the North Pole, the others didn't see a reason not to. In the city, they could gather supplies and other things they may need. And while Ayaan didn't admit it, he wanted to see the sights too.

He'd never left the South Pole, same as his siblings. As the son of the chief, he had responsibilities to his people. He had to make sure they were safe, that they were fed, and that everything was the way it should be. He dared not dream of travel, of leaving his home. He got enough time away when he hunted and fished on his own. Traveling around his home had brought him comfort in its own right.

But he would not admit how much better it was... traveling the world like this. He never knew that his world was so... large. It was large, wide, and filled with many things, with many people and places he never thought he'd see. Different trees, animals, there was so much he'd seen in these weeks of travel.

He loved all of it. Of course, not the frequent encounters with the Fire Nation, but he loved the sights he saw. He loved flying in the clouds with his family and watching the sun dip behind the horizon. He loved watching the moon rise high into the night and the seemingly endless sea as they flew over it.

None of these things would have ever happened if they hadn't found Aang; The boy with the blue tattoos who turned out to be the Avatar.

Was it strange that he found Aang to be strangely familiar? He always got this odd feeling that he'd seen him before somewhere, but he was sure, no, he was positive that he hadn't, ever, met Aang before this. But sometimes the feeling would hit him, like a faint deja vu moment. It was strange and as observant as Ayaan was, he could easily tell when those little moments would occur.