The Moon's Sister

Chapter 9: Siege of the North Part 1

Two students stand six feet apart in the courtyard. The male student whom belongs to Master Pukka is visibly nervous while the female student of Princess Sying stands confident. The male brings up a ball of water before freezing it then shoots it at the girl whom melts it. She immediately throws it back at her opponent who is then knocked upwards and frozen.

Master Pukka is not pleased as he unfreezes his pupil.
"Would anyone like a rematch with Katara?" Sying asks looking at the row of defeated men.

"Congratulations Katara. You have proven with determination and hard work any can do anything." Pukka states to the young waterbender.

"He's right. Talent alone won't make you a master. Just look at the Avatar." Sying sighs with her hands on her hips.

"Aang if you have time to play with house pets you've must have already become a waterbending master." Pukka says with sarcasm.

Aang stops watching Momo and looks up the three Masters before rubbing his neck awkwardly. "We'll I wouldn't say mastered but look what I can do!" They watch in disarray as he makes himself into a snowman.

"Aang you need to take training seriously. This is not a joke." Sying states disappointedly.

"I know. I'm trying really."

"We know you are. Just try to stay focused." Katara adds patting his head. He smiles dreamily at the touch.

•••

"Where are you taking me Sokka?" Yue laughs as she follows the over exited boy. He marches ecstatically in front of her and she skips to keep up with him.

"We're going to see a friend of me. Him and I go way back. We'll more like he comes from way back." He laughs at his own joke which only leaves the girl more confused. They enter the barn area where a giant fluffy monster resides.

"He's amazing! What is he?" Yue asks as she slowly approaches the beast.

"This is Appa, Aang's Sky Bison. He takes us everywhere. We're good pals aren't we bud." Sokka pets the bison on the nose and the latter responds with picking the boy up.

"Aagh! Easy! Down boy!" He shouts as Yue laughs in the back ground.

"Looks like you're not giving Appa enough attention." Yue says as she pets the side of the bison.

"You've stolen all my attention, Princess." Sokka states slyly form atop Appa. He holds out his calloused hand for her to grab ahold of with her gloved one. He easily pulls the Snow Princess up onto the fluff monster much to her delight.

"So how does this work?"

"You hanging on tight?" She wraps her arms around his middle and nods. He blushes at the contact but keeps smiling. "Yip. Yip."

Appa leaps into the air and takes off with all the grace a ten ton animal could possibly have. The Snow Princess yelps as they take of, "Oh my goodness! We're flying! We're flying, Sokka!"
He laughs at her even though her death grip almost killed him for a second.

"I can't believe you do this everyday." They fly across the city that sparkles in the sun light before soaring over the bridge and out into the ocean. The sun blinds them slightly but nothing could take away from the beauty of the glistening water.

"We practically live up here. I forgot how amazing it can be." Sokka leads Appa further towards the water where they can watch the seal-cows dive in and out along with many different fish.

"It's lovely."
He looks at her leaning towards the water watching the marine life in delight. Fish of all sizes darted through out the water some close enough for her to reach out and touch. But none of them interested her like the one a few feet away did. At first she though she imagined it, only a sliver of a tusk came out of the water. Than the full ten feet tusk slowly came out of the water attacked to a sparkling pink body. The girl squealed in absolutely delight. Nothing would take away from her seeing her favorite animal.