𝕍𝕖𝕟𝕦𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕂𝕪𝕠𝕤𝕙𝕚 𝕎𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕣: 𝕊𝕠𝕜𝕜𝕒 𝕩 𝕆𝕔

Chapter 7- Bato of the Water Tribe

"Oh come on, please." Sokka pouts. "For me?"

I close my eyes, parting my lips open as Sokka shoves the wooden spoon into my mouth. "Mhm."

"You like?!" Sokka asks with excitement on his face.

My eyes begin to water as I harshly swallow. "Mhm hum."

"It's so good, you're crying." Sokka smiles.

Bato observes Sokka and I. "So, Sokka who's the lovely girl?"

Sokka is taken aback. "This is uh.."

"I'm Venus." I reply.

"Mhm." Bato hums. "Your father would like this one."

Uh?

"Bato!" Sokka groans, embrassed.

"Oh no," I blush from the confusion. "We aren't together, we're just friends."

"Could have fooled me for a couple." Bato murmurs a chuckle.

Sokka tries to change the subject. "Bato, is it true that you and dad lassoed an arctic hippo?"

"It was your father's idea, he just dragged me along. Well, the hippo did the dragging!"

Sokka and Katara were slurping their stewed sea prunes as Aang spoke. "Hey, I ride animals, too! There was this one time when I rode a giant eel and I-"

Sokka cuts Aang off. "So, who was it that came up with the Great Blubber Fiasco?"

Bato chuckles to himself. "You knew about that?"

"Everyone does!" Katara exclaims.

"What's that story?" Aang curiously asks.

Sokka waves him off. "It's a long one Aang, some other time."

I turned to Aang, who had a sad expression on his face.

As the water trivets catch up. Bato pauses. "Aang! Please put that down." Aang is wearing a fur pelt on his head. "It's ceremonial and very fragile." Aang puts the pelt back on the wall, and sits in the back of the room.

My head slowly fell on Sokka's shoulder as he and his sister caught up with Bato, I could feel Sokka's fingers stroking through my hair, which had caused me to fall sleep.

✼　 ҉　 ҉　 ҉　 ҉　✼

The next day, we all followed Bato out to the
water. "This ship is sentimental to me. It was built by my father."

"Is this the boat he took you ice dodging in?" Sokka asks.

"Yep," Bato quickly replies. "And it's got the scar to prove it. Ha! How about you, Sokka? You must have some good stories from your first time ice dodging."

"He never got to go." Katara lowly says. "Dad left before he was old enough."

"Oh," Bato hisses. "I forgot. You were too young."

"What's ice dodging?" Aang asks.

"It's a rite of passage for young water tribe members." Bato replies. "When you turn fourteen your dad takes you-" Bato pauses as he puts a hand on Sokka's shoulder. "You know what? Your about to find out."

Everyone boarded the boat except me. Sokka flew to the side of the boat waiting for me. "V. You coming?"

I shake my hands. "Oh, nono. The last time I went on a boat, I went flying off a waterfall."

Sokka pouts his lips. "Venus, please come. I want you to experience my first time ice dodging."

I bite my top lip, groaning. "Fine, but if I die, it's on you."