The Waterbending Master

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A/N FINALLY

Sang's legs grazed over the water as a koala otter scrambled to get out of the way. "I'm not one to complain," Sokka said, "but can't Sang fly any higher?"

Sang flew lower, out of spite or exhaustion, Katara wasn't sure. She patted the sky bison sympathetically. They were so close to the Northern Water Tribe, it felt stupid to stop.

Rina scowled at Sokka. "I have an idea. Why don't we get on your back, and you can fly us to the North Pole?"

"I'd love to! Climb on, everyone! Sokka's ready for takeoff!" Katara laughed at Sokka's sudden playfulness. 

She felt happy too. After being chased by Zuko, fighting a volcano, saving a temple, pulling two prison breaks, and force-feeding her friends frogs, she was finally reaching the Northern Water Tribe. She was finally going to learn waterbending.

She was jolted out of her thoughts when Rina screamed. Ice was rapidly moving towards them. Sang swerved to the right, and then to the left, his riders just managing to hang on.

Katara leaned over the side and saw men in boats surrounding the sky bison and nearly laughed in delight. "They're waterbenders! We've found the Northern Water Tribe!"

---

"She's heading north," Zhao told his troops. "The Northern Water Tribe. The Avatar needs to master waterbending, so she's looking for a teacher."

"Then what are we waiting for?" one of the captains asked. "Let's get them!"

"Patience, Captain Li. This isn't some Earth Kingdom village we can just storm into. The Northern Water Tribe is a great nation. There's a reason we haven't broken the Treaty of Garsai. The frozen tundra is treacherous. The landscape itself is an icy fortress. We'll need a massive invasion force."

---

"There it is!" Katara felt like screaming in delight when she saw the massive icy wall. The symbol of the Water Tribes, circle containing a crescent moon and rippling waves, was carved beautifully onto the ice. "The Northern Water Tribe..."

"We're finally here!" Sokka shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun reflecting on all the ice.

The crew of one waterbending skiff bent a semi-circular opening into the wall. Sang swam through the tunnel and into the massive city of Agna Qel'a.

The city of ice was breathtakingly beautiful. Delicate bridges intricately carved with the moon and ocean symbol crossed over canals where boats transporting people and goods traveled. Some were powered by oars, others by waterbending. Carvings lined every window and doorframe in the city, depicting pictures of the great spirits. People lined the edges of the canal Sang traveled along, gawking at the newcomers. Rina waved.

A boat passed by, carrying a young woman with her pure white hair in an elaborate updo, her parka a shade of light purple rather than the normal blues. Sokka blushed and leaned over the side of the saddle to watch the girl as she sailed away.

"This place is beautiful," Katara breathed.

"Yeah," Sokka sighed as he looked at the girl's retreating figure. "She is."

---

"Winter, spring, summer, fall, winter and spring, summer and fall, four seasons, four loves," Iroh sang to the tune of Lieutenant Jee's pipa. The music cut off as four men boarded the ship, accompanied by Admiral Zhao.

---

Men played ceremonial drums as the three friends sat by Chief Arnook and the other high-ranking members of the tribe.

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