1 | Flow Like Water [Avatar: The Last Airbender]

Two

水

Chapter Two | The Outlander

THE REST OF THE day seemed like a blur to you. After Katara and Sokka left to go fishing, you did your usual chores. You helped clean all the pots and pans, played with the children to keep them occupied, and washed and mended clothes (not to mention sewing Sokka's pants that he ripped yet again).

        It left you exhausted, and by the time it was noon, you decided to take a nap — something you rarely had the chance to do. To think that this was your everyday routine was tiresome. Even though you were sixteen, you felt as if you were older. That was to be expected; after all, day by day the war was destroying the world you called home.

        By the time you woke up, it was evening. You crawled out of the blanket cocoon and stood up, stretching and hearing a few of your joints pop. "Katara," you called out drowsy. "We need to start dinner."

        After a few seconds, you heard no reply. Grunting in frustration, you opened the tent flap. "Katara, come on —" With a feeling of dread, you noticed the tent was empty.

        Normally, you wouldn't have been too concerned that she wasn't there given any other time of the day. But you and your siblings had always had only one that must never be broken.

        Always be back before dark.

        In a state of panic, you ran out of the tent and scanned the tiny village for your siblings. Worry pooled at the bottom of your stomach as you noticed they weren't there. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, trying not to jump to conclusions.

        Calm down, [Name], you chided yourself. Maybe Grant Gran sent them out for a task.

        Moments later, you found your grandmother at the edge of the village's ice wall. As you walked toward her, her eyes narrowed as she looked out toward the entrance. "Sokka and Katara," she muttered. "They should've come back hours ago."

        Your face blanched as you looked into the horizon. You knew for a fact that fishing didn't take long, four hours at most. But for the entire day? Something was wrong. Your heart ached at the thought of your siblings out there alone, with nothing but frozen tundra and the sea.

*~*~*~*~*~*

        A bright full moon lit up the night sky and stars crept out behind the clouds. It had been around four hours since Gran Gran and yourself camped out at the edge of the village's ice wall. You gripped Sokka's whale's tooth scimitar and kept your eyes straight ahead.

        Beside you, Gran Gran could barely keep her eyes open. It was incredibly rare for her to be awake at this hour, and you were worried about her health. She needed all the rest she could get.

        When she started to snore, you gently placed a hand on her shoulder, waking her up. "Gran Gran, please get some rest. I'll stay up and wait for them," you told her. She didn't need to worry about you when two of her grandchildren were missing.

        Gran Gran complied, much to your surprise. She squeezed your hand tenderly before standing up. "Alright."

        Soon you were all alone. To keep yourself from dying of boredom and falling asleep, you mindlessly played around with water from your waterskin.