Finding My Path

Chapter 5

It looks like Miss Kirima did talk to Katara, because when I show up at class the next day, she sends me to another building.

This room is a lot like the other one, with mats lining the floor. But the new classroom has a small pond of water built into the front of the room. The teacher is already handing out water to my new classmates, who seems to be only a few years older than the last group of kids.

"You're Lina?" the teacher asks me. He's not quite as warm as Miss Kirima, but at least he got my name right.

"Yes," I answer.

He bends some water at me and I do my best not to drop it, swirling it into a ball. He tells me his name, Master Jon, and shows me where to take a seat. Then he begins the class, showing us the basic moves on how to control our water best. The students in this class definitely seem more experienced. "Will the water to follow your body," the master tells us. I try this out, and sure enough the water is moving with me. It never did that when I tried it back home.

I do my best with all the steps, trying to memorize and master each one. It's more tiring than I anticipated.

"The water has to be apart of you. You can't think of it like a weapon, it needs to be a friend. If you trust it, the water will become great things," Master Jon continued.

At the end of class, Jon pulls me aside. "Good work, Lina. You look like you'll make a fine addition to the class."

I gave him a quick thanks as I headed back to the igloo. On the way out, I couldn't help over hearing some of the girls leaving the class. "Yeah, a new girl. Talking to Master Jon!"

"Talking? Like, a normal conversation?"

"Uh huh. I didn't even know he was capable of that!" After that, there was a chorus of laughter. I rushed back to my igloo before catching any more of what the young girls were saying.

Instead of resting when I get home, I find a note on my door.

See me when you're done classes

-Katara

I read the note twice, then ponder what it could be about. Master Jon maybe? No, I had to get that conversation out of my head. I drop my stuff down and go to find Katara. She gave me directions to yet another waterbending classroom. She gives me her usual grandmother smile when I approach. It calms me down.

"Hello, Lina. I'm glad you came," she says to me.

"Hi, Katara. What's up?" Can you say what's up to an old lady? I don't know.

"I have an interesting opportunity for you. I know you're only here to learn waterbending, but there's a class tonight about the history of our tribe. Now there's no obligation to come, but I thought since your mother was from the tribe, you might want to learn about our history," she explains.

I consider this for a moment, and then agree. My mom had only been in the tribe for a short time, and she didn't have many childhood stories to tell me. Maybe I'd even learn a thing or two about waterbending.