Flame {Zutara}: Book 1 ✔️

Part 12

Prior to the Hundred Year War the Southern Water Tribe was known for its thriving economy, rich culture, and unique waterbending style. After a series of brutal Fire Nation raids much of the population was depleted. This mass genocide shattered their culture. Large forces of firebenders were called in, their mission to capture and kill as many Southern waterbenders as they could. They were able to resist for many years but eventually the capital city was left abandoned and rumors spread of one single waterbender still remaining. The Fire Nation was determined to capture and kill this last member. A final raid poured in, their mission to threaten the last few Tribe members. Convinced they would kill them all if the bender did not reveal themself, Katara's mother Kya gave up her own life to protect not only her daughters life, but also the last living waterbender of the Southern Tribe. After this raid the Fire Nation pulled away for many years, believing they had killed the last living waterbender of this Tribe. During this time the last members also lost contact with their sister nation, the Northern Water Tribe. The nation was left in defeat, struggling to increase their population and hold onto their culture. The Fire Nation did not return until the discovery of Avatar Aang. Shortly after raids were sent in to the Northern Water Tribe , threatening to destroy their nation as well. With the end of The Hundred Year War and the fall of Firelord Ozai, the broken nation was finally able to begin rebuilding itself.

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Sokka's POV:

The young soldier regained his consciousness, pulling himself up from the floor. His limbs felt weak after the attack from his sister. Katara had never used her bending against him before, it was a shock to realize just how powerful she had become after returning from their journey with Aang. This only assured him that she was a threat to their nation.

Her words haunted his mind, she claimed to not have wanted to hurt him. He never wanted to hurt her but it only fueled his anger that she didn't understand where he was coming from. Sokka's anger towards the Fire Nation was established at a very young age. The elders would always boast about how their nation had once thrived with a large population and many waterbenders. The soldier began training at a very young age, always taught he would have to be ready when the Fire Nation would return. As a young boy he convinced himself he was the man of the small tribe, the most powerful one there. This hope and confidence was stripped away the first time he had even seen a firebender. They raided the already small tribe, murdering his mother. He tried so hard to fight but he was too young to fully understand their strength and the elders did everything in their power to hold him back.

He knew in that moment he would devote his life to getting his revenge. With the fall of Firelord Ozai, Sokka was praised by his tribe, finally acknowledging him as a true war hero. He was quickly put in charge of their army, all decisions now in his hands. Supplies and soldiers were sent down to them from the Northern Water Tribe in efforts to rebuild the nation into the thriving paradise it once was.

At first Sokka was thrilled to be in this position, determined to rebuild their nation. Soon he realized that anger still raged inside of him. He wanted to expand their boarders, choosing to take land from the Fire Nation. With a new leader in power focused on peace - he knew it would be an easy attack. His ethics were blinded by anger, deciding he would be willing to do everything in his power to hurt their nation in order to build a thriving nation of his own and fill the void his mothers death created. With the Northern Tribe now as a close ally, he knew it would be easy enough to convince them to join forces.

During their planned meeting prior to the chaos, Sokka pleaded his case to Aang hoping for his support. Naive to the consequences another war would lead to, he was confused as to why Aang would not be on board. The Fire Nation had completely destroyed each one of the Air Temples, along with all other airbenders and monks. He could not fathom why Aang would not hold onto the same anger he had been.

Even without the Avatar's support, he made it clear he would continue on with his mission, regardless of the consequences.