The Avatar's Master

5. Rhythm is a Dancer

They met at dusk by the river embankment on the southwestern side of the property. This time, Kuvira was waiting for Korra and had prepared a pit for fire with un-chopped logs stacked next to the pit and a gramophone one of the butlers had wheeled out next to the logs. They both had skipped dinner with the Beifongs, opting for an early meal in their respective rooms. Ideally, they would be at a beach, but as she was currently confined to the property, this wasn't possible. The river would have to do for now. Kuvira only hoped her pupil would understand the lesson a little better if presented like this. Korra wasn't dumb per se, but she could be a bit dense.

Korra approached and greeted her master.

"Right on time, Avatar," Kuvira said. She was seated on a log and motioned her head to the stack of wood. "Chop that wood, and prepare a fire."

Korra obeyed, and Kuvira watched as her pupil took up the axe and began swinging down on the logs one by one. Korra lifted and hammered down rhythmically, the cut of her triceps bulging with her movements. She huffed and heaved until a thin sheen of sweat formed about her, but she didn't stop until she completed her task, having stacked the logs in a way to get them to burn long and steady. Then she pointed two fingers at the pile of wood and a fire streaked out, igniting the logs.

Kuvira had been silent throughout the whole affair, but took the lit bonfire as her cue to get up and begin the lesson.

"Good," Kuvira said. "Now we can –"

"What's chopping wood got to do with metalbending?" Korra interrupted.

Kuvira shook her head and laughed. "It's not just metalbending. It's life. Besides, aren't you the least bit curious about the gramophone?"

Korra sat down facing the fire with her bare feet digging into the sand and her arms loosely cradling her knees. "You were going to teach me how to dance," Korra said.

The sound of the rushing freshwater river gushed a few feet behind them, but it was cut off by the music after Kuvira wound the metal handle on the side of the gramophone to charge it and placed the needle on the spinning disc. The record scratched a familiar tune, though the Avatar couldn't place it. But then Kuvira was up and dancing, her body thrumming to the beat in a lyrical freestyle around the fire, the shadow of the flames also dancing along her body.

"Get up and come over here," Kuvira demanded.

Korra hesitated this time. "I don't know how to do that."

"You don't dance?"

"Well –" But then Kuvira took Korra's hands, lifting her up to her feet in one swift motion.

"Do what I do," Kuvira said as she did an attitude with her leg, then shifted her hips and swayed to and fro.

Korra tried, she really did, which was what Kuvira had asked of her – to always try her best. But her movements were choppy and awkard, her hips moving one way, legs the other. Kuvira saw this and tried to keep from laughing, though it was adorable. She put her hands on the Avatar's waist from behind and slid them down to her hips and swayed the Avatar to rock with the rhythm. Korra felt a jolt flow through her at the touch of Kuvira's hands, and she thought of the night before when Kuvira could hardly stand to hug her.

Meantime, Kuvira leaned into the Avatar in an attempt to feel the music. Again, Kuvira was struck by Korra's scent – earthy and powerful but sweet, and she almost buried her head into Avatar's nape, but no! At this realization, Kuvira caught herself and pulled away. Down girl, she reminded herself. She walked over to the gramophone and lifted the needle.

"Let's try something different," Kuvira said.

"Was that not good enough?" Korra said, scratching the back of her head, though she knew the truth of it – she was horrible at this kind of dance.