The waxing moon hovered in the night sky, it was almost full. I could feel the energy in the woods around me as the group sat around the campfire telling scary stories. Appa was fast asleep inside a nearby cave. I leaned against the gnarled twisted tree as I listened to Sokka. I yawned as he finished his tale, it wasn't that scary. Rolling my eyes, I looked over to Katara and nodded at her. Katara was an amazing storyteller, always able to twist the tale to make you feel like it was real.
"No, it happened to mom," Katara shot down Sokka's rude question. "One winter, when mom was a girl, a snowstorm buried the whole village for weeks. A month later, Mom realized she hadn't seen her friend Nini since the storm. So mom and some others went to check on Nini's family. When they got there, no one was home, just a fire flickering in the fireplace. While the men went out to search, mom stayed in the house. When she was a long she heard a voice," she picked her pitch up, "'It's so cold and I can't get warm," she dropped her tone once more, "Mom turned and saw Nini standing by the fire. She was blue like she was frozen. Mom ran outside for help, but.. when everyone came back, Nini was gone."
I shivered at her tale.
"Where'd she go?" Sokka asked leaning in.
"No one knows. Nini's house stands empty to this day. But sometimes, people see smoke coming up from the chimney-like little Nini is still trying to get warm," a slow smile built on Katara's features as she took in our faces.
Toph gasped and placed her palm on the ground.
"Wait, guys, did you hear that? I hear people under the mountain and they're screaming," Toph exclaimed, a worried expression on her face.
I looked at her aghast as the other three huddled together in fear. Sokka regained his composure, trying to seem tough. Toph tried to convince us that she really did hear something, but none of us believed her. Suddenly, the screaming in Toph's ears stopped.
"Hello, children," an old lady's voice broke through the darkness causing us to jump. "Sorry, to frighten you," she apologized as she stepped into the firelight. Her long white hair framed her face. Her lips were wrinkly and she hunched over slightly. "My name is Hama. You children shouldn't be out in the forest by yourselves at night. I have an inn nearby, why don't you come back there for some spiced tea and warm beds?"
We jumped at the offer. The lady smiled at us and began to walk away. She led us to a village that was placed on a steep slope. At the top resided the inn resided. I slowly made my way up the hill, careful to keep my head low. The kind woman opened the door to the place and ushered us inside.
We grouped around a small square table, Katara and I shared a seat. Our frames smushed together as Hama poured us a hot cup of tea. I thanked her with a smile and held the warm cup in my hands, relishing the feeling.
"Thanks for letting us stay here tonight. You have a lovely inn." Katara commented as Hama poured her cup of tea.
"Aren't you sweet?" Hama smiled. "You know, you should be careful. People have been disappearing in those woods you were camping in."
"What do you mean, disappearing?" Sokka asked inquisitively.
"When the moon turns full," Hama spoke ominously, "people walk in, and they don't come out... Who wants more tea?" She asked as if she hadn't told us something awful. "Don't worry; you'll all be completely safe here. Why don't I show you to your rooms, and you can get a good night's rest?"
Katara and I pushed away from the table and followed the old woman down the hall. She opened a door for me and Katara and bid us goodnight before showing the rest of the group to their rooms. I shrugged my shoulders and stepped inside.
The room was cozy and warm. A large bed with two nightstands rested in the center of the room with a large red comforter. Sighing contently, I laid on the bed and closed my eyes, happy to have a comfy spot to sleep for the night. The bed shifted as Katara laid next to me. I bid her goodnight and quickly fell asleep.
The next morning, Hama woke us to go shopping in the town. She was a nice lady, but there was definitely something off about her. Sokka had the same feeling and began snooping around her house, looking for something incriminating. I told him to stop, especially after we found the puppets in her hall closet, but he wouldn't hear any of it. He slipped up into the attic and found a locked door. Sokka picked the lock despite my warning and ran into the room with the group.
There was a chest in the middle of the room. Toph used her space rock to create a key, but she couldn't get it to open. I rolled my eyes as they tried to pry at it. Turning on my heel to leave, I gasped as Hama stood in front of me.
"I'll tell you what's in the box," she called to the rest of them.
The group yelled in alarm. Sokka hid the chest behind his back as Hama entered the room. Hama hobbled over to them and held out her hand. Bowing his head in guilt, he handed the lady her chest. She slowly opened it and reached inside. Pulling out an old blue comb...
"An old comb?" Sokka droned in disappointment.
"It's my greatest treasure. It's the last thing I owned from growing up in the Southern Water Tribe," a wave of shock ran over me as I stared at the lady.
"You're from the Southern Water Tribe?" Katara breathed.
"Just like you." Hama smiled at the three of us as I took my place next to my siblings.
"How did you know?" I asked, shocked by her perception.
"I heard you talking around your campfire," she informed us.
"But why didn't you tell us?" Sokka asked.
"I wanted to surprise you. I bought all this food today so I could fix you a big, Water Tribe dinner. Of course, I can't get all the ingredients I need here, but ocean kumquats are a lot like sea prunes if you stew them long enough."
My mouth watered at her words. Aang gagged beside Katara at the thought of eating sea prunes again. We apologized to the woman for snooping around her house, she accepted our apology. Katara and I followed Hama downstairs and helped her prepare the meal. It was nice cooking with the lady.
I set a bowl in front of Sokka and took my seat as Hama bent the soup out of the pot and into the place settings. I gasped as I realized what Hama was.
"You're a waterbender!" Katara and I cried out.
"We've never met another waterbender from our tribe," I told Hama.
She looked at me sadly.
"That's because the Fire Nation wiped them all out. I was the last one. I was stolen from my home. It was over sixty years ago when the raids began. They came again and again, each time, rounding up more of our waterbenders, and taking them captive. We did our best to hold them off, but our numbers dwindled as the raids continued. Finally, I was captured. I was led away in chains. The last Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. They put us in terrible prisons here in the Fire Nation. I was the only one who managed to escape."
I listened intently as Hama spoke. It must have been awful if it was anything like what I went through... maybe it was worse. Sokka asked her how she got away, but it was too painful for her to continue. I stood from my seat and rested my hands on the old woman's shoulders, trying to give some comfort.
"We completely understand. We lost our mother in a raid,"." Katara hummed from her seat.
"I know what it's like to be held captive in a prison hold... it must've been awful for you..." I whispered.
Hama's wrinkly hand covered mine as she gave us her sympathy. The group bowed their head solemnly. I quickly sat back down and turned to Hama, telling her what an honor it was to meet her.
"I never thought I'd meet another Southern Waterbender, let alone two of them," I snapped my head up at her words. "I'd like to teach you what I know, so you can carry on the Southern Tradition when I'm gone."
"Yes!" I said excitedly.
"Of course. To learn about our heritage... it would mean everything," Katara bowed to the woman.
The next day, Hama woke Katara and me and walked us into town. I was buzzing with excitement as we walked over the rocky hillside of the village and toward a garden. The air kissed my skin as I skipped behind the woman.
"Growing up at the South Pole, Waterbenders are totally at home surrounded by ice and snow and seas. But, as you probably noticed on your travels, that isn't the case wherever you go." Hama hummed as she came to a halt.
"I know, when we were in the desert, I felt like there was nothing I could do," Katara told the lady.
"That's why you have to control water wherever it exists," Hama smirked.
"I've even used my own sweat for waterbending," Katara smiled.
"That's very resourceful, Katara. You're thinking like a true master. But did you know you can even pull water out of thin air?" Hama threw her hand out and created a circle, collecting the moisture in the air. The liquid surrounded her fingers. "You've got to keep an open mind girls." The water froze on her fingers, turning to icicles. "There's water in places you never think about."
Hama swung her hand around and threw the icicles away. The spikes lodged themselves in a nearby tree with ease. I looked at the lady in awe as she did the technique I used in Ba Sing Se when I was out of water.
I grabbed Katara's arm and followed after Hama as she led us to a field filled with beautiful red flowers. I looked around at the gorgeous plants and sniffed one as I passed. The ground was covered with them. Like a red sea. A few large rocks dotted the field as we waded through the plants.
"These flowers are gorgeous!" I hummed as I stepped near Hama.
"They're called Fire Lilies. They only bloom a few weeks a year, but they're one of my favorite things about living here. And like all plants and all living things, they're filled with water," Hama informed as she gazed at the field.
"We met a Waterbender who lived in a swamp and could control the vines by bending the water inside," I told Hama.
"You can take it even further," Hama growled.
She waved her hands in a large circle, bending the water right out of the flowers around her. They turned dry and black as they shriveled up. Hama completed the circle and chopped her hands downward at a tall rock. The water passed through it, cleanly slicing off four pieces.
"That was incredible," Katara gapped in awe.
"Shame about the lilies, though," I looked sadly at the flowers.
"They're just flowers. When you're a waterbender in a strange land, you do what you must to survive. Tonight, I'll teach you, girls, the ultimate technique of waterbending. It can only be done during the full moon when your bending is at its peak!" Hama said a menacing gleam crossed her features.
Hama told us we'd be safe. Nothing could stop three master waterbenders. A cold feeling washed over me as we walked into the forest. I kept my distance from Hama, but I kept a close eye on her. She was up to something, I knew it.
The full moon rested high in the sky as we came to a small clearing. I could feel the energy surge through my body as I looked around the dark forest. Hama stopped a few paces ahead of us. Dropping her head back, she spread out her arms and basked in the moonlight. Her white hair was aglow around her.
"Can you feel the power the full moon brings?' Hama inhaled deeply. "For generations, it has blessed waterbenders with its glow, allowing us to do incredible things." I looked closely at the woman, her veins along her arm started to protrude as she flexed her hands. "I've never felt more alive," she cried. "What I'm about to show you, I discovered in that wretched, Fire Nation prison.
The guards were always careful to keep water away from us. They piped in dry air and had us suspended away from the ground. Before giving us any water, they would bind our hands and feet so we couldn't bend," I shivered at the memory of the guards holding me down, "Any sign of trouble was met with cruel retribution.
And yet, each month, I felt the full moon enriching me with its energy. There had to be something I could do to escape. Then, I realized that where there was life, there is water. The rats that scurried across the floor of my cage, were nothing more than skins filled with liquid. And I passed years developing the skills that would lead to my escape. Bloodbending..."
I gasped as an epiphanic feeling washed over me. Hama controlled the men to let her escape. She reached inside their bodies to force them to let her out. I stepped away from the woman.
"But, to reach inside someone and control them?" Katara said uneasily.
"I don't think I want that kind of power," I hummed.
"The choice is not yours." Hama rounded on us. "The power exists... it's your duty to use the gifts you've been given to win this war. Katara, Kadence, they tried to wipe us out, our entire culture... your mother! Even you, Kadence!"
"I know," Katara whispered.
"I wasn't taken because of my ability..." I argued quietly.
"Then you should understand what I'm talking about. We're the last waterbenders of the Southern Water Tribe. We have to fight these people whenever we can. Wherever they are, with any means necessary," Hama growled.
"It's you!" I yelled.
"You're the one who's making people disappear during the full moons."
"They threw me in prison to rot," Hama spat, "along with my brothers and sisters. They deserve the same. You must carry on my work."
"I won't! I won't use bloodbending, and I won't allow you to keep terrorizing this town!" Katara yelled defiantly.
I took my stance next to my sister, readying myself for a fight. My arms twisted back, I couldn't move them as they slammed to my side. I struggled against the hold and looked at Hama with wide terrified eyes.
"You should have learned the technique before you turned against me," I was pulled up alongside Katara. Our bodies stiff and straight. Hama cackled, "It's impossible to fight your way out of my grip. I control every muscle, every vein in your body."
Hama used her ability to throw Katara's body around as she held me in place. My body began to crumble and I was forced to my knees. Tears fell down my face as I pushed against the pull of her hold. Katara pleaded with the woman, but she just cackled sinisterly at our frames.
Inhaling deeply, I closed my eyes and willed my blood to loosen its grip in my arms. My hands slowly closed to fists as I pulled the water from the plants. The hold slowly left my body and I snapped my head toward Hama. Her eyes widened in alarm.
"You're not the only one who draws power from the moon," I growled as I stood to my feet.
"Our bending is more powerful than yours, Hama," Katara barked as she pulled herself next to me. "Your technique is useless on us!"
The three of us entered battle stances. Katara lifted her arms and bent the water out of the grass and into a ring around her. She hopped forward, spun once, and flung water at Hama, who took the water and shot it back at Katara. I launched my body forward and pulled water from a nearby tree. Hama did the same, our attacks met in the center of the clearing and the water swirled in little droplets around us. I quickly pulled the water from the air with Katara. I flung an attack at Hama alongside Katara. Mine hit her head and Katara's hit her feet. Her body flew through the air.
As she collided with the ground, Aang and Sokka burst through the opening. They ordered Hama to give up because she was now outnumbered far more than she was a moment ago.
"No." She grunted standing to her feet. "You've just matched yourselves."
Suddenly, she raised both arms and the boy's bodies stiffened. She flun Aang at Katara and Sokka at me. I leapt out of the way of Sokka's advancing frame. I launched a jet of water at Hama, but she blocked it. My eyes narrowed at the old woman.
"Kadence look out!" Sokka cried as he swung his sword at me. I dodged his attack. "It's like my brain has a mind of its own. Stop it arm, stop it!"
I extracted water from the ground and knocked Sokka out of the way. My breathing was becoming ragged as I looked for a way out of this. A horrible thought hit me as Katara deflected Aang's controlled body. Hama smirked. I locked eyes with her as she started to pull Aang's body and Sokka's together. Sokka was wielding his sword.
Focusing my energy on Hama, I stretched my hand out and pulled my fingers in a scrunched form. I could feel the blood in her body moving, her heartbeat ran through my hand. Sokka and Aang stopped moving toward each other as Hama's body began to twitch. I secured her arms to her side. Flattening my hand in front of me, I pointed my fingers to the ground and she crumpled to her knees. Toph and the prisoners from the mountain ran up behind the old woman. They shackled her hands behind her back and forced her from the ground.
"You're going to be locked away forever," the man growled as he pulled her away.
"My work is done," she whispered loud enough for me to hear. Looking over her shoulder, she locked eyes with me. "Congratulations, Kadence. You're a bloodbender..."
I fell to my knees. My hand covered my mouth as sobs wracked my body. Sokka wrapped an arm around my shoulders to comfort me, but it was no use... I did the unthinkable...