AN/: Hey guys! I'm Chyenne and I'm writing this with my friend Ashes :) We hope you enjoy it, and if you'd like, give it a review. Reviewers are rewarded with cake. We're writing this for fun, and if anyone enjoys it, we'll post it on here! :D WHEW. Have a great day! (Don't own ALTA or LOK. That goes to the amazing and almighty Bryke.) This is a story with both of our OC's. Enjoy!
A small dark girl rushed to a woman who was chopping small vegetables at a worn wooden table. "Mommy! Mommy guess what!" Her small voice was excited; she gripped the woman's long blue skirt. "Mommy there's a new family moving here! Katara said they had a girl that's my age! There's from the White Lotus Order. Katara said I could have a friend!" The girl shook at her mother's leg, jumping slightly. "Do you understand?!" The girl was humming with excited energy.
"Kala, please. No more of that sugary candy Master Katara gives you before dinner." Kala's mother was obviously distracted by the task in front of her, used to her daughter's excited musing. "Get your father for dinner." She scooped all of the veggies into a bowl and set them on the table.
Her small daughter opened her unusually large mouth, and yelled. "DAAAD! MOM SAYS DINNER'S READY!" She was still hopping around her mother's feet, both with excitement, and sugar.
"Goodness Kala, I do hope Katara's right, and they have a child around your age. It would get you out of my hair." Senna moved to the table, gently ruffling her daughter's hair, bending to kiss her forehead.
The young avatar was in the training area, whipping a stream of water around practice dummies, her form off a small amount. A small girl with almost black hair stood at the edge of the mat. Her voice was high and melodic. "You're doing it wrong, Avatar Kala. It's done like this." Her arms rose higher, and her body lowered on to widely set feet. "If you're not low enough, your arm will block the whip on the way down. My name is Yue, by the way."
The avatar bows to the young girl, obviously well trained in Waterbending. "Thank you very much! I am Avatar Kala." Kala popped up, bouncing. "MY MOMMY SAYS I HAVE TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOU NO MATTER WHAT SO I CAN GET OUT OFHERHAIRWANTTOBEMYFRAND?" The girl's grin was genuine and took up most of her face.
Yue was mildly disturbed by the behavior of the girl, not used to the unreserved manner of the child. "I'll be your friend on one condition. You take me to Wolfskull cave."
The young avatar was torn. She wasn't allowed to go outside of the compound. But she really wanted a friend. She didn't have any of her own age. It got so lonely, doing nothing but training. Naga was her only companion, and she was still a bit wild. "My mommy says I'm not allowed to go there….it's very dangerous."
Yue scoffed. "It'll be fine! Are you too much of a wimp. Baby!" She tossed the insults at the avatar.
Kala was indignant, "I am not! I'm not allowed to go. Besides, I have to be home before dinner!"
"Some avatar you are!" Yue shot back. "You can't even handle one baby cave!"
"That's not it, I promis-" Kala was interrupted by Yue backing away.
Yue turned her back on the avatar. "Whatever loser. I'll be back, and my daddy will be so proud of me! And I'll tell him what a baby you were!"
Kala and her family are eating dinner when Yue's father, Chief Tanju, came in breathless.
"Avatar Kala." He bows, and then turns to her parents. "Have you seen my daughter? Yue? She's the young girl, braids?"
Kala's father, Tonrak, rises.
"Senna and I will help you look. Kala, stay here. Stay in the hut."
Kala, "Daddy! I think I know where she is..."
Senna, pulling on her thick hide boots, and her thick overcoat, "That's lovely dear, just remember don't get into the cookies..."
Her parents were rushing to find this lost girl, completely engrossed in their conversation of murmurs, so as to not upset the avatar.
"Where...last seen...Hurry...frost...coldest night..."
"Mommy! Please, listen..."
Chief Tanju rushed out behind her parents, giving Kala a slight bow before turning his back on her.
Kala immediately grabbed her thick coat and boots, shoving her short arms into her sleeves and whistling for Naga.
She slipped onto the large polarbear-dog's back, and rushed out of the compound through a tunnel in the back wall that was barely big enough for the girl and polar bear dog to fit through.
Kala rushed over the barren landscape, urging Naga to run faster towards the cave. The cold wind whipped at Kala's exposed features, turning them ice cold. The open cave face was pitch black when the girl and animal skidded to a stop in front of it. Kala signaled for Naga to stay, and rushed in. In the feeble light that leaked through the mouth a huddled shape sat in the corner, and Kala heard whimpers coming from it.
"Yue? Is that you…?" Kala took a few steps to the far corner of the cave, stepping over the bones of a last meal. Halfway across the cave wall, a growl came from an alcove. A giant polarbear wolf emerged, and was briefly confused. His yellow eyes flicked between the young avatar and the crying girl in the corner. With a final sweep of his eyes, he lunged towards Yue, rushing toward the cowering figure. Kala rushed forward, throwing herself between Yue and the wolf. She threw her arm out, just at the giant wolf brought it's paw across the back of the girl. His thick, sharp claws sliced through Yue's back, into Kala's arm. Because of Kala's arm, the huge paw just missed Yue's spine.
Both girls screamed, and Yue collapsed on the snow, her wound gushing out, painting the white red.
"Aaaah! Naga! Naaaga!" Kala snapped a flame into her hand, and brandished it at the beast. Yue was lying prone on the floor, the gash on her back a vivid red. The flame danced higher and brighter as Kala fought the pain in her arm. "Naga! Come girl!"
The polarbear-wolf danced around the ring of light cast by the avatar's flame. A glint of teeth, a shine of red eyes. Kala felt her strength slowly sapping, the deep gash on her arm making her feel faint.
"Naga!" She sent out a blast of fire, with the smell of singed dog filling the cave. The wolf snarled, and lunged again, narrowly missing the young avatar.
Naga rushed in, snow shaking from her coat as she ran.
Kala felt the world spinning as she saw Naga and the much smaller wolf clash. Naga bit down on the wolf's hind leg, and kicked against its chest. It got away, and Naga rushed out the mouth of the cave, chasing it away and growling and yipping. She fell to her knees beside Yue, and quickly melted a small amount of snow into water. The water took on a glowing hue as she covered her hands in it, and pressed lightly to the exposed back of Yue.
"Aaaah…What are you doing? That…hurts…" the smaller girl gasped as the avatar pressed her hands harder against the wound, which spread from her right shoulder blade to the small of her back on the opposite side of her body, with a brief gap across her spine, where the claw has slashed through Kala's arm. The skin slowly began to knit back together under the glowing hands.
"Shush…I'm helping. Katara taught me a bit of healing…So I'm gonna try to do the best I can until we can get you back to the village." Kala sat back, the skin a deep red.
Yue sat up gingerly, wincing as the new skin pulled taunt from her moving. Yue spoke, her voice hoarse. "Thanks, you know…for saving me…and…yeah…So…can we go now?"
"Yeah…Let me just call Naga, and we'll get going, it's cold..." Kala took a step, and stumbled, falling to her knees in the snow. "Naga…Naga girl…come…" Her voice was faint, barely enough to reach out of the cave.
The polar bear dog trotted in, a slight red tint around her muzzle. Yue walked over to the dog, and swung herself delicately onto the saddle. Kala struggled to her feet, her arm still bleeding. She was drained, from healing, and from the loss of blood. The world started spinning, and then tilted, fading to black as she fell in the snow.
Yue dragged Kala onto the back of Naga, and by some miracle made it back to the compound. The White Lotus guards met her at the gate, quickly grabbing the avatar from the back of her spirit animal, and taking her to the village healer, Katara. Yue was taken along with Kala, and after being pronounced fine, she was taken to see the elders to recount her story. She started with running to Wolfskull cave, and left nothing out. After she had told about the avatar saving her, and then passing out, she was dismissed to her family's home.
"Quite impressive…" Said the leader of the White Lotus as Kala finished her final Firebending form with a flourish. She rushed over to the members of the council.
"Well, how'd I do?" The avatar asked impatiently.
"You lack restraint." The bearded man said. "What do you think, master Katara?"
The wise sage thought for a moment. "I believe she is ready to start her Airbending training." Kala pumped her fists in the air and jumped in excitement. The council members exchanged a glance, and the oldest stepped forward.
"Master Katara, are you sure of this decision? We believe she lacks the spiritual maturity to move on with her training."
"But I'm ready!" Kala argued. "I'm ready to move on with my Airbending training! And if anyone can teach me about that spiritual hullabaloo, it's Tenzin!" The council members were still skeptical and stepped aside to speak privately. Yue rushed around the corner and skidded into view.
"Well, did you pass? Didja?" She jumped around Kala.
"They're discussing it now." Kala said, glancing at Katara with a worried look in her eye.
"So would you like me to uh… help your case?" Yue smirked. She ran over to the council before Kala could reply.
Yue ran over to the huddled group and threw her arms around their shoulders. Kala and Katara stayed back, only drifts of the conversation make their way over. The gist of what is heard is Kala, threatening, pleading, and blackmailing the group. After a brief conversation Yue is sent skipping back to Kala and Katara.
"Well?" Kala asked expectantly.
"Congratulations, Avatar Kala, you've passed your firebending test!"
The oldest White Lotus councilmember walked over to the young avatar. "On the condition," he said gravely "that you continue your spiritual training with Airmaster Tenzin."
Kala jumped up and fist pumped in exhilaration. Yue joined hands with Kala and they skipped around in circles. Katara grinned at the children's excitement. "Well good thing you passed Kala, because Tenzin's already on his way."
Tenzin swooped down on his flying bison, Oogie. There was a small child dressed in Airbender robes crawling on his head. "Mother," he said dismounting "Please get your grandson off my face."
Katara grabbed the squirming child, smiling as her grandson. "UNHAND ME STRANGE WOMAN!" Meelo struggled against her hold, flipping over her head using a simple Airbending technique.
"Meelo, be nice to your Gran Gran." The tall man rushed back to his very pregnant wife, who was struggling to reach the ground off of their flying bison. "Pema! Let me help." Tenzin was rushing around, his hands obviously full worrying about his wife, and dealing with his 3 over-active children.
Kala stepped forward from where she was standing, slightly behind Katara, giving the separated family a brief moment of reunion. "Tenzin, uhm…Hi…" She stepped forward awkwardly, rubbing her arm and staring at her feet. Pema and Tenzin stepped forward, Tenzin embracing the young avatar.
"You've grown so much Kala! Why, you were this tall when I last saw you!" He gestured to somewhere around Kala's hip. "And where is that other girl? Your counterpart? Hm?"
Kala laughed, "Yue? She's stuffing her face at the banquet the White Lotus is throwing for you. She wanted to get all of the seaweed noodles and seal blubber before everyone else got there." Kala bowed her head, grinning. "Sifu Tenzin!"
Tenzin and Pema shared a look, and Kala's face fell. "You're not going to be training me, are you?"
"Kala, trust me, it's not that I don't want to, but just…There's a lot going on in Republic City right now, and I, as a councilmember, need to be there to sort out, but as soon as that's done, I promise you, you'll come and we'll start training." He face appeared flushed, Pema's hand gently rubbing circles on his arm.
"But…I could go to Republic City with you!" Kala's face was earnest, her desire to finally be a complete Avatar apparent.
"Kala, you know the White Lotus wants you here. And I'm sorry, but I agree. I don't think Republic City is the place to complete your training."
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDY ! MOOOMMY! I'm huuuuuuuungry!" Meelo had finally tired of playing in the snow, and had remembered what he had been complaining about the last few hours of the trip.
"Tenzin, Pema, let's take the children to the food hall." Katara signaled to a guard that was standing a few feet off, leaning against a wall. "Take care of Oogi, make sure he's fed and given a place to rest. Thank you." The family started off, Tenzin worrying over Pema, and Meelo and Ikki rushing around the pair, giggling and hopping about. Jinora was talking to her Gran Gran, eager to talk about what she had read with someone who had lived through it. "Kala, dear, aren't you coming?" Katara looked back, and wrinkled a grin, encouraging the young girl to follow.
"Oh…Of course Sifu…Just a moment…I'll be right there." She stared at the retreating forms of the family and then to Oogi being led to the stables that housed Naga, everyone disappearing until she was left alone in the compound courtyard.
AN/: Hope you liked it! Remember, cake.
