This is my first Avatar story, so please be nice--or at least try, whatever. I've recently become addicted to this awesome show--anime or not--and have become a big fan of a certain, hoteheaded prince. Thus, my reasoning for writing this story. It will follow the main plotline of the show and if this story goes well, I will continue on with what happens after the show. Now, I know some people are hesitant to read shows with a canon character and an OC paired up, but I want to do it anyway. So, please enjoy--this is just the preface--and review, telling me what you think. Constructive criticisim is always welcome. However, flaming and rude comments are unnecessary--don't like it, don't read.

Preface

Snow fell quite often in the South Pole yet, today it fell unusually hard. Not that anyone minded. As long as it wasn't a blizzard then life could carry on in the Southern Water Tribe normally. That included two young siblings, who were on the very outskirts of their village playing.

The little boy and little girl were in the middle of a snowball fight when the youngest sibling—who happened to be the girl—spotted something floating on the icy, but clear waters. She stopped making a snowball while furrowing her brows. "Sokka," the girl called to her older brother, her blue eyes still fixated on the figure on the sea.

"What?" he answered curiously.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing a gloved finger.

"Ha! That won't work this time, Katara!" Sokka scoffed with a smirk. He raised his "perfect" snowball to throw it at his sister.

She huffed. "No, really, Sokka! There is something on the water!" she retorted, stomping her booted foot childishly. He gave her a skeptical expression Katara pointed again. "Look!"

"Fine. I'll play along." The boy decided to humor her and lowered his snowball while peering out on the waters where Katara was pointed. His eyes widened upon seeing that his sister was right: there was something floating out there!

He jumped. "I think that's a person!" Sokka exclaimed aghast.

"A person?" Katara snapped her head to him with wide eyes before looking back out.

"Yeah! And I think they're hurt!" He dashed towards the edge of the ice they stood upon. "We have to help them!" His sibling hurried after to him.

They stood on the edge trying to get a better look of the person floating on what appeared to be driftwood. The boy and girl exchanged frantic looks thinking of quick ways to help rescue the person before they slipped, drifted further away, or got eaten by a sea animal.

"Katara, do you can do some kinda waterbending?" Sokka inquired.

She curtly nodded with a determined face, "Yeah."

Taking a deep breath, the young child closed her eyes. She extended her hands out towards the figure then, smoothly yet, shakily brought her hands back causing the waters to move towards the two of them bringing the person to the shore.

As it turned out, the figure was female. A girl around Sokka's age, maybe a year older—it was hard to tell because her long, black, and soaking wet hair hung around her pale face. It seemed she was unconscious as well—mostly because Katara's waterbending hadn't stirred the girl. Acting quickly, Sokka, with the assistance of his sister, pulled the girl from within the waters and placed her carefully onto the shore. Sokka moved her thick strands from her face to reveal something neither child had expected.

Just beneath the girl's left eye, down her cheek and neck into her red clothing were what seem to be fresh burns—very painful burns. They looked like they were done days ago and hadn't been properly treated. No wonder why the girl was unconscious. However, Sokka and Katara wondered where someone could receive such terrible wounds.

Before either one could figure it out, the girl began to wake.

Moaning softly, the injured girl's eyes steadily fluttered open—her left eye partially opened though. Her midnight blue orbs slowly and weakly looked around before gazing up at the two children hovering over her. She just stared, not knowing whether to be scared or not of the strangers.

"Wh-Who are you?" Katara asked apprehensively.

"…Li-Lian…" the older girl replied, her voice barely audible.

Katara and Sokka exchanged glances before returning their attention to Lian. Gently, Sokka smiled. "Its okay, Lian. You're safe now." he reassured softly. Lian just stared up at them before closing her eyes again allowing darkness to consume her again—that time willingly.

Somehow those few words reassured her. She was safe now. In the South Pole.