Shadow of the West

by CharmandDean

Lairiel is a ranger, from a hidden colony in the West. Blessed with the knowledge and skills of her people, she joins the Avatar knowing it is her destiny to help him restore balance. As time goes on, she is pulled into a spiral beyond her control. Bringing her face to face with a Prince. Chapters will get longer, as I get a feel for the characters.

1. Intro: Destiny

Book One: Of Earth, Water and Blood.

INTRO

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, other than Lairiel

I am the one they call shadow. I wander the wild, guarding the borders between the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. Days go by when I don't see another soul, but I'm used to this life. I chose it. Or rather, it chose me.

I come from a colony far to the West, which has slipped from the minds of the world, along with the memory of my people. We want to keep it that way, out of reach of Ozai. We have endured this hundred years war, by streaming in troops to the Earth Kingdom in secret, blending in with the local resistance. We do our part to try and preserve the balance.

I am among the ones my people call the rangers. We walk in the shadows together or alone. Protecting those in danger and passing information to the resistance. It is a hard life, but a rewarding one. I call most of the inhabitants in those earth kingdom villages friends, though they do not know who I truly am, I try and keep myself sane by spending time amongst them.

I have a group of fellow fighters I move with from time to time. All of us from the colony and all of us dedicated to the resistance. But I was not with them, that day atop the mountains. I was alone, finding my way to a village with a pirate problem. A rough town, any other girl should be afraid to enter. But not me, I know I can protect myself.

I guess it was fate that I saw it. A giant floating bison shaped cloud hovering above me as I stumbled down the steep rocks, shrouded in mist. There was no way on this earth that I would not follow. I knew immediately what it was and how could I not? My people had known about the Avatars return since he appeared in the Southern Water Tribe. The Water Tribes are the only nation to know of the colonies existence, other then the air nomads. With the demise of those great peoples we withdrew from the world, only tied to the elders of the water tribes. It was Kanna of the southerners who sent word to us of the avatars return. It was her grand children who traveled with him now, I knew. I also knew it was the colonies' responsibility to help the avatar defeat the Fire Lord. I would find him and help him in whatever way I could. It is my destiny.