I do NOT own Avatar. I'm not sure why I would post here if I did! I'd be busy being rich.
First chapter is just a bit of a prologue. No telling how long it will be until I have time to start writing the real story (or finish my other one or that matter). Not connected to The Long Wait at all, btw.
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A familiar, white, furry beast trudges through the snow covered tundra of the South Pole. On his head rides his only passenger, a small flying lemur. No, it is no longer Momo, but the offspring of Appa's old friend was still treated with warmth and caring just as her father was. In front of Appa moved a tall figure in heavy ankle length orange wool robes. No, not Aang. She had very short hair, except for long bangs combed neatly over her right eye. Her name is Jung. Together with her two fuzzy companions, they represent every living creature that survived the last attack on the Southern Air Temple three years ago.
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Her father, the previous avatar, was struck down in front of her. After spending his life trying to build a stable and peaceful world, the sky blue arrow tattoo on his head became a target once again. You see not everybody saw peace in the same terms as the avatar. Aang refused to impose trade sanctions on the Fire Nation after the Great War, nor did he divide up the former Fire Lord's lands. Aang stood by his decisions, as did his friends, and most of the world, but Hahn was never a friend of theirs.
After the death of Chief Arnook of the Northern Water Tribes the North Pole's throne was handed down to the man that would've been prince, and only then, when complete power of his nation's military resided in his decision did Hahn make it known how he truly felt about the peace treaties signed by Fire Lord Iroh, the Water and Earth nations, and moderated by a young airhead. The forces came at night, during the full moon. Later, Katara would claim she could hear the moon spirit, Yue, crying. Sokka said the same thing, only more. He heard her mourn the fact that she couldn't stop it from happening.
When the forces arrived, the inhabitants were sleeping. The first wave was made up of warriors, trying to depend on silence and stealth to rid the world of its best bender without a fight. After he was gone the next avatar would be born a water bender. Maybe even into the Northern Water Tribe. They'd be able to claim the land that was rightfully their's in the fire nation.
The soldiers, however, got a little too close to the nest of a pair of lemurs, who in turn woke everybody in the temple. Momo and his mate paid for their crime with their lives. The first casualties of the new war. What followed was a confusing mess. Aang forced his earthbender wife out of bed, yelling that something wasn't right. Jung was already up and running to find her parents; a light sleeper, like her father. Her fresh blue tattoos were barely starting to scab at the bloody spots, and her hair wasn't showing signs of growth yet after just being shaved that morning. The three of them charged outside to face their attackers. The water benders and sharpened boomerangs kept coming from all directions just as fast as they fell. After the first five minutes, all three were still standing and got a chance to breath.
"13, Twinkles. What you up to?"
"Was I supposed to keep count?" Aang, always the oblivious one, called over to his wife.
"Of course you were. Haven't I taught you anything? Life is a never ending competition. Figure you'd learn that by now." She stretched, allowing her back to pop.
"Hmm, guess I wasn't paying attention for that lesson, sifu."
"16" a small voice said behind them, the only one not panting. Aang turned around, for the first time noticing that his daughter had come out to fight. Toph, of course, sensed her heading outside before the fighting even started. "You two are getting old"
"Are you sure she's my daughter?" Aang jokingly asked.
"Only because Suki would kill me if I said otherwise."
Suddenly Aang didn't find their banter quite as funny. "Low blow, cutie. It's on now." The avatar scanned the cliff side as the rest of the military forces arrived at the top, accompanied by the armored units that had stayed below in hopes of a quiet, stealth victory. "13 and 16, right? I've got some catching up to do."
With that the noise and screams of battle resumed. That was the last Jung got to hear of her parents' normal joking. The fighting was vicious. Aang had started counting, making sure to announce his score proudly ever couple minutes, and after a quick flash of glowing arrows for maybe a minute of unmatched power, he had doubled those of his two girls.
Toph tried hard to keep up with her husband, but the avatar state made that hopeless. She could however still take pride in surpassing the numbers her daughter was shouting out. "Quit slacking, dear! You want to make your parents proud, don't you?!"
Jung, 12 years old, the second youngest air-bender to ever earn her tattoos (so she was told, taking a month longer than her father), fought furiously against the invaders. Being trained by the avatar and having the most powerful earthbender in the world as your mother helped more in battle than she ever would have guessed. The frenzied action almost felt natural to her; as though this is the life she was born to lead.
After hours of furious combat a sudden unexpected scream came from the 29 year old avatar. Jung, in her fright, looked hectically for her father, she came first to her mother's side. Toph, sensing what her fearful daughter was looking for pointed to where she knew her husband was. He could barely stand, but he still fought against the company of waterbenders gathered around him. "Get him out of here, Fancy Feet." Toph yelled loudly, but showed no emotion in her voice. "He needs help. Get him to Katara."
"But…"
"Just GO!!"
Before Jung could run to her father's side she saw the tears start pouring out of her mother's eyes. It was the first time she'd ever witnessed her mother crying.
As Jung rushed towards Aang she used all the strength she could muster to conjure a tornado that ripped fifteen blue-clad men off the ground, throwing them off the high cliffs. She reached out just in time to catch her falling father, and carried him and his staff quickly to where Appa and Leitha, the small, young lemur, thrashed about, fighting their own small group of soldiers. Pushing the air up beneath her she leapt into the air to land on Appa. She didn't notice the water whip heading straight for her face until it was too late. She caught the razor sharp water squarely on her right eye. Blood was already pouring down her face as she screamed out "YIP-YIP" and took shelter along the edge of the saddle while Appa rose into the air and started flying south. Jung lifted her head up, and with her right eye closed, took one last look down towards the battle below where she saw her mother's beautiful, frail form fall to its knees, and stare up at Appa, smiling. Toph lifted her hands in surrender and was immediately surrounded by the soldiers who hastily cuffed her ankles and wrists in ice.
"We have to find Katara, Appa." Jung squeaked out, then cuddled up next to Leitha, and her father's bloody, unconscious form and fell asleep.
--
Jung didn't awake until she heard the screams of Katara, peering into the saddle. She still couldn't open her right eye, and was in a shocked stupor between wake and sleep. She felt arms pick her up and carry her to a small ice structure she knew to be part of the Southern Water Tribe capital. All she could think of was where her father was, and if he was even still alive. Then Katara started healing her eye, and Jung realized how much pain her face was in. She feinted.
--
Three years now as a nomad brought Jung little happiness. Hahn was still in power, fighting the Fire Nation. Her mother's whereabouts were still unknown. She had spent the last three years hiding from the Northern Water Tribe and trying to recruit soldiers for the war effort. It was difficult to do. She was asking them to protect a nation that held control of the better half of the world for a hundred years. Today, though, she is heading back to the capital city at the South Pole. First though, she needs dinner and sleep. Finding a cave large enough for herself and her animal companions, she heads in and sets up a feeble camp in the shelter it offered. She feasted on a few scarce nuts and some dried seal jerky (thanking her mother for not allowing Aang to force her into vegetarianism). Laying out her sleeping bag, Jung climbs in without bothering to get undressed. She brushes her long bangs out of her eye, revealing a scarred, useless, milky-gray orb and begins to cry herself to sleep.