The early morning birds chimed and chirped as the sun reached the sky.

I'm not sure if I want to open my eyes.. it seems like everyday something chaotic happens. My nice, happy life that I have held so long is seeming to slip. And it seems that brutality becomes a reality more and more everyday.

But I do anyways, I open my eyes. My family is counting on me to be strong through all of this, and help my brother and sister through it. I don't want them to lose hope, because sometimes that's all we've got.

I force myself up out of bed and onto the warm, wooden floor underneath me.

I'm usually the first one up - besides my dad, Tenzin - I feel as if its my job to get everyone up, because if I didn't, they never would. But I was slow today.

Walking from my bedroom to the bathroom, I slip out of my nightgown and into my robes, then brush my teeth and fix my hair, and get ready for the day.

"Another day," I say with a smile on my face and hope in my voice.

"Hi Jinora!"

Ikki passes me in the hall as I am walking to Korra's room. She looks happy as ever, giddy even, while skipping to the foyer. It makes me smile to see that she has such a positive outlook and I acknowledge it by giving her a slight smile as I go.

I knock on Korra's door.

No answer.

Lightly pushing the door open, I peer in to see her still asleep, breathing heavily with the large rise and soft fall of her chest.

"Korra.." I whisper softly.

Her arm slightly twitched.

"Come on Korra.. Get up.."

Only a muffled groan escaped her mouth.

"Breakfast will be served in under an hour," I said curtly, and was on my way to the study.

I had found a book here last night that interested me. A book about the different attitudes and origins of benders. Things that have to do with bending fascinate me- and not just because I am one myself. I like to be able to evaluate someone and be able to tell if they are a bender or nonbender, and know where they originated- like how badgers were the first earthbenders, and how waterbenders learned waterbending from the moon.

It was past noon and wasn't long until I noticed that it was too quiet in the air temple. Where was everyone? I looked around.

No Korra.

Not even my father.

Thinking back on the reasons for their disappearances lately, I was close to panicking. It could be nothing, though. Maybe they were just practicing airbending at a different time today. Surely that was it.

I headed out to the training grounds, only to find them deserted, with no sign of them. No one had been here since yesterday. Where were they?

I heard a familiar voice, "Jinora, what's wrong?"

I turned around, and to my delight, Korra was standing there, along with my dad, Bolin, Mako, and someone I didn't recognize.

"Dad! Korra! Nothings wrong, I'm fine."

I ran up to my dad and gave him a hug, along with Korra.

"Haha, we brought some friends." Korra said.

"Who?" I said excitedly and drew my hands behind my back.

"Jinora, this is Asami. She will be staying here with us in the air temple, and so are Bolin and Mako."

My face lit up at the idea, and I gave Korra a smile, almost a smirk, flicked my eyes over toward Mako and the back to her that suggested she's enjoying Mako staying here.

"She's, uh, Mako's girlfriend."

"Oh." My face fell a little but I wouldn't let it show through.

Asami lowered to my eye level and shook my hand. "Nice to finally meet you, Jinora. Such a pretty name. Korra has told me much about you. I look forward to staying here with you and your family. Thank you so much for giving us a place to stay. We need it more then ever now." Her voice was soft and sincere.. I wanted to not like her for stealing Mako away from Korra, but I couldn't help but already feel close to her.

Shes a nonbender.. although it was hard to tell, because she has the characteristics of one. I could hear in her voice that something was bothering her, and pushed it away. But there is something else about her.. I just cant put my finger on it.

Mako quickly snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Yes, thank you. Without your family letting us stay, we would be broke on the streets."

Bolin quickly chimed in, with the same enthusiasm hes always had "It's gonna be great!"

I smiled in return "so glad to have all of you."

Ikki and Meelo spotted us and ran over.

Meelo, enthusiastic as ever, yelled, "Who's that? Who are they?"

Korra explained again and as I walked back to the temple.

After dinner, my dad and Korra showed them around the air temple while I was in the courtyard meditating.

The sun is just beginning to set.

I love meditating because it allows me to clear my mind and refresh my thoughts.. but today I couldn't quite concentrate. My mind was going a million different ways and it kept replaying the events that had taken place today.

"Hey, Jinora." Korra slowly walked over and sat next to me.

"Hi Korra." She didn't usually meditate this late, but I decided not to question her.

"Tenzin told me to come here and meditate with you. He thinks I'm not taking my airbending practice seriously and that I could really learn from you." She let out a small laugh.

"You just have to show him that you are. Once he sees just how serious you are about it, I'm sure he'll lay off a little," I said sincerely.

Korra started again, "so Asami has really taken a liking to you."

"Really?" I raised a questioning eyebrow.

She smiled and went on, "yeah, I think she sees you as a little sister. She is an only child, after all."

A few minutes of silence passed until I got up and silently left. Its getting late and I'm already tired.

My mother, Pema, saw me entering the doors of the temple.

"Is everything alright, dear? You've been quieter than usual today." Her voice was enriched with genuine concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired." I yawned.

"Okay." She smiled. "Get some good rest."

I plopped face first onto my bed.

'She sees you as a little sister..'

Smiling softly, I drifted into sleep.