Just a little something I thought of after watching a rerun of the Crossroads of Destiny. Please enjoy and review!
Day 3 After the Death of the Avatar
Keiya giggled and wobbled on her two feet, a thumb in her mouth. The ecstatic smile her mom gave her as Keiya took her first steps encouraged the little girl to do it again. One step, then another, and another! How cool! Her mom swept her up and spun her around, and Keiya laughed as her mom rubbed noses with her.
A young boy ran into the tent. "Ama, a messenger has arrived with news from the Earth Kingdom." With Keiya in her arms, Ama followed the boy to the center of the village where everyone was gathered around an old sickly man wearing Earth Kingdom clothes. He leaned heavily on a scratched up stick used as a cane. The atmosphere was thick with anxiety and tension. Keiya drooled as the old man gave his message, her mother trying to keep her wiggling daughter still. Messages from the outside world were rare. Most news they heard were months old but this time, things were different.
"The Avatar...is dead."
Terrified whispers and horrified exclamations erupted throughout. The sudden change affected Keiya and she began to wail, her cries echoing throughout the snowy village.
Day 4
Keiya shook her rattle, the noise gaining the attention of the other three toddlers around her. Nearby, the mothers were sitting, discussing something Keiya had no interest in. Her tummy rumbled, but being hungry was a feeling that she had already grown used to.
Juji found it hard to focus on her stitching and she threw the incomplete parka down in exasperation, dropping her face into her hands. Hana placed a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder. The avatar had failed them, betrayed them. But now, they were more worried than they had been. One of the pregnant women had given birth in the night, and they were fearful that the newborn was the new avatar. The new mother, Lin, was in hysterics, seemingly convinced that her baby boy was truly the next reincarnation and refused to see him.
Their hope for salvation was gone with the death of Aang. They had little food. Little water. The harsh winter had stolen homes and swept away supplies. They had no medicine for their sick. Day by day they were deteriorating into nothing. They knew their days were limited.
Day 7
Today was a day of tears.
A screaming baby had woken them in the middle of the night, only to be cut short. They found the boy stabbed to death, his mother rambling on her knees next to him, bloody knife in hand.
Day 12
A lone survivor from another village stumbled in, burned. She died only an hour later.
The Fire Nation was back. And they could do nothing but wait in fear.
Day 14
The Fire Nation marched up to the meager ice wall surrounding the village and created their own entrance. They demanded to see any new babies born in the past two weeks. And the women presented the commander with the tiny body, preserved by the cold. The commander cringed upon seeing the dead baby, which caused the women to exchange glances; these soldiers were burning homes and people to ash but couldn't stand the sight of one dead person. It angered them and they began throwing balls of snow. In response, the soldiers burned several homes and raped several women.
Ama glared at the side of her tent as the solider rolled off of her. All she could think about was her daughter and if she was safe. Who knew what the Southern Raiders were capable of.
The solider stood and the words he spoke were garbled to Ama who didn't move to cover herself. She laid there, exposed without shame, because this was not the first time. All of the children in the village were half Fire Nation, including Keiya. The man said something again, but the only thing that registered in Ama's faraway mind was the kick he delivered to her side. Still, she refused to move and the soldier left.
It felt like hours before she dared to move her bruised body. Emerging from her tent, one of four that remained intact, she surveyed the damage. A thirteen year old girl was surrounded by the women of the tribe as she sobbed, a shawl wrapped around her naked body. The girl, Umeko, had just received her first moon cycle two months ago. Now, Ama thought bitterly, she was mostly like going to soon enter motherhood.
This was why Ama did not fight the soldier. If she and the other women did not fight, then the younger would be spared their innocence, spared from the horrific cruelty of war.
Day 122
Ama sat on her knees in a circle with the six other pregnant females. They were all dressed similarly; they were bracing the cold wearing only their breast bindings and long skirts. All had been through childbearing at least once before, except for Umeko. Her swollen belly appeared large on her tiny frame. Their thoughts were heavy with the unspoken knowledge that any one of their unborn babies could be the next avatar.
Two women outside of the circle started to play their instruments, a drum and a flute. The Elder, a white haired woman who led the village to believe she was a hundred years old, stepped into the center and began to chant. The beads and shells she wore on all parts of her body jingled noisily with her movements as she gestured wildly to the night sky. She dipped two fingers into a a bowl and approached Ama. The Elder spread the blue paint over Ama's face and stomach, forming patterns as muttered words in the ancient language before repeating the process with the others. With all the pregnant women anointed, the Elder returned to the center.
"Spirits, I call upon you to answer our call in this time of desperation! Time and time again, our poor village is plundered by storms and by soldiers! They take our food, our medicine, our innocent! They leave us with nothing but more mouths to feed! Goddess of Water, we ask that you spare us these troubles! If we must bear these evil seeds as punishment for past wrongdoings, then bless us with bountiful food and good weather! But most of all, spare our women from bringing the next Avatar into the world!"
Much to the surprise of the village, the Elder's eyes rolled back into her head, showing only the whites of her eyes as her body began to spasm. As quick as it came, it left and the Elder returned to normal. Everyone watched her with trepidation, anxious to know what message the spirits had bestowed upon her. The Elder looked around, meeting the eyes of every women who was with child. "I have both good and grave news. We have been blessed, yes, and this harvest will give food for all villages but," she casted her disheartened gaze at the snow covered ground. "One of our descendants will be the next Avatar!"
Ama stared hard at the sky while the other women gasped, a few even beginning to cry. Determination struck her then. Such agonies will not happen to the future generation. They need not know the struggles of their mothers. They would take this village and turn it into a city, the pride of the Southern Water Tribe. And Ama would lead them.
Day 125
It was hard to say goodbye to her little girl. Keiya didn't understand why her mommy was leaving. All she was told was that she was going to live with Miss Hana for a little while. The women were proud of Ama for choosing this path and only hoped that she would return alive.
Ama hugged her one last time. Then, flipping her hood over her head and picking up her bag, Ama turned her back on her home.
Day 137
A group of strangers trickled into the village, speaking highly of Ama who had told them of her dream. With them came a few teenage boys who were almost immediately put to work finding food and they brought home a plethora of fish. It was the most any had seen in years.
Day 161
The population of the village had more than quadrupled in size, all thanks to Ama's recruiting. The only news they heard of her was through the newcomers. The city was slowly coming into shape. For now it was simply a large, unorganized village but the vision for what could be was strongly in place. The excitement was always there, buzzing beneath the surface.
Day 256
The village was attacked by other raid, but miraculously, ships from the Northern Water Tribe appeared and assisted in defeating the angry firebenders. The people of the village were joyful, but the Northerners, led by a man named Master Pakku, stated that they were only here as a relief effort. The Northerners gave their sister tribe food and supplies and promised to come again next month, in which Master Pakku hoped to have Northerners willing to live in the south. But the most shocking was the news the Northerners shared: Avatar Aang was still alive.
Day 289
The Northerners came back, a large group of them, and this time they were here to stay. Plans for construction were made, and waterbenders began building walls and look-out posts around the village. Hana picked up a giggling Keiya and gazed in wonder at the waterbenders' work. If only Ama could see her dream coming to life.
Day 309
Umeko gave birth a month too early. The little infant and his mother both survived the ordeal. But with this birth, the women began to worry for Ama. She must be heavily pregnant, and still she was out there roaming through the snow. They feared for her life and the life of her baby.
Day 348
Ama cried out in pain as the sea lion bear bit into her leg. She had been so close to the next village when the aggressive animal had spotted her. She had tried to run but her large belly hindered her speed. The sea lion bear had snapped her spear moments ago and now she was laying on the ground, defenseless. The creature's head drew back, preparing to strike Ama's throat. The woman closed her eyes and pictured her daughter, accepting her fate. She felt it's sharp teeth puncture her skin-
Suddenly, there was a splash and the sea lion bear screeched, going after its attacker. Immediately Ama's hand flew to her bleeding neck and then "Oh no". There was a twinge within her belly. She looked up and saw two tribeswomen hook their arms under hers and drag her into their village as the lone waterbender, a very old man, continued his assault on the sea lion bear.
Ama knew she was dying as she alerted the women that she was about to give birth. There was no amount of healing they could do to save her despite their attempts. She batted their hands away and told them fiercely, "Save my baby."
They undressed her and prepared for the coming child. The contractions came quickly, something Ama was thankful for. Having Keiya had been nearly a day's worth of time. Screams ripped from Ama's throat as her baby slowly made its way into the world. Her body exponentially grew weaker with every push. She was loosing blood from her wounds and because of the birth quickly. Still, she pushed. Her baby would live. It would see the city she had been creating for months.
Ama lasted long enough to hear one of the women announce that it was a boy. With her life fading fast, she gazed lovingly at the crying baby, smiling weakly. "Hyo," she named him with her last breath. "My final duty. For you and your sister, I give my life so that you may life yours in peace and happiness."
Day 363
More people arrived at the village that was growing to be known as the new capital of the Southern Water Tribe. With them, they carried a carefully wrapped and preserved body, and a baby boy. They met with the Elder who brought Hana and Keiya. The baby was given to Hana, who honorably took on the responsibility of taking care of her best friend's children. As she looked upon her friend, she promised to tell the children stories of Ama the Brave.
The Elder informed Ama's escorts that the Avatar had defeated the Fire Lord months ago. The old waterbender looked between Ama and the Elder, and then looked out onto the city. "Her sacrifice has given this entire nation hope, and therefore it means nothing that the Fire Lord is gone. What she did will never be forgotten."
Day 33,520
In a secluded area within the Spirit World, Ama gazed through a pond that showed her the city she had given her life to help create.
"Hello? Were you the one who asked me to come here?"
Ama turned and smiled at the young watertribe colored girl who had a similar appearance to her own. There were no words to express how proud she was of the person standing before her. "Yes that would be me. I've been waiting to meet you for a very, very long time."
The teenager looked at her, confusion written on her face. "Ooo-kay? Well uh, who are you?"
Ama stood and approached the girl, and then hugged her tightly. "Hello, Korra. I'm your great grandmother."