Authors note: Some of the words in a different language in this story are in Cherokee & Potawatomi and will be translated at the bottom of the chapter and hinted meanings will be in the sentences. I am not Cherokee or Potwatomi so I don't know if some of the words are used correctly.
Chapter 1 E`tsi Nvda
"Nu`la, Katara! Hurry before the good waves are taken!" Shouted fifteen-year-old Sokka to his younger sister as he ran out to the ocean with his faded painted red surfboard.
"Coming!" She shouted back racing quickly after him.
Life on the small island of E`tsi Nvda, or Mother Moon, for the islanders was a relaxing and magical place were no day was better than the last. The natives had live peacefully and alone under the guidance of their Moon Spirit, as many of the natives referred to her as Mother, for generations until recently when their government finally allowed the rest of the world to enjoy their land and its riches. One of the biggest attractions was the surf.
Katara dropped her board and hurriedly climbed on top. She paddled her way to her brother who had already caught up to one of his friends.
"Osiyo Katara." Haru, a fourteen-year-old native, said greeting her with an excited expression.
"Asiyu. Catch any nice waves yet?" She asked bringing herself closer to him.
"Not yet. But they're coming." He sat on his brown board running his fingers through his wet hair.
"Are you signing up for the surf contest this year Haru?" Sokka asked staring blankly at the horizon.
"Probably not. Are you? I heard this year they are letting anyone enter. The island is gonna be crowded with tourists." He responded with a hint of disgust in his tone.
For as long as their people lived on the island, anyone from other country were not welcome to stay on their land for an extended amount of time or buy property but as the years grew on the people had developed more tolerance towards other customs and allowed anyone to move or visit the island freely. However, there was a large sacred part of the island that only the natives were able to live on in the Eastern mountains near a volcano, where they also had their own school that only native children could attend to.
"Yeah, and I heard that a lot of things are going to change. I heard that a new high school is being built for us natives and the locals. That will be weird to go to school with them." Sokka shuddered.
His sister rolled her eyes. "Sokka, they already finished the school. Dad had us enrolled already." Katara informed him. She had seen the construction since the beginning everyday on her route to the beach and was surprised he never noticed.
"Seriously?" He asked with a blank face.
Haru started to laugh. "Ha ha ha! Sorry, but that's too funny. How many locals do you know anyways?"
"Uh, Ge`li…kanigida." He said after a moment of thinking.
"No one? You don't know anyone?" Haru held back another laugh.
"He does, Haru. He just doesn't remember any." Katara said defending her brother, which is just the same as lying.
"Right, like you know any." Sokka splashed his sister.
"I do! I have friends who work at Surf Gear." Surf Gear was a popular sports center filled with equipment that ranged from surfboards to skateboards. It originally was for surfboards and other ocean gear—as anyone could tell by its title, but tourism meant using more forms of entertainment.
"Ok, lets stop arguing now guys and catch some waves. I see good ones coming up." Haru led the way and the three spent the rest of the afternoon out on the deep sparkling blue ocean that seemed to stretch out for miles.
"That was fun, we should come again tomorrow." Katara suggested as she tied her wet hair.
"Can't. I'm helping dad remodel my uncle's house tomorrow." Haru said, sticking his board in the sand.
"Me neither. I'm probably going to Jet's. Why don't you ask your local friends to go with you?" Sokka joked.
To many of the natives, being seen with visitors or locals was embarrassing since the majority dressed and acted too much as tourists or weren't able to surf well enough—and surfing was what the teen society was based upon, on who can and who cant.
"Maybe I will." Katara retorted.
"Let us know if they drown." Haru said laughing. Sokka joined him. The last time a native had invited a local to surf the boy ended up almost drowning. He didn't know how to surf or swim, all he wanted was to make cooler friends.
"That's not funny Haru. Saying things like that wont help me decide if I'll date you." She said flipping loose hair from her face. "I'm going to Surf Gear. Do`dagag`hvI."
"Bye." The boys said watching her go off in the other direction.
"Excuse me, no surfboards inside." A twelve-year-old boy said from behind a counter in the store.
Katara looked at him from behind her board. "Hey Aang. Can I leave this in the back?" She smiled.
"Oh I didn't know it was you. Yeah sure." Aang said making sure she wouldn't tip over any racks. "Did you just come back from the beach?" He asked noticing her hair was still dripping.
"Yeah, my brother and I went to catch a few waves." She set down the board then went over to Aang.
Aang was a young kid who had moved to the island about a year ago with his relative, Gytsto. The old owner of the shop one day became ill and it was Gyatso who he sold the store to. Rumor was that business wasn't too well, which was why there were only these two employees, one of which who doesn't even get paid.
"I can tell. You're leaving a trail." He turned around and pulled a towel from the shelf. "Here."
"Oh thanks. So how's business today?" She asked as she let her hair saturate the middle of the towel.
"Slow. How were the waves?" Aang folded his hands on the counter.
"Fine."
They both looked away thinking about what to say. They weren't close friends, but Katara was their best customer and became acquaintances with the employees.
"So are you working tomorrow?" She finally asked.
"No, I don't work Sundays. Why?" He asked scratching his arm.
"I was just wondering if maybe you'd want to hang out. We could surf for a while or maybe skateboard somewhere." She asked hoping he could swim.
His eyes lit up. "Sure. I don't have plans. What time and where do you want to meet?"
"How about at eleven thirty on the beach. Do you have a surf board?" She asked lifting an eyebrow.
He looked around the store. "I'm sure I'll find a place to buy one." He chuckled.
"Ha ha ok. Oh, and can you invite Suki for me? If she isn't working at least." She said looking at the clock. Her friend Suki, a local like Aang, worked at the shop also but must have went home by now.
"I guess so. I'll stop by her house on my way home."
"Thanks Aang. Well I better get going. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Ok. See ya." He waved.
Katara went to the back and picked up her board then made her way back home.
Note: Suki and Aang weren't born on the island, and so they are known as locals for living on the island. Natives, like Katara and Sokka, are known as islanders or natives for being born there and so not called locals.
Translations
Nu`-la = hurry
O-si-yo = hello
A-si-yu = hello
Ge-`li = I think…
Ka-ni-gi-da = not any
Do-`da-ga-g`hv-I = goodbye
E-`tsi = mother
Nvda = moon
(Mother moon was two words I put together and are probably not a correct word, but oh well.)