a/n: I killed the plot bunnies.
Prologue
Katara shivered as she made her way across the river.
She liked the cold – couldn't live without it. But nevertheless, she felt a sense of iciness, crawling up her soaked skin and spreading across her fingertips. The river was impossibly strong, and she could only protect herself a little by bending.
She had been running for a long while and an instinct in her told her to keep running. She pushed and struggled against the water; for what reason, she dared not to think about. Adrenaline rushed through her like electricity, dripping down her spine.
She gasped as she reached the high shore. The cold night air hit her full blast. She scrambled up the bank, trying to find footing in the slippery mud.
She made a desperate lunge when she realized she was getting nowhere. Her clammy hands slipped away from the earth, and she fell.