Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Avatar.

The woman cradles the small child's hand in her own, as if the warmth from her own hand would warm the hand of the long-cold child. It's a pointless effort, which she knows well, but she can't help but stare at the still form of her daughter and block out the world around her.

It had been a harsh winter. A long winter. Food stocks had dwindled, and hunt had been poor. The lack of food and warm pelts had been felt all round, especially in less endowed camps. Of course they had always been a community, sharing what they had. But in the worst of winters, no one would cast a judgemental eye on anyone who would feed their family before sharing what remained.

Hope had remained in the fact that no winter could last forever, and soon the weather would clear and supply a feast of resources.

They just had to survive the notorious Northern Water Tribe Winters first.

"This is an outrage!" A man shouts inside the council, but is quickly drowned out by more shouts. Oh the anger they displayed. The sheer energy that went into their fury was awe-inspiring; especially since many of them she did not know well.

"HOW DARE YOU BLAME THIS ON-"

"I cannot fathom the DISRESPECT-"

It grew louder and louder, so loud that the angry words became heat on her skin. While they fought their battle of wills and words, the woman moved to stroke the soft hair of her young daughter, and silently sent a plea that the spirit of her child was safe, wherever it now was.

Whoever it now was.

"THE BEST RESOURCE WE HAD-"

"THE CHILD WAS NO A REOURCE! SHE WAS A CHIL-"

Not in life, and not in death did her beloved Kala find the peace and respect she so deserved. From the second she was born, hadn't she been moved around, as if anyone but herself had a right to her very being?

The Council grew angrier and angrier, this side of them; Divided, Angry and Hurt had never been seen by her, nor anyone she knew. The unanimous peace they once held was now splintering as quickly as the warming ice outside.

"DISARM YOUR FORCES!"

Couldn't they argue somewhere else? The woman bitterly thought. Kala should have been allowed to rest, to find peace; she should have been allowed the right to a proper goodbye. Wasn't any small child allowed that? Only 7 winters old, born in the first, died in the 7th. It was almost strange how the season that had gifted her, had also taken her away once more.

"Come away, Adine," A voice softly spoke in her ear. The woman didn't respond, no more energy existed in her to move her lips again. Not while her eye did nothing but stare at the pale face of her Kala in confusion, "Come away from this place."

The woman, Adine, allowed herself to be moved from the tent, outside into the cold, where already the sun was starting to streak through the clouds.

The sun.

It had been so long...

"I'm so sorry," The voice whispered in her ear, "To lose a child is unbearable. To lose an Avatar so young brings shame..."

The woman could barely nod, as the arm around her back grew tighter, "Not to you, oh you fought so long. To THEM."

The voice made perfect sense. The shame would not be cast on them, but the ones who had allowed her to die from cold and starvation. Oh her kin had tried- the old and the strong had given her their food, tried to protect her from the cold, but it hadn't been enough. The shame would be cast on those who had denied Kala help and aid. Those who came from the endowed families, who had left in a time of need, and failed their avatar.

"There is talk of a divide," The voice whispered, as they arrived at her personal tent, "There is talk of those who offered aid to leave their shamed kin behind, to found a Southern Water Tribe..."

South.

The winters would be harsh down there, and it was unknown what they would find.

But the south...

"And they who loved Kala will sing her name in their own," The voice promised, "Her name will never be forgotten by those who follow."

The woman lifted her head, and furrowed her brow as the thought became a reality in her mind. The south. Somewhere new, close to the Earth Kingdom that now would claim her Daughter's Spirit as their own.

She would go.

The woman turned around, to thank the voice who had helped her so, nothing but the air remained.

Note: Kala is pronounced K-uh-la (Starting the tradition of those from the Southern Waer tribe have at least a single K and an 'uh' in their name.)

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