It didn't matter that the walls of the snowy fortress crumbled.
It didn't matter that the morale of the Tribe crumbled as easily as the watch tower.
It didn't matter a battle club carved from the femur of a polar bear by my father would hold no chance against a Fire Navy ship.
It didn't matter that I sank as deeply into the fear of losing as I did in the snow, dragging me into its biting depths.
It didn't matter that I could hear the screams of my people as they fled to what little sanctity our tents provided.
It didn't matter that my sister called my name.
It didn't matter that no one held trust in me.
It didn't matter that nobody was coming to help.
It didn't matter that I had done nothing worthwhile in my life.
It didn't matter that there was not a single thing I could truly do to help my people.
It didn't matter that the possibility of failing my father was high and oncoming.
It didn't matter the looming visage of death hazed my vision like the dawn fog.
It didn't matter that a flash of regret pierced me as painfully as a blade.
It didn't matter that I was all alone.
(All that mattered was that a warrior stands tall.)
All that mattered was that I would fight to protect to my last breath.
(All that matter was that a warrior stands tall.)
All that mattered was I would never let my family die.
(All that mattered was a warrior stood tall.)
All that mattered was that there was no way I could abandon hope in the face of pain.
(All that mattered was a warrior stood tall.)
All that mattered was that I wouldn't let filthy Fire Nation soldiers touch those in my care.
(All that mattered was a warrior stood tall.)
All that mattered, was that I stood tall.
A/N: So in case you still don't know, this is set when Zuko's ship sails straight into Sokka's village.
Ah! Yes, for those who have not purchased extra Avatar paraphernalia; in the side story-spurred comic "Lost Adventures" (A worthy buy, truly, it has made me the happiest person alive) it tells you about what Sokka's equipment is made of and just - a WHOLE bunch of things. It's magnificent. Just... ok, i'll stop now. But it IS in fact made of Polar Bear femur. I'm not sure what to think of that...
Um... oh! The repetition was on purpose! Uh... well, that's it, I guess :3