The Bending Games
Chapter 1
It was especially cold this morning. The early morning breeze mixed with a light snow shower whisked across the glossy frozen tundra. The sunrise glistened each and every snowflake that dropped from the sky and landed softly on what looked like a bed of feathers. Footprints that were quickly covered led to a compound containing a very large polar bear dog and in walked a girl bundled up in a blue tribal parka. Her face was covered with a thick scarf that shielded her from the breeze whipping around outside.
"Naga, I'm back girl. Here's your fish," she said with a muffled voice.
She pulled down her hood and the scarf revealing her light brown skin and rosy cheeks. Her face looked flushed from the cold. The fire from the torch on the wall reflected off her azure blue eyes as she gazed at her furry friend. She brushed off the snow that collected on the wolf tails draped on the sides her face and rung out the sweat from her pony tail after having hiked 3 miles.
She patted the polar bear dogs head and walked back outside. The sun was now up and shining through the thick clouds that had gathered. By now everyone else in the village should be getting up. She walked over to her house and opened the door to reveal a small statured woman starting a fire.
"Korra, there you are. Go get cleaned up and I'll make us some breakfast."
Korra entered her room which was fairly tiny. She didn't spend a lot of time in her house, as she preferred being outdoors with Naga exploring every nook and cranny of the Southern Water Tribe. She placed her parka on the bed and walked back out to meet her mother, Senna.
"It's getting harder to find food in this cold" the young girl complained to her mom.
"I know honey. This winter has been especially difficult. I hope the men are successful on their fishing trip. You know how it ruins the rest of your father's day when they aren't."
"Yea" Korra sighed as she slurped some of the soup her mom had prepared.
"Oh sweety, when you're done, can you deliver this parcel to Katara in the Victor's Village?" Her mother asked as she handed Korra a package with 'Sifu Katara' scribbled on it.
"Sure," she put her bowl down and grabbed the package and got up right away to get her parka and head back out in the endless white horizon.
"Naga, do you want to go somewhere with me?" She asked the polar bear dog as she secured the saddle on her back.
Naga ruffled around and stood up and Korra hopped right on top of her as she latched the last buckle.
"Let's go visit Katara."
The two set off at a brisk pace. The snow was falling harder now. Everything was so quiet away from the village. It was the quiet that Korra loved. The air whistling was music to her ears. On occasion she would hear the penguins squawking as they slid around in the snow. Sometimes she wished there were other kids in the southern water tribe to enjoy penguin sledding with, but all the girls weren't adventurous like her and the others were just too young. The only other person who was Korra's age was a boy named Kaito, but he was always away working with the other men from the tribe and when he wasn't he would just keep to himself.
They approached the Victor's Village. The houses in there were 100 times bigger than the small hut Korra grew up in. They lived in a larger home once her father became Councilman of the Village, but it was still nothing compared to where Katara resided. Only the Victor of the Bending Games and their families were allowed to live in these lavish homes.
Korra told Naga to wait outside as she grabbed the parcel and carefully stepped closer to the front door. She knocked a few times and waited for a response. The door opened to an old short woman who looked wise beyond her years.
"Korra, nice to see you again. Come in, it must be cold out."
Katara walked in and Korra followed closing the door behind her shutting out the snow that was making its way in. Her boots left wet prints all the way to the living room as they sat around the fireplace. Korra took off her gloves to let her cold hands feel the heat emitting from the flames.
"I was told to deliver this to you" Korra stated as she handed the parcel over.
"Thank you Korra" the older woman opened the package carefully. Her hands moved slowly due to old age.
Inside was a box and letter. Korra tried not to be nosy, but curiosity kept her from looking away.
"Do you mind if I asked what that is?"
"Don't tell your parents I told you this, but it's a letter from President Raiko. It's about the Bending Games. Looks like it's that time of the year again" Katara said with a grim look on her face.
The Bending Games came around once every year. Two people from each nation were chosen to compete in a televised death match to keep order amongst the nations according to President Raiko. Many young boys and girls Korra grew up with failed to ever return from the games.
"As for in the box" she said as she opened it, "it's a pendant I had custom made from the Northern Water Tribe."
Inside was a blue water tribe pin shaped like a crescent moon.
Katara closed the box and moved it to the side and tossed the letter into the fire.
"The Bending Games" Korra gulped.
It was about that time her father came back from his fishing trip, so she left Victor's Village with a loaf of bread that Katara packed in exchange for delivering the package.
Naga and Korra arrived at their home, but when Korra walked in her house it was unusually empty. Her mother was almost always home and it was unlike her father to be late. She walked around searching each room, and that's when she heard a ruckus going on somewhere close by.
Korra ran outside to follow the noise until she reached the middle of town. All the men were gathered along with many of the families from the village. Everyone circled around a grieving wife and her two children. One of them was Kaito. They locked eyes for a second before she returned to look around to see what had happened. The woman got news that her husband drowned in the lake during their fishing trip.
Korra looked up and saw her father Tonraq helping the other men carry the wrapped body to the newly dug grave. Once the body was placed in the grave, the men began covering it. Tonraq turned around to face the other members in the tribe.
"I am deeply sorry for what happened here today. This winter has been a tough one. By the time we get done fishing enough for work, there's just barely enough left over to feed half the families here. Now I have had a word with President Raiko about lowering our quota, but no changes have been made yet. We lost a good man today due to the bad weather. The snow was so thick that he couldn't see where the ice had gotten thin. We tried to get him out as fast as we could, but we weren't fast enough."
Tonraq's speech was brief and once the body was buried everyone scattered back to their homes. Korra walked up to Kaito and offered him the loaf of bread she received earlier out of remorse for his lost father. He graciously accepted it without a word and followed his mother and younger sister back home.
Korra's father hadn't come out from his office at all and it was getting late. Her mother prepared dinner, so Korra decided to see if her father wanted to come out and eat. She walked up to the door of his office and when she heard yelling she pressed an ear up against the door. The sounds were muffled but she could tell her dad was angry and he was in a heated argument with someone. She heard him slam his radiotelephone on the desk and he got quiet, so she opened the door slowly letting herself in.
"Dad" she spoke softly, "dinner's ready... are... you okay?" Korra asked hesitantly.
Tonraq let out a large sigh.
"I'll be fine honey. I just got off the phone with President Raiko. We aren't seeing eye to eye on some situations and it's a little frustrating. I think I got a little too carried away because he told me I would regret arguing about the way he is running things. I just hope I didn't step too out of line. I'm just trying to do what's best for our people" he stood up and walked over to Korra and wrapped his arms around her, "and what's best for you."
Korra always felt safe with her dad around. He always seemed to know what to do in any situation.
The family sat around the dinner table. The mood was somber due to the events that occurred in the afternoon. During the middle of their meal, the radio sitting on the table screeched.
"This broadcast is brought to you live from Republic City" the announcer stated followed by an eerie voice.
"President Raiko here. I hope many of you are enjoying sitting down to a warm family dinner. I bring wonderful news pertaining to one of our most beloved traditions. I am proud to present this year's 74th annual Bending Games will be choosing two tributes from each nation tomorrow at noon. One boy and one girl from each nation will be chosen. I urge everyone to get enough sleep and be well rested for the celebratory events tomorrow."
The broadcast abruptly stopped and the radio screeched off. Tonraq and Senna exchanged a worrying glance. Korra tried to swallow her food, but found it difficult with the knot in her throat.
"What... does this mean?" Korra spoke to break the silence.
"It means we're in for another spectacular event according to President Raiko" Tonraq answered sarcastically.