Thebeginning

Chapter one

Saving Sardonic Sokka

For the last one hundred years the Avatar has been absent from the world. He had been stuck deep within the moon spirit's lover the ocean. The Avatar was only twelve years old when his identity and destiny as the Avatar was revealed to him. The problem for the Avatar, Aang a young Air-Nomad of the southern air temple, was that he did not want the burdens that came with being the bridge between the mortal world and the spirit world. So he did what all reluctant heroes do.

He ran away.

Ignoring his harsh destiny against the dark forces moving throughout his world he fled; his home, his mentor Monk Gyatso, and the other Nomads. After having his destiny revealed to him, the way the other children treated him changed. He was no longer Aang their friend, one of the youngest master air benders to have ever lived, but the Avatar. This caused the children and even the adults of his peaceful community to change how they treated him. Only his wise and sometimes childish mentor Monk Gyatso continued to treat him as just Aang.

One stormy night Aang left. He took his spirit companion Appa a sky bison to which he had bonded to for many years and flew away with only his glider and some fruits he gathered from the trees surrounding the temple.

Aang did not know his mentor was able to convince his fellow elders to not send Aang away. It was however for the best though. Aang did not witness the terror from the comet, which was later renamed in honor of the infamous deed of the man who committed the mass genocide of the peaceful Air-nomads. Sozin's Comet was the astrological event that heralded near end of an entire race, and culture. For Aang was the last remaining air bender throughout the entire world after that day.

The night was a nightmarish experience. Intense winds that not even a master air bender and a sky bison could endure. Water and wind slammed into the young boy and his massive friend, tossing them to and fro in the torrent of elements. It was as if the world was displeased with the forlorn child's actions. Until finally, the massive force slammed the duo so hard they fell into the ocean. Sinking deeper and deeper into the cold and the dark waters and just as the child was to lose any chance of floating through the air again. A miracle occurred. An otherworldly light erupted from his eyes and the still freshly inked tattoos.

The powerful storm erupting above paled in comparison to the massive amount of power radiating off the small child's body. The child moved through several katas neither exclusively of air nor of water. The movements caused a swirling vortex of air and water pushing the water away making a pocket of air large enough for the sky bison and boy and with one final movement a sphere of ice formed locking the child away for one hundred years.

The Avatar is just one of the many people destined to right the world and restore the balance.

The others are spread out across the entire world their destiny still unrevealed to them. One will be a child who through no fault of his own suckled at the teats of the misdeeds of his infamous family. Another is a young girl who triumphed over a disability and through that disability will be the greatest bender of her kind second only to the Avatar Aang after decades of training. Another is a skilled warrior who emulates the greatness of the great avatar Kyoshi. A young man defends his home at the bottom of the world; he will be a formidable warrior eventually but his abilities as a leader and inventor will be what he is known for the most. Last but certainly not least is the younger sister of the water tribesman of the southern water tribe.

Katara the daughter of Hakoda, Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, shares a sad fate very similar to Aang's. She is the last water bender in the south, but she is also a Blood-Bender.

Four years before the Avatars emergence from the ice, a young girl, Katara is out collecting oyster-crabs with her brother Sokka on one of the few beaches in the South Pole. The sun and moon are high in the sky over the sea. The gray stoned beaches stand in stark contrast with the South Sea and white snow surrounding the two water tribesman. Tall stones litter the beach. Around these stone the eleven year old Sokka shows ten year old Katara where to find the oyster-crabs.

Smiling broadly Sokka says," You see Katara there are a bunch of them here. See. The big rocks are heavy enough that the oyster-crabs stay stuck in place and don't get washed away with the tide."

Katara nods in understanding of her brother." How much are we going to collect Sokka?" she asks.

"With dad gone with the rest of the men we probably don't need that much." Sokka says wisely but frowns towards the end. "Twenty or so should be enough. If we take any more we would have to feed them to keep 'em fresh."

"Okay"

"And Katara don't start playing with your magic water. Gran-gran made me bring you out to help not to play."

Katara pouted and said," It's not magic water, its water bending." She corrects angrily at him for making fun of her abilities.

"Doesn't matter, just don't play around."

The two children began collecting the rocklike creatures with large pincers and placing them in Seal-dolphin sacks attached to their hips. After carefully prying off a dozen of the animals, Sokka stopped abruptly. A feeling of dread washed over him. The hackles on the back of his neck rose. Standing and slowly turning to look inland he saw a large animal in the distance. It could barely be seen with its' white fur coat making it nearly invisible against the snow if it weren't for its red stained lips.

A wild polar-wolf. A wild polar-wolf that was looking right at him and his little sister. Sokka had only moments to decide what to do. They were in mortal danger.

Whispering quietly to his sister," Katara, I need you to stay calm and climb up the rock and get to the top." The polar-wolf having massive paws to move with ease across snow and ice were also good for swimming. The one thing they couldn't do was climb.

"What? Why?" she asks unaware of the danger.

"Just do it." Sokka says but some fear leaked into his words frightening Katara.

With wide scared eyes she looks in the direction Sokka continued to stare at; never taking his eyes of the beast. With a nearly inaudible 'eep' she takes a step back.

"Climb. Katara. Now." With the danger readily known Katara began climbing, but she was deathly afraid and her hands fidgeted and her vision became dizzying making for a slow accent before she slipped on a hand hold and fell.

Sokka couldn't tell you if the dangerous carnivore began running towards them after she hit the ground or before. It probably didn't matter it was running towards them and they weren't safe.

Sokka grabbing her by the arms hauled her up and gave her a boost up the rock. As soon as she made it to the top safely out of reach she turned back to look at Sokka who was making his way up the rock face. His movements were impeded however by the sack of oyster-crabs that were tightly tied so they wouldn't come undone when they should have begun making their trek back home. Katara only managed to pry a few off herself so she was largely unaffected in comparison to him. The Polar-wolf was nearly upon them and could very easily reach Sokka still.

"Hurry! Hurry brother!" Katara wailed louder and louder as the hulking mass of flesh, teeth and bone barreled towards the beach.

Just as Sokka nearly reached a safe zone from the Polar-wolf the beast jumped and slapped at Sokka with his massive paw. Sokka tumbled away from the rock and slid through the gravelly beach. He made a feeble attempt to push himself up but couldn't. Blood erupted from his brow above his right eye-brow.

No no no no. Katara chanted in her mind.This can't be happening! Mommy is dead and Daddy isn't here anymore! I can't lose my brother too! It's not fair! Why did mommy die protecting me only for Sokka to do the same! Why! Why!

The polar-wolf looked at Sokka satisfied that he wouldn't move and turned its attention on Katara. Standing on its hind legs to try and reach the girl. Katara shrank away further atop the rock but still able to keep an eye on the beast and Sokka.

Trying to jump and climb the rock the beast failed. Giving up it turned its attentions back onto Sokka resigned that it couldn't have both of the tiny humans.

"NO. Leave him alone!" Katara shouted. She reached into her bag taking out her three oyster crabs she began chucking them at the wolf. Most of them hit the massive wolf's ribs only to bounce off from the strong bone and fat. But one of the spiteful little rock like animals slammed into the side of the wolf's head and stunning it and pinching tightly on the wolf's tender ear.

Oh no! What do I do now? I have no more to throw!

The wolf howled in pain. The wolf began thrashing about to get the oyster-crab off. Due to the confusion the wolf found itself near the water.

I have to water bend! But what can I do! I have no training and it is so big! But I have to try I can't lose Sokka too!

Reaching for the water Katara began moving her arms in to pull the water from the ocean towards the wolf. Unfortunately she was extremely frightened and her movements were jerky and not fluid that is needed to efficiently control water. Katara only caused the water to only froth up around the wolf's legs.

The oyster-crab fell off.

Katara seeing the wolf slowly approaching her brother again sent her into a fit of sobbing and wailing.

I can't do it! I can't do it! Mommy, Daddy! Save Sokka please! She wailed in her mind.

The wolf was now hovering over Sokka ready to land a finishing blow to his jugular. In a fit of desire to protect her brother she reached out grasping at the wolf and her brother's general direction. The wolf stopped and yelped. Katara largely unaware of this squeezed her fists tightly. Her tiny finger making small crescent shaped marks in her palms. The wolf made several pitiful whines before it gasped loudly and collapsed onto Sokka.

Katara fell forward bracing herself before she hit the harsh surface of the rock. Desperate for air Katara inhaled sharply several gulps of air. Her vision was dark around the edges. And she was very sleepy.

I can't fall asleep. Sokka is in danger. I… so sleepy… have to save…So-… With that half thought name she collapsed into an exhausted sleep.

AN: BAM! Blood bending ten year old! Doesn't that sound like a nightmare? Anyways I hope you readers enjoyed this introduction into Katara's journey as a blood bender. We are definitely going to be in for a wild ride with this kinda change in the Avatar world.

So yeah review or watevs.