Author Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or likeness of "The Legend of Korra." Zaheer, Ghazan, P'li and Ming Hua belong solely to Bryke and Bryke's crew! I'm just a thirty something who loves good animation.

Authors Note: Zaheer talking to Korra in the spirit world quite frankly about how they became imprisoned due to a kidnapping attempt on her as a child began to stir the pot of inspiration. I also just bought the Book Three artbook and a note from Bryke perked me up. In the ancillary art section, there is a piece of the four villians of Book three as young adults posing. Ming-Hua had arms and I always assumed by this picture she lost them in the attack to kidnap four year old Korra. So not the case. The artbook let me know that this was a vision of the four, and that Ming-Hua had been born without arms as a congenital birth defect (called amelia for you medically-inclined folks). Somehow thinking about this birth defect and that picture and listening to the Korra book one soundtrack on an hour drives to work thrust this story into my mind. And I knew I had to start writing it. So here we go!

And before you ask, yes, this broke my heart to do to Korra and Naga. Poor polar bear dog got me in this chapter.

"The Alternate Years"

Chapter one "The Mission"

~~~~Fifty seven years after the events of Avatar the Last Airbender~~~~

Ice and snow; as far as the eye could see, ice and snow in the untamed tundra, with the occasional block or boulder of ice dotting the landscape. A lone figure lay on his belly in the snow, keeping low behind a jagged crop of ice. Only his eyes encased by a fur-lined hood were visible as he lay hidden. It was artic cold and the young man could feel the cold seep into his furs as he lay there for hours on end waiting.

Waiting for his prey to come out and play.

His teammates were further back in the tundra, similarly hiding behind their own blocks of ice. His prey emerged, running down to the snowy valley below. She moved suddenly, shrieking and laughing. Zaheer tensed slightly when he spotted a polar bear pup yipping at her heels. No, they were too far away. Even the pup's excellent sense of smell wouldn't pick him up this far out. He relaxed, belly sinking into the impacted snow as the Water Tribe girl ran back and forth, allowing her pup to give chase. The child was young, only four now, and newly announced as the Avatar.

It was so early in the announcement that the White Lotus hadn't whisked her away to any academy or palace as of yet. Prominent masters were showing their respects and jockeying to be picked as her first teachers. Nobody was selected yet, so she was still allowed to live with her parents in their village until it was decided where she would go to learn waterbending first.

'But not without a few of those pesky White Lotus,' Zaheer sneered to himself. He huffed out, an exhale of mist leaving his lips.

The finding of a new Avatar reborn in the cycle gave many cause for joy and rejoicing. Zaheer didn't see it that way. He saw only dread and possibly future doom. Eternal binding to a raw force that would inspire others to force the weak down. No…. that couldn't happen again.

And that would end today. Zaheer tensed, feeling anticipation flex through his resting muscles. The weather was good and the White Lotus sentries seemed relaxed. Unalaq had been accurate in his reports for the laxness meant a changing of their guard. The time to strike would be soon.

Just now, Zaheer noted only two visible White Lotus on the distant horizon, keeping apparent watch on their young charge rolling in the snow with her pet. Unalaq had promised that the rest would be in the village with the girl's parents.

Spirits, the girl was closer to HIM than her two guards were. Korra, Zaheer had to remind himself. The child's name was Korra. But that name was interchangeable with Prey to him. She was going to be his, whether she knew it or not.

It was all going to work….he could feel it.

"Let go your earthly tether…..Enter the Void…Empty and become Wind…" Zaheer murmured quietly under his breath. These snatches of philosophy from Guru Lahima were all he would take from Avatar Aang's culture. He considered the work the previous Avatar had done with the Fire Nation Colonies in the Earth Kingdom, as well as Republic City's birth, to be sham attempts at change and peace.

Too little, too late.

Well, why not change how that would go with the new Avatar? An untrained four year old should prove far more tractable than a teenage or adult hostage. It WOULD have to be now.

They had been watching for days, waiting for good breaks in the weather. Today had dawned frigidly cold with only the barest hint of clouds in the sky. No snow storms tonight. Coupled with Unalaq's report about the changing of the Avatar's guard and it seemed the time was ripe. He had announced to the other three this morning it would be today or soon, and they hadn't complained.

In fact, they were only too eager to hide in the icy tundra since before dawn to wait for a chance. Zaheer had liked the look in their eyes this morning. P'li, tall and smiling bloodthirstily, Ghazan's eager grin and the frenzied hunger in Ming-hua's eyes. Yes, they would suffer the elements today and however long it took to capture the Avatar.

They all had their reasons.

Zaheer raised his face from the snow and pursed his lips. He whistled, imitating a bird's song, to convey a calling for his comrades to approach his spot. He counted to thirty….then abruptly stood, a very noticeable figure suddenly appearing as if by magic, and made his walk down to the Avatar as casual as he could.

Any moment those two guards could turn around and see him…. Zaheer had known true fear once, as a child. He hadn't felt this twinge of emotion for many years. His legs wanted to lock up and despite the cold, a line of sweat trickled down his spine beneath his furs.

Casual…slowly… he was so close he could see that Korra had her hair tied back in pigtails; probably by a loving mother. They had come loose in her play with the polar bear dog, and her hood lay back against her neck. The pup in question noticed him before Korra did. She stood between man and child, fur rankling as she growled a warning at the stranger.

Korra only laughed and ran small mittened hands along the pup's fur. "Calm down, Naga! Hi, mister. She doesn't bite!" she exclaimed with the confidant air of a well-loved child.

Zaheer almost felt sorry for her. She was so young and suffering was unknown to her. She greeted him as a friend, as most young children do before they learned to listen to their parent's warnings. Zaheer made himself smile back to further add to the misguided trust she showed him.

"I'm afraid I need some help. My sled broke down and I need some aide in fixing it," he lied smoothly. Korra's brow furrowed, no doubt trying to imagine how she should help the imagined scenario. Take her… NOW…..while she was relaxed!

"Well, you should come to my house! Mommy will make you a tea and Daddy is the strongest man in the village!" Korra announced proudly, beaming at her solution. Zaheer continued to smile even as his eyes flicked over the top of the child to the horizon. The outlines of the two guards hadn't shifted; they still hadn't noticed. He couldn't chance it any longer.

"But aren't you Korra? The Great Avatar? I would be honored if you came with me and helped me fix it yourself! And I know you could," Zaheer gushed warmly, and he smiled internally when Korra beamed. She puffed her chest out and moved beside him.

"I'm the Avatar! I can do anything!" she agreed. Zaheer held out his hand and Korra laid her large mitten into his gloved grip. "Let's go!"

"Let's," Zaheer agreed and they began walking. Too slowly for his taste. Up against the other horizon, three figures stood waiting. His crew. They waited casually, so as not to alarm the child. Only her pup showed any distress, whining at Korra's side as they walked along.

Korra only grinned at her pet. "It's okay, Naga! We'll go home soon!"

Zaheer raised a brow. "Perhaps it would be best if your polar bear dog waited for us."

"Huh?" Korra looked up at him, confused.

"Well, the job wouldn't be suitable for such a spunky puppy. She can sit and wait. Do you know how to make her sit?" Zaheer suggested. Korra nodded widely and held one hand out and lowered it to her side.

"Sit, Naga! Sit! I'll be riiiiight back."

On command, Naga sat on her rump, tail wagging. She began to whine more and more the further Korra got from her. The girl looked over her shoulder, chewing on her lower lip.

"It won't be too long, will it, mister?" she asked. She was worried for Naga. Those big black eyes were watching her with love and longing. She wanted to be back at her side.

Zaheer laughed softly to ease her worries about the dog.

"No, it won't take long! Come along, Korra. We're almost there," Zaheer promised. Korra swung his hand in wide arches as they climbed the snowy bank to the others. Ghazan looked highly amused, a smile pulling the edges of his mustachio.

"Well, this is proving far too easy," he commented idly to Zaheer. Zaheer smiled back, feeling excitement course through his veins. Korra looked from face to face and apparently didn't feel any hint of danger. She moved with them easily over the top of the snow ridge and further away.

"Come on, little girl, we should hurry," Ming-hua said casually. Korra looked up at her, staring curiously at the slack sleeves of her fur coat. Zaheer knew she had her canteens tied around her torso beneath the coat, but she wasn't waterbending so as not to attract any attention from the kid that was necessary.

Not until they were away at least.

"What's wrong with your arms?" Korra's lower lip quivered. The sleeves hadn't moved at all as they walked along. Ming-hua and P'li looked at each other and the smaller woman shrugged one shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, kid. This is how I come. Let's go," she urged. P'li glanced casually behind them as they trudged along, way too slowly, to match the four year old's gait.

"We should really hurry," P'li murmured lightly. The two White Lotus guards were moving down to the snow valley behind them. Frantic barking from the polar bear pup resounded with calls from the two men.

Korra looked back over her shoulder. "Oh, those are just my two guards. They really don't….."

Zaheer knew a fight was imminent and speed was more pressing than surprise now. He bent and hoisted Korra to his shoulder and began to run.

"Stay with us, Avatar. We need to go," Zaheer said. Korra looked alarmed and confused now, wildly looking over his shoulder toward the scrambling guards in dark robes climbing the ridge beneath them. Naga was climbing with them, barking for her. Something was wrong now, and she could feel the alarm reflected in the White Lotus guard's eyes.

"What's going on? Put me dooooown!" she shrieked. Ghazan huffed as they began to run full out now.

"Well, that didn't last long!" he complained. Ming-hua scowled as they ran hard.

"Just…shut up…and run!" she hissed.

Their sled was further back, and it was not damaged in the slightest. They needed to reach it and get to the shore. Unalaq's ship was waiting for them. Zaheer's vision began to narrow as they ran hard, the sled appearing in the horizon. A team of penguin-dogs were hitched up and ready to run. Korra's screams wailed in the distance as his mind shut out all annoyances and focused on the goal. Keep running…..running….almost there!...

"Shit!" Ghazan cursed as the White Lotus reached the top of the ridge and one began blasting fireballs. Well, at least was a firebender. That was now apparent. Couldn't focus on that now. "I can't bend the earth under this ice to lava!"

Zaheer flicked his eyes to the side at his friend. Korra's flailing limbs got in the way and he bodily tucked her under his arm against his side to trap her there. "We knew that getting into this. Just do what you can!"
Ghazan turned back, Ming-hua turning immediately to stand at his side. P'li stopped and pushed her hood back. The earth roiled and pushed up jagged blocks of earth covered with ice beneath the guard's feet, and water was erupting from Ming-hua's sleeves to freeze them into place. The other White Lotus turned out to be a waterbender, for he began to push the ice back from their feet.

"Give back the Avatar!" they commanded. P'li laughed out loud. She stared hard at them, all heard an audible click-clicking, rather like a Satomobile backfiring. The stream of fire arching from her third eye was not a backfire, aiming directly toward the struggling guards. The fire struck true and the two guards flew back from the explosion. They landed sprawled like rag dolls. One was definitely out but the other tried to get back up, hand reaching.

"STOP!" he cried. Zaheer had no idea where the polar bear dog was, but after that attack, he would be betting she wouldn't be after them.

P'li laughed as she and her comrades turned back to run. They wouldn't be getting up for some time, but it would only be their luck if someone went looking for them in the near future.

Zaheer and Ming-hua jumped on the waiting sled and Ghazan ran to take the bit from the lead penguin-dog's maw.

"Go, go!" he commanded, jumping onto the front of the sled. Zaheer and Ming-hua were having a handful of a time holding onto the girl. He concentrated on whipping the team into a run.

P'li stood tall and watching at the rear of the sled. Only when it seemed they weren't being followed, at least right now, she crouched down behind Zaheer.

"Will you shut up, brat?" she hissed. Korra was screaming and calling for her father and her polar bear dog.

"Daddy! Naga! DADDDDEEEEEEEEE!"

Zaheer winced as she was right next to his ear. "You will be silent!" he commanded. Korra took a deep breath to begin screaming again when Ming-hua forced her water arm against her mouth. She gently applied pressure, the water freezing against the child's lips. Korra stared at the flowing water arm, and then in tears up to Zaheer's scowling face. Since she couldn't scream any longer, tears flowed from her wide blue eyes.

"See what you get? Now sit down!" Ming-hua scowled.

Ghazan whoofed and applied the whip to the penguin-dogs. "Finally!" he muttered. "Good job, sweetness."

Ming-hua flashed him what Zaheer could only term was "a look" and held onto Korra's face with her icy fingers. "Oh, you shut up too….."

Ghazan laughed as the sled ran smoothly over the ice and snow. The shoreline was up ahead.

At the lone dock, one ship was waiting. A tall man with long dark hair and an elegant fur-lined robe stood. He smiled ruefully as the four men and women halted the sled and abandoned it, jogging up the gangplank toward him.

"I take it you had some trouble?" Unalaq asked. Zaheer brushed past with the shaking girl tucked under his arm. Ming-hua kept pace with her icy grip, then relaxed her waterbending as the doors to the ship were closed behind them.

"Better than could be expected. We should go; a lapse in the guard won't mean anything when they discover their unconscious comrades," Zaheer said. Korra wailed in fear and confusion as she was carried to a cabin and dropped unceremoniously inside. Unalaq locked the door. He had only met his niece once a couple of years ago when he was visiting the South Pole, and he hadn't been impressed then either. And she really had no idea who he was, anyways. Better to leave it that way.

"Well, you're here. To Yin first?" Unalaq asked. Zaheer leaned against the hallway and pushed his hood back. He ran a hand through his short ruffled hair, catching his breath. He nodded.

"Yes. We need to hide with her until we establish a foothold in the world. You will be elevated significantly for helping us," Zaheer said. P'li pushed through Unalaq's guards to put an arm around his shoulders. Zaheer grinned up at her.

"We did it," he said. Happiness seeped through his voice. P'li nodded.

"Now we have to keep her. Shouldn't we tie her up? She's going to make a mess of that room," she said.

Ming-hua laughed. "She's only four. And she can't bend all the elements yet. Don't be a ninny, P'li."

P'li shot her a look, then the two wound up laughing it off. They got along well that way. Ghazan peeped into the door slit, watching Korra beat on the walls, screaming.

"Besides, we have all the time we need to train her. She ain't gonna be doing that for long," he murmured. Unalaq waved a languid hand as he strolled off to the captain's chambers. His guards fell in behind him.

"That's up to you now. We agreed her day-to-day would be your responsibility," he called over his shoulder.

"Shall we retire?" P'li asked Zaheer. He nodded, his eyes narrowed in thought.

"Briefly. Then we need to begin work on her."

"You make me wait too long for you," the tall woman complained as the pair walked down the hallway to their cabin.

"When a love is as good as ours, the waiting can only add to it," Zaheer commented. P'li stooped to plant a kiss on his stubbly cheek.

Ghazan closed the door slit and turned to Ming-hua. She looked like she wanted to get in there and start disciplining their charge.

"Cool it, Ming-hua. She's not going anywhere."

The woman's eyes flashed up to his laughing gaze. "Not unless we get away and hide our asses off! If we don't succeed, we'll never see the light of day again."

"That is not gonna happen, sweetness. We got the Avatar. Now we just gotta hide her," Ghazan said. Ming-hua's cheeks flushed abruptly to redness.

"I told you not to call me that!" she hissed under her breath.

Ghazan made an elaborate turn to the left and right of the hallway. "No one I can see. Come on, we need to rest."

"We have separate cabins, don't we?"

Ghazan sighed. "Yes. We do."

End for now

End Notes: OKAY OKAY this killed me to do. I actually like a complicated villain story, but in the process, a four year old had to really get captured. And poor Naga! I love dogs and animals so it killed me to have her pushed back like that. I have my own Naga plushie beside me to encourage me while I wrote it. What did you think? Like it, hate it? Let me know!

Sincerely yours, penpaninu 2/21/15