THE WHITE WOLF CHRONICLES
*NOTE: This story is set not long before the occupation of Ba Sing Se*
In a land uncharted in the seas between the frozen tundra of the northern water tribe and the very northwest of the Earth Kingdom stood a massive island, hidden under a heavy cloud cover and a thick layer of foggy, dry air, a land barely touched by civilization stood. This land was created by the bending might of an Avatar, known as the White Wolf, who sought after sanctuary, thousands and thousands of years ago.
According to the legends, the Avatar caused the Earth itself to move, forming an island, then created a massive maelstrom that conjured clouds and mists to protect the his or her sanctuary from pirates and travelers. Those who wander into the mists rarely leave it, and those who do never caught sight of the island. Although the island is a common myth passed down generations after generations.
What various other common people do not know, however, is what lies within the island. A culture which has isolated itself from the rest of the world lives on the island, direct descendants of the White Wolf. Despite their isolationism, they are far from what people would call "primitives". They are extremely hostile to outsiders who discover their island, and live by a way of life called "The Warpath", designed to raise the clansmen and women up to be both powerful and honorable warriors and waterbenders.
To honor the White Wolf's wishes to keep his or her sanctuary a secret to the outside world, the clan of the White Wolf is to eliminate all outsiders who wander into their land, whether their intentions be peaceful or hostile. Few know where the island is, and none know of the tribe. Little sun and moonlight ever reaches past the layers of clouds and fogs, giving the island a dark, dim atmosphere, often snowing and always cold as ice. This, however, had not seemed to affect the water tribe's natural tanned skin pigment.
The White Wolf's waterbender bloodline is a very strong one, and after thousands and thousands of years, every single child who descended from the bloodline possessed the ability to waterbend with healing capabilities, gifted with the potential to surpass even the greatest waterbending masters of the outside world. Every child but one.
Chapter one: Exile
Enzo is a fourteen-year-old boy. The special thing about him is not that he can waterbend, but it is that he can't. In a community of waterbenders, it is a disadvantage to be unable to do so, even though the outside world would say otherwise. This, however, isn't the outside world. This is the White Wolf Island, where all clansmen so far can waterbend. All except Enzo. In combat, the clansmen would carry a skin of water to waterbend with, and a bladeless katana-style sword hilt with ice stored in the scabbard.
The blade is created by reforming the ice in the scabbard, allowing for a more versatile use of the weapon, whether it is as a solid ice sword or a water whip, or even an axe to chop trees down. Enzo, however, carry only a normal steel katana, and although he considers himself an at least decent swordsman, he has yet to ever defeat his waterbending peers. He has very short, neat hair, with the tanned skin of a water tribesman which descended from the White Wolf, but unnatural bright green eyes, unlike other clansmen with deep, dark brown eyes.
His mother passed away during childbirth, and his father, although always dutiful, is a dull and glum man, rarely caring for him, waking up to do work and going to sleep when his work is done. The older clansmen say that his father used to be a happier, brighter man, but not after the death of his mother. However, Enzo does have a group of friends who he frequently hangs out with, starting with Kaido, who is sixteen-years-old and warchief's son, who acts like a leader of sorts for the group. There is Pakku, Enzo's neighbor who acts like the second-in-command of the group. Others include Baki, a ten years old who is hyperactive, and doesn't speak clearly due to a few missing teeth, and there is Rika, who is as old as Enzo is, but usually shy and does not speak much.
+The Village+ (Enzo's POV)
Enzo raced down the street with Baki while Pakku, who was covered in putrid waste water chasing them down after having a prank played upon him by the younger boys by fooling him to stand and close his eyes in front of a sewer grate. Longships lined up along the pier, the crewmen atop them clearing away the snow. The decks of the longships are armed with waterbending-powered cannons, with steel frame at the bottom of the ship hull to enable the ships to travel through thick ice. As they ran, Baki turned around and laughed at Pakku, not noticing the dockworker carrying cargo in front of him. Baki crashed face first into the man, knocking both of them over. The cargo box fell to the ground and smashed open, giving off a disgusting odor of fish.
"Run!" Enzo yelled, laughing.
At this point, all of the kids were running together, all of them being chased by the dockworker. They ran through the alley, leaping over fences with Llama-Oxens in it. They took several shortcuts along the village, but the grown man was faster and caught up to them swiftly.
"Split up!" Pakku shouted, before they ran in different ways at an intersection.
Enzo ran, breathing hard. He looked behind him for a split second to see who the dockworker was chasing. Unluckily, it was him. He jumped up a bench nearby and vaulted himself onto a snow-filled roof. The dockworker ran parallel to him as he leapt off the roof onto another. He leapt over too more roofs until he was about to leap another bound, but he slipped on the snow and lost his footing. He slipped over, his back against the roof, sliding down it along with the snow. He tried desperately to grab on to the edge of the roof, but the thick gloves to protect him from the cold wasn't helping. He fell, screaming. He closed his eyes as he was about to hit the road below him.
He braced for impact, and heard a thud. However, he didn't feel the ground. He opened his eyes, and found himself in Kaido's arms. Kaido is sixteen year old, with short but messy hair, and deep-brown serious eye, similar of that of a hawk. He wore the clan's full battle armor.
The clan's battle armor includes a thick hardwood chest plate colored white with a black roaring wolf's head sigil on it. The shoulder plate is a thinner flexible wood plate tied into the chest plate, designed to not obstruct the arm's movements. The gauntlets are also hardwood, stretched from the shin to the fingertips with steel plates on both the front and the back of the palm to block weapon attacks with their bare hands. The lower armor consisted of thigh protection legplates kept stationary by a rope around the back of the leg. The boots are designed to keep a stable footing in ice and snow. The hat is fairly flat and coned solid steel with sharp edges, designed to be used as a last resort weapon. Except for the wolf sigil, the armor is all colored white for the wearer to blend in with the snow.
Although he smiled frequently and laughed at jokes, Kaido's smiles and laughs felt empty and dry to Enzo. However, Kaido was the oldest in the group. Before Enzo could thank him, Kaido let go of him and he hit the ground, butt first.
"Yeowch! Kaido, what are you doing?" He said.
"I did tell you to wait and stay put while I get roasted walrus-prawn meat for Rika didn't I?" Kaido spoke in a serious tone.
"Sorry…"
"Tell it to him, not me." Kaido pointed to the angry dockworker.
"Sorry, sir." Enzo said to the dockworker.
"Your father will hear about this, Enzo. This has been what, the third time this week you've caused some kind of problem?" he said, walking away.
"Well it wasn't me who ran into you…" Enzo murmured under his breath.
"What'd you do this time?" Kaido asked him.
"I didn't do anything! Baki crashed into the man, we ran, we split up and the guy came after me!"
"And Baki was running because?"
"Well, we played a prank on Pakku and he chased after us…"
"Then it's your fault as well."
"What? But that's just not fair!"
Before they could continue their argument, Baki and Pakku caught up to them. However, before they can speak, two men in full armor approached them and one of them tapped on Kaido's shoulder to get his attention. Both men looked grim and serious, although it is difficult to see as they have covered their nose and mouth with a piece of cloth.
"Hmm?" Kaido said, turning around.
"Chief wants you at the altar." One of the men spoke.
"Father wants me? Why? Hasn't he been informed that my shift's over?
"The warchief has acknowledged the end of your shift, and has requested your presence. He added that it is urgent. We are told to escort you to your father."
"Lead the way." Kaido said, shrugging.
As he walked away, Rika tugged on his sleeve. "Can we come too?" she spoke softly.
Kaido turned to the men. They nodded. "Fine, follow me."
They arrived at the Altar of judgment not long after. The altar is used for the execution of the outsides who wanders into the island. There are large steps laid before them, each containing a brazier of fire, crackling in tune with the wind. The warchief stood, watching the sun set, before turning around as he heard their footsteps. The warchief wore a fur and feather headdress, with his official face paint on, carrying his ivory cane due to his left leg being disabled during an avalanche.
The warchief cleared his throat. "I never thought I would have to do this, especially to my very own son, Kaido."
"What do you mean?" Kaido asked, confused.
"I think I know what you mean, Kaido. Bring him." He signaled to his guards.
The guards brought out a young man, who Enzo noticed was one of Kaido's packmate. The hunting parties and scout parties operated in squads, called "packs". Kaido suddenly looked grim. "You told them?" Kaido said with a shaking voice full of dread. All his packmate could do was close his eyes and turned away in guilt.
"You had the responsibility as a pack leader. You found outsiders on our shores, and you let them leave. Kaido, this is a serious crime against out thousand-year-old laws and traditions." The warchief continued.
"They didn't deserve to die because they were lost in a storm, father. It was a small trading ship with just a girl and her grandfather on it. It clearly did not pose a threat to the clan."
"What part of 'ALL intruders must be captured' do you not understand! Oh, and they may not pose physical threats to us, my boy, but what about later? They will pass on the tale of the secret island in the mists, and people will know of our existence. They will being war and death upon us, what will you say then when you watch your family and friends get slaughtered in front of you because you are an inconsiderate fool!" Kaido turned away, silent. "Tell me, son, what will you say then!"
Kaido blinked hard for a long moment, and tears flowed from his eyes. "Nothing." He whispered.
"I think we both know what this means, my son. I am sorry for you, but it must be done. From this day forth, you are no longer one of us. I deem you unfit to bear our sigil and follow the way of our forefathers. You… are exiled!" The kids protested, all at once, making their protests unintelligible. "Guards, undo his armor."
The guards stepped forwards and removed Kaido's armor, leaving him with only his Hat, gauntlet, boots and his weapons. "Although we are strict, we are not merciless." The warchief continued. Here is food for you, enough to last a week, enough for you to last long enough to find the mainland. However, you must take the oath of silence. Repeat after me. 'I, Kaido the exiled of the White Wolf clan, take the oath of silence to never reveal information about the island to the outsiders'".
Kaido repeated after his father and took the food supplies from his father's hands. He embraced his father one last time before the guards asked him to follow them to a ship that will be his way out of the island.
Kaido had been like a father to Enzo, as his own father never really looks after him. He was also the leader of the group. Until now, he had not realized how much Kaido really meant to him, and although he thought that it would be the hardest decision he would have to make in his life, but he easily made his decision. Enzo breathed in as Kaido walked away.
"If he's leaving, then I'm leaving too!" Enzo yelled at the warchief, as everyone watched him in shock and disbelief.
Man, took quite a bit to finish the first chapter. I appreciate all comments, suggestions and reviews about this story. I don't have much to say, but it is late at night where I live, so I will be brief. Thank you for reading.
-The Burning Cheese
