Korra jumped up in a sweat, tears brimming her eyes. A single blink would let them fall and cascade unto her face like a waterfall. Another nightmare. She's been having these nightmares ever since Amon and the equalists ambushed her on Aang Memorial Island two weeks ago. Tenzin's words of wisdom did not help her at all.
Swinging her legs to the side of the bed, she placed her head on her palms, hunched. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. She was the Avatar, for Agni's sake. She's supposed to be the strong, dependable, and fearless. But she was anything but that right now. She was slowly breaking and nobody can pick up the pieces. Not her. Not Tenzin. Not her friends. Not even the ancient spirits within her.
A tiny movement outside her window made her jump. Upon instinct, she stood up and took her stance ready for the next tiny indication that somebody might be outside. She didn't expect her assailant to open her window slowly and before he could fully open them, she earth-bended the walls, breaking its foundation on the floor and pushed it back along with her assailant.
The wall crumbled completely and she was preparing another attack when she heard a very familiar gruff voice letting out a string of curses. She stopped her attack but did not let her guard down.
It seemed to take forever for her assailant to roll on his back and use his elbows and knees to prop him and began to stand, albeit shakily. He took his helmet off and let it land on the ground with a loud thunk, whirled around at her, with glaring auburn eyes.
"You psychotic Avatar! What's gotten into your head?"
Korra jumped unexpectedly and put her hands in front of her mouth. Realization hit her. Standing before her, with his unruly black hair, obviously pissed was none other than Howl. He was supposed to be still stationed in the compound in the South Pole. What was he doing here?
Howl let out a sigh. Korra was just staring at him, her face mirrored shock at first then confusion and now it looks like she was mad. With a stomp of her right leg on the ground, she bended the earth beneath him that made him shoot up in the air and landed back on his back.
"What the hell are you doing here? And why are you sneaking up at night, you stupid jerk!" Howl seethed in pain and waited for it to away. Korra was now kneeling beside him, still glaring at him but concern was ebbed in her body language.
"Sorry." Korra apologized and checked to see the extent of his injuries. She almost grinned when she found the damage she inflicted on Howl. She helped him sit up before asking all the questions in her head.
"What are you talking about? I've been here for two days! I greeted you at breakfast and you brushed me off." Howl said while brushing the dust on his uniform. Muttering to himself, he found Korra to be quiet. He turned to look at her again and found Korra staring at her hands gripping her pajama bottoms. Howl could not help the concern the crossed his features then. He raised his hand to cup her cheek. "Are you alright, Korr?"
That simple act broke her tough façade and she lunged at Howl's chest crying her eyes out. Howl, despite his injuries, read her reaction like the back of his hand and was well-prepared to catch her. He ended up comforting her for a few more minutes before the guards and Master Tenzin found them and Korra's now wall-less room.