Synopsos: Semi-AU, Amon never went to Republic City and started the revolution. Korra's visiting the Northern Water Tribe, when she takes Naga into the tundra without a guide or a map. She soon finds herself embarrassingly lost and in the middle of a blizzard, and only the beneficence of a lone man saves her from freezing or starving to death.
Written for the fifth day of Amorra Week, based on the prompt Lost.
"Welcome to the North Pole, Avatar," one of the Northern Water Tribe's elders greeted her with a bow, Korra leveling the man a smile before striding forward confidently.
"Thank you for having me," Korra stopped a few paces away from the man before bowing at the waist, a fisted hand resting in the hollow of her cupped hand momentarily before they both fell to her sides.
"It is our pleasure, avatar. It is our understanding that you've decided to journey here while Master Tenzin is smoothing over the situation in Republic City," he continued with a raised eyebrow, Korra nodding once to indicate the affirmative.
"That's right. I would have just gone there instead, but I've heard so much about my sister tribe, I just had to come visit," Korra gushed with a guilty grin, the man laughing politely though Korra doubted he actually found it amusing.
"Very well. If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your accommodations while you're here." The man gestured down the street with a broad arc of his arm, Korra inclining his head in understanding; Naga chose that moment to appear at Korra's side, the avatar smiling and giggling as she began to scratch the large polar-bear dog's jawline and behind her ears.
The representative flinched at the scene, some of Korra's White Lotus guards watching the display in resignation; they would never be able to keep Naga from her master, no matter how many different methods they employed in their attempts. "Avatar Korra, will your...pet be joining us?" The tone of the man's voice was hardly as kind as it had been moments before, Korra's eyes lifting to view him with an upraised eyebrow.
"Is that a problem? Naga won't cause any trouble, I promise!" Korra added with a winning smile, the man wanting to protest but deciding it probably wouldn't get him anywhere. Avatar Korra was probably a girl who get whatever her heart desired, and denying her this request would make not only him look bad, but all of the Northern Water Tribe.
"Of course not, though I cannot speak for the innkeeper," the man spoke in a strained voice, Korra either not noticing or choosing not to comment on it.
Their trek down the paved-ice walkways was quite the spectacle; men, women, and children looked at Korra and her gigantic polar-bear dog with little less than fascination, some with disdain. Who was the girl bringing a feral beast into their dignified city? Why was she here? When would she be leaving? Korra was used to the attention, however, and paid it little mind as she followed the man's footsteps, her eyes surveying the city's structure and widening minutely with awe.
She had heard stories growing up in the Southern Water Tribe about their Northern compatriots; many of them had not painted them in a terribly-flattering light. Mired in tradition, they were often viewed as uncompromising, cold, and perhaps a little snooty; Korra generally liked to judge people and places on a case-by-case basis, but she was wary as she continued, the avatar noticing some of the strange looks more directed at Naga than her own person.
Just as the man paused in front of her and turned to speak, a small boy, no older than five, came tumbling towards her, his mother reaching out a hand to stop him. He looked up at Korra in wonder, his forefinger pressing against his bottom lip and his mouth ajar. "You have a polar-bear dog!" He finally stated in an enthusiastic tone, his forefinger moving from his lip to point at Naga. His lips then promptly flipped into a large grin, the sight bringing a similar expression to Korra's face.
"Sure do. You wanna ride her?" Korra then asked, the boy gasping lowly before bobbing his head. Korra moved to pick up the boy, but her eyes flicked to the frozen mother who hadn't uttered a sound since the exchange began; "Is that all right?" Korra then directed her question at her, the boy turning and giving his mother a pleading look.
The woman seemed to recover herself, and she swallowed her nervousness before replying; "I-is is safe? We have polar-bear dogs up here, but most are wild." Korra laughed at woman's question, though not in a cruel manner.
"Of course it's safe. Naga's been my best friend for years," Korra patted Naga twice on the head with a sincere smile, the woman trying to offer Korra one in return though it was feebler.
"A-all right then. Just a short one, Ledik!" she told her son, the boy pouting though it quickly turned to giggling once Korra hefted him up onto the saddle and set him down gently in front of her. The boy grabbed small handfuls of Naga's fur, though not enough for it to hurt her; "C'mon girl. Let's show 'em how we have fun!" Korra directed Naga until she was running at a gallop, the boy holding on for dear life though his loud laughter assured Korra he wasn't frightened.
Their ride was short, as Ledik's mother had requested, and Korra lifted him delicately before setting him back on the ground. "Thank you!" Ledik beamed from ear to ear, Korra nodding with a smile of her own before the woman took her son by the hand and led him away.
Her escort was beginning to lose patience, though it seemed he was trying his best to appear nonchalant about at the entire affair; "Shall we proceed?" the man asked in clipped tones, Korra's eyes rolling behind his back. He led her into a nicely-decorated inn, its size much larger than it seemed from first glance on the outside; "Avatar Korra, since this is your first visit to the Northern Water Tribe, I have taken the liberty of arranging some events that will enable you to present yourself to the public and speak to them as their avatar. My assistant will drop off your schedule for the next few days later this evening; for now, I'm sure you'd like to rest from your long journey." Before Korra could comment at all, the man was gone from sight.
Amazingly enough, the innkeeper had had space for Naga, since housing the polar-bear dog inside the actual inn was out of the question; Korra hadn't fought the issue, but she felt terribly lonely with Naga so far away. The dead silence of the room might also have had something to do with it; groaning, Korra lifted her head from the pillow and looked around her room. It wasn't exactly lavishly decorated, but at least it had color, even if they were varying shades of blue. Maybe I can go explore... Korra wondered, lips quirking to one side as she stood up from the bed and began to pull her parka over her shirt.
If her days were to be so busy as the representative said, maybe she'd better get in her sight-seeing and wandering out of the way now. Deciding on her course of action, Korra moved to the window instead of the door, the avatar not wanting her White Lotus bodyguards to be alerted of her intentions of adventure. The window was directly above an overhanging, Korra inwardly smirking at how easily this venture was proving to be.
She was able to avoid any watching eyes, Naga's snout lifting as Korra slipped into the small den in which she was sleeping. "I don't know about you, girl, but I need some fresh air," Korra murmured quietly. Naga grunted lowly as Korra hoisted herself into the saddle, the heels of her feet tapping against Naga's sides as a tacit instruction to go. It would definitely be more difficult to stay out of sight now, but hopefully if Korra moved swiftly enough she wouldn't, or rather couldn't, be stopped.
The frozen tundra of the Northern Water Tribe reminded Korra of home; miles of white and grey stretched on in all directions, Korra arbitrarily choosing a direction and urging Naga that way. The sky was overcast, the wind mostly calm much to her delight; the cold, Korra could deal with: the wind was an entirely different story.
Numerous cliffs and crags littered the area, some sporting jagged rocks at the bottom before reaching the icy sea. Korra grimaced as she thought of how many poor souls had been lost in such a way, though she didn't give that line of thinking too much consideration.
It was much later when Korra finally decided she ought to return, though the sky had darkened considerably and light flecks of snow had begun to dot the landscape. "We better hurry," Korra muttered, the avatar urging Naga to full-gallop. The snow had begun to come down more heavily, Korra's arm lifted and serving to be obscure her view further and keep the snow from stinging her eyes.
The wind was whipping around her fiercely now, her parka doing little to shield her from the intense cold; blinking rapidly, Korra felt the need to internally berate herself for not turning back sooner, though dark spots in her vision began to take over. Falling forward, Korra collapsed against Naga's back, the dog whining as she noticed her master lose consciousness.
Groaning, Korra turned onto her side, her limbs and eyelids remarkably heavy; what had happened? Where was she? Finally forcing an eye open, Korra waited a moment for her eye to focus; she was inside, a fur blanket thrown over her and keeping her body heat from escaping. She could heard a crackling fire somewhere down by her feet, Korra finally flexing her fingers before pressing her hand to the cold ground and pushing herself into a reclined position.
Korra practically jumped when the tent flap opened and a man stepped through, his dark hair contrasting sharply with the light blue parka he sported; "Ah, you're awake." The man's features were mostly passive, Korra hardly able to nod without wincing. "You're lucky to be alive, foolish girl." Gone was the nonchalant demeanor, and suddenly a disparaging and irritated one took its place. "Who are you? Why did you come here?" His eyes were narrowed suspiciously, but before Korra could answer, a coughing fit began to take over.
Her eyes slid closed, the man's features instantly turning alarmed as he moved closer to her, his face only inches from her own as he tried to assess her condition. Still breathing, steady heartbeat. Must be exhaustion. He moved away after dropping her wrist, his eyes roving to the small cauldron held over the fire; after stirring it a few times, he spooned a few ladle-fulls into one of his few wooden bowls, steam rising from it enticingly. Quite the enigma. Just who are you that you've stumbled across me? I've had no contact with anyone for years.
Korra awoke the next day with a groan, her mouth opening with a wide yawn moments later; "Sleep well?" the man's bass voice rumbled, Korra jumping at the unexpected sound. Eyes opening, Korra's lips were poised to give him a piece of her mind, but her words died on her lips as she took in his appearance. She had been delirious the previous day, and hadn't had the opportunity to asses him properly.
"Fine," she finally murmured, her head turning from his probing gaze; who was this random, attractive stranger who saved her life? "Um, thanks for saving me," Korra then murmured, the man's head nodding once as though uncertain what to say.
"I am Noatak," he finally broke the awkward silence, Korra watching his movements curiously.
"I'm Korra," Korra began, her head tilting in Noatak's direction. "How long have I been here?" she then thought to ask, Amon's eyes lifting in thought.
"Four days. You've been in and out of consciousness; your polar-bear dog was wary. Nearly took off my hand when I first spotted you," he explained with a light chuckle, Korra's chuckles embarrassed. "It's impressive. I've known no one capable of taming a polar-bear dog," Noatak complimented, Korra thoroughly unable to keep the flush from her cheeks.
"Wait, did you say four days?" Korra then seemed to remember her 'schedule'; she hadn't been especially excited about it, but it was something of an avatar duty she needed to fulfill. "I can't believe it's been that long already," Korra then smacked her hand to her forehead, Noatak's eyes furrowing.
"I can lead you wherever you need to get to, Korra." The name was noticeably foreign on his tongue, though Korra didn't mind her name being said by someone with so...manly a voice.
"Thanks. I'd really appreciate it. I don't know how I'd repay you, though...," Korra's voice trailed off, Noatak's head shaking.
"I require nothing from you, Korra. Do not feel obligated to return the favor." His tone was firm, and Korra knew better than to argue the point.
"We can leave in the morning. The weather since the blizzard has been mild, and I don't expect another storm such as that one for quite some time," Noatak began to speculate, the end of his statement punctuated by a loud wail from Korra's stomach. His lips pulled into a small smile before he gestured towards the pot currently boiling over the fire. "Here. You must be starving after so long without food."
Korra was absolutely mortified when Noatak handed her the bowl of stew, though she wasn't about to complain about the food; she could still feel the heat radiating from her cheeks moments after she finished eating.
The evening was filled with a companionable silence, Korra generally studying Noatak's features in the dim light before he looked her way and she looked sharply away from his perceptive eyes. It was interesting to watch him; he always had some tool in hand, or a book if he tired of sharpening his hunting knives and spears. "Do you bend?" Korra finally broke the silence with a garbled question, Noatak's eyes lifting pointedly from his book with an almost accusatory gaze.
"Why do you ask, Korra?" Noatak's tone was suspicious, his hand casually dropping the book onto a small, wooden table at his side.
The reflective question took Korra off guard; "O-oh, well, because, I'm a bender," she finally replied, her hands busying themselves with raking through the loose strands of hair near her face.
His eyes were still narrowed at her answer, though he seemed less angry about it than he did a moment before; "Yes, I am," he finally murmured quietly, his hand grasping his previously-forgotten book and flipping open to the exact page he'd left off on moments ago.
The night was strained after that, but Korra tried not to let it bother her; that was incredibly difficult, considering whenever she tried to start a conversation, Noatak would give her one-word answers or not speak at all. She gave up after a while, Korra instead drifting off to sleep; Noatak's eyes wandering to Korra's slumbering form a short while after she last spoke, his smile slight but still present.
Korra was already dressed and outside with Naga when Noatak awoke, the man still a bit groggy as he exited his tent and approached her warily. "Where are you returning?" Noatak queried, Korra pausing in her grooming of Naga's fur.
"The capital," she replied after a moment, Noatak grimacing though it appeared Korra didn't notice. She was noticeably less animated than she had been, but Noatak supposed that was his doing; after all, he'd had many years of practice pushing people away and barricading himself from the world.
"Let's go, then." Noatak wanted to get this over with as quickly and painlessly as possible. As soon as Korra was in the city, safe and sound, he would be gone: vanish like a shadow in the darkness.
Noatak held Naga's reins, Korra's back pressed against his chest the entire way; she tried not to appear too aware of the lack of distance between them, and that wasn't too hard to pull off considering he didn't speak to her once the entire time. She was at first grateful for the silence, but soon found it annoyed her; was he mad at her or something?
When the walled city came into sight, Noatak stopped Naga before stepping down and handing Korra the reins. "You should be fine from here," he murmured, his eyes purposefully avoiding her own.
"You're not coming to the city?" Korra wondered aloud, Noatak's head shaking. "Why not?"
"That is none of your concern." His eyes narrowed into a glare as he attempted to intimidate her into silence, though the expression only served to challenge her.
"Is this about your bending? You've been weird ever since I mentioned it last night," Korra continued, Noatak's jaw clenching though he remained silent. "C'mon. Can't you tell me?" Korra tried to coax the information out of him, but the twitch in his jaw was indicative of his reluctance.
"Fine. I will go with you to the city, but I will not stay long." His acquiescence should have felt like a victory, but Korra felt more irritated that he hadn't answered her questions.
The city's guards at the gate recognize Korra straightaway; "Avatar! Thanks the spirits you're alive!"
Avatar? Noatak's eyes widened as he looked over at Korra who was currently hopping off of Naga with an unashamed smile.
"I'm fine. I wouldn't have made it without Noatak's help, though," Korra then pointed to Noatak over her shoulder, the guards both frowning before outright glaring in his direction.
"What are you doing here, exile?" one of the guards hissed, Korra's eyebrow lifting.
"Didn't you hear me? He saved me!" Korra gestured to the man again in a more ostentatious manner, the guards looking back to Korra with grave expressions.
"This man, Noatak, is a criminal, Avatar Korra. He's been accused of and charged with blood-bending, a most heinous crime among our people." Korra's eyes widened as she turned to Noatak, the man currently striding away from the accusing glares and pointing fingers.
"Wait a sec!" Korra called out to him, Noatak pausing though not turning to face her. "I don't care what he's done! He saved me from the blizzard and I'm bringing him with me into the city, whether you like it or not!" Korra finished her diatribe with a harsh look, both guards too intimidated to protest.
"You needn't bother yourself, avatar," Noatak's voice suddenly possessed a hard quality, Korra starting with a confused look. "I don't need pity from anyone, least of all you," Noatak then turned around with a livid gaze, Korra ignoring the anger and stepping towards him until she was a few inches away.
"Just because I'm the avatar doesn't mean I'm pitying you all of a sudden. You saved my life, and I'm trying to show my gratitude. You don't have to get all pissed off about it," Korra argued, Noatak groaning in frustration.
"You are the most persistent, infuriating woman I've ever met," Noatak seethed, Korra's head tilting curiously.
"Met a lot of women out in the middle of nowhere, have you?" Korra's lips were set in a wide smirk and her arms crossed over her chest. Not dignifying the question with an answer, Noatak instead cupped Korra's face with both hands before bringing it forward into a kiss; the touch was soft, pleasant, and ended far too quickly for Korra's liking. "So you'll stay, right?" Korra breathed against his cheek, Noatak chuckling at the impertinent question.
"Perhaps, if I can be given a proper reason...," Noatak's statement trailed off as Korra smiled, her hand tracing his cheekbones before pulling him closer for another kiss. Insistent, passionate, and heated, Korra deferred to Noatak's lead as his tongue traced her lips.
The guards stared, flabbergasted; this avatar certainly wasn't what they were expecting. They parted again moments later, Korra's lips bright red; "Good enough?" Korra then asked, Noatak's laughter genuine and something Korra hadn't heard before.
"Not quite, but I'm willing to stay and work through your inexperience."