"Where…where am I?" Korra stirred; her hands disappearing into snow white sand. Korra was soaked through and through. The Avatar held her stomach as she brought up salt water.

"Trying too much at once." She heard a voice. It was soft and calming. Korra looked around trying to find the source, but her vision was cloudy. She couldn't tell if the voice was male or female, but it was close.

"Who's there?" she was on her hands and knees searching blindly in front of her.

"Lie still. The Sages are on their way."

Korra's vision began to focus and she was able to see the face of the person trying to calm her. The person was young with calm, but hardened features and charcoal grey hair that was cut short. The person gave her a warming smile before Korra began to lose consciousness. Before her eyes closed again she saw what she believed to be a massive tattoo covering the person's upper torso.

"She just washed up on shore?"

"Correct. She has no idea who she is."

"Get her into the waters, quickly!"

"Will she be ok?"

"We can only hope."

"Avatar Korra we are so thankful that you are ok," the Fire Sage bowed.

"Thank you again for everything you've done."

"I know you're in a rush to get back, but we ask that you stay only a little while longer. You were not well and we don't want you to succumb to anything because you're not at your fullest."

"I will rest a little more."

"Anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask."

"Who was the person that found me? They were out by the water when I came to. I would like to thank them."

The Fire Sage smiled gently and motioned to a path behind Korra leading back to the ocean, "They are at the end of this path. It is meditation hour for them."

"Who is "them"?"

"They will be able to answer your questions. Follow the path Avatar Korra."

Avatar Korra wandered down the path. The sun occasionally broke through the canopy. The path went from hardened dirt to soft sand and soon Korra heard the sound of waves crashing against the shore.

Korra came to the end of the path and there seated on a rocky outcropping was the person she had seen when she came to on the beach just 2 days prior. Korra went to take a step towards the person when she stopped in her tracks. The large tattoo she believed to have seen was in fact a massive burn that had scarred over.

"I'm glad you're ok Avatar Korra." said the person on the rock. They didn't turn to her.

Korra was still frozen. Korra wasn't even sure if this person was male or female. The scar completely covered their chest. Slumbering next to this person was what looked like a small fire lizard. The lizard perked up and turned its head to Korra.

The person stood and stretched before turning around to face Korra. There was the same gentle features she had remembered. This person whoever they were had seen battle. They were scarred, but they didn't seem hardened by it. They were lean and muscular like that of a swimmer. They had small black circular earrings, one in each ear.

An elaborate dragon tattoo covered their entire right arm with the dragon's mouth looking like it was swallowing their shoulder.

"I'm Hayden."

"Thank you for watching over me the other day before the Fire Sages came."

"Of course. I went down for a swim and came upon you. You were in bad shape. Where were you intending to go?"

"To see Fire Lord Zuko to ask for help in taking back the Southern Water Tribe. I was attacked by a dark spirit."

"They have been more frequent around here. Very troubling."

"Are you a Fire Sage?"

"No. Just a resident of the island."

Korra knew from the tone in Hayden's voice not to press any further.

The fire lizard ran from the rock and climbed up onto Hayden's shoulder and flicked its tongue out at her.

"Be nice, Kasai." Hayden scratched under the lizard's chin, "He's just tasting you."

"Where are you headed to after you're done here?" Hayden asked.

"To meet with AirMaster Tenzin."

Hayden nodded. Korra's gaze kept running over the massive scar on Hayden's chest.

The two stood in awkward silence for a moment before Hayden spoke up, "I would like for you to join me tonight. I've been teaching myself to cook and need an unbiased opinion of how I'm doing."

Korra smiled, "I would like that."

"Hayden and Korra are having dinner tonight."

"Good. Maybe Hayden will take this as opportunity to leave this island. The rest of the world is calling. Hayden can help tremendously."

"Do you think Hayden is ready to leave?"

"They have been trying to leave for years, but I think the right time has finally come."

"What about…"

"Hayden has learned to control it. There hasn't been an incident in years."

Hayden was barefoot wearing knee length black pants, and a dark red tank top. Korra wore the same clothes she had washed ashore in.

Korra found Hayden roasting a boar over a fire pit with Kasai perched atop their shoulder. A small one bedroom cabin stood nearby. It was close to the water. Korra could hear the waves against the shore.

"I hope that you're hungry."

"That smells amazing."

"Not only are the Fire Sages close with the spirits, but they're also pretty good cooks." Hayden turned to the Avatar and gave a smile small.

Hayden had set up a small table for them outside. The location of the island meant constant warm weather with cool evenings. The two sat down for dinner with Kasai feasting on his own small portion of boar nearby.

There was a few minutes of silence between the two. Korra felt tension. Like there was a demand for one of them to speak, but when she looked to Hayden they seemed to be quite content to just have company.

Korra coughed, "So how long have you lived on the island with the Fire Sages?"

"As long as I can remember," Hayden replied looking up and setting down their fork. The earliest memory I can recall is waking up in the waters of the island in excruciating pain. And then the Sages were there. They saved my life."

"That's awful," Korra looked down.

"The only thing I had to my name was the egg that Kasai would eventually hatch from."

"How did you get your scar? Korra stuttered, "I'm sorry! You don't have to answer. It just seems so extensive."

"I honestly don't remember," Hayden's unconsciously felt the scar beneath their shirt, "I've asked the Fire Sages countless times to tell me more about when I arrived, but they said I'm not ready."

It was dark and early morning when Korra said goodbye to the Fire Sages and climbed atop her flying bison. The Avatar had not been more than a few feet off the ground when she felt something land on the bison behind.

Korra was on her feet and sent a wave of fire at whatever landed on the bison, but in a gentle wave of Hayden's arm the fire dissipated and Hayden sat down with Kasai on their shoulders.

"What are you doing, Hayden?"

Hayden gave that same smirk from the night before, "I always wanted to travel."

"I'm on my way to war, Hayden."

"I've always wanted to go to war," Hayden said in the same tone as if traveling and war were on the same level of excitement.