Note: Another little short piece that I wrote. This one was for Amorra Week Springtime. So it's probably not a fully fleshed out story, but I love it anyway.
Korra tried to see past the snow and wind blowing her way but exhaustion hit her. Even though she was covered from head to toe, the wind whipped at her face, and now her cheeks were red and raw. She probably had frostbite judging from how numb her legs were and the way they burned up periodically like her body was in fever. Eight or so miles back, if Naga could make it, there was a cave, but Naga was just as tired as she was. She walked further in hopes that there would be similar caves to get them out of the blizzard. There was only white though, and Korra was snow blind at this point. So much for a spiritual journey. She was probably going to be dead in the next few hours if she didn't get shelter or freeze herself and Naga like Aang. Maybe she'd be discovered in less time.
Naga barked loudly. The sound was so distinct and rang in Korra's ears. Everything looked the same in this land, so Korra didn't know what Naga was barking at. Just white, white, and more white- and a streak of gray. Gray? Korra peered and held onto Naga's reigns.
"Is that smoke?" she said.
Naga started to run, but the coldness was already starting to grip Korra. She tried to open her eyes, but blackness pulled her back in sleep.
She opened her eyes. Just white. Was she snow blind again? Or was she dead? Some earthbender baby was being reincarnated with her soul- how was she going to tell them she had no good advice for them because she was dumb enough to go into a blizzard chasing after enlightenment so she could give them advice some day? The Spirits played tricks.
"Wake up. You're not dead," a voice said.
Korra's eyes adjusted to the brightness of the small home as she sat up. Wait, why was she naked? Korra wrapped a blanket around her and looked at the person in front of her. He was shirtless and walking around in pants that hung low. His back was facing her, covered in scars and hard muscle. He had those dimples right at the base of his back and above his ass- the sort that made Korra blush. He grabbed a sweater and pulled it over his head. He looked like he was growing out his hair- slightly longish. He stared out of the window waiting for Korra to pick up on the clue that she should dress.
"Your clothes are soaked. You'll have to do with mine," he said.
Korra looked to her side and put on the knit shirt so obviously not cut for a woman's body. She looked at the floor again- a pair of pants but no bindings.
"Um… Is there any bindings for me?" Korra said.
"No. I don't have bindings. I don't wear them, and I don't own them," he said.
Korra grimaced and pulled the pants on. She pulled the ties tightly on the waistband. Fabric pooled at her legs a bit. The pants had a longer inseam and were just plain long. She sighed. At least her ass sort of fit these pants.
"Hey, why did you take my clothes off? You didn't… um…" Korra said.
"You would have died if I didn't. You needed my body heat which doesn't work if you're in wet clothes," he said.
He turned around to face Korra. Amon… no Noatak. That's his real name, she thought. She must have been dead if he was here, it had been about five years since Amon and Tarrlok were declared as being dead. No matter what he said. Scars touched the rest of his body- they didn't look horrible, but they shocked Korra with how they seemed look like they should have always been there. Korra stared at him before he cleared his throat.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to stare. It's just that… Are you sure I'm not dead? You're here," Korra said.
The sweater started to slip off of her shoulder. She pushed it up and looked at Noatak who was going to the small stove in this one room cabin.
"If I were dead, I certainly would have left you where you were because there wouldn't have been a reason for me to bring you here," Noatak said.
"Well, I haven't been to the spirit realm. So I wouldn't know if I were alive or not," Korra said.
Noatak looked at the kettle and back at Korra who still sat on his bed with her messy hair.
"Why were you out there? I know you're brash, but I didn't take you for being stupid," Noatak said.
"Hey! I'm not stupid," Korra said.
"Then someone didn't teach you how to spot a very obvious blizzard," he said.
"I spotted it! I just… I just… I don't have to talk to you. You are dead and a figment of my clearly delusional mind!" Korra said.
Korra collapsed onto the bed and closed her eyes tightly. Her face felt wet all of a sudden. She opened her eyes and saw Naga pawing at her.
"She dragged you here," Noatak said.
Noatak sat on the other side of the bed and handed Korra a cup of tea. He drank from his own cup of tea and looked at the window. She felt bad that she wasn't being a better guest and didn't just tell him why she was out in a blizzard. He saved her after all. Maybe he wasn't a bad person.
"I went out because I'm on a spiritual journey to… be a better Avatar. And you're right. I was stupid to just go out into a blizzard, but I thought I would be able to bend the snow or something," Korra said.
"No amount of bending prowess can help you in a blizzard. You are at the mercy of the elements," Noatak said.
"You would know that," Korra said.
Noatak snorted and drank his tea.
"So do you believe you're not dead now?" he said.
"I guess… it still doesn't explain you," she said.
"Sometimes you're reborn."
"So who are you now?"
"Just a man."
