With the snow in hair and the frost on her scarf she walked.
Only a few paces in front of him.
But it was enough distance for him to marvel at her graceful strides and fluid motions. Her lips parted slightly, allowing for a soft mist to spill into the air. She turned to look at him, her hair fanning out as the wind fluttered through it.
Flecks of white on silky black.
She closed her eyes briefly the snow hung like diamonds on her lashes.
She practically belonged there, in the sparkling winter, trending through ankle deep fluff. If he didn't know her he'd say that she was born from snow and ice.
But when she spoke to him, the illusion fell. "Sokka it's freezing out here. Show me the penguins and so we can get back inside." She nudged the snow with her boot.
"We're almost there." Sokka replied. "They live in this cave, it's pretty neat. You'll like it."
"Will I like it as much as the warmth of indoors?"
Sokka climbed over a particularly large rock and extended his hand to help Azula over it. But the princess had already made her way over it. After stumbling over a few more small boulders and mounds of snow, the pair stood in the mouth of a cave.
Azula gazed into its gaping expanse. Icy stalactites cascaded down from the ceiling, glittering silver and shades of pastel blue. From a hole in the cave ceiling droplets of water drizzled occasionally to the floor where they formed a glassy pool of pure ice that reflected the stars above.
"So?" Azula raised an eyebrow. "Where are these penguins? All I see is more snow."
"They'll be here any minute now." Sokka insisted.
"Right." Azula muttered, tapping her fingers on the cave wall.
"No really, they all kind of just waddle through the entrance and swarm you." Sokka declared.
"I'm so excited." Azula replied with as little enthusiasm as she could. She slowly paced around the cave.
"Come look at this." Sokka beckoned Azula over.
The princess silently slinked over.
He pointed at the pool of ice. Beneath it little fish darted back and forth.
"How charming." Azula yawned.
Signaled by the sound of many tapping feet, Sokka turned Azula's attention to the mouth of the cave. The penguins filed one by one through the cave's mouth until each one was huddled inside. "Now watch this." Sokka grinned. He grabbed Azula by the wrist and tugged her into the center of the penguin swarm. "You ever get hugged by a penguin before?"
"I'm allergic to hugs."
"Even mine?"
"Especially yours."
Ignoring any further protests, Sokka held one of the littlest penguins out to Azula. It flapped its wings in her direction. "Go on, hold him."
Azula reluctantly took the penguin from Sokka, allowing it to nestle in her parka. The other penguins too this as permission to close in. Each snuggling closer to Azula and Sokka, in turn pushing the duo closer to one another.
"You warm yet?" Sokka asked.
"Not warm enough." Azula replied.
"How about now?" Sokka asked as he placed another penguin in her arms.
She stroked the animal's head with a lazy sort of interest. The other penguin weaseled his way in front of the first, eager to take his turn. She only ran her hand over its head twice before another wormed its way to her. And after that penguin, came another and one more.
"Sokka, there are too many of them." Azula frowned. "I can't hold five penguins."
"You can over throw the Earth Kingdom but you can't take on five penguins?" Sokka laughed.
"I hate you." Azula grumbled as another three penguins waddled up to her.
"We both know that, that's not true." Sokka replied, taking a seat next to her. "We both also know that you like these penguins too."
"Yes, well I still hate the cold. Can we go inside yet?"
"If you can get us through the penguin blockade." Sokka shrugged.
Azula looked up to find a line of penguins blocking the cave's entrance. A line of penguins that looked like they had no intention of leaving.
"There are at least twelve penguins over there, Sokka. That's more than five penguins." Azula pointed out.
Sokka shrugged. "Looks like we're going to be here a while then."