Sokka was impressed with the training. The masters set up sparring partners and let everyone go. They would pull up two at a time to the center of the courtyard and they would fight. One in particular caught his eye. She had long legs, and she wore her brown hair in a tight braid like Katara used to. She held a curved whalebone in her hand, with fine steel. It seemed to be a part of her arms as she swung. She was also the only one without a partner. She seemed to be fighting someone no one could see. Sokka walked up to her. "Want to spar? You don't seem to have a partner." She stood up straight and nodded. "Sure, I've beat everyone else." Sokka pulled his swords out and tested them against the edge of his thumb. "Even the masters?" She laughed. "Yeah, sounds about right." She courtesley bowed to him and settled into a stance. They fought smoothly , each blocking and defending in turn. But she stopped when someone called for her. "Karuko! I cut my knee!" She dropped her knife into her belt and ran to the little girl. "What happened?" The little girl sniffled. "I was trying to make an ice spike like the masters do, but I lost control of it and it dropped on my knee." Karuko hugged the little girl. "Oh Rachu. I'm afraid your ideas and dreams are bigger then you. Ice spikes are very dangerous. I know they look like fun. But don't try it unless you have a master teaching you." She bandaged her knee and let her run off. "You're the doctor?" Sokka teased. "Naw but even the warriors need affection." They hung out together for the rest of the week, each telling each other about their warrior training and eventually the rest of their lives.
That night was supposed to be the last night they stayed there, but Sokka didn't want it to end. As he was packing that night she came in. "You want to go for a run?" he agreed and they ran along the ice floes. "I don't mean to be rude but how old are you? You look like you should be married by now." She looked down at her feet and slowed to a walk. "I'm the only woman warrior here. I've spent my whole life fighting stay alive. My parents died when I was ten. I've been doing my own hunting and housecare since then. Master Pakku let me train when the men left. When they came back I wasn't a little girl, and the boys I used to be friends with turned into men. They treated me like a freak. The little children are all I have." Sokka looked at her. "You have me." She turned and smiled through a few tears. "I know."
Sokka was loading the ships again when Karuko came. "I want you to have this." She held out her secondary blade, a fine piece of workmanship. Carved into the hilt was his name. "Thank you. I haven't had one of these since my father's blade exploded in a fire." She hugged him tightly. 'Please come back someday my friend." She ran away after that and the fleet left. He turned around to see if she was there and saw her high above him on the wall. She waved just before he dropped out of sight beyond the horizon.