After her talk with her father and her brother, Katara apologized to Aang for her rudeness earlier that day. She didn't want to get off on a bad start with the Avatar and Aang really was a nice kid. He was the only other kid around her age she had met besides her brother. Plus, it would be nice to have someone to talk to that wasn't related to her. And of course, he accepted her apology with a smile.
After they watched the lights and participated in the long awaited feast (which was really wasn't that much better than usual), they returned to their hut. Hakoda and Kanna had gone to bed and Katara, Sokka and Aang set their sleeping bags around the fire.
Just when Katara settled into her sleeping bag, her brother began to talk. "So," He began, drawing out the 'o' sound. "You're the Avatar." He finished, stretching out on his side.
Katara rolled her eyes. Sokka never really mastered the art of being subtle.
Aang gave them a half smile as he settled into his sleeping bag. "So your dad told you everything?"
"More or less." Katara answered. "It's amazing actually. You're like a miracle." And it was true. The likelihood of the Avatar being alive after all these years, had been miniscule.
He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "So does that mean you're coming to Omashu with me?" he asked.
"Is that where we're going?" Katara questioned, rolling onto her belly and peering at him over her pillow.
"Yeah. King Bumi built the training quarters himself!" He replied, as if that should mean something to them. Sokka and Katara stared at him blankly, before he added, "You know, I used to know Bumi when he was my age. We used to be friends one hundred years ago."
"That is so weird. And impossible." Sokka said dismissively. Before Aang could defend himself, Sokka's attention quickly shifted. "Hey can we see your tattoos?"
Aang smiled and lifted his headband from his head to reveal the end of a blue arrow peaking from under his hair. He removed his gloves as well to show his hands. "They're all over my arms and legs as well. That's why I'm going to have to where long sleeves and gloves all the time."
"Sweet." was Sokka's only reply.
Katara smiled. "So, tell us about yourself, Aang." She asked.
She spent the rest of the night getting to know the Avatar. He was a boisterous guy, who sounded like he loved to have fun. He seemed joyful and carefree. Katara envied his ability to seem like he didn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders. But it also bothered her. He was the Avatar, and he did have the weight of the world on his shoulders, almost completely. And he wasn't showing it.
The second day was spent having fun. There were various shenanigans with snowballs and snow forts. Hakoda thoroughly beat them the first round of snowball fighting, but the kids came back with vengeance when it came to fort building. Water bending gave her and Aang an advantage.
The third day was spent simply being with each other. As the men reluctantly packed their things, Katara and Sokka did as well. It was a strange feeling, because they had never left home before. It was also a reminder that they were going to leave everything they knew behind. But as Katara packed her winter parka and two other sets of clothing, she thought she was ready. She wanted this. There was a hunger within her that she had never felt before. It made her all the more eager to indulge it.
When the morning of the fourth day occurred, everyone was at the shoreline, reluctantly saying goodbye. Thankfully, Katara didn't have to say goodbye to her dad this time.
She and Sokka gave their grandmother a hug. Leaving her would be Katara's only regret. She had always been there to talk to when she was feeling low and had been a main parental figure in her life. "We'll miss you Gran." She said releasing her grandmother.
"Your mother would be so proud of you." Kanna told them proudly.
Katara had to hold back her tears. She wasn't a kid anymore and it was time to be strong. She knew that she was meant to be leaving. She had always hoped for something bigger in life besides hunting in the South Pole. There was no way she would exchange this chance for anything short of getting her mother back.
Katara adjusted her bag on her shoulder and smiled as she waved to Kanna. She glanced at Sokka to see him proudly wearing his boomerang across his back and knife on his belt. This meant a lot to him to finally be doing something in this war.
After everyone had said their goodbyes, they boarded the ships. The siblings went on the same one as Hakoda. They didn't go to their rooms and stayed on the deck, waving until their icy home slowly disappeared. The sense of finality set in and Katara took a deep breath and turned her sights to the front of the ship where the sea lay before her. They were leaving at last.
They were all given cots below deck. It wasn't very spacious but this wasn't a luxury ship. You either worked or slept. All you really needed was a bed. The ship was set out so there was the deck, and then below deck. Below deck there were two main areas divided by a curtain of animal pelts. The smaller area consisted of a long table with chairs nailed into the wood so they couldn't move while the boat did. The other area was where the sleeping quarters were. And from the looks of it, everyone slept in the same large room.
Katara walked to the end of the room and set her bag on the bed. Across the room, Aang was talking to Sokka about riding elephant-koi. He was always talking about his little adventures, and half of them were pretty out there.
Just as she was about to join them, she heard her dad climbing down the stairs.
"There's something I have to talk to you guys about." Her dad said in a serious tone. The three stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to the chief.
"No one knows but you that Aang's the Avatar and we need to keep it this way so do not tell anyone, even the people you will be training with. They will think they are going to a school to train for war." He said. "The Fire Nation should be kept in the dark for as long as possible and they are very resourceful in finding information. You can only trust us, and the people training you."
Katara recognized the gravity in his tone and understood that it was imperative to keep Aang's secret. "Of course Dad, you can count on us." She replied.
"We won't hit our first stop until tomorrow so I'll be out on the deck keeping the sailors in check." He said, turning to go.
"Our first stop?" Katara questioned. She had just thought they were going straight to Omashu.
Hakoda smiled. "Yes, we're going to be picking up the rest of the kids planning to train." He said. "That's why I reminded you that this all needs to remain a secret." He finished, before walking up the stairs.
Sokka took out his boomerang and pretended to throw it. "We're like, going undercover on a super secret mission." Sokka said grinning. "Just think Katara, three days ago we were just two water tribe people and now we are personal helpers to the Avatar."
Aang relaxed on his bed and threw his hands behind his head. "That's right. And as my personal helper you may go get me a snack." He said smugly. "Preferably leachy nuts."
"Did I say helpers? I meant mentors. We dictate what you do little adopted cousin." Sokka said sheathing his weapon. Aang was to become their cousin under the guise of a water bender. His other bending lessons would be taken privately so his identity would be hidden.
The three laughed and the rest of the day was spent within the companionship of each other. It was the last day before the new people started showing up and the last day where Aang could be his Avatar self freely. Tomorrow he would have to put on the gloves and headband once again.
Authors Note: I know it's been a while, just for this little chapter but I've been busy with school this year. I think this one will be my hardest year. But I promise I would finish and will get there. So here is a little something and hopefully it won't take as long for the chapter to be up. Thank for those of you who have stuck with this story. And I promise, it will be worth it in the end, whenever that may be
Elive: Thank you so much for following this story! It'll get more interesting as time progresses. I hope you stick with it!
Midnight4568: Thanks! Also, I want to thank you for reading and commenting on my other stories as well. Hopefully this one won't disappoint.
Junoa: Thanks for the critique! I went back, and I hope I smoothed it out a bit. Thanks for letting me know, and feel free to tell me about other things like that as well. I don't have a beta, so some things do slip my notice. I hope you continue reading!