Disclaimer: I own the characters but not the universe. XD
The sun rose slowly giving the land a soft orange haze. Many would be asleep at this hour but not Kyohei. Usually he would not be up for another half hour when he was supposed to be doing his chores. However, Kyohei was not like his family. He was an earth-bender, although his parents were ignorant to this knowledge. He secretly practiced in the old quarry. It had been abandoned thanks to a great land slide three years ago and the villagers were forbidden from entering it. Why was he keeping his abilities a secret? Kyohei had struggled with the decision to tell his family but bending can sometimes be seen as negative. In fact, the benders in his village were believed to be the culprits behind the landslide. Ever since then no benders have lived in his village from fear of banishment and persecution. Kyohei was ready to leave this place as well and go find himself a real teacher to help him with his abilities but for now, he would improvise.
He focused on the boulder before him and put out his hands. He moved his stance and stomped the ground lifting the rock. As he thrust his hands out the rock flew backwards into another pile and obliterated it into a thousand pieces. Kyohei let out a deep breath when he heard the voice of his mother.
"Kyohei! Where are you?"
"Coming, mother!" He scrambled up the quarry and began running to his house which was not far from the quarry.
"What were you doing over there?" She asked as he came around the corner.
"Nothing, I thought I saw something."
"Come and help your father with the fencing, the cowpigs got out last night. Your brothers are out getting them now."
"Yes, mother." He kissed her cheek and hurried to help his father who was already nailing the fence together. "Hey, dad." Kyohei kneeled down next to him and helped support the fence.
"Ah Kyohei, what have you been up to already so bright and early?"
"The sun has barely been up, what could I have already done?" Kyohei joked.
"We are talking about you, son." He ruffled his son's hair but then stopped and stared at his son's neck in puzzlement.
"What's wrong?" Kyohei looked confused. "Dad?" His father shook his head out of the bewilderment.
"What's on your neck?"
"My neck?" Kyohei rubbed his neck but felt nothing. They walked over to the pond so Kyohei could see his reflection and on his neck was a strange symbol. He tried to rub it off but nothing would do.
"When did that get there?" His father asked him but Kyohei shrugged.
"I don't know." Kyohei went back into the house where his two younger twin sisters were running around giggling and laughing. Kyohei hurried to a mirror and looked at the symbol. It looked like a lotus flower.
"Niinii!" His sisters called as they ran in and attached themselves to his legs.
"Kozue, Kiko! What are you doing?" He laughed and tried to walk with his new sibling growths.
"Niinii! Come play with us!" Kozue giggled.
"Please! Please! Please!" Kiko begged.
"I'm sorry girls, but I have to do my chores. I'll play with you later, ok?" He managed to detach himself from his sisters and went outside. His brothers were just coming back with the herd of cowpigs and he went to assist them back into the pin.
"Something must have spooked them last night. Did you see the damage they did to the fence?" Kyohei's older brother Shohei nodded towards the fence where his dad was still working. Kyohei hadn't really looked at how widespread the damage was. There were posts standing but almost all the boards in-between had been knocked down.
"I don't think I've ever seen them act like this." Junpei, Kyohei's other brother, said as he looked at all the cowpigs who still seemed shaken from whatever it was last night. One of the cowpigs let out a squeal and charged at Kyohei knocking him over.
"You ok?" His brothers helped him up.
"Yeah, I'm fine. What is wrong with them?" Kyohei looked over the cowpigs who were all squealing but not moving. Suddenly other animals on the farm started screeching and howling and making all kinds of noises. The three brothers looked around in confusion when their sisters and mother came running out of the house. Kozue had a small scratch on her arm.
"What happened?" Shohei picked up Kozue.
"Tama bit me." She sobbed in his shoulder. Junpei picked up Kiko and their father hurried over to them.
"What's going on?" His mother asked.
"I don't know. Usually I'd say it was a tigerwolf but with all of the animals like this…" Their father trailed off. Suddenly everything went silent. Nothing moved. Nothing breathed. The family looked around in confusion. It seemed like the animals had just stopped living and became statues.
Then they attacked. The animals stampeded towards the family. Kyohei's sisters and mother shrieked and hid in his brothers' and father's arms. Kyohei had no choice but to protect his family. He quickly moved in front of them and stood his ground. His mother screamed at him to come back but he didn't listen. Kyohei thrust his hands down to the ground and then swung them upwards creating a solid rock shelter for his family. He continued to bend the earth around him to stop the animals from advancing any further all the while knowing that his greatest secret had been exposed.
When he had finally stopped the animals, he let his family out. They stood in shock and fear at Kyohei. No words were spoken. Only silence.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed that. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Btws, Tama is a very generic name for a cat here in Japan and that's what bit little Kozue.