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Sokka had frowned at the smaller Earth Kingdom woman who'd assigned him his tasks and the moment he'd tried to usurp her authority at the helm, he'd backed up three steps at her severe expression. He was reminded of Sato's intense expression for a moment. He sighed when he realized he was on a ship filled with very dangerous women.
Katara caught her brothers sigh, she slipped an arm around his waist and smiled, "I'm missing Appa right now."
Sokka chuckled and rested his arm across his sisters shoulders, "So am I, I at least got to stear occasionally on Appa."
Katara rolled her eyes, "Poor Water Tribe male, surrounded by all this beauty and power what is to be done."
Sokka frowned, "At least I can fish."
Iris yanked on her line and landed one of the largest warm water tarpi that Sokka had ever seen.
His head dropped, "I'm doomed."
"Probably," Katara laughed as she danced away from her brother. Taking a deep breath she pushed and pulled, using her practice bending to move the ship faster through the water than they had been traveling.
"Very funny Katara," Sokka growled.
Nine days later they reached Renna's Island home. She flew from the ship even as Hali and Yaza tied the ship to the dock. She moved like a wind through her village as she sought her parents and her sisters. She burst into the families home to find her younger sisters within. "Nisa, Eisa!" She laughed as she opened her arms to the younger girls.
The girls ran forward then stopped suddenly and pulled back, "Go Renna!" they yelled as they retreated, "Go fast to the ocean, don't let them catch you!"
Renna stopped, "What is going on?"
"The village is lost, the sickness has come everyone who hasn't been touched is being rounded up by the Earth Kingdom, they are protected, go!" Nisa yelled at her elder sister.
Renna dropped to her knees, "Who was taken?"
"None of us, we are the last to fall ill," Eisa wept.
"the others, they are dead?" Renna asked as she lost all strength.
Nisa nodded her head, "We thought we were safe, it had been nine days," her voice cracked. She pointed to the tearing flesh on her wrist, "You must leave, please."
Renna moved suddenly and wrapped her younger sisters in her arms as she pulled her own strength from her heart and held her sisters, "I will not fall to this," she said softly. "Come." She held both their hands as she pulled them from the house and toward the center of town.
Renna's teary eyes found the tall shape of Iris as she poured the contents of the skein into the well. "It is too late," she sighed.
Iris heard Renna's voice and glanced at the younger versions of the woman who were being pulled by their older sister.
"My sisters Eisa," she pulled the woman on her left forward and "Nisa," the woman on her right moved forward. "They've been touched by the illness."
Iris nodded and touched the lip of the skein with her finger, "Open your mouths."
Eisa surprised did so and was surprised when the tall pale woman brushed her lips with moisture. Her tongue darted out and tasted the coppery liquid.
Iris ignored the girls question and repeated the action to the other girl as well. Then she drew water from the well and offered them each a drink, "You must drink."
Obiedient the girls received the water with thanks.
"Is there a healers house in your village?" Iris asked softly.
Renna nodded as she pointed to a green building with two levels and spired roof, "there, we will meet you back on the ship we must not delay. There is danger to stay."
Iris accepted the warning and moved quickly over the earth toward the healers house.
Three hours later the Southern Water Tribe ship left the island and was out to sea before any of the formerly ill villagers opened their eyes to find themselves healed. With in a day every villager that had been touched by the burning death had returned to their home and returned to their daily activities.
When the Earth Kingdom soldiers returned to the village to burn it to the ground, they found a healthy people. Apparently untouched by the disease, after messages were sent to their superiors other untouched people were moved to the island village in hopes of keeping them healthy and a permanent garrison of soldiers was established on the island.
By the time they reached the icy waters of the North Pole, Iris knew she was pregnant. It had been three moons since she'd lain with Hakoda, they couldn't delay if she wished to give birth to her child in the Southern Water Tribe.
Their ship was met by a solid ice wall and six water benders that refused to listen to their message. An earth kingdom ship had arrived for trade two weeks ago, bringing the disease to their secluded walls.
Iris shot her messages over the walls, littering the icy avenues with parchment delivered by arrows saying they could help. After the third day there were only four water bending guards on the walls.
"Katara, Sokka," Iris said with a sigh, "We need with in those walls, I can cut the ice but I can not move the water or the guards."
Katara nodded as did the Kyoshi Warriors and Sokka.
Iris focused all of her attention on the ice wall, she raised her hands up over her head and in a hard down ward motion cut through the ice wall.
Katara moved the ship into the filling area and raised the water level high enough for the Warriors to launch themselves onto one of the ice walls and remove the threat of the guards.
"They've all been touched!" Suki cried from her perch above a bender.
"Katara, I need to get up there," Iris said softly to her daughter.
Katara used her bending to freeze water under Iris' feet and move her to the wall. Then she focused on raising the ice wall behind her and slowly moving the ship up to the level of the port. After almost an hour she collapsed as Hali and Yaza tied the ship to the ice. She smiled at the cup of tea that Eisa handed her, "Thank you. Would you bring up one of the barrels, Mother will need it."
Sokka, Suki, Mati and Isi moved quickly through the village, marking each of the residences that held people who were still alive. Allowing Iris to focus on joining a drop of her blood with each of the victims. By the time she reached the healers huts she was exhausted, most could be saved. The warriors were attending to those who couldn't be. As she looked over the hundred dying people, the tears finally came. She once more cut her arm open and delivered blood strait from her veins to their mouths and the worst of the sores.
Katara watched in horror as her new mother bled from large gashes in both arms, trails of blood marking the ice floor of the healers hut as she worked her way row by row, her arms out stretched so that as she walked between the ill the blood flowed over them. When the tall woman stumbled, Katara raced to her side.
"Mother Iris, you must stop this you may not recover from this much blood loss," Katara pleaded with the woman.
Iris pulled herself forward even as Katara spoke, there was one more row, then she could rest.
Katara seeing her intent supported the collapsing woman and once the last person was touched by her blood, Iris collapsed. Katara pulled water from the ice and formed her healing gloves, watching her mother intently as one hand rested over each of the bloody wounds. The wounds were deep and healing took longer than Katara expected. She was joined by Isi and Suki as the skin finally closed. "We must move her to a place she can rest."
Isi nodded and carried the woman over her shoulders, "Sokka found us a place to rest," she said simply as she moved carefully over the ice.
As the North Pole recovered, the Kyoshi warriors, the Southern Water Tribe Siblings and their ships crew scavenged warmer cloths from all the residences that had been cleared of their dead. Each of the dead were wrapped and sewn into their shrouds. Sokka remembered the Northern Tribes place of honor and each body was moved and returned to Tui and La before the first person recovered.
Sokka waited in the Northern Tribes meeting chamber as the people began to awaken from their healing rest. He sat in the Chief's position as he banged the meeting drum, calling all those who could attend to the meeting hall. After the first people filed into the meeting hall, it took an additional seven hours for the rest of the village to make their way.
Katara had placed herself in the kitchen's directing the warriors and the sailors to her will to feed themselves and anyone who came to the hall.
Sokka recognized many faces as he was addressed, "Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe, why do you sit in the place of our Chief?"
Sokka stared at the man, "Chief Arnook was taken by the burning flesh, his body was returned to Tui as it the way of the Water Tribe. Your people were saved by a daughter of the Southern Tribe, as it is our way to give what we are able to those in need." He stood, "We ask only that our ship be re-supplied so that we may continue on our healing journey."
Three men stepped forward, members of the council that survived because of Iris' treatment. "What do you wish of us Sokka of our sister Tribe?"
Sokka considered the men, "Respect your women, ask them to be more than the mother's of the Northern Water Tribe's Sons, give them the chance to be powerful and a voice on the Council. Yue, a beloved daughter gave everything and saved her Nation and all the nations. Chief Hakoda's wife risks everything to ensure that our Northern sister survives. Do not dismiss the honor of their actions." Sokka inclined his head to the elders and left the meeting hall. This was their home, they had to decide what to do.
Iris slept for two more days and woke to the comforting rhythm of the waves against the hull of their ship.
Katara was waiting for her to wake, she pushed the plate of food to her new mother and waited until the other woman finished before she spoke. "Mother, why is your blood required to heal the injured?" Her eyes sparkling with the intensity of her question.
"I am the product of a union of enemies," Iris replied softly. "My mother loved my father deeply and birthed him a daughter. She could not live in the Southern Water Tribe, when Agni slept she lost much of her spirit. My father returned her to her home in the Fire Nation and stayed until after my birth. In birthing a daughter, with eyes the color of ice and skin the color of snow she knew I was born to be Water Tribe. She sent me away with my father, to live in ice and snow."
Katara watched her new mothers light blue eyes flash.
"I was the most gifted hunter. No prey could elude me once I set my soul to the hunt. I was visiting my mother in the Fire Nation when the burning flesh claimed her and every person of the village, except me. I never married, the hunt was all that I had craved since I was old enough to hold a knife. After my mother's death, I choose a hunt unlike any other. I hunted the cure for the burning flesh. After three years I was given the answer and I cursed all the spirits into the Abyss." Iris paused in her story. "A union between enemies, Shandar had said, at the time all differing elemental benders were enemies. A child of a union between enemies, a child not created in anger, could cure the disease."
Katara sat and waited.
"I could have saved my mother and her entire village if anyone had known, thousands suffered needlessly because of the anger of the shadow spirit. I was offered a chance to protect the people of the four nations and I accepted. I was returned to the living world when La was revived." She removed her clothing to reveal the long thin scar that ran from her shoulder to under her left breast. "It was a mortal wound."
Katara looked at the thin line on the pale flesh and deep blue eyes caught light blue ones, "Father can not loose you to this as he lost our mother to the Fire Nation."
Iris' eyes closed, "I would not wish to leave him with only a memory of me."
"There have to be others," Katara sighed, "Fire and Earth, the Earth nation must have a few sons and daughters that are the result of such a union."
Iris met her daughter's eyes, "We can only hope."
Katara smirked, "No mother, we can do more than hope. You know of the cure, you have saved parts of the Earth Kingdom as well as the Water Tribe. We will go to Zuko, and we will help the Fire Nation. Then you will give birth to my little brother or sister under gran gran's careful watch and you will give my father another child. The Nations are not yet at peace, you gave everything once. This time," Katara's eyes danced with blue fire, "this time, you will live to teach the women of our Tribe and we will earn peace."
Iris held out her hand to her daughter and smiled, "Who is Zuko?"
Katara blushed, "He is the Fire Lord's heir and nephew."
Iris smiled at the slight flush that graced Katara's cheeks at the mention of the man, "He holds a soft place in your heart."
Katara blushed again, "I will let you rest, we will have enough time to safely fill two water skeins before we reach the Fire Nation." Her deep blue eyes narrowed, "We will both treat the sick, I will take the skeins and you under the watchful eye of both Suki and Sokka are allowed to open one arm and we will proceed slowly. The ship that came to us was Fire Nation, there will be many ill."
Iris nodded, her daughter planned to be very careful with her and despite her irritation she was thankful.
Ten days later they came across the blockade, five of the eleven ships fired at them. They boarded the first one to find three people who could be cured. The second one there was nine, the third one Katara immediately sunk, on the fourth ship, twelve pyres fired the night air, the fifth ship Katara immediately sunk, the sixth ship twenty-seven pyres filled the early morning dark, the seventh, twenty people were rescued, the eighth and the ninth Katara sunk together, the tenth ship, twenty-two pyres lit up the early evening air and on the eleventh ship nineteen people were rescued.
Two days after the sailors of the blockade were healed, the living crewmen separated themselves into the remaining seven ships and escorted the water tribe ship to the capital island. Directly into the Fire Navy port nearest the royal residence, on the other side of the island from the capital city.
In the Fire Navy port another 422 people were saved and Katara found a living healer.
After the funeral pyres were lit, the living were organized into rescue teams. Sokka, Renna, Hali, Eisa, Yaza and Iris, would breach the outer palace and rescue who they would. Suki, Mati, Isi, Nisa and Katara would breach the inner palace and try to find Zuko or Fire Lord Iroh, while healing who they could. The Fire Navy healer Goya, and as many soldiers who would volunteer, headed for Capital City. Before the teams split up, Sokka gave one person on each team a jar of water tribe paint.
"Save your healers, mark the doors of those that can be helped." His voice filled with resolve as the three teams separated.
Katara's team entered the inner palace and systematically found no one left alive. When she passed into the Fire Lord's chambers, she paused for a moment. Fire Lord Iroh had not escaped the disease. There were a half dozen servants around the room, several had taken their own lives. Katara retreated and closed the door behind her, slow to move on to the next room. By the time La had moved half way across the sky, all the dead had been moved from inside the palace. Katara had removed Iroh's crown and hidden it in her bag, she'd keep it until she found Zuko.
By dawn all the bodies were burning in the central courtyard and the living were making their way to the outer palace.
The found Sokka holding Iris, the bandages around her wrists seeping blood.
Katara immediately unwrapped the other woman's wrists and pulled water from a barrel next to them. After only faint scars remained, she sat next to the older woman and said, "It is not safe for you to continue like this, you will loose the babe."
Sokka rested his head on the older woman, "There are others, you've taught them what to do, it's time to return home." His voice soft and pleading.
Iris listened to the pleas of her husbands children as her eyes closed, she could not agree yet. She felt there was one more thing that she needed to do, before she could return home. She was too tired to argue, so she slept where she sat.
Katara moved a loose strand of hair behind the older woman's ear as she whispered, "Iroh is gone."
Sokka hung his head, "We found twelve mixed heritage servants, between the thirteen of them they were able to save 279 people. Renna has taken the others to help in the city. After that, two each of the healers will be assigned to a ship and the ships will work their way through the outer islands." He paused, "Tui I hope Zuko is alive."
Katara reached out a hand for her brother, "He has to be, Zuko never gives up remember."
Sokka smiled, then paled, "Aang?"
Katara also blanched, "We can only hope he is ok, if he doesn't make it to the wedding in the spring," she paused, "He'll be there," her face took on a dark look, "If he isn't, our new mother used to be the best hunter in all four nations. Once the child is born and strong enough, we'll find him."
"Dad," Sokka paused.
"Will hate to do it after this, but he'll let her hunt the Avatar down." Katara replied strongly.
Sokka kept his opinion to himself, Katara needed to believe that their dad shared her faith in the Avatar. Aang was just thirteen, he didn't eat meat, he'd been raised by monks and he was the last of his kind, it had been too much to ask that he kill Ozai. He'd rendered him useless as a Fire Lord, but the man had still been powerful. Not as powerful as Iroh and the White Lotus. Sokka made a mental note to find the closest White Lotus member and get them the cure as well as tell them, how the burning death could be stopped. His mind paused once more, they were based in Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation mostly. Ran Pakku had been the only Water Tribe member.
"Katara," Sokka said softly, "I think I know who is behind the Earth Kingdom survivors."
Katara stared at her brother, "How could you know that? We haven't had any contact with the Earth Kingdom."
"White Lotus," Sokka replied softly.
Katara stared at Sokka for a moment, "If you're right, they better be prepared to get their asses kicked all the way to the Onshi Desert."
Sokka snorted at the ire in his sister, "I'll even help," he replied. "We should find out if this has affected the messenger hawks."
Katara smiled into her brother's eyes, "Sokka, you do know you're brilliant right?"
Suki came up at that moment, "Don't tell him that Katara, he'll get a bigger head." She glanced at the older Water Tribe woman, "Will she be ok?"
Katara nodded, "Yes, they found more healers that can help. They will spread the cure around the Fire Nation."
Suki nodded, "Good, I believe my wedding is approaching." She arched a brow at Sokka.
The young water tribe man grinned as he pulled his soon to be wife down for a kiss, "We'll tell them to meet us at the South Pole, they can witness and Katara can strip them and cover them in ice until they cower in fear of her wrath."
Suki glanced at Katara, "that is disturbingly visual, did you really do that?"
Katara blushed, "He diserved it."
"I did not!" Sokka exclaimed.
"You did so, you know how hard I worked on sewing that coverlet for dad!" Katara growled at him.
"It was an accident, who knew my boomerang was that sharp!" Sokka defended.
"It was hanging up on the cloths line to dry!" Katara yelled back. "Gran gran had already warned you about playing with your boomerang near the laundry!"
Sokka frowned, "I was hunting."
Katara snorted, "What? Frost needles?"
"Children," Iris' tired voice sighed, "please, I must rest."
"Yes, Mother Iris," they chorused.