Chapter twelve: Killer Whale.

Avani and tatkret run down the side of the mountain, and a huge barrage of ice and snow comes tumbling after them. They sprint and eventually get to the bottom. Avani runs so fast that she can feel the cold sweat run down her face. Her legs feel like they are on fire yet she still runs, Tatkret in front of her. The roaring avalanche begins to slow and halts in mid air, Avani and Tatkret stare in awe as Akemi, Arrluk, Nanuq and Onartak stand before their eyes, Arrluk bending the entire avalanche and layering it back on the mountain.

"Akemi!"

Avani runs through the snow, lifting her knees high with every step. She tries to hug Akemi but Arrluk puts his arm in the way.

"She's too weak, you may hurt her."

Tatkret approaches Arrluk in admiration of his impeccable skill.

"How… how did you do that?"

Arrluk looks down as Akemi introduces the others to Avani, but Tatkret is obviously intrigued.

"You don't wanna know kid."

Tatkret's face sank as Arrluk walked away and joined the others. Tatkret looks at the mountain and then back at Arrluk. He now realized who he had just met.

Night came quicker than anyone expected after everyone was introduced. They all huddled around a fire and tents that Onartak had pitched. As it got darker, everyone left for their tents except for Tatkret and Arrluk. They both sat across from each other by the fire.

"Arrluk…" Tatkret said. "I know who you are, only one person has the ability to bend snow the way you do."

"So, you know about my doings in the war?"

"Yes, you're a hero."

Arrluk closed his eyes for a moment, as if the horrific memories were coming back to him.

"Hero? So that's what they are calling me?"

Tatkret gets confused.

"Yeah, aren't you proud? You practically ended the war."

"At the cost of how many lives? That was years ago, yet I'm still haunted. Killer Whale they called me. I never liked that name but it stuck.

"But, if you didn't want to kill people, then why did you join the war in the first place?"

"I thought that being a war hero would fell, well… good. When I got home, my family was damn proud of me. They had no idea what I went through. I hate killing, and I really hate talking about it."

Tatkret looks down.

"I'm sorry; I won't bring it up again."

Tatkret walk to his tent, but Arrluk stays and falls asleep by the fire.

When the morning sun ascended, Onartak woke everyone up with his loud eating. Avani poked her head out of the tent, then back in. she later came out dressed, with messy hair.

"Hey… Umm, guys."

Everyone turns to her.

"I have no idea where we are."

Nanuq speaks up.

"Were not far from Ba Sing Se, I hear it's the only un-captured city left in the earth kingdom. The only problems well have getting there is all this dammed snow."

Akemi turns her head to a half asleep Avani, who lifts one eyebrow at her.

"Avani, this would be a perfect place to announce you're the Avatar!"

Arrluk, Nanuq and Onartak all look at Avani in shock.

"You never told us you're the avatar!"

"OH, by the way I'm the avatar."

Arrluk isn't amused by her sarcasm.

"Well, then you friend is right, Ba Sing Se would be the perfect place to tell people."

Everyone looks at Avani curious of what she has to say.

"…Ba Sing Se it is."

Authors note: thanks for reading.