Hello my lovelies

The following is a classic Vermont legend. As a Vermonter I am very proud to present it to you! I know my stories have MUCHO dialogue, but that's just the kind of story it is. It's a story that thrives on what the character's have to say.

"Sokka, are you sure we should tell them?" Katara asked, anxiety creeping into her voice.

"Gran-Gran told us that we must keep it a secret from the rest of the world, that if they knew, they would think we were savages!"

"Most of the world already thinks you are," Mai said with a smirk.

"If you told us, no one would think the worst of you,"

There was a cold silence. Iroh, not wanting the evening to be marred by flying knives, ice daggers and other various object that could cause bodily harm, decided to intervene.

"Lady Mai, if you continue to insult Katara and Sokka, I will have to ask you to leave. They are friends and allies of your Fire Lord. To insult them, is to insult the Fire Lord." Iroh said in a low and even voice.

Mai looked to Zuko, who nodded in agreement.

"I agree with my uncle. All of your are my friends, I do not like to see discord between my friends. Now if you would, apologize." Zuko said.

Mai looked from Zuko, to Sokka and Katara, who stared at her with a matching set of luminous sapphire-bright eyes.

"I beg forgiveness," She muttered softly, tilting her head forward with a bow, he hands in her lap.

"Forgiven," Sokka said bluntly.

"Now, since Katara is too reluctant, I will tell you all the darkest secret of The Water Tribe,"

"The story I am about to tell you was told to me by my Gran Gran, who witnessed the dark event. It was shortly after she ran away to The South Pole. It was one of the coldest winters The Southern Tribe had ever faced and sure that the elderly and infirm wouldn't live through it, the tribe healers took drastic measures…"

"They didn't kill them did they?" Ty Lee interrupted, eyes wide.

"Shh, you'll find out if you listen," Katara said, finger to his lips.

"Our Grandmother was to witness every moment of it, for she was to assist the healers that night. It started after the evening meal. All the elderly and infirm of the village gathered at the healer's hut, where they drank a potion that would put them into a deep sleep…"

"Ah, sounds like the infamous Water Tribe Draught of Living Death," Iroh murmured sagely.

"It's mixed from herbs gathered and dried during the summer months, when the tundra is warm enough to bear plants. The name of the particular type of herbs used is unknown to me. I was hoping either of you would know,"

Sokka and Katara looked at each other. Then Katara spoke:

"We don't know. By the time Sokka and I were born, this ritual was out of practice, so out of all the potions Gran-Gran taught me about it's one I never knew much about, all I know is that like all of our potions it's mixed with whale blubber and seal blood,"

"I respect you culture and all, but that is really disgusting," Toph said flatly.

"Can I continue now!?" Sokka exploded. Of all his pet peeves, being interrupted while telling a story was one of the worst.

"Okay then. Anyway, after being given the potion, the unconscious tribe members were stripped naked, and wrapped in skins and furs from head to toe, with only their faces exposed. They were taken outside into the bitter cold and carried to a small pit carved into frozen ground. Gran-Gran watched with horror as their faces turned white. This was not a ritual practiced in the North, not at all. The sleeping tribe members were pronounced ready and lowered into the pit. Then they were covered with sealskin to keep them dry and buried in snow. The tribe's water benders were called in. The water benders formed a sheet of ice over the sleepers to protect them from predators and cold.

My Gran-Gran retreated to her hut, absolutely horrified by what she had just seen. It seemed barbaric to do such a thing."

"It is barbaric!" Ty Lee cried.

"It's horrifying and cold-hearted! How could they do that!"

Everyone stared at Ty Lee (with the exception of Toph, whose eyes remained unfocused as usual). Didn't she understand? Everyone, even Aang understood that it was more humane to let the elderly sleep through such a harsh time of the year.

"Ty Lee, do calm yourself," Iroh said sitting the girl next to him.

"Here, have some tea and let me explain something to you. During Water Tribe Winters, food is scarce. By burying those who could not contribute to the tribe, they were making the winter easier for everyone. There would be less mouths to feed, and…"

"But they killed those people," Ty Lee whispered.

"You don't know that, now let Sokka finish," Iroh soothed.

"All winter, Gran-Gran thought about those who had been buried. It was indeed a very harsh winter, and she understood why the ritual had been performed, but her experience was still haunting her.

Then, when it was warm enough, when winter had gone home and the tundra began to show signs of life, it was time to wake the Sleepers. Warriors used their clubs to break the icy seal and excavate the frozen people. The healers heated seawater heated over a fire in the center of the village. Everyone chanted to the spirits, asking them to rouse their loved one from their living death. The frozen bodies were submerged in the heated seawater and massaged. Soon, their faces regained color and their muscles twitched. To Gran-Gran's surprise the sleeping tribe members revived! They were bundled in warm furs and brought to their homes, to be dressed and fed, slowly awakening from their long nap,"

"They don't practice this ritual anymore," Katara said as her brother finished talking.

"Why, I'm not entirely sure. I think it's because winters have gotten warmer and warmer over the years. In fact it seems the entire planet is just getting hotter and hotter,"

"It has been," Iroh said.

"All the Fire Nation's industrialization has realized smoke and pollutants into the sky, and it's heating making the sun beat down harder, making the earth warm up! Soon I fear it will be so warm that the poles will melt entirely and the world will experience a great flood. And that my young companions, is scarier than any of the stories we may hear tonight, for such a catastrophe would end the world!"