Hey Sokka,
I'm sorry. I just . . . I had the best day today. Zuko took me to a festival and we talked a lot and had fun there, and it was just an absolutely amazing day, and I came back to this letter and . . . I guess I could have hurt Dad, a little. I still think that he's wrong and being a little intense but he misses Mom. We all miss Mom.
We got back on the ship but then I got your letter right before I went to bed and I started crying because I said goodbye to her but I still love her and I miss her so much, Sokka. I just want her back and I can't have her back. I was reading your letter in my room and then I just went to the hall to go nowhere and Zuko found me and he let me cry, and that was . . . cathartic, if not good. It felt decent. He let me be me — just me. I miss you.
I do. I miss you. This is fun, but I miss you, and I want to see the world, but I also want to see you, and I want — I want Dad to get to know Zuko. I want you to get to know him. I want to show him penguin-sledding and force him to eat your stupid jerky. His family knows me but you don't know him.
Your friend Suki seems nice. We'll probably miss her when we get to Kyoshi Island on our stop, but hopefully she'll still be there when we reach the South Pole. I'm going to get Zuko to wear water tribe clothing, and I'll get more paint for you! And I know that Gran-Gran has always liked reading and I got her some old stories too. A lot of them are romances. You know she's a secret sap.
So, yeah, Sokka! We're going south. Zuko doesn't really have a plan anyway and he said that we can go wherever I want. Actually, he was the one that suggested going home. It's late, but we're going to tell the crew tomorrow. We'll need to get them more outfits and things and get them all ready for the cold weather, especially because they'll all be staying on the ship. This ship is great so it'll withstand the ice, but it'll be — it'll be fun.
Honestly, he seems more excited than me. He said that he wants to train with my masters and that he and Dad can have a proper conversation. I told him about warrior initiation and said that you might make him do it and . . . maybe you should! I want him to feel welcomed into our culture like he's welcomed me into his. And he's made such an effort. I want to make an effort. But it's so awesome — I know he'll be alright with everything, too.
It's going to be good to see everyone again. It's only been a few months but I miss you. And I just — I thought it was going to be a bad day after I finished reading your letter, even though Zuko made it so awesome with the festival — it was a Tiger Festival, I'll tell you more about it, and I'm sending these buns with this I know you'll love and — and I'll be there soon. Don't worry about financial strain or anything because we'll push our own weight. It's going to be so fun.
It's so cool to be able to just. Change directions like that. Change plans. Change my life. This is so amazing.
If this page is wet it's because of happy tears, okay?
I can't wait to meet Suki, and I'm so glad you learned how to wash your socks.
Love,
Katara
