Chapter 3: The Mother

"Blessings to all those who seek her protection; and a bitter end to those who reject it."

-From historian Tin-Zheng's "Religion in the Earth Kingdom: A Complete Guide"

Nara's heart was beating out of chest as she sprinted through the tree filled valley. Shouts coming from the ambushers were still far too close and she had lost sight of Jay and Kal a few minutes past. She knew they could manage though, first Nara had to secure her own safety.

The valley opened up slightly and she was running next to the dried riverbed Kal had described. She spied a small opening between two boulders coming up just large enough for her to squeeze in. Her situation was bad; if she went in there and got caught there was no way she could fight her way out, but running wasn't an option for too much longer. Airbender or not, she was just one girl and there was no doubt they could track her even if she could outpace them.

Without much time to think she made a beeline for the boulders and began squeezing herself in. After several scratches and bumps, Nara thought she was concealed enough that nobody would notice. Her theory was instantly put to the test as she heard her pursuers come closer.

They gave no indication of slowing and after a few tense moments of Nara holding her breath, they were gone. Nara stayed in her hiding spot a few minutes just to be sure, ignoring the pricking feeling from her legs as they fell asleep in the tight enclosure. She rather ungracefully pulled herself free and fell into the dried mud, scuffing her elbows slightly but with no real damage done.

Wanting to be extra careful, Nara used her bending to propel her up to the top of a high ridge where she would be able to go over her options without fear of being discovered. The ambushers had chased them beyond where they had been planning on rendezvousing, and without a secondary meeting point established Nara could only guess where Kal and Jay had gone.

This wasn't the first time they had been separated and it likely wouldn't be the last. They could take care of themselves; Nara was far more concerned about where she would go next. The road was out of the question. Despite desperately needing the supplies contained in her pack she had been forced to leave behind, there was no way to know if the ambushers weren't still there. Following those who were just chasing her may work, but she would have to extra careful not to be spotted.

Nara rubbed at her bare upper arms as a chilly wind swept through the valley. It had been a warm day and she opted to wear a thin tank top. A decision she was greatly regretting now.

The wind brought something much more worrying than a chill though, the distinct smell of smoke hit her nostrils like a wall. Nara couldn't see its source, but knew she would have to find it. Fires in a place as desolate and frigid as the Pavana Mountains were too rare to ignore, she just prayed it was her comrades signaling her. Something in the back of her mind told her that was just wishful thinking, but she pushed that feeling down and set off.

The wind had blown in from the riverbed so Nara hopped down from her perch and began jogging through the soft sand. A few minutes passed before she realized she hadn't smelled the smoke again since she started searching for its source. Nara took a few worrying glances around her but couldn't see a thing. It wasn't until she craned her neck and looked upward that she could just barely make out gray smoke pillowing off a nearby mountain summit. She ensured that her daggers were still tightly secured to her waist before beginning her ascent.

It was a trek that would most likely take an experienced mountain climber over an hour, while Nara's bending allowed her to leap such huge distances that she was at the summit in minutes.

Her boots gave a satisfying crunch against the snow and she looked up from her crouched position. Nara nearly fell over backwards when she saw three strangers staring at her in confusion. Caught completely off guard, her hands were on the hilts of her daggers in an instant.

"Greetings, traveler. Do you seek blessings from Mother Matri?" The stranger in the middle of them who was holding a torch asked her in a friendly tone. All three of them were wrapped in thick animal pelts and wore hoods that obscured all but their mouths.

Nara's eyes stayed narrowed as she looked back and forth between them. The source of the fire she'd seen was a large pyre that they had clearly just lit. "Mother Matri?" Nara asked as she slowly pulled her hands away from her daggers.

"She watches over everyone in these mountains." The man explained as he gestured at the path right behind them. "You have found us at a wonderous time, our village is celebrating the return of Mother Matri right now. We have lit these fires to bring her shelter to poor souls such as yourself."

Nara blew a frozen breath out between her chapped lips. "Poor soul? No, I'm fine… just looking for my companions is all. You live atop these mountains?"

The man gave a slight nod which was hard to see underneath the massive fur lined hood. "For generations. Our ancestors first settled here after Mother Matri guided them from faraway lands."

Nara gave a slight tilt of her head. "This Mother Matri, is she a Spirit?"

"Mother Matri is much more than a Spirit. She walks amongst the clouds and is a protector to all who need aid. She formed these mountains thousands of years ago to better hide her followers from those who would persecute them." The man nodded to his two companions who turned to begin walking down the path. "You may not seek the blessings from Mother Matri, but I ask that you come with us to our people. There is not much that happens in these mountains without one of our people seeing it, I am sure they may hold information on your companions."

The wind blew across Nara's back, breaking through the warm air current she kept in constant circulation around her. Any form of shelter sounded perfect now. "Sure, is it far from here?"

He fell in line beside her and shook his head. "No more than a few miles." He lowered his voice before speaking again. "And I am glad you did not draw your weapons, Mother Matri is not so kind to those who bring her followers harm."

Nara looked at him out of the corners of her eyes, this obsession with "Mother Matri" was beginning to give her some pause. "Well, you seem friendly enough, but I was accosted by some assailants earlier today. Maybe your Mother Matri can pay them a visit."

"Mother Matri to us." He gestured between him and Nara before continuing. "To her enemies, she is known only as the Ghost Witch of the Mountain."

AN: I am so eternally sorry for the long wait and the relatively short chapter, but I wanted to get this out there to assure everyone this is still continuing. I just hit a bit of real life responsibility with my new job, but I've settled into a routine which should mean consistent updates again.

To reader Glenn: Thanks for the kind words as always. I am doing well and I hope you are as well. Like I said, real life kind of ramped up but it has been all good things luckily. Hopefully you enjoyed this short chapter and expect another one out soon.