Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Snowmelt

When the sun returned, I was the first one to step out of my family's tent. Yawning, I paused where I stood in front of the entrance flap to look up at the sky. There were a few clouds but not too many that the sun was blocked. I squinted my eyes they adjusted to the brightest. The sun's rays were reflecting off the snow; making the scenery almost blinding. But it was a welcomed sight. I was getting sick being stuck in a tent for days on end with only three women for company. After I finished yawning, I raised my hands over my head and started to stretch out my back. The first couple of days after the end of winter was usually filled with excitement from being able to move about and talk to the neighbors they hadn't seen in months. But there was also a lot of work. Most of which fell on my shoulders as the only male. Repairs would be needed for some of the tents and ice structures. Hunting was a given. But it might still be too early for the herds to return to the coast. And then there were the younger boys. I'd have to start up their lessons again. Who knows, I thought as I worked out a hard knot in my spine. Maybe a couple of them would finally be ready to start helping out a bit more. I could use it. Even if it was just fetching and carrying things.

"Move, Sokka", Katara said from behind me as she jabbed my exposed ribs with a finger. The unexpected contact in a place I didn't like to be touched caused me to jump to the side as I tried to keep myself from making a noise I knew Katara would tease me for. Pain in the butt little sister that she was. "You're blocking the way and we want to get started on Laundry", she continued as she poked her head out of the tent flap.

I glared at her as she moved entirely into the daylight. "You could have just asked", I complained. It wasn't like I was going to stop her from doing laundry. La knows that after months in that tent we all wanted clean clothes.

Katara acted like she didn't hear me as looked around the village. "Come on, Kaya", Katara called as she moved to the right. "If we finish early maybe there will be enough time for me to show you the otter penguins".

I rolled my eyes with a scoff as the tent flap started to move for the third time. Katara insisted on talking normally with Kaya, but I didn't think it did any good. Kaya had learned more in the time we spent in the tent. Moving from one-word utterances to two words. But I bet the only thing that came out of Katara's mouth that she understood was her name.

Still, the yellow-haired girl stepped out of the tent; pausing when the sunlight hit her face. She closed her eyes and basked in it; breathing deeply through her nose. My face relaxed as I watched her. There was just something about watching someone enjoy the little things in life that made me see things in a new light. But my attention wandered to the blue shale rock that hung around Kaya's neck on a black choker. Feeling heat on my face that wasn't due to the sun, I looked away. It was a struggle to come up with a unique design in the tent with Gran-gran and Katara snickering in my direction whenever they saw me working on it. But I managed to come up with something. And presented it to Kaya as soon as I had Gran-gran's blessing.

Of course, there was no way of explaining the necklace's meaning to Kaya. To her, it was just a piece of jewelry. But I didn't see the point in waiting. Gran-gran's story about the fox had hit home. Kaya was it for me. I wasn't going to get a better option. Not when there were no other girls my age in the village. So, I thought maybe me giving her that necklace would help Kaya fit in better with the rest of the women. Besides, it's not like we'd be married tomorrow. There's no way we'd be able to go that far without finding a way to explain things to Kaya.

"Just don't go too far", I told Katara. "When you go see the otter-penguins be careful. We don't know how the land has changed during the dark season".

Katara had the gall to roll her eyes at me. "I know that. Don't worry. I know what I'm doing". She said as she grabbed Kaya's gloved hand and started pulling off into the village. I let them go with a frown. You'd think that with everything I did, I'd get more respect from the members of my own household.

Before all the men had left, engagements in the village resulted in well-wishes, blushing females, claps on the shoulder, and questions. Many questions. As Kaya and Katara ran around the village getting their chores done and the other members of our tribe caught a glimpse of the necklace hanging from Kaya's neck, I didn't get congratulated or wishes for my good fortune. The only thing I did get was a bunch of nosy inquiries from women old enough to be my mother. Why so soon? Aren't you too young to wed? What would your father say? Some of their questions were more polite and curious than others. Will you move out of your family's tent? What about Katara and Elder Kanna? Are you happy, Sokka? Others were just comments of disapproval disguised as questions. If you marry that girl, she'll one day become the wife of a chieftain. You know that, right? Does she even understand what you tell her to do? How can you marry someone who isn't like us?

The women were relentless. Enough so that I couldn't begin one task without being interrupted minutes later. Finally, Gran-gran came to my rescue when it was clear that the women weren't going to stop any time soon; suggesting that they should have something fresh to eat to celebrate the end of the dark months. And that I should take Katara and Kaya with me for company. If only to prevent the busybodies in their village from pestering the girls when they could no longer get to me. But that part went unsaid. Just like it was left unsaid, that by the time I returned with Katara and Kaya at my side, Gran-gran would have verbally whipped the women back in their places. So, I was quick to agree. It took maybe a minute or two to find my fishing gear. Another five to round up the girls. And then we were off.

"It's not getting away from me this time. Watch and learn, Kaya. This is how you catch a fish", I said; eyes trained on the water with my spear held at the ready. But half of my focus was on the girl sitting behind me. Kaya had come a long way since we had found her. She had put on some weight. Her hair had grown long enough to be braid into one of their water tribe styles, and she moved about their village with more confidence and purpose than she had before. Though communicating with her was still a hassle. She tended to speak in two to three-word utterances that weren't always understandable. But she seemed to comprehend more than she could say. Which was one of the reasons I decided that I liked to take her fishing with me. It was a chance to speak to her for long periods of time, in the hopes that Kaya would be able to learn new phrases and words. Then maybe one day we could have more than a one-sided conversation. It would be important for when our engagement ended and we were married. Or so Gran-gran said. I just wanted to hear how awesome Kaya undoubtedly thought I was.

Kaya peers over my shoulder. Aware of what was going on because of the spear in my hand and our current surroundings. But she had no idea what word meant what. Other than the word fish. That one she had learned early on because it was the water tribe's main source of food. Kaya wasn't interested in fishing per se. But she knew that I wanted her to watch. And that was enough of a reason for the yellow-haired girl.

But Kaya and I weren't the only ones in the boat. Katara had been more than willing to come along too. Especially if it meant putting off chores for a while longer. Fishing meant water. And water meant a chance to practice waterbending. Though, Katara wasn't paying any attention to me or the yellow-haired girl. Instead, she was peering over the opposite side of the boat. Doing what? I don't really care. As long as she doesn't scare away the fish.

"Sokka, Kaya, look!" Katara called out in excitement.

Kaya didn't need to be told twice. I could feel her shifting behind me as she turned to look at my little sister. It was probably something waterbending related. Whenever Kaya was confronted with the mystical powers of bending, her eyes would grow wide as she watched the floating water in a frozen state. I imagined that was what was going on behind me. But I didn't look.

I couldn't break my focus. Not when there was a whole village to feed and a girl to impress. "Sshh! Katara", I whispered harshly. "You're going to scare it away. I can't wait to eat it. Mmmm ... can't you imagine how it'll smell when it's cookin'?" Maybe I'd have Kaya gut it before Gran-gran cooked it. Just to help the yellow-haired girl be even more impressed by my skills as a hunter.

Neither Kaya nor Katara answered me. I wasn't surprised. Kaya was still finding her tongue and Katara generally ignored me when she wanted to. Still, whatever Katara was doing, she apparently really wanted me to look. Like when she was five and still thought I was cool. She used to follow me around all over the village and get in the way. Man, I thought. That was a long time ago. I wonder if Katara even remembered that.

"But, Sokka!", Katara called to me again. "I caught one!"

That's nice. Though I hadn't really heard her words. Still, I didn't look. How could Katara expect me to look when dinner was just seconds away from being impaled on my spear. It looked like a big one too. Probably enough to feed the three of us. As I raised my spear; getting ready for the opportune moment, icy cold water poured down my back.

"Hey!" Katara complained like it was my fault that I was suddenly wet.

I dropped my spear at the wet impact. First, I sputtered, and then I shivered as I tried to shake the water off. Whirling around in the boat to face the two girls, I knew what happened without having to ask. Katara was trying to show off again. "Why is it that every time you play with magic water, I get soaked?" I asked my sister. Feeling irritated, I gave up shaking to try to wring out the excess water instead. Kaya covered her mouth behind her sleeve to hide her chuckle at the face I was making. It almost made it worth it to hear the yellow-haired girl laugh. But I wouldn't be telling Katara that.

"It's not magic", Katara retorted. "It's waterbending! And it's ..."

I cut her off, having heard all this a million times before. "Yeah, yeah, an ancient art unique to our culture, yadda, yadda". While we bickered, Kaya looked back and forth between the two of us. She recognized it as sibling banter. We had done much of the same in the tent during the dark months. But the only word she probably knew was water. "And Look, I'm just saying that if I had weird powers, I'd keep it to myself". I finished before locking eyes with Kaya and smiling. Only for my smile to widen when she shyly returned it. It was nice to have one girl in this family that didn't argue with me.

Katara raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "You're calling me weird?" She asked, drawing Kaya's attention back to her. I rolled my eyes. There goes that moment. Turning away from both of the girls, I spotted my reflection in the water. Hopefully, Katara would be done complaining soon and we could go back to fishing. "I'm not the one who makes muscles at myself every time I see my reflection in the water!" Katara yelled. I didn't have to turn around to know that she was pointing an accusing finger at me. Huffing at being called out, I lowered my bicep and returned to looking straight ahead. And it was a good thing that I did because it meant I saw that we were headed for! Fast approaching, were rough waters, a rushing current, and slabs of ice dotting the way.

"Oh no", I said, becoming serious. As quickly as I could I let go of the spear, and grabbed the oar instead. Katara would be fine. Dad had taught us how to navigate these waters, often treating it like a game as we prepared for the ice dodging trial. But Kaya was a different matter entirely. I had never taken her out this far before. I hadn't taught her how to move her body with the currents to prevent capsizing. How could I even describe that to her? "Hold on to Kaya", I yelled behind me. "Help her lean at the right times".

Katara didn't argue this time, recognizing that I had slipped into leader mode. I didn't look back to check to see if Katara was doing what I asked. There wasn't time. But I trusted my younger sister. Even if she was a loudmouth and caused me a lot of trouble, Katara wouldn't ignore an order at a time like this. But that didn't stop her from calling out directions to me. "Watch out! Go left! Go left!" As if that would help.

I tried my best to avoid the slabs of ice. But the water was too strong and it wasn't long before we were bouncing off the sides of different pieces of ice. We were jolted left, right, left, and right again. Until we slammed into one slab of ice right in front of them. The boat slid up; throwing all three of us out and onto the frozen water before the boat broke and was rushed further down the current. Kaya gasped upon landing face-first on the ice. I groaned, already feeling the beginnings of ice burn on my cheeks. While Katara had to get the last word in. "You call that left?"

I forced myself into a sitting position as Kaya struggled to do the same. Did Katara not see what they had been up against? "You don't like my steering? Well, maybe you should've"- I paused to gestured mockingly with my hands. "waterbended us out of the ice". Kaya rubbed her nose once she was upright. Trying to rub some heat back into it. But it might be a lost cause. Kaya was always cold. Even sitting around the hearth in the family tent, she'd shiver.

Katara stood up, very annoyed at this point. If her scrunched-up nose was anything to go by. "So, it's my fault?" She asked angrily.

Having reached the end of my rope, I pinched the bridge of my nose. Why can't she just listen to me? It's my job to protect her and provide for her, but she makes it so hard! "I knew I should've left you at home!" I stated as Kaya regained her favorite pastime of desperately trying to follow our conversations. "Leave it to a girl to screw things up!" I continued, commenting on something I knew would set Katara off.

Katara waved a gloved hand in Kaya's direction, unknowingly causing a small ripple in the water behind her. "Kaya's a girl. And you wanted to bring her along!"

Her name, she recognized at once. But hearing it while Katara was upset was making her anxious. "Kaya", I started to say, waving my own hand at the pale-faced girl. "Listens to me and doesn't try to change everything into an excuse to waterbend!" The retort came out fast and easy as I raised my voice.

"Um", Kaya broke in, voice squeaking a little. She didn't use her voice often. She generally didn't have a need since no one would understand her. But she hated it when we fought, especially because it wasn't always clear why. "Kaya home?" She asked, pointing in the direction that she thought we had come from. Her name and the word 'home' were some of the few words she had recognized from what Katara and I had been yelling at each other, so that was the only thing she could think to ask.

While Katara continued to fume; standing before us, I took a deep breath. I'm the one responsible. They depend on me. I had to keep reminding myself that. Gesturing with my hands to Kaya in a downward motion, I watched the yellow-haired girl take a deep breath herself. It was the type of hand gesture we trained polar bear-dogs to recognize as a command to not jump up. But somehow, I had taught Kaya that it meant that she didn't need to be afraid and to tell her that everything was okay. "It's okay, Kaya", I said in a much calmer voice than I had been using with his sister. Kaya's lack of knowledge and lack of independence was sometimes annoying. In all honesty, she was one extra burden that I really didn't need. But it wasn't her fault. Kaya was trying her best. Just like all of us. I turned my frustration back to Katara; the one that was capable of taking it. "And you know I only take Kaya with me because she needs to learn how to survive out here and to teach her new words. And because the others haven't accepted her yet. Otherwise, I'd keep her in the village where she's safe with the other women".

Katara groaned, feeling equally frustrated as she balled her hands into fists. "You are the most sexist", she started to rant as she gestures with her hands widely to give emphasis to her words. "immature", waves started to build up in the water behind her. "nut brained". The glacier behind her started to crack; gaining my and Kaya's attention. My eyes widened as I started to get nervous. This is why I didn't like Katara leaving the village. She was too emotional, and couldn't fully control her bending. Kaya started inching closer to me. She didn't know what was going on right now. But she knew Katara was mad. She knew that was why the glacier was breaking, and she knew that I would be the one most likely to help her. "I'm embarrassed to be related to you!" Katara continued, volume raising. "Ever since mom died, I've been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier!" The crack running up the glacier grew larger.

I knew what she said wasn't true. I had a whole village to hunt for. A whole village where security and the education of the future generation of warriors fell on my half-trained shoulders. I had more responsibilities than Katara was giving me credit for. But it stung that Katara wasn't willing to recognize that. In any other situation, I would have given Katara a list of everything that fell on my shoulders. But not now. Not when all three of us were in a rocky situation, "Uh ... Katara ...", I tried to warn her; my voice no longer carrying any heat. Kaya got close enough that she was able to latch onto my sleeve. I allowed it. I didn't know if Kaya knew how to swim or not and now wasn't the time to find out. It was probably for the best that she was in grabbing distance. Just in case.

Katara unclenched her fists long enough to point an accusing finger in my face. "I even wash all the clothes! Why doesn't your fiancé do the washing? Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Let me tell you, not pleasant!" She stamped her foot, and crack finally reached the very top of the glacier.

My voice became high-pitched as I pleaded, "Katara, settle down!"

"No that's it! I'm done helping you! From now on, you're on your own!". Katara reached the full extent of her rage the same time that the ice and water behind her swelled, and speed up the current. Their slab of ice shook and dipped under the sudden movement, making Katara lose her balance. Her feet slipped out from under her and she slid into me. Reacting quickly, I grabbed Katara with one arm and pinned Kaya to my side with the other. Too many things could go wrong in this situation. They could all drown. They could get too wet and freeze before they could make it out of the water. Or worse, they could get separated, get lost, freeze, and die alone. So, I did the only thing I could think of and tried to keep my family together as the water carried us away. Luckily, the ice slab we were on didn't tip over as we traveled down the rushing current. Maybe we shouldn't have taken a boat out so soon after the dark months. It was minutes before the water calmed and Katara along with it. "Okay", I said once it was safe to do so. I raised one arm to release Katara, but kept Kaya where she was; knowing the girl wouldn't want to move any time soon. "You've gone from weird to freakish", I informed my little sister; referring to her bending misfire.

Katara looked around in surprise, taking in the water that had been a rapid just moments before. "You mean I did that?" She asked, as Kaya slowly peaked her head up. Katara and I weren't yelling at each other anymore. She probably was taking that as a sign that everything was okay again.

Feeling that I was no longer tense, and seeing that Katara was no longer glaring, Kaya let go of me and glanced around. We were even further from land than before. And now we didn't have a boat. Great. Just great. I climbed to his feet before answering. "Yep", I said, nudging Katara with my elbow. "Katara, the almighty waterbender". The sarcastic words came easily and I didn't feel bad about it. After all, this was what Katara wanted; to be a powerful waterbender. And for a moment, she had gotten her wish. Just long enough to strand us in the middle of a half-frozen ocean.

Katara didn't get a chance to retort. Not when Kaya started to wave her arms at us; shouting a foreign word in sounds that we didn't even know how to make. But Katara and I got the gist of it. Turning around, we saw that Katara's power had done more than send us adrift. It had uncovered a giant glowing glacier. I had my guard up at once. The only good thing that glowed were the stars; everything else was suspicious. I threw an arm out the block Katara before she could do something stupid, like approach the damn thing. While I reached behind me with my other arm to grab the weapon I kept holstered on my back; trusting that Kaya would have the sense to stay put. The three of us stared at the glowing glacier a moment longer before a particular detail caught my attention. A person! There was a person inside the ice! Things became more unusual when the person inside of the ice opened their eyes. That shouldn't be possible! Then, not only the person's eyes but marks on his head and arms started to glow too. This can't be good. I thought as my eyes narrowed. How was I going to get both Kaya and Katara out of here and away from… from that thing? Because that was clearly what we needed to do. Nothing good could come from a glowing man in a glacier!

"He's alive!" Katara exclaimed, already moving to get past me. "We have to help him".

"Katara, get back here!" I sputtered after her once she succeeded in escaping me. Why did she never see things the same way as I did? A person frozen in a glacier should not be alive! Let alone be able to open their eyes! This wasn't normal. When Katara didn't listen, I clicked my tongue in annoyance. In a quick decision, I decided to leave the weapon on my back. Instead, I ordered, "Kaya stay", before picking up my fallen spear and running after Katara. Stay. There was another word Kaya understood.

Katara pounded and clawed at the ice as she tried to get to the person inside. But she wasn't making much of an impact. Whoever was in there most have wanted to get out, because it wasn't long before the glacier started to crack. The wind picked up the moment I reached her said, and the glowing intensified. Mystified by what was happening right in front of her, I had no problem pulling Katara away. Though there wasn't enough time to get very far before whatever was happening happened. Clutching Katara to me, I readied my spear for an attack; thinking that I really should have left Katara back at the village. With a great burst of energy, the wind intensified for a split second. It was strong. Strong enough that we could have been blown off our feet. But just as quickly as it came, the wind died with the shattering of the glacier. Leaving behind an ice crater. Still, the glowing continued. As the person emerged for its now destroyed icy prison.

"Stop", I yelled at the stranger when the glowing person started getting too close. That glowing thing couldn't be healthy. What if it was contagious? There was no way that that person was safe to be around.

Katara saw things differently. "Stop it", she complained, as she batted at my spear so it was no longer pointed at the newcomer. Katara didn't understand it. Sure, I had helped Kaya without a second thought when she had suddenly appeared. But Kaya was a girl and half-dead when I found her. She wasn't a glowing boy and had somehow survived inside a ball of ice! People didn't just do that!

The figure slid down the ice until he was lying on the outside. Katara rushed forward to examine his state. It was a bald boy around her age dressed in colors I hadn't seen before. I didn't know what to do. Every instinct I had was screaming at me to not get any closer. But I couldn't leave Katara. And even if I did manage to pull her away, where would we go? Without a boat, Kaya, Katara, and I were stuck on this hunk of ice with the weird glowing boy.

Surprisingly and suspiciously, the boy was awake. Even from where I was standing, I could make out his voice as he said hoarsely, "I need to ask you something ..."

"What?" Katara asked as she cradled his head. There was excitement and worry in her voice. Enough that it was rubbing my skin the wrong way. We didn't need to bring any more strays to the village. What was Katara doing?

"Please ... come closer," The boy said with no change in tone.

Katara leaned in closer, making me tighten my grip on the spear. "What is it?" My sister asked.

"Will you go penguin sledding with me?" The boy asked, his week voice completely transforming into one of a healthy and energetic person.

Katara leaned back, not sure what to do with the sudden change. And penguin sledding? What a random thing to ask. "Uh, sure ... I-I guess", she answered slowly. It wasn't what she had been expecting. It wasn't what I had been expecting. And I was at a loss for what I should do. Penguin sledding wasn't… something evil a glowing person would do. Unless it just a cover story for something worse.

Apparently happy with Katara's response, the boy sat up. He rubbed his head as he looked around. First, he took in the vast icy sea that surrounded us from all sides. Then he looked at me as I hovered behind my sister. I watched as his eyes found Kaya from where she was watching from a distance behind me. Finally, the boy focused on Katara once more. "What's happening here?" He asked.

That innocent question proved to be too much. "You tell us!" I demanded; marching a couple of steps closer. "How did you get in the ice? And why aren't you frozen?" I gestured madly at the broken glacier, before poking the boy with the butt of my spear. Insert dominance, I thought to himself. Let him know that I'm the one in charge here.

Unperturbed by my example of power, the boy calmly pushed the spear away from him. "I'm not sure", he answered. At the exact same time, a rumbling sound came from the same place the boy had come from moments ago. The boy's face lit up and he was dashing around the ice before Katara or I could comment. "Appa!", He exclaimed at what he found there. Katara had followed him when he had scampered away and gasped at what she saw. Her expression forcing me to follow not long after. It wasn't ideal. Not when it meant walking further from Kaya and going to a place where she couldn't see me. But she didn't have a way to protect herself. Not like Katara with her waterbending or me with my weapons, so staying put was still the best thing for her.

When I was able to look around the ice, I saw what had Katara gasping. The sight had my mouth dropping open too. "Are you alright?" The boy asked as he ran up to the giant beast without any fear at all. The beast made a deep bellowing sound in response.

"What is that thing?" I asked.

"This is Appa, my flying bison", came the glowing boys very quick response. How…. How is this my life?