It had been a successful evening in the Southern Water Tribe, if anyone wanted to ask Bumi about it. Mama and Papa had cooked a delicious meal, and Uncle Sokka had brought a new toy of his own invention, and his head full of all the best Tribal legends and lore. Mama had, as usual, offered Sokka a bed for the night, but he had shook his head, already stepping out the door.
"It's a beautiful walk tonight," he said, "I'll get home fine."
Mama and Papa had waved goodbye, but when they went to put Kya to bed, it was Bumi who stayed to watch Uncle Sokka leave, under the growing silver light of the moon. Uncle Sokka knew it; he turned back every fifty yards to give Bumi a wave, until he turned a corner and disappeared from view. Bumi stayed at the window, watching the moonlight wax on the city he loved so well.
Mama and Papa joined Bumi. Each laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Mama," Bumi piped up, "why isn't Uncle Sokka married?"
Mama regarded the boy gravely. "But he is, Bumi," she said.
"He is?" Bumi turned to look at Papa, who nodded and said "That's right."
"I have another aunt?" Bumi asked. "Or an uncle?" Aunts and Uncles were plentiful in Bumi's world—Auntie Toph and Aunt Suki and Uncle Zuko and Aunt Mai and Grunkle Iroh…
Mama's smile was a little sad. "Sokka's wife is not in the Tribe."
"You mean I have an aunt I've never met?"
"You know her," Mama said. She guided Bumi's eyes to the window again. "Remember at the Glowing Tide Festival, when you and the other children made the Wolf's Howl? You were singing to her."
Bumi didn't understand, until he looked up— and up— and saw the Moon. The Moon filled Bumi's sight. He grinned and bounced on his toes, assured in a deep primal way—before sinking back onto his feet and saying, "Wait, but I don't understand. The Moon is in the sky."
"It's a story for your bedtime," said Papa. "It's from The Old Days. After the Iceberg."
"Ohhh. Okay, then." Bumi turned and felt inspired by a spurt of lunar glee. He began running, leaving his parents behind to try and catch him.
Later that night, Bumi would dream of a house on a plain of white grasses, and the chime of a gong, and a wedding ceremony…
But in the meantime, Uncle Sokka was still making his way down a row of larch trees that marked the path to the Piandao Polytechnic Academy. At the path's end he turned right and continued up a slope that marked the eastern edge of town. This crest offered a stunning view of the rising Moon, and a straight road to the observatory that was built away from city lights.
Finally, Sokka reached his house. It was an ordinary cottage with a good workroom and plenty of windows to let in moonlight. The Moon's husband stepped inside and called "I'm home," and when he blinked, his wife was there, holding her arms out to him.