Thyra followed Katara through the forest collecting wood for fire fuel when they noticed the boys scouring through the bushes and ground as if searching for something. "Did you lose something?" Katara asked as they both stepped into view.
"No, we found something!" Aang answered excitedly as they continued their search. Sokka stooped down and picked up an arrowhead, tapping his finger on the end. "It's burned." He frowned, throwing it aside then inspected a tree with scratch and burn marks.
"There was a battle. Water tribe warriors ambushed a group of firebenders." He discerned, turning to look at the ground and follow the tracks downhill. "The firebenders fought back but the warriors drove them down this hill..." With everyone else in tow Sokka led them down to the beach where he stopped at the lapping waves.
"So then what happened?" Aang asked.
"I don't know. The trail ends here." Sokka sounded incredibly disappointed but he perked up when Katara spotted the ship harboured a little way off from them.
"Wait! Look!" It was a water tribe boat, Thyra could tell that much but other than that, she saw nothing interesting about it. For the Southern Water Tribe kids, however, it seemed like they had just been told they had one their weight in gold.
"It's one of our boats!" Sokka cried and together he and Katara rushed forwards.
"Is this...dad's boat?" Katara asked hopefully as Sokka rubbed the ship's prow with a bright smile.
"No, but it's from his fleet. Dad was here." The siblings both smiled at one another. "I think we should make camp here." Thyra arched an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest.
"Your choice of encampment wouldn't happen to be affected by the fact that there is a boat from your tribe here, would it?" Sokka grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head.
"No?"
"Sokka, it's too open out here, we should go back into the trees. We'll have cover there."
"Ah let's just make a fire here. We'll be fine." Aang agreed, leaping up onto an air ball to fly around the area they were going to make camp in.
"But it's going to be freezing. We're exposed to the wind!"
"The boat will protect us." Sokka said, patting the prow again before beginning to set up the fire with some twigs that lay around. Thyra clapped a hand to her brow and sighed, giving up the battle. "Fine. I'll find us some food." She muttered before slipping away into the trees. She collected all the nuts and berries she could to make a nourishing meal before heading back to the others just as darkness fell over them. The fire was glowing brightly and Thyra was still unhappy at being so exposed. The fire would be seen from miles away. Had Aang learned nothing from his capture?
Thyra sat down heavily then began to hand out berries and nuts to everyone, conserving a little for herself which she then relented to Momo, who had been looking pleadingly at her. Thyra's stomach growled and she sighed, hugging her knees into her chest to hide the sound. She couldn't wait to find a village where they could find some more food for their journey.
"Who's there?" Thyra cursed herself for not paying attention, standing up to join Sokka as they watched a silhouette gradually get closer. The man was wounded, with bandages over his left arm but he was also wearing a water tribe garb.
"Sokka?"
"Bato?" In the background Aang woke up, rubbing his eyes with a dreamy yawn.
"Who the what now?"
"Bato!" Katara leaped up from her bedding to run with Sokka to the man named Bato.
"Sokka! Katara!" He smiled, opening his arms to hug them both. "It is so good to see you two! Oh! You've grown so much." Aang and Thyra stayed a few paces back, allowing them the space for their reunion.
"Hi, I'm Aang." Aang introduced himself with a bow. "And this is…"
"Where's Dad?"
"Is he here?" Katara asked hopefully.
"No, he and the other warriors should be in the eastern Earth Kingdom by now." The wind suddenly picked up and everyone shivered against its prickling touch. "Brr! This is no place for a reunion. Let's get inside." Bato suggested warmly, placing his arms around Sokka and Katara's shoulders then led them away. He turned back to motion for Thyra and Aang to follow.
"Come on Appa." Thyra sighed, rubbing her eyes as she stomped out the flames then placed a hand on Appa's side, walking with him whilst following the others.
"After I was wounded, your father carried me to this abbey. The sisters have cared for me ever since." He explained as they entered an abbey. Bato looked up to one of the nearby women and smiled. "Superior, these are Hakoda's children. They've been traveling with the Avatar. I found them by my boat."
"Young Avatar, it gives me great joy to be in your presence. Welcome to our abbey." The woman spoke kindly with a wise tone in her voice.
"Thank you! It's truly an honour to be here. If there's anything-" Thyra glowered at Sokka as he interrupted Aang by talking to Bato.
"What smells so good, Bato?" He sniffed the air pointedly.
"The sisters craft ointments and perfumes."
"Perfume? Maybe we could dump some on Appa? Because he stinks so much! Am I right?" Everyone simply looked blankly at Sokka who seemed impressed with himself.
"You have your father's wit." He stated bluntly then led the children over to a door whereby he opened it to reveal the inside. Katara instantly gasped.
"Bato! It looks like home!"
"Everything's here, even the pelts!" Thyra wrinkled her nose at the pelts, shuddering slightly at the dead animal fur.
"Yeah, nothing's more comforting than dead animal skins." Aang voiced her distaste. Thyra took a seat on a cushion rather than an animal skin around the stewing pot as Katara lifted the lid and inhaled the smell.
"No way! Stewed sea prunes?"
"Help yourself." Bato smiled and handed out bowls for everyone to eat some of the stew.
"Dad could eat a whole barrel of these things." Sokka said, pouring an extra spoonful into his bowl before practically inhaling it into his mouth. Thyra sniffed at it, slightly appalled by the smell but held her breath then began to eat. She hadn't eaten all day so this was better than nothing.
"Bato, is it true you and Dad lassoed an arctic hippo?" Katara asked excitedly, leaning forwards.
"It was your father's idea. He just dragged me along. Well, the hippo did the dragging." Everyone laughed and Aang perked up, smiling.
"Hey, I ride animals too! One time there was this giant eel…"
"So who was it that came up with the great blubber fiasco?" Sokka questioned, attention completely focussed on Bato who laughed.
"You knew about that?"
"Everyone does." Katara smiled.
"What's that story?" Aang asked with interest but Sokka waved a hand, cutting him off again.
"It's a long one, Aang, some other time." Aang hung his head sadly so Thyra put down her bowl and folded her hands in her lap, watching him carefully with a small smile of comfort for him.
"You and Dad had so many hilarious adventures." Katara sighed, leaning her chin on the palm of her hand.
"Not all of which were hilarious at the time, but everything's funny with hindsight." He looked up to see Aang trying on some kind of animal skin headdress. "Aang, put that down, it's ceremonial and very fragile." Dejectedly Aang hung his head and replaced the animal on the wall before sitting back down again.
"Was it you or Dad that put an octopus on your head and convinced Gran-Gran you were a water spirit?"
"Your dad wore the octopus, but," Bato lowered his voice into a spooky tone, "I did the spooky voice." After a while Thyra became tired from listening to the conversation and from the long day so she nestled down in the corner of the room where it was dimmest from the fire's flames and closed her eyes to rest.
"There's something I should tell you kids. I'm expecting a message from your father." She heard through the darkness.
"Really?"
"When?" Sokka instantly demanded with excitement.
"Any day now. Your father said he'd send a message when they found the rendezvous point. If you wait here until the message arrives you can come with me and see your father again."
"It's been over two years since we've seen Dad! That would be so incredible. Katara?"
"I do really miss him. It would be great to see Dad." Thyra lifted her head when she heard the door open the shut. Frowning she looked around the room, realising that Aang was no longer there. Groaning quietly to herself Thyra decided to give him a few minutes to himself before following.
"It's been far too long, hasn't it? I'm not sure when word will arrive, but when it does..."
"It would be great, but we can't. We have to take Aang to the North Pole first." Sokka interrupted gently with a lot less exuberance.
"Even if we had time to wait for the message, who knows how far we'd have to travel. We don't have time for a long detour." Katara added with reason. Thyra smiled, glad that they were sticking at Aang's side.
"I'm sure your father would understand and be proud that his children are helping the Avatar." Thyra got up and slipped away without being noticed, heading into the night to follow her brother. His tracks led her back to the beach where she found him sitting alone at the tip of the ship.
"Hey Aang. What's wrong?" She asked, looking up at him where the stars flickered behind him.
"Nothing." He answered sadly.
"Don't feel put out with everyone ignoring you. Aang, Katara and Sokka haven't seen their dad in two years and Bato is their friend. Give them some space, they deserve it." Aang looked up and sighed.
"I guess you're right." Thyra grinned.
"I'm always right. Now get down here before you catch a cold." Aang stood then jumped down, the wind catching and slowing his descent before he stood before Thyra.
"Yeah, you are right, Thyra. Of course I should be happy for Sokka and Katara. They should have their time with someone from their tribe. They must be missing home." Blinking Aang suddenly deflated so Thyra placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I miss our home too but it's going to be okay. We'll get to return there someday." Aang looked up at Thyra with tear filled eyes before throwing his arms around her, sniffing deeply as the beads began to roll down his cheeks. "We're still together. That's all that matters." Thyra murmured, hugging her brother tightly to offer him all the comfort she could.