Note: Prompt: Power Couple
This will be 3 chapters using the last 3 prompts of Kataang Week 2022.
Chapter 1: Overture
He did not remember the beginning of time. His mother said he was born from a thought. One moment, he did not exist, and in another he simply was.
The land they lived on was deserted at first. Then, as the centuries ambled onward the scope of things changed. There was more shape to everything, more variety. The trees twisted on their trunks; the plants had more colorful leaves. He became curious.
His older brother, Ena, was curious too.
Though his mother had adopted Ena as her own long before he was born, he and Ena were close. They did everything together. They were best friends.
He was larger than Ena, much larger. His older brother was a speck compared to him. Ena had a great red nose and ridges on his cheeks colored blue. His canine teeth would often poke out from behind his lips if he was pouting or if he was in deep thought. His tail curled and straightened whenever he was excited.
Their mother often said that Ena was one of the most unique creatures she had ever found. He was inclined to agree. He had not met another monkey that looked exactly like Ena.
"We're going into the vine forest today, right?" asked Ena as he skipped along by his side. "Yesterday we saw the earth element lion turtle, and there was still so much to see!"
He tsked. "Call the lion turtles 'Ancient One', remember? They existed even before us. Mother says to honor those who are older and more powerful."
Ena laughed. "Whatever you say, brother."
"Hurry, we have to record what we see for mother," he replied. He progressed forward through the drooping creepers. Their yellowing leaves brushed against his face.
Moments later, the two of them made it to the clearing. A flock of sparrowkeets was gathered around a pond. The water glistened on the surface. The sunlight refracted, brightening their home.
He thought they were quite beautiful with their green bodies and yellow scalps, flamboyant feathers, and inquisitive beaks. He knew their mother would approve.
"Excuse me," he said with some hesitation. He inched forward. The sparowkeets glanced up from their playful banter. "I must record what you look like."
Ena's tail unfurled and he bounced on his hind legs.
One of the birds who was wider than the others puffed out its chest. The white feathers that adorned its head flicked as if in agitation. It scoffed. "Why should we listen to you?" the sparrowkeet questioned. Its beady eyes narrowed. "You may be her son, but you have no power over us."
After the war, the Northern Water Tribe flourished. She always thought that her sister tribe was a magnificent place, but Katara saw how it had grown in the years since Ozai's defeat. Certainly, the Southern Water Tribe where she was from regained its recognition throughout the world as a trade port and the modest clusters of tents that had made up the splintered tribe had expanded into towns. But the North had been left largely untouched by the war, blessed by its resources and more powerful allies. The capital city of Agna Quel'a had only become more intricate and sprawling in design since she had first set eyes on it as a teenager.
Just after the winter solstice, there were still silver and white lanterns left hanging throughout the streets. But many of them were still being lit, and even more, were being strung up. In the little light they had during the polar night, these served as beacons in the near darkness.
For the hour or so during the winter that sunlight was visible, it was a welcome time of day. Katara remembered that during the South's polar nights she would look forward to seeing the sky brighten for that short sliver of time. Here, she thought the lantern light made the season's perpetual evening appear magical. Maybe it was because now they could keep their lights on with no fear of having to hide from encroaching warships.
The air was frigid, but the atmosphere was warm. It was midmorning and the streets were bustling with people preparing for the upcoming festival dedicated to Avatar Kuruk. She could smell all the cooking food, the pleasant smoking fish, the baking flatbread, the familiar waft of herbs collected to make Labrador tea saved from early summer.
Children milled about playing games. There was a small crowd off to the side cheering on a pair sitting across from each other as they competed at a stick pull game.
Snug underneath her parka, Katara could hardly feel the cold except on her face. A breeze passed her by as she walked past a stall selling seal jerky. She shivered and rubbed her arms.
An unexpected ball of firelight materialized in front of her. The heat from the dancing flame filled her.
"We can't have that, can we?" asked a deep, melodic voice. Aang slid into step beside her, a wide grin on his face. He held his palm in front of her and kept the fire he controlled at a steady temperature. His auburn cloak was wrapped securely around his shoulders. If Katara could, she would praise the seamstress who had made it. Her husband looked great every time he chose to wear it.
Katara walked closer to him so that her side was almost brushing against his. "Not all of us can be firebenders, Aang," she teased.
He laughed. "Well, no," he agreed, "but you're the only one in the world who can have a personal fireplace following you around."
Having Aang by her side made the polar night look bright. For a while, they walked side-by-side, just admiring the sights and sounds.
"Having fun on your morning walk?" he asked. "We should head over to greet Chief Arnook before the festivities begin."
She nodded. "I feel bad that we arrived so late last night," she said. "But we couldn't escape early enough."
Katara could not help but feel giddy as they meandered through the open streets. In just a few hours, Avatar Kuruk's festival would begin. She and Aang had planned on this short vacation with just the two of them, away from the rest of the world and its political machinations. Republic City could wait.
She and Aang had only been married a few months ago, and neither of them had had substantial enough time for a proper honeymoon. She was busy helping Sokka and assisting at the women's clinic. She had students lining up to learn from her. On the other hand, on top of his usual duties, Aang had been dealing with a petty squabble between King Rishi of Omashu and Earth King Kuei who were fighting over who got to marry their daughters off to whom.
Needless to say, the world had not given them time to themselves for weeks.
She supposed she had to thank Sokka for the idea. If he had not mentioned that the North would have a special Avatar Kuruk festival celebrating five hundred years since his birth, she and Aang would not have known to come.
"Katara, look!" exclaimed Aang. He pointed to the sky. "The Northern Lights!"
They stopped at the base of the steps leading up into the chief's meeting hall. On the surface of the icy white steps, she could see the glimmering shadow of the lights above. She looked up and gasped.
Her breath caught in her throat. The sky was awash with vibrant colors. Purple zig-zagged across the heavens, mingling with jade green expanses that fluttered like a ribbon. It looked like a piece of fantastical art with watery paints mixed into the dark rice paper canvas.
"It's beautiful," Katara breathed. "Aang, I've never seen anything like this before."
Aang snuffed out his fire. He inched closer to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Not even in the South Pole?" he asked.
Katara shook her head. "No," she said. "Gran Gran said that we used to have the Southern Lights before the war, but since then they stopped coming."
Aang had a faraway look in his eyes at that moment, one that she wished she could tuck away and hide. "They say the lights are the spirits dancing in the sky," he said. "When Gyatso and I visited here, he told me that at each of the poles there are incredible spiritual centers and that a few times a year the spirits come out to breathe." He looked wistful. "I guess…when the world fell out of balance, they didn't feel safe coming out anymore."
Silence stretched between them for a moment, and they stared at the sky.
Katara latched onto his hand. She could feel his fingers twine around her palm even through her thick fur-lined mittens. "I'm glad that I get to see this for the first time with you," she remarked with a smile.
He squeezed back.
"We should get going," Katara said eventually. She was reluctant to leave, but they did have a duty. Thankfully it was not much this time, but it was something that needed to be done, nonetheless. "Chief Arnook will be too busy to meet with us later."
Katara started to pivot, her soft boots digging into the well-trodden ice. But then, a sudden rush stopped her in her tracks.
She felt Aang's hand slip from hers. She panicked, turning to him. He started to fall forward. Whatever had hit him had come from behind. He blew a gust of wind at the ground and righted himself, panting.
A crowd of men wearing short parkas and decorative masks that covered their faces parted around them. Some were in the process of removing their masks. A man holding the façade of a tawny owl with a sharp beak trod down the steps, then a pair removing masks of indecipherable fish-like creatures. There was a stylized mask of an elderly man with bushy white eyebrows, and another of a young child. A few bowed to Aang and Katara, but most of them seemed to be in a hurry.
A single man stood out, the man who had run into Aang. He had paused in his descent, a foot caught in the process of stepping down. He wore his hood up and the ivory fur trim framed his eerie masked face.
His mask was painted white with bright red lips. Katara could see his blue irises peeking out from behind eyeholes bordered in gray pigment.
Katara cleared her throat. "You…you should apologize," she started, staring at the man. She helped Aang to straighten. "He could've really gotten hurt."
Aang patted her back. "It's all right," he said with a sheepish smile. "I wasn't paying attention."
She was about to protest when the man let out a boisterous laugh. He tugged off his mask, revealing Hahn. She had not seen him in years, not since he was supposed to marry Princess Yue. The handful of times she had to visit the Northern Water Tribe after the war he had always been out at a rendezvous point with the hunters or on an errand for the chief.
He was even taller now, nearing Aang's height, but just shy of half a centimeter. His dark brown hair was tied halfway into a warrior's tail, and his square jaw was lined with uneven stubble.
"That hasn't changed," said Hahn with a smirk. He nodded at Katara. "How's your rube of a brother?"
Katara narrowed her eyes. She glimpsed the look of shock on Aang's face. "A council member representing the Southern Water Tribe in Republic City and a war hero," she answered coolly. "Why do you ask?"
His expression hardened.
"Hahn!" called someone from the top of the steps. Katara glanced up to see Chief Arnook looking down at them. "Make sure your men are ready for tonight's ceremonial performance. You've been practicing here every morning. I expect nothing but the best."
Hahn acknowledged the chief and then turned to face Katara and Aang. "Just stay out of my way," he said. He disappeared into the busy roads, avoiding the paths that led to the canals.
Aang started up the stairs and Katara followed close behind. When they reached the top, they both bowed respectively to Arnook.
The chief had aged significantly through the years, especially since his daughter gave her own life to become the moon spirit. His hair had turned nearly all gray, and there were wrinkles around his mouth and eyes that he did not use to have. But Katara could see the same passion for life behind his gaze that Yue had.
"I apologize about Hahn," he said. He started to lead them into the hall. The ornate building rose around them like the icy fortress it was. "Since the day you three left to complete your quest to end the Hundred Year War, he has been obsessed with achieving glory. He has felt that he has needed to prove himself."
He stopped to push open the curtains that separated them from the main room. He turned when they entered, shaking his head. "I value his skills and insight, but I do wish there was more I could do as his mentor," he finished.
Katara blinked. "Mentor?" she asked. "Are you planning on having him succeed you?"
Arnook smiled wryly. "He's a candidate," he replied. He tilted his head at Aang. "I do hope both of you can join me for breakfast this morning."
It was easy to agree to such a tempting offer. She and Aang followed him deeper into the building and finally made it to a more secluded place where someone had already set up an area to sit and eat. Plates of food were neatly placed atop a rug made of polar bear dog fur. It seemed Arnook had been prepared for guests.
Breakfast was not a grand affair. Katara appreciated its simplicity and its familiarity.
There were differences in some of the cuisine of the Northern Water Tribe versus the Southern Water Tribe. Notably, a sad lack of sea prunes. Not that Aang would complain about it. She had teased him often enough about his aversion to one of her favorite dishes.
More open trade had transformed the tribes' sources of food too, and with the North being closer to Ba Sing Se, they had access to things like blueberries that did not grow as well in the southern Earth Kingdom. She was grateful for it too because that meant that she and Aang could have fresh fruit in the middle of winter for breakfast.
Katara had expected more of a retinue when Arnook had invited them to eat, but she was greeted with a pleasant surprise. The only people in the room were the three of them.
It was cozy eating in a private room like this with a comforting pot of seaweed stew burbling at the hearth. The mats were made of woven fur and were soft to the touch. Skins of past kills blanketed the walls. They passed around wooden bowls, savoring the warmth of the soup.
"Please, have some flatbread," Arnook offered Aang who took a piece with a grateful smile. "And Katara, have some pickled cod."
Aang shared his bread with her, and they split a bowl of berries in between them.
"This is great," said Aang. "All of it is delicious!"
Arnook took a bite out of some cod. He appeared pleased. "It's the least I can do for all the work you and Master Katara have done so far," he remarked. "Besides, we're honored to have you two visit us. A celebration of the Northern Water Tribe's last Avatar is really—"
The door banged open. A middle-aged woman barged in, out of breath. She was covered in patches of snow and her lashes were frosted. "Chief!" she shouted, "A blizzard came out of nowhere! Some of the children still haven't returned from playing outside the city!"
Katara jumped. Some of the stew that was left in her bowl sloshed to the sides and onto her lap. She waterbended it out of the fabric of her dress before it could stain.
Arnook stood up on the mat he was sitting on. Katara and Aang followed after setting aside their meals.
"A blizzard?!" exclaimed Arnook. "That's not possible. We would know if one was coming."
The woman bit her bottom lip. She looked just as confused as Katara felt. "I don't know how this happened either," she stammered. "All I know is that one minute the sky was clear and the next no one in the capital could see past the snowfall."
Arnook sighed. "I understand the situation," he said. "Gather the waterbenders and the men and meet me in the main hall."
"We'll help you," said Aang. Katara agreed.
The chief and the woman left the room, and Katara was going to follow, but she realized that Aang still had not moved. He looked at nothing like he was concentrating on something only he could understand. His lips thinned.
She lifted an eyebrow and touched his arm. "Are you okay?" she asked, concerned.
He refocused, breathing deep. He glanced at her. "I don't know but…something doesn't feel right," he said.
ooo
In the main hall, rows of men formed. A few women who were waterbenders joined the ranks. The fact that after Master Pakku had left and Katara had proven herself, women waterbenders were now allowed to become more than healers, was progress even if it was meager. She recognized a few faces of the girls younger than her who had trained while she was with Master Yugoda learning to heal.
"We need people out on the field to brave the storm," said Arnook from the dais. His voice was loud and booming. "Avatar Aang and Master Katara have volunteered to join those who will leave the city to look for the missing children. Anyone who is willing should go with them. It won't be an easy feat."
Whispers peppered the gathered crowd. Nervous glances and hesitant looks were exchanged between people. Katara knew what they were thinking. She could understand it well as someone who had grown up in a similar environment. The tundra in the winter was especially harsh, and nigh impossible to cross during a snowstorm. To make matters worse, it was pitch dark outside.
"I should be the one to lead this expedition!" insisted Hahn from a few rows behind her and Aang. "I'm one of the lead hunters. I have the most experience going out there."
Arnook agreed. "Those of you who want to follow, do so. I hope you can make an effective team. You'll be in good hands."
Groups started to form. Those who wanted to leave started collecting by the exit. She and Aang followed. Someone passed lit oil lanterns around to each group.
"The rest of you will remain here," commanded Chief Arnook. "You will stay here and man the city. Waterbenders will fortify the walls so that we can protect the buildings from any further damage. Everyone else, help them when you can and prepare to take in the injured."
Despite Hahn being the official lead, everyone seemed to gravitate toward both her and Aang instead.
She and Aang waterbended in tandem with each other, moving their arms as if they were part of the ocean themselves. The wind was strong and beat against her face. Shards of ice nipped at her exposed skin. She had to pull up her collar and hood.
Aang stopped meters away from a frozen fountain. He cupped his hands around his mouth and started to speak. "Once we leave through the side gate—"
"Stick close to me!" yelled Hahn from the middle of the pack. He lifted his lantern high. "If we huddle together, we can make it through and find them!"
Some of their group shuffled closer to him, however, most of the others ignored him.
Katara knew what Aang had been going to say, and she knew that what Hahn planned was not good enough. She could hardly see in front of her.
"Once we leave through the side gate, the waterbenders should form a circle around the nonbenders wide enough to cover as much ground as possible to break through the storm," she said as loud as possible from beside Aang.
Her husband nodded in agreement. "When we determine it's safe enough to, we'll split off into groups and search. Katara and I will each lead a group, and Hahn will lead another."
Hahn growled, but they did what they were told anyway.
Katara created a giant ice tower that bordered the edge of the city walls and ended at a noticeable point. "We'll meet here after two hours if no one has found anything and regroup," she said.
They trekked forward with her and Aang at the front and Hahn sticking closely behind them. Hahn saw a path through the hills and told them to go through. They paused behind a tall boulder that was blocking the snow. They decided to separate into three groups.
Except, Hahn wanted to lead his group past a massive frozen lake. He would have to walk on the ice and take the men he had with them. Katara was unsure if it would be stable enough without more than two waterbenders which was all he had.
"That's not safe," she snapped, "and I don't think the children will have crossed the water like that. Not if they were trying to stay close by."
Hahn shoved her and she stumbled. Aang stopped her fall by catching her on her back and glared at him.
"What do you know?" glowered Hahn. "I'll find them before any of you." He twisted around, gesturing to the followers that trailed behind him. "We're going," he said.
Katara watched them go off alone. She simmered inside. The dots of orange lights started to fade the further they went, and that only made her angrier.
The remaining men and women waited anxiously by their side, a few asking what they should do now.
"Katara," Aang said, getting her attention. His brow furrowed. "I'll follow them. You take the others around here and search in the caves."
She reached for his robe. "It's dangerous," she reminded him instead of stopping him. She knew where his heart was and what he would do even if she did not want him to do it. "Be careful."
Half an hour passed, then an hour. Katara's group combed the ice caves to no avail. All they found were empty shelters and frostbitten bones of long-dead animals. Another half hour passed.
In the darkness, the many lanterns they had bobbed like fireflies flying over grass. The swirling snow began to slow, if only slightly. The waterbenders were growing more fatigued the longer they had to fight against nature itself. She was starting to feel tired too.
She led them out of the caves and to the edge of the lake. In the distance, she could see the lamps from Hahn's group coming closer to them. Aang's cloak was the brightest speck on the horizon. She felt relief.
She heard a startled squeak.
"Master Katara, look!" cried one of the female waterbenders. She pointed to a hidden opening near a copse of barren trees that grew at the shoreline. The ice dipped their boughs.
A little face poked out, blinking at them with wide cerulean eyes. A child.
That same child turned around and yelled, "Guys! The adults are here! We're saved!"
Excitement rippled through the group. A few of the men that had come were apparently the brothers and fathers of some of the missing children. There were ten of them all hiding in a forgotten dilapidated safehouse that looked at least a century old.
Katara turned back to the lake, waterbending the snow so that she used it like a broad umbrella. She waved one arm, hoping that Aang would see her.
"Aang!" she called. "We found them!"
As soon as she yelled, she realized her mistake.
The lights on the other side of the lake that had been steadily inching back over to her now came closer faster. Much faster. Too fast.
Hahn led them, springing along the lake's surface like a polar dog attached to a sled. She vaguely heard Aang trying to stop him, but by then it was too late.
There had been too many running pairs of feet on the perilous ice. The pounding weight of the blizzard's snow had not helped either. A great crack appeared near the center, and all too quickly, Hahn slipped. He righted himself just in time, but one foot stood on the ice sheet to his left and the other one stood on the ice sheet to his right. He panted, trying to keep himself upright. But it was only a matter of time.
The cracks tore through the ice. Cold water ripped apart the once pristine surface. The men screamed for help. Bergs separated, then slammed together. The other two waterbenders helped the men that nearly fell in. They pushed forward and they slid to the shore.
Meanwhile, Hahn was in a precarious situation.
Before she or the others in her group could think, Katara ran for Aang.
Her boots slapped on the floes. She brushed away the snow and ice, waterbended streams to push her forward as fast as she could.
She saw Aang spin, turning just enough to refreeze what he could, but the fissures kept forming.
She met him in the middle, and they stood back-to-back. Katara became their defense, protecting them from the storm while Aang alternated with her. They walked rapidly on the ice sheets toward the spot where Hahn had made the initial crack. Aang's arms swept across the water. Frozen, refrozen. Together, apart. She trusted him to catch her steps, and he trusted her to cover him.
They were the center, the calm. Working together, they even pulled the other waterbenders into their fold.
She and Aang reached Hahn first. The crack he stood on either side of split apart. Aang lunged for him. Katara looped ice around Aang's torso, keeping him attached to the ground. The ice tilted upward just as Aang caught Hahn's arm, crashing into a nearby sheet. Katara screamed as she started to slide toward the water.
Water splashed around them. Katara waterbended another ice floe below them, freezing them in position and catching herself before she plunged into the frigid water.
The ice was slanted now, nearly upright. Hahn dangled on the other side and Aang was flat, stomach-first on the same side as Katara. His upper half bent over the point of the floe. He held on tight to Hahn who latched onto his right arm in a death grip.
Hahn's weight tugged at him. Aang grunted, his face contorting in pain. Pop, and Katara was horrified. Aang's shoulder had been dislocated.
Hahn began to slip, but Katara knew what to do. She shot her arms forward. The ice was halved. Aang and Hahn plummeted towards the lake, but Katara had already caught them with a new flat sheet of ice.
She charged forward now, propelling them with the force of the waves that spewed behind them, and finally, they washed ashore. The snow started to swirl a little more slowly.
Luckily the others had made it. She did not have to worry about them. But as she heard both Aang and Hahn coughing from exertion as they rolled onto their backs on the snow, she could not help but feel the undeniable rage that consumed her.
She stomped over to Hahn and slapped him. "You idiot!" she bellowed. "You could've gotten us all killed!"
He stared at her from his pitiful position on the ground. He glared at her with both disbelief and indignation. She could feel it without any of his useless excuses.
She helped Aang stand, and together they finished their mission. With one arm, Aang helped her make a moving fortress that would protect them and the children.
There were a few stragglers that met them at the ice tower before they entered Agna Quel'a again. More lanterns met them upon their arrival to the main hall. The children leaped into the arms of their family members, crying.
Hahn did not speak the rest of the time. In fact, he had disappeared somewhere along the way. She did not care.
She could see the awkward way Aang limped, and the way he did not try to use his right arm. Her anger at Hahn boiled in her abdomen.
Still, she stuck to Aang's side. The warmth of his fire complimented the shield of her ice. This was the power they shared together as a pair, as a couple. They were a team. No one, not even Hahn could spoil that.
Note: Reviews are appreciated!