"Look! That's Uncle Tenzin's sky bison!" Calling out to Korra the both of us leaped from the rooftop and slid down the snow to the ground, excitedly running to go and greet Tenzin and his family as he finally made it to the compound. Already I could hear the excitable children rushing around everywhere, playing in the snow so the moment I appeared I gave a loud yell. "Uncle Tenzin!" Without warning I leaped onto him, making him jump in surprise with his arms stiff as a board but I took no notice of him, grinning broadly as I looked up into his aged features. "It's so great to see you, it's been years."
"My goodness, this couldn't be Kanna could it? You're much taller than when I last saw you." He said, relaxing once he recognised my face, however my introduction had all three children instantly in a blur.
"Wow! You're our cousin? We heard all about you from daddy on the ride over!" The middle girl Ikki announced, bouncing up and down before leaping into my arms. "Can you play with us? Snow-bend some snowmen for us please!" With a laugh I tossed her into the air then caught her on my shoulders, giving her a ride as Meelo rushed around me and ducked through my legs.
"You're our cousin? I thought you were going to be younger!" Somehow that sounded like a complaint that I wasn't his age but I took it on the chin as I laughingly caught him around the middle and swung him around with Ikki squealing as she gripped onto my head.
"Oh yeah? Well if I was younger, I couldn't do this!" Sweeping him up into the air I bent the snow around us to form him a slide, hardening it into ice so that Meelo spiralled down and instantly Ikki leaped from my head and air-bent her way to the top, shrieking loudly with laughter as I created the best ice slide I could to keep them entertained whilst Jinora shyly approached me.
"Hello cousin Kanna, it's very nice to see you again. I remember you a little from when I visited a while ago." She greeted, giving a respectful air-bender bow however my bright smile only glittered further as I placed my arms around her into a firm embrace.
"Jinora! I only saw you once as a baby and then once again when you were older, but you were such an adorable little thing, look how beautiful you are now, all grown up." I fussed at her hair to brush aside some snow as she beamed up at me, throwing her arms around my waist however when I heard a commotion over where Uncle Tenzin, Gran-Gran and Korra were, we both looked over.
"What do you mean you're not staying? You're supposed to teach me air-bending, how are you going to do that if you're in Republic City and not here?!" Korra demanded heatedly and I instinctively gripped onto Jinora's shoulder, keeping her by my side as the other two remained distracted. My brow creased in concern and I looked down to my younger cousin before I forced a smile.
"How about we all go inside? I can show you kids around the compound if you like?" I offered before then stretching out a hand to Pema. "Aunty Pema, it's cold out here. You should come inside and get warm." I said and she gratefully accepted my hand with a smile as I drew her to my side before I then pulled off the blanket I had draped over my shoulder and placed it around her. I had brought it with me for this very reason, knowing that as a non-bender she would be more susceptible to the cold.
"That's so sweet of you, thank you sweetie." Pema said to me as she held a hand to the large bump where she carried my fourth cousin. First I led Pema inside to sit down somewhere warm, comfortable and peaceful whilst Korra and Tenzin talked with Katara and I took charge of the kids.
"Alright everyone, let the grand tour begin!" I announced before taking them with me to show them the training grounds. Pretty soon I'd shown them everything and only Jinora was interested in asking questions, so I set up another impressive ice slide for the younger two to play on.
"So how long have you known Avatar Korra? Are you just as good at bending as she is? I bet you are, I bet you're an amazing water-bender." Jinora asked me with a glittering inquisitiveness in her eyes which made me chuckle as I walked beside her.
"Actually, I'm not a full water-bender. I specify in using ice." I told her, making her stop and stare at me like I'd grown a second head. "You see I'm actually afraid of water so I can't use large amounts of it, it just doesn't work for me but ice is just fine which is why I can create stuff like this." Gesturing to the spiralling slide Jinora tilted her head to the side curiously and in slight confusion. "I know, it's not something you come across everyday."
"No not really, I've never heard of a bender who abstains from their element before." She agreed however just then, Meelo dropped down and a gust of wind which blasted snow at the both of us, covering us from head to toe.
"Snowmen!" He cheered before blasting us again and I had to laugh as I shook the snow off.
"Alright Meelo, you want snowmen? How about this!" I grinned before moving my hands and shifting my balance from foot to foot until I had created life sized ice and snow sculptures, carefully crafting them into penguins, polar bear dogs, giant rabbits and all kinds of animals.
"Wow! This is so amazing!" Ikki squealed before requesting a sky bison which I obliged to give her, creating everything they wanted before I continued to use my bending to bring the statues to life, chasing the children with penguins and all sorts until they were run completely ragged. As Meelo and Ikki flopped into the snow completely exhausted I smiled down at them as Jinora caught her breath.
"I have never seen my brother and sister actually become worn out before." She noted to me with a smile. "You're amazing Kanna."
"Oh it was nothing. Come on, let's get you all inside." I said, noting that the light was fading which meant it was late in the day. I easily carried Ikki on my back, arms slung over my shoulders with one arm underneath her for support whilst Meelo lay cradled in my other arm and I carried them both inside with Jinora, making Pema look up and her mouth dropped open in shock.
"I cannot believe my eyes, are they asleep?" She asked, speaking in the quietest voice for fear of waking them.
"Completely knocked out. I can take them to their room if you like?" I offered and Pema suddenly slumped, relaxing back into her chair with a long sigh.
"I don't know how you wore them out without burning yourself down but I have to thank you Kanna, I can finally have some peace and quiet." She said whilst rubbing her stomach. I assured her again that it was nothing before taking all three kids to their room where I undressed Ikki and Meelo with Jinora's help down to their undergarments then made sure they were wrapped up in the warmest of furs so that they would stay warm.
"My room is just opposite so if you need anything in the night then don't be afraid to come and wake me up, okay?" I said to Jinora as she yawned sleepily, rubbing her eyes as she climbed into her own bed.
"Okay. Goodnight Kanna."
"Goodnight Jinora, sleep well." With a smile I placed a kiss on her forehead before closing the door quietly behind me, letting the children rest before going to find Korra. I found her on the rooftop with her arms folded across her knees, head bowed with an angry pout so I guessed immediately that things weren't going exactly to plan. "Hey Korra. I assume Tenzin isn't staying."
"I can't believe this, I'm supposed to learn air-bending and complete my Avatar training, how am I supposed to do that whilst I'm stuck here in this…this…prison, and Tenzin is all the way in Republic City?!" She fumed, making angry hand gestures before slicing out a hand in anger, sending a wave of snow off the roof as I came and sat by her side. Without a word I placed my arm around her back, but at that moment, the one I felt most sorry for was Gran-Gran. She had been so overjoyed with the thought of Tenzin and the little ones coming to live here where she could see them every day and maybe even help deliver her fourth grandchild but now she was only going to be with them for one night. I knew how much she missed her family with mom being so often away. Ever since she lost Aang, I'd been told that Katara had wanted all her children closer to her but they led such different lives that she rarely saw them at all. It made me understand why she had been so patient and understanding with me over the years. I was the only one that had been consistently with her.
"We'll figure something out." I said finally and Korra leaned into me, the two of us falling into silence as the sky finally got dark enough to see the moon and the stars. We stayed up late before finally I managed to persuade Korra to get some rest, both of us falling asleep on my bed however in the night I heard the door open and the kids all climbed in with us, poking me in the ribs and flattening my stomach before I found three air-bender children all huddled in between Korra and I, my best friend not even waking up so I smiled before I pulled the blankets more securely over them, making sure they were warm before finally drifting off to sleep also.