II.
Aang, Katara, and Sokka were starving. The meal in front of them, though by no means the luxurious banquet they had in Omashu, was still warm and inviting. Sokka piled his plate with comfort food, meats dripping in gravy, breads steaming from the clay ovens. In the candlelight, Lenara noticed these children, not much younger than she herself was, looked so much older than they were. The journey was already taking its toll on them.
Of course, to them, she must look about forty years in the eyes instead of the mere 15 years she was. A lot had passed since she came back to the water tribe.
Katara noticed Lenara staring at the candle flame.
"So, how has the harvest been?"
"A little slim this year, but we'll survive. We always do." Aang blinked.
"What harvest? I didn't see any farms."
"No, Aang. Harvesting the water."
"But, there's water everywhere, Katara. What do they need to harvest more for?"
"Ever heard of the old saying, 'Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink'? Well, that's the problem we have here, Avatar. Most of the water comes from the glaciers and the ocean, both saltwater sources," Lenara explained, removing the heavy bone headdress from her thick hair.
"That's better. We have to create our own freshwater by bending the salt out of the water."
"That sounds tricky," Katara replied, pushing away her plate. Sokka snatched up a piece of bread from Katara's plate and slathered it in butter.
"It is. But our water benders are dedicated people. However, we're having a problem getting rid of the salt. We tried boiling it away, but the process takes too long." Lenara watched Sokka begin to cram the bread from his sister's plate into his mouth. He paused, midway, noticing Lenara staring at him, her cool green eyes seemed to go right through him. His cheeks turned pink and he gave the bread a dainty bite. Lenara smiled and pushed a plate of bread towards Sokka.
"Eat up, my warrior. You've been on a long journey. Seriously, I can't tell you all how relieved I am to see you, especially you, Aang. I have been keeping track of the Avatar's journey since the ice was broken six months ago." Aang looked surprised. It had been months since he had triggered his Avatar spirit at the Southern Air Temple. His anger came from the discovery of the bones of his teacher, Gehatsu.
"You knew about that?" Lenara nodded.
"Since the light that appeared from our own Avatar temple signaled the return of the Avatar, my warriors and I have set up a system of posts around the neighboring kingdoms, like Kyoshi and Omashu, to watch your travels, but not to interfere. Not unless you were in dire straits. I was trying to get a post set up in the Fire Nation, but I couldn't ask my tribes-people to put their lives in that much jeopardy." Sokka popped the last of the bread in his mouth, washing it down with warm goat's milk.
"Oh man, that's good!" Lenara grinned and stood from the table. Aang and Katara got to their feet. Sokka remained reclined by the table, lazily picking his teeth.
"I'll show you to your hut. In the morning, I would like to speak with each of you briefly before you go."
"Go?" Katara walked anxiously around the table to face the water chief, "we just got here! We came here to learn water bending! Aang has to master the four elements by summer's end!" Lenara gripped Katara's shoulder.
"I wish you could stay, my water-sister, but a Fire Navy ship has been spotted two posts away and I fear for the Avatar's safety."
"Zuko," Katara and Sokka breathed. Lenara had a puzzled look on her face, but asked nothing. Aang thumbed to the doorway.
"We'd better get some sleep, then. So much for penguin sledding." Katara and Sokka followed Aang out the door. Lenara paused long enough to pinch the flames out on the candles. She couldn't help being drawn to the fire. She ducked past the leather door cover to catch up with the travelers.
III.
The sun had barely shivered from its cloudy blanket when Lenara appeared as a shadow in the doorway. She waited to see who would wake first. It came as little surprise when Sokka turned over and stared at the doorway.
"How'd you know?" Lenara whispered, not wanting to wake the others.
"I can sense someone staring at me," Sokka grumbled, half asleep.
"You have pretty good instincts, Sokka. Wanna take a walk?" Sokka, startled by the compliment, nodded and pulled on his tunic. He met Lenara by the door and they moved onto a trail that wound beyond the village up a gentle hill. Sokka stretched as he yawned and scratched his back.
"Where is the Fire Navy ship now?"
"Not far from the coast. A few miles. Or leagues. Or whatever they measure stuff with…" Sokka laughed to himself, shaking his head. He had never heard of a water bender who couldn't measure leagues of water. They mounted the hill and began their accent.
"What are you going to do when the Fire Navy ship reaches the village?" Sokka asked. They crested the hill as the red sun shone from the horizon. Lenara new what a red sun meant-either blood was spilled during the night, or it would be this morning.
"We'll protect the village. We'll fight. We'll survive. We always do." She turned to Sokka, her emerald eyes shining, "besides, I've been waiting for the chance to take on the Fire Nation. It's been a long time coming." Sokka really liked this girl. Strange that he didn't trust her when they first met.
"Look, I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to be so edgy and suspicious. We're just trying to keep a low profile since Zuko and the Fire Navy keep…" Lenara held up a hand and Sokka paused.
"You don't have to explain yourself, Sokka. You should always be on your guard. If not for your vigilance, the Avatar may not be here now. Or your sister, for that matter. The Avatar is the only person who can unite the clans of this world and bring balance back to the Nations. Continue to trust your instincts, Sokka." Sokka stood a little straighter, proud of the water chief's praise.
"Now, will you tell Katara to meet me by the shore?"
"Sure. Uh, Lenara?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks." Sokka held out his hand and Lenara returned the handshake.
"Fight hard, my warrior. But before you go," Lenara's face became serious, "tell me about this Zuko."
Katara raced to the shoreline. Sokka told her the Water Tribe chief was waiting for her. Katara found Lenara without her robe, a light sleeveless tunic and shorts replacing it. Indifferent to the cold, she bent towards the water, bringing it up around her body and formed a ball. As Katara approached, Lenara held the spinning ball of water aloft.
"Hey water-sister! Catch!" Lenara tossed the ball to Katara. Katara clumsily balanced the ball between her hands.
"Good reflexes, Katara."
"Thanks, but I'm not as good as Aang." Katara let the ball slip and it splashed around her feet.
"Of course you're not. Aang's the Avatar," Lenara said to a solemn Katara, "but that doesn't define who he is or who you are." Katara blinked. In the South Pole, she was the only water bender. That was who she was. Without her water bending skills, who was she?
"What do you mean?"
"Well," Lenara scooped up another stream of water, "The Avatar was reborn as Ang, right? But he was born Aang first. Aang has the Avatar's powers, but he has his own thoughts and feelings, not the thoughts and feelings of past Avatars." Lenara shaped the water into a ring.
"We all have things that make us unique, Katara, but they may not be our strengths. You care about Sokka and Aang, you defend them both physically and verbally. You passionately believe the Avatar will bring peace to this world. Those beliefs, those actions are what make you who you are." Lenara threw the water ring at Katara and smiled when the water bender caught it easily.
"Once you figure out your true strengths, the rest will come effortlessly. You may not be as powerful as the Avatar, Katara, but who is? Keep in mind you have an equally important part to play in his fate. He needs a friend more than a bender right now." Katara bowed and Lenara returned the bow, stooping lower to collect her robe.
"That ship is almost here. I must speak to Aang."
Aang and Sokka were packing the supplies when Katara appeared over the rise leading to the shore. She took Aang's half-rolled sleeping bag from him.
"Lenara wants to talk to you. I'll finish up here." Aang gazed at the rise. Silhouetted against the gold morning sun was Lenara, back in her flowing blue robes. Aang met Lenara on the rise and they walked past the village in silence. As they approached the outskirts of the village, Lenara stopped and turned to Aang. Aang waited for the speech to come, the one about responsibility and being the Avatar.
"Aang?"
"Yeah, Lenara?"
"Wanna go penguin sledding?"