Sparkling Waters pt.1

This story takes place soon after Katara steals the water scroll from the pirates and our crew escapes the clutches of Prince Zuko.

Everyone was sitting in silence, not because they were nervous or shook up but just because no one really knew what to say, no one except Katara.

"You guys," Katara started, " I apologize for putting us all in danger but a thought just crossed my mind, those pirates stole that scroll from the water benders up north and" Katara was cut off.

"Haven't you already said this," Sokka interrupted, "we have been through this about a hundred times and that doesn't" Sokka was also cut off.

"IF YOU WOULD JUST BE QUIET FOR A MINUTE AND LET ME FINISH SOKKA!" Katara shouted. As she did Momo quickly ran for cover behind Aang who just sat there watching for the time being thinking it best not to interrupt. Katara took a deep breath letting the fresh air, that is always crisp and refreshing because of the altitude, fill her lungs, she held it for a moment then exhaled slowly. She then continued in her usual calm voice that caused Momo to cautiously poke his head out of his hiding place. " As I was saying, the North Pole water benders would not have just given up that scroll without a fight. So I fear something terrible might have happened to our sister tribe." As Katara said this the reality of the situation sank into everyone's heads.

"Katara, the North Pole is full of excellent water benders, I know that because of the techniques on that scroll and those pirates couldn't bend a spoon let alone one of the four elements so the North Pole water benders have to be OK." Aang said this not only trying to convince Katara but himself as well, but he had to try and lighten the situation; if he didn't, he wouldn't be Aang.

Just then the stone on Katara's necklace started to glow, this startled Katara so much that she quickly stood up. Big mistake because when she did she also quickly lost her footing on Appa's back and fell backwards from the enormous bison. Katara was now in a very grave situation, not only was she free falling head first from about eight thousand feet, she was also over an expansive ocean and the nearest speck of dry land was an immeasurable distance away. Katara was petrified, she couldn't scream if she wanted to because she was falling so quickly she couldn't breath, and the way she was falling was only increasing the speed of her fall. Katara's mind was in shock but she was quickly snapped out of it when her glowing necklace started twitching, at first she thought it was just the fall but she realized it wasn't when it started getting smaller.

When Katara fell Aang quickly jumped from his seated position and with two spins and a large gust of wind, which was signature whenever Aang wanted to move quickly, he was at Appa's reins. Aang forcefully pulled back on them and sent then immediately upwards until they were vertical.

"You're going the wrong way Aang! Katara didn't fall up!" Sokka shouted in terror.

Aang ignored him and continued pulling back on Appa's reins until they were horizontal. Sokka started to fall as well but just then Aang shouted, "Yip Yip!" and Appa picked up speed and darted downwards towards Kitara. Momo Clutched onto Aang's shirt with all of his might and Sokka gripped the large saddle and prayed that it would not tear. When Aang saw Katara he saw something that made his heart sink. She was now flailing her legs and scratching at her throat: Katara was choking! This sight made Aang jump and he accidentally shifted his weight backwards and to the left and this cause Appa to change his direction, instead of going down he turned left out of his nose dive and started going back upwards. This would probably cost Katara's life.

Katara's necklace started to tighten around her neck and by the time she realized it, it was too late. The Necklace had already gotten so small it started to pinch the skin around her neck. She was still falling headfirst but this had become the least of her worries. She clutched the now tiny necklace with both her hands but as soon as she did she wished she hadn't, for as soon as she did the glowing stone started to burn. Katara was now a few more seconds away from the gentle waves of the massive ocean. She couldn't take a breath so she decided to clench her teeth and closed her eyes to ignore the pain and stop fighting the necklace so save her breath in the water. She crossed her arms over her chest like she was giving herself a hug to brace herself for the impact that could probably break her neck. Just then the burning stopped and she heard a piercing noise she waiting for the impact but it never happened.

Aang realized his mistake and turned back to Katara but she was gone. He failed. Aang refused to accept defeat so he told Appa to stay and jumped into the water. Momo saw what Aang was intending to do so he jump off of Aang and onto Sokka who was in a horrified daze. Aang held his breath and was quickly immersed in the waters that had taken his friend. He looked left and right and searched for bubbles of air thought would lead him to Katara, his search came of fruitless. He resurfaced to see Sokka still in a trance, Aang made a ball of air then took a deep breath and went back under the waves. He searched until he was out of breath but this time he did not resurface, he released his breath then pulled his air ball to his mouth and refilled his lungs. The air ball was now considerably smaller and he continued his search passing fishes and crying. Because he was underwater the salty water of the ocean that was stinging his eyes was carrying his salty tears away. He refilled his lungs with air and continued his search, but it all came up fruitless: Katara was gone.

When Katara opened her eyes she expected to see air bubbles, fishes and other things you would see underwater but instead she saw the sky. She then noticed that the ground where she was sprawled out was freezing. Katara stood up and a quick glance showed her that her surroundings were covered in snow and ice. She looked all around here and in the distance to her left she noticed a small group of huts and she decided that if she was going to have any chance of surviving that it would be there.

As soon as Katara started walking to the huts she realized that her necklace was no longer choking or burning her. Weird, she thought as she walked along. Katara had been walking for about half an hour when she saw something that had not been there before, a large lake. The lake was looked like it was about 2 miles across and it seemed there were several ways of getting across: flying, swimming, or using a boat. Great, Katara thought, how am I supposed to get across this? Katara stood there questioning herself when she heard footsteps in the snow behind her. When she turned around she quickly wished she hadn't, because coming at her was a pack of white wolves.

The pack stopped advancing about 40 feet from Katara and started spreading out in a semi circle around Katara: she was trapped. In front of her stood the largest wolf, it was about 4 feet tall and 7 feet from head to tail, it slowly started stepping towards her. Steam came from its mouth every time it breathed, it was huffing with impatience and hunger so the steam was produced often. It bared its fangs which were just as white as the snow that covered the landscape, its tongue hung from its mouth and moved in and out just a little bit each time it breathed.

"N-N-Nice d-d-doggy." Katara stammered as the giant wolf slowly approached. "You don't want to attack me." Katara tried to coax the beast as she took a step backwards. She was quickly reminded of the lake that was immediately behind her when her foot touched the water and she almost lost her balance but she quickly bounced forward to avoid the fall: bad move. The sudden movement caused all of the dogs to crouch just a little preparing to attack and now they all bared their fangs and crept forward. Just then she got an idea she quickly turned around and attached her energy to the water and started to freeze a path across. The wolves caught on to her attempt to escape and started to run at the young water bender. Katara heard the first wolf leap to attack her but she kept freezing the path and crouched a little to brace for the impact when her necklace burned. Suddenly she heard a thud and was not hit by the wolf and when she looked she noticed a shield of a brilliant blue light behind her, she was surprised but decided to think about it later and that is when she saw the rest of the wolves leap at her. They all smashed into the shield, and just then Katara felt a burst of energy and the all of the wolves were frozen on the ground and she when she looked at the lake the entire lake was too.

She quickly ran across the ice. Good thing I never changed out of the clothes I wore in the first episode or I might not have on these nice boots and thick coat, Katara thought, and they called my crazy on all of those tropical islands. The ice behind her started melting and the wolves started thawing. Katara was so hyped up on adrenaline that she ran the entire two miles in about 30 minutes. When she finally stopped running she plopped down on the snow of the shore and spent another 20 minutes catching her breath and gathering her scattered thoughts. What happened back there? What is going on with this necklace my mother gave me? Where the heck am I? How did I get here? Will Aang and Sokka be able to find me?

Katara got up and started walking towards the huts again and she arrived at a gate. The gate was amazing, It was made of ice and she could see through the ice and tell that between the walls of ice was water and the gate was inside of a solid gold frame and the handles were made of ice, silver and gold. It was amazing. Just then she realized something, her Grams had told her about this, and she was standing at the gates of the water bending tribe village of the North Pole. This made Katara smile because she remembered how to get in, water bending.

TO BE CONTINUED…