Chapter 4 Home again

It was early morning and the sky was still a dark purple hue. As the sun struggled to rise over the distant horizon the world was momentarily caught in the midst of the timeless battle between night and day. At this moment when most of the world's inhabitants were serenely unaware; lost amongst their dreams, a giant white bison streaked across the gently lightening sky.

Aang lifted his heavy eyelids and strained to see if they were anywhere near the Southern water tribe village. Appa groaned deeply beneath him, letting Aang know that he was tired of flying and desperately needed a break. Aang patted his old friend on the head apologetically.

"I know buddy we're almost there, just stay with me a little longer." The icy cold wind began to blow and Aang shivered.

"We are going to have to get used to this cold air again Appa". Aang reached for a heavy fur blanket that was neatly folded on Appa's saddle, inadvertently waking Momo who had been curled up in between its folds.

"Sorry Momo, but you have fur; I think I need this a little more than you do". As Aang wrapped the warm, fluffy blanket around his body, he began to think about Katara. He thought back to the day that she had given him the blanket, the day that he had left her. Aang sighed heavily at the far off memory. How much he missed her. Suddenly Momo leapt onto his shoulder in an attempt to reclaim the warm blanket that Aang had taken from him. Aang laughed at his small friend's antics.

"Come here Momo," Aang said offering the lemur his lap as a temporary sleeping spot. Momo happily obliged, curling up into a ball and falling asleep instantly as Aang stroked his ears. "I cant' believe we've been away for two whole years Momo, I can't wait to see her again…….

It was still very early in the morning and the sun was just coming up over the horizon. Katara sat quietly by the waters edge gazing up at the fading stars.

"I should really get back, before anyone misses me", she thought to herself. More and more Katara had been going off to be alone which made her father worry about her. She appreciated his concern but at the same time she felt almost suffocated by it. She closed her eyes, lay back in the snow and tried to remember the feeling of flying on Appa. She had felt so free when she was traveling around the world with the Avatar, now she just felt trapped. Katara sighed feeling a little guilty. She loved her village dearly but it just wasn't the same as it was before. Somehow she didn't feel that she belonged there anymore. Katara opened her eyes and stared up into the rosy pink sky above her. It was so beautiful and yet it made her feel so very lonely. It seemed as if all the people that she had ever cared for eventually left her, her mother, Gran Gran had passed away only a year ago, Aang had left to complete his mission, and now Takashi had just left for the North Pole to help his family. Katara sat up and sighed heavily, she knew it was selfish of her to feel like this, after all she still had Sokka and her father; some people were left with no family after the war. Besides both Aang and Takashi were still living, it's not like they could never return. She stood abruptly and began pushing and pulling the water again, attempting to push her troubled thoughts away from her mind. She no longer cared whether her father was worried about her or not she wasn't going back until she was good and ready.

Aang sat silently atop Appa, scanning the horizon for evidence of the Water tribe village. "We've got to be close Appa," Aang said, "I can feel it." Just then Aang caught a glimpse of a narrow pillar of smoke rising in the distance. Aang jumped up excitedly, forgetting about poor Momo on his lap. The lemur, whom until this point had been sleeping peacefully, was completely thrown off of Appa altogether.

"Woops, sorry Momo, it's a good thing you can fly though," Aang chuckled. "Appa I see smoke from a campfire up ahead that must mean the village is that way," he said as he steered the bison in the direction of the smoke, "Lets go Appa, Yip Yip!"

As they approached the patch of glacier that they were heading towards, Aang could just make out the outline of the village.

"Ha, ha, yeah Appa we finally made it, I promise as soon as we land you can sleep as long as you want, and I will personally make sure that you get all the hay you want too!"

They reached the village within the hour and the sky was just beginning to lighten. Aang could see the smallest bit of sun just starting to rise, giving the horizon a beautiful rosy glow. "They probably aren't even up yet," Aang thought to himself, "I really don't want to wake them with my arrival." With this in mind he decided it was best to land Appa just outside the village. Then he would make his way over to the village on foot. They landed on the edge of the glacier behind a large chunk of ice. Aang wanted to make sure that nobody would spot him too soon. Aang floated down from the bison followed by Momo but as soon as his feet touched earth he began pacing, being suddenly overcome by an extreme case of nervousness. His heart was beating so hard that it felt as if it might come right through his chest, and his stomach was twisting up in knots.

"This is ridiculous," he said to himself, "what am I so nervous about, it's not like she's a different person; I mean this is Katara we're talking about…she's my friend… my best friend." Aang sighed and sat down next to Momo. "Who am I kidding Momo?" he asked, "I should just tell her how I really feel, it's about time don't you think." Aang looked up at Momo who just blinked in response. "I'm only about two years late," Aang thought to himself. He flopped down upon the snow and gazed up at the now pinkish purple sky his mind completely immersed in thoughts of Katara.

Suddenly Aang was distracted by a huge splash. He sat up quickly thinking maybe Appa had jumped into the ocean. He looked over at the bison, nope sound asleep.

"What do you think that was Momo" Aang asked. Just then another splash was heard. "I think it came from this direction, let's go check it out." Momo leapt onto Aang's shoulder and he began climbing a large chunk of ice that was nearby. Upon reaching the top, Aang peered silently over the edge to get a glimpse of whatever was causing the noise without it getting a glimpse of him. Out of nowhere a large tower of water rose up into the air and then fell back into the sea. "A water bender," Aang whispered to Momo. He moved up farther to see directly below him. Far below a young woman stood upon the thick ice of the glacier, practicing some very intricate water bending moves. Her back was facing Aang, but he could see her clearly. She paused momentarily to catch her breath, gently tucking a loose strand of her long dark hair behind her ear. He gazed curiously in her direction. A traditional blue kimono covered her slender form and her dark brown hair was tied back in a long braid that shimmered in the moonlight as she moved. Once she had regained her composure she shifted her stance to an attack mode. Aang stared in amazement at the sheer concentration that she possessed, his eyes followed her every movement. She raised her arms beckoning the water to come to her. Immediately the ocean reacted, a wave of water rising into the air at her command. She pulled a stream of water forward from the wave and then bringing her arms abruptly inward she pulled the stream toward her. The element encircled her slender body sparkling elegantly in the moonlight. Aang gazed in awe at the young benders ease with the element. Her movements were fluid and graceful and yet somehow they seemed familiar.

"It can't be her," he thought to himself, "can it?" Just as the thought had entered his mind the young woman sat down on the ice out of breath.

"Where are you Aang," she called out into the chilled ocean air, she then lay back into the snow taking a much needed rest. Upon hearing his own name Aang's heart nearly stopped in his chest. He was suddenly frozen in place watching her from a distance as he had so many times before. Aang's gaze was suddenly broken by the sight of a small white creature running along the beach toward Katara.

"Oh no….Momo," Aang whispered in a panic as he watched the lemur ruin his element of surprise, "Just great!"

Katara had just closed her eyes and was quite nearly ready to fall asleep, when she felt a small hand tugging at her sleeve.

"Not now Momo," she said, "Momo!" Katara quickly sat up to see if Momo was really there or if she had only been dreaming. She looked around to see an empty beach, when out of nowhere the lemur flew into her arms.

"Momo…oh it is you, oh I missed you boy," she laughed, petting him affectionately, "but…if you're here that must mean…."

"That I'm here too," said a voice from behind her

Katara turned around abruptly to see Aang standing before her, he looked a little different then the 18 year old boy she remembered, he was a little taller and his boyish features had matured, but he still had those big gray eyes and infectious smile that she had remembered to fondly

"Aang," she gasped, "is that really you."

"Sure is," Aang smiled at her, "well the last time I checked I was still me anyway." Before Aang could think of any thing else to say Katara ran toward him and into his arms, knocking him completely over. They fell to the ground laughing.

"I missed you so much Aang."

"I missed you too Katara." The two of them lay in the snow gazing at each other for a moment as Katara reached over to touch his face.

"It is you…you're really here," she whispered softly. Aang felt his face flush and he quickly sat up.

"Yeah, it's me alright." he said rubbing his head to conceal his red face. He looked back at Katara, she had changed slightly, she looked more grown up then she had before he left, and if it was possible even more beautiful. He could feel his stomach doing flip flops on itself.

"How did I ever leave her," he thought to himself. Katara then moved closer to Aang weaving her arm into his and resting her head on his shoulder.

"How was your journey, you have to tell me everything you did, I have even more to tell you…"

Aang just smiled at her as she spoke, "same old Katara," he thought to himself.

To be continued