Stories
Story telling in the Southern Water Tribe has always been tradition. Stories of all kinds were passed down from generation to generation, always changing a little but always staying true to the basics. There were stories of warriors who showed bravery in the darkest of times, tales of princesses who always found her true love, and legends of ordinary people who always had a special gift that made them unique.
From the time they were small babies in their fur-lined cradles, the children of the Southern Water Tribe were told these stories. The children learned them one by one as they grew up, word by word until each and every one were committed to memory.
Maybe that is one of the reasons why he loved to stand in the doorway and listen to her as she told their two sons a different one each night. Maybe it was the sound of her voice that made them sound so original even though he knew fully well that it wasn't.
"Tell me another one," he heard himself say. She turned around and smiled before tucking in the now-snoring young ones.
"Which one would you like to hear?" she asked as she led him to their bedroom.
"I don't know; anyone is fine by me," he whispered as he crawled under the comforter on their bed. She shook her head at his behavior and sighed.
"Fine then, this one is about the ocean."
"The ocean?"
"Yes," she said. "Now listen…"
And he was lulled to sleep at the smooth sound of her voice, his last memories that night of oceans and her soft lips brushing against his cheek.