A/N: Thanks for reading, all of you who did. This is my first story, and I am collaborating with my sister, wickedelphie33, on it. Remember to press the little 'review' button at the bottom of the page! I'll give you a cookie!
Disclaimer: ATLA belongs to Nick, not me.
Chapter Two- Katara's Voyage
Aang whispered, "What?" He was petrified by this news.
Katara said, "I'm going to the North Pole. I want to help teach Waterbending and I have wanted to for a long time."
"But your life is here. Your brother's here… I'm here. I'm your friend, even if you don't want to be with me-"
She touched him on the shoulder gently, a gesture that made him recoil in pain. "I know you'll always be there for me. But I need to go. It's something I have to do, Aang."
Katara stood up to leave Aang behind, her life behind. She paused and said, "Maybe they've changed the rule about teaching girls." She smiled. "If they haven't, I will. You fulfilled your destiny as the Avatar. I believe this is mine… to teach Waterbending." She finally turned and walked away, Aang following her closely, not wanting to let her go.
----
She left the very next day, despite Aang's and Sokka's pleadings. Throughout the night, they'd presented her with various reasons to stay with them, but she was resolved to go. In the end, Sokka had finally caved, believing that she was safe with the Waterbenders of the Northern Tribe. Aang, however, was resilient, asking her every step of her way to remain with him. She finally turned to face him and Sokka, kissed their cheeks, and said goodbye. She'd said her private farewells to each earlier, before she prepared her lone canoe. Since they were in the northern sector of the Earth Kingdom, and a harbor was nearby, Katara planned to use her Waterbending to paddle her canoe more quickly and reach the North Pole in a matter of hours.
----
Katara stopped the vigorous Waterbending to eat and consult her map. From what she remembered of the landscape the last time she'd gone, she was about halfway there. Eagerly consuming a fig and sipping from a jug of water, she resumed the paddling, as well as bending the water around her. She smiled at thoughts of Sokka, Aang, Appa, Momo, and their past adventures together; as night fell, she focused even more on her Waterbending.
----
It was not until dawn the next morning that Katara reached the magnificent city of the Northern Water Tribe. Master Pakku had recently brought Kana, Katara's grandmother, to her ancestral home after helping to build a city in the South Pole similar to the one she now rowed through. Katara had visited the city, which was still in construction, after the war ended. She and Sokka were reunited with Kana, Pakku, Bato, the men of the Southern Tribe, and finally, their beloved father… But now is not the time for memories, Katara thought to herself. This is a happy time, to look to the future.
----
Katara was welcomed warmly by the chief of the Northern Tribe, the successor of the chief under whom she had fought at the Siege of the North. He informed her that Master Pakku was teaching Waterbending again, and since her extraordinary battle with him, he now accepted girls as his pupils. He directed her to the small house at which Pakku and Kana were staying, taking care of each other in their old age.
----
She quickly ascended the steps with a smile on her face. Katara hadn't felt this emotionally free in the longest time; her efforts had always been devoted to the caring and safety of others. Finally she'd be reunited with her dearly loved grandmother, whom she could always depend on.
The door opened, to reveal a grinning face.
"Gran- Gran!"