Author's Note: I have made a fanfiction about Sokka and Katara's past- where they losetheir mother. You learn more about her. I put a bit of japanese stuff, but not much, just to add some flavor.

Kana sat in the kitchen, a bright smile warming the room. Her light brown hair was tied in two neat braids, stray bangs hanging on the sides of her face. Her skin was fairly tan, but one could hardly tell, as her bright aqua eyes reflected upon her so much, her face just seemed to glow. She wore a light blue dress, with dark sleeves. She was quite youthful, in her early 30s. To be blunt, she was the image of beauty.

Her children, young Katara and Sokka, ages 11 and 10, were on opposite sides of the room, each absorded in their own activity. Her son, Sokka, was desperately trying to sharpen the ends of a long stick, so he could go play "solder" again, and needless to say, he was failing terribly. He had his mother's eyes, which had frustrated tears on the sides, and his father's strong build. His hair was in a small ponytail, as it had been ever sense he was three, when he began refusing to cut it. He was wearing a baby blue sweater, which matched his eyes, that had fur on the ends. He wore thin, black pants for indoors. His skin was a bit darker then his mother's, especially now, because his hands had little cuts and wounds all over them.

Katara was in the corner, with a small bowl of warm water, and she was trying every technique her mother had taught her. Pulling the water one way and other, she would emit grunts and groans now and then, but never allowed herself to give up. She had her mother's confidence, and detirmenation. Her hair was in a ponytail longer then her brother's, but not long enough to put in a braid, as she wanted to, to look more like Kana. She wore a dress very similar to her mother's with a dark blue and lighter sleeves. She had the same skin and eyes, as well, with darker hair.

Kana was folding laundry on the floor, waiting for the fire to warm up enough to cook. She heard a yelp, and looked up to see that Sokka had cut his finger again, and chopped the stick in half. His finger was bleeding bad enough for her to see the red liquid, and she stood up, walking over to her son calmly. "Sokka, honey, are you alright? You've been working on your spear all afternoon...and you hurt yourself again." She placed his hand in hers, and examined in. Finally, she tsked and stood up "Lemme get a cloth and some warm water. It looks pretty bad. You don't need a spear to go play, Sokka-chan." Sokka crossed his arms stubbornly. "I'm fine mom..I need to keep trying! The other guys will laugh at me!" But as he finished his sentence, he winced, and held his finger toward him. Katara looked up from what she was doing and laughed. "What other guys? You play with the nursery kids!" Sokka glared at her. "Do not! Besides, even if I did, which I don't, they need to learn."

Kana came back to her son, and took his hand, wrapping it in a warm, damp cloth. "Just stay still...it will only be a minute." she said soothingly. Sokka moaned softly as she pressed on the wound, and one of the frustrated tears spilled down his cheek. Wiping it away quickly, he looked up at his mother "I'm not just playing, Okaa-san...I wanna be able to protect you if anything happens."

Kana stopped pressing on his hand, and kissed it gingerly. "You don't have to protect me, Sokka. You are already brave enough. Besides, you know I'm not going anywhere." Brushing herself off, she stood up and walked toward her bundle of firewood, and picked out a fairly thick, long stick. Bringing out her cutting knife on the shelf, she began to carefully scape the sides, with her son watching in facination. After just a few minutes, she had crafted a perfect spear. Handing it to Sokka, she smiled. "There...now, go have fun." Sokka blushed as he reached for the spear. "I could do that.." he said under his breath. Katara giggled to herself, and then looked up at her mother. "Okaa-san, I can't get this move right...can you help me?" Kana beamed in delight. "Of course, sweetie. What do you need help with?"

Katara sighed and pulled at the water in the bowl, to find it didn't budge. She pulled harder, beads of sweat starting to trickle down her face. Kana watched for a moment, her face making the impression she was deep in thought. At least, she placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder and spoke. "Relax your hands, Katara-chan...there's no need to be angry with the water. Allow yourself to become one with it. Center your hands near the liquid, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and gently pull. Bring your hand higher and higher until it's above you." Katara nodded slowly, and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Kana placed her hands around Katara's, and guided it in the right direction. At first, nothing happened. But within seconds, the water stared to go higher and higher into the air. It rose above where Katara was sitting. Kana grinned and whispered "Open your eyes, love." Katara opened her eyes, and let out a shriek of excitment. "I'm doing it, Okaa-san! I'm really doing it! I'm a waterbender, just like you!" Kana hugged her daughter, and replied "Yes, you are. And I couldn't be more proud." Sokka came over and rolled his eyes. "Ohhh...big deal. Magic water. But I'm a warrior, like dad! Watch this, mom!" He pointed out the spear his mother had made him, and run around in circles with it, tossing it from had to hand. "Boom! Bang! Gotcha! You're going down! BOOMBOOMBOOMBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!" Kana smiled weakly "That's great, sweetheart...but you need to stop running around like that with a weapon, you could-" But she didn't get to finish her sentence, as Sokka lost balance, fell on the hard wooden floor, and poked himself between the eyes.

Kana covered her face with her hand, and sighed. "Sokka..." He looked around stunned, then rubbed his forehead. "Ow!" Kana cleared her throat. "You had to learn the hard way. Are you alright?" Sokka took a deep breath to steady himself. "I'm fine..." he anwsered sadly. 'Katara's better then me already...' he thought to himself. Kana looked him over, then firmly stated "I don't want you playing with your spear..I'll give it back later, but I think it'd be best if you played outside for a while." Sokka looked at his mother in pure childish disapointment. "But mooooooommmmm..." Katara laughed. "Are you afraid I'll beat you in a snowball battle?" Sokka glared playfully at his sister. "No way! I'm not getting beat by a girl!" Kana chuckled and winked at her daughter, as both of her kids ran outside.

Within minutes, both Sokka and Katara had a large mound of snowballs ready for battle. "You're doing down!" Sokka shouted, his fist in the air. Katara threw her head back in laughter. "You, beat me? I'd like to see you try." Sokka grabbed the largest snowball he had, and raised in in the air. "Sucker!" he shouted. Throwing the snowball as hard as he could, he hit her left leg just barely. She looked down, and brushed the snow off of her dress in a simple gesture. "That all?" she asked calmly. She stuck out her tougue, and grabbed a snowball, taking her time to make perfect aim. When she finally threw the ball, it hit him bullseye in the mouth, sending him on the ground, as he got his pants covered in snow. Looking around stunned, he glared at his sister. "That hurt!" he shouted. "I bet you used that stupid bending again!" Katara smiled. "It doesn't take bending to knock an idiot off his feet." then she laughed at his bothered expression. "Take it back!" "Oh come on, Nii-san...it was too easy. Looks like there's alot you need to learn. Better ask dad for more lessons."

Just as Sokka opened his mouth to protest, their father came running up from the road. His face was covered in sweat, and his eyes were wide. Panting, as he reached the two, he bent down, placing his hands on his knees to catch his breath. Sokka cocked an eyebrow in curiousity. "D-dad? What're you doing here? I thought you were..." Katara cut him off, her face holding concern and worry. "What's wrong, Dad? Are you okay?" Koada finally took a deep breath and stood up. Unexpectingly, he grabbed Katara's wrist with one hand and Sokka's with the other. In shock, Sokka yelled out "Dad! What're you doing!" Katara looked up at him, afraid and unsure what to think. "What's the matter, Dad? Let go!" But their father didn't reply, he sort of rushed off into another direction, practically dragging them along in a panic. The whole scene made no sense whatsoever.

Finally, he reached a sort of hidden shelter. It looked a bit like a cave, but it was ice. Like an alcove/igloo. Bringing them inside, he froze. Sokka finally loosened himself from Koada's grasp. "Dad! What the heck? You didn't even tell mom that we're leaving, you put us in some ice closet, and you ran off without telling us anything, forcing us along!" Katara shivered, and slowly wrapped her arms around her knees. "What's going on?" she asked as calmly as possible. Their dad looked at the ground, and sighed. His eyes were flickering, a sort of dampened affect. "The fire nation is attacking. Forgive me, but I needed to get you out of sight before they came any closer. Your mother knows that our children always come first, and I needed to make sure you were safe as soon as possible."

Both children looked up like he was crazy. Like he murmered jibbish they were trying to decode. Finally, Sokka broke the silence. "...What?" Koada put his hand on Sokka's shoulder. "I know it's alot to take in. But you're safe now. I'm going to go get your mother and bring her here." Sokka calmed down. "Okay, I'll come with you!"

But his father smiled weakly. "That's very brave of you, Sokka. But I think it's best if you stay here and protect your sister. I'll be back as soon as possible."

Sokka bit his lip, and stared at his dad, speechless. Finally, he spoke. "W-what? But dad!" Koada smiled weakly. "Don't worry. Everything will go fine. I'll be back as fast as I came." Before poor Sokka could even protest, his father had pet his hair gently, and scurried out of the cave. from there, Sokka and Katara were left to worry in the cold.