Drabble contest rules:
Rivers mean many different things. They connect area along the banks to each other, they provide borders and separation for the areas on each side, they are bringers of life and death, as well as baptism and new beginnings. These meanings vary from culture to culture, and among different rivers within the culture, and even the same river may mean many things as once. All cultures really on fresh water, and so all cultures must deal with rivers.

Requirements
Symbolism - Rivers can mean many different things, I'm not interested in the special river(s), but what it means (either in the context of the story or to specific characters). There doesn't even have to be a real river so long as I can see the metaphorical one. However the metaphor should make sense. If you want to associate the river with... say learning, you'd better be able to justify it pretty well.

Creativity - Possibly the least creative requirement, but it's a old standby for a reason. Bonus points for thinking of a symbolism that I did not list in the intro.


Downriver

"Hey, you guys are Waterbenders!"

"You too? That means we re kin!"

Buniq sighed and threw her walking stick into the muck. "Well, it all had to end somewhere."

"What's ending?"

Buniq spun and drew her knife in one motion. It was whalebone, passed down through her family, and one of the few such weapons still possessed by the tribe. It was also quite sharp, but that didn't seem to be upsetting the man who had snuck up on her. Judging by his clean, bald head, he was probably used to having fine blades close to his skin.

Buniq bowed politely. "Good afternoon, Nomad. I was scouting for a land upon which my people could settle, but it looks like this swamp stretches on for quite a while. I need to get back to my clan to report, and then scout a different direction."

The Airbender nodded. Buniq couldn't help but let her eyes fall on the monk's arrow-like tattoo. After a moment, he spoke again. "I'm up from the Southern Air Temple. I was leading a herd some years ago, and passed over this swamp. It's a swamp, of course, but I find it to be a very... intense place. There's a beautiful tree in the center that all travelers should really visit at least once."

Buniq's response was late in coming. "Maybe next time I'm in the area."

The Airbender nodded again and smiled. "Excellent. I'm sure you won't be disappointed."

"Goodbye," Buniq hurried off, before the monk could speak again. She stopped and bowed again, holding it for a moment to assuage any offense.

The Airbender spoke again just as Buniq was ready to dash away. "One of my favorite bits about this swamp, is how isolated it is. I can sit here as long as I want, unbothered by anyone, and just think. Granted, we have places like that in the Temples, but not with so much [i]life[/i] as is here. Life begets life."

Buniq paused. "I imagine it does." When she reported to the elders, much later, she reminded them of that fact.

OoO

Eun turned to leave, her arms full with her overstuffed travel sack, and nearly bumped into Mother. The older woman didn't even flinch. "You're not going anywhere."

Eun deftly stepped around Mother. "All evidence to the contrary."

"Eun! Enough of this ridiculousness! We are your family, and your people. You would really walk away from us for a pack of thieves and barbarians?"

The younger woman couldn't help herself. She threw the sack to the ground and whirled to face Mother. Her hanbok swirled around her like storm clouds caught in a tornado. "Three generations!"

"...what?"

"Three generations! That's how long they've lived on the other side of the river." Eun was breathing heavily now. "For three generations they've lived in peace with us. We called them thieves, and barbarians, and invaders, and more they never earned! The Law says that once three generations have gone by, any settlers become our countrymen! And now we're chasing them away! You would kill those who have earned The Law's protection!"

Mother sniffed at that. "The Law was meant for good people of the Earth Kingdom. Not Water Tribe vagrants. They could deplete the fish, and they can t be trusted near our homes. If our ancestors could have predicted this, they would have written that down!

Eun shook her head and sighed. "Not my ancestors. Those who break The Law no longer deserve its protection. So, if you are not my countryman, you are not my family. So I will go with what family I have left- my husband."

Mother screeched as the younger woman walked out. "I have no daughter! The Water Tribe thieves stole her! They killed her! Leave! I have no daughter!"

Eun heard the screaming even after she had fled the house. The words echoed in her head as she stepped into the boat where her blue-clad husband waited. She found a seat in the crowded vessel, pushed her sack under her bench, and took up an oar. The whole Tribe, mingled green and blue, began rowing as one, carrying their vessels up the river.

OoO

Nilak had already begun dismantling one of the boats by the time Tikaani returned with the results of the scouting missions. "You couldn't wait another hour?" Tikaani shouted with a bark of laughter.

Nilak waved for the others to continue the work, and jogged over to meet the older man. "Waiting would have apparently been a waste of time, considering your reaction. If we had to take to the seas again, you'd be spitting arrow-heads."

Tikaani shook his head. "You're too smart for own good. But yes, all the reports were positive. The land looks good, but no existing settlements were found. The main river branches in various spots close by, including into a lake with good fishing. It seems close to perfect."

"No existing settlements?" Nilak turned to eye the river where it emptied into the sea.

Tikaani shrugged. "We found a cleared area further up the coast. Could have been a village, but I'm not familiar enough with this weather or environment to say how long ago it would have to have been. Nothing to indicate any recent activity, though, aside from the natural residents."

Nilak considered that. "Have some of the islanders who joined us take a look. They do some farming and such there, they might have a better idea."

Tikaani nodded. Nilak's dreams of an easier life in the Earth Kingdom had been just as enticing on the smaller islands as on the ice plains. "I'll do it right now. Also, I'd like to send some out with a few hunting parties, see if we can determine what kind of predators and prey lurk around here."

Nilak laughed. "You can take a short break, if you want. This isn't the South Pole, or the sea. We aren't going to die for an hour's delay."

"I know. That's why we left. But I'd rather be sure."

"Suit yourself, elder."

"Stop making me feel old."

Thirty hours later, Tikaani looked at the burning boats, all the brighter for the darkness of night. The other Waterbenders were throwing sea water on them, but he could see that the ships were already a lost cause. Whatever it was that the pirates had thrown on them, it burned no matter how much water was poured over it.

A maiden emerged from the shadows, carrying a bloody spear. Tikaani was surprised to see that it was his daughter. "What now?" she asked him.

He sighed. He was the oldest, most respected man left alive. "Upriver. Away from the coast and its pirates."

OoO

"You know, I think I hate the snow."

"So leave."

"...huh."

END