The Southern Water Tribe was not like their allies in the North. Where the North was full of hard packed snow and stable ice, the South was slow moving icebergs and soft snow. The North for many generations, even before the War, had a large central metropolis made of ice and surrounded by the sea. The North had also always had more Water-benders than their sister tribe in the South.
When the Fire Nation attacked at the start of the War the Northern Water Tribe water-benders reinforced the walls and moved icebergs to impede Fire Nation ships. The South however could only arm themselves and send non-combatant women and children away to the ice caves with hidden catches of supplies. When the Fire Nation came to the South the men fought hard. The makeshift bows and arrows moved through the air, bone scimitars and spears pushing against the opposing troops. The few water-benders used all the snow around them to freeze and create barriers against the fire-benders in the troops.
Many died, both benders and not. The small force that came to destroy the Southern Water Tribe went back to their ship quickly when they could no longer sustain the losses. Almost half of the fighters from the tribe were dead. The healers were busy for the next weeks, treating burns and cuts. The Elder's council and Shaman prayed to the Spirits that the tribe be safe from further attack. The Spirits were generous in that the Tribe was protected until the warriors were all healed and weapons resupplied.
Walls were built, not so much for protection but to make scouting easier. When the red and black flags were seen all non-combatants were again sequestered away, safe. Again, the fire nation attacked, this time focusing more on the water-benders. The non-benders could only try to protect their fellow tribesmen and women, getting hits in where they could. It was an even smaller force that returned to the caves this time. Bringing back the dead with hollow eyes. This happened again and again until there were no longer any water-benders able to go out. When this happened there, were no more attacks.
The Fire Nation was nearly assured that there were no water-benders in the South. With the tribe stuck in the ice and snow and no industrialization to speak of the Fire Nation no longer felt the need to attack. It has been nearly 100 years since the primary attacks.
Since then the Tribe no longer breaks apart when summer comes. The numbers too few for each family to go off on their own as was tradition. The whole tribe now only a few hundred people, built walls around the new settlement. Uluit1 were no longer just for women to use around the homes, men now had them as a defense. With so few traditionally male warriors all who were able were to be taught how to fight and hunt. Traditions that had been upheld for generations would now be adjusted for the survival of the whole tribe.
This, in the end turned out to be a blessing from the Spirits in disguise. With so few men left there were not as many children born and the age gaps only grew between generations as the years passed. Soon enough I was born and, had it been 100 years in the past I would have never learned of being a warrior. When my sister was born and eventually, she displayed water-bending abilities. While the Elders rejoiced, they were also weary of her being discovered. And while no benders had been born to the tribe in so long the forms were passed down in hopes that they would not be forgotten.
While Katara learned her forms of water bending I was taught to wield our weapons. They came easy to me as water did to her. Life was going well, until somehow, when I was 10 years old, the Fire Nation learned that a water-bender was in the South once more. Raiders came and I was tasked with keeping Katara away when the black snow appeared. Our mother died that day. I could only barley keep Katara from leaving the tent when they struck our mother down. As soon as they came, they left again and we all mourned.
For the next three (3) years the men of the tribe planned. Our father, the chief and all the others filled food catches and ensured that there were more weapons made. Larger boats were constructed and soon filled with supplies. The Tribe watched as the men sailed away, my sister, only 11 crying into my shoulder as I held her while our father sailed away not to be seen again for an unknown time.
1 all-purpose knife traditionally used by women for skinning and cleaning animals, cutting a child's hair, cutting food, as a weapon and, if necessary, trimming blocks of snow and ice used to build an igloo.