"Before this meeting adjourns, does anyone have anything they would like to share with the Council?" Hakoda asked the other Councilman in the room. This was their weeking meeting about monotonous agenda items such as imports and exports and reports from representatives in the other nations. Typically, no one had anything to add.
After a moment, Sokka stood up. "Actually, I do. I've recently noticed that the wild game aren't following their typical migration routes. In fact, they are several miles off course."
"Have you determined the source of this change?" Hakoda asked him with concern. His son had already mentioned his problem to him, but it was worth mentioning to the Council as well.
Sokka sighed disappointment. "No, I have a theory, but something I do know that large animals such as the buffalo yak and snow leopard caribou are migrating several miles away from their usual areas. It would take a fews days trip by foot to get to them."
"And a few days back would result in spoiled meat. That could lead to a famine," a man named Nuka added. Nuka came to the South Pole from the north about two years ago with his mother and father. He's twenty-three, the same age as Sokka, and he quickly found a passion for politics, particularly foreign affairs. His ties in the north secured him a spot on the Council.
He had also taken a keen interest in Katara. Despite her turning down many dates and proposals from him, he was persistent and strong willed. It wasn't that he was unattractive. In fact, he was very attractive with long black hair and deep blue eyes. It was his personality that bothered Katara. He was too cocky and acted like he deserved only the best.
Katara seemed to be the only one with this opinion. Her father and brother had both taken a liking to Nuka immediately. Out of all her suitors, they favored Nuka the most. To them, he was the kind of man the daughter of the Chief should marry.
Katara couldn't put her finger on it exactly, but something about Nuka didn't sit right with her. The looks he gave her and some of the comments he would make made her feel… uncomfortable? Unsettled?
"What is your theory, Sokka?" Hakoda asked wanting to find a quick solution. This could get out of hand fast.
"I've noticed that the lights in the sky at night are disappearing. Outside of the tribe's lights, the uninhibited areas are completely dark. So dark, that you can't see your hand in front of your face. Perhaps they are insearch of more light that isn't close to people?"
Sokka had a point, and all of the members of the Council knew that he was speaking the truth. They had all seen it and had talked about the consequences before, but no one expected it to influence their lives.
The meeting took a turn to discuss a solution to the wild game's migration patterns. The best hunters would go out on a hunt to determine where the animals were headed or what the problem was. If they could, they would steer them back towards the tribe. The men chosen were Hakoda, Bato, Sokka, Nuka, and three other well known hunters. The meeting was adjourned, and they were set to left immediately.
Katara sighed as she rose from her seat. The Southern Water Tribe's business was not as interesting as it used to be. She actually missed the war and peace meetings. At least those were interesting topics. Now, all she had to look forward to were trade updates and upcoming festivals. Although, there were no upcoming festivals in the near future.
As she was leaving the palace, Nuka approached her and smuggly. "Hey Katara, how are you doing today?"
Uninterested, she continued to walk around him. "I'm fine, Nuka. How are you?" Her voice was monotone. He was the one guy Katara had never led on, yet he still couldn't take a hint. She fondly remembered the time she threw a wave of snow on him when he followed her home from a feast.
"I'd be a lot better if you'd join me for dinner after the hunt," he said with a smirk that gave Katara chills... and not the good kind.
"Um," she said stalling. How did she want to reject him today? "I'm sure you'll be exhausted from the hunt. Sokka told me he hadn't seen a buffalo yak in miles."
Nuka scoffed before he started to walk towards the other men. "I'm pretty fit. I can handle it. How about I swing by your hut when we get back?" He didn't give Katara the chance to reject him because he turned his back to her and ran off to catch up with the others.
Katara scolded her small village. Although it was much bigger than it was ten years before, the small population meant that everyone knew everyone's business. This included where people lived and what they were doing. Hakoda, Sokka and Suki, and Katara didn't live in the palace full time for humble reasons. Despite having rooms always reserved for them, the rooms in the palace were for housing special guests. The rest of the time they can be found in their own huts.
Frustrated, Katara stomped the entire way back to her hut in search of food to eat away her frustrations.
The sun was beginning to set, and the hunters had not returned. Concerned, Katara and a group of others were in the watch tower on the outskirts of the tribe waiting for them. This group also included the two wives of the other hunters and a heavily pregnant Suki. To pass time, the two girls discussed the plans for the child's birth for the hundredth time. Katara was going to help deliver him or her in about two months.
Everyone sighed in relief when seven figures made their way over the horizon. When they got closer, the other two wives ran out to meet their husbands. Katara carefully helped Suki, who was exhausted, down the long flight of stairs. Both girls elected to wait at the base of the watch tower until and let their men come to them.
The reunion between the two pairs brought a tear to Katara's eye. She briefly wondered if she would ever get to experience a love like that… Then, she reminded herself that she had. She still remembered running into Aang's arms after his battle with Ozai. That was her epic love, and it was over now. The thought made her stand up straighter and her heart become harder.
If she hadn't shaken the thought away, she might have missed the dark shadow that was quickly approaching them.
A dark shadow was advancing over the horizon quickly and looked to be several feet tall.
Katara squinted her eyes to get a better look, but the figure was blurry and approaching fast. "Hey! Watch out!" She called to the others that were standing a few dozen yards away. "Suki, go get help!"
The girls took off in different directions. Katara created a snow wave and bended herself towards the figure at an incredible speed. Sokka yelled at after her, and the seven hunters turned into warriors. They quickly followed her into the danger.
The closer she got, the more characteristics she could make out. The figure was completely black with exception of two glowing green eyes. It was running on all fours and had two tall antennas sticking out of its pointy head. This thing wasn't normal… it was a spirit! When it opened its mouth to roar at her, it was the same glowing green color shielded behind dozens of pointy teeth.
That's when she realized that this thing wasn't an animal or anything normal. It was a spirit!
Katara took a deep breath. She had dealt with spirits before. She could do this.
She sent a massive wave at the figure and knocked it back several feet. Using this to her advantage, Katara felt like she had safely put some distance between her and tribe. She stood her and could hear others coming to help her. She swiftly created a column of ice and sliced razor-sharp discs at the spirit. The spirit easily deflected this and advanced toward Katara. Ice spears were fired at the spirit from behind Katara, and she knew that the other waterbenders had joined her.
It was no use though. Everything that pierced the spirit, like ice blades and jets, passed through the "skin" of the spirit, tearing holes. The holes were able to regenerate quickly. Physical weapons, such as harpoons and spears, had the same effect. All of their defense was useless.
The spirit was not letting up. Although it was not causing direct harm, it was using its arms to throw people several feet out of its way. Its main target seemed to be getting to the tribe, and it growled and hissed its way there. It was the most aggressive towards Katara, the one that had initiated the fight.
When the defense finally started making progress, Katara heard her father yell out in pain. Quickly, she glanced around for him and saw that Sokka was already at his side. The spirit, who was extremely hard on Katara, noticed her concern, even if it was only for a few seconds. It quickly changed its gears and advanced towards Hakoda and Sokka.
Katara panicked, and she sent herself flying there with a wave. She was just able to get there as the spirit reached out to grab Sokka. Instead, she flung herself into its claw.
"Katara!" Hakoda and Sokka screamed in worry.
Three talons pierced into her abdomen in an upside down triangle- two from the front and one from the back. She was lifted into the air, and the spirit began to retreat. As it did, the hand began to squeeze. Luckily for her, her arms were not pinned down. As her vision blurred and blood ran out of her mouth, Katara sent a final water whip between the spirits glowing green eyes. It hissed at her in pain before dropping her. It flew into the air before disappearing behind a snow mound.
Katara fell from many feet and landed with an indention in the snow.
Sokka was quickly by her side, followed by her father and Pakku. Pakku ushered for the other warriors and benders to continue searching for the mysterious spirit and gave instructions for some to guard them.
"Katara," Sokka said through loud sobs. "Katara, stay with me."
She coughed and more scarlet blood erupted from her mouth. Her eyes were full of pain. She was scared.
She was going to die, and she knew it.
"Sokka, get her to the healers!" Hakoda insisted while holding what he assumed was a dislocated shoulder of his own. He couldn't help her, and he had never felt so helpless. He had watched his wife die, and he was not wanting to watch his only daughter die too.
Sokka took off immediately with Katara in his arms. As he ran back into the tribe and to the healer's hut he kept repeating, "You're not going to die," to her.
Katara managed to mumble two words to her brother. "A spirit." Then, the only thing she could think about was the pain radiating from her stomach. That and how heavy her eyes felt. Then, she fell unconscious.
The healer on duty was named Miki. She had been trained by Katara and was considered the second best healer in the South Pole. Sokka knew she was in good hands when he placed her on the healing table. Miki immediately began to work on Katara's abdomen, and she barked orders at the other healers.
It was Suki that had to eventually drag him away from watching. She had followed him once he had gotten back into town. She knew he wanted to be there for his sister, but he didn't need to watch this, especially if the outcome was not favorable.
