Book one:

Water

Chapter Two: Part Two

The lost explanation

Numb. All over. That was the only way to describe how I felt. All the way from the tips of my toes, to the top of my head. Numb, and there was deep cold seeping into my muscles, into my veins and arteries, channelling upwards freezing my heart over.

I wanted to cry, to scream, to do...something, anything but I couldn't. All I could do was sit there, and let Sokka's words repeat in my head, over and over as a voice bounced back in a cave.

They're long gone. May as well give up the hope cause there's no way they survived a hundred years.

I blinked, feeling the slight sting of tears at the backs of my eyes.

They're long gone. They're long gone. There's no way they survived. There's no way they survived.

I could hear Aang asking me if I was ok, Sokka telling me to cheer up, and Katara telling them both to shush and to leave me alone. Somewhere, deep down, I was thankful Katara had told the other two to let me be, but I could barely feel it.

All I could do was relive the memory of what I'd been told…

We were flying through the clouds, the air light and golden in the sunset. We had just decided to go to the Southern Air Temple, to show Katara and Sokka where we came from.

It was then I remembered the question I had wanted to ask back in the South Pole. I turned to Katara, "K-Katara."

She turned around to face, and smiled at me "Yes, what is it, Mina?"

I swallowed, and tried to keep my stuttering at bay "I-I-I..." I took a deep breath "W-What did y-you mean, a-about there b-being a w-war?"

Katara blinked and didn't seem to know what to say. Sokka coughed, and rubbed the back of his neck, seeming to be very uncomfortable. Aang sighed and turned to me with a sad expression

"You know how Katara and Sokka found us in the ice?" he asked, and I nodded. "Mina..." he looked away "We were in that iceberg for a hundred years."

I felt myself freeze into a statue all over. The only thought I could process was, 'They're wrong'. They had to be wrong, or at least mistaken. There was no possible way, that I and Aang had been frozen in ice for a hundred years. It just wasn't…possible.

I felt a hand on mine, and I somehow knew it was Katara. "I'm sorry Mina."

I couldn't even nod to show I was listening. I could feel myself shaking, but I couldn't clear my head enough to catch an emotion. I didn't know what I was feeling. Confusion? Sadness? Anger, denial? I really couldn't tell. "A, h-hundred y-years?" Katara nodded.

I bit my lip and turned my attention to Aang. He still wouldn't meet my eyes. Was he thinking along the same lines I was? We were gone for a hundred years, frozen in ice- frozen in time, in place- but what happened to everyone else…

"E-Everyone we k-knew…" That got Aang's attention and he looked at me "E-Everyone we k-knew. Monk Gyatso, a-and our f-friends…." I felt my lower lip start to tremble, and tears gather at the corner of my eyes "They're all g-gone," I turned to Katara "W-Why?"

Katara sighed "The Fire Nation. They knew the Avatar would be reborn into the Air Nomads, so they exterminated all the airbenders."

Both Aang and I shook our heads "B-But, there m-must be s-some s-survivors. S-Some must h-have escaped! R-Right?"

Sokka scoffed and lifted his shoulders in a shrug "I wouldn't bet on it. They're long gone. May as well give up the hope cause there's no way they survived a hundred years."

My heart froze.

"Mina? Mina!" I jumped startled and looked up to see Katara watching me with concern "We've landed now. Come on, help us set up camp."

I nodded, got to my feet, and floated down out the saddle using my airbending. I brushed back the loose curls of my hair and took a look around at where we had decided to stop for the night before continuing on to the Air Temple.

It was a beautiful place. A nice, calm silver blue lake that sat still and reflected the slowly setting sun. The hills were green-topped and looked as lush as a fluffy feather pillow. The air was filled with the sweet scent of fresh water, blossoms and the lingering aroma of sunshine from the day. All in all, we couldn't have picked a more beautiful and peaceful place.

I inhaled as the breeze twirled around me, strengthening the scent of blossoms and sunshine, and I drew it in, letting it calm me, soothe me, and help thaw out the ice in my heart. Surprisingly it was working, a little.

I turned at the sound of footsteps and saw the others set up camp. Aang had gone looking for fruit and other things to eat. Katara was setting up our sleeping bags, and Sokka was making a fire. I got to work, unsaddling and feeding Appa.

I finished before the others and decided to take the spare time to mediate. I folded my legs, as I sat on the ground, put my clenched fists together, closed my eyes, and just…let go. If I focused enough, I could still smell the sweet vagrancy air, and feel the grass under my legs. I felt the wind, trail down my skin.

Surely some airbenders survived. I smiled as I felt that spark of hope, and sat, content to listen to the whispering wind.

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