After reading the previous chapters, I feel that the story is progressing kind of at a slow pace. I'm going to speed it up a bit. As long as a single person reads I will continue to write. ^_^

Chapter 3 – Combat

"Aang…What do you know of Waterbending?" Master Pakku asked.

"I know a few techniques. For example the water whip." Aang said with a hit of doubt in his voice.

Master Pakku sighed. "How basic…" he said dryly. "Let's start with the basics…Taku you teach Aang the basics. Who know maybe he'll become half as good as Avatar Kuruk." I laughd at his comment.

I took in a deep breath as I remembered the fundamentals of Waterbending. I stood next to Master Pakku and put my hands behind my back, standing completely straight. "The basic strategy to Waterbending is to be fluid like water itself. The key to combat is waiting for your opponent to strike first then defending in order to tire them out. So let's practice streaming the water. This will help you become fluid and have control over the water." I told Aang.

I pulled water from the ice around us and moved it towards him. Aang pushed it back with ease and we had continued this for a few repetitions. We had spent the day practicing several techniques and Aang had learned everything extremely quickly.

As Master Pakku took over Aang's teachings for the day I was excused from the rest of the lessons.

Life in the North had becoming boring and increasingly routine. It was the same thing every day. I wake up, eat, train and sleep. I needed an escape. Then an idea suddenly came rushing into my head.

I could join Aang and his friends I thought. But Mom... Then the thought of leaving my mother made me reconsider. I couldn't just leave her alone. My father was a warrior who had left to fight in the war and I was all she had. I decided to go home to speak to my mother about what she would think of me leaving.

I had came home found my mother washing our clothes. "Taku could you help me dry these?" she asked. I pulled the water from the clothes and they dried instantly.

"Mom may I ask you something?" I sat next to her. I had tried to keep a serious expression. I didn't want to let my emotions towards leaving get in the way.

"Sure…" she smiled and sat down. I stared at her for a moment. Her eyes were a deep blue and always calm. Some people say that I had inherited that trait from her but I was in a way, still that restless eager child always wanting to wonder off and see new things.

"Mom…I want to be straight to the point. I want to leave and join the Avatar and his friends."

My mother sighed and held my hands. "I knew you would want to leave eventually. You were always so restless as a child. Always wanting to run around and never sit still."

"I don't want to leave you here alone either." I responded quickly.

"You're sixteen. You haven't even found a potential bride. Most boys your age do. I knew your life was never here. So go…." Tears formed in my mother's eyes and I hugged her close.

"I'll come back Mom...I promise..." I whispered.

"If you see your father out there" She paused. "Tell him I'm still waiting for that moonlit ride around the Tribe…"

I nodded and gathered my things. I wanted to talk to Aang about joining the group. I felt I had much to offer being a great bender and all but my mother had persuaded me to stay for the night.

The next day…

I had rushed to tell Aang and the others that I wanted to join them and I had hoped that they would accept my offer. I had found Aang and the Chief by the temple with many people gathered around. Then I looked to see Master Pakku was bending against someone.

Katara! I was surprised to see Katara fighting against Master Pakku. Katara looked angry as she darted around Master Pakku's attacks.

"What happened?" I asked Aang.

"I decided to teach Katara what I had learned about Waterbending and we got caught. Master Poophead said that I was forbidden from learning from him since I had violated your customs and Katara tried to get him me to teach me but he had ignored her so she challenged him and now they're fighting." Aang said all in one breath.

"That was a mouthful..." I replied and continued to watch them fight. Katara created a small pillar of ice and slid her hands across shooting discs of ice at Pakku who was dodging them very swiftly. Pakku grabbed a large pool of water and shot it towards Katara knocking her necklace off. Katara moved swiftly but Pakku hardly moved. The only time he had moved was to dodge Katara's attacks. As the fight continued with impressive displays of bending from both sides it was over quickly. Pakku threw a pool of water over Katara and froze it above her.

Icy spikes came crashing down and I had closed my eyes hoping that there weren't pieces of her scattered everywhere. I opened my eyes to see Katara encased in ice struggling to get free.

I sighed a breath of relief and Master Pakku was holding Katara's necklace.

"Where….did you get this?" Master Pakku asked with a hint of sadness in his voice. His face was pained as if he had remembered something that he didn't want to.

"That's mine! Give it back!" Katara shouted in anger. The ice around her turned into water as I set Katara free.

"I had made this for the women I had loved along time ago." He said softly.

"You knew Gran Gran?" she asked.

"I had given this to Kanna when sixty years ago but she didn't like the idea of being married to someone she didn't love…" His voice trailed off.

Suddenly I was reminded of Yue. I had loved her and I had sacrificed that love for my Tribe. She was willing to give up everything for love and for me. I had let her go and became just like Pakku.

I have to find her…I thought but then suddenly I heard a deep growl as Sokka came flying in on Aang's bison, Appa.

"Aang! There's an entire fleet of Fire Navy ships coming this way! It's huge!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Get everyone ready for battle!" Chief Arnook exclaimed.

Everyone had scattered. Women and children hid in their homes. Able men joined the warriors in defense and benders guarded the front gates. I had joined Master Pakku in guarding the gates. I stared and saw Fire Navy ships over the horizon. They were huge and all of them had a flag with a black flame, the symbol of the Fire Nation.

My body had tensed. All of my training led to this moment. We had to hold them off until nightfall when our bending was at its peak.

"Taku!" I turned around my mother coming towards us.

"Mom! What are you doing? You have to stay back with the other healers!" I shouted.

"I can help. You don't have to do this…." She told me sounding worried.

Typical mom…I thought.

"Kyoka..." Master Pakku put his hands on her shoulders. "He'll be fine. I'll look over him and besides he's a great bender he can protect himself."

My mother kissed my forehead. "You had better come home. Your father needs to see you when he gets back."

I nodded and she left to join the other healers. I turned to see a large orange ball headed towards us, the first fireball of war.

The Siege of the North begins! From here on out the story will differ greatly from the main series. Any thoughts or comments? Please REVIEW it helps me on where to improve. Thanks -Takuthewolf