Back again! Hope you'll all enjoy this little chapter. oh and I thought I'd start writing disclaimers, just in case...

I do not own Avatar: the last airbender, nor do I profit from this story. I only write for my pleasure and the joy it brings to my readers.

Chapter 4: Meeting the avatar

Standing slightly behind master Pakku while the feast was just beginning, Mako saw a couple of men carrying a giant sea turtle over to the cooking area. Lowering the giant turtle into the boiling water, Mako could immediately smell the flesh of the creature cooking. Sea turtle always made his mouth water.

"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the southern tribe. And they have brought with them someone very special, someone who we believed disappeared from the world until now…" gesturing to the boy on his left, Arnook went on with a voice that carried throughout the great hall. " The Avatar!"

Seeing the boy from before made him increasingly more nervous, because now he did not only have to perform in front of his entire tribe… but for the avatar as well.

Hearing that Arnook once again began to speak, he tried to concentrate on what was being said. "… here to celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age."

After the usual round of applause, Yue took over from her father. "Thank you, Father. May the great ocean and moon spirits watch over us during these troubled times."

Immediately thinking about Kyra, he silently prayed to the spirit of the moon to watch over her and keep her safe.

While saying his prayer, he did not notice that Arnook began speaking again. "Now master Pakku and his students will perform."

While this was being said, Pakku saw the distracted look on Mako's face and gave him a little nudge in the ribs. With an 'ooff', Mako knew that it was time to show their waterbending routine.

Calling forth the water by raising his arms, he knelt down and executed what they had been practicing on for the last 3 days.

While he was bending the spheres of water around them, he noticed the intrigued look of that girl who was friends with the avatar. Locking with her eyes for a moment, he knew that she too was a waterbender. That brilliant blue color was unmistakable to him.

Watching the waterbender bending magnificent forms with the balls of water, Katara noticed something peculiar about him. He had blonde hair and his skin was much lighter than hers, though he still had a little tan. Not to mention his size, he had to be at least 2 heads taller than her. And then Katara noticed his blue eyes when he looked back at her. She gasped, knowing that she was caught. She quickly looked away, but not before seeing him smiling at her.

Seeing the girl look away, he knew she was embarrassed. Again concentrating on his performance, he made sure to do his very best and try to impress the avatar and his companions. When they were finished, he bowed under a thunderous applause from the gathered crowd.

Seeing master Pakku turn to him, he switched his gaze to his master and waited for him to speak. "Good work, Mako. Are you up for a little sparring session tomorrow?"

"Me… spar… with u? Sifu… I would be honored." Mako was dumbfounded that his master wanted to spar with him and after a quick bow and a nod from Pakku, the elder went to get his well-earned rest.

Tomorrow Mako gets to battle with his master, an honor only reserved for the master's best student. He was so happy, he just had to do a happy dance. Making sure no one would see it , he stood behind a pillar and did his usual dance when he was feeling like this. But when he turned around, he saw the avatar looking at him with an amused expression on his face.

Embarrassed of being caught, by none other than the avatar himself, he stumbled into an upright position and bowed to the boy. "Oh… avatar… uh… don't mind me, I was just…", Mako was cut off by Aang "Hi I'm Aang, you got some nice moves there. Aren't you one of master Pakku's students?" Recognition dawned on the young avatar's face when he remembered the waterbending student with blonde hair and lighter complexion than his fellow tribesmen.

"Thank you, avatar Aang. My name is Mako, and yes I'm one of master Pakku's students" was his response.

"Please Mako, just call me Aang. I'm still not used to people calling me avatar." he said with a friendly smile. "You were great by the way. I was wondering if you could show me some of those waterbending moves?"

Being surprised by the avatar's request, he quickly replied, "Oh no, I couldn't. You should ask master Pakku, I think he would be glad to accept you as his student. But I have to warn you though, he can be quite strict. Believe me… I know." Mako said, while chuckling with that last bit.

"Ah… than do you know where master Pakku is, so I can ask him?"

"Of course, he went off to talk with Chief Arnook. I think he's standing over there…" pointing in the direction he saw Pakku last.

"Thanks Mako, maybe I'll see you next lesson?" Aang said with an honest smile on his face.

"It would be my pleasure, av… I mean, Aang." bowing to the boy.

After bowing in return to the young waterbender, Aang quickly made his way over to master Pakku. Looking at the young avatar's back, Mako wondered if this boy was up to the task of being the last hope to save this world. Not wanting to think like that, Mako decided that he should turn in and rest to be ready for his sparring match with the best waterbender in the north.

AN: I still need suggestions on what ships you want me to write. Ty luko is leading for now. If you like this pairing, review. If you don't, review as well. Thanks for reading!