Last of Our Kind
Caution: This chapter involves some discussion of puberty and 'certain things.' Mostly it will just be implied or the main part of the conversations will be omitted to protect the sensibilities of the readers.
Very short chapter.
I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender or the following quote.
"'Peter,' she asked, trying to speak firmly, 'what are your exact feelings for me?'
'Those of a devoted son, Wendy.'
'I thought so,' she said, and went and sat by herself at the extreme end of the room.
'You are so queer,' he said, frankly puzzled, 'and Tiger Lily is just the same. There is something she wants to be to me, but she says it is not my mother.'
'No, indeed, it is not,' Wendy replied with frightful emphasis."
―J.M. Barrie,Peter Pan
Guy Talks and Girly Things
They had flown through the night since leaving Makapu Village and finally stopped in a quiet, wooded area. The only sign of civilization was a dirt path that they assumed led to some town or other. It was about midday when they finished setting up camp when Wenona suddenly realized she had a 'problem.'
"Um, guys," she spoke up, looking fairly embarrassed, "Katara and I need to go find a town to get some things."
"What do you mean?" Aang asked. "We just got some supplies in Makapu."
"Uhhh, it's not that kind of supplies."
Aang and Keng just gave her a blank look while Katara and Sokka seemed to know what was going on. Katara walked over to her sister with a reassuring look on her face.
"It's okay, Nona," she said. "In fact, I think this is the perfect opportunity for Sokka to have his talk with Aang and Keng."
"Good idea, Kit-Kat. We'll see you guys soon, okay?"
With that, the two female Waterbenders set off down the forest path, leaving two confused twelve-year-olds and an exasperated fifteen-year-old behind. Sokka took a deep, calming breath and turned to face his brother and the young Avatar.
"Alright, you two, take a seat," he said. "This could take us a while."
The two boys complied and focused all their attention on the older boy.
"So, let's get this over with. I suppose I should start with the basics. Now, I'm sure you both have started to notice girls, right?" The two nodded. "Good. Now, that's perfectly natural and you shouldn't be ashamed about any weird…feelings you may get when you notice a pretty girl or you start getting strange dreams about girls."
"Strange like how, Sokka?" said Aang.
"Well…uh…how do I put this?" Think, Sokka, think! What would Dad say? 'Toughen up, Sokka; these little boys are counting on you.' No, wait, that's what Gran-Gran would say. "Okay, back to basics! Now, you both are starting to reach that age where you experience really bizarre stuff going on with your bodies."
"Like what?" said Keng.
"Like you'll start to grow hair in odd places, or you'll feel sweaty for no apparent reason, or you get that embarrassing itch that you just have to scratch but you can't because it's too embarrassing…" He stopped mid-rant at the nervous looks on the two boys' faces. "Sorry, bad flashback moment, there. Now, where was I? Ah, yes, you'll start thinking about girls in a way that may make you uncomfortable at first…"
Meanwhile, Katara and Wenona reached a small Earth Kingdom village, the entry sign of which read "Ānxīn." Wenona let out a calm sigh when she noticed a store that was advertising 'female products.'
"Thank Setna," she muttered.
Even though she was seventeen, Wenona still felt very awkward when her 'Moon Time' reared its ugly head. Katara was a bit better with dealing with it, but that was mostly because she was too angry at everyone and everything around her to care.
The two girls entered the store and were greeted by a kindly old lady who was very understanding of the situation. She managed to fix up a package of cloths for them, and even included some herbal treatments for any of the unfortunate side-effects the two girls might have from that 'time.'
Wenona let out another sigh as they exited the store when, suddenly, Katara grabbed her shoulder.
"Nona, look! Plum-peach tarts!"
"But you never eat sweets unless you're…damn it, don't tell me you're starting, too?"
Katara looked shocked for a moment.
"Ohh, I guess that explains the cravings."
"And why you've been so snappish lately."
"What do mean snappish?!" Katara snapped.
Wenona simply smirked and raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, yeah, I see what you mean."
"Come on, Kit-Kat. Let's go get you that plum-peach tart. I think we're both gonna need one."
"…so, any questions?"
"Yeah, I've got one," said Keng, looking fairly green after being told what happens to women once a month. "What does all that have to do with baby-making?"
Sokka gritted his teeth and readied himself for the worst.
"Okay, here it goes." He then got an idea. Sokka removed his socks and put them on his hands to serve as puppets. "Alright, guys, it goes like this. A mommy and a daddy, who love each other very much, get certain urges…"
"Remember when you had your first Moon Time?" Wenona asked as the two girls sat eating their plum-peach tarts. They had found a nice, quiet, secluded spot on the way back to their camp.
"Yeah," Katara chuckled. "I ran around the tribe screaming my head off because I thought there was a monster in my stomach and that it was eating me." She then started to cry slightly. "That wasn't fun."
"It's okay, Katara." Wenona patted her on the shoulder. "The first time it happened to me was no walk in the park, either, if you remember."
Flashback…
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Did you hear something?" Sokka said to Katara.
A flash of blue shot past them.
"DADDYYYYY!"
"I think that was Nona," Katara said worriedly. "I think she's hurt."
The two siblings hurried after their older sister, only to find her raving about something to an amused Gran-Gran and a clearly embarrassed Hakoda.
"…And there was just all this blood and…"
"What's going on?" said Katara. "Nona, are you okay?"
"Hakoda, maybe you, Sokka, and Katara should go make snowmen with Keng or something," said Gran-Gran. "It's time Wenona and I had a little talk."
"I you insist, Mom!" the man said gratefully, dragging his younger children back outside.
"Dad, what's going on?" Sokka said in confusion.
"Nothing you need worry about right now, son. Let's just go make snowmen."
"But…"
"I've got seal-jerky."
"Deal!"
The two sisters busted out laughing.
"Sokka will drop any issue for seal-jerky," Katara laughed. "The big dope." She suddenly turned apologetic. "Oh, that was kind of a harsh thing for me to say."
"We should get back to camp. Hopefully, Sokka's done explaining the facts of life to Aang and Keng."
"…So?" the young Avatar said quietly. "The guy puts his…into the girl's…" He made a gesture with his hands to make sure he understood.
"Yep."
"And the baby really comes out of the woman's…" Keng trailed off.
"Hi, guys, we're back!" Katara shouted.
"AHHHH!" Aang and Keng screamed. "Keep away from us!"
Wenona and Katara shot glares at Sokka.
"Tell me you didn't use the sock-puppets again," Wenona said shortly.
"Okay…I won't tell you."
Needless to say, Aang and Keng didn't come anywhere near Wenona and Katara for the rest of the day, or the night.