"You can sleep here, Noatak," Kahota said, pushing open the brown curtains hanging. With her other hand she gestured for him to enter. "Sorry it's not much," She apologized. "we usually don't have guests." Noatak ignored her apology and walked into the room, looking around. It was cozy. It certainly 'wasn't much'. There was a standard bed, a small wooden bedside table, a dresser, and a desk. There wasn't much room for anything else, but that didn't really matter. Noatak had nothing with him and He didn't need anything else anyway. he ran his fingers over the bedpost, stopping to look back at Kahota, and then sat down on the bed.

"This was my brother's room." The small girl looked around the room, running her fingers over the smooth wood surfaces. SHe smiled lightly as she stopped and looked at a small frame. There was a hint of sadness her eyes but it was gone in a flash as she turned to face Noatak. "But I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you stayed here," She turned and cheerfully looked at the picture " would you, Hokada?" she nodded as if hearing a response and then looked to noatak again.

"Do you have any siblings, Noatak?" Noatak looked at her, face blank, and then looked down.

"No. I don't." Kahota pursed her lips and sat down next to him, drawing her knees to her chest and then criss-crossing them.

"I used to wish I was an only child. i wouldn't have to share any of my stuff or deal with silly brothers and sisters... wouldn't get in trouble when we fought..But then you know, I realized I really do love them and would do anything for them.. I couldn't imagine being without them, ya know?" Noatak bit his lip, stopping himself from losing any composure. He inhaled deeply. Kahota didn't notice but turned to him. "I can only imagine how lonely it must be sometimes." Then silence.

Noatak had felt lonely for sometime now. Not because he didn't have anyone, because he did. He had Tarrlok. He had his mom. But he just didn't feel as close anymore. he felt isolated. Ever since he really started training. Ever since He started making them bend like that... He didn't feel like himself anymore. He never felt happy. He just felt.. numb.

"Noatak?" Kahota began hesitantly. Noatak snapped out of his thoughts and quickly became aware of how long he had zoned out. How intense his face must have looked. She must have gotten worried, Noatak thought. He hoped she hadn't been talking the whole time. He didn't want to seem rude.

He looked at Kahota, cocking his eyebrow. 'Hmm?' The girl imagined him asking.

She shook her head and smiled. "Nevermind." She got up and faced him. "I'll let you get some sleep. I don't want to keep you up." She began walking to the door before being stopped.

"Kota." The girl turned around, almost shocked that the boy on the bed had spoken. She cocked her head to the side, eyebrows furrowed, puzzled. "Thank you." Kahota's lips cracked into a small, cheery smiled and she nodded before walking to the doorway again. She stopped once more, this time, not turning around.

"Don't worry, Noatak. I won't let my father make you leave. You'll be safe here." And she left.

Noatak just sat up on the bed, staring in the direction that she just left. He didn't think necessarily think the girl was especially kind or caring, but he did really appreciate what she had done for him.

His eyes left the doorway and grazed the room until finally stopping on the picture frame Kahota had acknowledge before. he cocked his head to the size, furrowed his eye brows and studied the picture. The boy in it must have been around Tarrlok's age. 12 or so. he was smiling, his eyes almost shut, his smile big with all his teeth showing.

His smile was probably the only thing that could link him and Kahota together as siblings. Other than that, they looked barely related.

Kahota looked very much like her father- almond eyes, icy blue in color, a wide forehead, heart shaped face that ended with a pointed chin. High cheek bones, sloping nose. The only thing she took from her mother was the size of her nose and the smile that she shared with her brother. Hokada looked nothing like his father yet nothing really could connect him to his mother either. The shape of his eyes were vaguely similar, but while hers were a shade of deep blue, his were a surprisingly pale green-blue color.

Noatak stood up and walked over, picked the frame up and looked at it closer. 'You're dead." Noatak thought. A great sadness washed over him as he look at the boy in the picture smiling. He vaguely, and for a reason unknown to Noatak, reminded him of his younger brother. Once again, he prayed that Tarrlok was okay and placed the picture back on the desk.

He sighed and walked back over to the bed, slowly peeling the cover off, and slipping inside.

He stared at the ceiling, still thinking about his brother, knowing he was okay, but still praying anyway. His eyes curiously wandered back to the picture and Noatak lazily turned to face it, studying it one more time, finding new things each time his eyes shifted.

After a moment of what seemed to be more than enough time to have looked at the picture, Noatak exhaled heavily, a light pang in his chest.

"goodnight." He said, and turned back over to face the wall. "Goodnight." he repeated again in a softer, almost inaudible voice, pulled the blankets closer to his body, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

Please R&R! Hope you enjoyed it.

-Bea