Chapter Five
Katara
The wind whistled in Katara's air as they rushed through it. In the sky, all was peaceful. It was hard for her to believe that days before they were fleeing with nothing but their lives from a Fire Nation attack. Aang sat solemnly at the head of Appa. He steered his bison with a goal in mind but the betrayal of the Fire Nation affected him deeply. Katara's a heart broke knowing that the life she and her tribe had worked to hide and protect had been harmed in a way she could never heal. Time couldn't work fast enough.
"Man!" Sokka shouted, interrupting her reflections. "I can't believe that bison shaped whistle Aang bought on a whim actually came in handy! I mean the bison actually came when he heard it!"
It had been days on the back of a flying bison, living off of rations stolen from the merchants of the Fire Nation town, and Katara was irritated. "Would you do us a favour, Sokka, and shut up? It's been days!" Sokka's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. He let himself fall onto his back grumbling about women and 'their ways'.
Everything was silent after Katara's outburst. She needed to calm down. Slowly, she took a deep breath in and held it. Then slower than she had taken the air in, she let it out. One breath was all she needed to feel significantly more at peace but she took another just to be sure. Calmed, she spoke up to make an unspoken amends with her brother.
"Sokka, how long do you think it will take us to reach the Earth Kingdom?"
Sokka yawned, in what he called a manly fashion, and rolled onto his stomach. "Judging by the map, we'll arrive on the Earth Nation Coast later today. Reaching the Bei Fong Estate is a whole other story. The Estate's in the heart of the country near a swamp so it'll be another two or three days with no rest stops."
Katara ruffeled through the bags she'd bought in a town after a couple hours of flying from the Fire Nation-Water Tribe meeting town. Sokka had eaten through most of their food, leaving a small bag of nuts and fruits for the rest of the journey. Their water supply wasn't at risk of running out; the waterbenders of the Southern Tribe were taught many techniques including how to pull water from the air. The Sourthern Tribe had surpassed their Northern sister in terms of techniques in the last 200 hundred years. Southerners could survive anywhere.
Aang floated to Katara's side from Appa's head. "Do we have any moon peaches left? I could really use something sweet!" He dug around the bag searching and Katara glared at Sokka knowing he had eaten the last one.
"Sorry, Aang. That's the only fruit we had that Sokka ate. We'll have to stop in a market if we want more."
Sokka woke up at those words and quickly waved his hands in front of him. "No, no, no! We are not stopping already. We take this stop then the next time we're 'running low' on something we'll stop again. Then again and again for the smallest things. Next thing you know, we get to the Bei Fong Estate in a month!"
"There's nothing 'running low' about this! You ate all our food and if we don't get more, Aang and I will starve, with you soon after!"
Sokka crossed his arms. He seemed to think for a moment then quickly unfolded his arms to jab his finger at Katara. "Fine but when we arrive late, you can only blame yourselves for not holding out until we get there." Sokka huffed and turned onto his stomach again to continue looking at the clouds.
Confused, Aang looked at Katara. "You mean we're not going back to the Southern Water Tribe? I thought we were just going to restock in the Earth Kingdom then go home."
"I'm afraid not, Aang. Sokka and I talked it over the first night while you were sleeping. The Nations seem to be getting desperate for the Avatar so we thought it'd be best if you started learning the other elements as soon as possible. I'm sorry we didn't involve you in the discussion. It's your future after all."
"It's all right. Learning the elements is my job anyway. I guess it makes sense to get that out of the way. So where are we going exactly?"
"To the Bei Fongs Estate. They never responded to the letters we sent them over the past months so we're going to get a verbal response. We can't be late if we aren't expected," katara shot at Sokka. Sokka didn't respond. Katara rolled her eyes and pulled a pad of paper and a pen from the bag. Their father would want to know what happened to them and where they are.
Aang rubbed his chin in thought. "I recognize the name Bei Fong," Aang muttered.
"That's not surprising," Katara told Aang. She put her paper back in the bag. Aang settled into a comfortable position to listen to Katara's history lesson. "One of their ancestors was involved in the defeat of the Fire Nation in the Great War 200 years ago. She was a blind earth bender who taught the Avatar earthbending. Ever since then, a child born blind has been considered a blessing and good omen for the family.
Members of our tribe also fought with the Avatar. His waterbending teacher married him. Since then, our family has had close relations with the Bei Fongs. It's strange that they haven't answered our requests."
"Whoa. It's so cool that your family's history goes so far back. The nomads don't actually live with their family. The whole country is the family so I guess we do but...it's not the same." For a minute, a storm cloud enveloped Aang. Katara felt a pang in her heart. It must have been hard for Aang to be surrounded by happy families. It must have been even worse when he saw unhappy families. However, Aang brightened up moments later and was asking questions about the Bei Fongs. "Why's it so important you get in contact with them?"
"We had hoped they'd find an earthbending teacher for you. They're a wealthy family so they have connections. Finding an earthbending teacher would be easy for them, not to mention they're excellent benders themselves."
Aang shot into the air. "Maybe something happened to them! We should get there as quickly as possible! I'll keep an eye out for a town so we can refuel and be on our way." He landed on Appa's head, reins in hand. "Yip yip, Buddy!"
The colours of the sunset spilled around Aang and Katara thought he looked like a true symbol of hope in these strange times. "Thank you," she whispered into the wind.
Katara tossed and turned in her sleep. Sweat pooled at her temples as she fought to stay asleep. Her dream was flooded with flashes of scenes and the voice of a middle-ages woman. A woman grasped a dark skinned hand. 'The man you are going to marry!' the voice echoed.
The scene changed to lava pouring down a mountainside. An airbender and his glider flew through her line of vision. 'Oh, tell me more!' a girl squealed. Katara could tell the airbender was young. Younger than most airbending masters she'd seen. It changed again to a battles of elements. Fire, water, and air. A burning town by the ocean. A young man in Fire Nation armour riding boarding an iron ship. 'I can see he's a very powerful bender!'
The stress of the dream became too much for Katara's mind. Drenched in sweat, she jerked awake in bed, screaming.
The light of dawn woke Katara up from her sleep. She was surprised to see Aang still at the reins. 'Has he gotten any sleep?' she wondered. It was good that he was taking his job as the Avatar seriously, it was one of the only times since she'd met him months ago that he has, but he shouldn't do it at the risk of his health. There'd be no chance for the world if something happened to him. Sparks were flying between the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. It wouldn't be long until those sparks became flames roaring against each other, destroying the Water Tribes and Air Temples in the process.
"Aang, have you been up all night?" Katara asked.
The boy jumped clearly not expecting someone to be up. "Morning, Katara! Look in the distance! It's a town!" He said happily. Katara grumbled at having her question ignored but followed his gaze anyway. "We can eat soon," he gushed. There were stars in his eyes that made Katara giggle. Aang blushed. "W-What's so funny?"
Katara just giggled again. She reached forward and kissed his cheek. "Oh nothing. You're so cute," she said. Aang's blush deepened. Katara paid no attention to it but looked towards the town on the horizon. "You ready to get some food, Aang?" she asked. "I say we don't give any to Sokka," she whispered.
"I agree! Yip yip, Appa! Time for breakfast!"
The sea of trees rushed by and Katara's stomach grumbled in happiness. Soon it would be filled with real food, no more nuts and berries. Those things weren't nearly as filling as she would have liked especially since half of the stash had to be given to Aang. Minutes before landing, Katara's stomach rose to the back of her throat. She didn't see anyone.
"Say, Katara, you don't think it's abandoned, do you?"
I don't know, Aang. I guess we'll have to land to see for ourselves. You stay with Appa. I'll go wake Sokka."
By the time they landed, townfolk had begun to file into the streets. They walked carefully, watching their backs, like they expected to have to run back inside.
"And you guys had me worried," Sokka blasted causing several people on the streets to cringe. "There's nothing to worry about here. Everything's fine."
Aang and Katara both stood there astonished at how little the tactical genius noticed. "Right, Sokka," Aang said nervously. Muttering about needing food, Sokka marched right into the village. "H-Hey! Wait up! Come on Katara, I have a bad feeling!" Aang rushed after Sokka, Katara trailing behind.
Aang's statement raised red flags in her mind. Was Aang's bad feeling caused by the empty streets before landing or was it truly something to be concerned about? The people were friendly. Two were laughing at Sokka's quest for food. As the sun steadily rose higher in the sky the mood of the town began to lighten. Soon Katara's worry disappeared into the night.
"It's not often our little town gets visitors," the town's mayor gushed outside his home. "And rest assured, it's not a bother for me to show our guests around the town. In fact, it's my honour!"
"Why are we still at this guy's house?" Sokka whispered to Katara while the mayor spoke.
"Maybe he's lonely and wants people to know where he lives," Katara whispered back. "Now shush, he's moving and we're falling behind."
"This road here leads to the town's market. Along the way is the seamstress and many fine stores; we specialize in spiritual products now. It's become a priority as of late so if you're looking for charms, dream catchers, or wards, you're in the right place."
Everyone they passed on the street watched them with excitement as they passed. In the market square, they stopped keeping their distance. Curiosity brought them closer to the tour. 'Eavesdropping,' Katara thought.
Noticing the attention, Aang's face began to glow. 'Oh, Aang,' she thought. 'Don't let this go to your head.' He started looking at his admirers and took up a macho walk; back straight, chest puffed out. Katara shook her head. She looked to her side and saw Sokka winking at the pretty girls they passed. Katara rolled her eyes and marched ahead without looking back at the boys.
"You said the town focuses on producing wards?" Katara asked the mayor.
"Why yes. Are you interested in purchasing one?"
"No, I was just wondering why you're town would need to focus on them?"
"Ah. It's not anything to be concerned about. There's just been some trouble causing spirits in town. They're to stop them from going into homes after sunset and breaking dishes. Aside from that, this is a lovely place," the mayor tried to sell.
"R-Right." Katara fell behind the mayor. As she walked she noticed the doors of every building in town had at least one ward or charm on it. Some buildings had them as trim. 'This town is hiding something.'
They came to a fork in the road and the mayor motioned to the left path. "This road leads to the high end of town. Our rich live there. They prefer the peace pedestrians tend to ruin. Unfortunately, that is the end of my tour. I shall bring you back to the market square where I will ensure the restaurants of your choosing will provide you with a free lunch."
The mayor began to walk back down the road. "But wait, Sir!" Aang said. "What about this road here?" He pointed to the road on the right of the intersection.
"That road leads nowhere. There's nothing but rocks and trees over there. May I lead you to lunch now?"
"Oh. All right..." He glanced back to the road while following the mayor back to the market.
"Katara? Katara, dear, are you all right?" Katara's mother shouted, rushing into the room with Iroh hot on her trail. Katara didn't respond. She sat in bed quietly catching her breath, beads of sweat rolling down her arm.
Her mother touched her hand to Katara's forehead. "She doesn't have a fever but this isn't normal," she muttered. "Iroh, may I ask that you stay here with Katara while I fetch a doctor?"
"I would be honoured to watch your daughter for you, Lady Kaya, but fetching a doctor is a task much more suited to a servant like myself. Allow me to go."
She shook her head. "Thank you for offering. However, Katara is my daughter and I feel it's my duty as her mother to fetch the doctor. I will take care of and protect her with my own hands. I'll return shortly." Her mother slipped off the sheets and rushed out of the room, silent except for the tapping of her flats on the wooden floors.
"How are you feeling now, Katara?"
"A little better." Her breathing had calmed and she could feel sweat drying on the palms of her hands. "I don't feel sick."
"It's always best to have a check-up. If it's not sickness, what had you so shaken up?" She rung the edges of her blanket through her hands. There was something powerful about that dream. It shook Katara to her soul but no one would take her seriously once they knew a dream had woken her up. She looked into Iroh's warm eyes and knew she couldn't lie to him. She looked away from him.
"I had a strange dream."
"Katara," Aang whispered while walking through the market. "There's something isn't right and not just with this town." Katara opened her mouth to whisper back when she saw it. Another group of girls was edging closer to them. Katara growled under her breath. All those girls with caked on make-up were running through the last of her patience. The group got so close that they could be in the pair's conversation.
"Excuse me!" she shouted, hands on her hips. The young girls flinched at her voice. Katara's frozen eyes showed Katara had tossed her mercy aside. "Have you ever heard of personal space?" With weak spines, the girls walked away with their noses in the air. Satisfied, Katara let out a sharp exhale. That has happened too many time today, she thought.
"What do you mean?" she whispered to Aang. Aang looked puzzled but Katara shrugged it off. She looked at Aang, waiting for his reply. Something was bothering him and cheap girls weren't a good reason to drop the subject.
He didn't respond. Did he wonder off? Katara drew her attention away from the apple in her hand to see Aang staring at the vegetable stand one stall over. His shoulders had hunched over to protect himself. Even though she could only see his profile, Katara could tell from his eyes that Aang was hurting. "Aang? What's wrong?" She left the fruit for road kill and dashed to Aang's side.
"It's nothing really."
"Aang, you know it's not good to hold everything in," she cooed.
"I know...I...I'm just starting to miss everyone at the South Pole."
Katara grasped his shoulder gently. I miss them too. Not waking up to Sokka and Pakku's bickering made the mornings dull and not sparing with her army division left her afternoons feeling empty. Coming to the Earth Kingdom wasn't in the plans. Plans aren't supposed to go so astray. "Let's go home. The house may not be ours but we still have each other. Plus, I don't know how much of this whispering I can take."
"Good idea, Katara." Aang was slumped the whole way home.
Iroh was silent. Katara stared at her bookcase, waiting. When it sunk in, he would laugh, pat her the head and tell her not to worry because everyone has bad dreams. Adults always did. But the laughter never came. Instead, she heard the movement of fabric and felt her mattress sink under new weight. "Tell me about this dream." Katara's head shot back to the man on her bed.
Not expecting anyone to ask about the dream, she didn't know where to begin. "I-it was me...but it wasn't me." Iroh encouraged her to keep going. "I was talking to an old woman—a fortune teller—she told me the man I'd marry was very powerful bender. There were images after that. Lava flowing down a mountain and a really young airbending master. Then it was an older boy. A firebender on a metal ship.
Everyone in that dream was so familiar. I recognized them. I knew them but I don't know them! And I feel like I should know what it means. It felt so urgent but I don't know!" Her eyes shone.
"You're all right, Katara," he hummed. "It is possible that you dreamt of a past life."
"W-What?"
"I suspect that your past life is troubled. If you felt the dream was a warning then perhaps your past life fears you are going to make the same mistake she did. Do not worry. Her trouble is not yours to bear; they are her's. Always remember to follow what your heart says and not the words of others. Enough of this for now. The doctor is here."
The doctor took Iroh's place on Katara's bed. He did what Katara had been expecting. His examination showed she didn't have a fever and that she was perfectly healthy. Her mother was relieved and tucked her into bed again. Katara fell asleep puzzled. Aside from the Avatar, she'd never heard of a past life contacting the present.
It was sunset. Two days had passed. Katara kept more and more of a watchful eye on Aang.His moral dropped each day though he tried to keep it hidden. It was how he wasn't mingling or showing off to the villagers that tipped Katara off.
"Sokka, I'm worried about Aang. Haven't you noticed anything off about him?"
Sokka responded by taking in as much scent of barbequed possum chicken. "You have a good eye, sir. The possum chicken are brought here live from a swampbender once a month. You're lucky to be here when they are."
"I'll take it, my good man! Put it on a bun if you can!"
"Sokka! Can't you think of anything other than your stomach?"
"Of course I can but we can't do anything about it if he won't tell us what's bothering him. And I doubt it'll look good if we bind the Avatar to a chair without nuts and berries until he tells us." Delighted, Sokka took a hearty bite out of his possum chicken burger.
"We have to be able to do something though!" She looked up the street and saw him. "Sokka! Look there, it's Aang! He just snuck around that corner!"
"Where?" he asked with his mouth full.
"We have to follow him!" Pulling Sokka by the arm she ran down the street. The sudden movement caused him to drop his food on the ground.
"My burger!" he shouted. "I'll come back for you!" Katara jerked him around a corner. "This street isn't familiar...Wait a second! This is the street where there are only trees and rocks, isn't it?"
"It is. I saw Aang turn down here."
"You're making that up." The road kept going but the buildings were no more. They were surrounded by houses torn down and reduced to rubble. "Or not," Sokka said seeing Aang standing in the middle of the street.
"These houses are all giving off a spooky feeling...I knew something was wrong with this town," Aang whispered back to his friends.
"What...happened here?" The words were a whisper coming out of Katara.
"I wish I knew..."
Back in the direction they had come from, there was a resounding crash. The ripping of wood and collision of rocks could be heard among the crash. Is it an Earthbender attack? Katara thought as they ran back. Or did the Firebenders find us?
After another crash, a screech unlike anything they'd ever heard tore through the air. "I don't think you want to see what caused the broken houses!" Sokka shouted over the destruction.
Night had fallen but as they bounded the last corner, they could still see what was causing all the noise. "What is that thing?" Katara screamed.
"Stay close to me, Katara!" Sokka ordered her. Katara nodded. They were soldiers back home. This is what they trained for. "Come with us, Aang!"
As they hurried down the street, villagers ran past them. Some hissed at Aang and cursed him. A young man motioned his family to follow him down the street. "Hurry! It's the curse of the Air Avatars! It spares no one!"
The creature resembled a female on top but that was all that was human about it. It had the long winding tail of a centipede instead of legs which whipped around, destroying houses. Sensing them, it turned its gaze upon Sokka, Katara, and Aang. Seeing its body, unobstructed, momentarily turned Katara's legs to jelly. Its female torso was dotted with feathers that trailed down the back of its tail. A clicking bird beak adorned where its mouth should be.
"Sokka! There's not enough water here for me to defend against that thing's tail even if I pull it from the air!"
Sokka cursed under his breath. His sword couldn't defend against it either.
"Maybe we shouldn't stop it!" Aang spat causing the siblings to stare at him in shock.
"What are you saying?" Katara asked.
"These are horrible people! Ever since I got here they've been telling me to leave. Some of them even say to die all because of that curse of the Air Avatars that man was shouting about! They believe that no good can come of them because this spirit is attacking them without reason during my reign and the Great War started during the last Air Avatar's!"
"Aang, you know you can't do that! You're the Avatar. It doesn't matter who needs your help. Whether they worship you or not, it's your job to keep peace and order."
"But why do I have to? Why can't someone else?"
"Would you ever forgive yourself if you didn't help these people?" Katara prayed she would reach him. If he didn't help, the townspeople would be without a home and possibly all die because of that creature. Please Aang!
"You're right, Katara. I wouldn't forgive myself. Looks like it's up to me since there's not enough water and that thing is too big for a single sword to defend against," Aang declared. "It's not of this world anyway."
"What do you mean?"
"I can sense it. It's a spirit."
"Oh excellent! Now that it's come visiting, how about we tell it we don't have any candy and just send it back! Though we do appreciate the effort it put into its Halloween outfit!" Sokka exaggerated. The thing screeched and gathered its tail for a strike.
"That's it, Sokka! Distract it for me!"
"You want me to do what?" The spirit launched its tail. Aang flew off on his glider moments before the tail would have hit him. "I hate magic!" Sokka shrieked and ran towards the creature, sword trailing above his head. Katara began gathering as much water as she could. From the air, her water-skin, and the wood from destroyed houses.
"Distract it, he says! Easy for him to say! He's not at risk of being squashed!" Sokka shouted mindlessly. He struck down on the spirit's insect tail and drew some blood. It raged and moved to strike Sokka. "I'm gonna die!"
Stupid brother! Katara thought. Pushed on by a vision of her brother crushed on the ground, Katara's water tentacle wrapped itself around Sokka and pulled him to safety. The spirit was dissatisfied with the uprising of debris from its strike. Wanting blood, it locked onto the water siblings.
Katara blocked its next attack with a water wall. The force of its strike forced her to skid backwards but not falter. "Come on, Aang!" she shouted. Sokka saw his moment. In one clean movement, his sliced through the spirit's tail. The severed piece wriggled on the ground. Flopping like a fish on dry land.
The screech of pain that followed shook Katara to her soul. She was overcome by a feeling she was fighting against an enemy of humans. She knew it had to be stopped and she knew Sokka and she had the upperhand now but she couldn't make her limbs respond. MOVE! She screamed at herself. From the corner of her eye, she could see Sokka was having a similar battle.
The young gliding Airbending master filled her mind. The man you are going to marry! I see he's a very powerful bender! The old fortune-teller's voice resounded over the young boy. The overflowing lava heading for a town. Destruction. It was a warning! Katara thought. Was she warning me of this?
Aang's meditating body meters behind them began to glow. A beam of light shot from him to the spirit tail and main body. As quickly as the light appeared, it and the spirit monster vanished.
Aang had saved them.