Chapter 8

"Wanna go penguin sledding?" Korra asked, shaking him awake. Howl blinked as the sunlight peered in to the room, his eyes slowly adjusting to the torturous sunlight. It was one of the reasons that he'd chosen a bunk without a hint of light. He'd never been the sun's friend, never been blessed with the ability to bend like it.

When he realized where the heck he was, his body reacted. He jumped up from Korra's bed, throwing pelts onto the floor. He still had his tunic and thick pants on, but his helmet was on Korra's head. He exhaled in relief that nothing even remotely close to what he'd thought they'd done had happened between them. It had only been an accident that he fell asleep in her room, on her bed, while comforting her. His cheeks were red with heat and embarrassment when he saw Korra looking at her with a cocked eyebrow.

He bit his lip. "What's penguin sledding?"

Her mouth fell open so far she swore it would fall to the floor. How could he not know about penguin sledding? Sure, he was from the Fire Nation. But surely he had read enough books to know that her former life had taken Master Katara penguin sledding when they first met. "You have got to be joking." His brow furrowed. "Why did you come to the South Pole if you didn't want to go penguin sledding?"

Howl chuckled. "The food." He muttered.

"Howl, you hate fish."

So he was reminded. Even the word sounded disgusting and sent horrible shivers down his back. Still, he tried to smile, but found himself utterly terrified that somehow she was going to repeat the time she brought him the bowl of fish fins and scales, freshly peeled. "I've never heard of it." Howl said, crossing his arms in confusion. "And I'm terrified to find out."

Korra grinned evilly. "You've got night duty, right?" She questioned. He nodded slowly, suddenly conscious of the stare down she gave him. If there was anything you didn't want to see, it was her evil side. The same one that used to stuff his helmet full of raw fish, or dump cold snow down his back. It came so unusually that when it did appear, it was so cruel. So unlike her. She took his arm and threw open the door to her room.

It was about sun-high when they reached a flock of penguins. Naga immediately wanted to chase them, but Korra managed to stop her dog before the animal stomped on her natural prey. He bit his lip at the sight of the odd creatures; four flippers, long whiskers, beady eyes. Howl wanted to hide behind Korra, afraid one of them might decide that he looked tasty and peck him to death. His fingers curled around parts of his tunic. Already he didn't like the look of this.

Then, Korra pulled something from her parka pockets and shoved it in his hand. Immediately, his stomach flopped. Fish. "Ew!" He said, stepping back and nearly bowling over a penguin. He tried stepping forward and nearly kicked one. They were closing in on him, and Korra was laughing. They encircled him until he wanted to throw the fish into the air and run, run for his life, run to where Naga had been ordered to firmly stay and get the heck out of there. But Korra would think him less manly, even more than she already did. He squeaked out a pained whimper as one pecked at him for the fish. "Give it to that one, Howl!" She laughed, shaking her head. Howl obediently threw the slimy, dead creature at the penguin. "Now grab him!"

He wrapped his hands around the creature's throat as it gobbled up the dead fish. He exhaled when he saw Korra nodding in approval and pulled out another fish for her own penguin. Easily, she caught it with one swift move, dispersing the other penguins, and sliding her penguin along the ground and down the hill.

"Wait, Korra!" He shouted, trying frantically to move the penguin over the hill. The animal croaked at him and tried throwing him off, failing, and hitting the slopes with superior force. Howl's eyes widened but he couldn't breathe. He was on a penguin. In the middle of a snowy wasteland. Chasing after the crazy woman of his dreams.

What had his life become?

"Korra!" He cried as the animal picked up speed, faster and faster. Soon he reached her, his hands desperately searching for something to hold on to. "How do you stop this thing?" He begged, glancing over her way for mere seconds to see her laughing her head off. He whimpered, trying to tug on the penguin's thick skin. All it did, though, was make him squawk at the guard.

Korra couldn't help but enjoy the sheer panic written across Howl's face. His eyes were wider than a yuan coin, his hands flailing around for something to grab. His penguin looked so uncomfortable, like it wanted to throw him off. Her stomach ached from the giggles that wouldn't stop.

Suddenly she spotted it. It was massive, dark, and something everyone was forbidden to near. The penguins, however, were looking for another meal. Her heart stopped, her laughter dying away, and she glanced out Howl. He was more focused on the penguin than he was at the ice. "Howl!" She cried.

Howl glanced up at her before he spotted what she was pointing at. His gaze flickered to a massive hole in the ice, something the two of them were headed straight towards. His adrenaline surge kicked in and he wrangled the penguin by its scruff, steering it straight towards Korra's penguin and knocking off course of the hole, just as his penguin dove into the icy water and slammed him against an ice chunk.

He'd never been so cold.

Korra woke a few moments after her penguin had thrown her off and rubbed her head. "Howl?" She questioned, glancing around for her best friend. The two tracks of parted snow down the mountain seemed to be head on to the ice hole, until one of the paths merged with the other; hers. It continued until it went straight into the hole.

Howl. Oh Spirits, he was in the water. "Howl!" She wailed, throwing off her parka and his helmet and diving into the water. The cold slammed into her body like prickles on a needle bed. A trail of blood obscured her vision as she swam deeper. The pit underneath the water went down, down for miles, but she saw him quicker than she expected to. Weakly she grabbed his arm and found him weighed down by his chest plate. Her air bubble running out, she wrapped some of it around Howl's nose and lips before forcefully removing the water from around her nose and lips. She reached down and tugged his White Lotus cloak and his breastplate off, wrapping her arms around his waist, and shooting herself up, up, up, until the water ceased to exist.

Her breath found her first but his didn't return. She gently laid him in the snow, unable to comprehend his lack of movement. His head was cut and badly bleeding and somehow blood had started seeping through his tunic. His black hair was plastered to his forehead, his lips blue. Her body was frozen. He wasn't moving. He wouldn't move. Korra pounded on his chest before the water popped into head. Quickly, she held her hand over his lungs and pulled the water from his body. Howl started coughing before he let out a cry of pain.

"Naga!" She shrieked, trying frantically to whistle. Her lips shook so badly that she was unable to force them together. Howl's pained cries grew louder and louder as she screamed for Naga, tears and ice water mixing together. "Naga!"

The polar bear-dog came running down the icy hill and lunged over the two in the snow, knocking snow onto Howl. Korra gently brushed the ice away as she dragged his heavy body to the dog. Naga whimpered helplessly as Korra climbed onto her, before pulling Howl's unconscious and dying body onto the saddle, gripping under his arms and cradling his body to her chest. "Go, Naga, go!" She begged, brushing his plastered black hair from his eyes.

The dog took off so quickly that she almost lost her balance. Her legs tightened around the animal as she ran as fast she could through the tundra. The compound couldn't have come into view any sooner when she saw it looming from the hill. "He-Help!" She shouted to the sentry on guard. "He's hurt! Help me!"

The alarms began to go off as they opened the gate, allowing her access. She pulled on Naga's reins as the animal lunged forward, skidding to a halt once they were safely inside. Katara and three other guards were running towards her as she stroked Howl's injured face to keep from crying in front of them. His breathing was shaky. The guards, gently as they could, grabbed Howl from her and a whimper emitted from her lips. Katara took her arm and helped her off of the dog. "Take him to the infirmary." She ordered.

"No!" Korra interrupted. "Ta-take him to my room. He's hurt because of me." When Katara glanced at her with confused eyes, Korra almost fell to her knees. "Pl-lease Katara. It's warmer. Please." Her teeth chattered so badly that the words came out choppy, but she saw recognition flash in Katara's eyes.

"Take him to Korra's quarters." She ordered, wrapping her arm with Korra's and following the guards carrying Howl's body across camp. Korra felt her barriers breaking, her eyes growing wet, but she forced them to stay up. She couldn't cry because it was Howl. Assumptions, though however correct, would be made. Instead, she paced herself with Katara, her natural instinct obliterated, and followed him across the camp.

Korra's hands were shaking so badly when they finally reached her room. Katara already had water out and glanced at Korra, beckoning her to follow. When they entered the room, Howl's screams filled her ears. Her heart shattered and she felt sick, wanting to leave. But Katara had a firm hold on her and she knew the Master wouldn't let go anytime soon. The guards had already shed his boots and tunic when she first caught sight of him. "Oh Spirits," She whimpered.

A large wound slashed across his side, from his hip to upper stomach. Korra knew she was going to be sick. His head had a massive wound on it, probably from an ice chunk. "Korra, get water. Guards, leave us." They dipped their head. One of them patted Howl's hand weakly before disappearing with the rest of them. Korra raced to her bathroom and grabbed the nearest bucket she could. Her hands were vibrating as she filled it, carrying it back to Katara. Then she caught sight of the woman with glowing hands and nearly froze. Her hands were surrounded by water as she slowly moved over Howl's wound. "Put it down and hold his hand Korra."

She put the bucket down beside her Master, but froze when she looked at him. Hesitant, she took a few fragile steps towards his injured body. He needs you. She thought, slowly, slowly moving to the other side of her master and grasping Howl's freezing hand. His fingers were bloody, ice scathed. His eyes were shut so tightly that she swore his lids would burst from pain. "Oh, Howl… I'm so sorry." She whispered, squeezing his hand as tightly as he squeezed hers. She didn't dare look down as his body in fear that she might have to leave to be sick. Instead, she held his hand with the strongest grip she could.

After what seemed like hours, the grasp he had on her hand started to loosen. Korra blinked, peering over at Katara. The elder had begun to stitch the skin on his stomach, her eyes focused on the wound. "He's weak." Korra croaked, surprised by the lack of strength in her voice. She hated feeling vulnerable. But she hated the thought of Howl being in pain more.

Again, as time passed slowly, and Katara stood from her spot. "I've done all I can do for him. But he's stable." She whispered, touching Korra's arm. Her eyes wouldn't tear off the young boy, not even as she departed.

Korra sat in silence. The waterbender had left a warm cloth on his forehead where the wound was. Weakly, she pressed her face to his, finally alone with him. Her tears spilled like the gate opened. She wrapped her arms around one of his biceps, whimpering. "Howl…." She begged. "Wake up… please…."

Howl groaned inwardly. Everything hurt. Even his toes, which, he didn't think could. His head was woozy with pain as he struggled to open his eyes. He heard voices, dull, those that didn't make any sense. The words were jumbled and conformed. Then, silence. He didn't like the silence. It made him feel dead to the world. His right hand was warm while the rest of him was like ice. Then it was his arm. "Howl…" He recognized his name, surprisingly enough. Then more jumbled letters. "Waesl Up." Up. Which way was up? Which way was down? Who was talking to him and why did the voice sound so familiar?

"Howl," He heard again. The whispers were starting to get louder. "Plesda bea owkwey." Please be okay, his mind screamed. Spirits, it's Korra. He wincing, trying to force his eyes open. "This is my fault."

No. No, Korra, it's not your fault. For… whatever happened? Come on Howl, open your eyes! He felt the pressure on his head increase and warmth flooded his side. He struggled to blink, struggled to open his eyes, when suddenly everything was bright and he felt blinded. "Howl!" She cried, and arms were around his throat. His breath caught she squeezed tightly and he blinked to get the pain out of his head.

"K-ko…" He couldn't breathe with her hands nearly choking him to death. "Br-reathe…"

"OH!" She let go of him and smiled sheepishly. Howl's mind clicked and remembered what happened; the ice, saving her, hitting an ice chunk and blacking out. "Oh, thank the Spirits you're alive. I… I was so worried that you weren't going to… make it." Then he spotted the tears streaming down her face. Howl tried to reach up to brush them away when she did it herself. New ones replaced them. "It was all… my fault. MY fault, Howl."

"I-I'm fine, Korra." His voice sounded scratchy. He suddenly felt very afraid. Where was he? Where was his tunic? His helmet? His boots? Oh, Spirits, this was awkward. He forced the thought to the back of his mind and placed his hand on Korra's cheek, brushing the tears onto his thumb.

"No, you're hurt. You saved me and nearly died, Howl, you nearly died! If you had died, I would have too. We made a blood pact." He tried to interrupt, but words failed him. Her clothes were covered in blood and tears, her hand shaking in his. "If you were hurt, I would hurt, and I'm hurting." She rambled. He tried once more to stop her but couldn't. She was wailing, sobbing, pouring her eyes out over him. "I thought I was going to lose you!"

Maybe it was the pain. Maybe it was the haziness of her tears and sheer panic, but Howl didn't like to see her crying. He wrapped his fingers in her hair and pulled her close to him, so close that once more he could smell the desperation. He could feel the quivering of her lips even if they weren't touching. Weren't… touching.

His instinct was to untangle from her immediately, but screw instinct. He was hurt. He was woozy. He was ruined from the thought of her crying over him and he pulled her closer, his tender hand tangling in her long, messy hair. And he touched her lips, touched them with his own. His heartbeat went rapid at the taste of her precious mouth, her warm, snow chapped lips. His entire body should have been on high alert of getting caught, but nothing mattered. His head should be screaming, but it wasn't. His lips should be still, but they weren't.

The kiss should have lasted longer, but it didn't.

Howl let his hand drop from Korra's hair and tried to swallow the look she gave him. Shock. Petrified, utter, shock. No sadness, no happiness, no concern or hate or fear… just shock. Before he could hear her reply, he falsely yawned and lay his head down on her pillow, afraid of rejection and awkwardness. Afraid that now she would hate him once she got over that shock.

He didn't want to find out.