Chapter 23

It wasn't even morning yet when Howl woke, his face pressed in a pillow. Sitch was collapsed beside him, his chest revealed, a terribly long cut down his body stitched up slightly. He wondered where he was. He'd never been here. His mind flickered softly to Korra; how was she feeling, where was she, was she alright? Howl tried to push himself up before a surge of pain ripped straight through his leg and hands. Burns and badly scrapped up leg. He wondered whether the assassins had captured her. A pool of anger boiled in his stomach.

"Excuse me," A young nurse asked, her hair pulled back in a braid to show her old features; wrinkles under her eyes, grayish tint to her skin, small little moles trailing up and down her arms. "How are you feeling?"

"Where's Korra?" He questioned, his fingers clenching the sheets tightly. No, wait, he knew where she was. He knew that she was at their cave, hiding. But his mind didn't feel like wrapping around that exact thought and expressing it. Instead he remained confused.

The nurse walked forward and touched his arm, trying to push him back onto the bed. Howl knocked her hand away and tried to stand, his eyes burning from the awful sent of alcohol and antiseptic. He knew exactly where Korra was and if he could just get to Naga…. No, Korra had Naga. The animal was at the cave, protecting his lover. He had to get to that cave. "Sir, please sit back down—"

"You don't understand," He pleaded, his fingers shaking as he pulled on his tunic. "I know her. She's mine." He said softly, placing his feet on the floor and wincing as his leg screamed. Howl shook his head, pulling on his boots and ignoring the terrible ache in his leg. "She's mine…."

"Let him go, Kaida. He'll be fine." Howl's head jerked up at the sound of Sitch's pained voice. He gave his friend a weak smile, pushing himself off of the bed. Sitch grabbed his arm, causing him to turn to his friend. The life in his comrade's green eyes was faint, damaged, and nearly ruined. "Be careful," He whispered under his breath. Howl dipped his head before taking his first agonizing steps with his damaged leg. By the time he reached the door his breath had left him, and his leg felt like it was in a pool of lava.

He threw open the door and stepped in to the burning wind. Snow slammed against his face, chilling him to the bone. He probably should have put on warmer clothes, but he had to find Korra. Korra, with her beautiful face, with her pool of blue for eyes, with her brown hair sprawled all over her head after a long, restless night. Korra, with her domineering attitude, with her desire to be daring, with her need for freedom. Though everything on his entire being hurt, he had to get to her, had to hold her in his arms and tell the both of them that it would be all right.

His left, injured leg dragged in pain towards their cave, his boot cutting through the snow. Howl knew that as soon as he got to her that he'd be fine, that they could both ride back on Naga. He could wrap his arms around her and inhale the sweet, jasmine scent that he'd always been drawn to. He could kiss the skin between her face and her neck, could whisper the softest words into her ear.

They could go stargazing, he thought. They could get back to camp and climb on the roof of the barracks (although it might be a little hard for him). He could teach her the names of the constellations, tell her stories intertwined with the little balls of fire in the sky. They could tell each other of each other's main dream. Howl knew his was to grow up and get married, to have two or three little children running around a house on Ember Island, where he was born and raised on. He could give Korra everything she wanted and, even if she had to go away some times to do her job as Avatar, they would be happy. They would be the perfect family.

He could read their children stories before they went to bed, like his mother used to do. He could even make up them when he couldn't find a book that wasn't like his romance novels. He and Korra could teach their kids the way of good, the way of happiness. He would have one son that would be a firebender (after Korra, of course) and maybe two girls who were either waterbenders or maybe a mixture of their mother's elements. His son would grow up to join the White Lotus like his father. Howl could be a Grand Lotus, then, only needed when the matter was incredibly serious.

He and Korra could have dates when they were off and their oldest child would watch after the younger ones when they were gone. They would visit the turtle duck pond and feed the newborn animals with snippets of wheat bread. They would hold each other in their arms and never move, never speak, but know what the other was thinking. They would be happy; not hidden or scared of anyone finding out of their romance.

Howl hit the ground and was torn from his fantasy when pain agonizingly surged through him. He tried to stand but found he couldn't, his feet dug into a trap. "Korra," He managed, hoping he was near enough to the cave for her to hear his desperate cry. His palm burned but he didn't know why, just that it was hurt like the other half of his body.

Korra was asleep against Naga when her palm started to ache. She knew Howl was near. As Avatar, she knew the consequences of a blood pact. At first she had thought it was nothing but mere myth, but nothing in her world was myth anymore. Korra pushed down the snow wall and led Naga from the cave. If Howl was hurt, she could find him. It was her only connection to the spirit world; blood. She saddled Naga and jumped on the dog. "Go, girl! Find Howl!" She ordered, clicking the reins.

It hadn't been a long search. She found him just before the dog did, jumping off of Naga's back and running full force to his collapsed body. His leg had a small pull of blood around it, staining the snow crimson. His eyes were still open. "Howl!" She shouted, her stomach twisting in the thought that he was dead. Her legs crumpled underneath her as she searched for a sign of life. Her finger tips flew to his neck where she found a steady pulse beating, her breath fleeing her. "Come on, Howl." She whispered, helping him sit up in the snow.

She made Naga sit before she helped Howl onto the animal's back. His leg seemed to be bleeding worse now that she saw it, but her mind screamed at her not to panic. She pulled herself onto the polar bear-dog and begged her to run, run as fast as she could. Howl's grip around her waist was weak. She had seen the look of despair in his eyes, the look of dread. "It's okay, Howl." She promised, taking her hand off of Naga's reins and holding one of his.

"S'okay, Korra." He repeated against her throat. His breathing was rapid, his fingers were shaking. He was lying. He had told her the truth a thousand times before and he was lying this once. She urged Naga faster. The camp just wouldn't come in sight.

Finally, she saw the intricate blue door and nearly yelped in relief. Howl's fingers were no longer shaking, but they were no longer squeezing hers, either. His breathing had slowed down to wavering pants. She hardly even waited for the door to open the slightest bit, using Naga's agility to squeeze through the cracks. The door opened to a ruined camp. The training ground was in pieces, the white towers and snow blackened around the edges. Debris scattered the snow as she forced Naga to the barracks, where not a soul in sight was around. Thankful, she opened the door and helped Howl off (though it wasn't pretty) the dog and into the empty barracks.

First thing she did after helping him to his bed was undress him, which wasn't that hard. Though she had to keep in mind that he was in intense pain, it was neither awkward nor embarrassing. She left his underwear on so that she wouldn't get distracted, however. Then she ran to the shower room and grabbed a bucket from the wall, filling it with warm water. Hurrying back to Howl's writhing shape, she used what she had learned from Katara. Her fingertips wrapped around the water and Korra placed it over his leg.

The painful look in his honey colored eyes began to fade as she worked, the bloody mess disappearing into a heap of healing skin. Howl exhaled, much to Korra's relief. She had taken the pain from him. She had protected him. It was different when it wasn't supposed to be, but frankly she didn't care. He was healing. Then, she spotted Howl's burned chest and continued the procedure on his chest. She made sure that, though it would scar, she wouldn't have to watch the torturous healing process age on.

When she was finished, she glanced over his damaged body and sighed in relief. He seemed to be sleeping, gently sleeping, but she knew that wasn't the case. "H-Howl?" She asked, her voice breaking from the pressure. Howl slowly opened one golden eye and smiled lopsidedly. Words wouldn't come but she didn't need them to. He was safe.