Here is the fourth chapter. Once again, I love getting these Story Alert subscriptions. It makes me smile knowing that you all are enjoying this story. :)
Korra sat patiently by the two spirit fish. She felt their energies resonating from the pool. It was invigorating. For the first time in her life, Korra saw a glimpse of the spirituality of the Avatar; it was a magical sensation. Korra's breaths were deep, and with each breath, she inhaled the pure air of the Spirit Oasis. She sat still along the edge of the pond for many minutes.
Katara watched Korra meditating. A smile came over her face. The struggles that Korra had with dealing with the spiritual side of being the Avatar seemed to be disappearing now. Katara patiently watched her student, her hands hid in the baggy sleeves of her parka.
Korra's eyes finally opened. Her body relaxed, and she patted the ground next to her inviting Katara to sit. Katara gratefully accepted the invitation. She walked next to Korra and slowly sat down next to the Avatar. Korra turned to Katara, looking very concerned. "Master Katara," she started, "Why exactly did you come on this trip with me and my friend?"
Katara let out a long sigh. "It's hard to explain Korra, but I just knew I had to. I'm getting very old and I don't how much longer I have on this world, but a few nights before I received your letter, I had a vision. At first, I thought it to be a strange dream, but after spending most of my life with Aang, I had come to understand that everything happens for a reason. I couldn't figure everything out, but I knew that there was still more I had to teach you, and the place to do it was here, at this time."
Korra nodded, and then she jumped to her feet. "Well let's get started! I feel strong and ready for anything," Korra cheered.
Katara giggled, "Do you know why that is Korra?"
Korra shook her head.
"It's because waterbenders draw their power from the moon. The fuller the moon, the stronger our waterbending becomes." Katara then stood back to her feet, with the help of Korra. Katara then began waving her arms in circular motions, with Korra intently watching the movements, studying them.
Korra soon replicated Katara's arm motions, and in a matter of moments, the two waterbenders were dancing in the moonlight. Arms waving and rising, pulling and pushing an invisible stream of water between them. Korra learned fast, she always has.
"Now Korra, I know you prefer firebending, because it's easiest," Katara stated.
"Yeah, it just comes out of my hands and feet, so when I'm not near any water or earth, it's the only bending I can use to defend myself. Like the time Amon had attacked the Arena, I fought his Lieutenant on the glass rooftop, and I only could use fire," Korra answered.
"That's where you are wrong. You need to be open about your surroundings. When I was younger, I learned how to take water out of thin air." Katara whipped her right hand in a circular motion, and little droplets of water condensed into Katara's palm.
Korra's eyes widened in amazement "Let me try!" Korra whipped her hand in the similar motion, but at first Korra was unsuccessful. Korra pursed her lips together, and tried again a few times. After the fifth time, Korra had little droplets of water in her palm, just like Katara had done.
"Water is in the air, and you can pull water out of plants," Katara said as she was about to swing her arms around. Korra gently pulled Katara's arms back.
"Please don't Master Katara; the plants are a living part of the world just as much as we are. It feels wrong to use their water to bend," Korra sighed.
Katara smiled at the maturity Korra had just shown her. Korra had grown so much from the young girl Katara had first begun to train. Hours passed and the two waterbenders spent the entirety of the night practicing master forms.
It wasn't until the sun began to peak over the edge of horizon did they stop. The darkness had begun to flee with the presence of the sun's luminescent pink and orange warming glow. Korra stretched her arms far behind her and let out a ginormous yawn. Then there was a loud crack of Korra's joints. Korra froze mid-stretch. The two looked at one another, and then broke out into hysterical laughter.
Korra and Katara stood close to each other, and Katara placed her hand on Korra's shoulder and sighed, "It's getting late, let's go back to find your friend."
"Don't you mean it's getting early?" Korra chuckled.
Katara grinned at her companion. The two began to walk away from the paradise that was the Spirit Oasis. Korra, please, before it's too late, a voice whispered in agony. Korra stopped mid-stride. Her limbs felt numb, and chills ran up her spine that hit right to the bone. "Katara, did you hear that?" Korra asked nervously.
Katara turned to see Korra's eyes darting back and forth, looking for something. "No Korra, I didn't hear anything. Are you alright?" Katara answered, concerned for Korra's current state of being.
Korra let out a deep sigh, "I guess I'm just tired. I thought I heard the voice of a woman, but it's late, and I haven't slept all day. Let's go to Tahno's and see if we can get some rest."
Katara nodded, and the two proceeded to Tahno's apartment. The long path down the mountainside leading away from the Spirit Oasis turned and weaved through the face of the glacier. As they walked, Korra looked at the moon as its brilliance faded away with the rising sun.
It looked peculiar to Korra though. When she smiled up at the moon, the sensation that the moon was smiling back at her had vanished. Instead, the moon looked weak and feeble, as if it were alive. Korra assumed it to be the distortion of light from the rising.
It took the two waterbenders a decent amount of time to arrive back at Tahno's apartment. Korra helped Katara climb the few flights of stairs, and Korra knocked on the door softly. The day was extremely young, and everyone was asleep. Korra hadn't expected anyone to answer the door, but it flung open to her surprise.
There she saw Tahno; face extremely tense once again, deep bags under his eyes. He hadn't slept yet. Tahno stared at the two women standing in his doorway. Then his eyes began to droop, and then his body collapsed under its own dead weight.
Korra quickly lunged to catch her falling friend. She held him in her arms briefly, glancing over his exhausted body. She carried him into the main room, and gently sat him in one of the comfier looking chairs.
Tahno lay there passed out. His limbs dangled off the edge of the arm rests of chair, and his body slid down the back of the chair, until the friction of the cushion had halted his involuntary motion. Korra sat with her back against the wall, legs sticking out in front of her, feet crossed. Katara had walked next to her, and sat close to her. "Korra, you should lay down," Katara suggested as she patted her thigh.
Korra yawned once more and gently placed her head on Katara's lap. She fell asleep within seconds. Katara gently stroked Korra's hair.
The two Southern tribe waterbenders shared a bond that was unique. It felt like a bond between mother and daughter. Korra had been sanctioned away from her parents whilst training in the White Lotus compound. Separating a girl as young as Korra had been from her mother seemed unfair and it impacted her training.
Katara had watched the young girl struggling and became more than just a waterbending teacher. Katara had tried to be there for Korra whenever she could. Katara become the second mother that Korra desperately needed.
Katara kept stroking Korra's hair, until she had fallen asleep as well.
Three hours later, Tahno's parents left their bedroom and walked into the main room to see three people, completely passed out, scattered across the room. "Wake up every one! It's a new day! Rise and shine," Kaya cheered.
Tahno's mother's cheerful voice startled everyone who had been sleeping. Korra and Tahno both extended their arms to stretch. Katara slowly stood up and let out a tiny yawn. She walked over to Tahno's parents and introduced herself. She bowed and said sweetly, "Hello, my name is Katara. I'm Korra's waterbending master and I accompanied Korra and your son here to the North Pole."
"Pleased to meet you master Katara, I'm Kaya. This is my husband Zhang," Kaya stated, bowing to her elder.
"Thank you for escorting our son back home," Zhang added, bowing as well.
"It was my pleasure," Katara replied. She smiled at the two adults and added, "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to show my gratitude for your hospitality and cook for everyone."
Kaya smiled greatly, "It would be rude of me to turn down such a generous offer!"
Katara followed Kaya and Zhang into the kitchen. Tahno and Korra were still half-asleep. Tahno looked up to see his friend sitting against the wall. He stood up from his chair, and meandered over to where she sat, and placed himself close next to her.
Korra sensed his presence, and it felt awkward. The closer he scooted next to her, the more her body tensed up. "Where did you go last night Korra?" he asked, his voice soothing to her ears.
"I um-went to the Spirit Oasis." Korra answered, obviously uncomfortable as to how close he was.
"It's too bad we didn't get to spend more time together last night."
"I guess, I mean we have been spending a decent amount of time together."
Tahno sighed. He knew she didn't understand his intentions. "Korra…I…I like you."
Korra's head shot up slightly.
Tahno continued, "I think you're pretty and a great waterbender and…"
Korra cut him off, "Tahno that's really sweet of you to say but…but I don't like you that way."
His head sank in defeat, "Oh…well why not?"
"I-I-don't know, we didn't meet on the greatest of terms. You were my rival and…"
"You like someone else. I get it."
Korra's eyes shot open. Had she really been that obvious?
"You like the firebender, what's his face…"
"Mako," Korra whispered.
"Yeah, him. I get it, its okay. Ever since you've brought me into your life, I noticed that you're pretty awesome."
Korra blushed, "I'm so sorry Tahno. But this shouldn't stop us from being friends, right?"
Tahno tried to muster up a smile, "Of course Uh-vatar."
Korra giggled. The two stood up and headed to the kitchen to eat the meal that Katara had prepared. It was a grand meal of Southern Water Tribe cuisine. Everyone sat at the low-leveled table, while Katara placed a large bowl of seaweed noodles, and platter of arctic hen.
"I've never had the cuisine from the Southern Water Tribe. This is such a pleasure," Kaya exclaimed while clapping her hands together.
The food was devoured in a matter of minutes. Tahno's family enjoyed Katara's cooking, and Korra was enthusiastic to have actual Southern Water Tribe food. Katara was quite the chef.
With hungers satiated, Korra and Tahno headed back into the main room where they sat back against the wall. Korra preferred being closer to the earth of the home, it was comforting and made her feel connected to the world. She assumed it to be part of her Avatar instincts to prefer the solid ground as opposed to home furnishings. She titled her head against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. There was an awkward lull in conversation. Korra understood rejection, but didn't want that to impact her friendship with Tahno. "So what's the plan for today Tahno?" she asked.
"Same as yesterday, I'll show you more of the city," Tahno replied softly.
Korra nodded in acknowledgment. They hung around the apartment for an hour or so, until everyone's food coma had passed. Korra and Tahno left the apartment with the accompaniment of Katara to peruse the town.
The sun was high in the sky on another crystal blue sky day. It was a beautiful day for people to be out shopping, and kids to be playing like they had the day before. Yet the streets were bare. All the shops were closed, and there wasn't a single person down the entire main street way.
They progressed down the road, searching for any signs of life. The city felt abandoned. "Tahno where is everybody?" Korra asked.
He looked at her and retorted, "I have no idea!" His voice was curt and concerned.
They spent hours searching for any human being. Even the animals appeared to have disappeared. Korra became increasingly more worried as they progressed further into town, with no signs of people. It got to the point where the sun had begun to set and moon rose.
The sky changed in color, becoming progressively darker, losing the warming glow of the sun. The moon was still low in the sky. Korra looked up at the celestial body and smiled at it, as she had done the day prior. It was as if she and the moon were speaking to one another.
Her eyebrows furrowed as she noticed the moon had a different personality; it looked scared and frightened. Korra's head turned sharply towards the Spirit Oasis. "Did you hear that?" Korra asked curtly.
"Hear what?" Tahno questioned.
"I heard a woman screaming…" Then the whole North Pole echoed with a large scream. "Something's not right. Tahno you need to get home. Katara we have to get to the Spirit Oasis, pronto," Korra ordered.
Tahno nodded and ran home as fast as he could, while Korra and Katara headed to the Spirit Oasis. Korra kept looking up at the moon worryingly. It was strange, as the moon became higher in the sky, it became darker.
Korra and Katara reached the Spirit Oasis, panting heavily. Korra took one final look up at the moon. It was at its highest point in the sky. Her eyes widened and she gasped. The moon was full and completely blood red.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Fifth one is on its way! - Fire Bender