I'm sorry it's been so long… Somehow I just couldn't bring myself to write! But lately I've been overflowing with inspiration AND motivation for various projects, so I will try to update more often!

-Aaya

Sokka

Chapter 6: Ice Fishing

One of my favorite things to do is go ice fishing. I don't know what makes it so special. Back in the village, it's quiet but oddly busy. Everyone's always doing something, whether it's cleaning, guarding, playing, talking. But when I'm out fishing, the world's a lot quieter and I can sit and think. Or not think. Sometimes, I zone out for hours, and when I come back I can't remember anything that's gone on in that time. Once, Katara asked if she could go fishing with me. I told her she wouldn't like it, that it's too boring, but she said she wanted to go to find out what kind of things people think about when they go fishing. I wasn't sure how to tell her that it's nothing. It's just a waste of empty time.

The first visitor we had came when I was in one of my empty spells. She was walking over the ice and although she was still so far away, she looked too cold. She was only wearing a green blanket-like thing draped over her, and at first I could have sworn she was a mirage. She waved, and I waved back, confused. And then, in an instant, she disappeared. Huh, I thought. She really must have been a figment of my imagination. I went back to watching my hole in the ice when a shrill shriek cut through the still air. I was up in an instant and I saw the flailing coming from where the girl had disappeared in the ice. One misstep here and it's disastrous, and judging from how she was dressed this girl was clearly not well-equipped for the South Pole.

I ran as quickly as I could to her, making sure to avoid any cracks in the ice. I reached her just as she struggled to pull herself out of the water and onto the sheet of ice I was standing on. She reached a shaking hand up and I took it, hoisting her up and helping her stand once she was on solid ground again.

"I didn't s-see the—the split in—the ice," she stammered, her teeth chattering so violently I could barely understand her. She was soaked from head to toe, and her lips were starting to turn blue.

"We need to warm you up," I said. "Take your green thing off."

It was clear she didn't understand why but she was too miserable to argue and she promptly stripped into just her black pants, green tunic and boots. I took my parka off and handed it to her while she handed me her cloak. She stood there shivering, and I flipped her hood up to cover her head. "Come on," I said, taking her hand and leading her toward my village.

We walked quietly for a few minutes until the silence started to drive me crazy. "I'm Sokka. What's your name?" I turned to look at her, and she smiled at me.

"Mmm… Mmmmm…"

"Mmm?"

She nodded. "Mhmm. Mmmy n-n-n-nammmmme isssss Y-y-y-y-annnnnn-mmmmmmei." She furrowed her brow and tried again. "Y-y-yanmmmmmei. Y-y-yanmmmmmei! Y-y-yanmmm—"

"It's okay," I laughed. "I get it. Yanmei, right?" She nodded and laughed a bit.

"Sssssssssssssssorry, I'mmmmmmmm cold-d-d-d-d."

"Don't worry, it's here," I said, pointing to the wall we had come upon.

I brought her into the village and everyone kept their distance; visitors weren't a common occurrence for the Southern Water Tribe. The youngest children peeked from behind their mothers skirts, and the older ones spoke in whispers while they pointed. A few of them gathered courage and called out to us. Yanmei simply smiled at her hecklers.

I brought her into our igloo, where Katara was lying down next to the fire. When she saw the both of us she looked wary. "Sokka, who's that?" she asked, choosing to speak to me rather than our guest.

Yanmei saw the fire and hurried to the center of the room, dropping to her knees and warming her hands over the flame. After a second she turned to Katara and smiled. "My name is Yanmei. I'm from the Earth Kingdom."

Katara's eyes lit up. "Oh wow, really? The Earth Kingdom?"

"I guess that explains the green clothes," I added, sitting down next to Yanmei. "I'm Sokka and this is my little sister Katara."

Katara waved and Yanmei nodded at her before turning to me. "Is this your… home? It's very nice. Cozy."

I looked at Katara and held out Yanmei's wet cloak. "Can you give this to Gran Gran to dry? And I'll help Yanmei out here."

Katara seemed a little annoyed that I was asking her to leave, but I think she understood, too. I wanted to be left alone with Yanmei. Katara was the closest kid my age in the whole village. Anyone younger was too young, and anyone older was married with a family already. Yanmei seemed right around my age and I couldn't help wanting to be alone with her and not wanting to share.

Katara crawled out of the igloo and left the two of us alone. Yanmei smiled at me. "Thanks for bringing me here. I probably would have died, had you not come along."

"It's nothing, honest," I insisted. I noticed Yanmei shudder again and remembered that her tunic and pants were still soaked. "You know, you're probably not going to warm up very much if you leave your wet clothes on."

I could tell Yanmei agreed, but she seemed hesitant to strip any further. "I don't have any other clothes though…" she explained and I nodded, reaching into a pile of fabrics behind me and pulling out a large, thick blanket.

"Here, wrap up in this, okay? And let your other clothes dry." I handed Yanmei the blanket and she draped it over her shoulders. With the blanket wrapped around her, she somehow managed to get her shirt off without revealing anything and handed it to me to lay flat next to the fire. Then she took her boots off and hid her feet back under the blanket as quickly as possible.

"I think I'll keep my pants on at least, if it's alright."

"Oh, yeah, definitely," I nodded, a little embarrassed that she had to ask permission.

She watched the fire and I watched her, transfixed. I had so many questions. Who was she? Why was she here? What was she doing on her own? I wanted to ask them, but somehow I just couldn't bring myself to say a word.

With one hand, she reached up from beneath the blanket and twisted her long dark hair around her wrist. Her slender fingers were purple and it wasn't until then that I noticed an occasional shiver shake her entire body. She must have noticed me staring, too, because she smiled at me with rosy cheeks.

"I'm being really rude right now, aren't I?" she asked, laughing a bit. I cocked my head to the side, which just made her giggle more. The sound was nothing more than a light tinkle that floated through the air. I could feel my cheeks flare up and I looked down at my feet to hide it from her.

"Thanks for saving me," she said after a while. "Really. When I saw you and you waved back, I got so excited that I forgot to watch where I was going."

"Wha? Oh, yeah…" I crossed my arms and grinned to myself. Playing it cool had always been a strong suit of mine. "No problem." Yanmei wrapped the blanket around her tighter. When she didn't say anything more, I couldn't hold it in anymore and spoke again. "What were you doing out there, anyway? If you're from the Earth Kingdom, you're kind of a long way from home…"

"Oh…." Her eyes flicked upward as she stared at the ceiling in thought. "I was on a boat, I think. Yeah. I was on a boat, and then it sank. I, uh… I think. And then when I woke up I was on a big piece of ice. Mm-hm. And then, hey, you found me!"

She laughed again and I joined her this time. We did a lot of that together, for a long time. Time seemed to pass in one long leap as we talked and laughed and got on as if we were old friends. At some point, I had even scooted closer to sit next to her. For some reason, I just felt like talking to her, and it was easy; the words just flowed. I wanted it to go on forever if it could. But I guess it's true, that all good things must come to an end.

It was just as Yanmei and I were making plans to go ice fishing tomorrow that Gran Gran stormed in, Katara in tow. When Gran Gran saw me and this stranger sitting snugly in front of the fire, I thought she was honestly going to blow up. Instead, though, she just stared at us, speechless, as her rage simmered. Finally, she managed to ask, "Sokka, who I this."

"I… She's…. Her name…." I was tripping over my own tongue and I didn't know what to do or say because I felt no matter what I chose it would be wrong. I glanced back at Yanmei briefly. Her eyes were wide and it seemed as if the color had drained from her face.

"I'm Yanmei," she said clearly, although I could hear a slight tremble in her voice. Gran Gran put her arms on her hips. Katara stood behind her and did nothing but look down at her feet while she kicked at nothing.

"She fell in the water and I saved her," I said, feeling a bit proud of myself. "She's from the Earth Kingdom." Gran Gran's expression softened a bit and she looked almost sympathetic. "She's really nice," I added, less confidently than before. "We've been talking this whole time and—"

"Sokka." Gran Gran's voice, although not as harsh as before, still cut through the air like a steel blade. "You're supposed to… You're supposed to be the one to protect us, aren't you?" She smiled. "You're the man of the village now."

Her words felt like they were stabbing me in the heart and I felt my throat get tight. "She's… She's not a threat…" I tried. "She's been shipwrecked somewhere nearby. She's not dangerous…" From the corner of my eye I saw Yanmei nodding and agreeing with me vehemently.

"I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to intrude, I just….. I didn't know what else to do! I thought I was going to die…"

Gran Gran obviously was not happy, but she sighed in defeat. "It's not you, dear," she explained. "It's just that in the past, visitors we've had here haven't been entirely… friendly, is all."

I turned back to Yanmei and watched her worried expression. "Sokka saved me," Yamei said, leaning forward a bit. "I owe him everything. I would never, ever do anything to hurt him, or anyone in his village, I swear!"

Gran Gran shook her head slowly and let out a long, drawn out breath. "It's late," she finally said. "Dinner will be ready soon." She began to turn around and exit the igloo. "We can decide what to do with you tomorrow, but for now, rest up."

The butterflies in my stomach began fluttering like crazy when I realized I had won, at least for now. I smiled at Yanmei and she smiled back, although she looked a bit less content than me.

Gran Gran stopped right before the door. "Sokka," she said without turning around. "I'm very disappointed in you." She then left without another word.

I felt like I had just been punched in the gut.