My meeting with the chief was brief, friendly hellos were said and arrangements for a home for Appa was made. Already Katara and the other water benders were making him a barn near my residency so that he would not grow fearful. However, I noticed that someone was missing while I made my visit.

"Hakoda, where's Sokka?" I asked, suddenly missing the warrior that had hated me when I first encountered him.

He sighed. "He is in the Northern Water Tribe, visiting Princess Yue. Cheif Arnook and I have planned an engagement between them to join the tribes. We planned to merge them into one, moving us all to the North Pole, but Kanna and Katara wouldn't have that, because the women are not taught defensive techniques when it comes to bending, only healing. So we are staying separate, and still deciding where the couple would live."

I nodded. "I would be honored to help you with that decision. For now, i will take my leave." I folded my hands in front of me and bowed respectfully. I turned and walked out into the cold, instantly wishing I had chosen to grow my hair rather than keep it short.

I pulled the hood tight around my face and looked around. Then I realized something. I didn't know where I was to be staying tonight. It would probably be near any construction going on in the village. I sighed and trudged through the snow, knowing air bending would be hopeless in these winds.

"You'll get used to the cold," Kya promised as she walked up beside me.

I gave her a weird look. "I doubt that, I'm too used to the climate of the other nations for this!"

She laughed. "I'll make you some heavier clothes tonight. Where are you going now, though?" she asked, grabbing my arm.

"I was going to visit Appa. The temperature and these winds will be bothering him," I muttered, knowing that I had no clue as to where he was.

She nodded. "His home has been built, and it will withstand these winds, but I'm more worried about the storm that will follow these winds," she admitted.

I turned and faced the wind, my hood being blown off by the force of it. I would be worried to, if I was her.

"Come, I'll take you to Appa and then we can get you warmed up by the hearth," she took my hand and led me through the twists and turns of the village until we came to a giant building with even bigger ice doors. The were bent open from the inside, allowing just enough space for us to slip through, it close soon behind us.

I smiled when I saw Appa standing in front of me and jumped onto his head. "How you doing, buddy?" I asked, sliding off him. I turned when I felt someone tap me on my shoulder.

"Avatar Aang." we exchanged bows. "Avatar, we've been trying to give your bison a bath, but the water is too cold for him and we need too much to be able to boil it, plus, the winds outside seep in and prevent a fire from happening. Could you..." he gestured to the gigantic tub of water waiting for me.

I nodded, and quickly warmed my hand, dipping it into the ice cold water until it was just the right temperature. I helped the other benders drench Appa in the warm water and then I said goodbye and left. I was exhausted, emotionally and physically and I couldn't wait to finally get some rest.

Kya nidged my arm and motioned for me to follow her. We trudged through the snow, following the windy road until we arrived at what seemed to be the tallest building in the village. She opened the ice door and we practically dove into the shelter. She closed the door tight behind her as I looked around.

"Is this..."

"Yes, this is my and Hakoda's house," she said, shrugging off her over coat. "Much like the North Pole the South has created a hierarchy as well. Because Hakoda is the cheif, he gets the nicest house, but he gives up the benefits of the best food because he believes it is not fair to his people, it's the best way to keep them happy." She smiled." But Sokka hates it."

I laughed, remembering that he was quite a massive eater when I had met him. "Thank you so much for housing me, Kya," I smiled, looking about the room. There was a fire place across the room and doors that branched off into the kitchen and dining area. To my left were stairs that I assumed led to the bedrooms. I was surprised at the complexity of the house. I removed my glove and touched my bare hand against the wall and gasped. "This isn't ice."

She shook her head. "No, it isn't. It's much more durable and it protects from the cold a lot more. We had it imported from some place, La knows where."

I pulled both gloves off and stuffed them into my pocket. "Your home has changed so much..."

She nodded. "Yes, it has. But for the better, I think. These building structures put up a much better fight against the violent storms of the South Pole. I really don't mind having them around."

I shrugged, not wanting to get into an argument. These buildings destroyed their culture. I thought. It was as if the North Pole had decided to conquer the South and to show that they did, they created this modernized architecture and masked it as only trying to protect their sister tribe.

She showed me to my room and let me be, promising to return to retrieve me for dinner. I thanked her and she left, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I collapsed onto the bed and folded my hands behind my head, staring up at the ceiling.

Katara was engaged. To Sangok of the Northern Water Tribe. He must have become an excellent bender for Katara to express and interest in him. He was horrible when I first met him. Even when I barely began to pick up water bending I could still beat him in sparring. I wish he still was like that, I could just battle for Katara's heart instead of watch another man get to have it. Meanwhile my heart broke every second I watched them flirt, kiss, hold hands. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing all this pain inside me would just end.

"You haven't seen her in ten years," I reminded myself. "You shouldn't have any sort of feelings for her. She's a totally different person than she was back then. Even so, you only spent fourteen days with her, that's hardly enough time for you fall in love."

It only takes a moment to be loved a whole life long, Aang.

I groaned. "La, she loves someone else! What does it matter if I've love her?" Stupid spirit mumbojumbo.

Do you know if this daughter of the moon loves this boy?

I bolted up, I didn't have a definite answer. "Katara would never marry a man if she didn't love him...right?"

All I could hear was the small laugh of the spirit and his presence seemed to fade away from me.

I groaned loudly again and face planted back onto the bed. This feeling was never going to go away.

Figures blurred across me as I stood in the center of complete chaos. Icy pellets of snow hit the ground all around me. People were screaming, scrambling to find a way inside, but as I looked around, I could see their homes had crumbled in the snow.

"Avatar you must help us!"

The scene shifted and I was standing just above water. I looked around realizing that I was on the ocean in the middle of a hurricane. Ships with the Northern emblem were all around me, with men struggling to fight the battle of their lives. Two figures caught my attention. Sangok stood in the center of the lead ship, parting wave after wave, trying to control the storm. Beside him was Katara. She clung to the back of his shirt, her head buried between his shoulders. Why wasn't she bending?

A wave crashed against the side of the ship, rocking it violently. I wanted to swear, why hadn't Sangok done anything? Instead I screamed as I watched Katara stumble overboard. "Katara!" I cried.

She turned before she fell and I heard her cry out to me. "Aang!"

I bolted up to pounding on my door. Just a dream. Oh praise La it was just a dream. I wiped the sweat off my forehead stood up, moving to open the door, but I froze as I heard Katara's memorizing voice.

"Aang, are you awake? Supper's ready!" Katara said peeking through the door as I opened it. "Oh good! You're awake!"

I smiled. "Yes, I'm awake!" Thank God.

I quickly closed the door and followed her downstairs to enjoy an awkward dinner with her family and husband-to-be.