(A/N: I am so sorry! I have no excuse this time, I've been meaning to update this story for a while but I couldn't figure out how to start this part of the story. This chapter is second to last to the first book and this is set a little before the Siege of the North and Nereus has her attack
Also if Katara seems to act like a little shit here, please don't get mad, I kind of see her with a little of an evil side when it comes to bothering the hell out of Sokka)
Katara couldn't wait to get to the Northern Water Tribe, because the bickering from the boys were starting to wear on her already frayed nerves. She leaned on a and and stared out into the open ocean, letting her mind block out the boys constant snips at each other, and let it flow into the more troubled part of her mind.
She still hadn't gotten over what Aunt Wu had said to her. Questions constantly running through her mind at a fast pace, so many scenes played out in her mind's eye. All of them were torture to her.
One she pictured her dear friend as a homeless, sick and dying street rat. She would be no longer the highly energetic little girl she would remember, she would be worn down from whatever problems had done this to her.
Even one where they would be reunited however she would be against them, fighting for either the Fire Nation or some other evil cause. She hoped to the spirits that this wasn't a reality...
And the last one... the last one she was even more scared of. That she was too late to reunite with Nereus and the Firebender had died years ago, some tragic accident or a cold murder had taken her friend away.
"I'm not one to complain but can't Appa fly a little faster?" Sokka's grumble had managed to lure her out of those thoughts once more, for which she was secretly grateful because she didn't want to suddenly break down again like last time.
Aang tensed his shoulders as he gripped the reins in a vice-like grip, dark circles around his eyes evident of how sleep deprived he was, "I got an idea, why don't we all get on your back and let you take us to the Tribe?" he bit back as he turned to look at the warrior. He was almost daring him to start something with him.
The teenage scoffed nasally before getting up and shooting his hands up in the air," Grwat idea!" a sarcastic smirk on his face as he then turned around and waved his rear toward Aang, "Climb aboard, everyone! I'm ready for take off!"
Katara's eye twitched in annoyance as she watched little Momo take him seriously and climbed onto his back, chittering loudly while he got himself comfortable on the boy's shoulder.
Just as Aang was about to get up, Katara held a hand up and spoke loudly, "Alright, you two, break it off! Look, we're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been out here for a little while."
"It's been two days! I don't know about you but I'm tired of looking at the ocean! And I've spent my whole life living beside one o that's saying something!" Sokka whined as he gestured to the great space around them.
The waterbender huffed as she crossed her arm, "Oh stop acting like tha-."
Aang suddenly cut her off with a yelp and a sudden jerk from the reins that made Appa shoot up higher into the air, she quickly hugs onto the saddle as she watched her brother get knocked off his feet and scramble to grab a hold of something before he fell out... again.
"What was that for!?" Sokka suddenly barked out once Appa was level enough to be able to sit up again, Aang who then let go of the reins to look below them to get a better look at what he saw earlier. Katara followed his line of sight to find several wooden skiffs now staying still, the people in them waving to get their attention.
The girl beamed brightly as she turned to look at Sokka, "They're waterbenders, we finally found to Tribe!"
With this she saw her brother sprawl out onto his back with a sigh of relief, "Ahh... finally!"
The Tribe was as beautiful as she dreamed it would be, they were in perfect harmony with their element. She was beyond mesmerized as she took in her surroundings, breathing in the cold air once again to get herself familiarized with it again. She couldn't believe how many waterbenders there were, she saw a few as they were training with a Master, she wondered if she could be taught now? he shuddered a breath from a sudden chill of excitement before turning her attention to the boys again.
Aang was currently following the waterbenders lead into the city at the moment, and her brother happened to mesmerized by the scenery just as much as herself. She decided to shoot up a conversation.
"This place is so beautiful..." she looked around again.
"Yeah, she sure is..."
Katara made a face before trying to understand where that statement had come from suddenly, "She?" she then turned her sight toward her brother and noticed he had a stupefied grin plastered on his face, glazed over eyes staring intently at the crowd that was forming as Appa got closer.
She followed his sight to land on a young woman about his age, her hair braided up elaborately with ribbons and beads tied into it, she had a peaceful look to her and she could understand why her brother was so smitten already. She grinned playfully before jabbing him with her elbow.
"Ooh, she sure is quite beautiful!" She sang before snorting into her hand when her brother shot her a glare that meant death. Before he could say any warning to back off Appa had stopped and Aang and herself were already climbing down to meet the crowds.
He huffed in irritation before doing the same thing.
The day sped pass with flying colors, what with the sudden need to celebrate and the vast feast set out to begin at this very moment, it took a little while for her to finally get into the motion of things. While she was beyond happy to be here, her mind wasn't at all occupied with the new experiences. She found herself thinking of darker things while talking to the new people around her, found herself thinking of Aunt Wu again and that cursed prediction.
Even teasing Sokka for his apparent crush toward the mysterious woman could only entertain her for so long.
It would be a little while before the feast began and she decided to take this time to explore the place before having to suffer through it. She was just so curious about this place, and she couldn't wait to see everything that it had to offer.
While she was busy looking around at the endless streams of water, she had accidentally bumped into a little boy and almost sent him into the frigid waters beside them. Still holding onto his parka's hood, she sighed in relief and pulled him away from the stream before holding her own chest, "Oh spirits, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"
The boy gave her a grin as he nodded his head, "I'm fine, it's not the first time that I almost fell in there." he laughed before fixing his coat then looked back at her with an arched brow, "you're one of those people that came from the South Pole, right?"
The girl nodded before rubbing her hands together, "Yeah..."
He frowned in confusion before looking around, "How come you're not at the feast then?"
She shrugged, "Well I though i could squeeze in some exploring before it starts."
Not to mention also that she wanted to try to cool down from her disturbing thoughts.
The boy nodded before looking around, he then looked back toward her and began to start walking away, "Well I got to go before my mom gets worried, but it was nice meeting you, and welcome to the Tribe!"
She gave a half smile and a slight nod before walking off herself, finding herself once again drawn into the scenery.
A hour later and the feast had began, she sat beside her brother and across from Aang as the all paid attention to Chief Arnook propose a toast for them and his daughter. Who just happened to be Sokka's crush... and also just turned old enough to marry. What a coincidence.
After both Princess Yue and her father gave their toasts, the feast began and loud chatter started to ring out. Katara sipped from her drink as she watched her brother lean with his elbow on the table toward the Princess and attempted to give her his 'sexy grin'. She had to resist the urge to sputter into her drink because her brother already failed attempt.
"Hi there. I'm Sokka, Southern Water Tribe."
Oh she couldn't resist, she paid even more attention as she watched her brother from behind his back.
Yue smiled and bowed slightly, "It's very nice to meet you."
She could practically feel the tension between them and see the wheels in her brother's brain work rapidly to keep the conversation going.
"So you're a uh... Princess? I'm kind of a Prince back home."
Oh no, she couldn't resist.
Katara coughed into her hand with a grin, "Prince of what? That water tower you loved so much?"
Her brother twitched as if struck then turned to glare at her, murder written in his eyes, "Could you mind? I'm trying to have a conversation here!"
Katara smiled playfully before raising her hands in defense, "Alright, alright, Prince Sokka. You win this round."
And with that she resumed to focus on her meal, yet she still kept her attention. Once Sokka was content that she was going to mind her business he turned his attention back to his crush, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"So I was thinking... since I'm going to be in town for a little while I was wondering if we could do... an... activity... together?"
The Princess arched a brow, a small playful smile was evident, "Do an activity?"
With that Sokka must've decided to bail as he started to stuff his mouth with as much food as he could, Katara snorted into her hand as her shoulders shook. much to the disappointment of Princess Yue.
"Real smooth, you sly devil." she giggled into her hand, already feeling tears brim her eyes. Oh such a priceless scene that wa- ah!
Sokka grumbled as he knocked her drink into her lap, the freezing contents already soaking through her clothes and caused her to yelp out and suddenly jump up to try to keep the liquid from hitting her skin anymore.
"Gah! Cold!"
At the end of the feast everyone was now cleaning up and preparing to go home, Katara luckily ha a fresh set of clothes that had yet to be worn but it didn't mean that her mood toward her brother changed for the better. And the stupid smug grin of his wasn't helping either.
As she watched Aang and the Chief still talking, she saw the boy from earlier wave at her and lead a woman toward her, she waved back slightly.
"Hey, my mom wanted to meet you after i told you that you kept me from falling into the stream again." He grinned as he gestured to his mother, who was staring at her a little bit too closely.
"I-It's nothing really. Just really quick reflexes..." She chuckled nervously, she wasn't sure if she like how the boy's mother stared at her.
"Have we met before, young lady? I feel like I reconize you from somewhere..." the woman trailed off, rubbing her eyes in an effort to see her better.
Katara shook her head, "Probably not, I'm not sure. Unless you've been at the South Pole or something..." she started to trail off.
The woman suddenly gasped as she pointed at her as if she suddenly grew a second head, "You're Kya's daughter, aren't you? And he must be your brother!"
Suddenly both siblings gave her their full attention. Sokka arched a brow before subconsiously stepping in front of his sister.
"How'd you know that?"
The woman smiled brightly as she patted her chest, "It's me! Nereus' mother, Urumi!"
The world seem to slow in dawning horror for both the siblings as they stared at their friend's adopted mother, the boy between them bore a confused look as he looked toward Urumi.
"Who's Nereus?"
(A/N: I'll try to post this regularly but I can't promise anything. But I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and have a great day!)