Now that the gaang had Appa back, they were heading south in search of an earthbending teacher. They stopped to rest in a forest clearing, and Sokka was in charge of finding food.
Except his mind kept drifting back what he saw in the swamp. When he'd asked Yue to send him a sign, was this what she meant? But if Katara and Aang saw visions too, then it wasn't exclusive to him. He was pretty sure that wasn't really Yue, but maybe he could write and check?
He grabbed his bag from Appa's saddle amd began scouring through it. He dug through it and- nothing.
Wait where did the letters go?
He checked again, still nothing.
Did they get lost in the swamp?
He emptied the contents of his bag and was frantically searching when Katara saw him. Her face paled, and she pulled out a stack of papers from her things and handed them to him. "Were you looking for these?"
The letters. "Where did you get these?"
She panicked and talked quickly, "They were in the pile of stuff that got trashed in the swamp. I was sorting through and saw these. I mean I figured they were yours, but I wasn't sure what you wanted to do with them. So I've been saving them here until I could ask you about it."
"Katara!"
"I didn't read them! I swear! But I was able to see who the letters were adressed to."
"Oh." He climbed down, and sat on the ground next to Appa.
She sat next to her brother. "Do you want to talk about it?"
He shook his head.
"Okay." Katata didn't say anything more, the pair watching the forest animals and enjoying the quiet.
It was Sokka who broke the silence, "I just- why didn't it feel this way when mom died? I think something's wrong with me. Am I supposed to be feeling something different? I just feel so-"
So what? Heartbroken? Hurt? Unfairly wronged? Well yeah all of those things, but there was something else too.
"I'm not sure. Well maybe kind of? At least not well enough to know what to call it."
Katara nodded along, leaving her brother room to say whatever he needed.
Except he found himself at a loss for words. Sokka stood up and brushed himself off, "Well, we better get back to work. We came here to get supplies."
"Okay, but if you ever want to talk, I'll be here to listen."
She meant well, and he was sure she hadn't snooped through his things. "Thanks Katara." He trudged back towards the woods in search of food.
After dinner, Sokka grabbed a new sheet of paper and found a spot to write.
Letter to Yue,
Hey, a lot has happened since the last letter. We went to a swamp where the three of us got split up. There were giant trees and get this- waterbenders! I don't know how big their tribe is and we didn't get to see where they live, but turns out, we have a third sister tribe. That was probably the only good part of going there, being lost wasn't much fun.
There's something else I haven't told you yet. Mainly because I don't know how, or what I am feeling, but also because I'm ashamed. I don't think I'm feeling grief. There's no pain or loss, I just feel empty. Going on as though nothing in my life has changed.
Actually writing the words down only made the shame grow. Sokka didn't feel comfortable sharing the letter anymore. Instead of signing it off, he rewrote the beginning part on the back and signed it off with a more lighthearted tone.
Even then, maybe he should wait to send it. Tomorrow night or something. He stuffed the page in his bag with all the others. It can wait right?