A cool wind swept across the hexagonal landing pad ruffling their hair. Jun Lin was already off the pad speaking to an engineer. Jinora walked a few paces from the boys and held up her arm. Someone dressed in dark brown came quickly to them.
Their pace was placid eyes sparking for only a moment. "This way."
Around them a dome took shape. As they walked it began to close around the area where they had landed. Instead of being perfectly spherical, it was woven into a latticed collection of hexagons that clicked together as they made contact. The crescent of the sky above quickly became smaller until they were sealed in from the wind and rain. They made their way through a wide hall and into a metal-paneled room. Their guide walked them through a series of halls then decedent deep into the stone on pleasantly sloped halls. At the end of the hall, they ascended a wide set of stairs and came to a large circular pavilion cut into the stone. The guide opened a door and slid into a narrower hall lit by lights hung on the ceiling. He gestured toward a door on the other side of the room. Jinora opened it and they entered a room housing several seated individuals. In the center sat a figure wearing black. The three of them took the three remaining pillows. Jinora took the middle seat. Everyone bowed to them besides the one in black clothing. Their hair was braided down their back and two red earnings hung down.
"My father would be honored to see the Avatar is here." Came a man's voice.
Ren's eyes widened.
Afterward, they were led by the guide who had taken them to the meeting. Once the guide was far enough ahead Ren turned to Jinora.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"Doku is different than Yue City. You don't speak to the prince or any authority of high status unless they ask you to. It's not rude to be silent here."
They ascended into a hall and came to a circular courtyard with a rug on the floor sewn in an intricate pattern. Several arches circled the room.
"I guarantee a pleasant stay," the man said departing.
Jinora glided through one of the arches and returned free of her pack.
"I'll send a message to ask if the waterbenders arrived," she said walking through one of the small arches.
Ren looked up at the ceiling which had several skylights built into it. Diffuse cloud cover shrouded the view. Not having anything better to do they began playing Flower at the table. Tetsu matched a colored bird card with a willow and birch. Ren began to match a fox-antelope with a field.
Tetsu folded his eyebrows over as he tapped his fingers on the table. "I don't think the field goes with that."
Ren turned over another card. "Except that a fox-antelope's favorite food is gra— " Ren turned his head as a small creature scurried along the edge of the room near the wall.
Ren's movement caused it to run to the other side of the open space. Tetsu made a startled sound dropping his card. Ren got up slowly hunting his way towards the skidding creature his hands opened like a cup.
"Careful, I heard meadow voles bite," Tetsu said pushing his chair back.
"I don't think this one will," Ren said. "It has a collar so it can't be wild."
"Meadow voles aren't even supposed to live in a climate like this," Tetsu whispered as he came over and helped Ren hem it in.
The rodent tried to run past but Tetsu halted it by throwing a knee onto the floor. Ren snatched it up. He held his arms out as it wriggled a little.
"It really must be domesticated," Tetsu said panting lightly. "What do we do with it now?"
"We keep it safe for now," Ren said.
He carried it over to the table and dangled a small red flake in front of its nose. The vole reached up with its minuscule plum-colored paws snatching the stood where he was arms crossed. Just then Jinora returned through the door tapping her chin. She froze as she saw the vole sitting in Ren's hands.
"Where did you get that?" she said walking up to him.
Ren dangled his forefinger in front of its face. "It was scrounging around the room."
She walked up closer peering at the string on its neck. "It's an important pet."
"How do you know?" Tetsu asked coming closer.
"That string," she pointed, "along with the talisman of a kerabu. We'll need to return it. Pets play a religious role here."
Tetsu gave Ren a look. "Alright, but we'll need somewhere to keep it in the meantime," Ren said walking toward one of the arches. "I'll take this room."
Ren constructed a small bed out of a basket and pillows in his newly claimed room, placing the animal inside. Jinora and Tetsu watched from just inside the door.
Jinora shifted her stance and leaned toward Tetsu. "The waterbending masters aren't yet here. They were delayed by a tundral storm. We'll have to play it by ear."
Ren made a sound in the back of his throat. "Our ship malfunctioned and still we got here sooner."
Jinora frowned. "It didn't. Jun Lin said there was a piece in the ship that was never meant to be there."
Ren dangled one of Tetsu's bookmarks for the vole to swat at. Tetsu's eyes widened once he noticed and he sprung up snatching the bookmark from his brother's hand.
"What are you doing?"
"You're not even using it!" Ren accused. "You've got two others still in their protective covers."
"I am now!" Tetsu replied storming off.
Jinora's gaze shifted to Ren. "You give him a hard time."
"We're brothers." Ren smiled. "Plus I'm ten minutes older."
Tetsu woke to the sound of a door being opened and then closed. He got up, changing and washing in the adjoining bath that he and Ren shared. It was fashioned with a faucet and a bowl beneath it. The pale stone floor under was ground down to be smooth and steady. Tetsu toweled off and came out of the bath. He spotted Ren in the hall amusing the small vole. Won over by his curiosity Tetsu leaned down and tipped a finger toward the vole. The animal didn't even sniff him. Tetsu was completely ignored. Ren plucked the vole up and held him toward Tetsu.
"I know you want to pet him," Ren said.
"What gave you that idea?" Tetsu asked.
"You aren't the only one who knew about the injured rabbit-squirrel living in our garden."
Tetsu sputtered a bit then cleared his throat. "I was ten."
Ren covered his mouth with a hand. The vole threw its head backward sniffing at the air and Tetsu reached over and sighed lightly mussing its head so that white fur stuck up in a little tuft.
"What did you name it?" Ren said. "Dodo right?"
Tetsu frowned.
"So it was Dodo." Ren smiled widely. "Should I name him Dodo?"
"Absolutely not," Tetsu said placing a bun on a plate.
They sat down for breakfast the vole curled comfortably in Ren's lap.
Jinora came in slightly out of breath. "The masters are here early," her eyes were bright and both boys blinked a few times to process the strange aura around their master.
"What do we do with him?" Ren asked looking down at the vole.
Tetsu began coughing on his bun. Jinora spared a glance at Tetsu and then looked at Ren.
"He'll be safe here. Now get dressed," she said clapping her hands as she exited the apartment.
They encountered the first sign of greenery while on their way to the master waterbenders. A small courtyard with a slight-leafed ground plant acted similar to a lawn.
"This reminds me of something..." Ren began.
"When we first came to Yue City?" Tetsu offered.
"Yes, exactly. There was a courtyard like this one," Ren said looking around as they walked through to the other side, "only...less metal and stone."
They came to a slim elongated room with several people standing in it. A long blue and green rug ran down the center of it. Two people stood behind a man with white neatly cut hair. He was dressed in grey-blue clothing an opalline circle hanging from his neck. He bowed to Jinora and kissed her hand.
"It's good to see you," he said looking quickly back at the two behind him.
"We were able to go past the storm once it was safe and were spirited here by favorable winds. We arrived late last night." He looked up past her toward Ren and Tetsu.
"Should we sit for a meal first?"
A simple course was served and Ren sipped while Tetsu dodged the ever-present odd-looking muscles in the soup. A woman sat two chairs down from the white-haired man along the curve of the oval table. She deftly balanced her chopsticks on the side of her bowl and grabbed a large cup filled with red liquid.
"This is Master Nulia," the white-haired man said fanning out a hand towards her. "She is from the small islands off the coast of Sulin."
She was dressed in loose-fitting brown and gray clothing and had an olive complexion.
"Nice to meet you," she said.
"And this is Master Inuk."
The older man motioned to a man on his other side. The man had a balanced face and large eyes. Long hair was pulled back from his temples with several beads tied into his hair. He looked politely at both Ren and Tetsu but didn't speak. The waterbenders departed from the table.
The white-haired man spoke. "Tomorrow you'll be able to choose your master," the man said as he held his palms together toward Ren and Tetsu.
The three of them returned to the apartment. Ren went back to his room and then quickly came out, out of breath.
"Dodo's gone!"
"Dodo?" Jinora asked.
"That white vole," Tetsu clarified.
Ren began searching under chairs and tables.
Jinora closed her eyes and concentrated then pointed out the door. "I think it might be that way. I sense a life force in that direction."
Ren got up and jogged down the hall Jinora and Tetsu behind.
"Hold on," she said catching Ren by the sleeve. "Let me go in front."
She walked slowly stopping ever so often and closing her eyes. She continued and turned down a hall and swiveled her head.
"It shouldn't have been in our possession in the first place," she said sighing.
"Look!" Ren pointed as something scuttled past.
They quickened their pace after pursing it down a hallway that turned to the right. Ren caught up with it and pulled it into his arm. It squeaked. Down the hall was an elaborate door. It opened to reveal a young girl that looked around twelve of thirteen. Her eyes widened as she saw the vole in Ren's arms.
"Nimangi!" She rushed out of the room racing for the vole.
The girl paused when reached them. "Thank you for finding Nimangi," she said.
Black hair was plated to her head. Strung through her hair was a thick dark red ribbon that hung down each side of her face ending in two tassels. She looked up at them, large brown eyes shifting between Ren and Tetsu.
She gasped lightly and spoke. "You...are you the Avatars?"
Ren and Tetsu shifted. "Yes."
"My father would be so happy," she said in awe.
Tetsu elbowed his brother and Ren lowered Nimangi down to the girl who took the vole gently its small tassel flipping as it slid into her arms.
Jinoras eyes fixed on the cloth.
The girl smiled and then bowed again. "Thank you again. You may visit me when you wish." Then she turned and headed back into her room.
They returned to the room. Ren scratched the back of his head. "I can't believe I am saying this but I like Dodo better as a name." He yawned.
"Who was that?" Tetsu asked Jinora who frowned.
"By what she was wearing...nobility. But I have never heard of her."
The next day Ren returned to the girl's suite and had lunch with her. Tetsu accompanied him.
"What are your names?" she asked the vole sitting in her lap at the table.
"I'm Renshu," Ren said holding a hand to his chest, "and this is my brother Tetsu."
"I'm Yaxi," she said petting the vole. "How old are you?" she asked.
"Seventeen but our birthdays are soon."
Tetsu shook his head. "We turn eighteen in five months. I wouldn't call that soon."
Yaix looked at them for a moment. "I'm almost thirteen. My birthday is on the first day of spring."
"That's not that far then," Tetsu said.
She shook her head. "It's a month away."
"What do you usually do on your birthday?"
She sighed tucking Nimangi close to her. "Everyone becomes sad during my birthday even if they try not to seem like they are. Though there is always a large celebration."
Tetsu frowned.
"This year my brother is planning a celebration that will last three days."
"You have a brother?" Ren asked.
"Yes." Yaxi her eyes lit up. "Cuyan. Haven't you met him?"
"I don't know if we have," Tetsu said.
"He looks like me," Yaxi said smiling.
Ren and Tetsu looked at each other. They continued to sit and talk and when Yaxi seemed tired they excused themselves.
When Tetsu and Ren were back in their room Tetsu turned to his brother.
"I think she might be the sister of the man who we first saw when we got here."
Ren seemed to think a moment. "Maybe, but what does that mean?"
"Jinora said that he has never announced that he had a sister."
Ren went over to the table and picked up a steamed veggie from a plate per request of Jinora most likely.
"You should be thinking about which master you want."
"I don't know," Tetsu said shaking his head. "I don't know nearly anything about waterbending so I don't know which one would teach us better."
"That's the point," Ren said smiling, "and don't worry about me I can't bend water yet anyway."