Warning: Violence

Chapter 14: All Things Tender Part 2

A loud thump grabbed the attention of a Kyoshi Warrior who was standing guard. She peeked in through the door window, alarmed to see that Yue had collapsed on the ground.

"Yue!" she gasped, fumbling to open the door. She knelt by the tribeswoman's side, trying to shake her awake, "Yue? Yue, wake up! Oh no…!" Quickly floating to the door, she called out, "Suki! Su—mmph!"

The warrior widened her eyes as Yue's palm flew around her mouth, silencing her. The tribeswoman, with her energy fueled by instinct, grunted and dragged the Kyoshi Warrior back, shoving her against the opposite wall. Before the warrior had the chance to get back up and gather herself, Yue grabbed Ummi and made her way to the door, but the warrior quickly got to her feet and grabbed at the sleeve of Yue's tunic, tugging at it to prevent her from leaving.

"I'm so sorry, but if this is how it's going to be!" the warrior grabbed Yue by her arm, pulling her back. She quickly launched herself at the door, closing it and locking it with a key that dangled at her belt. She remained inside the room and stood guard by the door, panting.

"LET ME OUT!" Yue screamed. She laid Ummi back on the pelts and raced back to the little window at the door.

"FINE! You wanna do this?! THEN LET'S DO IT!" the Kyoshi Warrior pushed forward, her taller figure towering over Yue, but even through her boiling tears that blurred her vision, Yue managed to yank the warrior's fan from her belt and swung it against the woman's face as hard as she could. The shock of the blow made the woman stagger and tumble onto the floor a little ways away, leaving just enough space for Yue to throw herself at the door. She jammed her elbow through its window in her simmering rage, shattering the glass and catching the warrior off guard. The Kyoshi fighter screeched in surprise as Yue reached through the smashed window and yanked fiercely at the outside lock. She subsequently gave a strong kick to the door, managing to pry it open.

The warrior behind her made a run for Ummi in attempts to stop Yue from leaving, but even through the torrents of her pain, Yue shook the shards off of her and uttered a war cry, fiercely grabbing at the warrior's headpiece and pushing it down so that it covered her eyes. She shoved the temporarily-blinded warrior away, having ripped the headpiece off of her, and when the warrior tried to reach for her again, Yue unabashedly swung the heavy headpiece at her, managing to knock the woman out.

In the split seconds that followed, Yue managed to grab hold of Ummi with great care, the tribeswoman's shuddering form leaving a trail of blood that dripped from her scraped elbow. She held onto the heavy headpiece as a form of defense, looping the strings around her wrist.

"Yue!" another Kyoshi Warrior raced towards the escaping tribeswoman, but Yue launched her fist at her, nearly knocking her down. The Kyoshi fighter ducked in time, aiming for Yue's pressure points, but a subsequent jerk of Yue's leg made the warrior trip and hit the ground.

"Agh! Yue, stop! We won't hurt you…!"

Yue used the chance to race out of the corridor as fast as she could, taking a left at the forking hallway and using the headpiece to knock another guard milliseconds after he took notice. She propelled herself through the nearest open door she could see and shut herself inside, securing the lock. She then found herself staring at a huge window sitting in front of her, tucked behind long, thick curtains. The moonlit sheen on the glass taunted her with freedom, and she knew she needed to act fast to gain that freedom given the utter chaos that was being wrecked on the door from the other side. They were about to break the lock with the combined force of their bodies slamming against the door.

"Yue!"

"Open the door!"

Yue dismissed a sob, firmly gazing at the moon through the window. She closed her eyes, bowing her head before the Moon Spirit. Great One, my Ummi needs me. Give me strength. Please.

"We're only trying to help you!"

"Don't make us call Pakku in here!"

Yue somberly reached for the glass, taking a quick feel for its strength and pressing at it, hearing a vulnerable creak in it. She carefully placed Ummi in a pelt chair a good distance away, making sure the infant would be out of reach of the impact. In the distance behind her, she heard the alarmed shouts of Suki and Ty Lee, who had joined the mayhem on the other side.

"Yue, open up!"

"What are you doing in there?!"

Yue took a deep breath, the fires within her stoked by the newborn's cries as she let out a huff of exertion and threw herself at the glass. Again and again, managing to crack it.

"Look at you, you're nothing. You don't have what it takes to save yourself. You think you have it in you to save this thing, too?" Pointing at Ummi, "Let alone raise it?"

Suki and Ty Lee, who had managed to bust the door open in time, jarred to a screeching halt as Yue cried out in desperation, sending a particularly hard thrust of her body against the window, the impact shattering the glass to pieces as she fell through the rubble.

The Kyoshi Warriors shrieked at the sight, terrified to see the woman's fate.

"Oh my Spirits!"

"Yue!"

But Yue emerged from the debris, bearing embers of fury and wrath in her glower, raw and demanding. Glass shards had been pierced into her right arm, and blood trickled from beneath her sleeve. Little cuts lined her right jaw and cheek, stinging her skin. Her pain only fueled her rage, however, manifesting in clenched fists that shook with the force of her racing blood.

"Yue, settle down!"

"Please! You're hurt—!"

Yue ripped the cloak off of herself with her uninjured arm, throwing it in their direction, simultaneously directing some of the residue shards in their direction. Suki and Ty Lee shielded themselves with their fans, and in their brief moment of distraction, Yue reached for one of the window curtains, tearing it off. She grabbed Ummi and slipped through the shattered window, taking great care to keep the infant away from every glistening shred of glass.

"Guards!" Ty Lee yelled, "YUE'S ESCAPING!"

"He's going to be suspicious if no one's in the city," Pakku issued his commands to the Hounds nearest to him. "We made it look like she left on her own volition. If none of us are present in the city, he will piece it all together. That's why I'm taking a majority of you with me. A select few will stay here and keep watch." Glaring at Bato, "You're coming with me, that's for sure."

"But you can't take everyone!" exclaimed a guard.

"What's she going to do?" Pakku raised his eyebrows. "She's a nonbender. She can't fight. And she's locked indoors. She's no threat. You should be ashamed of yourself for even worrying about someone so incompetent."

"You saw her earlier with the torch—!"

"Just keep the torches away from that Spirit-damned arsonist, and you'll be just fine! Now stop blabbering—"

"YUE'S ESCAPING!"

Pakku widened his eyes, turning in the direction of the shriek. "This is what happens when you leave the women in charge," he muttered, turning to a few benders in the group, "Go investigate—!"

But Pakku and his group of Hounds had another problem to deal with, which made its presence known through a Hound who rushed into the room, closing the door behind him and collapsing immediately in the middle of the room. He was bathed in blood, a dagger lodged into his abdomen, his bloody hand reaching out, "M-Master…!"

"What happened to you?!" Pakku demanded, instantly trying to help the man up, but the Hound only spewed out blood from his mouth, shaking as he whispered, "S-Sokka…"

"Sokka? Is he here—?"

The obliteration of their door answered his query. Pakku and the other Hounds gaped in shock as the door was splintered into pieces. In the blur of the moment, a pungent roar cut through the thick air, and as they all staggered back from the impact, Sokka's towering form clawed through the cloud of dust that ascended from the debris. He was like an unhinged beast, the ferocity in his blazing eyes not at all affected by the glimmer of tears.

Did he knock the door down with his bare hands? was all an alarmed Pakku could wonder as Sokka let out another howl. "WHERE ARE MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER?!"

"What's the meaning of this, you imbecile?!" Pakku raged, "Why would they be here—?"

"I KNOW YOU HAVE THEM!"

"How would we know where she is—?!"

But only an agitated howl answered him, followed by a ferocious grip of his hand around the throat of the nearest Hound, whom he sent flying towards the wall. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY FAMILY?! WHERE ARE THEY?!"

Widening his eyes at the busted head of the Hound that Sokka just threw, "W-We don't know!"

A few of the Hounds in the room were wise enough to know that fighting this man right now of all times would not bode well and had taken to their heels, but their wisdom did not earn them their escape as Sokka had lunged for them all at once. He ripped the sword off of his belt and sliced it across their bodies, coating the floor in their blood within seconds. His bloodshot eyes screamed as he grabbed another Hound in his way, sending a powerful kick over the man's chest and sinking the sword into his leg. Howls of pain shook the room.

Sokka shifted his death glare to Pakku, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY YUE AND MY UMMI, YOU BLUBBERFUCKING PIECE OF YAKSHIT?!"

Several more Hounds approached the room from the chaos that rang through the hallway, shocked to see the bloodbath that had occurred in a matter of seconds. They must not have given the consequences of their own actions much thought as they held Pakku back and charged forward to defend him, some of them exuding more confidence as they were benders. Sokka, however, had literally burst the door open with the express purpose of ripping these people apart, and he did not hold back. One of the Hounds aimed a water whip for him, but he rode the frozen current and sliced his sword over the bender's back, knocking him over the other charging Hounds. He bellowed and jammed at all of their pressure points with his sword as opposed to his fists, specks of their blood spewing onto his face.

"IF YOU DON'T TELL ME WHERE MY FAMILY IS," he exploded as he twisted one of the benders' legs, effectively breaking it, "I'M SKINNING ALL OF YOU ALIIIIVE!"

Yue sought a momentary reprieve in the storage shed she saw close by, taking a few seconds to position Ummi against the uninjured left side of her chest. She fumbled to tie the infant to her, using the curtain as a makeshift baby carrier before taking off. By then, many Hounds had made their way to the site of the chaos from outside of the window, horrified to see the impact. Their stunned few seconds of delay were ample time for Yue to burst into a run— perhaps the fastest in all of her fleeing missions thus far. The men were too fast, however, having grabbed hold of her arms— well, her left arm given the sharpness of the broken glass that scraped at whoever touched her right arm.

"LET GO OF ME!" she screamed.

"We got her!"

"Someone call a healer! She's injured!"

"Don't even pretend for a second that you can do this on your own, Yue. You can't defend yourself and Ummi."

Yue cursed her tears but still howled her ferocity, slamming her head back against the Hound right behind her. The Hound screamed, the blow to his forehead strong enough to send him toppling back for a split second. It was enough time for her to yank out one of the shards embedded in her skin and slice it against the second Hound who was grabbing at her wrist. He recoiled as the shard sliced his hand. She wiggled her arm free in the midst of the man's pain and tore through the courtyard of the building, grabbing at everything she could see on the ground and throwing it behind her at the charging Hounds.

"She's gonna escape!"

"Secure the gates!"

A Hound fumbled to close the gates, attempting to call for backup, but Yue, flailing in a spree of unabashed frustration, delivered a strong kick to his groin, sending him into a whirlwind of pain and knocking his falling body on top of the additional Hounds who were heading their way. She slipped out of the gates and slammed them to a close behind her, fumbling to secure the lock.

There were many Hounds who had thought ahead, taking the initiative to climb atop the gates to jump over to the other side, but by then, Yue had raced back down the dirt path, the dark night concealing her.

Another bold Hound launched himself at Sokka in an effort to save Pakku, but Sokka ripped the dagger out of a previously-stabbed Hound and burrowed it down his throat, tossing him aside like he weighed nothing. He sliced another Hound's throat next, uncaring as he continued to tumble through the wrath of more and more swarming Hounds, swiveling effortlessly through the wave of swinging clubs and spears.

Pakku, who had not seen the Night Wolf at its peak for many years, figured he had tapped into the right ability hidden deep within the young tribesman, who had buried away his skill and bemoaned his losses the past few years. Determined to grab hold of the violent prowess that had blasted every Snake-Blood in Gansu several years prior, exhibiting no regard for the man's tears or the fatality of his grip, "Maybe she ran off and found shelter elsewhere," Pakku spat. "Maybe some other man promised her protection and she's off to lie in his bed. She's not worth your time! Leave her in the dust and take up your mission—!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Pakku blasted the enraged beast of a man with a fierce water whip, which started to freeze Sokka's feet and arms, but sheer willpower allowed the warrior to break through the ice in a fierce jerk and thrust his fists at the man's pressure points, knocking him to the ground.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM?!" Sokka thrust Pakku against the hard wall several times in the haze of his wrath, and when Pakku still didn't give him answers, the last shred of patience snapped within the warrior. He grabbed one of the fallen spiked clubs, ready to strike—

"SOKKA, NO!"

Pakku was not sure where Piandao came from, but the swordmaster came just in time, looping a firm arm around his student to tug him back.

"LET GO, MASTER!" Sokka howled, again swinging the club at the old man, but this time, Bato took the blow to his outstretched arm, having jumped into the middle of the pandemonium long enough to push Sokka away from the old bleeding man. Sokka tried to shove Bato out of the way, but Piandao was persistent, again grabbing onto his student.

"Sokka, stop!" the swordmaster commanded, "Gansu has notified the Dai Li! They should be here any minute! Do you want to end up in prison now of all times?!" And using every bit of energy he had, he knocked the club out of Sokka's hands, managing to grab his attention.

"Get out of here, son," Piandao told him firmly. "I'll handle this. You need to find Yue and Ummi. Go!"

"She sh-should be down the hall, last room t-to the left," Bato stammered, throwing himself between Pakku and the enraged tribesman, but he didn't have to worry with Sokka immediately charging down the said path, screaming Yue's and Ummi's names. His heart pounded as he shoved all kinds of debris and furniture out of his way, becoming more and more terrified to see the amount of struggle that had taken place.

"Yue! Ummi!" he screeched, tears slipping down his face. All the anticipation that welled up in him, however, was snuffed out with the horrific sight of glass shards bathed in blood. The room of interest was empty save for a Kyoshi Warrior lying passed out on the floor. The bloody shards, which had gathered at the doorway, continued along with a trail of blood that led to a storage room.

Sokka traced the path, stiffening as he saw a much larger window having been shattered, the trail of blood having gotten thicker as it led outside. Several Kyoshi Warriors froze as they saw the Night Wolf, reading on his face absolute devastation, fear, and outrage. They expected him to snap again— and he may have internally— but he had greater priorities.

"She just…burst through that…" a Kyoshi Warrior began with great hesitation.

"Took Ummi and left," said another.

"S-Suki and T-Ty Lee are out to find her," a third tried to reassure, "Sh-She'll be okay, she will—"

But Sokka ignored them all, not even sparing a glance of disgust as he tore through the destroyed window, trampling his sobs, "YUE!"

Yue didn't take another proper breath until she made her way through the dense group of trees, having finally reached the road. She stopped and panted, gulping air in as if she had nearly drowned just now. She found it difficult to lift her bleeding arm but supported the infant with her uninjured arm, tying the baby carrier even firmly around her. Ummi's cries softened at the slowed gait.

"It's okay, it's okay," Yue whispered, clearing her face of her persistent tears, "Anaana loves you, paniga. Anaana's not letting anything happen to you."

Keeping her bloodshot eyes on the lookout, the tribeswoman hissed; in the daze of adrenalin, she hadn't noticed that she had lost her shoes somewhere in the tussle, and some of the shards had scraped her knees, ankles, and soles. Her pants and tunic were stained with blood and microscopic residues of glass, but Ummi remained untouched by them, swaddled in her thick, comfortable blanket. Her body and soul ached for a moment of rest, forcing her to sink behind a large bush. Ummi began to whimper, and Yue knew the newborn craved rest as well from the chaos they had seen thus far.

"Shhh, shhh, my heart, we're safe now," the woman whispered, cursing the environment that caused the infant much distress, but it appeared she had spoken too soon. As she flitted her eyes to the road from her spot in the bushes, her eyes widened. The light of the street lamps revealed two men who were walking along the road, wolfing down bottles of intoxicants.

Yue hiccuped, trampling her mouth with her hand and widening her eyes as she noticed the blatant curves of a snake tattooed onto their biceps.

"Shh, shh, Ummi, please," Yue whispered, holding the child against her chest to soothe her. "Please, my love…" And she slowly tried to pull herself up, making sure to be as quiet as possible, which proved to be difficult with the glass stinging her skin even more. Her chest jerked, however, with Ummi's piercing cry, which didn't fail to capture the men's attention.

"Wow," one of the men blinked, looking at his bottle of spirits, "I guess I had too much. I'm starting to hear crying babies and shit."

Another man frowned, "Hey, wait a minute, I hear it, too…" He looked in the direction of the bushes where a figure was fumbling to leave, his eyes widening as he saw a speck of white hair beneath a ray of lamplight, "HEY! Over there! It's Yue!"

"What?" the other jumped up, blinking at the fleeing woman, "Hey! STOP THERE!"

"Oh Spirits, oh Spirits!" Yue took to running for her life again, trapping mewls of pain as she inwardly begged the Spirits for a break. Through the corner of her eye, she noted with horror that one of the men had aimed a glass bottle in Ummi's direction. Yue swerved out of the way and shrieked as the bottle splintered against the tree trunk behind which she sought temporary refuge. She stubbornly held Ummi against her pounding heart, tightening the silk curtain-come-baby carrier and racing on.

She nearly tripped over a severed tree limb, her heart almost stopping as one of them reached for her, but she grabbed hold of the limb and struck him with it, sending him toppling into the shrubbery. The other got close enough to grab her right arm, recoiling immediately as a couple of glass shards sunk into his palm. She kicked him in the stomach, a move that tossed him aside as she picked up the pace. She was thankful that the trees, foliage, and flora were adequate enough in this area to conceal her, especially when she reached a certain distance from them, but she could still hear the men's footsteps gaining in on her. As a last straw, one of the Snake-Bloods caught up to her again, grabbing at her long, flying locks. Yue screamed, struggling against the harsh tug at her scalp before she was shoved to the ground. She toppled down but kept her arms curled protectively around the newborn, shielding her from the impact.

"AHA!" the Snake-Blood's hand gripped her throat. He swung a dagger out of his boot, leering at the tribeswoman's panic. He positioned the dagger towards the bawling life in her arms, amused when a furious Yue held Ummi out of reach. He laughed maniacally, "I got you right where I want you—AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Yue shuddered in horror, backing away as a hand grabbed hold of the sharp end of the dagger and wrenched the Snake-Blood back, snatching the dagger away from his arms, and before the Snake-Blood could act, he found himself struck right in the face by the flaming end of a torch, his slayer's bellow of vengeance making the trees tremble. Yue scrambled out of the Snake-Blood's view and sought refuge behind a tree, keeping Ummi out of sight but peeking out, the weight of the world lifting from her shoulders as she saw that the man was struck by Sokka. The tribesman extracted more ear-shattering screams from the Snake-Blood as he impaled him with his sword, bathing the blade in his blood. The second Snake-Blood froze in place, attempting to make a run for it to live another day, but Sokka struck his blade against the fleeing Snake-Blood's back, a kick sending his body flying and banging against a tree.

"SOKKA!"

"YUE! UMMI!"

Yue descended from her adrenalin high, letting her stress from the day's events flow out in tears as he ran to her, horror creeping over his face at her injured state. She didn't mind the pain as she threw herself around him, trembling in his warm, tight grip. He sobbed against her neck, kissing her forehead over and over.

"I'm here," he choked out, holding back a hiss as she looked at his palm, which was scraped by the dagger. He shook his head, whispering, "I'm okay," and took Ummi into his arms, observing her for any injuries and kissing the baby's face in the process. "Ummi, kuluga."

It was during this display of affection that Ty Lee and Suki tumbled their way into the thicket, guilt raiding their gazes as they looked on. They would've left quietly, not wanting to come off as threats, but Sokka didn't fail to notice their presence.

"I'm getting you out of here, loves," he whispered to the shuddering tribeswoman and child. He lifted Yue into his arms. The tribeswoman huddled Ummi against her chest, curling her uninjured arm around the child.

Ty Lee offered in a small voice, "We can arrange a carriage to take you back—"

But Sokka shot the warriors a deep glare that seemed to rip out their souls, promising outright war should they take a single step towards them.

In the safety of their little home, Sokka settled into the pelt couch with Ummi huddled against him. The infant was finally able to get some sleep in his warm arms, relaxed by the soft rhythm of his breathing and the gentle thud thud thud of his heartbeat. Her hand had grasped his thumb in her sleep, her chest rising and falling peacefully.

"I got you so many new toys," he whispered. "I thought we were gonna have a fun day today… I didn't think…" He tried to hold his tears back, but some of them occasionally plinked on top of her head. He brushed them away, "I'm not leaving you two alone ever again, kuluga. I promise," he repeatedly kissed the top of her head, basking in her healthy heartbeat.

"Wang, your hand's bleeding again."

He looked up at Gansu, who gave him a concerned look. "Here, put some gauze around your hand. I'll hold Ummi for you—"

"It's no big deal," the tribesman simply said, keeping Ummi in his gentle hold.

"Wait, I'll do it, then," Gansu said, taking the gauze and wrapping another layer around the tribesman's hand.

"She's a good healer, right?" Sokka asked for the tenth time that night, referring to the lady that Sela brought in to tend to Yue's injuries.

"Yes, Wang, of course. We got the best healer in town. She's very experienced. Yue will be feeling better in no time. Everything's going to be alright."

But the horrors that Sokka saw, the trails of blood he had followed, the cuts and abrasions that marred her beautiful skin, the dagger that had threatened to slit the throat of a week-old life…he would never be able to forget any of that. He trembled, placing a kiss on Ummi's cheek.

Gansu sighed at the tribesman's pitiful state, but a greater part of him felt it was time they had this conversation for the betterment of the tribeswoman. "Yue will heal in a few days. Physically, I mean. But she will need to rest for some time and have the chance to bond with Ummi. Moms need time with their babies, and that's universally known and held sacred…But with Yue, she literally shakes with fear when the child is not with her for more than a few minutes. Now I'm not going to ask about her past, Wang. I'm not going to ask why those people were after her. But I can tell that enough has happened for her to be terrified to this extent. She has likely not been safe for a long time, and with babies..well, they're extremely vulnerable."

Sokka dried his eyes, "Circumstances, Gansu. That's all I can say right now…"

"I understand," he nodded. "Both Yue and Ummi need to be taken very good care of. I know they have your support, but just know that Sela and I will also be here for them if they need anything. And with all of us here, there's no rush for Yue to be pushing herself to be financially independent. She needs to prioritize her health. I understand she doesn't want to rely on others, but she needs help now more than ever. So try to convince her to let us help her. For the sake of Ummi, at least. It's not an easy matter to raise a child alone."

Sokka nodded, remaining worried as he stayed cuddled with Ummi.

"Don't worry, we'll get through this," Gansu assured him, standing up, "Wait here. I'll put on some tea. It'll calm your nerves."

With that, Gansu proceeded to the kitchen just in time for the front door to creak open, earning Sokka's immediate attention. Piandao stepped inside, taking his seat beside the tribesman. He looked around to make sure no one else was looking before speaking, "I spoke with the Dai Li. Many of the Hounds fled and took Pakku with them. I think he's hospitalized by now. But the men you took down are under arrest. Well, the ones that are alive, at least. They'll be taken to prison after they recover."

"What about the Dai Li? What did you tell them? About the rest of the men?"

"I told them I was defending myself."

Worriedly, "You put this on yourself, Master?"

"It's better if I put this on myself," Piandao said. "I've been a reputable swordsman for several years in Ba Sing Se, and I have a trusting relationship with government entities. I didn't have any problems using the self-defense card." Turning to him, "Everyone who has been taken into custody has been taken in for kidnapping and criminal assault. Not necessarily because they're Hounds. But I personally think it's for the best that the Dai Li's ignorant about their status. We don't want them to dig too deeply and have that information end up affecting you."

"Are they the only ones arrested?"

"Well, a couple of Kyoshi Warriors were also arrested…though Suki and Ty Lee are not on that list…"

Sokka was not pleased.

"We could file claims against them, but because they left the scene before the Dai Li got there, we can anticipate the Dai Li asking for Yue's detailed testimony. The only thing is, I don't know if she will want to involve herself in this. To say it's been rough for her is an understatement." Frowning, "If she doesn't want to do anything about Hahn, who's a thousand times worse, I doubt she has the desire to confront the Kyoshi Warriors."

Sokka cast a brief look at the door to Yue's room before turning back to the swordmaster, "There's another problem with this. The Ibbein Dai Li Department is gonna be handling this. They're already on the lookout for Yue. It's not gonna go well."

"They're looking for Yue? But why?"

"When we were staying at that A'irum Nights inn, an officer tried to take Ummi away from us. I managed to handle the situation and said Ummi was mine… but it was still very scary."

"We received word from the Ibbein Dai Li Department. They're looking for a suspect charged with kidnapping and arson. A Northern Water Tribe woman kidnapped a baby and set a building on fire."

Piandao widened his eyes, "Those Spirit-damned Snake-Bloods. That's insane. She's the one who should be filing a complaint against them for everything they've done to her!"

"Well we can't sit around and explain all this to the Ibbein Department and expect good things to happen," Sokka said with great skepticism, "That complaint was filed by a Snake-Blood for sure. And as much as I want all of those Hounds to end up in jail, if we decide to go through with new claims under Ibbein's jurisdiction, their focus is gonna end up on Yue and Ummi…and that's not good."

"No, no, it's not good at all," he agreed, glaring at the floor in helplessness.

"All of these imbeciles deserve greater punishments than what they're now getting. They deserve to rot in hell." Trapping angry tears, "But…nothing's happening to them, and I…I can't do anything…"

Placing his hand over his shoulder, "Son, refraining from action is not always easy in these circumstances, but you're thinking about long-term consequences. That's a very good thing. It may be satisfactory now to do something about this, but in the end, you don't know what problems it may bring. We're in a delicate situation, after all, and you and Yue both have pasts that will expose you to danger. If the wrong people find out who you and Yue really are…it's not going to bode well for the future."

"I know…"

"Yue's wish is to live a very simple, safe, peaceful life with Ummi. I know you honor that very much."

"I would do anything to make that happen…but I don't know what I'll do if she decides her life is more peaceful without me…"

"What are you talking about? She never intended to leave. That note was fabricated."

"Yeah…but all I can think about is when Mom had to leave and take us with her. 'Cause it was too dangerous to be around my dad." He swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling a painful throb in his heart as he caught his reflection in a distant mirror. It always haunted him how much he really did resemble his father in looks, but to resemble Hakoda in circumstances? Sokka had never wanted to see such a day. "What if…what if I become too dangerous for Yue and Ummi to be around me?"

"Sokka, Hakoda became involved with a gang. You walked away from the said gang. I don't think that will be an issue—"

"But this all happened because of me, didn't it?"

"It happened because Pakku was being a suspicious idiot, son. It happened because he didn't believe you two were really married…" But Piandao had to trail off as the healer stepped out of Yue's room and approached Sokka.

The tribesman stood up from his seat, "H-How is she?"

"We haven't started treatment yet," the healer sighed. "She wants her baby. I can't treat her if she doesn't cooperate, and she won't cooperate without seeing her daughter."

Within seconds, Sokka hurried into Yue's room. Yue lay on her left side, her injured back and right arm made bare. She cast a longing look at the child as Sokka brought her inside and took a seat beside her on the bed. She reached out and held Ummi's hand delicately, not wanting to wake her up.

"She's doing great, ikkingutima. She had her milk, and I burped her," he said. "She fell asleep."

Yue nodded, kissing Ummi's fist.

"You want me to keep her here in the cradle?"

"Yeah…"

Sokka laid Ummi in the cradle beside the bed, and the infant's presence relaxed the new mother.

"If I give you sedation for this, you won't be able to nurse for at least a few months," the healer told her. "The medicine will stay in your system for a while. It will mix with your milk, and it's not good for the baby to ingest that."

"I never asked for sedation," Yue said without hesitation. "I don't need it."

"Some of the glass is in there pretty deep," the healer tried to hide a wince, "It's gonna be a little…"

"I don't care."

Sokka frowned in worry, switching to the tribal tongue, "Yue, it's not gonna make a difference anyway. You shouldn't have to be in pain for this."

Yue only shook her head, "Ummi is mine. The world must believe it."

"But—"

"You sure you want her to be here?" the healer looked at Ummi, "She's probably going to wake up with all the, uh…the noise…"

"I'll be quiet," Yue told her. "You'll see."

Sela grasped Yue's hand, "Are you sure you don't want me to stay?"

"I'll be fine," Yue told her. "Thank you, Sela."

"Well I'm staying," Sokka insisted.

"Sokka, you don't have to do that, I can handle this—"

"Well I can't," his hand intertwined with hers, "Instead of panicking out there, I want to be here with you where I can see you."

Sela was too concerned for Yue's well-being to wonder too much about the extent of the two friends' closeness, but she deemed it no less than love and devotion when he brought her into his arms, allowing her to hold onto him as the healer pried the shards out of her skin. Yue burrowed her head in Sokka's chest and trapped her gasps and pained groans into his tunic, quiet tears seeping over his scars. He whispered words of praise and encouragement, blinking away his own tears.