I moored my kayak at a section of the wall that had collapsed from the countless impacts. I swung my foot up to catch onto the packed snow, and after finding a good rooting for my foot, I used my foot to pull the kayak towards me. I knelt down to grab it and pull it out, stowing it safely behind a section of the wall that had yet to find damage. I grabbed my staff and the rations Zuko gave me.

The Northern Water Tribe was massive compared to the tiny villages in the South. Large canals were carved along the ice, controlled by gates that I assumed could only be lifted and recreated using Waterbending. The buildings glistened in the cool light, reflecting fractals of snow and ice that crafted their foundation and architecture. The city was held up by various tiers. Amid the cool white of the snow being reflected in the moon's glow, I also saw flashes of orange. Firebenders had infiltrated the city, then, and were engaged in combat.

I ran through the winding roads alongside the canals, dodging fire and water being flung in all directions. Yet, as I ran, I took a very strange note; the Firebender blasts seemed duller, and the Waterbenders were striking with much more elaborate and fierce blows. The only time I got involved directly into the fights was when I saw benders make moves with intent to harm and kill their opponent. I took no true sides in the fight. If I defended a Firebender, the Waterbenders looked at me with shock. The same if I defended a Waterbender. In the end, everyone was fighting to stay alive, and I had no qualms on either side. All I cared about was finding Aang, and making sure he was safe.

As I ascended the highest tiers, close to the Water Tribe palace, I glanced around. Amid the blurs of red and blue, I couldn't make out my brother's trademark orange and yellow. I glanced up towards the large staircase, to the multi-tiered building that towered over the rest of the village. Aang was in there, no doubt, being protected by his friends and the leaders of the Northern Water Tribe. I turned my staff over so that I was not gripping the singed areas, and instead the Airbending carvings in my hand. The gently carved wood was soothing in my hand. With the thoughts of Airbenders in my mind, I ascended the icy stairs and up to the main doors. The air grew colder as I climbed, the sounds of battle getting quieter with each upward step.

Reaching the top tier, I found myself on a wide plaza, the entrance to the palace looming before me, with a large roaring waterfall behind massive ice pillars. Warriors in pelts made from arctic animals and carrying weapons made from bone were facing the area. As I approached, they pointed their spears at me. I lowered my staff and straightened my spine. Very slowly, I dropped my weapon.

"Who are you?" one of them asked

My voice was calm and firm. "I'm not here to fight. My name is Gitan, and I'm the older sister of the Avatar. Do you know where he is?"

The soldiers looked at one another. Very slowly, one of them picked up my staff and studied it. "This wood looks like the Avatar's staff. And here…Air Nomad carvings. She's telling the truth." He handed me my staff. "Our apologies. Your brother is with Princess Yue, and one of Master Pakku's newest students."

Newest student…"Was it a Water Tribe girl?" I asked.

"Yes," the soldier answered.

I smiled in relief. So, Katara was protecting Aang. She had been the most consistent in reassuring my brother was safe. Even during my brief moments of traveling with them, I had seen that he had taken a liking to her. They meshed incredibly well, with Katara knowing just the right words and tones, for the most part, to keep Aang's spirits bright. She reminded me of my younger self. Yet, she had one thing burning that, at least I felt, had been dimmed slightly; an incredible burning hope, and a sense of purpose. And that purpose had been to become an amazing Waterbender. Helping Aang had been a bonus towards that goal.

"Take those stairs," another soldier pointed to a small set, "they went that way.""

I put out my arm with my hand extended towards his elbow. Water Tribe officials used this greeting as a sign of respect and friendship. The other soldier smiled and clasped his hand in a similar manner, allowing me to close the gap and press my hand against his. "Thank you."

I was going up the stairs when I heard the sound of a door opening. Curious, I peeked over the snowy railings. From behind a small round door made of wood, a young woman about my age, wearing elaborate Water Tribe robes, rushed out. Unlike most Water Tribe members, who had dark brown or black hair, her hair was a striking white. I was so caught up in the beauty of her locks, that I hadn't registered the anxiety on her face, nor the way she ran with urgency. The door wasn't closed, and from the gap I could hear the sounds of a struggle.

Forgetting the stairs, I leapt down, slowing my descent by digging my staff into the ice. I regained my traction and stepped through. Before me was a place that I thought was a different world altogether. The frigid winter air was no longer present, instead feeling warm and comforting. A lush island, flanked by two bridges and an ornate gate, sat in the center of a wide pond, which reflected the full moon.

But as I entered the chamber, the peace and serenity of the place disappeared when I focused on the island. Fire and water were flashing as two fighters engaged in an intense duel. And I recognized the fighters.

Katara and Zuko.

I hesitated. Both of these fighters were my friends. Unlike the other fights where I had intervened on both sides, this left me with an impossible choice. If I sided with Zuko, I would be an enemy of my brother in Katara's eyes. But if I sided with Katara, I would be putting a rift in the very delicate web that was Zuko and I's friendship.

As a dull fire blast was doused by a water shield, I finally noticed Aang. He was sitting in a comfortable position. But instead of being present in the moment, I noticed that his eyes and tattoos were glowing a piercing white. Avatar power, then.

My choice was solidified with that knowledge.

I crossed the bridge and came to the island just as Zuko was downed by Katara using water from the pond to push him to the grass. I pulled out my staff. He rose, summoning a small fire blast. I swung my staff towards his wrist, blocking the blow and following through with a spin which ended in an elbow jab into his chest.

"Gitan…" Both of them said my name at the same time.

I looked in between them, holding my staff. I met Zuko's amber eyes, who looked at me with a mixed expression. "I'm sorry," I said with regret. I stood behind Aang with my staff out, taking a stance.

"Too bad I know most of your tricks, Gitan."

I stepped forward, using my body to shield Aang's. As I parried Zuko's fiery blocks, memories resurfaced of sparring on the deck of his ship. When the two of us were fighting, he had cooled his fire to give me a fair advantage. Now, his Firebending was not held back. Even with it seeming weak, there was no denying that Zuko was not simply fighting me with kid gloves on. Every strike was faster and harder. There was a ferocity and drive to his movements. It didn't matter if we were friends. I was in the way of his mission, and he would not stop until I was defeated.

A water whip drove him away from me. He was propelled by another water jet that Katara had summoned. Ice jutted around his feet, keeping him from regaining a solid root. As I watched, she began to swirl her arms at a rapid speed. Water started encircling Zuko until it formed a large sphere around him. The water began turning from liquid into solid ice. I stared at her in awe. She had learned so much from whatever teacher she found in the North Pole, and in so little time.

The ice globe suddenly began to glow a bright orange as Zuko charged up another fire attack. Steam erupted from it like a volcano, and in chunks, the ice melted away. When he was free, Zuko began firing more rapid attacks towards me and Kattara. We deflected and defended not only ourselves, but each other. At one point, she took too long to prepare a water strike and I had been following through with a spin attack that had just grazed the top of his shoulder. He lunged forward, his hands about to grab Aang's collar. I unleashed a roar of fury that I didn't know I had been holding onto, swinging the end of my staff towards his hand so hard that I heard the wood crack. Katara followed up my strike with a water blast that sent Zuko to the other side of the island. A rush of water that turned into a large wave carried him up the side of the wall and as she exhaled, the rush froze in I could see of Zuko was his head and his hands.

I exhaled and dropped my fighting stance. I looked at my staff and my eyes widened in horror. The burned end of the saff had completely splintered off. The edge was pointed and jagged. If I fought with this any longer, it would be reduced to nothing.

Katara dropped her hands and smiled over at me. "Great job, Gitan. I'm glad you were here to help me out."

"You could have handled it on your own. You're an amazing Waterbender. And…you've been so good to Aang." Even though my relief and joy that Aang had made such a true friend was genuine I could help but feel the bitterness of jealousy I felt inside my chest. Her connection with him seemed to only grow stronger, while mine was slowly drifting away to being nonexistent.

She smiled. "I could never take your place as his big sister." Her eyes drifted to my broken staff. "I'm so sorry about your staff."

"It's served its purpose," I said quietly. My gaze drifted to the spiritually locked Aang, and then to the frozen Zuko. "I can keep watch if you want to rest," I offered.

Katara shook her head, her blue eyes a mixture of determination and concern. "No. Gitan. You should rest. You fought so hard, even at the risk of losing a weapon."

My pride and stubbornness started to burn brightly in my chest. I opened my mouth to object, but my eyes fell on the splintered end of my staff. I tore off a sleeve from my chupa, which had gotten burned during my fight with Zuko, and wrapped it tightly to secure the blackened end to its splintered side, like I was healing a broken bone. All that came out instead was a sigh, and I settled onto the grass beside my brother. Katara moved closer to us, her expression gentle as she brushed Aang's shoulder. The soft gesture made something twist inside me, a familiar pang of longing.

I traced the broken staff. It didn't feel the same in my hands now, no longer an extension of my will. It had been a gift from Sister Wei. It had been my constant tool, my companion, my means of finding a way of fitting into a world of benders. Now all it was now was wood for the fire.

The glare of the first rays of daybreak hit the pond, getting into my eyes. I averted my gaze from the sudden intensity of the light. When I looked up, I saw steam rising from one side of the wall; The wall where Katara had imprisoned Zuko. The sun had awoken him, in more ways than one. I ran to block Katara, who had her back to his approaching form. My hands were extended out, the weak staff held out like a shield.

"Katara! Look out!"

Just as Katara was starting to prepare a water shield to defend both of us, a fire ball barreled square into both of our chests. The water was dispelled, spraying everywhere as we both were knocked back. My spine hit the hard wood of the gate behind us, and I winced in pain. Through the steam, I could make out Zuko grabbing Aang by the collar. I helplessly reached a hand out and tried to stand, but I was still dizzy from the impact. All I could do in my daze was watch Zuko disappear, carrying my brother behind him.

The pain subsided and I stood up. Katara shot up as well with her blue eyes wide. The door that I had entered slowly opened. Coming towards us was the white haired young woman, with Sokka by her side. Appa trailed behind them.

'What happened?" Sokka demanded.

Katara looked down in dismay "He took Aang….he took Aang right out from under me!" She sank to her knees, her eyes cast towards the pond. When I followed her gaze, I made out two large koi fish, one black and one white, swimming in a seemingly endless circle.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Katara, you did everything you could." She looked over at me with tears in her eyes. I gently dried them with a smile. "Zuko couldn't have gotten far. Aang's going to be fine." I stood and immediately took the reins on Appa. Sokka and the white haired woman climbed in behind me. After some hesitation, Katara climbed aboard after us. I snapped the reins. "Yip yip." Appa rose with a flap of his tail, and he soared into the air, which grew frigid, even in the rising sun.

As we left behind the Northern Water Tribe, the weather took a turn for the worst. While the area we had been in - which the white haired woman, Princess Yue, said had been a spirit oasis - had been like a warm spring day, the untamed tundra was biting cold. Fat snowflakes blew around in every direction. The ground was covered in snow. There were rises and falls, indiciating land masses buried beneath, yet any clues that a Firebender had been through the air was all but impossible this high up. I guided Appa to fly slightly lower, scanning the snow banks further. Eventually, my eyes fell in a thin path cutting through the snow. It continued in a straight, but some times leaning, line.

"He went this way," I murmured. "Judging from how deep he's trekked, Aang is giving him extra weight to go through."

Sokka gave me an impressed smile. "Good tracking skills."

I shrugged. "I guess my time with Zuko taught me things. Like tracking the Avatar."

We continued flying, using the trench line as a clue. Eventually, I paused. The trail ended at a jagged patch of broken ice. The water was black and unyielding. The ice was caving in. Zuko must have stepped on thin ice but fled just in time before he wind suddenly picked up, harsh and biting, sending even more flurries into my face. I shielded it with my arm, envying the Water Tribesman who had pulled the hoods on their parkas over their heads.

"Don't worry," Yue said reassuringly, "Prince Zuko can't be getting too far in this weather."

"I'm not worried that they'll get away in the blizzard. I'm worried that they won't," Katara replied.

My hands gripped onto the reins tighter. "They're not going to die in this blizzard. Not when Zuko plays most of his plans by ear."

Sokka tightened his hood. "If we know anything, Zuko never gives up. They'll survive, and we'll find them."

We continued to steadily fly. The sun, while hidden through the clouds, passed its course as a dimly lit orb in the blizzardy sky. The sky changed to a dark gray as we continued to fly. My hands were beginning to grow cold, yet through the chill. and focused on the footprints I saw were left behind. Suddenly, overhead, I saw another light. It was too bright to be a star yet it was also too small to be the sun. It shot overhead, arcing towards parts of the landscape. "Appa, yip yip!" I called. I shook the reins, and Appa flew forward, using the streak of light as our guide.

The light guided us to a small cave that was barely visible from above. I lowered Appa to the ground. Outside the cave were two figures. One was bound by ropes and being held by the collar of another.

As we landed in front of Aang and Zuko, Katara took initiative. She dodged Zuko's fire blasts with ease. She raised her hands and lowered them quickly. The snow quickly turned to liquid and she sent it forward with enough force to send Zuko flying skyward in a solid mass of ice, and plummeting him down by turning it back into liquid. I winced at the way he fell. Sokka hopped off to untie Aang, while Yue and I stayed with Appa.

My eyes were on the form of the unconscious Zuko. As I saw him face down in the snow, my heart stilled. Feelings began to knot over one another. I was relieved that he and Aang were both safe. I was somewhat happy that Katara was able to defeat him so quickly with her skills. But when I saw him laying beaten and battered, my mind drifted to my time with him aboard his ship, and the occasions where, as much as I didn't want to admit, I had enjoyed his company. I thought of the way his amber eyes would flicker whenever he showed emotion without saying a word. The way his lips curved effortlessly into a soft smile when he was confident or in a good mood, which was rare. Yes, he hunted my brother. Yes, he harmed my friends. But he was still human, and I had seen him show moments of kindness and goodness.

I dismounted Appa and ran towards Zuko's form. My fingers pressed against one wrist. There was still a pulse. Beneath it, his skin was still warm. Warmer. Perhaps as a Firebender, it was a perk of his. I looked from him, over to my brother. Our eyes met, and an understanding seemed to pass between us. Aang jumped off of Appa and ran to join me by Zuko.

"We can't just leave him here," I told the group.

"Sure we can!" Sokka cried. "Let's go!"

"No. If we leave him, he'll die," Aang said. As I looped one of Zuko's arms over my shoulders, I gave Aang a grateful smile. We both managed to get him into Appa's saddle. Aang took the reins and we flew off, back in the direction of the Northern Water Tribe.

"Yeah, this makes a lot of sense," Sokka said with sarcasm, "Let's bring the guy who constantly wants to kill us!"

I stayed by Zuko's side as we continued flying. The angry furrowed lines that usually creased his brow were long gone. In his sleeping state, he looked younger, almost vulnerable. Even with his scar and the small injuries he sustained from surviving his attempted murder, he was slightly relaxed. Without really thinking much of it, I reached forward to brush a strand of black hair that had fallen into his face back.

"You have a kind heart, Gitan," Yue said.

I offered a small, uncertain smile. "He's been through so much…letting him die alone in the snow wouldn't be right."

As it always seemed to happen, the peace in the moment didn't last for long. As we continued flying, the sky changed color. Instead of a cold steely gray, the whole sky seemed to glow a ruddy hue. I glanced up at the sky, and saw that the moon was stained bright red. Yue made a soft moan, and I looked over. She was cradling her head in her hands, her eyes looking distant Her hands were shaking.

"I feel it, too," Aang said softly from Appa's head, a hand on his tattooed forehead. "The moon spirit is in trouble…"

Yue straightened up. "I owe the moon spirit my life," she said softly. As we continued flying, she shared her story with us. She was born sickly, and the healers of the Northern Water Tribe said there was nothing that could be done. But on one full moon, her father prayed to the spirits. The baby princess had been placed in the spirit oasis, her hair turned white, and her health had improved vastly.

Appa was spurned to fly even faster with this knowledge. If the moon spirit was in trouble, it meant that Yue's life was at risk. We had to get back to the spirit oasis and set whatever was wrong back on track. I held on tightly to the saddle, feeling the cold breeze whip back my face and hair.

When we arrived at the spirit oasis, my blood burned at what I saw. Standing at the edge of the pond was Admiral Zhao. Seeing him again caused my heart to race. Of course he would have come to the spirit oasis, because his ideal strategy for his enemies was to hurt them by attacking what was the most vital part of their collective unit. Instinctively, I adjusted my body so that I was shielding Zuko's unconscious form. If Zhao saw his rival, there would be no end to the taunts. Yet, as we landed, a small part of me was relieved that his interests were not on us. He was holding a bag that was dripping wet. Inside it, something struggled. Katara, Aang, and Sokka left our steed and made ready for a battle, stances ready but no initiatives for combat.

"Zhao, destroying the moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe," Aang spoke calmly. "It will hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything will fall out of balance…"

"He is right, Zhao!"

An unexpected ally…or rather, an ally I was very VERY pleased to see…appeared on one of the bridges, He lowered his hood. Usually, Iroh looked happy and jovial. This was the first time I had ever seen him look enraged. And all his rage was pinpointed at Zhao.

"Why am I not surprised by this treachery?" Zhao said sarcastically.

Iroh took a stance. "I'm no traitor, Zhao. The Fire Nation needs the moon, too; we all depend on the balance. Whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash upon you tenfold." His eyebrows furrowed in an anger that I had seen in Zuko's eyes many times. His old voice raised loudly, "Let it go now!"

Zhao slowly stepped back towards the oasis. He lowered the bag towards the water. From within, a white, silver figure slipped into the water. As the sky went from red back to a dark blue, I could see what the moon spirit's form was. I had expected to see a large serpent or one of the animals that had been carved into the ice totem poles. Instead, the moon spirit was a koi fish. The same koi fish I had seen earlier. All this time, it had been the moon spirit! But as the fish was back in the water, Zhao raised a fist and with a fierce yell, sent down a slice of fire into the pond. The flames bounced across the water, those that had hit the surface dissolved into steam. I didn't need to see what had happened before the sky turned black.

Orange bursts were fired at the admiral. I had never seen Iroh use his Firebending with the ferocity he had been using at this moment. And truthfully, I understood why he was such a revered general in the Fire Nation. Even against soldiers from his own nation, he was holding back nothing. The soldiers that had flanked Zhao stepped into position, but with little to no effort Iroh had taken all of them down.

Everyone gathered at the base of the spirit oasis. The moon spirit's body floated on the surface of the water. A black smudge was on its belly. The black koi fish swam in a lonely circle around its corpse. Iroh cradled the fish in his hands, the anger in his eyes diminishing to sadness.

"There's no hope now," Yue choked on a sob, "it's over."

'No. It's not over."

I blinked as an unearthly voice came out of Aang's mouth. While his body was still that of my little brother's, the way he spoke had been a reveal of power I had never seen. His tattoos and eyes were glowing an ethereal white. The only time I had seen Aang with this ability had been during the fight in the South Pole. Before I could even put a hand on him, he was walking directly into the spirit oasis. The water crested just above his knees and he stood in a meditative stance. The black fish circling him suddenly began to glow as well, until like he had been dragged under the water, Aang slipped into the depths. From the swells of the water appeared a different energy, this one glowing a bright blue. It flowed out to the very edge of the oasis. The energy morphed, and all I could see was a large, amphibious looking being. And in its heart, just barely noticeable, with the humanoid shape of my little brother, controlling the water with the aid of the ocean spirit.

As Aang and the ocean spirit moved to aid in the battle, the rest of us stared at the downed moon spirit. It floated helplessly in the water. I hated looking at it. Something so powerful reduced to laying there like a fish served to be eaten was an insult to all spirits. I looked away.

"You have been touched by the moon spirit…" Iroh said observantly. I glance back over. His was looking directly at Yue. "Some of it's life is in you."

Yue stood up with a firm resolve. "Yes, you're right. It gave me life. Maybe I can give it back…"

Sokka grabbed Yue's hand. There was a look in his eyes that showed so much. I heard him and Yue talking quietly amongst themselves, and the brokenness in my friend's eyes as she pulled away showed a side of Sokka I didn't think I would see in a strong warrior that liked to liven things up with a quick joke. He looked heartbroken.

The princess came over to stand by Iroh. He picked up the moon spirit's lifeless body and held it up. Closing her eyes, Yue placed her elegant, gloved hands on top of the fish. A pale, white glow emanated from her hands into the fish. She let out a soft exhale, and Sokka clutched her body. He held her tightly, and I could barely make out the words "She's gone…" leave his lips. I laid a hand on his shoulder, which was wracking with soft sobs. The fish in Iroh's hand began to glow white and wriggled. He gently put it back in the water. This placement turned the oasis a vibrant white. In front of my eyes, I gasped at what I saw. Yue's physical form had vanished from Sokka's arms. She was now floating in front of us in a soft image. Her clothing and white hair drifted behind her elegantly. Her smile at us was sad, but also filled with a sense of purpose. She drifted towards Sokka, and gave him one last embrace before disappearing once more.

The sky turned bright and vibrant. The moon glowed in the sky as a beautiful fierce orb. From beyond the spirit oasis, the sounds of battle were turning into a different sound. The sounds of retreat, of surrender. I smiled softly, but it didn't last long. There was someone else that I wanted to check up on. Someone who I had rescued from the snow from freezing to death.

I went over to Appa's saddle. But when I looked inside, Zuko was gone.

"Iroh…" I spoke up calmly. "We…rescued the nephew in the tundra. I went to go check on him, but now he's gone."

The old general placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Worry not, Gitan. Prince Zuko is more resilient than he appears. He has a strong will. Sometimes, the greatest help we can offer is to allow others the space to pursue it, even if it leads them away from us." He looked towards the fading sounds of battle. "The spirits have intervened in one conflict. Perhaps they have a different journey in mind for the young prince."

He then looked back at me, his eyes gentle. "More importantly, you played a vital role in his survival, just as much as he played a role in yours. You showed him compassion when he was lost and vulnerable. That kindness, that connection, is not easily forgotten. Even if his path diverges from yours for now, it won't be forgotten." He clapped hands on my shoulders. "You've come far, Gitan. But your journey in assisting my nephew and your little brother isn't over yet."

My little brother…Aang. Aang was still out there! After giving Iroh a grateful hug as thanks, I left the spirit oasis and dashed out into the royal palace. From where I stood, the ocean spirit was returning to its normal form now that the moon had returned. The blue energy melted into the canals of the Northern Water Tribe. My brother would be somewhere on the bridges. I didn't see any signs of Zhao as I descended the palace steps, glancing around.

Eventually, I found my brother resting on the bridges. I exhaled and rushed to him. I scooped him up in my arms. He was breathing with exertion. There was no indication that he had been injured. His eyes slowly opened, and they met mine. I smiled and brought him close to my chest, hugging him tightly.

"Gitan…" he murmured slowly. He hugged me back.

"I won't let anyone hurt you," I whispered into his ear.

I had meant the words as a child, and I meant them now. He was not the baby brother I once carried. He was a young boy destined to master all four elements. Yet during our time apart, he had grown. He had learned Waterbending. He had connections to the spirits that he never had experienced growing up. And even now, he had quelled a siege on the Northern Water Tribe, literally turning the tides of war against the Fire Nation. Yet beneath it, he was still my little brother. And whether I was held captive by an exiled prince or hotheaded admiral, I would always make sure no one harmed the Avatar.

(END OF BOOK 1: WATER)