"Argh!" Katara exclaimed, frustrated, her hands falling to her sides. "I was doing so well…"
"You are doing well. Come on, try again."
"Okay!"
**********
Katara slowly opened her eyes, noticing the light of dawn outside the tent. She stretched, raising her arms above her head, feeling her muscles protest. Every fiber of her body begged her to stay lying down, to steal a few more minutes of rest under the warm furs, but Katara knew that wasn't an option.
With a resigned sigh, she pushed the furs aside and sat up, rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands to chase away the remnants of sleep.
If she wasn't mistaken, that day marked the seventh since Ikari's arrival, and much of the village seemed to have changed since then. His coming with the letters from the men who had gone to war brought more than just relief. They brought hope. Hope that everything was going to be alright. That one day they would return.
And because of that, the constant fear that hung over the village had lessened, even if only a little.
But the changes Ikari brought went beyond that. He dedicated himself to teaching Sokka how to fight, turning his clumsy brother into someone who was starting to handle weapons with confidence. And, as if that weren't enough, he even managed to teach Sokka how to fish — something Katara swore would only be possible when their father returned.
As for herself, Ikari had said he couldn't teach her about waterbending. However, thanks to his guidance, Katara saw her progress evolve at a frightening pace, and in just a few days she advanced more than in her entire life, feeling the water respond to her commands with a fluidity that once seemed impossible.
Besides, Katara liked to believe that they had become good… friends? After all, they had spent a lot of time talking and getting to know each other during those days. She had even opened up for the first time to someone from outside about the trauma of losing her mother. With Ikari, those conversations flowed naturally, creating a bond Katara deeply valued.
'These days went by so fast…' she thought as she finished braiding her hair in her usual style. Then Katara dressed, carefully adjusting the sleeves and collar to protect her wrists and neck from the cold. 'Well, let's start the day.' Motivating herself, she stepped out of the tent.
But Katara had barely taken three steps before stopping at the sight of Sokka a few meters away, sitting on a log. He was hunched over, holding a piece of paper, his face unusually serious, almost grim.
Katara frowned. It had been a long time since she had seen him with that kind of expression. 'What happened? Shouldn't he be training with Ikari?' Katara walked toward him, the snow crunching under her boots. "Sokka?" she called, stopping by the log. "What's wrong? Did training with Ikari end early?"
Sokka slowly raised his eyes, a heavy sigh escaping as he held the paper out to her. "No, Katara… there wasn't any training."
"Why?" Katara asked, her voice tinged with doubt as she took the paper, not understanding why he was giving it to her.
"Because… Ikari left," Sokka replied, looking down.
Katara froze, the paper nearly slipping from her hands. "...what?" A sense of déjà vu struck her like an icy wind, bringing back memories she didn't like one bit.
***********
Liked it? Then you might enjoy my other stories too: Stranger Things: Worlds Collide and BNHA: Dynamight.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.