Chapter Text
After a heavy blizzard raged through the night, a fresh blanket of snow left Chief Hakoda and his family trapped inside their igloo. Katara watched as her father dug a way out, shoveling and pushing the snow with his glove-covered hands until he finally crawled free.
"There," he panted as he spoke, clapping his hands together to clear his gloves of powdery snow, "I'd better go make sure nobody froze overnight."
“Then I'll clear the door,” Kya smiled at her husband through the freshly dug hole.
A moment later, a small boy scampered through after his father.
"Let me help!" Sokka scurried up to join his father, "Let the girls stay home while the men help the tribe." He looked proud of his blatant sexism but Hakoda's reply was a simple flick to his forehead which made the boy yelp in pain.
"Sokka, I've told you a thousand times that we don't talk like that," Hakoda gave his young son a disappointed look. "You should know better. The South values everyone equally; leave the sexism to the North."
"Yeah, Sokka!" Katara reached through the hole and grabbed her brother's leg. Before he could react, Katara pulled back until he fell with a scream into the snow. Hakoda and Katara laughed as Sokka got up, batting at the snow that stuck to his parka with disgruntled moans.
"No fair!" he yelled back, picking up a handful of snow and preparing to throw it at Katara who darted further inside with an excited squeal.
"No throwing snowballs inside!" Came the chastising tone of Gran-Gran. Katara appeared at the hole once more, being pushed out by her grandmother. Sokka wasted no time and got Katara on the back of the head with his snowball. Hakoda shot his mother an amused look before leaving, seeing as Sokka was more interested in a snowball fight with his little sister. Kya got to work clearing the snow while Gran-Gran watched the children at play.
Sokka was an aggressive player but he had a good eye and rarely missed when Katara poked her giggling face out of cover. Katara was the cautious type. She would stay in cover while restocking her ammunition pile of snowballs until Sokka got bored waiting for her and moved in for an ambush.
This might have worked if his little sister wasn't a Waterbender. The second Sokka showed his face Katara began to pelt him two at a time with her waterbending. She had talent but no training so moving solid snow was the limit to her abilities.
Sokka fell back, bursting into laughter as he celebrated Katara’s neat trick. "Can you make a snowball with just your bending?"
"I dunno, it's hard to move it like that," Katara said meekly. She gingerly lifted a small pile of snow and while it did make a ball the second she tried to grab the loose snow it blew out of her small hand. "I can do it if I make the snowball by hand first though."
Sokka still looked disappointed. "Gran-Gran said that the waterbending warriors could make giant snowballs in seconds then hurl them at Fire Nation raiders!" He was becoming excited and began imitating what he thought were Waterbending moves, "If we ever get raided you have to protect us right?"
"Wrong," Hakoda was back. Sokka hadn't realised how much time had passed but the morning had given way to noon in the time he had been playing. Paths in the snow were now visible and not one person was left trapped in their home. His father continued speaking.
"Sokka, if Raiders come then you and Katara must hide with your mother and grandmother, just like we've always discussed," his voice had a no-nonsense tone, "We can't risk Katara being taken from us like the others were, if the Fire Nation discovers her then they'll kidnap her," he paused with a grim look, "or worse."
The frightened looks from his children softened Hakoda's expression. "But you shouldn't worry," he said assuringly, "There hasn't been a raid here in years. The Fire Nation spends most of its time invading the Earth Kingdom nowadays." Hakoda couldn't help feeling he was tempting fate with his words.
Sokka blinked then looked at Katara who was still levitating a snowball. “Are you crazy? Anyone could see!” Sokka smashed the snowball apart which caused Katara to squeak in shock. Hakoda hadn't said she shouldn't Waterbend although it was nice that Sokka was so fiercely protective. He didn't stay to watch the ensuing fight but within minutes they were back to playing anyway. He approached Kya, who stood outside watching the children and embraced her tightly.
"We're good parents right?" Hakoda asked with an unsure look, "I didn't scare them too badly?”
Kya smiled and planted a small kiss on Hakoda's lips. They were dry and cracked thanks to the unforgiving cold but she was used to it. "They'll live longer if they know to avoid those Ashmakers," Kya spat out the last word, "Hard truths aren't meant to be easy, you're a good father for being honest with them."
With a final kiss, Hakoda left to work with the warriors who acted as the village militia. Though his warriors were experienced and battle-hardened, the Fire Nation hadn't sent any massive raiding parties in years. Not since they took his mother’s friend, Hama.
The worst they got was some young fools trying to make a name for themselves by killing a few 'Savages'. The Fire Navy had mostly left Southern waters and only a handful of bases remained though even they were quiet.
This was more worrying to Hakoda than he let on. The eerie silence was deafening and the lack of action was making him tense. He often toyed with the idea of taking his warriors and joining the war but now wasn't the time. Still, he was itching to put a Firebender or two in their place.
Almost as if the spirits had decided to answer him, Hakoda's eyes locked on to a single snowflake as it fell. A black snowflake. Hurriedly he began to yell, getting the attention of his warriors most of whom were already drawing their clubs, spears or machetes. They all knew the signs.
And then he saw it. A small vessel came from behind an iceberg, a plume of black smoke trailing above it. How had they missed it? Were they growing complacent with the lack of activity lately? It didn't matter now, he had to lead the warriors in defence.
The dark grey ship was flying the usual Fire Nation colours but also an extra flag. "Southern Raiders," he said with a growl. The Fire Nation had once come for Waterbenders and left the rest alive.
These Raiders had no such restraint.
“Do not show fear. We are warriors of the South, and we do not run from invaders!” Hakoda yelled, “Make these Ashmakers regret picking a fight with us!" The ship ran into the shoreline. The heat of the metal caused a cloud of fog to rise as the snow melted around it. The Water Tribe Warriors were silent, weapons drawn and ready to defend what was left of their home. Seconds later a loud war-cry sounded and dozens of Firebenders leapt from their ship and into the snow, flames already covering their hands.
Hakoda signalled the charge with a yell and the men and women behind him followed suit. Hakoda ducked under a fireball and swept the Bender’s legs out from under him. The soldier hit the ground, and Hakoda brought his weapon down on his head.
Back in the village, Sokka stared at the black snow and knew the worst was happening. Katara was also looking around with a worried expression. "I'm going to find mom!" Katara stated and Sokka knew he should follow her but he was still worried about their dad. He took one last look at Katara before running towards the chaos.
Katara burst into her home only to find her mother on the floor and her Gran-Gran huddled in a corner. With them was a tall man standing over Kya. Katara was confused, how did he get here so fast? "Run Katara!" Gran-Gran shouted at her. Katara froze as she stared fearfully at the intruder.
"Just let her go and I'll give you the information you want.”
The man turned to look at Katara with an impatient glare. "You heard your mother," he shouted at the eight-year-old girl, "Get out of here!" At that moment she panicked, she could only hear Sokka saying that she had to protect the village with her bending. She couldn't make giant snowballs but she could still throw snow. "Last chance savage!" The man turned to face her now, "Leave!"
Katara glared at the man. Before he could move she summoned all her might and thrust her arm forward, feeling the snow move with her. "Katara no!" Kya yelled but it was too late. A harmless dusting of snow barely reached the raider's shoulders.
"The last Southern Waterbender is a child?" the soldier threw his head back and laughed, “Interesting, this changes things. You're coming with me brat!” He made to reach for Katara but a scream from behind stopped him in his tracks.
"Leave her alone!" Kya had suddenly jumped the man when his back was turned. A whalebone dagger in her hand very nearly reached the man's neck but the trained soldier threw Kya over his shoulder. She landed hard on her back and began to gasp for air, winded.
With cruel precision, the soldier formed a dagger of flame and drove it into Kya’s chest.
Her scream tore through the igloo.
Katara’s world shrank to the smell — burning fur, burning skin — and her mother’s hand reaching for her.
“Katara—”
Then the hand fell.
Smoke curled upward.
And Katara did not scream.
“Back to the ship, we have the Waterbender!”
She was thrown over the soldier’s shoulder, the world tipping sideways.
Katara searched for her father.
For Sokka.
For anyone.
The villagers who couldn’t run were shoved into the centre of the square. A few met her eyes. Then looked away. Shame tightening their faces.
She tried to scream.
Nothing came out.
Through the blur of smoke and falling ash, she spotted Sokka and Hakoda chasing another group of soldiers — running the wrong way.
Dad.
The ship’s ramp slammed down.
She wondered if he had even noticed she was gone.
The doors shut.
And the world went dark.
“Mission accomplished,” the man said while he put Katara down, “Put the savage in the brig, and keep a man posted at all hours.”
"Captain Yon Rha, the orders were to kill any remaining Benders in the South!" A woman approached with a hand on her sword hilt. "Don't you remember what happened with that Bloodbender in the prison?"
“Then go ahead and do it sailor," the captain said back coldly with a sideways glance, “Stick your sword into the kid's heart, make the Fire Nation proud.”
The woman looked down at Katara.
Katara simply stared back.
The woman hesitated.
Her grip tightened on the hilt.
Katara did not look away.
With a sharp exhale, the soldier’s hand fell away from the hilt.
“Pathetic little thing isn’t worth the effort.”
“That's what I thought,” Yon Rha shoved past the woman. “I'm going to ready a messenger hawk to send to the homeland.”
Someone grabbed Katara by the scruff of her hood and led her deeper into the stiflingly hot ship. Compared to the cold she was used to, this heat was unbearable. Sweat was already glistening off her face when she was roughly pushed into a barred holding cell.
Katara quickly found a corner and huddled up into it silently. The man who had led her down to the brig pulled a stool out from somewhere and sat down on it, resting his head on the hot metal wall behind him. Some time passed and Katara began to pant from the heat.
“You know, you’ll only feel worse in that fur coat,” she heard him say, not unkindly. “Take it off. You don’t need it here.” Katara couldn't see him though he sounded young. In the end she couldn't help but agree and began to remove her furs. Soon she sat in her light clothing, used when you were safe and warm indoors. The heat wasn't nearly as oppressive now.
“Thanks,” Katara mumbled and received a grunt in affirmation. Katara then heard footsteps coming down the stairs. The captain, Yon Rha, appeared in front of Katara's cell. “My orders were to kill you,” he said simply, “But our informant failed to mention that the last Waterbender was a child.” He looked at her coldly, as if he was simply studying an animal. “We don't keep your kind prisoner anymore, not after what happened with that Bloodbender.”
Katara stared at him in silence though she was too young to control the hate that was evident in her eyes. Yon Rha laughed and got on one knee. "You don't like me, do you?" Katara didn't even nod to affirm him.
“You know, kid… if you hadn’t thrown that snow at me, your mommy would still be alive.”
He tilted his head.
“You understand that, don’t you?”
“Your mother died because of you.”
The words didn’t make sense at first.
Then they burned.
Katara’s breath hitched, the air thick and suffocating in her lungs. Sweat stung her eyes as she stumbled backward, her furs suddenly too heavy, too tight. The metal wall at her back radiated heat through the fabric, trapping her.
If she hadn’t bent the snow—
If she had just run—
Her mother would still be alive.
The sob that tore from her was raw and hoarse, swallowed by the oppressive heat of the ship.
Yon Rha folded his arms and closed his eyes, ignoring her sobs.
“It’s obvious you have no training,” he said.
“I’m taking you to the Fire Lord’s palace. Azulon himself will decide your fate.”
His mouth curved faintly.
“I imagine he’ll enjoy having a trophy. The last Southern Waterbender.”
He fell silent for a moment before speaking again.
“Let me be clear,” his expression became grim but determined, “If he tells me to follow my original orders, and as much I dislike the idea, I will kill you.”