Equalized

Missing pieces

Noatak woke up with Jin hovering over her. 'Thank the spirits, you're okay!' She helped him sit up. 'I found you unconscious on the ground! What happened?'

'You just don't want to give up, Tarrlok!'

'I did what I had to do.'

'How...are...you...doing this? It's...impossible!'

Noatak shook his head and started packing. 'We need to leave right now.' Jin eyes followed him as he ran around the cave picking their things up. 'Why?'

'It's a long story, but she's going to be back any minute.' Jin was confused. 'Who's she? Where's Tarrlok and Kara? What's happening?!' Noatak grabbed her hand and stared running. 'I'll explain later. Let's go!' Jin stopped running. 'I can airbend.'

'We have no time for jokes. Now, come on!' She made a little tornado on her palm. 'I don't know what's happening to me.' She sniffled. 'I guess we're all figuring some special bending skills now.' 

'Wait. What about Kara and Tarrlok?' Noatak didn't stop walking. 'They're not the people you want to see right now.' Jin ran after him. 'Why? What did you do? Tell me!'

'I killed Tarrlok.' He blurted out. She gasped. 'You what? Why?' He sighed and slowed down. 'I killed him...because he tried killing me.' 

'Damn, families are complicated, aren't they?' She said humorlessly. 'Tell me about it.'

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'How? Why? When?' Noatak put the meat on a stick and put it over their campfire. 'We were going out to hunt, Tarrlok snuck up on me with a knife and stabbed me.' He touched the back of his left shoulder and cringed. 'I told him that just didn't want to give up, and I...done away with him'

'What did you tell Kara?' Noatak continued roasting the food. 'I came back alone, Kara looked at me and asked where my brother was, I stayed silent. She started yelling at me and asking me where he was, and I told her he tried killing me, so I killed him.'

'Don't you think killing your own brother was too harsh?' Noatak chuckled. 'This isn't the first time. There was one on a boat, where he tried exploding us up, so this time, I stopped it for good.'

'What did you say then?' Jin pressed on. 'I told her I did what I had to do, and she...she...she started bloodbending me. I tried resisting it -I'm supposed to be immune- but it was the strongest thing I've ever seen. Her eyes were filled with burning tears of pure hatred and she killed me...or she would have if I fought back. Then she went looking for his body.'

Jin sighed and buried her face in her hands. 'And there's no doubt she'll come back to the cave, find out you're gone, and come after us for the rest of our lives?'

'Her bloodbending...it was terrifying.' He stared deep into the dancing flames. They heard rustling in the bushes. Noatak opened his water skin pouch and Jin took a fighting stance. 'Wait! Don't attack.' A woman emerged from the bushes. She looked their ages, about 30 to 40 years old.

'Who are you and why did you sneak up on us?' Jin demanded. 'Who I am is none of your business. I washed up on the shore near here and here I am. Who are you?'

'That's none of your concern.' Noatak spat. The woman raised an eyebrow at him. 'He's just...well, we both had a rough day today.' Jin thought of all the events that had happened that day. She started airbending, Noatak killed his own brother, Kara is even stronger and she wants to hunt down Noatak. What a day.