The Blind Waterbender

Foraging

Music is "Brave by Sara Bareilles" as usual not my song or video. Just another song I was listening to while writing this chapter. I hope y'all enjoy!
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Lyra's POV

When I woke up that morning I stretched as my bones popped from built tension.

Alright so today's plans:

Number One: Practice Waterbending

Two: Make some medicine

Three: Gather fruit to dry

Four: Brush, and Bathe Asura

Five: Wash clothes and reorganize stuff for flying

Six: Repair items, or resupply

Seven: Start a fire, and make breakfast, Katara has lunch, and I can take care of dinner in place of Sokka; he's a really bad cook.

Finally Eight: Practice with my ice bow.

Not a bad list at all.

I should probably start by gathering ingredients. I'll probably need them to make medicine, and I can pick some fruit along the way. Then when I get back I can pull the water from the stuff and get to work on laundry. Then I'll make the medicine, maybe while I'm at it I can make some lotion for my face. I can ask Katara for her help to repair clothes, since that's one thing I'm especially bad at.

With my plans ready I finished brushing my hair, and tied it back into a wavy ponytail.

I changed into my last pair of clean garments, and dropped my dirty pairs at the front corner of the tent that way the group would get the clue.

I exited the tent with a woven basket hanging on my elbow.

I decided not to wear my blindfold today, maybe I was beginning to not mind my scar or maybe I just didn't feel like wearing it, but either way I felt normal.

Everyone was still asleep so I slipped out quietly.

I passed Jeong Jeong on the way who had set up a fire across from his tent.

He glanced at me, and I could feel his stare towards my unmoving eyes.

"Good morning" I greeted pleasantly.

He nodded with a gruff "good morning" and stood up as the fire roared to life. The sudden heat made me flinch and take a startled step back into the shallow part of the river.

"Sorry" he apologized "I shouldn't have stood up that fast, the fire follows guided energy patterns in the body so it can mimic as some actions" Jeong Jeong explained.

I only nodded and placed a hand over my speeding heart, "it's fine" I shrugged as nonchalantly as I could.

"Where are you off too? The woods are very dangerous" he warned me.

"Do you warn me cause I'm blind? Or do you do the same with everyone?"

Jeong Jeong paused to think,

"I warn everyone, even my own men who know these woods. But you seem to have a good head on your shoulders, so I should trust that you'll take caution. You also seem to have a natural talent with your bending, so you should be fine" Jeong Jeong answered with a shrug.

"Thanks" I stated, "I think that's the first time anyone has said something like that to me" I thought out loud.

Jeong Jeong nodded as he stood to his feet with a groan.

"Well, anyways I must wake the boy, the sun is going to start rising soon" Jeong Jeong said simply.

He seemed to carry a natural scolding mask on his face. I could only sympathize for Aang. This teacher seemed to be Aang's polar opposite.

I wished the best for him as Jeong Jeong went our separate ways.

Asura wasn't far behind, and skipped to catch up.

She hooted with what may as well have been childlike innocence. She kept trying to grab the basket in her beak so I let her hold it in her beak by the handle. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, honing into the plant life that surrounded us. I saw some mint in my vision field and caught some catnip nestled next to a black birch tree. I recognized the leaves. They were a similar species as the ones down south. Upon discovering this I ran back to the campsite to steal Sokka's sword. I really didn't feel like overexerting my waterbending today by holding together a large form. I was going to do that later anyways, when I did the laundry and dried the fruit. I returned to the trees and chipped away at the bark until I reached the soft inner bark. I couldn't help myself and took some of the inner bark. The inner bark of the black birch is extremely nutritious. Not only that it tastes really sweet, and is super tender. I chipped away at the inner bark eagerly, until I had filled a quarter of the woven basket.

Asura had other ideas in mind with the outer bark. While I originally planned to use it as a fire starter, Asura was fixed on the bugs crawling throughout the outer bark. She used her sharp beak to shred the bark and reach the bugs. I grabbed what I could find of the outer bark and put it in a bag I carried for a fire starter. I gathered different nuts like pecans and walnuts from the trees, and plucked wild strawberries and blackberries. I found some mulberry trees as well. But I didn't want to risk it. If you eat them when they're not ripe you can have bad stomach and digestive issues. It wasn't worth the risk

As time passed, I continued foraging for medical herbs and other food I could use.

I returned to the campsite about an hour after I left with a good haul of food from the forest. I plucked ticks off of me and Asura until I was sure I had gotten them all and sat down next to Sokka who was fishing. I sat down next to him after placing the basket on the base of the rock. I did grab some of the inner bark from the black birch tree earlier and offered it to him.

He sniffed it and stuffed it in his mouth upon recognizing it.

"Fank Youu!" He grinned with his mouth full.

It was one of his favorite foods beside meat. So I kinda expected the reaction. But while on the topic I couldn't help but turn in Aang's direction. He had just finished breakfast and followed Jeong Jeong.

I mainly worried since Aang wasn't far into bending. He hadn't learned what emotions coincided with the elements. For example, many waterbenders are relatively calm, or at least somewhat docile. I'm sure there were waterbenders who were the opposite.. but anyways. From what I've seen and how stuff at the air temple from Aang's experience they seemed to act carefree or very spirited. Like in the story I told Aang before.

Firebenders seemed to run off a different source. I wouldn't say it was anger. Yes, Zuko's bending was channeled likely by anger, but I know that Iroh wasn't. I could sense how powerful his bending was from the way his chi pulsed. Desire, energy, will he channeled those things. Not like a person trying to force an animal to move, but as a guide, prompting it with the movement of his body.

The earth benders I have met along the way we're different in their own ways too. They were strong, persistent, and stubborn. I had begun to match the order of the elements together with the adaptation of emotions from each nation and the lessons that may be learned.

It made sense now,

Air the element of freedom needs the element water to teach the learner the change in emotions and the calm control needed to control it at times.

Water needs earth to learn substance, and the ability to stand strong against difficult situations that the Avatar may face, and not only that slowly teach the air based Avatar how to take caution and ground themselves in reality when bending.

But Fire needs earth to channel that responsibility and caution so as to avoid disaster. Water teaches fire to remain calm and not allow the anger, or desire to overtake them. Each element is meant to round off the one after it until all the elements are learned and all emotions can take equal places inside the flow of chi. Each one made to balance the others.

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Sooo I hope you guys liked this chapter! It was so much fun to write. Especially Asura's mischief. But anyways I hope you guys are having a wonderful day and I will see you in the next one. Bye y'all, and I'll see you in the next one!
-Rose