Fire & Water || ATLA

Book One: Water || Chapter One: The Girl on The Cliff

It was early afternoon, the sun still high on the horizon providing its minimal warmth in this icy ecosystem. I had stood for the first time since early morning from my work station, situated inside a warm tent near our wild cattle, summoned to the family igloo. My furry boots made a mush sound as I walked the snowy path into the center of our small village, fastening my hood as the cold wind howled, trying to blow it away. It helped keep me warm, but did a great job hiding my blonde hair from everyone. The women said it was a curse from the spirits, being because it meant that I was a child of light and warmth, yet I was born in this icy foliage, remembering all of the warmth they'd never get here. So I kept it hidden from them, especially outsiders.

I had finally arrived at the door of our family igloo, where I had been summoned to by Kanna. A sigh escaped my lips as I pushed the animal skin door to the side, revealing my brown haired cousin inside, holding one of the weaved baskets I had made a while ago. She turned, brown eyes immediately glaring my way. Shoulders tense and palms sweaty, my voice trembled slightly once I asked why I had been summoned there. "It's time to wash the laundry." With this simple line, she walked past me through the door, avoiding any unnecessary interaction with me. "Alright," I said to no one in particular, since the igloo was now empty, only I stood awkwardly inside.

My arms were heavy with the laundry basket once I made my way behind my cousin, towards the wash area. We walked in a silence I was very well accustomed to, and I took in my surroundings as we did so. Sokka, my other cousin, was teaching the little boys how to be warriors over at the fort I helped build a while ago. Meanwhile, the children's mothers were fishing, making food, shoes, clothes: running errands just like we were.

I put the basket down with a sigh, walking over to a makeshift stove in the middle of the area. Taking a small shovel made of wood carvings, I placed snow onto the now lit stove, melting and turning into water. We started to work without saying a word to each other. Having a sort of agreement allowed us to do this, as I scrubbed half the clothes and she wrung them out and set them to dry in the polar air. However, today, I wasn't feeling completely myself.

I couldn't seem to remember when this had all started, why everyone was faulting me for things I didn't cause, why Katara hated me so much, and why my parents never came back. "Why?" The question slipped through my lips accidentally a little too soon, but it caused the brunette to look at me and stop what she was doing. After that, she went back to her chore, as if she hadn't heard me.

"Why do you hate me?" The polar wind carried my question through the air, but this time, she didn't stop. She didn't look at me. "Why does everyone treat me so differently?" I stopped washing the clothes this time, lightly smashing them with the warm water and looking at her in the eyes. "Just do your job, and stop talking." Her reply made my heart start beating faster, a heat making its way to my ears and my hands, making my fists ball up on their own.

My voice quivered, "No! It's not fair, Katara! You've been doing this for years, and I at least deserve to know why." At this, the olive skinned girl stopped her chore, the clothes she had in hand dropping to the snow covered ground as her hands formed into fists as well. "You want to know the truth? Fine!" With each step she took forward, I took back unwillingly. "My mom died because she tried to keep you hidden! Your dad was a Fire Nation soldier! You're a traitor!" Once standing my ground, I furrowed my brows in a fit of anger and confusion, saying, "My father was a sea merchant! What do you mean a soldier?"

At this, she stops, raising her shoulders up and down. "You still believes that lie? Come on! Your father was a Fire Nation soldier who tricked your mom, and once he left, she dropped you on my mom and went chasing after him like a lost puppy!" Her hands moved as she spoke, causing the snow on the floor behind her to melt and liquify without her noticing. "What's with the yelling?" Our heads turned to the side, where her older brother, Sokka, was now standing, boomerang in hand. He had one eyebrow furrowed, and his lip half bit, rubbing his head with his gloved hand.