Little Soldier Boy

Puppet master

Hama set out the food for the children as they waited for dinner together. Aang sat between Zuko and Toph, warning them of the sea prunes he was not much of a fan of.

"Who wants five flavor soup?" Hama asked with her pot of stew. They all raised their hands, Kataras breath was taken when she saw hama bend the soup into each of their bowls.

"You're a water bender?! I've never met another bender from our tribe," Katara gasped in awe.

"That's because the fire nation wiped them all out," hama admitted with a deeply sigh.

"So how did you end up out here?" Sokka asked, there was pain on hamas face at her memories.

"I was stolen from my home," hama gulped taking a breath before telling them her past.

"It was when the raids started, they would come again and again, each time rounding up more waterbenders and taking them captive, killing some along the way... we did our best to hold them off but our numbers dwindled as the raids continued, I was the last to be captured," hama started keeping her eyes low remembering the pain of the dark history.

"I was led away in chains, they put us in terrible prisons here in the fire nation, I was the only one who managed to escape," hama pursed her lips and covered her eyes with another deep breath.

"How did you get away and why did you stay in the fire nation?" Sokka pressed but Zuko shook his head at him.

"I'm sorry, it's to painful," hama choked up a little but she didn't she'd tears.

"We completely understand, we lost our mother in a raid," Katara sympathized with the old woman as they joined hands.

"You poor things," Hama looked at her and Sokka.

They continued to talk as Katara was admiring her for being another water bender, they bonded over tradition but Sokka looked over at Zuko, Aang caught sokkas eyes and glanced at the fire bender. But they didn't bring up the guilt on zukos face as he stayed silent, not touching his food, they would talk about it the next day.

-

"Hey where's Zuko?" Aang walked outside after Katara and hama left, Sokka and Toph waited outside.

"He's not inside?" Sokka looked at him confused.

"He went into town to go send a letter," Toph picked at her ear boredly.

"How do you know?" Aang raised a brow.

"He told me," she flicked her finger.

The two boys looked at her more confused.

"What? We talk? I knew sparky before you buffoons, when he can't sleep we talk," Toph crossed her arms with a shrug.

"About what?" Sokka tilted his head to the side.

"I tell him stuff about my life being hidden, he listens, he tells me about his life about child soldier, I listen," she said simply.

"Huh... didn't realize You two were so close," Sokka said slowly.

"Oh here he comes," Toph perked up feeling his footsteps coming around the corner to the inn. Zuko turned seeing his friends and looked surprised they were all outside.

"Zuko who's your best friend?" Sokka pointed accusingly.

"Appa," Zuko frowned not understanding.

"Me too," Aang smiled.

"Who's your favorite," Toph reworded.

"Depends on the day," he raised a brow suspiciously.

"Today?" Aang asked.