War of Change | Book 3

19: Fix You

Art: Artist Not Found

3rd Person

"How is she?"

Katara didn't look at her brother as she slumped down into the grass beside the firepit. "She still won't eat," Katara huffed. Her hands trembled as she reached out to make herself a bowl of dinner. "Or speak," she added, a mixture of aggravation and worry coating her tone.

A silence fell over the group. Sokka's eyes sank to the bowl in his lap as his right, blood-stained hand twitched.

The youngest waterbender had just left the tent, which now housed her catatonic, older sister. After her episode, only Sokka had been able to get her off the ground, but not much else could be done for her after that.

The tension was so thick it could have been cut by a knife.

Sokka's focus was disrupted by a pair of soft, thin hands covering his own with a damp rag. "You won't help her by not eating either," said Suki as she cleaned the dried blood from his hands.

Suki appeared to be the only person who was able to catch some of their breath. She was trying her best to help. However, looking around the campsite, it was like watching a slow-motion catastrophe.

Aang could not settle, looking for anything and everything to distract himself from what was happening. Toph's head was turned permanently towards Kida's tent, her hand laying flat on the ground but never saying exactly what it was she was listening for. Strangely, Katara was the most contentious, a persistent scowl on her face and shoulders strung tighter than a bowstring. Zuko was maybe the worst to look at. He was just as eerily silent as Kida.

Sokka's hands finally cleaned up, Suki replaced the wet cloth with a refreshed bowl of warm food.

Sokka stared down at the new bowl for a silent beat. Then, without thought, a low mumble suddenly fell out of his mouth. "It's happening again."

The air got thicker.

"What-" Suki hesitated as she debated if she should ask or not. "What is happening again?"

Sokka shook his head back and forth, reluctant to speak, but his voice came out nonetheless. "After our mother..."

Katara's head snapped up. Her eyes narrowed, and she glowered at her brother over the hungry flames. Feeling the prickles of her gaze, he slowly looked up from his hands to meet her stare. He stopped speaking immediately. The firelight brought deep shadows to her face, which aged and morphed her features to remind him hauntingly of his older sister.

What made the Water Tribe special was its sense of community. However, tradition still rivaled in that certain family matters were to remain private.

The pair of siblings stayed silent for what felt like a near-solid minute before Sokka broke his gaze away. "You know, it feels like forever since we've camped like this."