Dragonfire | Mako

TWENTY-FIVE

Kaida woke up feeling as if someone had used her head as a drum. Her vision was blurry at first and she blinked in an effort to see clearly. It didn't help her much. The room around her was dark and she got the vague idea she had somehow gotten in a cave. She followed her eyes as a droplet of water got down a vine and slowly, she looked around in an effort to realise just where she was. She caught sight of Mako sitting a few ways away.

"Mako," she called out. His head snapped up at her voice and he instantly headed towards her and crouched down beside her head, a relieved expression on his face.

"You're finally awake."

"What happened?" she croaked as she pushed herself up, her dragon necklace dangling in front of her, looking rather dim in the lack of light. She slowly raised her gaze to meet Mako's. "Where are we?"

"We're at the cave of Korra's friend. She lives here."

"You found her?" she muttered as she pushed herself up. She accepted his outstreched hand as she straightened up with a small smile at him. "How did you find me?"

"Korra's friend found you. She said you hit your head on a branch."

Kaida blinked as she attempted to think as they walked away. She remembered leaving to get some wood for their fire and getting lost in the swamp. She tried harder to remember and slowly, flashes started to come back. She thought of the ghost of her brother she had seen and then, she remembered the woman that had talked to her as if she knew her her whole life. She involuntarily winced as she ducked her head beneath a vine at the memory of her running away from Azula. This was how she had hit the branch, no doubt.

"Where are the rest?" she asked as they got out. A small smile crossed her lips as she felt the sun on her skin and she walked away, bathing herself in the light. Mako watched her from a few ways away before he heard people talking. He turned to the sound, soon enough, catching sight of their friends walking towards them.

"They're here. Korra's friend is here as well."

Kaida turned to where he was pointing at, her smile widening as she caught sight of Korra, Bolin and Asami. Bolin was the first to catch sight of her. With a wide smile he rushed forward and pulled her in a tight hug Kaida returned with a short laugh. Asami and Korra weren't far behind, and she hugged Asami first before moving on to Korra.

"Are you alright?" she pulled back, appearing concerned as she looked over her. "I forgot to tell you the swamp is a tricky place. You were alright, weren't you? No visions or anything?"

Kaida blinked and she could feel their eyes on her as she shook her head and sent her a reassuring smile. "No visions. I just slipped."

It was then she caught sight of the short, old woman standing a few ways away, looking in their general direction. She was dressed in green and her grey hair was let loose, mostly pushed away from her face, allowing Kaida to see her eyes, incredibly pale. She walked towards her slowly, cautiously. The closer she got, she realised the woman's eyes weren't following her movement, instead, they were glued at a spot close to her. She was blind.

"Thank you for helping me," she told her softly as she came to a stop a few ways away. There was something about this woman she thought was familiar. "I got lost in the swamp. If it weren't for you, I would have probably never found my friends."

"That's true," she spoke in a gruff tone as she raised her chin. "The swamp can be slippery. It doesn't tend to forgive."

She nodded slowly as she continued her scrutinise. There was definitely something about her that was remotely familiar. "I'm sorry to assume, but I've seen you before, haven't I?"