Trickle [Sokka - Book One]

⚝Chapter Twelve⚝

Eimi glanced around the hall before sprinting across it. She slipped into the shadows, walking toward the door. She couldn't go to sleep because her mind was racing. Yue had left her room hours ago, so it must have been pretty late. 

Eimi wanted to talk to someone other than Yue and Navrek. She didn't know what to talk about or who to talk to, but she knew it had to be one of the three new people. She hadn't really spoken to the Avatar, but she had spoken to both Sokka and Katara. She didn't want to talk to Sokka yet because of her chat with Yue, so she settled on Katara.

No one was outside, so she didn't have to hide in the shadows anymore. She could walk freely, more freely than she ever could. Most people were sleeping, but she was awake. The moon was awake, too, so she wasn't alone. She was never alone as long as the moon was out there, looking down on her.

She slowed down when she heard the Avatar speaking. She must've been close to where they were staying. Yes, it did look familiar. She had been there before when she spoke to Sokka for the first time. 

Eimi spotted Aang and Katara standing at the canal. They stood on a ledge overlooking the water, and Aang whipped out a long tendril from the sea. "Master Pakku said this move is all about sinking and floating," Aang said to Katara.

Eimi didn't want to hide anymore. She was tired of hiding in the shadows. She stepped forward and was about to say something when Katara started bending the water. 

"I got it!" she yelled.

However, the water whipped around her very fast before going up and away from her. Eimi seemed to be the only one who noticed Master Pakku standing behind them. A vein throbbed in his forehead as he maneuvered his arms around and around. She knew what he was doing; however, Aang and Katara didn't. They had looks of wonder plastered on their face.

"That was amazing!" Aang exclaimed, his smile wide.

Katara shook her head, her eyes wider than his smile. "That wasn't me."

Master Pakku froze the water and the icicles embedded themselves in the bridge before the two of them. His face was a mask of fury as Aang and Katara jerked around. Katara gasped in surprise at the sight of him.

"I . . . I was just showing Katara a few moves," Aang said quickly. 

"You have disrespected me, my teachings, and my entire culture," Master Pakku said, his voice low and hard.

Eimi stepped into the light, crossing her arms over her chest. Master Pakku hadn't noticed her yet, so she snuck up toward him, tapping him on the shoulder. He jumped and whirled around, water connecting with her side. It didn't hurt her, but she was still mad. The Warrior was peaking out of her this time, and she would let it do just that.

"Princess Eimi," Master Pakku said, his voice a higher pitch than the last time he spoke. "When did you get here?"

"I've been here the whole time." His face paled, almost the color of the snow. His hands shook slightly as he dropped into a hasty bow. She stared at him with cool indifference. "What's going on here?" Eimi asked, glancing at the other two. 

"The Avatar was teaching this girl how to waterbend," Master Pakku said. He nearly spit out the words 'this girl.' Eimi clenched her jaw. "That isn't the way our tribe works. You of all people should know this, Princess."

Her fingers twitched at the thought of slapping him across the face. She couldn't do that, though. Instead, she cleared her throat, saying, "I think it's fine for a woman to learn how to waterbend the correct way. I don't think she should learn how to just heal."

Katara shot Eimi a grateful look. Master Pakku looked annoyed with her and said, "You don't understand. You're not a waterbender."

"That doesn't matter. I'm a woman." Eimi paused, blinking once. Twice. "I'm also the chief's daughter who has a lot of say with the goings-on of our tribe." She was lying about that, but he didn't know that.