Bad Moon Rising | Book 4

11: Soulmates

Art: Artist Not Found

Dawn had arrived, and the morning was beginning to settle by the time they reached Ursa's house. Sokka waited with Noren and Kiyi—each of which looked surprised to see the woman walking beside Zuko.

It took some delicate clarifying and careful wording to explain what had happened, especially to Kiyi. However, no rationalization would make it easier for the child to accept that her mother had a new face. Choosing not to push her, Ursa kept her distance.

Aang, Katara, and Sokka decided to go back to the forest to see if they could catch up to Azula, leaving the family to sort things out.  Kida stayed behind by Kiyi's request. Kida didn't want to intrude, but she also wasn't entirely upset that she got to stay.

She sat with Noren and the little girl, helping make breakfast while Zuko and Ursa talked. "So you aren't from the Fire Nation?" Kiyi asked, evidently amazed to meet anyone who isn't from her country.

"Nope." Kida shook her head. "My tribe is from the South Pole."

"What's it like?"

Kida thought for a moment but found herself only able to think of one adjective. "Cold. Very cold. It snows almost year-round."

Kiyi tilted her head curiously. "Snow? What's that?"

A chuckle came from Noren. Kida always forgot that most people, especially those in the tropical regions of the Fire Nation, had never experienced snow, many never even having heard of it. What else was to be expected of people who lived on volcanic islands?

"It's really cold white stuff..." Kida attempted to explain, but Kiyi just looked more puzzled.

Kida looked down at the cup of water Noren had offered her when she joined them. Maybe a demonstration would be more effective. "Well, it's this..." She held a delicate finger over the cup, pulling out a tiny water spout that turned into a sphere in her hand. She put the cup on the ground then placed her other hand over the sphere. She pushed down gently, feeling the water harden and cool between her palms. Finally, she pulled her hand away to reveal a perfectly formed snowball.

"Whoa!" Kiyi exclaimed, her eyes shimmering in delight. Noren looked just as amazed from beside her but attempted to keep it internal.

Kida held out the ball, offering it to the girl. "You can hold it, but it'll melt pretty quickly."

Kiyi held out waiting hands in excited anticipation. She squealed the moment she felt the cold orb on her skin, but it quickly turned into a laugh of delight.

"What are you guys up to?" Zuko inquired as he and Ursa returned.

Kida instinctively took the hand which he placed on her shoulder, smiling up at him. "I'm showing Kiyi here what snow is."

"Mommy, look–" Kiyi stopped mid-sentence when she looked up and saw Ursa's face instead of Noriko's. "I mean, never mind," she mumbled, looking back down at the snow in her hands.

There was a moment of joy on the woman's face before Ursa made the same realization as Kiyi. She shrunk in on herself, subconsciously touching her face even though she tried to keep a smile on her mouth.

"It's really something, huh?" Noren said to his daughter, trying to perk her up again.

Kiyi's mood lifted easily again. "It's so cool!"