Changing Tides

Chapter 1

"Kakuro! I'm home!" I yelled as I entered our rich home. My large polar bear dog came barreling right to the front of the house from where I stood. I threw my hands up in surrender as he tackled me in a fit of excitement. He began licking my face and I couldn't help but chuckle. I rubbed his fluffy neck and I finally pushed him off of me. I stood up and picked up my bag, that was now on the floor from the impact, and headed into the study room.        

I knew if I wasn't working on my school work by time my mother I would get punished, most likely cleaning. I pulled out my scroll and began working on the questions that I had written down from our lesson that our teacher wanted us to answer. I finished with ease and put my school work away. My mother had yet to return, so I placed my school bag in my room and headed to my brothers room.

He has taught me everything he has learned from his waterbending classes in the witching hour of the night.

I knocked politely on the side of the open door, only a curtain separating us. "Come in," my brother Haku spoke.

"Brother," I said entering. He finished putting away the last of his water in the two large vase's that sat on the sides of the doors. "Mother still hasn't come back, and I just wanted to confirm that we were still on for tonight." I stated while looking at my brother.

"Of course baby sis." he said ruffling my hair with his winning smile. He was the leader of his class, and every female swooned over him. He and I shared our looks: dark skin, matching hair color, and the same blue eyes. It was common for the entire tribe to have the same traits, but everyone was different. Some people have darker hair and some have lighter hair. The same works for the eyes. 

"Great, thank you very much big brother." I gave him a side hug. Our position made me internally laugh. Females from all over the tribe would be jealous of me if they saw us. They could only dream of getting this close to my brother.

"Of course." he smiled, but just then I heard our mother's voice call to us. We exited his room and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. We stayed silent as we prepared the meal. As we neared closer to supper time, I set the table for us three. Mother came in just as we finished setting the table with food.

"Hello children." she sat at the end of the table while Haku and I sat across from each other on either sides of her.

"Hello mother, how was your day?" I said while cutting up the fish I had on my plate.

"My day was fine." she said in monotone voice. I sighed inwardly at the way she acted. After father died, she devoted herself to work and shut my brother and me out. That was when I was ten. Seven years later and it is the same thing. That's how my brother and I grew so close, however. We found comfort in each others presences and waterbending. While he taught me to fight and improve my waterbending, I taught him to heal.

My brother and I have advanced far more then the people in our classes because we bounced ideas off each other and tried new moves. We worked better together.

"Did you two do your homework and practice?" her tone was firm as she looked between the two of us.

"Of course, mother." my brother answered while looking at his plate.

"Yes mother." I nodded. The rest of the dinner was complete and utter silent. Soon enough she finished and retreated to her room, like she does every night to work. My brother and I filled the evening with cleaning the dishes or anything to keep us occupied.

Soon enough we found ourselves in the living area, Kakuro laying on the seal skin rug. I sighed softly and laid my head on my brother shoulder. I was in deep conflict about how mother has been pestering and bugging us. It almost hurt how thoughtless she was to her own children. She should've been there for us, not close us out.