An Innocent Spark [Zukka]

Chapter 2: The Lost Water Tribe Boy

Sokka stood by as Katara and Pakku transformed a large pile of snow into an elegant stream of water, spinning it above their heads before sending it rapidly towards Sokka. The water came within inches of Sokka's head and he had to duck to avoid it.

"Hey! I thought you two were supposed to be master water benders," Sokka shouted and waved his hands. "Could it hurt you to have better aim?"

Katara rolled her eyes and laughed, "I thought my aim was perfect Sokka." He frowned and put on a pouting face.

"I believe we have a visitor," Pakku said pointing towards the sky where a messenger hawk could be seen flying towards them. Sokka held out his arm and let the hawk land gently on it. He took the letter from his hand and flipped it over to see who it was addressed to.

"Katara it's addressed to the two of us!" Sokka said excitedly before handing it to his sister. She gently opened the letter and exclaimed, "It's from Zuko!"

"Well what does it say?" Sokka asked impatiently trying to take a look at the writing over Katara's shoulder.

"After you get past Zuko's signature awkwardness he asks us to come visit him in the fire nation." She said. Katara finished reading the letter before handing it to her brother.

"It seems like the fire lord missed my signature water tribe humor," Sokka said with a huge dumb grin. Katara rolled her eyes at his comment and walked back over to Pakku. Sokka finished reading the letter and ran over to her and asked, "So when are we leaving?"

"Well Sokka, if you couldn't tell we are a little busy rebuilding our home," Katara said motioning towards the homes they were building for the southern water tribe soldiers who had finally been able to return home after years at war. With this Sokka's shoulders sank and his eyes fell to the snow-covered ground at his feet. "Sorry, I just got excited at the thought of seeing our friend after such a long time. I understand we have a more important job to do first."

"No Sokka wait," Katara said and put her hand on his shoulder. "I never said we weren't going; we just need to finish up a few of the houses before we can leave. With your help I think the three of us can get these last few houses finished in a few days." A comforting smile spread across her face, a smile Sokka had grown used to and relied on after their mother had been killed. His face lit up and he grabbed a shovel. "Let's get to work then!"

Katara went to gather fresh snow for the project from the nearby hillside which left Sokka and Pakku to move freshly crafted furniture into one of the new homes. They grabbed a large wooden table and began carefully carrying it through the narrow doorway.

"You should be very proud of all of the work you and your sister have done Sokka," Pakku said with a small smile. "If it hadn't been for the two of you, I don't think I would have found my way back to the southern tribe, or back to your gran gran for that matter."

"Thanks, but Katara is the one you should be thanking," Sokka said with a sigh, "she's the one who has done most of the work taking care of the families who were displaced due to the war." They set the table down in the middle of the home's living room before making their way back outside.

"You don't give yourself enough credit you know," Pakku said trying to reassure Sokka. Sokka looked up at Pakku and then back down at his feet, contemplating what he had even done to help his tribe after they had helped end the war. All he could say was "You really think so?"

"I know so," Pakku said placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing slightly in a comforting way. "You came up with the plan for how to rebuild the southern tribe after all. Without you we wouldn't have had such a solid idea of what needed built to get the people what they need."

Sokka let a small grin spread across his face. Maybe he was still useful after all. Ever since the end of the war and the splitting up of team Avatar he doubted whether he could still be useful or not. He felt like all he was good at was coming up with their plans and cracking jokes, and it was hard to find his place in the world when there was no war to win or bad guy to take down.

Katara came back with a huge mountain of snow they could use to craft the ice blocks needed to build the outer walls of the village. Pakku gave Sokka a reassuring nod and the three of them got to work, with Katara and Pakku forming large ice blocks and Sokka dragging them into place along the perimeter of the settlement. Even if he didn't recognize it at the time, he was helping make the southern water tribe into a good place to live for his people. Soon he would be able to tell one of his best friends all about the work they had done, and the thought of it made him work even harder to make his home a place he could be proud of.