Journey's Path [Aang]

[Katara]

((OOC: This post occurs somewhere over the oceans between the Air Temple and the Southern tribes. I am going to use it to lead Katara into believing Chan is the Moon Goddess when she first sees her from afar..))

The air rushed past their small group as Appa flew through the inky sky brushing Katara’s tan cheeks and sending her wavy chestnut hair dancing behind her like a flag. Squeezing her legs upward to her chest, she rested her chin atop her knees and stared at the starlit sky.

The only words that passed her lips were in reply to questions but otherwise…she remained deep in contemplation. ‘I’ll stay just long enough for Aang to find a master or…if he wants the newcomer as his teacher…’

The waterbender swallowed hard at the thought of remaining in the South while the Avatar moved toward his destiny…without her. ‘Perhaps one of the masters would teach me? Still , it would take far too long for me to be of any help to Aang.’ Back and forth, like the tides below, her thoughts raced.

Katara’s azure eyes quickly sought the moon. Even as a child, she’d felt a connection to the radiant orb. “Why…why were Sokka and I the one’s to find Aang?” she whispered cutting a glance toward the arrow marked head reflected in the waxing moonlight.

She returned her focus once again to moon ..staring at it deep in thought. Time drifted past much like the wind and her head began nodding slightly ..her eyes fluttering closed only to jerk open as a warmth pressed against her cheek.

“ Why do you step away from your path, Katara?” the wind rustled next to her ear.

The brunette’s head shifted to find a beautiful woman with shimmering white hair and bright aqua eyes.

“Wha? Who?” she whispered before her mouth fell open in shock.

“Your calling of those who control the water of life is given for many purposes ..and yours is as equally as important as the Avatars.” the soft breezy voice continued.

“But I’ve only been trained to heal and ..my control for fighting is horrible.” she paused to look down in shame. “ I would have failed Sokka and Aang if the other bender hadn’t come along..” the words swept like a rushing stream after a storm.

“Yes each step on our journey is meant to learn… such as the numerous places where water flows ..to strengthen yet far too often taken for granted it’s essence believed weak…” the voice drifted off her luminous eyes lowering in sorrow.

“What should I do? I mean..Aang will meet a master water
bender..even..” she paused to look behind her at the young man capable of whipping with water.

The stunning Moon Goddess’ lips rose and she nodded. “Yes Katara his talents are needed as are Sokka’s and others who’ll step on your path but you must realize that it is not only your skills with water that will aid the young air bender ? The heart.. Child…remember ..the heart controls all the elements.” the lovely lady imparted before her face began to fade upward to merge with the glowing nearly full crescent.

“No! Wait! I need to know …” Katara called out rising to a kneeling position.

“Trust your heart ..” she heard as the waft of air whisper before also fading into the moon's silhouette.

[Aang]

The airbender was woken up by the sound of his friend's voice. He had been sleeping, lightly though which is why the sound of her voice had woken him up so easilly. He thought about moving, but instead, he just stayed still and looked up at the stars without saying a word. The young avatar couldn't stop thinking about the monks, he kept hearing their voices and they just wouldn't go away. He tried to think of other things but he couldn't... he'd been gone for so long.

“No! Wait! I need to know …”

He lifted his head as the girl moved into a kneeling position. He wondered why she wasn't asleep... and who the heck she was talking to. Aang raised an eyebrow as he spoke, a confused tone was in his voice. "Umm, Katara? Who're you talking to?" he leaned forward more and shifted his body into a sitting position. He looked at his friends who were all resting on Appa's saddle. But he had made new friends, even though a lot had changed over the years while he was frozen in that iceberg.

The boy smiled at the waterbender, even though he didn't understand why. Maybe he was just happy that he was able to meet her and her brother. That even though the air nomads were gone, he still had a family.

[Katara]

Katara sat on her calves with a sigh and continued staring upward wondering if she’d just seen the Moon Princess or had it simply been a dream?

"Umm, Katara? Who're you talking to?" Aang leaned forward more and shifted his body into a sitting position.

Jerking her head in surprise, the water bender swallowed hard at finding Aang looking at her in confusion.

“Ahhh ..Aang! “ Katara let out a nervous laugh and glanced up at the moon before returning to give him a small smile. “I think I must have been talking in my sleep?” There was a short uncomfortable pause before adding with humor filled eyes. “Guess it’s a good thing I don’t sleep walk. “

The water bender hadn’t been alone with Aang since their new friend had joined them and she was feeling a bit nervous yet wasn’t quite sure why. Was it because he’d caught her imagining that she’d spoken to the Moon Goddess or because she’d failed to protect him at the Air temple or…something else? “Are you okay Aang? I mean…it must have been hard going home and finding the temples destroyed and…everyone gone.” she said softly while laying a caring hand to his shoulder.

[Aang]

“Ahhh ..Aang! I think I must have been talking in my sleep?”

"Oh..." he nodded, assuming that that was probably what had happened. He used to know people who talked in their sleep and they could really say some strange things, that was for sure.

“Guess it’s a good thing I don’t sleep walk. “

"Yeah," he laughed, but he made sure to laugh quiet enough so that he wouldn't wake the others.

“Are you okay Aang? I mean…it must have been hard going home and finding the temples destroyed and…everyone gone.”

He sighed and looked away from her for a moment. "I think... I'm okay," he said quietly. And then he turned to her with brighter eyes than before. "Plus, there are still other temples!" Though they were probably abandoned as well, but he didn't want to think of that as a possibility... so he didn't think about it at all.

Aang was quiet for a few moments while he looked up at the night sky. "Besides... I was able to meet you guys. That counts as something," he shrugged, his eyes shifting from the stars, back to his friend, and then back up to the stars.

[Katara]

Aang sighed and looked away from her for a moment. "I think... I'm okay," he said quietly. And then he turned to her with brighter eyes than before. "Plus, there are still other temples!"

Katara sat and watched his expressive face move from sad reflection to hopeful expectation. The older girl was worried but tried her best not to let her thoughts reveal themselves in hr facial expressions. Aang was such a mix of conflicting elements that she had yet to find in any of her childhood friends. Sometimes he saw through the facades in the world around them to the core and clearness of a young child while at other times he seemed to impart a bit of wisdom that matched the hundred years which had passed while he slept
.
The water bender had enough difficulty understanding boys at all and Sokka was the optimum example for she’d yet to figure out why he did half the things he did.

But in truth, Aang wasn’t simply a young boy seeking to find his way in a world radically changed since his long dormancy. No..he was the Avatar and she knew that the weight he must bear from that alone was far more difficult than her petty feelings of jealousy and disappointing failure.

Aang was quiet for a few moments while he looked up at the night sky. "Besides... I was able to meet you guys. That counts as something," he shrugged, his eyes shifting from the stars, back to his friend, and then back up to the stars.

How could she not smile back at his open optimism? It was what she liked the most about him. Even when she doubted herself, his smile made her believe that somehow he would fulfill his destiny and save the world from burning beneath the Fire Lord’s rule. A small movement had her peeking over the air bender’s head to catch a glimpse of the lemur peeking over at them from atop Appa’s head where he’d been comfortably snuggled down for the night.

Nodding her head in the small creature’s direction she gave a dimpled grin, “Yes it counts for a lot Aang. And it seems you'e collecting even more friends along the way. “

Katara paused for a moment to look back up at the moon while the words the Goddess spoke echoed in her head. “ I hope my calling out didn’t wake you up..“ the water bender apologized softly. ”I don’t want to keep you form your rest.…but I don’t think I can sleep for awhile…the dream just...seemed so real .”

[Aang]

“Yes it counts for a lot Aang. And it seems you're collecting even more friends along the way."

The boy twisted his body around to see what she was looking at, their new pet lemur. "Yeah, you're right," he laughed as he turned to face Katara once again. They had already decided on the name of the small furry creature, they called him 'Momo', and the name definitely seemed to fit.

Her words made him wonder about his old friends. Friends from before the war. They'd be so old... if they were even alive. And they had been from every nation as well, even the Fire Nation.

“ I hope my calling out didn’t wake you up.. I don’t want to keep you form your rest.…but I don’t think I can sleep for awhile…the dream just...seemed so real.”

"Oh, no. It's okay, I slept for a long time you know," Aang assured her. But he was suddenly overcome with curiosity, about her dream, about her. "What was it about...?" the airbender asked his friend politely. He tilted his head towards Sokka as he began to snore louder and louder.

[Katara]

"Oh, no. It's okay, I slept for a long time you know," Aang assured her. But he was suddenly overcome with curiosity, about her dream, about her. "What was it about...?" the airbender asked his friend politely. He tilted his head towards Sokka as he began to snore louder and louder.

Katara gave a low chuckle as her brother’s snorting grew ever louder but her gaze became somewhat pensive as she thought on how to reply to Aang’s question. ‘Will he think I’m crazy? Or even worse…laugh at me?’ she struggled her bottom lip trapped nervously between her teeth.

“Well…It’s silly really..You know one of those dreams you have when you're …worried about something ..but..” she paused for a moment and gathered her courage before hurriedly gushing, “I saw the Moon Goddess. I mean…in my dream of course..well I think so anyway.” Once she’d began, Katara didn’t seem to be able to stop..almost as if she needed to share the moment with someone and in truth …she was really glad it was with Aang.

“I always used to talk to her as a kid..ya know? The Moon Goddess is special to all water benders because…well she controls the world's tides. My mother..” the water bender paused as her mother’s face danced before her in tender memory. " ..would tell us about how she would hear our prayers and sometimes …even answer them.”

Tilting her head back, she locked eyes with the glowing sliver before returning to gaze into her friend’s face. “I was worried, after we left air temple that..” She swallowed hard at her discomfort with sharing her personal fear and jelousy. “..that you didn’t need me anymore .. with Ken here. I understand really!! He's so much better at water bending and…” Katara lowered her head to look down at her lap where her hands now lay tightly clasped. "..I'm not really very good at all."

[Aang]

“I saw the Moon Goddess. I mean…in my dream of course..well I think so anyway.”

"The Moon Goddess?!" the boy leaned forward as he began to gain interest in her story, his knees were pressed against Appa's saddle while he listened to her. He didn't know what the Moon Goddess looked like, but he imagined that she would look... well, like a goddess.

“I always used to talk to her as a kid..ya know? The Moon Goddess is special to all water benders because…well she controls the world's tides. My mother.... would tell us about how she would hear our prayers and sometimes …even answer them.”

"So..." he spoke quietly while looking up at the glowing moon. "Has she ever answered any of your prayers?" Aang asked as he turned his attention back to his friend. He wasn't sure if his question had been too personal but.. oh well, he had already said it.

“I was worried, after we left air temple that.... that you didn’t need me anymore .. with Ken here. I understand really!! He's so much better at water bending and….. I'm not really very good at all."

The airbender was honestly shocked at the way Katara was acting all of a sudden. She didn't think she was good enough compared to the new guy. "Of course I need you, both you and Sokka!" he tried to convince the waterbender that he liked her even more than Ken, regardless of who was better at bending. "I like you... better than him. And we were gonna learn waterbending together right?" he asked hopefully.

[Katara]

"The Moon Goddess?!"

At Aang’s honest interest, Katara gave a vigorous nod while her lips rose slightly upward.

“"So..." he spoke quietly while looking up at the glowing moon. "Has she ever answered any of your prayers?" Aang asked as he turned his attention back to his friend.

The water bender sat for a moment in silence reflecting on her friend’s question; fingers now nervously plucking at hers skirt.

"Of course I need you, both you and Sokka! I like you... better than him. And we were gonna learn waterbending together right?"

She lifted her face as his kindhearted words swept gently through her doubts and feelings of ineptitude. Her teary azure eyes met his large caring gray which were filled with hopeful expectation. Katara stared at Aang in silence for a few moments and felt her spirit lighten while a passing breeze carried the Moon Goddess' words once more past her ear, “Trust your heart ..”

Nodding in confirmation to both, she gave Aang one of her brightest smiles. “Yes Aang…..we are going to learn waterbending..together.” She knew in that instant that even without her bending, she would stand beside her friend and do whatever was needed in order to protect him. Katara cut a glance to her snoring brother, Ken and the small lemur before giving Aang a teasing grin. “We can always use Sokka for practice…it might help his snoring.”

[Aang]

“Yes Aang…..we are going to learn waterbending..together."

A large smile spread across his face and he almost leapt up with joy because he was so excited. But, he thought better not to since they were flying, and instead he just threw up his arms and said, "Great!!" His reaction had scared Momo, causing the lemur to make a shrieking noise as it dashed from one side of Appa's saddle to the other.

"We can always use Sokka for practice…it might help his snoring.”

The small boy laughed at the thought of using Sokka for practicing waterbending on. But... he was kind of embarrased that he still only knew airbending. After 112 years, you would think that he would know more than that, but, sadly, he didn't. "Umm, I still can't waterbend... at all," he said in a somewhat depressed tone of voice. At least she knew the basics and such, he wouldn't be able to practice at all until he could at least control the water a little bit.

Water... then earth... and then fire. Aang had to learn each element but he didn't even know anything about any of them, except for air. He at least needed to get a start on waterbending. Maybe now was a good time. Katara could maybe show him what she knew... right?

[Katara]

Katara couldn’t help but giggle openly at Aang’s excitement as he threw his hands up in the air. Her small giggles soon turned to outright laughter as Momo voiced his displeasure at their joyful glee by scurrying to the other side of the Bison’s saddle, making squawking noises as he went.

When she spun her eyes back to meet Aang’s , she was taken aback by the apprehensive look that now appeared upon his face

"Umm, I still can't water bend... at all," he said in a somewhat depressed tone of voice.

Reaching out, Katara gently touched his hand. “I’ve got a lot to learn as well Aang but…” she said her azure eyes now glowing as the moonlight shimmered down. " We just have to take it one step at a time. " She paused for a moment before rising unsteasdlily up to her feet. " Tell ya what..why don’t we start here and now? I can show you a few of the movements? “ she said while peeking down to see the moon’s rays dancing across the rippling waters of the sea. “Do you think you can talk Appa into …flying a bit lower?” The pretty brunette asked with a conspiratorial dimpled grin.

[Aang]

“I’ve got a lot to learn as well Aang but… We just have to take it one step at a time. "

"Alright," the boy watched as the waterbender rose to her feet.

"Tell ya what..why don’t we start here and now? I can show you a few of the movements? Do you think you can talk Appa into …flying a bit lower?”

"Umm, okay.." Aang answered both of her questions with one answer. He was still a bit nervous about the idea of bending a new element, one that wasn't air like he was used to.

He scrambled over Appa's saddle and onto the bison's furry neck where the reins were resting. The airbender took control of the reins and directed the large beast to fly lower, closer to the water. "That's close enough, buddy," he said quietly to the bison and then turned around. He climbed back over the large saddle and stood in the spot where he had been sitting a few moments ago.

"Show me something!" he said excitedly while watching her closely. He made sure to watch her hands and her stance to see how she moved in order to control the water. He figured that it wouldn't be like airbending and that he would have to pay really good attention to what she showed him.

[Katara]

Katara followed Aang as he picked up the reigns and sent the bison flying about ten feet from the water. Her eyes now shinning with excitement, she nodded at his request to show him something.

“Water and air both have a rhythm to them as they flow. With water bending, you want to extend your arms in a fluid movement which often mimics element’s natural flow.” Seeing the glaze eyed look on Aang’s face, the brunette took long forward step with the right leg while slowly raising her right arm upward in a graceful sweeping motion. Behind the moon lit silhouette of the girl, a plume of water rose upward from the sea.

The novice water bender gave sigh of relief that her bending had worked and lowered her head toward her bald headed friend, “Now your turn. Just take it slowly…”