Past the fake smiles {Open}

Nova smiled after kissing Pupa, her pet eel hound. For a long time he had been her closest and only friend and she just couldn't imagine life without him. The eel hound nuzzled into the kiss and then settling in the soft pillows that lay at the foot of Nova's bed, drifted off too sleep. Nova smiled at Pupa watching him rest. She didn't like riding him when she visted the tribes because she knew of his dislike towards to cold weather.
" I'll be back Pupa. I'm just going out for a walk."
A small sound of acknowledgment came from pupa and he raised his head to watch his master leave.
Nova smiled at her companion before pulling her coat on and walking out into the cold.

" I wonder who is teaching the benders healing now.."
Walking from the house that was left to her, Nova began to think of Kana the person who taught her to use her water bending abilities for healing purposes. Boy was she going to miss that woman. The only thing she had left to remember her by was the house Kana left for Nova when she passed. Memories were alive in that home and she didn't change a single thing in the place.
" Hm? "
Being lost in thought about the past usually left the brunette lost or just wandering until she stopped. Looking around she found herself staring at a child who looked to be rummaging in a bag. This struck the curious Nova and the woman walked over to the girl.

" Hello little one. Are you in need of assistance?"
Her blue eyes were kind behind clear glasses. Her voice was clear but open, she didn't want to scare the child and did the best she could in not scaring her away.

Nanuq laughed hearty as he walked out onto the pathway ,atop the wall of the Northern Water Tribe, with his good long time friend Paqu who had just recently joined the guard service for the tribe. "Don't tell me you wish to stay in your current position?" Nanuq asked his friend, holding back another burst of laughter with a smile, "But why not? I am protecting the ones i love. Unlike you who travels the world and only very rarely decides to come back and see his friends. You are supposed to be a Master for the Royal Family and to train the young ones, not a nomad" Paqu replied, returning a grin and a slight chuckle.

The sun was just rising above the seemingly endless ice tundra that loomed in the distance beyond the wall. There was nothing in sight nor any sign that there might be; only a thin channel remained for boats to pass in and out from the tribe, the rest of the water was almost frozen over and it was very rare for people to travel by ice so that portion was hardly ever looked upon by the guards who paced the wall. "So, why now?" Paqu finally asked after a moment of silence, "Why come now after nearly a year of being gone? I thought you were would be gone for surely a few years" he added, "Well.." Nanuq replied with a sigh, "I guess you could say that something told me to come back. And whose to say i don't miss my friends here? After all, this is my home and i do love it". Nanuq ruffled his friends hair with a smile as his attention peered over to the icy tundra in front of him with a smile.

Hearing the child decline her help didn't upset Nova but only fueled her desire to help even more. Nova knew better when it came to the youngins and before she could say anything the child pulled her along into a tavern. The tavern was warm and filled with scents of traditional tribe foods. Since Nova had arrived in the southern water tribe she had not enjoy a proper meal.
Removing her glasses she pulled out a napkin from her coat pocket and looked from the child to the waiter.

" I will have the same. "

Watching the young waiter walk away she put her glasses back on and returned her gaze to the child. She looked young and was no doubt too young to be out and about on her own. Taking in the child's features she could tell that she had been crying earlier. Smiling she reached out and pushed a strand if the girl's hair from her face.

" Thank you. Do not worry I will take care of this meal, if there is anything else you want please feel free to order. "

Removing her coat, Nova sat in her buttoned white shirt and long purple skirt. The tavern was quite cozy and it was no more need for her very warm coat.

" My name is Nova. What's yours? And what seems to be burdening you. It's no use lying but if you don't want to say, I will not pry."

Her voice was calm and in control, not too pushy but not without care.

"T-Thank you miss" She thanked her and nodded her head with a little smile popping from her mouth. "M-M-My name is Zelda, My m-mother tried to kill me many years ago but now my family thinks I'm weak and helpless s-so I left. I have the water healing down b-but not the fighting" She looked down and looked to her hands with a sigh. "M-M-My f-family hates me." She frowned but kept blinking so the tears wouldn't come out.

The patrol of the wall proved to be a long drawn out waste of time apart from the moments Nanuq spent with his childhood friend, Paqu. Being back home brought a feeling of relaxation and warmth to Nanuq as he calmly weaved through the streets before his eyes were struck by a warming light that emitted from the tavern to his left. The quaint tavern reminded Nanuq of his younger days with his father and mother who took him out to the tavern every other Tuesday when fishing became hard.

"I guess i have enough time" Nanuq mumbled ,mostly to himself, before ascending up the steps and entering the warm hearty tavern. Immediately a wave of smells slithered into his nose like a serpent and struck his facial nervous system, causing a smile to form that shined ear to ear. "For one sir?" One waitress asked Nanuq, seemingly appearing out of nowhere to great him at the door, "Oh. Yes, thank you" Nanuq replied with a slight bow of respect before he was escorted to his seat.

He was escorted past several groups of local water tribe couples, families and even friends. But one inparticular caught his eye; it was the group of two women, one very young, more than likely in her early teens and the other a twenty something year old who acted as the young ones care taker. The uneasiness of the young one was prominently displayed on her bodily language and in part, her facial expression. Nanuq was seated a few feet away from the two, whom he keep an eye out for as he ordered his favorite soup and sent the waitress off. Something was unique about the two and it resulted in Nanuq's fascination and intrigue as he watched them then glanced back at his drink to stop from staring at them.