Northern Water Tribe: The Girl in the Snow

((OOC: Kiari is traveling from the Fire Nation to the Northern Water tribe, along with Haru and his son Noriaki. The first paragraph is ambiguous and could be interpreted in vice versa, this note is to clear things up.))

~ KIARI

The frigid wind breezed across Kiari's face, shocking him somewhat. It seems like minutes ago he was just sailing away from the warm, tropical world of the Fire Nation. And although this wind was pleasant enough, the youth couldn't help but feel a small flutter of trepidation as he neared his homeland.

It had been so long since he'd been here, and although he and Tekara made two quick visits with him in the past, it was nothing like this. He was going to stay he a while and further his knowledge with healing. He was going to speak with the experts themselves, and possibly learn many new things. Moreover, he was finally going to be recognized for his mastery in Waterbending.

The last time he'd seen his beautiful wife was that morning. It was only a scant hour ago he'd woken up and gazed upon her beautiful face. As a child he'd been introverted but very kind and opening towards others. Tekara said it wasn't a surprise that he found his true love so soon.

"Passengers, passengers, please get ready to disembark the ship."

Kiari sighed. Time to go collect his luggage.

Mikuru woke up from sleeping in the snow. She was wearing only a white dress with spaghetti straps. She looked around, only seeing snow. Mikuru didn't know anything. Not her name, or her family, or even who she was. She felt her face, it being as cold as ice. Mikuru stays sitting in the snow, just thinking. She looked down, her winter white hair in her face. Mikuru tried speaking but stops herself. At the moment, she was now laying, wondering what is happening.

All around her was snow. Not a tribe or village seen. But in the far off distance, just a little farther away.. you could see blurs of the boats arriving, and a little bit of smoke in the air from the fires of the houses trying to keep warm.

Mikuru blinked, it didn't bother her that she was in the cold. She actually enjoyed it. Mikuru looked around with her pure ocean blue eyes, watching the smoke in the air and the snow falling around her. The wind brushed her snow white hair. Mikuru thought about sitting up, but didn't feel like it. She wanted to know.. who she was, where she was, and why she was there in all the places. And so, Mikuru just was laying down in the snow.. some far away from a village, just thinking.

Time had passed since Kiari and Haru left the north pole. Since the two where together, Haru had their son, Noriaki. Noriaki was eight now and was progressing into his bending. Haru, herself was a fire bender and her husband was a water bender, and meretriciously Noriaki had developed light bending! Haru struggled to help her son with his bending and was only able to show him her moves to help him with his.

Both Haru and Noriaki made their way to the deck to meet Kiari. Noriaki carried a stuffed bear that Haru made for him. Haru was dressed in purple and her hair was now long and curly. She stood next to Kiari looking out at the sea and the places she was born and raised in. "It hasn't changed.." Haru smiled looking around.

~ KIARI

Kiari leaned down to give his son a hug before answering. "You're right, Haru, it hasn't. Too bad I never lived here for long myself," he thought for a moment. "I only have about two years of memories of this place, and those are vague, and yet, joyful all the same."

"Dad!" Noriaki called suddenly. "People are coming!" he thrust a finger at the moving passengers, all milling out onto the deck.

"It's only a few minutes until we depart," Kiari murmered. "I'll go get the luggage, and you and your mother can go on ahead."

Noriaki looked reproachful. "What if the boat sails off with you still on board?"

Kiari smiled softly. "It won't take that long Nori. I'll meet you two at the harbour."

Mikuru blinked and suddenly closed her eyes tight. She was almost crawled into a little ball. She didn't know what was happening, seeing a huge pure white bird hovering over her, though looking it like was protecting her from the falling snow.

Mikuru didn't know she was a spirit bender, so she was definately scared. Mikuru was nervous, because it ws such a big bird. So she just layed there, laying down, but now protected from the snow.

A few minutes later, Mikuru opened her eyes.

The bird was gone. Mikuru rubbed her eyes. She then again, almost spoke, but stopped herself. She wondered what just happened. Maybe she was just seeing things. She didn't know. So the girl with the lost memory, continued to just lay down, but now crawled up in a ball.

Haru smiled at her husband giving him a thankful nod and grabbed Noriaki's hand, pulling him to the edge of the boat for where the boat docks, and onto the dock. "Come on Nori." She whispered softly, "Papa will be fine.. Lets go to the harbor."

Noriaki looked back hesitant to go but followed him mother, now pulling her along and towards the snow. He loved the snow and cupped some into his hand.

Haru smiled, recalling memories of her child hood for when her and Kiari played together. Noriaki was a bit like his father and was still young. She looked back at Kiari seeing if he was coming.

~ KIARI

Kiari shuffled across the deck, the luggage weighing him down considerably. He piled off the boat with the other passengers, being careful not to jostle anyone. Minutes later he joined his wife and son at the loading docks. Handing Haru her own luggage, he took a few contemplative glances around.

"Yup, the exact same," he noted. He started to walk, pushing through the throngs of people to get into the city. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted something odd, like a girl lying in the snow. She was far away, nothing but a speck, and lying a good ways away from civilization. If it weren't for Kiari's keen senses she would've been left undetected.

His doctoring instincts kicked in. "Haru," he said in alarm. "Follow me." Abandoning his luggage, he started to shuffle through the snow towards the girl.

"Hey!" he called. "Are you all right?"

Mikuru's snow white hair was in her face as she way laying there. Mikuru heard a voice, but didn't voice towards him. Mikuru stayed crawled up in her little ball laying there with her eyes closed.

Mikuru heard a bird make a loud, "Ka-Kaw!" Was it just her hearing things?

Mikuru's eyes suddenly shot open. Mikuru realized there were a pattern in the snow that looked like wings around her, almost making her look like she has big white wings behind her. She wondered how that pattern got there. There wasn't anything there near her, just a man slowly making his way towards her. How could it be there without her noticing..? But then Mikuru noticed something in the ground. It blended in so well, she would have missed it. It was a simple white feather. Mikuru slowly moved her arm to reach it. She was shaking terribly.

Mikuru reached the feather, and just left her arm there touching it. She was so weak.. Mikuru..almost actually wanted the man to find her.

Haru turned to see Kiari walk off of the boat and turns them. He handed her her bag and she took it slinging it over her shoulder and looked back at Noriaki as he throw the snow into the air and held his tongue out.

"Haru," Kiari said with alarm in his voice. Haru looked over at Her husband, curious on what he wanting. She noticed his eyes locked onto something in the distances. "Follow me." Kiari started to shuffle through the snow towards the spot his eyes where locked upon.

Haru blinked at Kiari as he urged her to follow him. "Noriaki wait here and watch the luggage.. We'll be right back." She Turned from Nori and ran after her husband, following close behind. As they got closer, Haru noticed the girl laying in the snow. "What ... How did.." Haru became unable to put her questions into words as she approached.

~ KIARI

Kiari's pretty violet eyes narrowed as he knelt next to the girl. She was definitely awake, he was sure, and she had the strangest white hair and cerulean eyes. She gazed at him confusedly, seemingly vacant of knowledge and intuition. Then he glanced around herself for a moment, face smoothing into a mildly surprised expressoin. Her eyes fixed on something specific, and she reached for it. Though Kiari saw nothing.

Haru shuffled in beside him, knee-deep in the snow. "What... how did....?" she breathed, icy mist blowing from her lips.

"She should be freezing in this weather," Kiari announced. "We have to take her somewhere warmer. Get her to civilization. The cold might've given her perpetual numbness by now, and her brain could be suffering as well." But something in his mind told him that she wasn't as cold as he'd thought.

Shaking his head, he said, "Young miss, will you allow me to carry you?"