Northern Water Tribe: The Girl in the Snow

~ KIARI

"Haru, come here," the man said, holding out his arms for a hug. He embraced her gently, liking the feel of her warmth. "Death is a hard thing to deal with," he told her, rubbing her back. "And Rikka was a special person to you, I know. If you need anything, you would always have Noriaki and I here for you. You have Tekara and Kouzai.... the triplets." He smiled. "I'm sure Rikka never left your side."

He released her. "We have someone very special in our house," he announced. "Mikuru needs us right now; she is a spirit bender with absolutely no memories of past life. From what I'd seen today I believe I may be able to pull some memories out of her, but that can wait until tomorrow. When everyone is rest up."

He glanced up the steps. "Would you like me to take Noriaki with me to the the market while you stay here to help Mikuru? Or do would you rather feel the need to get out of the house, Haru?" His tone was lilting and understanding, not foreful and not pitying at the same time.

Kiari took Haru into his arm, holding her tightly. She hugged him back with her face in his shoulder. He was always comforting, loving, and most of all, understanding. He pulled away and Haru whipped her eyes once more. She listened to what he said, soaking in each word as always.

"We have someone very special in our house," Kiari announced. "Mikuru needs us right now; she is a spirit bender with absolutely no memories of past life. From what I'd seen today I believe I may be able to pull some memories out of her, but that can wait until tomorrow. When everyone is rest up."

"A spirit bender.." Haru eyes widened. She couldn't believe that there was any left. She knew it was very rare to come across a spirit bend and especially one so young.

Kiari's word snapped her out of her trance as he looked up the old cold stairs leading upstairs. "Would you like me to take Noriaki with me to the the market while you stay here to help Mikuru? Or do would you rather feel the need to get out of the house, Haru?"

The young women stood there a moment thinking, "I will stay here," Haru finally said, "Why don't you take Nori, he loves the snow, and I think the blizzard has died so the market people should be setting back up." Haru gave a normal cheery smile.

Kiari smiled back, glad that Haru's mood was lifting. He ventured to the stairs, climbing it one step at a time. He flashed back to memories when he and Haru were younger, racing up the steps, maybe even taking two at a time, to beat the other to the top.

Close to the second flight, he paused. There was a flash of red, very quick but too bright not to notice. "Nori -- !" he said in alarm, running to the nearest bedroom.

What he saw almost made him keel over.

A majestic red wolf, large and strong enough to carry two full-grown passengers, looked at him with twin, glowing, golden eyes. Noriaki was seated on his back, gripping his crimson fur and staring at Kiari with wide, unafraid eyes. "Look!" he cried. "His name is Fai, and he's been living here by himself for a long time!"

Kiari was speechless. "F-Fai..." he managed to choke out moments later. "Haru and I... we had no idea where you'd gone."

He walked over and hugged the beast around the neck. "I can't believe you're okay."

Nori seemed puzzled that his dad was acting this way. He knew about his auntie that had died, Auntie Rikka, even though Kiari and Haru never talked about her much. They'd always compared her to Tekara, Kiari's sister who'd raised him since he was very young.

Then, Kiari pulled back and petted the quiet, gentle beast on the head. "Please, come out with Nori and I," he told him gently in his familiar soft, lilting manner. "You look like you need something to eat."

Mikuru blinked.

"She is a spirit bender." Kiari said.

A spirit bender? What on earth is a spirit bender..? Mikuru sighed, because again, she didn't know something. Mikuru sat on couch next to Haru, "Will you have any clothes for me?" Mikuru didn't know what to do, so she went along with that everyone else seemed to do, which was helping her.

Mikuru blinked suddenly looking out the window, sensing something. "She's pretty." Mikuru saw a girl, just a little bit outside in the snow. The only reason Mikuru probably sensed her, was because she was probably a spirit. Mikuru wonder if this girl, was Rikka. The girl outside the window waved and smiled. Mikuru blinked and she was gone.

"...I'm.. special, right?" She looked at Haru, "This is why strange things happen.. because I am special.." It was almost like she was stating a fact. Mikuru was now sure she was different, and there is probably no one out there.. like her.

Fai Saw Kiari and began to whimper in a excited way, licking Him sweetly. Kiari asked for him to come with them and he nodded. He was hungry and had been a striae for so long and need a good feeding.

Haru watched as her husband leave the room and she saw the young girl enter the room and sat on the couch looking at her. Haru smiled looking at her. Mikuru looked familiar like she had seen her before but she just shook her head as the child asked for clothes in a soft and sweet voice.

"Oh... Umm yes. I'm sure I can find something around here that can fit you." Haru smiled reaching her hand out to the girl. Mikuru eyes redirected from Haru completely and to the near window. She seemed to see something and the looked back at Haru.

"...I'm.. special, right?" Mikuru asked her looking into Haru's eyes, "This is why strange things happen.. because I am special.."

Haru Smiled, holding out her hand once more to the child. "Yes you are. But It a good thing.. You are rare and carry one of the most cherished bending of them all."

Mikuru would have smiled, but didn't know how to show emotion that well. She appreciated everyone being so caring and helping her. But yet.. she felt she had something else to be doing..

Mikuru kept her feelings to herself. She then turned to Haru again, "I would wish to wear more clothes now." Mikuru stood up and looked at Haru with her pure ocean blue eyes, innocently.

Haru's words still rang in her head aswell. 'Cherished.' Mikuru thought, 'Cherished...'

(( River think she can wear the dress and hat like in her bio? ^_^ ))

Haru pulled the girl to her feet and urged her to follow her up the stairs and to the 2nd floor. She entered Rikka's old room. Her eyes glanced around, recalling a few memories of her childhood.

Old belonging sat in the same spot that they were left in, lining, and filled the room. The Objects held memories and memories brought sadness. Haru could still picture her dying sister laying in bed, ill and still comforting Haru as she wept at the bed-side.

A quick shake of the head and the thoughts where gone. Haru's eye fell upon the Dresser and she opened it scrummaging through the distorted clothes, pulling out a few here and there. She flicked them over her arm and then turned to lay them out on the bed.

"Ok well umm... take you pick I suppose." Haru smiled inviting Mikuru to choose what she wanted to wear.

~ KIARI AND NORIAKI

Fai balanced Noriaki on his back as the trio made their way down the snowy path of the Northern Water Tribe. Fai, though weak with hunger, insisted on carrying him despite Kiari's gentle protests.

The man's long hair fluttered about as bouts of wind left over from the blizzard strayed into his face. Noriaki was quiet, staring around him in a mixture of awe and disbelief. "Is everything... is everything really made of ice here?" he asked. "How are the houses so warm inside?"

Kiari looked at him. "This ice doesn't melt as easily as you think, Nori," was all he said.

They approached a vendor, and Kiari paid for some fish. He fed Fai as soon as possible then, the large beast preferring to eat his food raw. Kiari only allowed him half, however. "Your body needs to adjust to digestion again," he told the wolf firmly. "If you eat too fast, you could regurgitate everything."

Noriaki furrowed his brow because he didn't know what the word meant, but he climbed off Fai's back to allow him to eat; slow, delicate nibbles.

Finally finished, Kiari nuzzled Fai's forehead and took Noriaki's hand.

The trio made way for home.

Mikuru looked around. She spotted a darkish blue dress and matching hat, picking them up. She looked at Haru, "I would like these." Mikuru's eyes continued to be emotionless, just pure ocean blue.

Mikuru blinked, staring at a nearby window. She saw a faded image. Maybe like a memory of some sort, of two girls. One was older, the other probably her younger sibling. The image was two girls playing, a red wolf slowly tackling them. Mikuru blinked, the image disappearing.

Mikuru saw things, many people probably didn't. She looked back to the clothes she picked up and held them tight, turning to Haru.