Departure to Sea
Hakoda, chief of the Southern Water Tribe, has three children. He adores each of them, even though they confuse him at times.
Katara, his youngest, was born early on a cool morning - he remembers that the waters seemed oddly vibrant that day. The moment she took her first breath and leased that ear-piercing wail, the ice began to split underfoot. Only when she finally calmed did it stop. She grew in to a strong-willed young woman with a talent for waterbending, despite never having a teacher.
Hakoda also had the feeling that by the time she reached adulthood, anyone who so much as looks at her the wrong way will pay sorely.
Sokka, his second-born, was born at noon on a cold day that seemed far too normal. Clouds dotted the sky like they'd been meticulously placed just so, and the waves crashed into the ice precisely every five seconds. Sokka grew to be a clever boy, with a talent for building traps. Though he couldn't bend, he had a mind that challenged those of the boys twice his age. As well as Hakoda's own, at times.
Hakoda's oldest, Tobirama, was the one that confused him the most. He was born at midnight under a full moon so large, it looked like it would have touched the ground. Kya almost died that day, but she prayed to Tui and La. The waves grew fierce and silver light streamed into the hut. Then, a boy with skin like snow, hair like moonlight, and eyes like blood was born. He didn't cry, not once, and grew just as quietly. He was light on his feet with wit quicker than a whip and a mind so complex that even the most promising scholars Hakoda met abroad would have been dumbfounded. To him, waterbending came as natural as breathing - though at times it seemed like the water existed for him, and him alone.
Tobirama was fiercely protective of his siblings as well. It was precisely once that one of the older kids in the tribe picked on either Sokka or Katara. But he was also generally unexpressive - absolutely not to be mistaken with unfeeling.
Hakoda adores his children, and was proud of how they grew. But it struck him like a spear to the guy the night Kya died - this was war. He couldn't stay happy with his children in the Southern Water Tribe forever.
He had to gather everyone capable of fighting and their singular healer and board their handful of old wooden warships, so he could set off to war.
Hakoda stood in front of his second-born, who's face was painted like a warrior's and a spear in his gloved hands. His eyes were as fierce as a boy's that age could be.
"But I can fight! You'll need me to come with you!"
Hakoda sighed. It tore him apart to leave his children like this - like icicles skewering him through the chest, one by one - but he couldn't bring the them, they were too young.
Not like that could deter his eldest. Hakoda knew that one was a losing battle the moment the 16 year-old opened his mouth.
"Sokka-"
A young man, taller than anyone else in the Southern Water Tribe, seemed to materialize behind the boy and cut Hakoda off.
"Father knows. We all know, Sokka. You're talented and smart. However, a caribou-fox will not let it's young hunt for two years after they mature."
Hakoda wonders if it's a good or bad thing he's taking Tobirama.
Sokka looked up at his older brother, "But Tobi....."
A smile, one reserved for family, graced the red-eyed youth's face, "I'm only going because the weather is treacherous this year. They will need help if a ship gets caught in the ice. But please consider, Sokka - the food stores will only last so long. Sure, Katara could hunt if you came with us, but there's much else to do, and she's only one girl. You cannot expect the elderly or the children to do it, either. But you, with all of your clever little traps, could easily provide what food is needed. Do not mistake me, I am not telling you that you must take care of the village yourself - Katara can help, she's strong, and the elders have much experience to guide you. You can stay afloat until we return, I trust you. We all do."
Sokka teared up, and Hakoda pulled both his sons to his chest - though Tobirama had to bend down some. He was so proud of them, but he will always regret making them grow up too soon.
He pressed a kiss to Sokka's temple before pulling away, "Stay safe."
Tobirama ruffled Sokka's hair and turned to press something into Katara's hand, whispering something in her ear, to which she nodded.
Hakoda then pulled her into a hug as well, "Don't kill your brother while I'm gone, alright?"
She laughed wetly, nodding.
He turned and boarded the wooden warship known as the Sedna. On her deck he stood, waving at the village as they pulled away. He waved until his arm was sore, his shoulder stung, and the small village he called home faded from view, and then he still waved some more.
The rest of the crew had left below deck or to complete various jobs, but Hakoda stayed where he stood. He knew he shouldn't, but a final, jagged icicle drive through Hakoda's heart.
Then Tobirama was there, a hand on his shoulder, "Don't let your heart ill, Father. I won't tell you to not worry, as it's in a father's right to do so, but they're strong and clever. They'll be alright. Besides, Sedna needs her chief."
Hakoda smiled as his son.
It was a good idea to bring him.
Two days after the Sedna and her fleet left the Southern Water Tribe, they were intercepted by a small group of Fire Nation scouting ships.
They were taken by surprise, ambushed suddenly with bolts of amber-colored flame. Tobirama - already exhausted from keeping their fleet afloat through uncertain, icy water - immediately focused on putting out the fire the raged on their ships.
The firebenders grew more persistent in their assault, and the moment that the flames on the Water Tribe ships were out, Tobirama then made sure that no more of the firey attacks landed and that the glacier positioned precariously above them didn't bury them all alive.
The warriors fought off the soldiers that boarded their ships, but having not fought in all entirety for years, unknowingly allowed a few to slip passed their defenses.
Later, this would be their greatest shame.
A single soldier approached the lone waterbender from behind. Terribly preoccupied, Tobirama didn't notice the armor-clad woman behind him until a searing pain tore up his side.
He scuffled with the solder - one that Tobirama had begrudging respect for, as she was talented - and could only manage to extinguish a few odd blasts of flame aimed at his fleet.
Tobirama couldn't tell how long he fought the woman for, only that it was too long. He was covered in burns, his clothes were all but dinged off, and his vision began to swirl - like looking through whale-newt oil in a puddle.
The solder shot three thin whip-like bolts of orange flame, each quicker than an arrow. He grit his teeth as they hit him, square in the face, only just managing to swing forth a blade of water to sever the woman's head from her shoulders before he drifted into darkness, like a man drowning at sea.
With time, the Water Tribe fleet managed to the fire nation ships. Immediately after it was safe, Hakoda ran to find his son.
When he did, the air left his lungs. He couldn't breathe, and the world sounded as though it were underwater.
Without another thought, Hakoda shot forward, tripping over the bloodied, headless corpse of a soldier to make sure his first-born still drew breath.
Feeling a breath of air brush passed pale lips, Hakoda finally drew a breath of his own, shooting for a bucket of water and a clean rag. The healer, Pana, was there in a moment, wiping the soldier's blood from Tobirama and cutting away what remained of the charred clothes.
Hakoda swallowed bile as he saw what had happened to his son - the boy too mature for his age that had prevented every single one of their own ships from sinking or even getting damaged too badly.
There were three long burns on his face - one on each cheek and one that scored from his lower lip to his neck. Even more whip-slash burns littered the rest of Tobirama's body. Each of them looked like they'd scar.
There weren't enough supplies on the ship to treat him, they had to find a more well-prepared healer nearby.
Two days north, through clearer water, was Kyoshi Island. Two days south, through water that they barely could navigate with a waterbender helping them, was their home.
Though it pained him, Hakoda knew what he had to do.
He turned towards Bato, "Set a course for Kyoshi."