"Do you want to come with Hama and I, YN? You may not be a Southern Tribe girl, but you're still a water bender." Katara asked you politely as the day turned to dusk. She was about to head out for training with Hama.

"Nah, but thanks, Katara. Imma go practice on my own in the woods. That way no one gon' see me." You waved at her as you took off in the direction of the forest.

"Alright, be safe! Tonights the full moon, so maybe you'll really get some good practice in!" She called out after you.

"Thanks!" You shouted as you took off.

It only took about fifteen minutes to get to the wooded area, but you decided to go another five or ten minutes in, to ensure your safety and privacy. Safety, to make sure you weren't caught. Privacy, to make sure you didn't embarrass yourself with your awful waterbending.

"Today's the day. Imma do it. At least be able to control as much water as tall as I am. That's the goal." You mumbled to yourself.

And a lofty goal it was; you had difficulty holding a ball of water as big as your hand without struggling. Something wasn't working— whether it was your bending style, or your innate ability, or even just the water itself (quite unlikely). And today was going to be the day to try and figure that out.

As you stood next to a crick in the woods, you began by trying to lift as much water as you could. But you couldn't. You were able to make a bump in the river, but otherwise, you couldn't separate a chunk of water from the flow. So then, you tried less water. You got a bit further, but still; you couldn't pull it up.

After about thirty minutes of this, you gave up on it. Plopping down on the forest floor, you were already tired. It just wasn't working. You let out a small groan of frustration as you desperately tried to figure out your problem.

"I can't guide the stupid water up..." You said to yourself as you noticed it getting darker around you. "And I already know ya can't ask the water to work with me like Katara be doin'... I just feel like I ain't powerful enough. And this is like... max power."

You bent a ball of water above your head again; knowing that you could at least do that. Centering your breath, you tried to stretch the ball out to at least be in a cylinder. But it wouldn't do it. Instead, it would pulse out and then pulse back to a sphere. And then stretch a little more, and then bounce right back. Out. In. Out further. Back in.

"Like the damn heart." You grumbled to yourself as you tried to force it out flat.

Then you sat up. Having released your own bending, the ball of water fell onto your head splashing you; but you didn't care. Standing back up, you had an idea of what to do.