"WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T FIND HIM?" Yue asks, after all the group sees for what feels like forever is miles and miles of ice.

Kida sighs. Part of her wants to scream at Yue for even considering the possibility that Aang is lost forever, but the other part of her knows that wouldn't be fair, because Kida was thinking the same thing too.

From beside her, Sokka gently grabs her hand. Kida hadn't even noticed him switch spots with Katara, who now sits at the reins and navigates Appa.

"We'll find him," he whispers, squeezing Kida's hand as if sealing a promise.

"Look! That's gotta be Aang!" Katara suddenly shouts. She points to the sky where a flash of energy (probably Aang in spirit form) shoots across and into a cave. She follows, and upon seeing Zuko there too, Katara slides off.

Kida decides to let Katara handle the Zuko situation while Kida goes to untie Aang, then immediately brings him into a bone-crushing hug.

"You know, I'm an airbender but I still need air to breathe," Aang states cheekily.

"Right," Kida says, pulling away. "I'm just happy you're okay."

Behind them, Katara has won in her rematch with Zuko, who now lies unconscious in a pile of snow.

"Serves him right for challenging a waterbender surrounded by frozen water," Kida remarks before high-fiving Katara.

They climb back onto Appa's saddle, but before they take off, Aang hesitates and looks back to the firebender.

"We can't just leave him."

"Sure we can," Sokka says.

"No, if we'll leave him, he'll die," Aang defends. He jumps down to get Zuko and brings him along with them.

"He left me to die," Kida scoffs. "Can't see why he doesn't deserve the same." She's prepared to say more, but when Aang mentions the importance of forgiveness, Kida thinks better of it, because she's gonna need a whole lot of forgiveness after she tells her friends the truth about who she really is.

»»---------------------►

SOMETIME ON THEIR WAY BACK TO THE SPIRIT OASIS, the sky suddenly turns red. Yue almost faints, but Kida catches her in time, and Aang says he feels the same way. When they get to the Spirit Oasis, a Fire Nation soldier — Admiral Zhao, if Kida remembers correctly; there was something eerily familiar about him, too— stands above the pond, with a sack presumably containing Tui, the moon spirit. Sokka, Katara, Kida and Aang descend from Appa, with their weapons ready for battle.

"Don't bother," Zhao warns, raising his hand to set the bag on fire. Instantly, the team drops their fighting stances. Yue slides down from the saddle to stand next to them, cautiously.

"Zhao, don't," Aang pleads.

Zhao laughs bitterly. "It's my destiny to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe."

"Destroying the moon won't hurt just the Water Tribe," Aang continues, trying to reason with Zhao. "It will hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world."

"He is right Zhao!" someone shouts from behind. It's someone Kida has seen before, too, with Zuko. Maybe it was his father? But, no, Zuko's father was the fire lord, so maybe this was his uncle? Whoever this man was, the way in which he doesn't blindly follow Zhao is something Kida admires.

"General Iroh," Zhao says. " Why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?

"I'm no traitor, Zhao, the Fire Nation needs the moon, too; we all depend on the balance. Whatever you do to that spirit I'll unleash on you ten-fold. Let it go, now!"

Surprisingly, Zhao yields to Iroh's threats. Kida hopes this means that they've won, but when Zhao's eyes land on her, a flash of fear moves through her.

"I thought I left you to die," Zhao sneers. And suddenly, all the pieces click together. The soulless eyes. The bitter voice. The ruthlessness that killed her brother. It was all too familiar.

Aang, Katara and Sokka look at Kida, confused, but she tries to appear unfazed. "Turns out I'm hard to kill," she retorts. Kida steps a little closer to him in hopes of appearing confident. "I'm not the same little girl you tried to bury all those years ago."

"Oh, I see how much you've grown. An archer. You are your father's daughter."

Kida smirks. "He taught me well. So did my mother. I could demonstrate, if you're curious."

"Actually, I'm more curious to see how you improved with your firebending. Tell me, what's a firebender doing traveling with the Avatar?"

Kida narrows her eyes, but says nothing, unable to find the correct words to say. She practically holds her breath, as if making one wrong move would make it all come crashing down, the pieces too fractured to even hope for repair.

"Oh. Oh, I see," Zhao mocks, a sickly sweet smile spreading across his face. "They don't know that you're a firebender or that your father was the leader of an elite group of Fire Nation archers. They don't know how deep your Fire Nation roots run, do they?"

"Enough, Zhao!" Aang shouts. "Enough lies."

Taking a deep breath, Kida whispers: "He's not lying." And that's the moment when everything shatters. Aang, Yue and Katara look back at her in shock, and Sokka...spirits Sokka looks so devastated, like he's deciding whether to feel betrayed or sad or angry. Ultimately, he looks heartbroken and it's enough to break Kida's heart, too.

"Pathetic," Zhao laughs.

A wave of anger flows through Kida as she draws her bow, threatening to shoot, taking out all her rage through one arrow. Just as quickly, though Zhao sends a blast of fire to the person standing to Kida's left — Yue.

Before she can even register what she's doing, Kida jumps in front.

»»---------------------►

THE ROOM KIDA IS IN HAS WALLS BUILT FROM ICE. It's freezing and dark, except for a dull glow flickering somewhere near. She walks towards it.

When she finds the source of light, Kida sees her family gathered around a fire. Her father and mother hold hands as Hiro snuggles between them, fast asleep. They don't seem to notice Kida's presence. Somehow this scene feels familiar, safe, warm. Like a memory, only better.

Kida looks around; it's her old home in the Earth Kingdom village she grew up in. She notices the plants on the windowsill, the rocks she and Hiro painted, her mother's sword and her father's bow tucked away in the corner. Everything in its place, where it's meant to be.

"We were wondering when you'd join us," her mother suddenly says. Her voice is soothing like warm milk and honey, calling Kida in and telling her that everything is going to be okay.

"Come on, kiddo, we're waiting for you," her father adds. He smiles; a soft smile that is as warm and comforting as the fire. "Sit with us."

"This isn't real, is it?"

"It's as real as you want it to be," her mother replies.

"Sometimes..." Kida chokes on her tears. She sits down next to her mother. "Sometimes I wish I had died with you. It would have been easier."

"You're a warrior, honey. Or, a dragon, as your father calls it," her mother whispers with a slight chuckle, tucking a piece of hair behind Kida's ear. "Whatever it is, you're a fighter. The life of a fighter is never easy. I'm sorry we left you alone, so soon, but now, if you want, you can stay here, with us."

Kida can't deny that she's tempted. "And...if I don't? What would you tell me then? I...don't know what to do."

Her mother smiles sadly. "To keep us in your heart, but don't let the sadness of the past weigh you down. To find people you love and fight for them. And, if you've already found those people, then frankly, your decision is already made."

Maybe Kida would have stayed, years ago, but like she said to Zhao, she's not the same little girl she once was. She thinks back to the people she's met, the people she's loved: Suki; Aang; Katara; Sokka. Maybe even Yue. These are people she's not ready to lose, and people she's willing to fight for. Kida hugs her mother, trying to thank her, although she can barely speak through her tears.

Her mother understands though and hugs her back tightly. Kida then hugs her father. When she pulls away, Hiro stirs awake. He's beyond happy to see Kida and asks her excitedly if she's going to say.

"I can't Hiro," Kida says. She kisses his forehead. "But we'll see each other again, someday, I promise."

With a heavy heart, Kida walks away.

"Kida," she hears a voice call. It's Yue. "Thank you." Everything seems to blur together, and Kida can't decide if what's happening is real or not. What sticks out is a kiss on the cheek from Yue before she disappears into the sky.

Kida only has a second to register that a streak of her hair turns white, before passing out again.

»»---------------------►

author's note ! there's only one more chapter of book one left ,,, and im not ready!  thanks for continuing to read/comment, it makes my day :)

~blue