#tahue

He had never known the world could be so bone-chillingly cold. The wind bit clean through the leather and fur of his borrowed parka, yet still Tahno refused to bow his head to the wind, oh no; instead, he lifted his chin, the brittle, icy fingers of the icy air slipping beneath the gap to caress the pale skin of his throat and chest. He had waited far too long to let something so simple as a breeze mar this day. Finally, their journey was drawing to an end; no more sea biscuits, or dried meat. It had taken what seemed like eons to reach the Northern Water Tribe… well, he at least thought they had reached the Northern Water Tribe. The ship had reduced its pace to a slow chug, and though this aggravated Tahno to no end, he understood the necessity; sea ice could be particularly dangerous this time of year, even with a capable water bender on board. Flexing his hands within the leather of his gloves, Tahno couldn’t help the grin that sliced across his wind chapped cheeks. All around him he could feel the quiet motion of the sea, its waves whispering a gentle tune. It brought a peace over him, a peace unlike any he’d known in the hustle and bustle of the city. The open sea was still, not the barest hint of life breaking the monotony of the fog; it was hard to believe that they were a mere stone’s throw from the gates of the great Northern Water Tribe. Sighing, Tahno slumped forward, gaze lazily sweeping the foggy air. How hard could it be to spot a gargantuan gate composed entirely of ice?   

Quite hard, apparently.

Brows furrowing Tahno’s lips parted, a complaint ready on his tongue. Patience had never been his strong suit, and if they expected him to—

Crack.

Startled, he felt his body lurch forward, and Tahno scrambled for a handhold. The chill of glacial steel burned through his gloves, searing his half numb flesh, but he paid the pain no mind. All his focus had shifted to the figures sliding through the gloom, arms swaying in unison as the ship grated to a halt. The familiar motions sent an ache through his heart, and it burrowed in his stomach to bubble like acid. Though he loved the sense of power, the sense of security waterbending gave him, Tahno couldn’t help but to recall the time he’d spent talentless, merely wandering from bar to bar—he’d even considered returning home to the swamps for a brief time, though the remnants of his pride would not allow it. He was Tahno, leader of the Wolfbats and the best waterbender around—He would not crawl crying home to the dank swamps with his tail between his legs. He had kept to the shadows, watching and waiting and wanting. More than anything, the wanting had killed him; he wanted his fans back, his bending, his pride, his life.

Imagine his surprise when Korra awarded it to him upon a silver platter.

Well… she jabbed his forehead with her thumb—it amounted to about the same thing.

Nodding in greeting, he graced each bender with a glance as they began to glide forward through the deep azure of the ocean once more.  Already he had begun making out the looming wall of shimmering ice, and as they drew closer, he couldn’t help but feel dwarfed by its magnitude.  Back home, he was top dog, king of the wolfbats… and well, here… here, he was simply another waterbender, small and insignificant.

With his sights set on this great wall, Tahno felt his reserve to change that steeling over. People in this city would learn his name, oh yes… he would make a place for himself here, among this ice and snow.

Silence pervaded the air as they were propelled through the gates, and he watched with cool curiosity as they were lifted through a series of locks and corridors. So lost in thought was he that Tahno hardly noticed when they drifted to a halt. A party of people was there to greet them, and escort them through the city it seemed… but that didn’t matter, for all Tahno’s focus was locked upon the girl.

Her hair was liquid moonshine, framing her delicate olive skin. A light blush dusted her cheeks, but Tahno felt himself drawn to the crystalline blue of her eyes, so soft and demure as she smiled sweetly, petal pink lips lifting in a shy greeting. Though her parka was heavy, the barest hints of a lithe, girlish frame shone through, from the thin bones of her hand to the curve of her hip.

He was intrigued—who was this girl, this lovely creature of starlight and winter breezes, so slight and beautiful? She seemed to be wealthy, from the cut of her clothes to the healthy shine of her gaze. As the king was presented, Tahno stooped in a deep bow, though his sharp eyes of slate and steel remained unwavering, fixed upon the girl as he smirked conspiratorially, as though there was a secret, just between them.

Whoever she was, she seemed important, and beautiful… the perfect girl to help him make a name... that is, if he could get close to her.