The Little Dragon

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Friday, August 7th

Kaida

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We were down by the beach where Ozai drew me away from my father all those years ago. "I think you have been hanging with Sokka too much, Hyo." I drew up a bucket of water and a sponge. I couldn't was him earlier but his soft flames have turned into strong scales. "You smell like dead fish." I chucked the water on him and started to scrub him.

Hyo enjoyed the bath as I scrubbed his horns and scales. While I was washing him, Baba was getting fish for us to eat. "Kaida," Baba called out my name. I glanced at him before walking to the other side of Hyo.

"Yeah?" I shouted back. I patted Hyo's back telling him to squat a little lower. I can get his back when he is standing like that.

"I'm proud of you." I froze, I was mid-stroke when the words his me like a blow. He was proud of me? Me? I leaned around Hyo to see him looking at me.

"You were much stronger than myself." He was looking at me before looking out into the distance, the sun was setting again over the horizon. How was I stronger than him? My master was a lot of things, but weak wasn't one of them.

"I saw you going down the path that I was." There was a frown on his face. "When Roku was betrayed by his friend," he let out a sigh, "I took my anger out on the humans, and then went into hiding letting all my friends and family be hurt, and I didn't do anything, just..." He looked back at me, pain in his eyes. "Just wallowed by myself in my cave."

"You were almost in an identical predicament yet," there was a soft smile back on his face. "Yet, you have come out on your two feet."

"Baba," His eyes met mine. "I couldn't have done it alone." I shook my head. "Without you or Hyo, I wouldn't have recovered." I bowed my head to him. "Thank you."

I heard him softly chuckle, "there is no need for you to thank me." I lifted my head to look at him again. "I am your father, there should be no thanks," he shook his head sadly. "I assume you are not staying?"

Baba always wanted me to be happy and to explore the world. He wanted me to make friends and have fun while I was still young. Yet I always knew that there was a home that was waiting for me. Ending up here out of all the places in the world is proof of that.

"No," I shook my head and went back to scrubbing. "There is still a lot to do." I had to avenge Aang. His death will not be in vain. Baba nodded his head before dunking his head into the water and pulled out some fish. A lot more than normal, probably to feed Hyo too.

"Where do you plan to go first?" Where would I go first? Do I go see the gAang or do I-? An idea hit me, a smile creaked onto my face as I knew where I would be heading first.

"I am going to find a friend of mine." A very old friend of mine. This made Baba raise a brow.

    I cracked my knuckles, "and I am going to learn how to bend lightning."

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"See you soon." I put the letter into Hyo's claw. "Be safe." Hyo bobbed his head before taking off from the mouth of the cave. He flew out into the horizon towards where Katara would be.

I watched him till he was completely gone. The letter I sent asked where they were heading and when so that I could meet up with them. When Hyo returned we would head off to Iroh, and beg him to teach me the sacred Lightning Bending m