Uncertainty [Ryo Azuma]

Nakkoa was a visionary.

As a child, she often entertained herself with countless dreams and aspirations; the one always coming up with new ways to play pretending games. She was a child parading around in her fearsome mother's armor, eyeing the weapons of her people with wonder and swirling pride.

Nakkoa was proactive; those games of pretend more often than not became realities. Hours upon hours of intense study, grueling Kata practice without any hindrance save for basic needs and family bonding. At age ten she felled her very first deer yak; by the time she was eleven she and her hunting lion were insurmountable. Nakkoa was always sure of herself, her capabilities and certain milestones for the future.

Now though, while the soldier princess drummed through the lower ring of an enemy-turned allied city, she snorted derisively. How ironic was it that the one dream she dared entertain a fortyear ago prove untrue? As she eyed the pairs bustling about holding hands and and looking starry eyed......Nakkoa was forced to admit that she was wrong.

"Perhaps." She murmured and rested her fingers idly against a dagger hidden in her sleeve.
One brush of dark fur against caramel skin brought her out of her thoughts and, despite herself she smiled.
"You're right you two," Nakkoa relented, stroking the dark fur of her beloved beast and his pup, "I dont even know what I was thinking."

Kaira leaned into her hand knowingly and pressed his muzzle against her palm. Something beneath his massive form gave a squeak and tumbled forward, a near perfect copy of Kaira himself. Nakkoa chuckled and scratched the wolf-lion cub under her chin before lifting her in an embrace.

"Thank you Kenna." The warrior smiled sweetly. She turned and set the bundle of fluff in Kaira's saddle, gaze not even wavering until the cub finally laid down. "Good Kenna! And don't even think about leaving this saddle again young lady."

Kaira rumbled in a approval and the trio continued through the throngs of the city. The further they ventured the farther Agni began to descend. Her muscles tingled while awaiting the telltale rise of the great moon, her people's moon. And though her chi trembled with incredible power in tandem with the sun and moon's dance, Nakkoa felt transient like chaff against the wind.

"We'll settle in the middle ring where the farmlands are." The princess said, her shoulders twitching. Catty eyes glanced around corners unnaturally shrouded in shadow and she bristled. Her brother's encounter with the Shadows was nothing but familiar to her.
"Kazuhiro, Yakuna and Jinza are waiting for us there."

This was my decision.
I was never meant to be a lady.

For the first time in her life part of her future was filled with uncertainity, and the warrior princess despised that.

Ba sing se.

Ryo's most hated city.

And now, his station of work.

Ryo sighed heavily as he looked up into the darkening sky, hands in his pockets as he headed home. Currently off duty, Ryo felt a bit lost nowdays when he was not working, finding it harder and harder to bring back his old happy go lucky self. Ryo cought a glimpse of a couple walking hand in hand, eyes looking lovingly at one and other. Ryo felt the urdge to roll his golden eyes in bitterness.

Ryo ripped his gaze from the two lovers to aviod over thinking again; one of the things Mazugo said was a weakness of his. For someone as impulsive as Ryo, it is to easy to do things you regret.

Ryo kept walking, a chill running down his spine as the cold breeze blew, haunting the streets. It had been a year since his trip to ember island, and Ryo felt he had aged dramaticly. Ryo's features had some what hardened, and he now wore a large, deep scar on his right cheek, which he had received when encountering some rouge bandits.

Ryo looked up into the sky again, eyes lingering on the moon. Only one person comes to mind when he sees the moon. He had tried to write to the water tribe princess like he had before he had messed everything up, like they were friends again, but he never really expected a reply. She is long gone, on to better things. Ryo now realized he was not the man for her, or a man that was made to settle down. He was a soilder now, a soilder through and through.

Ryo turned his attention to the streets, and a familiar shape with dark fur cought his eye. It wasn't Kaira, was it? Ryo began to walk a little faster, nerves and uncertainity clouding his thoughts.

Then he saw her, and Ryo stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening.

Ryo's heart skipped a beat, out of nerves or happiness, he didn't know.

(sorry if it isn't very good...low on creativity juice)

Nakkoa flipped through her satchel and pursed her lips. "Where's my token for the Lotus Inn?" She snapped the flap of her satchel shut and clasped it with her clansmen's insignia clasp. 'I know I'm not going insane, I put it in Kaira's saddle last night!'

"Kaira!"

Kaira stopped abruptly and turned his ears behind him. Turning around, he trotted back to Nakkoa and pressed his head into her abdomen affectionately. The waterbender rolled her eyes good-naturedly and stood up on her toes. Her long fingers bypassed Kenna and groped around for any sign of the glittering tokens. After minutes of searching, she ended up with no dice.

Nakkoa snatched her hand out of the saddle and sucked her teeth. "Maa! Forget it, I'll just have to wing it and hope we don't get caught."She hunched her shoulders sheepishly and let out a nervous chuckle. Really, anyone would think that by now the princess of the north would be more prepared nowadays.

Kaira leaned his head toward the ground when he felt her hands on either side of his formidable neck. With a soundless tut his mistress hoisted herself up into the dark blue-white saddle and shifted. There was a squeal and an exasperated groan. Kaira rolled his eyes and trotted off with a knowing smile.

"Kenna," Nakkoa groaned as the pup clambered over her, "Sit girl! I can't steer with that tail of yours smacking me in the face!" The reigns around Kaira's muzzle jerked and the wolf-lion stumbled sideways. Normally the two of them didn't have much of a use for that kind of gear, seeing as Kaira could always find his way in the most congested of places. However, Ba Sing Se was a terribly compacted city and it did nothing to ease his irritable nerves and so, thanks to her good judgement she'd gone and bought the thing.

Trying to saddle him up was an entirely different story.

An abrupt halt jostled Nakkoa out of her thoughts. Frowning, she patted the thick of her beast's mane and scratched behind one of his ears. "Kai, what gives?Something spook ya?" His response was the bristling of his fur and a throaty growl. Her eyes snapped to the throngs of people meandering around them and narrowed; her eyesight, like most water tribals, was always on par and extremely sharp at night. Yet, as she scanned the crowds Nakkoa failed to pinpoint what Kaira was growling at.

Gripping the reins, she clicked her tongue and turned in the opposite direction.
Right into the person she'd been looking for.

"You know I always knew you were never the punctual type when it came to these things.......I'm stunned you managed to get here ahead of schedule."

Nakkoa flipped her hair over her shoulder and smirked, deliberately biting down her excitement. "Well if it isn't the little fire nation peasant! Is that anyway to treat your princess?"

The young man in question frowned as she moved to gather some of his lengthy hair in a topknot. He smacked her hand out of the way and grabbed her around the waist, lifting her out of the saddle to stand on the ground.

"Do you wish to get me killed?!" Kazuhiro hissed, his eyes glimmering irritably. "You know things are tense between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. Quit using my name!"

Nakkoa pushed him away and folded her arms. "Well what am I supposed to call you then?"

"Kouji."

Snicker. "That....is the dumbest name ever!"

Kazuhiro scratched Kaira on the forehead, blatantly ignoring Nakkoa as she doubled over at the sheer ridiculous of his cover name. He was the same since they'd last seen eachother: Tall, defined, with looks and hair that made a man jealous and a woman want to bed him.

In other words, definitely not a wimpy Kouji.

"If you're done cackling like a mongoose-dragon now," He smirked, inclining his head, "The others are waiting for us back at the "house". You know the one, by the Heavenly bridge just up the road."

Nakkoa choked on a giggle, "What? You're not coming with me?"

"Scared?" His smile vanished upon seeing her pointed glare, "Alright, jeesh. No. I've been sent on a.....food run. For lack of a better term. It's just up the road Koa; and down the bend. Look do that weird connecting thing you to find water, you can't miss it."

Before she even had the chance to protest, the fire nation boy had pecked her on the forehead and skittered off to finish his task.

"That....little....devil!"

Growl.

"Kaira, what's gotten into you buddy? You're growling like you've seen a ghost."

I have Mistress. And this ghost of your past is very much alive.

Ryo swore he had seen her.

He knew he had.

The dim light and the people swarming the street didn't help him get a clear veiw of where he thought the ice princess was standing. Curious, Ryo decided maybe he shouldn't go to base like he was planning too. Ryo took a breath of the cruel night air and walked in the direction of his possiably imaginary Nakkoa.

This was rediculous he told himself, yet me kept walking. He really wanted to move on, he really did, but Nakkoa had a firm hold on him unlike any woman he had ever met.

"Ryo, she made you all soft..." He whispered to himself, unaware he was running his fingers over his dark ebony hair, still short and spikey.

Ryo's eyes strained as he tried to gaze through the crowd. Then, the crowd spilt briefly, and he cought a glimpse of the her, as beautiful as he remembered her.

Nakkoa.

She was talking to someone, but the people were blocking Ryo's view of the stranger. Kaira was next to her, and he cought of sworn the wolf lion looked at him for a brief second.

Ryo's golden eyes widened in horror as the stranger was revealed, then he felt his jaw tighten.

Kazuhiro.

Never in his whole life had Ryo hated someone he had bearly spoken to so much.

The next thing the other firebender did made Ryo's blood boil.

Kazuhiro leaned in, and kissed her on the head. Ryo cursed himself as the jelously began to rise inside of him, but he was determind for it not to burst. Once Kazuhiro walked off, Ryo strode up and stopped a few metres behind Nakkoa, self coniously running his hand roughly over the long, deep scar he now bore on his face.

Ryo couldn't help it, he half smiled, knowing sneaking up on her would make her hate him even more.

"Hey Nakkoa."