Reborn As Sokka: Awakening Of the wolf's mind

Hello, here with a new chapter, this time with 3.4 thousand words, my intention is to upload another chapter today (if I manage to finish it).Although it might be shorter and there might not be an update tomorrow. Anyway, tell me what you think and I hope you like this chapter, enjoy it and leave your support with votes, comments or reviews.

_________________________________

After resting for a while, Aang showed us around and introduced us to a statue of Gyatso. Then he pointed out where the monks used to meditate and showed us his dusty old room; he also guided us to other places and explained a bit about the culture.

Along the way, I picked up some items and stored them in my little storage spirit. I ended up looting another historical site, just like I did on the Fire Nation ship.

In the end, we arrived in front of a very ornate door with a strange mechanism in front of it.

Aang glanced at the door and then lowered his gaze sadly.

"There's someone I'm willing to meet."

"I…" Katara wanted to say something but hesitated at first. In the end, she took a deep breath and her gaze hardened. "Aang, I don't think there's anyone who could have survived in the temple for a hundred years without help."

"But I did," Aang argued. "I lived in an iceberg for a hundred years."

"That's different, you have practically unlimited energy and you were frozen. If there's someone here, I doubt they had any food."

Aang pursed his lips and directed two focused air currents at the ornate mechanism on the doors. This made the locks release and the doors slowly opened.

Once the door was completely open, there was only darkness inside. Aang stepped forward bravely, showing no fear. Katara and I followed him, into what was probably one of the most desperate moments of his life.

As expected, there were hundreds of statues of previous Avatars in the dark room. While Katara and Aang looked at the statues, my gaze drifted toward the ceiling.

The place was truly enormous, and the hair on my neck stood up as I imagined how many Avatars had existed.

Aang got lost in his thoughts while staring at the statue of Avatar Roku. Katara pulled him out of his daze by gently shaking his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Aang nodded.

"This is Avatar Roku," he murmured suddenly. He knew the name without even having heard of him.

I stopped paying attention to them and looked around the room a bit more. It was filled with statues, and a single engraving, well hidden in the shadows, stood out as something different.

From the way it was written and the rough carving, it was clear it had been made with a knife. But the writing was sloppy, meaning it had been done in a hurry. Probably someone trying to escape during the genocide.

Suddenly, a buzzing noise pulled me out of my thoughts. Aang and Katara were startled too and hid behind the statues; I, on the other hand, looked at them like they were fools.

"Sokka! Hide!" Katara hissed at me urgently.

I shrugged and walked toward the newcomer.

"Hey, my name's Sokka."

I saw the flying lemur looking at me strangely and tilting its head. It made some cute noises and flew to my shoulder. I nodded, delighted.

"Aren't you the cutest little guy ever?" I scratched his chin while he purred in my hand.

"A flying lemur!" Aang shouted excitedly, scaring the little guy. He tried to fly away, but I gently grabbed him before he could escape.

"You already have Appa, this little one will be my companion," I said firmly. "You'll be my hunting partner."

"But flying lemurs don't eat meat," Aang commented, a bit confused.

Ah… well, it didn't matter. The important thing was that he was adorable.

The lemur jumped onto Aang's head, curious.

"I'm gonna call him Leviathan the Third," I said with a grin.

"What? Why not just Momo?" Katara protested, rolling her eyes as she watched him eat a peach.

"Bah, Momo's fine too," I conceded, still petting the little guy.

I was fine with that. Actually, the whole name thing was to shift Aang's perspective about what he was about to see. I hadn't found anything about what happened to the Air Nomads, and I knew there was a place I'd eventually enter while exploring.

This temple only had a few places left to check. Aang continued on happily while talking to Momo; they wandered off exploring.

Katara was about to follow them, but I put a hand on her shoulder and shook my head.

"I think you should stay back for a while. Keep an eye on things."

"Huh?" She was puzzled by my sudden change in attitude, but she agreed anyway.

I gave her one last smile and went after Aang. The last time he went into Avatar mode he didn't recognize me, and this could end in my death if I wasn't careful.

Walking through the hallways, which were like a maze, I saw Momo leading Aang somewhere. Even though I didn't know the exact location, it was a new part of the temple we hadn't explored yet.

Eventually, we entered the place where I knew Gyatso was.

There were Fire Nation soldiers' remains scattered everywhere. Aang looked at them with a serious face. When we stepped into the room with more bodies, in the center was the skeleton of a single Air Nomad monk.

The skeleton sat in a meditation pose, the only damage to his clothes was from time — no burn marks.

Seeing it all in person, I realized he had probably used a vacuum technique to suck the air out of the room, killing anyone who entered. Without a doubt, he had been a great Airbending master. If only Aang were like him.

But my understanding didn't last long as I felt a current of air ripping the breath from my lungs. A dome began to form around Aang as his tattoos and eyes glowed.

As if he had a bomb inside, the place exploded, destroying everything around him.

The blast even knocked Momo backward; the flying lemur flew off and landed behind me.

I, for my part, held on by jamming my spear into the ground.

With a sphere of air surrounding him, Aang rose like some kind of god. The clouds parted as he floated slowly. Even though he hadn't attacked me, I could feel his power even from here.

The whole situation made my head ache with all the danger signals in my mind.

Yeah, this wasn't the best situation. But at least Katara had gone far enough back that it would take her a couple of minutes to run all the way here.

"Aang!" I called, my voice sounding more like a growl than a shout. "Listen to me! You said you wouldn't run away from your responsibility this time! Show yourself as the master of your own destiny!"

Even after saying all that cheesy stuff, it didn't seem to bring him down.

"You have us like a family!" I yelled as a last resort.

That seemed to calm him. He slowly descended to the ground and I caught him in my arms. Tears streamed from his eyes as he collapsed without control.

I looked at Gyatso's corpse, his skeleton white as bleach and covered with a bit of snow. It felt like he was looking right at me from the way he was positioned.

"Don't worry, old man, I'll take care of him."

At that moment, Momo flew and landed on my shoulder, rubbing his cheek against mine as Aang woke up.

"Sokka, I'm sorry for my outburst," he murmured, gradually less dazed as he looked at Momo. "Now it's just Appa, Momo, and me. Just us."

"Well, you have me and Katara too. Don't worry, I'll help you fix all this, and then we can rebuild a new Air Nomad culture and civilization."

I comforted him, without going into exact details. But building another peaceful civilization was a bad idea; humans and peace didn't get along too well.

We're creatures of greed and passion, no matter the training or lifestyle we have. That passion and greed will always burn inside our hearts as long as we live.

"My damn head hurts."

After a few hours, we left the Southern Air Temple after burying all the bodies there. Although now there were only bones left.

It was a tough experience for Aang, but also an awakening. Now he understood what he had to do and the devastation the Fire Nation had caused.

---

After leaving the Southern Air Temple, we decided where we'd go next. Well, I did, while Katara was sewing something and Aang was trying to impress her by making three rocks float in a circle around his palms. It was such a lame trick; no wonder Katara wasn't impressed.

Since I was the guide and navigator, thankfully we didn't get lost.

Finally, Kyoshi Island came into view and Aang called out to us.

"Look, look, let's stop and rest on that island!"

"Yeah, we can see it," I murmured tiredly. Unlike Aang, who was pure energy, I could get tired — or at least pretend to. With my chi control, my fatigue was much lower than that of a normal person.

After landing, I took our luggage and set it down. Aang ran off excitedly.

"Katara! Look, I caught a crab!" He showed her a crab with a fish head. There were weird animals in this world.

Of course, my sister wasn't impressed and answered sarcastically.

"Oh~, that's amazing~."

Yeah, she was tired of Aang trying to impress her, and I couldn't blame her for that. If I were a girl, I'd be tired of him by now too.

However, a buzzing sound interrupted my thoughts and my next moment of rest.

An attack came from the left. It was meant to knock me out, but I moved instinctively and grabbed the wrist of the hand that tried to hit me.

She attacked me again with her other hand, this time using her fan to hit my hand that held her wrist.

Even though the pain was intense, I still held on as it faded a second later.

"Who are you?" I asked Suki.

She didn't answer, just took her stance and tried to kick me between the legs.

I moved my leg to block it, but it was a trap when she threw her fan… hitting me directly between the legs. Even so, the pain hit me hard enough to make me let go of her wrist.

"Shit!" I cursed out loud as my legs buckled.

"Heh, all of you are the same," Suki mocked and went for a kick to my head.

At least she tried, because the pain had already faded enough for me to move again. I caught her leg and kicked her in the stomach. This time I didn't hold back and when she tried to back away, I pulled her toward me and slammed an elbow into her ribs.

Suki let out a grunt, but I didn't give her a chance to recover: I pushed her back, swept her legs with my knee, and when she got up, I copied the trick she pulled on me and landed a direct hit on her chin.

Baam!

I didn't go easy on her either, and she dropped unconscious. But before Suki hit the ground, I caught her and pulled out a hidden knife, pointing it at her throat.

The other Kyoshi Warriors had already knocked out Aang and Katara, and they were in the same hostage position as me.

"You're strong and skilled warriors," I praised them. "Although, unfortunately, you seem to be with the Fire Nation."

"We're not with the Fire Nation," one of the Kyoshi Warriors replied.

She seemed to be second in command after Suki — if I had to guess, she was several levels below Suki. I knew they weren't with the Fire Nation, but I had to play dumb a bit. "Oh? Then who are you? What are you? After all, nobody has a knife to the Avatar's throat except the Fire Nation."

"You're the Avatar?" asked another, who was holding Katara hostage.

"No, the guy with the Air Nomad tattoos is," I pointed at Aang.

"He's a kid," murmured the one holding Aang.

"And you're a teenager."

"Umm… actually I'm twenty-three."

"...!" I acted surprised. "Really? Wow… well, anyway. We can talk this out."

The woman I'd just indirectly complimented nodded with a smile.

"All right, you don't seem that bad."

Now that was a nice fake smile. I gave her one back.

"Oh… thanks. By the way, could you take me to the person in charge? I have some things to discuss." I said with a grin. "Besides, I've already proven we're not here to cause trouble, so there's no need for the bindings."

They started laughing and exchanging glances, silently communicating until the second-in-command agreed.

Neutral POV

The walk back to the village was calm. Sokka walked alongside the girls, staying alert but relaxed, like he'd traveled worse roads before. He watched everything, asked questions, and smiled sideways when an answer surprised him.

"So you're telling me Kyoshi ripped the island off the mainland and pushed it into the sea just because?" he repeated, with a soft laugh and a raised eyebrow. "Not bad. I guess you like people who know how to stand their ground."

The girl let out a laugh, a bit shy. She wasn't used to an outsider believing their stories and commenting on them so casually.

"And did she also teach you to fight like this?" Sokka pressed, turning slightly to look at all of them. "Because I have to admit… you know how to use every advantage."

Oma nodded proudly.

"Yes. Kyoshi left us techniques so that even a woman can dominate any man."

Sokka let out a soft snort, lowering his voice like he was sharing a secret.

"Dominate, huh? Sounds interesting… though not everyone knows how to use that word well." He shot a sideways look at Oma with a barely hidden smile before looking ahead again. "It seemed more like you used my strength against me. But I have to admit your style reminded me of water… or wind. You strike where it's least expected. The one who faced me did well."

The girls glanced at each other, surprised that he understood so much so quickly. And on top of that, his relaxed tone, without offense, threw them off.

'Is he some kind of prodigy like Suki?'

Some wanted to boast more about their techniques, but held back. The leader was Suki, and it was up to her to decide what to reveal.

When they spotted the village, several girls moved ahead, leaving only Oma at his side.

Sokka let out a low whistle, taking in the houses, the sea, and the road that hugged the coast.

"Nice place," he commented, not taking his eyes off the scenery. Then he turned to Oma with that same calm smile. "It'd be a shame to leave without seeing it properly… maybe you could show me the parts they don't show just anyone."

Oma blinked, momentarily caught off guard. His tone wasn't a request, but it didn't sound arrogant either. It was direct, confident — almost like an order disguised as an invitation.

"No… that won't be a problem," she said, trying to keep her voice from trembling.

Sokka nodded, satisfied, and started walking, making it clear he didn't need permission to lead.

"Maybe you'll give us the tour after we talk to the chief." He said with a half-smile.

When they arrived in front of the chief's office, the whole village was gathered there, just as Aang and Katara were waking up.

They were confused to see themselves tied up except for Sokka, and standing before a middle-aged woman.

"So, this young man is the Avatar?" the woman asked, pointing at Aang.

The boy was about to answer but was interrupted by Sokka.

"That's right, ma'am. We're just passing through your island, looking for a Waterbending master for my sister and the Avatar."

Katara looked at her brother strangely, noticing he didn't mention himself as a Waterbender.

"We'd really appreciate it if you'd let us stay here for at least a couple of days, at most. Of course, I don't expect you to let us stay for free — I'll pay gratefully."

"Money isn't an issue, young man. You must understand that my job as the mayor of Kyoshi Island is to safeguard my people's safety."

"I completely understand, ma'am. I'm the chief of the Southern Water Tribe, which is why I chose to accompany the Avatar on his journey — to protect my people. I guarantee that if anyone from the Fire Nation followed us, they won't be able to touch your people or your village."

The woman watched him for a dozen seconds, just like his sister, who wondered when and how he'd learned to speak like that.

"We'll allow you to stay here as long as you need. After all, our village was founded by Avatar Kyoshi — turning away an Avatar here would be shameful. Please, feel at home, Chief Sokka. We'll make sure to honor the Avatar's visit — and yours."

The second Suki opened her eyes, she was ready to fight. But there was no one around, and she recognized her room.

Then, in a fraction of a second, she realized there was no danger.

"So you're finally awake," said a woman with a calm look as she walked in. "Who would've thought that kind young man would hit you so hard? You've been asleep almost five hours."

Suki was surprised at how long she'd been unconscious. Her mother took the chance to explain the situation: how Sokka and his sister were from the Water Tribe and the boy with the tattoos was an Airbender named Aang — and beyond that, the boy was the Avatar.

---

Suki put on her Kyoshi Warrior outfit and carefully applied her makeup, trying to erase any trace of weakness. When she stepped outside, a whirlwind of air caught her off guard:

FWOOSH!

Aang rushed past her wrapped in an air orb, messing up her hair and wrinkling her uniform.

"Aang!" she protested, fixing her headpiece as a crowd chased the Avatar through the village. "He's just a kid… but he's the Avatar," she murmured to herself with a sigh.

Watching him fly around only reminded her of her own failure. The young man who had defeated her clearly wasn't trained like a master… yet he had taken her down without much effort. She couldn't help but clench her fist, frustrated.

"Is something bothering you?" asked a deep but calm voice.

But a movement to her left pulled her out of her thoughts. She turned her head and saw him: Sokka, shirtless, holding a giant koi fish over one shoulder like it weighed nothing. The first thing that caught her attention wasn't the fish, but the scars crossing his torso and arms. Old, deep wounds that spoke of real fights. Suki felt her face heat up for no reason.

'He's kinda cute,' she thought absently. But then she came to her senses.

"So you must be Sokka?"

"Yeah," Sokka nodded, with a half-smile. "And you look like the girl I knocked out."

Suki frowned, feeling like he said it in an arrogant, almost mocking way.

But contrary to expectations, Sokka set the fish down and bowed at the waist.

"Apologies for that. We thought you were Fire Nation."

"N-no need for that!" she stammered, grabbing his shoulders to straighten him. His skin was warm under her palms, scars rough beneath her fingers. She forced herself to let go. "Not your fault. I understand."

Sokka held her gaze a beat longer, then rubbed his neck with that same half-smile.

"Still, if I can make it up to you... just say the word. My cooking's out of this world," he added with a teasing glint.

Suki blinked, flustered, and blurted:

"You could help us train!" The words escaped before she could stop them.

Sokka gave a low chuckle.

"Train, huh?" His gaze traveled over her, interest undisguised. "Alright, maybe I'll pick up some Kyoshi tricks." He winked.

She fought back a smil

e, maintaining formal composure.

"As the Avatar's companion, you're welcome to learn whatever you wish here."

Sokka hefted the koi onto his shoulder like it was nothing.

"Perfect. Then teach me something worth remembering."

He walked off, leaving Suki with an unexpected smile—and warmth rising in her cheeks.