This is the first chapter of Winds of Destiny, a fanfiction that I collaborated on, on the Avatar Refuge website as part of a contest to continue rufftoon's Avatar Alternate History comic. The comic addresses the question of what the Avatar world would be like if Aang had been discovered by Katara and Sokka 20 years after it happened on the show. If you would like to read that comic go .com/gallery/#_browse/scraps--3. I did not write all of the chapters of this fanfic so I will make sure to give credit where credit is due. I did write this chapter however. Avatar is owned by Viacom and Mike and Bryan. The Avatar Alternate History comic is owned by rufftoon. Please review!

It feels so good to be able to waterbend again.

Dawn was just breaking and Katara stood in the middle of a lake full of the reflected colors of the morning sunrise. Her feet lightly swept across the lake's surface as she whirled about, testing out her reclaimed waterbending abilities. For once she managed to forget her fears and soak in the simple pleasure of bending as she created and quelled waves, froze and melted various water formations, and lashed out with a series of water whips and tentacles.

Katara couldn't believe the ease with which she was manipulating the water. Waterbending had always been such a struggle for her before, yet after feeling the loss of the moon for so many years, its return had granted her a far deeper connection with her element. Bending came as easily as breathing to her now and she joyfully stretched out her arms with a series of bending forms as if she were embracing a long lost friend.

The thought of friends put a stopper on Katara's flow of happiness and with a sigh she sank into a kneeling position on the water's surface as she remembered the sacrifice that had been made to bring the moon back.

None of them had suspected that Yue would give up her life in order to revive the moon spirit, but apparently that had been her plan all along. Katara couldn't imagine the kind of pain Yue had been suffering for the past 17 years since Zhao vanquished the moon spirit, but for her to have seen death as her only possible course of action...

Katara shook her head and looked down at the sad eyes of her reflection as she absentmindedly stroked the surface of the water with her hand. Yue's death had affected the others even more. Even though he only knew her for a short time, Sokka had become very attached and protective of Yue and for him to see her throw her life away all because of what the fire nation did well... his hatred for the fire nation just boiled over. He actually tried to allow the fire nation soldiers into the room just so he could try to take a few down with him. He seemed much calmer now though, and his heart was mending.

With Aang it was a different story. He was still shaken up from the whole experience. They had just barely managed to escape Zhao's ship with their lives. It was doubtful that he would wish to return to the spirit world anytime soon.

"Katara! Hey earth to Katara! What do you think you're doing out there?"

Katara was jarred out of her train of thought by Sokka's shouting from the shore. Apparently he had finally woken up and was ready to go.

"Come on Katara. You can play with your magic water later. I've got our route all planned out for us."

"It's not magic, it's bending! How many times do I have to remind you of that?"

Despite her frustration at Sokka's persistence, Katara couldn't help but smile.

At least he's acting like his old self again.

Then she cringed when the meaning of the later part of Sokka's message dawned on her. Sokka was going to be their navigator? She did not like the sound of that.