IMONA PRUITT felt as if she was drowning on dry land. The tears that clung to her long eyelashes slowly were beginning to freeze, her skin had turned paler then the snow that surrounded her body, her chapped lips were blue and numb, blood poured out of a small gash running across the blonde's cheek. Imona could barley see anything, her eyes were starting to swell shut and bruises creeped their way across her skin from the impact of her recent fall. But the worst thing of all the girl's lungs were slowly losing their source of power. The very thing that supplies oxygen to every inch of her body was crystallizing with ice, each time she gasped for elemental air Imona was met with nothing but rigorous ice and water particles. The small girls limbs squirmed and swung trying with every ounce of her being to lift her body mass. With whatever breath she had left, a string of curses escaped Imona's lips as she faded out of consciousness.

"Imona." a voice said. Imona jolted up, her hands swiftly moving to their offensive position. She sprung up to her aching feet, her head whipping back and forth trying to locate the source of the voice. With every movement her skull was struck with an excruciating pain. She stood their aimlessly for a few seconds. She sucked the cold air and let it inflate her lungs, she lifted her hand to raise a piece of snow that lay right at her feet. Imona jerked her head to look behind her, coming from in front of her body, without warning an icicle with edges sharp as a piece of broken glass wedged itself into Imona's shoulder. The girl let out a yelp, glancing down at her injury. The waterbender ripped the icicle out of her skin letting it fall to the ground. With her eyes now facing the attackers position she scanned the area. Coming slightly to her left 20 icicles hurtled themselves towards Imona's tiny frame. With the swoop of her uninjured arm a sheet of ice shielded her body from the attacker's icicles. She quickly dropped the shield, looking for his position.

It was Arnook. He stood hidden in a small alcove of the bottom of the mountain, completely untouched with a smug look spreading across his face as he watched Imona struggle.

Anger poured throughout Imona's soul. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, blocking out all of the oozing pain her petite body was feeling. Imona's aching bones pounded against the snow underneath her heavy boots as she charged at the man. Her good hand outstretched slightly, raising the snow and ice that surrounded her as she made her approach. Arnook speedily took notice of this, more and more skin puncturing icicles flew towards Imona. With the pull of her hands the ice wall covered and shielded her body once again from Arnook's attack. Her feet kept carrying her, she was getting closer and closer to Arnook's position. Imona was not going to stand down.

Arnook launched another round of icicles. Again, Imona pulled her hands close together to form an ice wall but this time she pushed against the wall. Arnook's own icicles we're now flying towards himself. Imona was now on the offense.

When Imona had reached Arnook he had fully recovered from the girl's strike. Arnook raised his hand to attack but Imona was quicker. The blonde's foot turned outward causing the ice that Arnook stood on to drop lower then the ground her stood on. Imona let out a heavy breath somewhat out of relief. But unfortunately within seconds Arnook pushed the ice below him to rise above Imona, fury blazing in his navy eyes. Imona stumbled back with surprise at her Master's swiftness. A large ball of jagged snow plummeted down onto Imona, Imona's reflexes kicked in, the waterbender raised her hands and swiftly pulled them apart causing the snow to disperse, leaving snowflakes to fall all around her. When the blonde raised her eyes back up to view Arnook all she could see was clouds of white rapidly plunging straight down at her.

Imona's body contorted around the falling objects, swerving and darting to the best of her abilities. Her numb hands raised in attempt to move the snowballs out of her way, her bleeding shoulder exploded with pain. The snowballs became endless. Snow pelted against her body. Imona could feel herself struggling to remain on her feet. Arnook who still had the high ground above her showed no signs of stopping his attack. The adrenaline that had once filled Imona's body had disappeared, the grueling pain in Imona's shoulder had become to much to ignore. With every hit she received she could feel her strength going with it. With all that she could Imona swayed her arms up raising some of the icy snow with them as her final effort to stop Arnook's onslaught, but it was to no prevail. With one final hit Imona's body collided with the rigid ground.

Lying on her side, Imona watched the final snowball land directly next to her skull. There was absolutely nothing to be heard expect Imona's own heavy breathing. Blood coming from multiple parts of Imona's body dripped out onto the snow. Imona could feel the bruising covering almost every inch of her body. Arnook's voice broke the deafening silence of the frozen tundra the pair was on, "You failed, Pruitt." he said. Imona couldn't turn to see but she could hear Arnook lowering the ice he stood on to approach her. The last thing Imona could feel was Arnook lifting her limp body up from the snow and into his his arms. Imona finally let her drooping eyes close. Imona did not feel like the weapon Arnook had always claimed she was.

☄︎. *. ⋆

A SOFT GOLDEN LIGHT bled through Imona's sensitive eyes. She lay in the healing hut, she could tell by the stiff cot she was placed on. All the pain that had consumed her body had dulled greatly, it was almost eliminated. Her blonde hair that she remembered to be lose and wild had been braided tightly into some Water Tribe updo.

Imona already knew how mad Arnook would be. She had lost an easy fight. She should have never given in, she should have kept herself upright, she should have gotten the high ground. Imona knew the increasing threats that Northern Water Tribe was facing, she knew about the Fire Nation ships that came closer to their tribe's gates everyday. Imona knew that she was growing to become weak. She knew it from the way she couldn't be as quick as she used to be, the way she always hesitated, the way that Arnook looked at her whenever she would train - eyes full of disappointment. It suffocated Imona at that fact. Being a protector, being a warrior was all that she was made to do, she was born do this and yet she always ended up with mouthfuls of snow, breathing water.

"Imona!" a voice exclaimed. Imona shifted her eyes, the figue of Yue stood in door frame with a smile spread across her face. The white haired girl weaved her way in between the empty cots, resembling a tiny polar rabbit looking for food. Yue continued her way to Imona's cot, upon reaching her destination, Yue consumed Imona in a hug. Imona could feel herself melt against Yue's touch, feeling the numb and cold exit her body. "Yue." Imona breathed, whispering her name like it was prayer.

"How are you feeling?" Yue pulled back immediate motherly concern filling up her doe-like features. It wasn't an uncommon behavior from Yue, she always made sure Imona was okay, no matter the circumstances. "I feel fine." Imona paused for a moment. "But that doesn't mean i'm not a failure."

Yue's features dropped. "Hey," she soothed gently, pulling Imona in close to her chest, beginning to stroke her hair. "You will never, ever, be a failure Imona Pruitt. No matter what my father says."

A single teardrop trickled it's way down Imona's flushed cheek. Yue was one of Imona Pruitt's very limited blessings.

ac

sorry this short! first chapters are so hard to write and mine always end up being boring. i feel like it was rushed but idk. i promise it will get better. i apologize for spelling mistakes ive been busy with school now starting and i was in a rush to get this posted. i adore imona and yue they are so adorable ❤️ also in the beginning imona was running from a polar bear dog as part of her training AND i purposefully left the identity of the voice that originally work imona up in the beginning a secret because you will see. anyway thank you so much for reading i hope you enjoyed it !