The northern air temple is now so far away that they can no longer view the giant spires of the temple on the horizon. Part of Aang knew that their encounter with the firenation at the temple wouldn't be the last time the refugees that called it their home would have to deal with them. The Mechanist and the people he took care of would have to leave the place they called home for most of Zeo's life. Though that is a cost of war, displacement is as common as death on the battlefield. As the air begins to get colder and colder the Gaang are getting closer and closer to their destination, the north pole. Any land that they could land on is far to the south since they've been traveling for several days at this point. Appa usually flies at almost 25 miles an hour, so they've traveled over a thousand miles from the last bit of land. Around them are icebergs and endless water in all directions. Thankfully, Zuko had the foresight to actually buy a compass so they wouldn't end up flying aimlessly while looking for a civilization that has alluded to any battle with the firenation for the entire century the war has been going on.

"Well this is boring." Sokka complains, lamenting his boredom to the icy colored sky above them. "It would have been a good idea to get a card game or something to pass the time between places when on Appa."

"It's way too windy for anything like that, if we tried to play anything with them they'd just fly away." Zuko responds, entertaining himself by making a small flame dance between his hands. The fire provides slight entertainment as he tries to change its shape, and some warmth to the firebender.

"It's not our job to entertain you Sokka, you should have brought a book with us then." Katara responds, doing her best to also entertain herself by practicing shifting water between its liquid and solid states.

"Well it'd help if this thing could go faster." Sokka complains, noticing how low Appa is flying to the surface of the water. Appa dips low enough to drag his paw through the water before lifting upwards again.

"He has a name you know." Aang says a bit annoyed at Sokka calling Appa a 'Thing'. "Besides, I'd like to see you fly us thousands of miles through the freezing cold. We haven't had anywhere to land so he's probably getting tired."

"We both know what happened the last time I tried flying, I'll leave that job to you, Appa and ashbreath." Zuko sends Sokka a glare before exhaling hard in his direction. The resulting air current throws the small piece of wood Sokka was carving overboard.

"That's Karma for you." Katara says with a laugh.

Without warning, a sudden wall of ice leaps out of the water freezing itself to one of Appa's legs. With the limb frozen, he can't keep himself stable in flight and begins to spin out of control. The sudden attack startles the four but they're left with no time to process it instead only enough to grab onto the sides of Appa's saddle for dear life. The four scream as Appa continues to spin out of control before slamming into the side of an iceberg then landing in the water. "The hell was that?!" Zuko asks as he shakes the dizziness from his head looking up to see if the others are alright. "Quickly, get up, we're being ambushed!" He yells before drawing his twin swords from behind his back. Sokka draws his whalebone club as they scan the waters for any attackers. As Katara manages to get to her feet she notices something heading towards them. "It's not an ambush, it's the northern watertribe!" She declares seeing the familiar carved kayaks and waterbenders. Hearing this from Katara, Sokka and Zuko lower their weapons slightly before making eye contact with some of the water tribesman noticing the traditional hunter and warrior attire the men wear.

"Not the thing we were expecting to see out on a patrol today." One of the men says as the kayaks get close to the soggy form of Appa. "Apologies for the rude introduction, we can't be too careful out here. We've stayed out of the war for this long and we don't want to be dragged into it now." As the kayaks get closer, the siblings see the man who has been speaking to them, the snow tanned skin and dark black hair of the tribesman are accented with a pair of bright icy blue eyes. "My name is Lon'qu, what are you kids doing out here?"

"We were trying to get to the northern watertribe, I'm looking for a waterbending teacher." Zuko says, keeping the hood of Sokka's extra parka over his head. He sheathed his swords in the sheath at his waist before speaking. "My name is Lee, and I'm the avatar. With me are my airbending teacher Aang, along with a couple of our friends."

"The avatar? I was told that Avatar Beifong was killed around 17 years ago. What nation were you born into?" Lon'qu asks, the men around him furrow their faces.

"I was born in Yu Dao, the firenation colony." Lee answers, lifting his hands up and removing the hood from over his head. "I was banished when they discovered I could firebend as well as airbend." Zuko turns his head so that the water tribe warriors can get a good long look at his scar.

"You need to come with us then, Avatar Lee. We need to determine if you're not only trustworthy but who you say you are. You could be firenation spies for all we know." Lon'qu says before nodding to the men in the boat with him. Immediately two of them bend whips of water that launch up and bind themselves to Zuko's wrists before freezing into a pair of shackles.

"Welp, guess this is happening now. Not the warmest welcome I've gotten but it's better than you throwing ice spears at me." Zuko says with enough sarcasm in his voice to make Sokka proud. "You could have just asked nicely."

"No, I'm afraid we can't, Prince Zuko. We know who you are."

"...Crap Baskets."

Zuko willingly gets off the back of Appa and joins the warriors in the Kayaka as they form in an escort style around Appa as they begin chartering them to the capital of the northern watertribe. Zuko gives up his twin swords which now are tied to the back of Lon'qu as he is flanked by four other watertribe warriors in the small kayak. He sits as still as possible, not attempting to use his bending to heat his hands and the ice that surrounds him trying to give the warriors no reason to think he is going to try to escape. Meanwhile Aang, Katara and Sokka sit overlooking the lead kayak where Zuko sits in icy chains making sure that nothing is done to him. Nearly an hour passes as they sit like this but eventually they pass through a natural ice formation before coming to the massive wall that protects the northern watertribe. Completely flat and hundreds of feet tall a massive wall of ice sits protecting the city of ice with its walls. At the top of the wall sits the symbol of the water tribe carved into the ice.

As they near the main gates, the ice splits apart thanks to the work of the waterbenders as they head in through a series of channels that raises them up from sea level all the way to nearly the top of the permafrost. Each gate closes behind them then is filled with more water causing them to ascend higher into the icy city. As it opens up into the city prior, Lon'qu wraps a piece of blue fabric around Zuko's eyes to keep him from getting his bearings and trying to come up with an escape plan. Meanwhile the others look out at the beautiful icy white structures that form the cry. Sokka's attention is drawn to a beautiful young woman with snow white hair and eyes that seemingly glow a celestial blue. As they're brought to the docks where the kayaks are stationed and repaired, the one carrying Zuko changes course from the others continuing to bring him to a different part of the city as the others are brought to a point where Appa can get out of the water and they are allowed off of him.

After Appa is put in a makeshift stable, the group is led through the city itself by several water tribe guardsmen. Both Aang and Sokka have their staff and other weapons confiscated by the guards but they don't bother to take Katara's water skin even after she offers it up to them. This annoys her, because of the fact that she's a bender they should have immediately taken it away from her, but they didn't. Granted the entire city is made out of stuff that can be used for bending so the thoughts don't stay in her mind for very long. "The southern water tribe is nothing like this... you all actually have walls and doors on your buildings." Sokka says this more to himself rather than the guards around him but it catches the ear of the main guard as they get to the steps leading up to the chief's palace.

"Has our sister tribe really declined that much?" One of the guardsman asks causing Sokka to nod.

"We're pretty close to the southern part of the firenation, theyve been sending raiders down to our tribe for the past seventy years. The last raid took our mother from us." Katara says, causing a long solemn silence to fall over the group as they enter the main hall of the chief's palace. Seated on a raised platform is the same beautiful woman that Sokka had seen earlier as well as the chief of the northern watertribe. An older man with a wispy mustache and beard as well as the head shaman and healer are all seated beside them.

"Ah, now that you're all here we can begin introductions." The man in the middle speaks. "I am Arnook, chief of the northern water tribe, and I am aware that this is Prince Zuko of the firenation but who are you three?" Chief Arnook asks gesturing to Aang, Katara and Sokka as they are led to a spot near where Zuko sits half frozen in a block of ice.

"Uh... Hi I guess, my name is Aang and I'm Zuko's airbending teacher." Aang says in a slightly awkward fashion.

"So I've been told but you'll be able to prove that soon enough, what about you two who say they come from our sister tribe?" Arnook asks.

"My name is Sokka, and this is my sister Katara, our father is Chief Hakota of the southern watertribe." Sokka answers, causing Arnook to raise an eyebrow.

"I see, tell me, where is Chief Hakota now if you claim to be his son?" Arnook asks, "We get messages from him from time to time and the last one stated that his kids travel with the avatar and the last airbender."

"From what Batou said when we spoke with him a few months ago, they were hunting Firenation scout ships off the coast of whale tail island." Sokka answers, reaching into his pack and producing a letter written by his father. He offers it to one of the guards who brings it to Chief Arnook so that he can read it.

"Tell me, why did you bring the prince of the firenation to our home?" The older white haired man asks, twisting his long wispy mustache in his fingers. "Surely you don't believe he's the avatar."

"You know, instead of talking about me, you could talk to me and just have me prove it." Zuko says, "Besides I was told to talk to you, Master Pakku." Pakku raises an eyebrow at the mention of his name.

"How did you know my name?" The waterbending master asks, arching an eyebrow at the firebender-cicle.

"My uncle told me, he also told me to ask you to play a game of Pai Sho." Chief Arnook now looks quizzically at this statement.

"Well, if you insist then we can play a simple game. However if you fail to prove that you're the avatar I'm afraid you'll be cast to sea on a boat with no paddles." Pakku responds by turning his nose up and closing his eyes in a slightly snooty expression. "What about the girl? Why is she with you?"

"I've been trying to teach Zuko waterbending on our way here but I need a master as well." Katara says looking up at the waterbending master with a pleading expression. "Because of the raids on the south pole, the firenation has kidnapped or killed every single waterbender there and burned our scrolls... You're looking at the only waterbender in the entire south pole."

"Yes yes, quite the sad story but we do not allow women to learn waterbending." Pakku says, causing Katara's blood to run cold. "It's been one of our most ancient traditions."

"What? What?! I didn't come all the way across the globe just for you to say no!" Katara protests.

"No." Pakku responds with a sneer.

"Wow." Zuko says, looking up at the waterbending master. "No wonder you guys are losing the war then." This statement causes the guards around him to level their spears towards his throat.

"I'm sorry, care to say that again? Prince Zuko?" Pakku asks, his voice now laced with offense and slight venom.

"Yeah Zuko, you're kinda in a bad spot so don't say anything stupid." Aang says, trying to save face for Zuko.

"What I'm saying is that you all are losing the war for this very reason." Zuko says with a roll of his eyes. "You are stuck in the past, relying on tactics for ancient wars and skirmishes fighting an enemy that has industrialized and is conscripting every able bodied man and woman to fight this war. Even non benders are on the front lines fighting, you're really just cutting your numbers in half not letting women waterbend."

"You will hold your tongue boy, or we'll cut it out." Arnook shouts, causing Zuko to turn and glare at him.

"Ha! That's precious, how could a child possibly know anything when it comes to this war?" Pakku laughs off Zuko's statements.

"Don't forget who I am, Master Pakku, I was born to lead the firenation. Since I could walk I've been sitting in on war meetings, listening to battle tactics and have been trained by the same generals I will one day lead as firelord. Out of everyone, aside from my uncle and father I know what I'm talking about." Zuko responds. "How many waterbenders does it take to take down a war ship? Not just the scouts we send up here, a proper Dragon class warship?" Pakku remains silent for several moments before responding.

"Over thirty." He says.

"And how many die?" Zuko continues.

"What is your point child?!" Arnook roars.

"My point is that you're wasting man power, life, time and possible victories fighting at half strength. My own sister is probably the most powerful firebender there is, including my own father." Zuko states. "And, who the hell is going to teach me waterbending when we have to leave here?"

"You make a decent point Prince Zuko, but you've shown no proof that you are in fact the avatar." The woman on the right hand side of chief Arnook says. "If you want us to take your word and to trust you, then prove that you're the avatar." Sokka stares at her in awe hearing her speak, her voice is like music to his ears and is as smooth and gentle as the finest silk.

"Gladly." Zuko says before exhaling hot air through his nose immediately melting the ice block they had trapped him inside. Once free of the block of ice, Zuko immediately jumps almost thirty feet into the air from a seated position causing the others to look up at him in shock. As he floats down to the ground slowly, he flicks his wrist towards Master Pakku sending a gust of wind at him that blows the old man's hair back. "Proof enough for you?" He asks as his feet touch the ground. "I've tried waterbending but the only thing I've managed to do with it is boil the water I was trying to bend."

"Well... forgive me for being skeptical but I didn't think that you were actually the avatar." Chief Arnook responds, "I think it'd be best if we started over and let bygones be bygones shall we? My name is Chief Arnook of the northern watertribe, beside me is my daughter Princess Yue, Grandmaster Pakku and our chief shaman Yagoda who teaches healing. Welcome to the north pole Avatar Zuko." Zuko brings himself to attention then bows to the water tribe chieftain,

"Thank you for having us, now how about that game of Pai Sho Master Pakku?" Zuko asks shifting gears to speak with the master. "I'm sure Aang would like to play as well."

"Very well, I accept your challenge. As for your training, you and Katara will meet me here at sunrise, it is going to be difficult." Pakku says as the congregation stands and is dismissed.